Siheyuan: A master brewer starts with a jar of bone-strengthening wine!

Once they were out of sight, the heavy city gate slowly closed again, emitting a dull echo.

It's clear: no one is allowed in or out until the case is fully investigated.

As everyone stood on the slope outside the city and looked back, Wushan City was shrouded in a thin mist, like a faded old painting.

Vido shook her head: "Young Master Xuan has really lost face this time."

"No matter how lively the auction is, it can't cover up the fire in your own backyard."

Wang Zhonggui immediately chimed in, "Without a traitor, this bead couldn't be stolen at all!"

Lei Yuan blinked: "Brother Wang, how did you determine there was an inside man?"

Qiao Yuanmu patted his sleeve: "Is there even a need to guess? Would Xuan Shaozong put such a treasure on the shelf?"

"Without prior warning, how could anyone know where it was hiding? Let alone break through several layers of restrictions and bypass the night patrol formation."

"Don't even think about it if you don't have someone familiar with the place and can't get things done."

Liu Dong listened and nodded: "That's probably it."

"I've noticed that things are quite tense among them these past few days. The managers are giving each other the cold shoulder, and the disciples are even going to great lengths to send messages."

"However, this matter really has nothing to do with us."

He paused, his eyes brightening slightly. "I've been wondering, could that bead that can tear through space be connected to the Ancestral Witch Dijiang?"

As soon as he said that, everyone turned to stare at him.

Dijiang! The ancient ancestral witch who controls the origin of space!

If it's really related, it's not just a clue, it's a stepping stone!

Ding Lai scratched his chin: "That's true... but the beads were already taken by that person."

"First, will she bring it up again? Who knows?"

"Secondly, even if it is revealed, without some skill, no one would recognize it at all. We might just pass by and think it's an ordinary glass bead."

Upon reflection, everyone realized it was true:

The beads have no name, no mark, no aura; relying solely on guesswork is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Liu Dong grinned: "Lai Lai, don't worry."

"Things will work themselves out; we'll deal with it when we get there."

"Let's get the serious stuff done first and improve our cultivation; that's the most important thing right now."

Why do we have to go through all this trouble?

Because Ding Lai and his group were weak and lacked combat strength, they couldn't handle the situation in critical moments.

Liu Dong had already planned it out:

Following the clue given by the great shaman Hou Yi, we searched for the remnant soul of the ancestral shaman Jumang.

While traveling, we seize opportunities and, incidentally, lay a solid foundation and elevate their understanding.

Wei Duo tugged at his sleeve: "Brother Liu, where exactly is the clue about Jumang? Which way should we go next?"

Liu Dong pointed east: "This is what Hou Yi's spirit said himself."

To find Jumang, one must go to the "lush and verdant land."

"He controls the origin of wood and guards the Fusang Divine Tree."

"So, let's find the divine tree first; once we find the divine tree, Jumang's aura will naturally emerge."

As soon as they heard there was a clear goal, everyone perked up!

Qiao Yuanmu rubbed his hands together: "The Fusang Divine Tree? The eastern shore of the East Sea! The same old place!"

"Looks like we'll have to venture out to sea again!"

Liu Dong smiled and nodded: "That's right, but there's no rush."

"On this journey, I plan to travel through several valleys and climb over several cliffs, hoping to get lucky."

Spiritual herbs and fruits, essences of the earth's veins, even ancient treasures... I'll take anything that can help you increase your cultivation.

"Once we reach the East China Sea, you'd better at least steadily advance to the next major realm!"

Ding Lai pouted: "But good things aren't so easy to find, are they?"

"In Fog Mountain City, one copper coin can buy three pounds of rice, but here, selling a single blade of grass would be enough to buy half the city!"

The voice just fell.

"Awoo!"

"Whoosh!"

The ferocious beast rolled out from Liu Dong's clothes, its shadow transforming into a semi-transparent kitten that perched on his shoulder, its tail tip swaying gently.

The ferocious beast of the mountain grinned: "Master, don't worry, we'll find it ourselves!"

"My nose and Fuying's are incredibly sensitive; we're born to dart into treasure troves. Those rare and precious herbs are like familiar faces to us—we're drawn to them by their fragrance!"

"We can't be sure about places that are too far away; but as long as it shows its face or breathes a little, and it's right under our noses, it won't escape!"

The dragonfly quickly chimed in, its little wings fluttering: "I...I can smell it too! That would really be a help!"

Vido chuckled, "Oh my, this is going to be interesting! With three 'treasure-hunting dogs' all at it, how can we not find something good?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Dong and Ding Lai's faces relaxed, and the corners of their mouths turned up.

Why? Regardless of whether they are ferocious beasts, demonic beasts, or spirits, they all climb up the ranks by devouring spirits and absorbing treasures.

The scent of a baby is like a red-hot iron, so strong it can burn your hand; they can recognize it even with their eyes closed!

Although the dragonfly has transformed into human form, it still has sharp ears and a keen nose, without losing any of its original qualities.

Lei Yuan immediately slapped her thigh and stood up: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

He slapped his forehead again: "That's right, we haven't completely shaken off the Bashan region yet. We can try sensing it in the Qubuyuan area too."

"Stop!"

Ding Lai grabbed her sleeve. "We're only a few miles from Wushan City right now, and there's a huge auction going on there right now!"

"Xuan Shaozong's territory is teeming with eyes and ears."

"If the three of you turn on your 'radar,' the whole city will know where we are instantly. We'll definitely be 'invited' back for tea!"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

But as they laughed, they all fell silent. What Ding Lai said was the absolute truth.

The perception radius of the mountain sounds, floating shadows, and dragonflies can easily reach into the city.

The auction house was full of ready-made treasures, with spiritual energy swirling and signals flying everywhere. This noise interference covered up the scattered, unclaimed treasures on the outside, making it impossible to distinguish which ones were the real ones!

Liu Dong raised his hand: "Let's head east and travel a hundred li first."

"Once we're out of this 'signal chaos zone,' we'll unleash the dogs... no, I mean, start searching again!"

As soon as he said that, everyone immediately started packing their things.

After walking for more than a hundred miles, there wasn't a single person to be seen on the desolate hills and slopes, and only then did the treasure hunt truly begin.

To thoroughly investigate every inch of the land they passed, Liu Dong simply sent Zizhu Gun and Zhang Yuxian to run errands as well.

Although the Purple Bamboo Stick wasn't born a treasure hunter, it had followed the Ancestral Witch Gonggong in the past and had some old knowledge. It could tell at a glance which items were fakes and which were inferior.

To save everyone from making a mess of things.

Zhang Yuxian's title of "Water Spirit Orb Sacrifice Spirit" is well-deserved.

She can indeed sense spiritual energy, but her cultivation level is stuck at the mid-stage of Earth Immortal, much like a cat stretching out its claws—it can only scratch when it's very close.

That's why she focused on the grass and stones within three steps of her feet, leaving the tasks at a distance to the Mountain Sound, Floating Shadow, and Dragonfly, lest they be distracted by what was in front and overlooked the gold nuggets nearby.

Of course, Liu Dong and Wei Duo weren't idle either; they scanned the area with their eyes and spread their divine senses, leaving no one unchecked.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yongyu, a blacksmith from Wang's workshop, also stepped forward and raised his hand:

"When I use earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique in Chinese mythology that involves using earth-based techniques), the pulse of the earth is entirely beneath my feet. No matter how deep I bury myself, the spiritual energy cannot be hidden!"

"Then I can sense it using wood energy!"

Qiao Yuanmu immediately chimed in, "You have to stop and concentrate; you can't look for it while walking."