Chapter 57: The Ancient Treasure

Feng Qingcheng brought Mingyue along to admire the stone inscriptions left behind by the ancient deities, and both of them became utterly engrossed.

What manner of peerless love could possibly inspire such an eternal masterpiece? Mingyue, still tender in years, could not yet fully comprehend its profound meaning; she could only imagine how the ancient Deity of the East and the Upper Immortal Shangguan Qianmo—living as a devoted pair through a single lifetime, loving and accompanying one another, never parting—must have been a sight of breathtaking romance.

Having known, loved, and accompanied each other through life, though long since departed to the immortal realm, they left behind this spatial array as a testament to their legendary romance.

She could not resist casting a stealthy glance at Feng Qingcheng, only to find him looking at her as well. Blushing deeply, both hastily averted their gaze.

"My method of alchemy was also derived from this very place," Feng Qingcheng said softly. "Come, let me show you their dwelling." With that, he took Mingyue by the hand and led her in another direction.

A sudden surge of curiosity filled Mingyue as she followed Feng Qingcheng back along the path they had come, arriving at the stone door they had just entered. Feng Qingcheng walked to the right side of the stone door and pushed against the stone wall, revealing a well-concealed secondary door right before them.

Mingyue exclaimed happily, "So there was a hidden door here all along!"

Feng Qingcheng nodded and led Mingyue through the hidden entrance into a vast stone chamber. Several oversized luminous pearls hung from the walls, casting a bright glow across the interior. A stone bed, stone table, stone chairs, stone folding screen, vanity, and stone chests were all arranged in orderly fashion.

On the vanity sat an ancient mirror, accompanied by a quaintly exquisite turquoise jade hairpin, several gold-filigree hair flowers embedded with colorful gemstones, and a gold-inlaid jade comb. All these items rested quietly on the table, as if awaiting the caress of their mistress's delicate hands. Having endured through countless years, the objects still appeared as pristine as new, possessing an extraordinary refinement.

In the corner beside the head of the bed stood a black sandalwood antique chest. The chest lay open, filled to the brim with jade artifacts, goldware, jewelry, and other treasures of gold and silver. These jewels and jades gleamed brilliantly under the light of the luminous pearls, suggesting that the Upper Immortal Shangguan Qianmo had a penchant for collecting precious ornaments—or perhaps the Deity Dongfang Longze had gathered them simply to please her tastes.

This was a woman's bedchamber, and the items within revealed a life lived with exquisite care and refinement.

Mingyue could not help but picture in her mind the sweet life the two ancient beings had shared here. Deeply devoted previously, they had eventually departed together into immortality; yet none in this world could escape the passage of time, ultimately turning to mere dust.

Mingyue sighed softly. "Actually, to live in seclusion here with the one you love—what is that if not a kind of happiness?" It was only a pity that her mother had spent her life in solitude with her, never finding that belonging of her own. In her heart, Mingyue could not help feeling a sense of injustice for her mother.

Feng Qingcheng gazed deeply at her with his slender, phoenix-like eyes and sighed, "Indeed, it is only a pity that so many in this world fail to see through it."

Mingyue smiled. "Because the temptations are too many, and everyone's motives are different."

Admiration flickered in Feng Qingcheng's eyes. He reached out to gently stroke her head and asked softly, "There is another chamber nearby. Would you like to see it?" Mingyue nodded.

Connected to the side was a slightly smaller stone chamber, filled with numerous alchemy utensils. A row of massive stone bookshelves lined the room, yet only a single thick volume rested upon them. The cover bore handwritten characters reading *The Grand Law of Alchemy and Immortal Cultivation*, resembling a personal journal.

Beside the bookshelves stood a vast stone table bearing over a hundred empty small jade bottles, evidently used for storing medicinal pills. Alongside the empty vessels sat dozens of other vials, each containing a single pill.

"Are... are these alchemy pills from the ancient era?" Mingyue asked in astonishment as she picked up a small jade bottle to examine it closely, discerning even the faintly fluctuating spiritual energy contained within.

Mingyue asked doubtfully, "Could Deity Dongfang Longze have been a grandmaster of alchemy?"

As if seeing right through her thoughts, Feng Qingcheng told her, "Deity Dongfang Longze was not only a grandmaster of alchemy, but also a heaven-defying tier-nine alchemist."

He picked up a small jade bottle containing a pill and continued, "These must be the high-grade pills left behind by Deity Longze, though I am unable to determine their exact tier. I once attempted to open one of the jade bottles; the moment it was unsealed, the spiritual energy leaked out, and the pill instantly dissolved into nothingness. Whether due to the immense passage of time or other factors, even my master could not fathom the reason."

Mingyue stroked the smooth surface of the small jade bottle and said, "Elder, once your alchemy skills improve further, perhaps you will be able to open them."

Feng Qingcheng nodded and led Mingyue over to the desk nearby.

At one end of the desk sat an ancient qin, beside which stood a three-legged alchemy cauldron taller than a man. Two archaic swords, clearly no ordinary weapons, hung quietly on the wall, seemingly murmuring the tales of their former master.

This hoard of treasures was truly priceless; the vast majority of items were magical artifacts. Taking any single object out into the mortal realm would undoubtedly cause the world to look on in stunned frenzy.

Clearly, Feng Qingcheng had never disturbed the items here, having only studied the book. Mingyue could not help but view him in a new light. Lightly stroking the qin, Feng Qingcheng said, "The reason I resolved to study alchemy was also because I read his journal here. Alchemy aids immortal cultivation, while immortal cultivation assists alchemy; the two complement each other. Although Deity Dongfang Longze is not my master, the bond between us is already that of master and disciple."

