I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 241 Kongsang Ancient City!

The man was dressed in rags, with unkempt hair and a dirty face. He was lying on the ground, drawing a map on a piece of cloth with a charcoal pencil.

Because he was too excited, his face flushed and he almost fell into a state of madness. He didn't even notice that Xie An and his men were not far away. He was only busy drawing on the cloth.

"Hahaha, I found it..."

Such a crazy sound seemed particularly harsh in the fog.

Xie An and the other two did not approach immediately, but stood behind a big tree and observed carefully for a while.

Jin Yuping whispered, "This person might be mentally unstable. He's probably going crazy. Just looking for a place for the Jin family to stay... and yet he's driven this crazy."

Xie An agreed with this and felt very uncomfortable.

Chen Yu'er suddenly whispered, "Xie An, do you think this person is familiar?"

Ok?
Xie An immediately used all his eyesight and opened his five senses to see.

At first, he thought this person was just vaguely familiar, but after taking a closer look, Xie An was greatly surprised.

Isn’t this... Puyang Qing?
However, this person only had two hands left. The other six hands seemed to have been chopped off by something, and the broken ends were clearly visible, but had already solidified into scars.

It is really hard to imagine what Puyang Qing, who is at the fifth level of Qi Refining, has experienced to become so crazy.

After some observation, Xie An asked Jin Yuping to stay where she was, and then he and Chen Yuer approached the shelter step by step.

Although Puyang Qing had six hands chopped off, he was a fifth-level Qi-refining cultivator after all. Xie An and Chen Yu'er did not dare to be careless. They both tightly grasped their weapons, activated the spiritual energy in their bodies, and were ready to attack at any time.

After holding their breath and walking for dozens of meters, the two arrived outside the shelter. However, they realized their caution was unnecessary. Puyang Qing lay on the ground, still acting madly, completely unprepared for their presence. Even when he knew someone was around, he ignored them and focused on scribbling on the cloth.

Xie An took a look at the cloth...it was simply a mess of scribbles and random graffiti.

It's clearly a black mass, how can it be a map?
Xie An picked up a stone and threw it on Puyang Qing's cloth. Puyang Qing seemed unaware...

Chen Yu'er put away her spear: "He's crazy."

Xie An also put away the talisman and found a vine to tie Puyang Qing up. During this time, Puyang Qing did not resist, and his cultivation was gone, just like an ordinary person.

I guess his cultivation was destroyed by someone.

Xie An sighed for a long time, and couldn't help but recall the conversation between Bai You and Bai Jinshui last night.

According to them, Puyang Qing and others were killed by Mayor Bai?
Is Mayor Bai so powerful?

A cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refining, plus a hundred martial arts masters... Kill them just like that?

Moreover, Puyang Qing came here before...it should have been Mayor Bai and the others who led him here.

Now, I am here too.

Doesn’t this mean that Mayor Bai is going to take action against me?

Not good.

Xie An raised his head and looked at Chen Yuer.

Chen Yu'er seemed to know what Xie An was thinking, so she said, "If Mayor Bai insists on taking action, I have the strength to fight. But this place is indeed very strange. Should we continue to retreat or move forward? You decide."

After saying that, Chen Yuer sat down on a stone at the entrance of the shelter, took off the wine gourd hanging around her waist, raised her head and started drinking.

Xie An fell silent.

I thought I could get more information from Puyang Qing if I found him, but he'd gone mad. The clues were gone again.

"I'll go inside the shelter and see if there are any clues."

Xie An opened the broken wooden door and walked in.

He immediately smelled a pungent stench of corpses. Xie An held his breath and, relying on the dim light, could barely see what was going on inside.

There was some food, clothes, and other daily necessities. In the corner lay a body that had been dead for many days. It was Jin Xiaotang, clutching a piece of cloth.

Xie An grabbed the cloth and spread it out, and saw a gate shape drawn on it with charcoal.

The shape of this door looks a little familiar.

