Yan Sen was unable to catch up for a while, but the three of them received a letter from Jiang Ruoxu and others on the way. Thinking that something big had happened, Gu Pinglin did not dare to delay for a moment and hurried back to the camp. Before he got close, Gu Pinglin found that the Penglai Palace had been closed and the number of people in the camp was not right.
Gu Pinglin immediately looked for Duan Qingming.
Duan Qingming stood alone on the driftwood, still looking relaxed and at ease. He did not seem like he was standing in the black water, but rather like a young man outing in spring.
Everyone was excited to see the three people return.
"Everyone is here, let's go!" Xin Ji couldn't sit still and kept urging them.
"You are finally back," Nanzhu strode over, looking a little excited, "We found a stone island over there."
Within two sentences, Gu Pinglin had roughly understood the situation.
Qi Wan'er and those Qi family cultivators were not here, and Jun Muzhi and others from Penglai were also missing. However, all the people from the Lingxin Sect were there, waiting here, including Qu Lin, Xin Ji, and Yao Feng who were traveling with them.
Gu Pinglin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and didn't ask any more questions: "Go and have a look."
Everyone was ready to go, and set off immediately without delay.
Ji Chengfang, the second son of the Ji family, and Qu Lin were injured. Both of them rode on spirit cranes. Ji Chengfang's eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to his sister Ji Qiniang, and he was very kind. His injury had improved, and he was talking to Ji Qiniang with a smile. Jun Muzhi was not there, but Bu Shuihan still followed Qu Lin silently, nervously watching every move of Lady Ming.
On the way, Nanzhu roughly explained what happened. It turned out that Qi Wan'er took Yao Feng out for a stroll to avoid Ji Qiniang, and they accidentally discovered a stone island. Since entering the sea, everyone has never seen land along the way. This discovery immediately led to various speculations. Qi's people couldn't sit still and went there first. Jun Muzhi also took some guards to investigate. Lingxin Sect was not there because Gu Pinglin, the leader of the sect, was not there, and the disciples of the sect always stood together. Even if there was a benefit, Jiang Ruoxu and others did not act rashly. Qu Lin was gentle by nature. Cheng asked her to follow Duan Qingming, so of course she had to obey. Yao Feng rejected Qi Wan'er's invitation and insisted on staying and waiting with the Lingxin Sect. Bu Shuihan praised him for being righteous after knowing it.
The so-called "Stone Island" is most likely the reef. Gu Pinglin knew it in his heart, but he was not in a hurry. Not to mention that outsiders did not know the entrance mechanism, even if the entrance was opened, it would not be so easy to obtain the inheritance. He could see this clearly, and so could Duan Qingming.
The Penglai Guards led the way. The small monsters along the way felt the pressure and fled away. The group did not encounter any attacks. About half an hour later, a shadow appeared on the black sea ahead.
Gu Pinglin smiled slightly when he saw the black reefs.
I have been following the clues of the Li Turtle for so long, but I didn't expect it to appear in this way. It is really a pleasant surprise.
Gu Pinglin sent a message: "Brother Zhou, the thing is right in front of you, seize the opportunity."
Zhou Yi's eyes flickered twice, but his face remained expressionless, and he tightened his arm holding the sword slightly.
Looking down from the air, Black Reef Island is not big, about ten miles in radius, and the water, sky, and rocks are all the same color. It is not easy to find this island with mortal eyes. The Qi monks and Penglai guards had arrived long ago, and Qi Wan'er and Jun Muzhi were waiting on the shore with two people each.
Yao Feng went over and asked, "How is it?"
Qi Wan'er ignored him and greeted Ji Chengfang and his sister: "Brother Ji, Miss Ji."
Ji Qinnan blushed slightly, and in front of so many people, she returned the greeting reservedly.
Ji Chengfang clasped his fists and said, "I've heard that Master Qi Shisan is a promising young man. I'm very grateful for your help this time. I was unable to thank you in person due to my inconvenience in my movements before. I hope you can forgive me."
Temperament aside, Qi Wan'er was brought up by a noble family after all. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, her manners were impeccable, and she showed her generosity everywhere. He said politely, "It is fate that we meet. My grandfather and your father are old acquaintances. Brother Ji, why are you so polite?"
"After meeting him today, I can see that Brother Qi is worthy of his reputation." The Northern Qi family is the head of the Northern Realm aristocratic families. When Ji Chengfang saw him calling him brother, he felt relieved to follow suit and called him brother. He first praised him, then smiled at his sister and said, "It is indeed fate."
Ji Qinnan quickly lowered her head.
Ming Gongnu smiled softly and said, "It's a perfect match."
Nanzhu was not afraid of watching the fun: "It's a good match, but also a wonderful match. There is always no shortage of matchmakers here."
Everyone laughed: "Young Master Nan is right. Anyone can be a witness."
Her pretty face flushed. Ji Qinnan was smart and generous. She knew that she would be laughed at no matter what she said at this moment, so she simply lowered her head and retreated behind her brother.
