Chapter 327 256: Dragon Ridge

Zhao Xuanqi stared at the thumb-sized piece of jade in his hand, a puzzled expression on his face.

If he wasn't mistaken, this had to be what the Holy Beast Divine General left behind in the secret chamber all those years ago. Only by performing the Dragon Gate Secret Technique step-by-step, in tune with the fluctuations of the formless Qi within the chamber, could one cause the entire room to enter a strange state of resonance. This would make the stalactite, specially treated by the Holy Beast Divine General, break apart and expose this piece of jade.

Li Zhenyuan had not passed down the complete Hundred Beasts Fist in this world, let alone the Dragon Gate Secret Technique. This was clearly something prepared for his successors. Or, perhaps, if some genius of this age could deduce the Dragon Gate Secret Technique from the Four Saints Sect's Secret Transmission, they would also be qualified to obtain it.

'But... what exactly does this piece of jade represent?'

Zhao Xuanqi placed the jade in his palm and examined it closely.

The jade was an irregular oval, appearing to be naturally formed without any artificial polishing or carving. Its texture was as warm and smooth as mutton-fat jade, but that was all. It was hardly extraordinary and looked no different from the common jade pieces one could find on the market.

Zhao Xuanqi narrowed his eyes, trying to sense and communicate with it using his spirit and intuition, but he received no response.

He pondered for a moment. A silver light flashed in his eyes as he manifested the stance of the Qilin, using its form to envelop the jade within his aura. Still, the jade gave no reaction.

He switched his approach. 'To get this jade in this secret chamber, the most important step was to use the core mysteries of the Hundred Beasts Fist. Perhaps the Profound Technique of the Hundred Beasts Fist's True Inheritance is also the key to awakening the jade's secret.'

After a moment of thought, he once again performed the Dragon Gate Secret Technique, progressing through its stages and expanding his vital magnetic field, but the jade remained unchanged.

For a moment, he was at a complete loss.

He held the jade and considered his options, quickly dismissing the thought of swallowing it to test it. 'Even if my digestive abilities are extraordinary, it's best to be careful with an unknown object like this.'

'It can't be something as cliché as binding it with a drop of blood, can it?'

Unable to resist the thought, Zhao Xuanqi placed the jade in his palm, forced a drop of fresh blood from his fingertip, and let it fall onto the stone.

He watched the jade with a hint of expectation in his eyes.

One second.

Two seconds.

Half a minute.

Nothing happened.

Zhao Xuanqi almost thought he had found the wrong object. He clenched his fist, applying a slight Force Release. An ordinary piece of jade would have been instantly crushed to powder by his grip, but this stone remained completely unscathed. Its texture was unimaginably hard.

'I don't have the wrong object, I just haven't found the right method.'

'No, maybe it's not just that. It's also possible... that I'm not yet qualified.'

'My strength hasn't reached that level yet.'

'After all, my Dragon Gate Secret Technique has only reached the third gate.'

'But all this only proves that this piece of jade hides some vital information.'

Zhao Xuanqi slowly relaxed his hand. He began to scan the secret chamber again, making sure he hadn't missed anything, and prepared to leave the Celestial Cave for now to decide his next move.

Meanwhile, outside the Nine Dragon Cave, Wang Sea had already come out and was standing with Sect Leader Li Kunsheng.

As time went on, anxious and worried expressions appeared on their faces.

More than a Quarter Hour had passed since Zhao Xuanqi delved deep into the Nine Dragon Cave, but he still hadn't emerged. This couldn't help but make them worry for his safety.

"You don't think something happened, do you?" Wang Sea asked worriedly.

"Probably not. At his level of strength, he should have a good idea of how far he can go. At worst, he'll be seriously injured..."

Li Kunsheng trailed off, because his assumption was based on Zhao Xuanqi retreating in the face of overwhelming difficulty. If he stubbornly pushed forward, then there was no telling what might happen.

"He doesn't seem like the type of person who doesn't know when to retreat," Wang Sea mused. "Master, which cave do you think he'll be able to reach within the Nine Dragon Cave?"

"My guess would be the fifth cave. According to the records, the first five caves are primarily related to Qi and Blood. But from the sixth cave, the Ermen acupoint, the influence of Qi becomes abstruse and mysterious. One's five senses will..."

Li Kunsheng began to explain, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by the faint sound of footsteps echoing from within the Nine Dragon Cave.

Hearing the footsteps, both men's spirits lifted. They peered into the cave and saw Zhao Xuanqi's figure slowly emerge from the deep shadows.

The bloodstains on his face had been wiped away, but some still remained on his clothes, standing out starkly.

Although the blood on his clothes looked alarming, they could tell from Zhao Xuanqi's complexion that he was largely unharmed, and they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"You're out! Which cave did you reach?" Wang Sea asked Zhao Xuanqi curiously.

Li Kunsheng, standing beside him, also looked very interested.

"I made it to the end. I opened the secret chamber and retrieved the item left by the Holy Beast Divine General," Zhao Xuanqi said matter-of-factly.

He saw no reason to deliberately hide it.

'The Cyan Dragon Sect has guarded this Secret Land for thousands of years, and multiple generations of Divine Generals have entered that chamber. If they had deliberately tried to tear the place apart, they might have found the hidden jade. But they didn't. They did it out of respect for the Holy Beast Divine General. Because of that goodwill, they've earned the right to know some of its secrets.'