Mingyue experienced a sudden flash of understanding. No wonder Feng Qingcheng's alchemy skills had advanced by leaps and bounds beyond anyone else's—it was due to the guidance of the precious experiences left behind by Master Dongfang Longze and the long-lost ancient alchemy secret manuals.

Naturally, whatever one wished to learn required immense effort alongside a certain degree of innate talent. No doubt it was because of his exceptional aptitude and grueling hard work that Feng Qingcheng had achieved his current level of success.

Returning to the outer chamber, Feng Qingcheng pointed to the women's articles and asked, "Is there anything here that catches your fancy? Choose a few pieces to take with you."

Mingyue shook her head. "These items record every detail between Deity Longze and his wife. It is better to leave them here."

Feng Qingcheng looked at her deeply, approval shining in his eyes.

Slowly, the two walked toward the entrance of the canyon. Outside, the sunlight was brilliant, making the canyon appear exceptionally beautiful.

"Elder, do you come in here every month? Has your chronic... um, that illness been cured?" Mingyue had intended to rely on the medicinal spring's properties to assume his chronic condition was mostly healed. Wanting to express her concern, she only realized how awkward the phrasing sounded once the words left her lips. She looked at Feng Qingcheng somewhat self-consciously, her eyes filled with a trace of guilt.

"Mm, it is mostly cured." Gazing into the distance as if lost in thought, Feng Qingcheng spoke softly, "Ever since I discovered the Peach Blossom array, I have come to the Immortal Spring every month to meditate and purge the toxins. In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed."

Ten years. Mingyue seemed to envision a young man dancing with his sword under the moonlight, persisting through beads of sweat and sheer dedication to his fate. What hardships must Feng Qingcheng have endured over the past decade to attain such achievements?

Perhaps this was the very reason he had become the premier inner-sect disciple of the Mount Shu Immortal Sect!

In this world, everyone harbored dreams; yet not everyone could turn those dreams into reality. The sole difference lay in the steadfast persistence and dedication one held toward those dreams.

With admiration, Mingyue said, "Elder, you have always persisted in pursuing your dream. That is amazing, and I truly respect you."

Meeting her gaze filled with such starry-eyed worship, Feng Qingcheng felt a warmth blossom in his chest, and he smiled with bashful modesty.

Mingyue continued, "When I was young, I loved to read, and I once came across a story about the divine phoenix. It is said that the divine phoenix is the messenger of happiness in the mortal world. Every five hundred years, it bears all the accumulated suffering, grudges, and emotional entanglements of mankind, casting itself into a blazing inferno of self-immolation. By ending its life and beauty in flames, it trades them for peace and happiness in the mortal realm. Only after enduring immense physical agony and the cycle of rebirth can they be resurrected. The dying phoenix plunges into the fire, bathed in flames to be reborn anew—its plumage richer, its call clearer, its spirit more profound—becoming an eternally magnificent fire phoenix. Ever since I was a child, I have revered that very spirit of the phoenix. All the effort you have put in, Elder, has been well worth it. Keep striving!"

Feng Qingcheng's profound, phoenix-like eyes stared at her in astonishment. He had not expected someone so young to possess such unique thoughts; she truly was a remarkable young woman. A trace of appreciation surfaced in his deep gaze.

Most worldly maidens were fond of rouge, powder, fine garments, and glittering jewels. He had never seen her apply cosmetics, nor had he ever seen her wear luxurious attire or ornaments. Her greatest affection lay in her fascination with medical arts—she cared only for studying medicine and experimenting with herbs. Truly, she was a unique existence.

The young maiden possessed a slender and graceful figure, her height reaching precisely to his chest. Her flowing hair danced in the breeze, already revealing the charm and elegance of surpassing beauty. A pair of crystal-clear, dark, and lucid eyes brimmed with spiritual vitality, flashing brilliantly as she spoke and smiled, radiating an almost dazzling light.

At this moment, the maiden smiled as she looked at him, her fair skin tinted with a faint rosy blush beneath the twilight glow, making her appearance even more exquisite, pristine, and refined, brimming with both youthful grace and endearing innocence.

Feng Qingcheng suddenly felt a flutter in his chest. The maiden before him seemed bathed in a layer of radiance, so dazzling in his sight that he lost himself in a momentary trance.

With a gentle smile, Feng Qingcheng said to her, "Let us strive together to chase our dreams. No matter what difficulties we encounter, let us never give up. Agreed?"

Mingyue gazed at him with her lovely eyes, nodded firmly, and extended her slender finger to hook his, shaking it gently as she smiled lightly. "Elder, it's a deal. Come, pinky swear, seal it tight, and let it never change for a hundred years."

"Agreed," he replied.

Suddenly, the image of a little girl flashed into Feng Qingcheng's mind—a chubby little girl named Xiao'er who had once told him:

"Brother Nine, I will definitely wait for you to come back, I promise! When I grow up, I will come looking for you. Let's pinky swear."

"Pinky swear, seal it tight, a hundred years without change, whoever breaks it is a little puppy."

He looked into her sparkling eyes, which seemed to hold twinkling stars. Her smile was like spring blossoms blooming, causing him to forget all the troubles in this world.

Why was it that whenever he spent time with her, he always thought of the little girl Xiao'er? Feng Qingcheng wondered perplexedly. Perhaps she truly resembled Xiao'er from his childhood—innocent, kind, resilient, and brave—making him unable to help himself, always wanting to watch over her and stay by her side.

What was that softly brushing past his ear? The murmur of flowers, the whisper of birds, or the quiet blossoming of a heart?