Ever since he learned that the black iron plaque might be the key to another world, Zhang Shaozhong felt that the cultivation atmosphere in his villa was almost as intense as that of a college entrance exam cram school.
Aside from necessary meals, Ling Qingxue spent most of her time meditating in the quiet room on the top floor, surrounded by a chilling aura. She was determined not to give up until she formed her Nascent Soul.
Ye Meier was not to be outdone. Although her cultivation method was rather unorthodox—she often dragged Zhang Shao to convert some negative energy into "snacks" to eat, euphemistically calling it "working overtime to replenish her mana"—her progress was still visible to the naked eye.
Zhang Shaozhong dared not slack off. His Chaos Golden Core was starving and eager to absorb all the energy around him, whether it was spiritual energy, malevolent energy, or even Wi-Fi signals.
He even tried to cultivate near garbage disposal stations and substations, but Ling Qingxue forcibly dragged him back on the grounds that it was "unsightly" and "too dangerous".
"Sigh, I'm just trying to speed things up..."
Zhang Shaozhong sighed as he ate the spirit-powered steamed buns that Wang Ma had specially made.
Once one reaches the Golden Core stage of cultivation, every further advancement becomes incredibly difficult, especially in this godforsaken place like Earth.
"Haste makes waste."
Ling Qingxue wiped her mouth elegantly, "Without a solid foundation, even if there are extraordinary encounters, it is still a castle in the air."
Ye Meier nodded in deep agreement, then casually picked up the last shrimp dumpling from Zhang Shaozhong's bowl: "That hypocrite is right. Look at me, husband, I was too eager to break through to the Heavenly Demon King realm before, and my foundation became a bit unstable. As a result, I almost got beaten to a pulp when I fought with this hypocrite... Ouch!"
Before she could finish speaking, Ling Qingxue tapped her forehead with an icicle.
Even eating can't shut you up.
Ling Qingxue said calmly.
Watching the two women resume their daily battle of wits, Zhang Shaozhong's anxiety actually dissipated considerably.
That's true, things will work themselves out when they reach the bridge.
Besides cultivation, he also searched for the third iron tablet and the "Land of Fallen Stars".
Zhang Shaozhong mobilized all the connections he could—mainly Mr. Zhou's side, as well as some shady characters he knew from his time in the underground black market.
The bounty has been issued, offering a generous reward for finding similar black iron plaques.
The news attracted many people who wanted to take advantage of the situation, trying to pass off their wares with random scrap metal, but Zhang Shaozhong saw through them at a glance.
The person in question has yet to appear.
As for the "Land of Fallen Stars," there was absolutely no clue.
Zhang Shaozhong even had Mr. Zhou secretly check the database of the National Astronomical Observatories (using some special privileges), but he couldn't find anything that matched the characteristics of a "starfall" or was possibly related to the cultivation world.
"Damn it, are we in outer space?"
Looking at the densely packed star map on the computer screen, Zhang Shaozhong felt his head was about to explode.
“A falling star doesn’t necessarily refer to a celestial body falling,” Ling Qingxue said thoughtfully, appearing behind him at some point. “It can also refer to the fall of a powerful being, or the place where spiritual veins and stars are destroyed.”
Ye Meier also came over and pointed to a dot on the screen: "Maybe it's the entrance to some secret realm or small world? We used to have several such places in our Demon Realm, with fancy names."
Too few clues, too much speculation—it's like looking for a needle in a haystack.
That afternoon, Zhang Shaozhong was in the courtyard, trying to use chaotic energy to revitalize the few half-dead spiritual herbs, when Mr. Zhou suddenly arrived, his expression somewhat grave.
"Mr. Zhang, we have news."
Mr. Zhou lowered his voice, "Regarding the iron plate you're looking for, there's a newly discovered ancient site in the Northwest where some artifacts were unearthed, including something that seems to have a similar description. It was taken away by a local... somewhat unscrupulous private collector."
Zhang Shaozhong's eyes lit up: "The exact location? What's the collector's name?"
Mr. Zhou handed over an envelope: "The information is all inside. However, Mr. Zhang, the situation over there is quite complicated, with deeply entrenched forces, and it seems that the collector also has a cultivator backing him."
"rest assured!"
Zhang Shaozhong took the envelope, patted Mr. Zhou on the shoulder, and said, "Old Zhou, you're a true friend! I'll treat you to drinks later!"
After seeing Mr. Zhou off, Zhang Shaozhong immediately told the two ladies the news.
"The Northwest? The Gobi Desert?"
Night Enchantress blinked. "It doesn't sound like a good place. But a clue is better than nothing! When do we set off?"
Ling Qingxue remained calm: "Has the information been verified? Could it be a trap?"
"Who cares if it's a trap!"
Zhang Shaozhong didn't care at all. "If it's a trap, we'll flatten it! If it's a treasure, we'll snatch it! With the three of us in this lineup, as long as we don't run into a Nascent Soul stage monster, we can roam freely!"
He is currently in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, with an incomparably domineering chaotic energy; Ling Qingxue is at the peak of the Golden Core realm, half a step into the Nascent Soul realm; Ye Meier is in the late-stage of the Demon Core realm, with bizarre methods.
This combination is certainly capable of being arrogant in the cultivation world of Earth.
Just pack up and go!
The three of them made some preparations, mainly Ye Meier filling a storage ring with snacks, game consoles, and various "little gadgets" that she thought might be useful. The next morning, they drove the modified off-road vehicle, which could adapt to various terrains, and sped off in the northwest direction.
Along the way, the landscape was desolate, with yellow sand and Gobi desert.
At first, Ye Meier found it novel and kept taking pictures with her phone. But later she got tired of it and started complaining, "What kind of place is this? It's the middle of nowhere! The spiritual energy is even thinner than in the city!"
Ling Qingxue remained calm, gazing at the vast land outside the window, lost in thought.
While driving, Zhang Shaozhong scanned his surroundings with his divine sense.
According to the information provided by Mr. Zhou, the private collector's hideout is located in an abandoned ancient town deep in this Gobi Desert.
After driving for most of the day, as the sun set and the sky was dyed a magnificent orange-red, the outline of an ancient town built against several dilapidated earthen hills finally appeared on the horizon.
The town looked dilapidated, with most of the houses collapsed and only a few scattered lights flickering like will-o'-the-wisps in the darkening twilight.
"This is it."
Zhang Shaozhong stopped the car, sensing a faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation in the air, the same as the iron plate, as well as several hostile auras hidden not far away. A smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"It seems some people aren't too welcoming to us."
Ye Meier licked her lips, a glint of excited red light flashing in her eyes: "It's better if you don't welcome me! I like to reason with my fists!"
Ling Qingxue straightened her clothes, her expression cold: "Let's finish this quickly."
The three of them smiled at each other, opened the car door, and stepped into this land that had been eroded by wind and sand for thousands of years.
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