In the vast underground space, a stone forest stood tall in the darkness, with plants emitting a faint glow on the ground.
Ji Yuan and the others stood outside the stone forest, falling into silence.
They were now faced with two choices: one was to enter the stone forest and explore, as indicated by the Listening Wind Spirit Seeking Plate, and the other was to try their luck elsewhere using other means.
"According to the Listening Wind Spirit Seeking Plate, there should be many good things within the stone forest."
Wu Chengqing looked at everyone, clearly tempted.
This magical artifact was something he had acquired at a great expense, and it had led him to many fortunate encounters over the years, so he naturally relied on it heavily.
Now, the light spot on the Listening Wind Spirit Seeking Plate was brighter than ever before, indicating that there was definitely a great opportunity within the stone forest.
However, everyone present knew the principle that "when something is too good to be true, there must be a catch." The stone forest looked eerie, and it was not a good place to be.
They could easily seek out other places and did not need to take this risk.
Personally, Ji Yuan agreed with avoiding this place and was unwilling to take the risk, fearing that they might encounter an insurmountable crisis before finding any benefits.
However, the other few preferred to enter the stone forest and explore, unwilling to miss out on such a great potential opportunity.
He did not object to this but cautioned everyone to be careful, extremely careful.
Because even without their spiritual senses, they could tell at a glance that this stone forest harbored some kind of variable, very likely an unexpected danger.
A moment later, having made their decision, the group, following their pre-arranged formation, cautiously walked into the stone forest.
Ji Yuan led the way at the front of the team. Among them, he had the most skills and could handle most emergencies. To his left and right rear were Liu Donglai and Wang Xiaoxuan, on guard.
As for Wu Chengqing and Zhao Yuansong, one stood in the middle of the team, holding a large banner that could generate sharp winds when waved, providing timely support in all four directions.
The other walked at the rear, protecting Li Junxian and the others while preventing any danger from approaching from behind.
As soon as they stepped into the stone forest, everyone felt the surrounding temperature plummet, and a strange wind blew, sounding like someone was weeping.
However, outside the stone forest, there were no such anomalies; there was no coldness, nor any whispering wind.
"There really is something wrong..."
Ji Yuan scanned the surroundings and muttered to himself.
However, he was not surprised by this at all and had already made full preparations.
"Do you think these glowing plants have any value?"
Zheng Wanrong looked at the ubiquitous plants and asked.
Before today, she had never seen any plant that could emit a faint light in the dark, and such plants were not even recorded in some ancient texts.
Moreover, these plants were not of a single species, but multiple types possessed such divine properties, including mushrooms, moss-like growths, and even some weeds.
Upon hearing this, a few people's expressions shifted, clearly reminded by her words, and they began to speculate.
If they truly had some value, given their ubiquitous nature, they might be able to earn some money, which would be a source of income.
Especially for Lin Miaoyi and the others, whose cultivation levels were not high, they could collect more on their way back when they could no longer proceed further. Every bit of profit counted.
In a sense, cultivators, who were like gods to mortals, were often more meticulous with their finances, spending every copper coin wisely and never missing any opportunity to accumulate wealth.
"What I can be sure of is that these plants have no medicinal value. As for whether they have other uses, that depends on whether you can discover them."
Ji Yuan's gaze remained fixed on the surrounding darkness. When he heard the question, he casually replied.
As a skilled alchemist, if even he was certain that these things had no value, then the others would no longer harbor any hopes.
Perhaps these plants had some use in certain places, but clearly, none of the people present had the leisure to research them.
If they had the time, they might as well search for ruins and caves, or return to the Sky-Crossing Warship to meditate and cultivate.
"The Listening Wind Spirit Seeking Plate is reacting more strongly. There should be spiritual objects ahead!"
Wu Chengqing whispered, his expression slightly excited.
The Bagua plate in his hand lit up with a light spot, its intensity unprecedented, and it became brighter as they went deeper.
It was so bright that it illuminated a considerable area, no longer requiring the light of night-blooming pearls or the surrounding glowing plants.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan's expression did not brighten; instead, it was tinged with worry.
One reason was his concern that such bright light might attract dangers within the stone forest, and the other was that he found it hard to believe that a spiritual object that could cause such a strong reaction from the Listening Wind Spirit Seeking Plate would have no guardians.
With a heart full of worries, the group advanced for about half an incense stick's time. At their speed, this was enough to cover three to four li.
However, they did not find the spiritual object they expected; instead, the light spot on the Listening Wind Spirit Seeking Plate grew brighter and brighter.
"Look, these stone trees have become somewhat different!"
Wang Xiaoxuan suddenly exclaimed, pointing to a stone tree closest to them.
This tree was about a zhang in diameter and its height was impossible to discern. Although it maintained the texture of a tree, it had become solid under some mysterious force.
At first, everyone saw nothing unusual, but it was only when Wang Xiaoxuan pointed it out that they noticed a faint golden halo occasionally flowing through the petrified bark.
Ji Yuan frowned, pondered for a moment, and then placed his hand on the surface of the stone tree. With a slight tremor of spiritual power from his palm, the petrified bark immediately fell off.
