Braised Dragon with Soy Sauce

Just as Mo Yuming was in a state of panic and at a loss,

With a "plop," Mo Yuming fell face-first onto a patch of grass in an extremely embarrassing manner, his mouth instantly filled with weeds and mud.

"Bah, pah!"

Once Mo Yuming had recovered his senses, he immediately scrambled to his feet, spitting on the ground in a completely unseemly manner. After spitting out the dung in his mouth, he haphazardly wiped the dust off his face.

Luckily there were no outsiders here, otherwise it would have been incredibly embarrassing.

After fiddling with it for a while, Mo Yuming finally raised his head and looked around.

It was astonishing to see that what I found was a vast, secret garden, a miniature world.

The underground palace was very spacious, stretching as far as the eye could see, and was filled with exotic flowers and plants.

If Mo Yuming hadn't seen a pale blue light curtain slowly swaying behind him, he wouldn't have been able to figure out how he got here.

It seems that this light screen is a teleportation array connecting to the outside world, rather than a defensive barrier.

Mo Yuming carefully observed his surroundings and found that the surrounding vegetation was very lush, but there were no tall trees.

The dome seemed to be inlaid with many luminous energy crystals, and was controlled by an array, the light was very natural and soft, just like the real sky.

Many of the flowers and plants around him seemed familiar to Mo Yuming, but he couldn't be sure.

These exotic flowers and herbs are extremely similar to the herbs that Mo Wen planted in the herb garden, in terms of color, fragrance, and shape.

The only difference is that the flowers and plants here are extremely large, ridiculously so, to the point that Mo Yuming is not even sure if they are the same kind of plant.

For example, a silver-leafed tortoise-patterned Ganoderma lucidum plant in Mo Wen's herb garden, which has been planted for more than fifty years, is only the size of a palm.

The dozens of silver-leafed ghost-patterned Ganoderma lucidum growing nearby, the smallest of which is the size of a millstone, is at least ten times larger than the one in Mo Wen's herb garden.

And the Jade Leaf Purple Stem Orchid, which is even taller than Mo Yuming, is also ridiculously large.

In contrast, the herb in Mo Wen's herb garden, which had been planted for decades, was only a foot or two tall.

Mo Yuming has only been in this world for a few months, and his knowledge of these herbs is very limited.

Although I don't know their value, after smelling the fragrance of these flowers and plants, I immediately felt refreshed and even seemed to have more energy.

He concluded that these flowers and plants were definitely extraordinary, but he knew too little about them to make a proper judgment.

Mo Yuming knew his purpose in coming here, so he didn't bother to investigate the reasons behind it.

He looked up, found a direction, and began to search for the place where the predecessors had passed away.

The old men didn't know what was going on inside. Because of certain taboos, they wouldn't voluntarily enter this place until the very last moment, so they didn't know much about it.

Mo Yuming himself has to find the answer to everything.

Mo Yuming took cautious steps and slowly stepped into the excessively lush flower and grass field.

These flowers and plants, like a green ocean, surrounded him.

With each step he took, he could feel the flowers and plants swaying gently, as if they were whispering ancient secrets.

Those flowers and plants, taller than Mo Yuming, stood like silent guards, blocking his view.

Mo Yuming had to lower his head slightly, carefully push aside the branches and leaves blocking his way, and move forward with difficulty.

His clothes were constantly being caught on thin blades of grass, as if this flowery land did not welcome this uninvited guest.

He walked very lightly, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of this mysterious place.

As he ventured deeper, the surrounding flowers and plants grew increasingly lush.

Some unnamed flowers bloom with vibrant colors and emit a captivating fragrance.

Mo Yuming couldn't help but take a deep breath; the fragrant aroma invigorated him.

However, he dared not linger. In this world of unknown flowers and plants, Mo Yuming was like a lonely traveler, carrying hope and courage, exploring the unknown path step by step.

Mo Yuming wandered aimlessly, stopping and starting, and time quietly passed. An hour went by, but he still hadn't found a single valuable clue.

The underground palace was eerily quiet, so quiet that Mo Yuming could even clearly hear his own heartbeat.

The sound of his footsteps treading across the grass was exceptionally jarring in the silence, like tearing fabric.

In such a desolate environment, Mo Yuming's mood became increasingly anxious, and several times he had the thought of giving up and turning back.

However, he gritted his teeth and persevered in the end.

He didn't know how long he had walked, but just as Mo Yuming's patience was about to run out and he didn't want to continue, his gaze inadvertently caught sight of a small patch of black peeking through the gaps in the flowers and grass ahead.

Mo Yuming's heart stirred, and he quickly took a few steps forward, reaching out to gently push aside a red flower that was blocking his view.

In an instant, a cone-shaped black stone stood upright among the flowers and grass in the distance, coming into his view.

Finally, a discovery was made, and Mo Yuming's previous dejection and anxiety vanished, replaced by excitement.

He immediately and eagerly walked towards the stone. As he got closer, a square black stone tablet slowly emerged from the grass.