After searching for a while and finding nothing useful, Xie An left the shelter and handed the cloth to Chen Yuer, "Jin Xiaotang also died in there. This is the cloth she was holding. Take a look."

Chen Yu'er took the cloth and looked at it, and was deeply moved. "Bronze Gate."

After saying this, Chen Yu'er quickly covered the wine gourd and hung it around her waist. She stood up and carefully examined the cloth. "According to the directions on the blueprint, there is also a bronze door nearby?"

Xie An nodded heavily. "I thought so too. They should have found the bronze door, but I don't know if they went in. Puyang Qing and his gang suffered such heavy losses, I think it must be related to the bronze door."

Chen Yu'er nodded repeatedly in agreement. "Besides, Mayor Bai Jinshui and his men live here year-round and don't welcome outsiders. They refuse to let anyone who comes in survive... Is it possible that they're guarding this bronze door?"

Xie An had similar thoughts long ago. "It's very likely. And I have an even bolder idea."

Chen Yu'er's eyes widened. "What?"

Xie An said: "The bronze door of Daliang Mountain was actually found by Puyang Qing through Gui Ye. That bronze door might be fake."

Chen Yu'er's thoughts kept opening up. "Are you saying that someone deliberately created so many bronze doors in order to confuse the countless people who were looking for the Kongsang Ancient City?"

Xie An said: "That's right. It shows that someone is deliberately guarding the Kongsang Ancient City and not letting outsiders know. And this force is most likely the group of people in Heishan Town."

Chen Yu'er thought about this and felt terrified. "So, the people from Black Mountain Town brought us here with no intention of letting us leave alive. Should we continue forward?"

Xie An was also troubled.

Ever since entering Black Mountain Town, everything happening around here has been extremely strange and bizarre.

Although Chen Yu'er's combat power was extraordinary, no less than that of a fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator, just because Puyang Qing couldn't handle something didn't mean Chen Yu'er couldn't handle it either. But who knew if there were other top masters hidden behind Black Mountain Town?
It would be very dangerous to continue going forward.

But I feel a little reluctant to give up just like that.

After a moment, Xie An came up with a plan. "Let Miss Yuping come over and treat Puyang Qing to see if he can recover from his injuries. If his mind is normal, we can get some information for reference. We will also stay here for a while to see the situation. What do you think?"

Chen Yu'er thought for a moment and said, "This is very safe."

After finalizing the plan, Xie An immediately called Jin Yuping from a distance and asked her to check Puyang Qing's brain injury.

After checking, Jin Yuping said, "I'm not sure about this. This person has mental problems and it's difficult to treat him. I can only give it a try."

Xie An said, "It's okay, just give it a try. Miss Yu'er and I will go check from a distance. If you encounter any emergency, just scream."

Jin Yuping glanced at the dense fog that obscured the sun and the occasional cries of wild animals. She instinctively shuddered, but knowing Xie An's plan was sound, she agreed. She pinned Puyang Qing to the ground, pulled out her bag, and began to attempt to treat him.

Xie An and Chen Yu'er took advantage of this time to check the situation around.

Logically speaking, if two people check separately, the efficiency will undoubtedly be higher.

But this place was too weird, so for safety reasons, the two chose to go out together.

Not far away was a river, the water gurgling. The trees on both sides were lush and green, and these trees were species rarely seen outside.

Other than that, there is no other difference.

Although the fog is thick, it doesn't seem to cause much harm to the body.

After looking around the shelter, Chen Yuer and Xie An stopped and looked towards the front of the canyon.

Although visibility is very low, it can be vaguely seen that there is still a long distance ahead.

Chen Yuer wanted to go and take a look ahead.

Xie An said, "Don't worry, let's wait and see if Puyang Qing's spirits improve. If we can get some useful information, it will be much easier for us. If he doesn't get better, we can find a way to explore the way ahead."

Chen Yuer nodded, "Okay."

In the following days, the three of them stayed in the shelter.

