Despite the deep history behind each of the hidden stashes within this part of the sect, there’s not really much needed to be done.

I find myself just walking around and moving pieces of walls, stones, and occasionally digging a hole. All of which is made easy by my strength and the spirit beasts on me. Like the wonderful earthworm, who takes seconds to dig and retrieve treasures, that would take me an hour to do, even with my increased strength.

Of course, everything I’ve picked out to take satisfies three requirements: they are abandoned and won’t have anyone looking for them; they are safe, so I won’t be stepping into dangerous traps; and are inconspicuous, so that I won’t draw too many eyes in their retrieval.

In this way, I pick up a variety of items and treasures. A lot of them are just money and spirit stones, but some others are quite different. Like the item the earthworm has just brought before me.

It’s a rock.

Just a plain, smooth rock.

Or at least, that’s what they would want a person to think.

After pocketing it and having the earthworm dig into another area, I find the paired item. A small bag, perfectly shaped to carry it. Instead of doing that, though, I actually turn it inside out. From there, then I put the rock inside of it.

The moment it leaves my sight by going into the bag, there’s a popping sound. Only the rock remains, but with what appears to be runes on it.

By inserting my qi into it, it shines with a dull light that grows brighter when I face towards a certain spot.

This is both a key and a compass, where it should lead me to another spot.

… but with my abilities, I just skip the ‘quest’ chain and head to the actual treasure spot. Where another hole needs to be dug by the earthworm.

After attaching the stone to the worm, it goes to retrieve a box from the underground. The stone prevents a series of traps from going off and we safely retrieved the box.

Inside, a note from a man to his son alongside several pills to help with cultivation. Saying that he’s proud of him and that he hopes that this will help him and the family be better off and survive those tough times.  

Unfortunately, the family never had the chance to discover what he left for him.

Unlike the Xing family, who had the extreme intelligence of that girl, Xing Xun, to sustain them, this unknown family could not hold out long enough to get the gift.

Disappeared from history. Sadly, a pattern that exists across this culture and world.

Other things include items that assist in cultivating when attuned, ones that can save you from a single attack, or even books with deep plant knowledge. As well as many others.

All of them, I throw into my space bracelet for safekeeping.

The vast majority of these I won’t personally need, but they will be good for giving out rewards later. Emulating the merit system in the sect, but within our group. Not unlike how the cultivation clans do within their families.

Which should work, as I’ve already established something similar using the rewards for training others earlier.

While I’m off doing this, I woke Wei up and left her with the panther, who stayed behind at my request. They’ll keep the carriage moving toward the tower while I pick this stuff up.

She seemed nervous to be left with a spirit beast that’s twice her size and covered in muscles. So, I had her pet them.

Well, she tried to, at least.

The panther swatted her hand away gently when she did.

Of course, as soon as I left and didn’t specifically tell it to do so, the panther let themselves get pet by her. To be specific, making obvious movements to get pet behind their ears.

… cats.

For the rest of the night, I jump from place to place while they keep moving on the main road.

Either way, this has been a good haul. I’ll do this as a regular thing when I go through these areas.

These areas have been inhabited and housed countless people and cultivators over more than a millennium. Even if I dedicated a month or more to just searching this specific area, I would still not grab everything.

Next time, I’ll have my abilities to focus on getting the most value/time/safety efficient items.

I do have to say, though. I got a LOT of money from this.

Enough that I can invest deeper into those close to me. Even those that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do much for. And when I get over to the Inner and Outer City? There’s even more to be found.

Because of my high speed and movement technique, I’m able to quickly catch back up to the carriage, some time before it would reach the gate.

As I arrive, I notice something that I find both humorous and makes me a little jealous. The panther is resting their head on Wei’s lap as she drives the carriage. She has one hand on the bar and the other petting the panther’s head.

When she sees me, she looks up with pleading eyes.

… it looks like she’s being held hostage.

I ignore this and squeeze in next to them, taking over the carriage control bar, but leaving the big cat to her.

As we move towards the gate separating the Halls and the Core Disciple Tower section, I see a massive archway in front of us. Looking normal.

This Gate of Illusion.

The one which separates the Core Disciple Towers from the Halls of Exalted Purity.

The others have already gone through this gate when entering, while I was moved directly into the Halls by the Sect Patriarch’s servant.

To my surprise, not much happens. We roll through with no issue. Having not triggered whatever mechanism that it has. Strange, but considering the times I tried to investigate the other gates… it feels like a bad idea to dig deeper right now.

I’m not looking to get involved in another mess. I already searched out enough of that already.

…

As this route is pretty large, we have a few days to travel back to the towers.

Leaving me with a wonderful chance to check the status of a few things.

Of course, the first group I check is the demi-humans and Gong.

What I find is a bunch of superhumans.

The lion demi-human that seemed to be a friend of Gong’s has grown to a massive size. His muscles have muscles.

Even more shockingly… he’s physically stronger than me. Even with my cultivation and him without.

The other demi-humans are not as far along, but are at least as strong as I am. A product of being demi-humans, with a naturally robust body.

Of course, Gong is at the top as well. With her massive body and constant actions, she could still knock me around like a ping-pong, if she wanted.

… this is a great reminder that I need to train far harder than I currently have been. With my bonuses, I should be far ahead of them, even considering their demi-human lineage.

That’s not to put down their efforts, though. With just the healing aura and training, they’ve reached a level that could do damage to a Foundation Establishment expert. Without cultivation.

Something that I plan to change right now.

I quickly take control of a few of the spiders, leading them over to Gong. With our shared connection to the spiders, she automatically knows it’s me doing this and gathers her attention on them.

Alright, let’s see if this works.

They start spinning a fine sheet of web in the shape of paper, while other spiders spit colored venom onto it. All in the shape of a book.

I’m having them create the Omnibus Cultivation Method in written form, for them. Gong, as expected, is quite excited.

But since this will take a while to log the full method, I turn my attention now to the spirit beasts in the forest. The ones outside the 20 that I took with me to the tamer’s outpost.

The several hundreds I left behind after my fight with Ao Jin. Of course, I’ve been keeping a very low healing on them, with the occasional death among them.

But after thoroughly extending my senses to have a greater awareness about their situation… I realize that the tree people, mentioned earlier by Wei, may not have been unconnected with me.

Did I really do this?