Gu Pinglin looked at Nanzhu who was full of interest and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Ji Qinniang was originally his wife, but now he came to tease Ji Qinniang and Qi Wan'er. He wondered how he would feel if he remembered his past life.
Of course Nanzhu couldn't remember anything. The one who felt the most uncomfortable at the moment was Qi Wan'er. He had no interest in Ji Qinnan, but his upbringing did not allow him to reject her in public and embarrass Ji Qinnan. So, he could neither deny it nor show any dissatisfaction. He was immediately blocked and felt uncomfortable.
Duan Qingming laughed and added to his annoyance: "The family backgrounds are comparable, the matchmaker and witnesses are all here, why should my cousin hesitate?"
Qi Wan'er suddenly had an idea: "You guys are joking. Why are you so anxious? For people like us in the Qi and Ji families, the elders have always made decisions on important matters for the children of the clan." After saying that, he took the opportunity to mock, "Could it be that the Duan family in the southern border is different?"
Duan Qingming said, "I am your cousin, so it is okay for me to make the decision for you on behalf of my mother. The Ji family is a very important family, and I think my uncle will agree with this good thing."
Qi Wan'er raised her chin: "I only have a cousin, not a cousin."
"Oh, Wan'er, you make me sad by saying that."
"What did you call me? What did you call me?" Qi Wan'er exploded on the spot, pointed her sword at him, "If you keep talking nonsense!"
Without waiting for Duan Qingming to say anything else, Yao Feng suddenly asked, "What's the situation on the island?"
When Qi Wan'er mentioned that the elders were in charge, Ji Qiniang was afraid that he would think she was frivolous, so she quickly gestured to her brother and changed the subject: "Yes, did you find anything?"
Joking aside, everyone was most concerned about the situation on the island. After hearing this, they returned to business and started asking questions. Jun Muzhi waved away a guard who came back to report and shook his head at Nanzhu: "The island is full of rocks, there is nothing special."
Nanzhu was not disappointed, and waved her hand: "If the ancestor really set up a trap here, it would not be easily discovered. There is no need to rush."
"Young Master Nan is right," Ji Chengfang said, "Not many people come to the north, and it will be difficult for others to find this place. We will just look for it slowly."
Gu Pinglin just needed a reason to stay, so he naturally agreed with him.
This trip was originally a matter of luck, so a few days of time was not a big deal. After they came here, everyone felt relieved and dispersed, some settled down, some investigated.
The pearl was suspended in the air, and everyone was busy with their work. Duan Qingming sat down on a clean stone not far away, and leisurely took out a book without any sign of urgency.
Xin Ji was extremely anxious, and seeing this, he could not help but said, "I'll go check it out first."
"Wait." Duan Qingming raised the scroll and motioned him to come back. "Your mission seems to be to look after my junior nephew Gan Li. When did it become exploring the way?"
Xin Ji stamped his feet and said, "My life is in your hands, what else are you worried about?"
Duan Qingming said: "That's right, it will be mine if I find it, why are you in such a hurry?"
"I'm worried about you, young master," Xin Ji sighed repeatedly, looked around, leaned in and said in a low voice, "We can't let them get ahead of us."
"Well, I'm not in a hurry," Duan Qingming opened the book, "so you'd better just watch Xiao Gan stand obediently."
Xin Ji was so angry that his beard stood on end. He didn't dare to disobey Duan Qingming's order. He could only snort angrily and sit over there sulking.
Duan Qingming ignored it and leaned on the stone, reading quietly.
Gu Pinglin didn't believe that Duan Qingming would be honest. He planned to go find the sword stone mechanism, but he was worried about leaving Bu Shuihan and Qu Lin with this person. It would be difficult to explain the mechanism with them, so Gu Pinglin weighed the options and turned around and said, "Since Senior Brother Duan is free, why don't you go with me to investigate."
"It's rare to have a moment of rest, but now I'm busy again." Duan Qingming complained to Bu Shuihan with a smile, closed the book, stood up and walked to Gu Pinglin.
Gu Pinglin gave Bu Shuihan a few words of advice, then left with Duan Qingming.
Here, Qi Wan'er was afraid of being pestered by Ji Qinnan, so she pretended to go investigate the situation on the island. He left the crowd, entered the reef alone, and found a secluded place to meditate.
Yao Feng went over there.
Qi Wan'er glanced at him and closed her eyes again.
Yao Feng walked up to him and called out, "Brother Qi."
"Who is your brother?" Qi Wan'er said coldly with a stern face. "My surname is Qi. I am the thirteenth son of the Northern Qi family. I only have an elder sister in my family. How can I have a brother? If you want to make friends with me, you are..." Suddenly remembering that the Yao family was more famous, he stopped talking in embarrassment and snorted softly.
Yao Feng said in a deep voice: "It's not good for you to be angry like this."
Qi Wan'er suddenly opened her eyes and said angrily, "What are you angry about? Who is angry?"
Yao Feng taught him a lesson: "If you are impetuous, you will suffer losses sooner or later."