First, they cleared out the debris and Jin Xiaotang's body from the shelter, cleaned it up, and used it as a resting place. Xie An and Chen Yu'er took turns standing guard at night to prevent any accidents. As for Jin Yuping, she diligently treated Puyang Qing's brain.

Three days passed in a flash.

On the fourth day, Xie An ended his retreat early and walked out of the shelter. Suddenly, he saw Jin Yuping standing beside him in a daze, while Puyang Qing was still looking crazy.

Seeing Xie An coming over, Jin Yuping shook her head, "He's completely crazy. He must have had a fight with someone before he died, and had six of his arms cut off, and his cultivation was also destroyed. As for the reason for his madness, it must be that he saw something and was extremely stimulated."

Xie An was mentally prepared for this and sighed slightly in his heart.

Chen Yu'er, who was on night duty, came back and asked, "Could it be that he saw the bronze door, or even went inside it, saw something, and then went crazy?"

Jin Yuping shook her head, "I'm not sure."

Xie An stared at the frantic Puyang Qing and said, "We can't rely on this man anymore. We still need to rely on ourselves. Leave him here and we will continue to explore the way forward."

After three days of detention and inspection, Xie An found that there was no other danger here. And the people from Heishan Town did not come here to attack him, so Xie An felt that he could continue to move forward to investigate.

Chen Yuer and Jin Yuping readily agreed.

The three of them walked forward together. After walking for more than three miles, they suddenly found that the trees around them had become bigger, the fog had become thicker, and the visibility was only about ten meters.

Jin Yuping drew out a knife and looked around vigilantly.

Xie An took out the talisman, and Chen Yuer took out the blood-red spear.

Move forward step by step.

This fog seems to have no end.

The three of them walked slowly forward without any rest. They didn't know how long they had been walking, but they still hadn't reached the end.

It is dark here all year round and you can't tell the difference between day and night.

After walking for a long time, Jin Yuping was already very tired, with a dry mouth and a parched tongue. It was very difficult for her to keep up with Xie An. However, in order to find her destiny, Jin Yuping still endured it, fearing that Xie An would find out and ask her to go home.

So many years have passed, all for this immortal fate.

Now that they were so close, Jin Yuping said she didn't want to give up at all. They walked for a long time.

Finally, a huge black shadow appeared in front.

It stands like a huge mountain in the depths of the fog.

brush!
The three of them stopped at the same time, gripped their weapons tightly, and stared straight ahead with wide eyes.

Gulu.

Jin Yuping swallowed and murmured, "This shadow is too big. Could it be a giant monster?"

monster?

Xie An took a look and thought that if a monster was this big, it would be too scary.

Chen Yu'er said, "It doesn't look like a monster. This black shadow hasn't moved at all. We'll be able to see it if we keep walking forward."

Led by Chen Yuer, the three continued to move forward.

Finally, I arrived at the feet of the black shadow and finally saw its appearance clearly.

It is a huge bronze door.

It was much larger than the bronze gate at Daliang Mountain, cutting off the entire canyon.

Xie An was shocked when he saw it. He had never seen such a big door in his life. He really didn't know how the people in this world could make such a big bronze door.

What surprised Xie An even more was that there was a hole dug under the bronze door that was wide enough for a person to pass through.

Jin Yuping asked, "Could it be that Puyang Qing and the others dug this cave?"

Xie An walked over to the cave entrance and squatted down to examine the dirt and rocks above. He saw pine trees over ten meters tall growing on the rocks, their trunks partially rotted. He said, "This cave must have been dug... at least a hundred years ago. It doesn't look like Puyang Qing and his group did it. But there are footprints here, so they must have been there."

Jin Yuping felt a chill down her spine. "If that's the case... then Puyang Qing's madness is probably related to going in there. Should we still go in?"

Xie An didn't answer, but turned to look at Chen Yu'er beside him. Chen Yu'er untied the wine gourd, took a deep sip of the wine, and said, "My life's goal is to cultivate immortality. The secrets of Kongsang Ancient City have been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years. Now that I'm here, even if I die, I'll die in it."

