Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 99 - 97: Earth Vein Node

"...Better go take a look."

Zhang Yao pondered repeatedly, deliberating for a long time, and finally decided to go on an investigation.

He wasn’t clear what exactly was at the location corresponding to this emerald bead, but Yu Wenhua evidently knew some inside information.

Since Yu Wenhua could patiently wait in the Lu Kingdom for an opportunity, it meant that place was obviously not dangerous, at least not for him.

Zhang Yao could make this judgment mainly because of the emerald bead in his hand.

"This bead is not a magical artifact, nor does it have effects like bloodline detection or magical power identification."

"In other words, anyone who holds it can use it and can perceive the corresponding location."

Thinking of this, Zhang Yao felt more at ease.

Yu Wenhua’s confidence to wait safely was nothing more than two reasons:

First, the builder of that place had a close relationship with the Liu Family ancestors, thus he mastered some special magic skills or tricks to avoid danger.

Second, that place fundamentally had no danger; as long as you have the ’key’, you can enter.

Judging by the characteristics of this emerald bead, the latter situation was evidently the case.

"Boom!"

Zhang Yao rode the flying sword, transforming into a yellow stream of light, leaving Wuyin Island directly and heading towards Qin Province.

"Rejecting fortune bestowed by heaven only courts disaster."

"If you dare not seize the opportunity presented to you, wouldn’t you truly become a timid turtle?"

......

An hour later.

Zhang Yao crossed hundreds of miles and arrived at Cangmang Mountain in Qin Province.

Deep within Cangmang Mountain, remnants of long winding mountain paths could be faintly seen, amidst vast ruins where wild grass flourished desolately.

"Time has passed, and Cang Mang City has disappeared..."

Zhang Yao sighed inwardly, recollecting the glorious years of the past.

When the Lu Kingdom was first established, Cang Mang City occupied a strategic location with natural barriers, and it was able to stay safe under the protection of a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

However, as the strength of the Lu Kingdom grew stronger and Nie Luncai died of old age, Cang Mang City was attacked and destroyed by the Court’s army, turning into ruins.

The Cao Bang of Jiangzhou still exists today, because there are always people living off water transport, and as long as it remains under control, the Court can tolerate it.

But forces like Cang Mang City, being a country within a country, once destroyed, there’s no chance to rebuild.

"Hmm, seems we’re almost there..."

Zhang Yao’s expression slightly changed, the resonance in his mind grew stronger, and the emerald bead in his hand began buzzing and vibrating.

After delving deeper for a moment, Zhang Yao arrived in a canyon, where he reduced his escape light and carefully explored.

"Strange..."

Zhang Yao searched the canyon but found nothing, furrowing his brow involuntarily.

He was certain this was the place corresponding to the resonance, yet there was no sign of ruins or an entrance, not even a trace of human activity.

Anyway, it appeared to be a natural, desolate canyon untouched by human presence.

"Hmm..."

Zhang Yao pondered briefly, abandoning his own efforts to search, and instead used the feedback from the emerald bead to guide his exploration bit by bit. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

After spending several hours:

Finally, he stood before a cliff, determining it as the place with the most intense vibration feedback, most likely the entrance.

"How is that possible?"

Zhang Yao tried for a while, unable to suppress his surprise.

After getting the answer, he repeatedly examined the cliff but came to the same result as before.

He detected no signs of array or restriction existence.

This meant, even if it’s obvious there’s something wrong with this cliff, he couldn’t notice it.

"The secrets hidden here might be more astounding than I imagined."

Zhang Yao took a deep breath, caught some wild beasts to touch the cliff, observing carefully while contemplating.

After a long time, he cautiously extended his right hand.

The moment his right hand holding the emerald bead touched the rock—

His vision blurred abruptly, and he found the cliff in front of him vanished into thin air, revealing a long mountain crevice.

"Hoo..."

Zhang Yao took a deep breath and walked along the mountain crevice.

After only a dozen yards, his view opened up to a spacious plaza paved with white jade, where majestic palaces stood, magnificent and exquisite, brimming with grandiosity.

Before the palace, a towering white jade stele bore several ancient large characters — C6 Earth Vein Node.

"Earth Vein Node?"

Zhang Yao’s expression slightly changed, falling into contemplation.

Qin Province has long been known as ’the center of the world’, a province situated centrally among the Nineteen Provinces.

And where Cangmang Mountain stands, it’s precisely at the center of Qin Province, representing the Lu Kingdom’s "Earth Origin".

"What does this so-called Earth Vein Node really signify?"

"And I wonder who built this palace here..."

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yao circled behind the white jade stele, discovering a map engraved on it.

He examined it carefully for a moment and recognized the central part of the map as the territory of the Lu Kingdom’s Nineteen Provinces.

In this expansive map, the Lu Kingdom’s Nineteen Provinces territory appeared like a well-designed puzzle piece, closely fitting together with a few other map segments.

Dividing these "puzzle pieces" were bold, black lines, clearly representing the desolate zones serving as national borders.

"Map, desolate zone..."

Zhang Yao speculated for a moment, forming some guesses but lacking further clues, so he decided to set the matter aside for now.

He ventured across the white jade plaza, ascending the grand and majestic palace.

Inside the palace, it was completely empty, with the floor made of some dark yellow metal, unadorned and devoid of embellishments, looking very simple.

In the deepest part of the palace:

A small pool about several yards square churned with emerald green water, next to a slightly smaller white jade stele.

"Seems we’ve reached the place."

Zhang Yao felt a surge of energy and approached the small pool, first inspecting the small white jade stele.

The white jade stele bore several lines of vigorous, serpentine small characters:

"Earth Vein Node must not be destroyed. Anyone who defies it shall be slain by cultivators worldwide!"

"Earth Soul Crystal is born once every six cycles of sixty years, younger cultivators can use the Earth Vein Spirit Bead to retrieve them."

Zhang Yao’s expression shifted:

"Earth Soul Crystal? Sounds like something valuable!"

He turned towards the nearby small pool, finding some pale yellow crystallites scattered in the constantly rolling emerald green water.

At a glance, there were at least a dozen pieces.

"There are so many..."

Zhang Yao was taken aback.

According to the inscription, this Earth Soul Crystal is born once every six cycles of sixty years, or every 360 years.

Since there were so many Earth Soul Crystals in the pool, it implied that no one had visited for thousands of years.

"This Earth Vein Node, related to the desolate zone, likely dates back to ancient times."

"And I wonder what changes happened during these years..."

Holding the Earth Vein Spirit Bead, Zhang Yao cautiously performed the ’Object-Snatching Spell’ to retrieve the Earth Soul Crystals from the pool.

"Swipe!" "Swipe"...

One by one, the pale yellow crystallites detached from the pool water, falling onto the metallic floor tiles.