Chapter 281: Same Heart Ornament

After seeing off Yu Kong, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the futon, lost in thought.

In Xi Huang Town, especially among the cultivators who had been active in the vicinity, hardly anyone believed the rumors of a spirit herb garden appearing. Most were skeptical, thinking it wouldn't hurt to look once inside, but not considering it their primary objective. After all, important treasures still existed in various crucial locations within the Autumn Swan Market. The protective array's weakened period was very brief, and once the market closed, it became extremely dangerous. No one dared to stay inside for thirty years. Rather than expending energy searching for an elusive spirit herb garden, it was better to focus on competing for tangible treasures.

If it weren't for the scene depicted on the jade pendant Yun Youzi showed him, Qin Sang would have also doubted the truth of the matter. The scene on the jade pendant had been shown to Yun Youzi by Ge Yuan, whose identity was somewhat unique.

The person who discovered the spirit herb garden was Shao Chunhui. Ge Yuan was considered Shao Chunhui's friend; they had cooperated several times. Both understood the art of compromise, and their interactions were harmonious, without disputes, fostering a degree of mutual trust. Yu Kong and the others were unaware of Ge Yuan's existence. Before Shao Chunhui's accident, he had approached Ge Yuan, revealing this scene to him and inviting him to search for spirit herbs together. However, out of caution, Shao Chunhui only showed the tip of the iceberg and didn't provide many details. Trusting their past collaborations, Ge Yuan readily agreed. Unexpectedly, Shao Chunhui went missing without a trace afterward.

However, Ge Yuan was not the one who initially spread the rumors. He had almost forgotten about the matter until two years ago, when rumors about a spirit herb garden in the Autumn Swan Market suddenly circulated, jolting his memory. After conducting a discreet investigation, Ge Yuan suspected that the person who killed Shao Chunhui was one of the companions who had entered the Autumn Swan Market with him. His suspicions ultimately fell on Yu Kong and his two companions, as only these three individuals were attempting to re-enter the Autumn Swan Market and were extensively recruiting people.

As for avenging Shao Chunhui, Ge Yuan lacked the ability and the inclination. Their friendship was not deep enough for him to sacrifice himself. Ge Yuan knew that all three of Yu Kong's group were very powerful. Regardless of which one was the culprit, he was no match for them. However, Ge Yuan was very interested in spirit herbs. The scene Shao Chunhui had shown him was too enticing. Whether it was an ancient cultivator's spirit herb garden or spirit herbs planted by the former master of the Autumn Swan Market, they were undoubtedly precious. Even acquiring one or two plants would greatly benefit cultivation.

As Ge Yuan was weak and couldn't pinpoint the killer, he decided to stir up the situation, adding fuel to the fire and leveraging the spread of rumors to his advantage. Rather than letting someone quietly pluck the spirit herbs, creating chaos might offer an opportunity to profit from the confusion. Unfortunately, Ge Yuan acted carelessly. Shortly after he began his actions, he nearly exposed himself. Fortunately, at a critical moment, Yun Youzi happened to be there and saved Ge Yuan's life.

After learning the full story, Yun Youzi halted Ge Yuan's crude plan. Given the countless masters entering the Autumn Swan Market, if the spirit herb garden were exposed, there wouldn't be enough spirit herbs to go around. They ultimately decided to infiltrate the three individuals' teams separately to ascertain the location of the secret passage. As long as they could get in, they'd at least get a share. Ge Yuan remained in Xi Huang Town to observe the situation, while Yun Youzi returned to Xuanshu Pass and brought Qin Sang along.

Ten days later, once again, Qin Sang left early in the morning and encountered Yu Kong. Yu Kong had not yet gathered enough people to practice the formation. These past few days, Qin Sang had gone out almost daily, scouting in Xi Huang Town, sometimes sitting idle in a teahouse for an entire day, other times frequenting various shops to buy information with spirit stones. Yu Kong had grown accustomed to this and didn't press Qin Sang for a response to his invitation.

"Daoist priest, you're always rushing about. Have you uncovered any news?" Yu Kong asked, feigning curiosity, though a confident smile played on his lips. He was clearly convinced Qin Sang wouldn't have found anything significant.

Qin Sang gave a dry chuckle and cupped his hands. "It's been alright..."

Watching Qin Sang depart, Yu Kong chuckled disdainfully and shook his head.

Qin Sang continued with his usual actions. As he passed a dark alley, his gaze suddenly sharpened. Without changing his expression, he entered the alley, then slipped into a shop as he passed it. The person inside the shop was Yun Youzi.

"Senior, aren't you worried about leaving traces with such a hasty meeting?" Qin Sang questioned with a frown and a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone. He had been meticulously careful in everything to earn Yu Kong's trust, and meeting now carried significant risk.

"Brother Qin, don't worry. I've been trailing you the whole way; no one is following," Yun Youzi said, leading Qin Sang into the back room and whispering via spiritual transmission. "Brother Qin hasn't met Daoist Ge yet... Sheng Yuanzi has already gathered his people, and Daoist Ge will be leaving Xi Huang Town soon. Any later might be too late. I need to give you the Heart-Unity Pendants first."

Besides Yu Kong, the other two were Luo Xingnan and Sheng Yuanzi, both mid-Foundation Establishment masters like Yu Kong. Ge Yuan had been recruited by Sheng Yuanzi, and it seemed Yun Youzi had also successfully infiltrated Luo Xingnan's team.

In the back room, Qin Sang met Ge Yuan for the first time. This person appeared to be around Qin Sang's age, with a dignified appearance and a hint of arrogance in his brows. Qin Sang keenly noticed a flicker of disdain in Ge Yuan's eyes when he looked at him. In the cultivation world, strength commanded respect. Ge Yuan's cultivation was higher than Yun Youzi's, almost on par with Yu Daiyue, and he was not far from breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Had Yun Youzi not saved his life, Ge Yuan might not have been convinced by him either.

Qin Sang bowed respectfully. "This humble Daoist greets Daoist Ge."

"Daoist priest, there's no need for such formality."

Ge Yuan nodded casually, scrutinized Qin Sang, and warned him bluntly, "In my opinion, Daoist priest, your cultivation is quite low. However, Senior Yun Youzi speaks highly of you. I trust you won't disappoint him?"

As long as their objective was achieved, Qin Sang didn't mind being looked down upon by Ge Yuan. He replied calmly, "Rest assured, Daoist Ge, this humble Daoist will certainly follow Senior's instructions. If I discover any clues, I will immediately inform you two and will absolutely not act on my own initiative."

Only then did Ge Yuan dismiss Qin Sang, turning to Yun Youzi. "Senior, time is short. Let's distribute the Heart-Unity Pendants now."

Yun Youzi nodded, taking out three identical ivory round pendants. "These three Heart-Unity Pendants were refined from the tusk of the same Heavenly Luo White Elephant beast. I had to inquire in many places before I finally obtained them. Legend says the Heavenly Luo White Elephant possesses the bloodline of the divine beast Ti Ting. The Heart-Unity Pendants also have spiritual abilities, allowing for message transmission. While the range isn't too far, it's sufficient within the Autumn Swan Market. The three of us will simultaneously drip our essence blood onto the pendants. Once a clue is found, immediately crush the pendant, and the other two will be informed. The Heart-Unity Pendants possess an innate mystical quality, emitting no spiritual energy fluctuations, making them undetectable by others. However, both of you must note that once a Heart-Unity Pendant is crushed, it cannot be restored. You only have one chance, so ensure the message is genuine, or we will all have wasted our efforts."