His voice was not loud, but his will was extraordinary.

Xie An was shocked when he heard this.

Seeing that Xie An didn't express his opinion, Chen Yu'er said to Xie An: "Xie An, meeting you along the way is not in vain. I owe you too much. If I have the chance to come out, I will repay you. If I don't have the chance to come out, then we will see each other in the next life. Take care."

After saying that, Chen Yu'er said nothing more, dived into the hole, and disappeared after a few steps.

The sound of wind whistling through the mountains and forests came.

Xie An's pupils shrank, and many scenes from his past two lives suddenly emerged in his mind. Finally... his gaze became firm.

Leaving now is undoubtedly the safest option. Going back and cultivating for ten or eight years before returning will give you a much better chance of success.

But the ancient city of Kongsang lay before them. Monk Baiyun had died there, and the Seven Treasures Box had been retrieved from there. Talismans, the Five Elements Spirit Tempering Technique, and the Five-Colored Lotus were all unearthed there. The Tianbao Dynasty's quest to find the ancient city of Kongsang led to the collapse of an entire dynasty.

Xie An didn't want to miss it.

Besides, if I go back to cultivate... the Martial Saint's bones will eventually run out. At best, I can cultivate to the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refining. Then what?

"Miss Yuping, I'm going to go in and take a look. Your cultivation is insufficient. If you don't want to take risks, it would be safest to leave this place."

After leaving a word, Xie An did not hesitate any longer, took a step forward, and strode into the cave.

As soon as I entered the cave, I heard Jin Yuping's voice behind me.

"Third Master, wait for me."

It was Jin Yuping who followed. "You and Miss Yu'er are gone. If I don't go and take a look, my life will be in vain. Don't worry, if you encounter danger in there, I will definitely not let you down."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Xie An did not refuse, "Then follow closely. Now that things have come to this, I will also be honest with you. If you encounter danger, I will not give up on you easily. If it really comes to a life-or-death situation, please pray for the best for you, Miss Yuping."

Jin Yuping was deeply moved after hearing this. "With what Third Master said, even if Yuping dies, it's worth it. Let's hurry and catch up with Miss Yu'er."

Xie An nodded in agreement, then quickened his pace, walked through the long corridor, turned many corners, and finally caught up with Chen Yuer.

Seeing the two people following them, Chen Yu'er shook her head helplessly, but she also felt a little relieved and admired. "You are not afraid of danger. If anything happens, I will do my best to protect you. This place is not right, follow me closely."

The three of them quickened their pace, walked through the corridor, and walked a very long way. Finally, they saw light shining in front of them.

"We're almost to the exit. Hurry."

Chen Yu'er gave some instructions and then took the lead.

After coming out of the corridor, Xie An was completely shocked by the scene before him.

The canyon ahead was no longer a canyon; it felt like another world. It was a small, deserted village, devoid of people. At the end of the village lay a vast lake. Beyond the lake, a magnificent ancient city loomed.

Because the ancient city was too far away from here, Xie An could not see the appearance of the ancient city clearly, and could only see a rough outline.

"It's really magical. There is clearly a big canyon behind, but once you enter the gate, it's like you've arrived in another world." Jin Yuping was also amazed.

Xie An nodded in agreement, "And the air here is different. It seems to have a very thin spiritual energy."

After entering the Qi Refining Stage, Xie An could feel the presence of spiritual energy.

However, the spiritual energy in the air is too thin, making it almost impossible to cultivate into an immortal.

But aura does exist.

Xie An has lived in this world for more than forty years, but this is the first time he has encountered a place with spiritual energy.

Jin Yuping was shocked again by these words, "Is there really a thin spiritual energy in this place?"

Chen Yu'er said, "Yes, that's for sure. But it's true that I can't practice. Don't be affected for now, just follow me, and let's go inside the village and take a look."

