Treasure Map Lord Cangwu

Halfway up Qingyun Mountain, at the inner sect disciples' quarters.

Courtyard No. 005.

Li Tianxing sat at the stone table, his fingertips gently stroking a yellowed, ancient parchment scroll in front of him.

The ancient scroll had gone through an unknown number of years, its edges frayed and worn, covered in creases of varying depths and dense ink spots.

Those were the marks left behind by his countless deductions over the past three years.

The mountains and rivers on the scroll had long faded and blurred, leaving only a few dark red ancient runes that faintly gleamed with an eerie luster under the setting sun.

This was the burial map of Emperor Cangwu.

Emperor Cangwu, a titled Almighty-level powerhouse, a half-step Saint.

A peerless figure who dominated an era in the Eastern Region ten thousand years ago, single-handedly founding the Cangwu Dynasty, almost uniting the entire Eastern Region at his peak.

But for some unknown reason, he fell midway, and the dynasty subsequently fell apart, leading to the later Great Qian Dynasty.

And this map recorded the final resting place of Emperor Cangwu.

By a stroke of luck, Li Tianxing had acquired this treasure map.

Initially, Li Tianxing intended to offer the treasure map to the sect and develop it together with them.

But when he told this to his eldest senior brother, Zheng Shan, the son of the then First Elder of the Biluo Sect, Zheng Shan unexpectedly wanted to kill him and swallow the treasure all for himself.

If he hadn't fought to the death to counter-kill and fled the Biluo Sect overnight, he probably would have long become a pile of yellow earth in a mass grave.

From then on, he became an outcast of the Biluo Sect, hunted down for three full years.

During these three years, he hid here and there, narrowly escaping death several times, yet he never left Cangwu County.

Because he discovered that Emperor Cangwu's tomb was right in Cangwu County!

Li Tianxing took a deep breath, picked up a charcoal pencil, and began drawing on the map again.

No... the trend of the mountain range here is wrong.

If we look at it according to conventional directions, this should be Black Wind Ridge, but Black Wind Ridge doesn't have such a valley at all.

And this river, in the current water system of Cangwu County, there is no corresponding river to be found.

Li Tianxing frowned, his fingertips tracing a blurred line on the map.

For three years, he had carved every inch of Cangwu County's land into his mind, but no matter how he deduced, he couldn't match the terrain on the map with reality.

It was like being separated by a thick layer of fog; the truth was clearly right in front of him, yet he could never touch it.

Suddenly, his fingertips paused.

A wondrous feeling welled up in his heart.

Ever since the Sect Master bestowed the divine medicine last time and he gained his talent, his eyes had become different.

Not only could he see through the enemy's flaws at a glance during combat, but even now, looking at this dilapidated ancient scroll, those originally blurry patterns actually became a bit clearer.

Wait...

Li Tianxing suddenly sat up straight, his eyes fixed dead on the map.

Wrong, I was wrong!

I've been thinking about it wrong all along!

I always thought this was a flat map, reading it with north at the top and south at the bottom!

But what if... what if it's a folding map?

Li Tianxing's heart pounded, his hands trembling slightly from excitement.

He carefully picked up the ancient scroll and, following the guidance of those hidden scratches, folded the map diagonally.

No reaction.

He changed direction and folded the map top to bottom.

Still wrong.

Li Tianxing did not lose heart. He closed his eyes, and countless pieces of information flowed rapidly through his mind. Every point and line on the map clearly appeared before his eyes.

Fold three times on the left, twice on the right, and then... rotate ninety degrees!

He suddenly opened his eyes, his hands moving rapidly.

The ancient parchment scroll continuously folded and rotated in his hands, emitting a faint rustling sound.

The moment the final rotation was completed.

Buzz—

A faint golden light burst forth from the ancient scroll.

The originally blurry mountains and rivers instantly became incomparably clear!

Those seemingly chaotic lines now perfectly spliced together, forming a brand-new topographical map!

Li Tianxing stood up abruptly, his body trembling violently from excessive excitement.

He stared fixedly at the striking mark in the center of the map, his pupils shrinking.

So it's here!

It's actually here!

The entrance to the imperial mausoleum marked on the map was not in some Hundred Thousand Mountains, nor was it in some desolate, uninhabited forbidden land.

It was right here on Qingyun Mountain!

Found it!

Finally found it!

Li Tianxing tightly gripped the map, his knuckles turning slightly white.

In the past, he might have sneaked into the imperial mausoleum alone, seized the Emperor's inheritance, and then exacted his revenge.

But things were different now.

He was a disciple of the Tianyan Sect.

It was the Sect Master who gave him a new life, gave him dignity, and gave him the talent to see through everything.

Without the Sect Master, he would have died long ago under the pursuit of the Biluo Sect.

Let alone cracking this map that had troubled him for three years.

Li Tianxing took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

He carefully folded the map back up and hid it close to his chest.

Then, he raised his head and looked toward the peak of the mountain.

That was where the Sect Master resided.

Such a major matter must be reported to the Sect Master immediately!

...

On Qingyun Mountain, under the Dao Comprehension Tree.

My Lord, inner sect disciple Li Tianxing requests an audience, Zhao Xiangru said softly, walking over with a plate of freshly peeled grapes.

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow, sitting up slightly from his rocking chair.

A few days ago, the sect had just completed the adjustment of disciple tiers. Old-timers like Zhao Feng and Li Tianxing had all been promoted to the inner sect. According to the rules, they indeed had the right to request a direct audience with him.

Let him in.

Yes.

Zhao Xiangru bowed and withdrew. Not long after, she led Li Tianxing in.

This was Li Tianxing's first time ascending to the mountain peak since the sect was upgraded to three stars.

The original small courtyard had been expanded by more than ten times. Paved with bluestone, with spiritual springs winding around the yard, the distant pavilions and towers were hidden among the clouds and mist, resembling a fairyland.

But Li Tianxing kept his head down the entire time, his eyes only daring to stare at the tips of his own shoes, not even daring to cast a sidelong glance.

Among the group of personal and inner sect disciples, his age ranked second, second only to Zhao Feng.

Over thirty years of life as a rogue cultivator had taught him one thing: do not look at what you shouldn't look at.

Let alone the several beautiful personal disciple senior sisters in this courtyard, even if it were a dog raised by the Sect Master, as long as it was female, it wasn't something he could look at too much.

My Lord, I have brought him, Zhao Xiangru reported softly, stepping to the side.

Li Tianxing quickly stepped forward, lifted the hem of his robe, and fell to his knees, his forehead knocking heavily against the bluestone slabs.

Disciple Li Tianxing pays his respects to the Sect Master! Wishing the Sect Master peace!

No need for formalities. Lin Yan waved his hand, placing his teacup back on the stone table, his gaze falling on this usually steady inner sect disciple. What brings you here?

Li Tianxing straightened his upper body but did not stand up.

Instead, he glanced at Zhao Xiangru to the side.

Zhao Xiangru smiled slightly, saying that this servant still had matters to attend to and was about to withdraw.

Lin Yan, however, raised his hand to stop her.

Whatever you have to say, speak freely. There are no outsiders here.

As soon as these words were spoken, the corners of Zhao Xiangru's mouth clearly curled upward.

However, she still sensibly bowed slightly and then withdrew.

This time, Lin Yan did not stop her.

Only after Zhao Xiangru had left did Li Tianxing retrieve a yellowed beast-skin scroll from within his robes. Holding it reverently with both hands, he raised it high above his head.

"Sect Master, this disciple has an item to offer the sect."