The stone tablet is not large, only about ten feet tall, and was carved from a single piece of black boulder.

The upper third is carved into a pointed cone shape, while the lower part is a square column.

The stone tablet is not decorated with much fine carving; its shape is rough and simple, exuding a rustic and profound atmosphere.

The area around the stone tablet is a square with a diameter of nearly 100 feet.

In the square, a flat stone is laid every few feet, with tens of thousands of stone slabs neatly arranged in rows, extending outwards from the stone tablet.

Each stone slab is about two feet square and about two or three inches thick.

The rocks were filled with lush green grass, but strangely, although the grass grew very thickly, it was also very flat and neat.

Not a single blade of grass grows taller than the stones; the grass is like a green carpet spread between the stones, flat and beautiful.

Around the stone tablet, there are many stone slabs on which people sit.

These people came in all shapes and sizes; some wore bright and beautiful clothes, while others wore coarse linen clothes; some were tall and upright, while others were hunched over and thin.

They didn't sit in an orderly fashion, but rather randomly.

In some places, there were many people, bustling about; in other places, there were only a few people, making it seem quite deserted.

Mo Yuming stood at the edge of the square, looking at the scene before him from afar, and knew in his heart that he had finally found the place where his ancestor had passed away.

This place was completely different from the countless scenes he had imagined in his mind; it was neither a wasteland piled with bones nor a gloomy and terrifying hill.

The square was filled with an atmosphere of ordinariness and tranquility, without a single skeleton or mummy.

All the figures sitting cross-legged on the stone slabs are lifelike, as if a group of people were meditating in quiet contemplation.

But he knew that those sitting on the stone slabs were all old people who had been dead for hundreds or thousands of years.

According to Dugu Xian's recollection, the last old man in the canyon who knew his time was coming to an end and voluntarily entered the Wangchuan Cave had been there for a hundred years.

There were already few people in the canyon, and the spiritual energy in the canyon was abundant, with spiritual herbs and medicines everywhere.

Therefore, people in the canyon can generally live for hundreds of years unless they encounter accidents or their aptitude is not too bad, which is much longer than that of people outside.

It is rare for a person to die in decades or even centuries, and most people cannot predict their own death. Only highly skilled and powerful individuals can sense that their time is coming to an end.

Therefore, very few people are able to come to this Cave of Oblivion and pass away peacefully.

Therefore, most of these people are ancient people who have passed away thousands of years ago, or even ancestors from ten thousand years ago.

Thousands of years have passed, and the body has remained intact, without turning into bones or even the clothes deteriorating. There must be something miraculous about this.

The saying goes, ignorance is bliss. Although Mo Yuming realized that something was amiss here, he didn't think about it too much.

Seeing that the place wasn't as terrifying as he had imagined, his courage grew a bit.

At the edge of the lawn, Mo Yuming clasped his hands together in devout prayer towards the remains in the center of the lawn.

Then he slowly walked onto the lawn and headed toward the center of the square.

This wasn't because Mo Yuming was superstitious; after all, trespassing into the resting place of the deceased was already an offense to the ancestors.

Regardless of their status before they lived, to Mo Yuming, they were all ancient people worthy of respect.

As the distance closed, Mo Yuming was able to see clearly the patterns engraved on the stone tablet.

The pattern is very faint and almost impossible to see unless you get close.

After careful observation, Mo Yuming discovered that the four sides of the stone tablet were engraved with the four divine beasts representing the four directions: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, corresponding to the east, west, south, and north respectively.

After looking at the patterns on the stone tablet and then at the groups of people, some gathered and some scattered, Mo Yuming guessed that this likely represented the location of these people's hometown.

Those who sit close to the canyon are likely not far from it, while those who deliberately sit further away are probably from far away.

Mo Yuming arrived in front of the remains of a deceased person sitting in meditation on the outermost edge, dressed in a purple-red robe.

This person was tall, but his entire body was covered by a hooded robe, his head was lowered, and his face was mostly covered by a felt hat, so his appearance could not be seen.

According to Li Xiangrong's description, the person he was looking for was of medium build. Although he could not remember the exact color of the clothes the person was wearing, the general style was similar to what they wear now. However, the person's robe was clearly not in the style of modern people.

So after taking a few glances from a distance, Mo Yuming was certain that it wasn't this person.

As Mo Yuming turned to walk forward, a thought suddenly occurred to him: he felt it would be disrespectful to simply walk past like this.

So he stopped, turned around, and respectfully clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to the corpse as an apology for his intrusion.

However, when Mo Yuming finished his prayers and was about to leave, something strange happened.

The purple-robed remains underwent a change; the once-glorious robe quickly lost its color, turning blackish-gray, and then began to crumble into pieces.

Soon, more and more cracks appeared, and the speed from top to bottom increased.

In no time, the purple-robed remains shattered into a pile of ashes, which drifted away automatically in the absence of wind, floating off the stones and scattering among the surrounding grass. Not a speck of dust remained on the stones.