As several large pieces of bark fell, the tree trunk, with its faintly glowing golden patterns, was revealed to everyone.
"This is... Dao Patterns!"
Wu Chengqing, after observing for a moment, suddenly exclaimed uncontrollably.
Hearing this, the people around them were all shocked, and they looked at the patterns on the tree trunk with surprise.
Dao Patterns, in simple terms, are the patterns of the Great Dao. They can be naturally evolved or left behind by later generations and are a manifestation of the Dao.
Generally, objects with Dao Patterns possess all sorts of unimaginable divine effects and are excellent materials for refining magical artifacts and treasures.
"Are you sure?"
A hint of excitement appeared in Ji Yuan's eyes.
If it were indeed Dao Patterns...
He glanced at the giant tree before him, mentally estimating its value, which was likely no less than that of a complete magical treasure.
After confirming, Wu Chengqing nodded heavily. Then, after a moment of thought, he waved his hand and unleashed several streams of spiritual power, shaking off large patches of petrified bark.
In a blink of an eye, a two-zhang-long section of the tree trunk appeared before everyone's eyes, adorned with faint golden halos that intertwined, forming a pattern full of profound artistic conception.
After just a few glances, everyone felt a sense of enlightenment. Doubts they had had during their cultivation suddenly became clear.
"It is indeed Dao Patterns!"
Their eyes lit up. Only the legendary Dao Patterns could have such divine effects!
Lin Miaoyi raised an eyebrow and suddenly asked, "Is it that only one stone tree is like this, or all the stone trees..."
She only spoke halfway before she stopped herself, shaking her head, thinking that this idea was too fanciful.
However, Ji Yuan did not think so. Without hesitation, he unleashed several streams of spiritual power, which whistled through the air and struck several other stone trees nearby.
As pieces of petrified bark fell off, a golden light flowed out, and the smiles on everyone's faces froze.
Even Lin Miaoyi did not expect that her seemingly fanciful remark would actually come true; there were far more stone trees with Dao Patterns than just the one before them!
However, after a brief shock, not everyone's face was filled with indescribable joy.
Wu Chengqing and Ji Yuan exchanged a glance. Seeing the other nod slowly, he silently stepped forward. After moving seven or eight steps away from the crowd, he suddenly began to wave the large banner in his hand.
The nearly two-zhang-long banner, when waved, stirred up gusts of wind that then swept out in a fan shape towards the area in front of him.
The surging wind, like sharp blades, slashed at more than a dozen large trees, shattering countless pieces of petrified bark, and more and more golden light appeared within everyone's sight.
Countless patterns bloomed with brilliance, now forming a continuous expanse that enveloped everyone in a faint golden halo.
"How is this possible!"
The Tang brothers exclaimed in unison, their eyes filled with disbelief.
If one stone tree having Dao Patterns was still within everyone's acceptance, then more than ten or twenty stone trees all having Dao Patterns was, in their opinion, an impossible event!
This was equivalent to more than ten complete magical treasures being casually stacked together for them to take at will!
"My bottleneck has loosened!"
Lin Miaoyi suddenly exclaimed, looking at her hands in disbelief.
She could feel that the bottleneck that had troubled her for more than two years had loosened at this moment, as if she could break through it at any time if she wished.
"It's not an illusion, these are real Dao Patterns!"
She looked around joyfully, and in her eyes, each stone tree seemed to be flashing with brilliant light.
She was not the only one. The others also felt their respective bottlenecks loosening to varying degrees. Even the circulation of their cultivation techniques in their bodies was much smoother than usual.
If they were to cultivate in such an environment, they were certain that in just a few days, they could break through their current realms.
As for those like Zhao Yuansong, who had recently broken through, or Liu Donglai, whose spiritual power had not yet accumulated to fullness, they might only need to cultivate here for two to three months to successfully break through a minor realm.
Such divine efficacy, if spoken of, would cause a tremendous stir.
The three stages of Foundation Establishment cultivation became more difficult with each stage, and each minor realm required sufficient accumulation, let alone breaking through a major realm, which also required some special insights.
However, in the Spirit Infusion stage, accumulating for a minor realm not only required refining enough spiritual power but also required dispelling the illusions in the flesh and blood and rivers and mountains, allowing oneself to be bathed in "light."
Typically, a cultivator in the second stage would not even dream of advancing to a minor realm without three to five years of arduous cultivation, and that was under the condition that cultivation techniques and resources caused them no worry.
And with the interwoven Dao Patterns here, to produce such an effect, how could one not be shocked?
As everyone's expressions varied, Ji Yuan suddenly drew the long sword behind him and then slashed fiercely at the stone tree beside him.
Clang!!
Under astonished gazes, the giant tree not only did not break but only showed a small crack, about an inch long.
Ji Yuan's gaze immediately sank. He did not expect that even with Yuan Bao's sharpness and the infusion of spiritual power, the sword could not even cut into it. Instead, it numbed half of his body, making him almost lose his grip on the long sword.