Led by Chen Yuer, the three of them slowly entered the village.

The village is not big, with about forty houses, all built of stones.

The doors of every household were open and covered with dust.

Entering a house, Xie An saw that the furnishings here were no different from those in the village outside. There were wooden blocks, a stone mill, a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. However, there was no one there. However, he saw four statues sitting on the eight-immortal table in the living room.

The statues are life-sized and lifelike.

I entered four or five households in succession and saw roughly the same situation.

Jin Yuping was puzzled. "Judging from the equipment in this house, someone must have lived here. Where are the people here?"

Xie An did not answer, but went into the kitchen and checked the water tank, where there was water.

I went to check the rice jar again, and it was also full.

There was still some bacon hanging from the kitchen rafters.

Next to the stove there is a stone statue holding a spatula and cooking.

Very weird.

Xie An murmured, "The people here seem to have suddenly disappeared. Also, who carved these stone statues? It doesn't make sense."

Chen Yu'er looked around and finally set her sights on the stone statue cooking. She leaned in to take a closer look and said, "This statue is too lifelike. Even the hairs on the skin are carved out. Is this really stone?"

Xie An, after all, had lived two lives and was well-informed. He immediately went over to look at the stone statue, then raised his right hand and struck it hard with his palm.

Click!

The power exploded and the stone statues shattered.

It broke into pieces and slid to the ground.

But it was clear that there were internal organs and intestines inside. However, these intestines were also made of stone.

Xie An was shocked. "This is definitely not a carved stone statue. No matter how skilled the sculptor is, he can only carve the outer shape. It is impossible to carve the intestines and internal organs so finely. In other words, these stone statues are transformed from humans."

Jin Yuping was horrified. "You mean, the stone statues we saw along the way were originally human beings. But suddenly some force descended and turned everyone here into stone statues?"

Xie An nodded heavily: "That's probably the case. Miss Yu'er, have you ever heard of such a method?"

Jin Yuping frowned. "At the sixth level of Qi Refining, one can develop spiritual awareness, and at the seventh level, one can fly with a sword. At the eighth level, one can begin learning spells. One can unleash fireballs, lightning balls, and so on, with great destructive power. But to turn a person into a statue, one needs to be at least at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, or a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

What's more, the people we met along the way were all minding their own business. They were petrified suddenly, without even a moment to struggle. This means... the power erupted very quickly, too fast for people to react."

Jin Yuping's face turned pale and her body began to tremble.

Xie An also felt a chill in his heart and said, "If that's the case, then this place is too weird. Let's look for clues around here."

The three of them rushed out of the room and searched all the way. Finally, they found a special house in the village near the lake.

The house is built in a very grand style, just like an ancestral hall.

"This should be the village's ancestral hall. Let's go in and take a look." Xie An rushed into the ancestral hall.

I was surprised to find more than a dozen stone statues standing in the yard.

Entering the main hall, there were four stone statues standing on either side, with a kneeling statue in the middle. On the incense table at the end were many spirit tablets.

Chen Yu'er picked up a spear and smashed a few stone statues, but was shocked to find that the stone statues were not broken, revealing the dry bones inside.

Chen Yuer exclaimed in surprise, "These eight stone statues are all Martial Saints. They are cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage. The one in the middle is even more powerful, probably reaching the eighth level or above. But he also turned to stone."

Jin Yuping suddenly said, "I've seen similar ancestral hall decorations before. This is... the Jin family's ancestral hall. Yes, the ancestral hall of the Jin family where I used to live was decorated like this."

Xie An was shocked and immediately rushed to the incense table to look at the spirit tablet on it.

They all start with gold.

"It's the Jin Family Ancestral Hall! It seems this is the Jin Family's residence that outsiders have been desperately trying to find. The Jin Family has been tomb raiders for generations, and they must have visited the ancient city of Kongsang. So... that ancient city outline at the end of the lake is the ancient city of Kongsang?"

(End of this chapter)