Mo Yuming was startled by this sudden turn of events. He had clearly done nothing, merely offering a distant bow; why was he being reacted to this?

Could there be some kind of energy field or aura emanating from these remains?

Or is there some mysterious entity that cannot be explained? Was this a case of good intentions gone wrong, or is there another reason?

Mo Yuming only wanted to find the old man's will and take a look; he didn't want to disturb anyone else.

Just as he was hesitating, he noticed a jade tablet about an inch in size left on the stone.

Only then did I feel at ease; it seemed that this bow was not a bad thing after all.

He knew that it was a relic left by the old man in purple robes, a gift from the old man to his fortunate descendants.

However, given the warnings from Li Mubai and others, Mo Yuming did not act rashly to check the information in the jade tablet.

But the things recorded on this jade tablet must be good things. Just because I can't use them now doesn't mean I can't use them in the future.

Just because you can't use it doesn't mean others can't.

Mo Yuming was somewhat tempted and didn't want to let such a great opportunity slip away.

This is a relic of an ancient powerful being, a treasure that money can't buy.

After a fierce internal struggle, Mo Yuming decided to take it for himself first.

Since we can't use it now, let's save it for now.

Having made up his mind, Mo Yuming took out a low-level storage bag. This storage bag was a gift from Shi Potian, originally intended for him to store braised meat, fruits, and other food.

Although it was only two or three feet square, it was enough to store several days' worth of food and some personal belongings.

Mo Yuming placed the jade slip inside.

Having made up his mind, Mo Yuming went straight to the second set of remains.

He also bowed twice respectfully to the thin, somewhat hunched old man.

Sure enough, the old man's remains, like those of the purple-robed elder, slowly crumbled and disintegrated into ashes.

However, what the old man left behind was a weapon, a strangely shaped black dagger about a foot long. There was no jade slip for transferring skills.

Mo Yuming wasn't particularly interested in the dark, unremarkable dagger.

He knows nothing about these things now, so naturally he can't distinguish the quality of weapons.

However, since it is the old man's legacy, it must be the treasure he valued most during his lifetime, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Although he was unhappy with it, he still put it away.

With this beginning, Mo Yuming stopped caring about the identities or appearances of the remains. He bowed down to each one in turn.

Anyway, it doesn't take much effort; it's just a matter of bowing and spending a little more time.

Mo Yuming circled the stone tablet and paid his respects to all the remains.

In the end, more than 90% of the more than 1,000 remains vanished, leaving only about 100 remains unchanged.

It seems that these remains either had no last wishes or had specific requests in life, and Mo Yuming's worship failed to bring him any good fortune.

It's also possible that time hasn't been long enough, and it hasn't reached the point of complete decay.

Just like the old man Mo Yuming was looking for, he had only been gone for a little over a hundred years.

In this specific environment, coupled with the fact that his physical body was different from that of ordinary people, he hardly changed over the course of a hundred years.

After more than an hour of effort, Mo Yuming had made a great harvest.

He not only collected more than two hundred jade slips, but also obtained nearly one hundred weapons, more than three hundred storage bags, more than one hundred scrolls, and several pieces of protective soft armor.

Perhaps due to the passage of time, an inspection revealed that more than half of the 300-plus storage bags were damaged.

Mo Yuming gently manipulated them a few times, and the storage bags, along with the items inside, turned into ashes.

Only about fifty storage bags could be opened normally, but unfortunately, most of the items inside were destroyed.

The spiritual energy within the gemstone dissipated, turning it into a stubborn stone;

The elixirs turned into mud balls; the spiritual herbs turned into withered grass. All that remained were the metal ores, some indestructible gold and silver jewelry, and metal utensils that were not easily corroded.

Even among the weapons made of gold and iron, nearly half were already damaged.

Either the gemstones are severely corroded, or the gemstones they are inlaid are damaged and have lost their spiritual essence.

After inspection, only about thirty weapons remained in good condition with little damage. The rest were nothing more than scrap metal.

It seems that these weapons, which have withstood the test of time and remain intact, are the true treasures.

The armor pieces were in similar condition; only three were intact, while the others had been reduced to a pile of miscellaneous items.

As for the more than one hundred scrolls, only two were intact. The others, though still looking brand new, crumbled like tattered cotton when Mo Yuming tried to open them.

Fortunately, of the two remaining scrolls, one was left by the old man Mo Yuming was looking for. Perhaps because it was only a hundred years old, this scroll made of animal hide was still in perfect condition.

The other scroll is somewhat special; the outside of the scroll is shiny and new, and upon closer inspection, one can see a faint fluorescence flowing on the surface.

To Mo Yuming's surprise, he tried everything but still couldn't open the scroll.

The jade slips, however, remained undamaged over time and seemed unchanged.

As for whether the information stored inside is damaged, we'll only know after Mo Yuming has acquired profound cultivation.

It seems that nothing truly withstands the test of time except stone. The saying "until the end of time, until the sea dries up and the rocks crumble" is absolutely true.