Qi Wan'er had no brothers, and because he was doted on by the head of the family and his grandfather Qi Zhen, even his parents didn't dare to scold him. Hearing this, he couldn't hold back his temper: "You've only been out for a few days, and you're here to teach me a lesson!" He sneered and suddenly stood up, "Whether I suffer or not is none of your business."
After saying this, he flicked his bright red cape and strode away with his head held high.
Many places on the island are still half submerged in water, with no signs of human excavation. There are jagged rocks, some of which are several feet above the water surface. Walking among them is like a maze.
Gu Pinglin observed carefully as he walked, while Duan Qingming looked like he was just out for a walk. There was no road, so the two of them walked on the uneven stones, and managed to keep walking side by side. No one fell behind, their sleeves and robes rose and fell, and they all looked calm. Since Qu Lin was injured, the two of them did not deliberately distance themselves from each other, and they got along as usual, but the atmosphere was inexplicably cold, as if there was an invisible barrier between them.
"What are you looking for?"
"A strange stone, shaped like a sword."
"Are you not afraid of letting me know?"
"Would you care about these?" Gu Pinglin killed the demon snake that sprang out from the cracks in the rocks without stopping. No matter how good these inheritances are, they are not as good as the "Creation Art" and the "Heaven Repair Art". It's not that Gu Pinglin is conceited. The new Lingxin School's skills are also first-class skills. Even without the "Creation Art", Gu Pinglin may not pay much attention to those inheritances, not to mention Duan Qingming who doesn't even take the "Creation Art" seriously.
"That's right," Duan Qingming said, "So, what about you?"
Gu Pinglin said frankly: "I have three goals. The first is to complete the transaction with Tiancan Sect; the second is to obtain something for Gan Li; the third is to open this mechanism, complete the next step, and let the inheritance of good fortune appear in the world."
"You already have the Creation Technique."
"The inheritance of good fortune will be discovered sooner or later. I must seize the initiative and prevent the Good Fortune Art from falling into the hands of others. Instead of waiting for others to open it, it is better to do it myself," Gu Pinglin made no secret of his calculations. "The Lingxin Sect is too weak now. I hold the Good Fortune Art but cannot make it public. Otherwise, it will bring disaster. But what about twenty years later, thirty years later?"
Duan Qingming continued for him: "At that time, the disciples in the sect had made some progress in practicing the new technique. The Lingxin Sect had a place in the southern world and a solid foundation. It had enough ability to preserve the Creation Art. You really worked very hard for the Lingxin Sect."
"For me, nothing is more important than the Lingxin Sect."
"Showing your weakness to me, what do you want to say?" Duan Qingming looked at him with interest. "Invite? That's too much against your will. I thought Bu Shuihan was the fellow apprentice you wanted."
"The same to you."
"Oh--" Duan Qingming said with a smile, "Then you look for it here, and I'll take Bu Shuihan and Qu Lin to the south to look, how about that?"
Gu Pinglin remained silent.
Duan Qingming said: "You don't trust my brother."
"When have you ever cared about us?" Gu Pinglin sneered. He couldn't trust her because he knew her too well. In his previous life, except for Qu Lin, she had never trusted or cared about anyone. Nothing could restrain her. He couldn't risk Bu Shuihan and Qu Lin's lives for this empty trust.
"So you actually want me to leave."
Gu Pinglin did not deny it.
Duan Qingming stopped and said, "Are you really willing to give up an opponent like me?"
It's not just reluctance, it's unwillingness. Gu Pinglin clenched his fists in his sleeves and said calmly: "There's nothing to be reluctant about."
“That’s sad.”
Sad? Gu Pinglin sneered.
The red shadow at the end of his eyes deepened a bit, and a dark color flashed across his eyes. Duan Qingming casually brushed away the dirt on his shoulders: "It seems that you hope that I will lose interest in you sooner."
In his previous life, Gu Pinglin was somewhat proud of being regarded as an opponent by him. Now, after hearing these words, even though he had already made a choice, Gu Pinglin was still a little stunned and his steps slowed down.
When I looked again, Duan Qingming had already walked to the front, his white figure still calm.
It turns out that emotions are still affected by this person. Gu Pinglin realized this and quickly calmed down, focusing his attention on the business. However, after walking for several hours and searching almost the entire reef island, they still did not see the shadow of the sword stone. Gu Pinglin was surprised.
This island is the same as described in the rumors, and the Ligui turtle appears nearby, so it shouldn't be wrong. Could it be that the rumors are wrong
Gu Pinglin casually held onto a reef, frowned, and fell into deep thought. Duan Qingming stood beside him with his hands behind his back, watching him without saying a word.
Unexpectedly --
The ground shook violently, and the entire island seemed to be shaking. Along with the sound of breaking air and cracking rocks, water droplets splashed all over the sky!
"Hmm?" Gu Pinglin waved his hand to block the water droplets, raised his head slightly, and looked sharp, "Go back!"
The purple sleeves brushed aside the black cloak, bringing up a cold wind sound, and in the blink of an eye, the person disappeared from the spot.
Duan Qingming stood there for a moment and then fled.