[Thanks to: ?? Qi Hen Mo Wang ?? for the six consecutive rewards. Thank you, FanLan, Saonian, and Gui Cheng Lang Zi for your rewards! A new week begins, and I, Lao San, am begging for recommendations, rewards, and everything. Lao San is deeply grateful!]

At that moment, an extremely rich spiritual energy came from within the secret passage. Ding Fan immediately drew his soft sword and walked toward the secret passageway. Guo Jing followed closely behind him.

The two had not gone far when the passageway gradually widened. Eventually, they even heard the sound of water flowing. After hearing the water, Ding Fan quickened his pace, and three minutes later, they arrived inside a natural karst cave.

Stalactites of various peculiar shapes hung from the ceiling of the cave, creating a fascinating sight. Along the edge of the cave, there was a river about one meter wide, and beside the river stood a stele inscribed with ancient script that read, "Immortal's Residence."

To Guo Jing's astonishment, inside the cave, there were stone tables and chairs, clearly indicating that someone had once lived there. His mind buzzed with amazement. Could it be that an immortal really lived here?

Ding Fan, on the other hand, was not surprised; he was merely excited. After arriving there, he was certain that this place was indeed a cultivator's legacy.

Ding Fan's attention was now focused on the stalactites hanging upside down from the ceiling of the cave. After careful observation, he suddenly leapt up, sword in hand, and instantly, a stalactite was cut down by Ding Fan.

Afterward, Ding Fan carefully collected the stalactite. Guo Jing, watching, was quite perplexed, but he didn't ask any questions, knowing that Ding Fan must have had his reasons for doing so.

Guo Jing didn't know the value of that stalactite, but Ding Fan did. What he had cut down was known as Spiritstone Essence. Even in the Cultivation World, this was considered a treasure.

Spiritstone Essence was very difficult to condense, as it was formed from accumulated spiritual energy. However, it would only grow an inch every hundred years. The Spiritstone Essence that Tian Yu had harvested was three feet long, which would require three hundred years of accumulation to reach such a size.

Considering this, there must have been many rare treasures within this cave in the past for such a treasure to have formed...

Having acquired the Spiritstone Essence, Ding Fan was quite satisfied. With this Spiritstone Essence, he wouldn't have to worry about advancing to the Third Level of Qi Cultivation, or even the Fourth Level, for that matter. For a short time, at least, he wouldn't have to fret over a lack of spiritual energy.

After storing the Spiritstone Essence, Ding Fan continued to explore the cave, but he couldn't find any other treasures. In his opinion, even if there had been spiritual treasures like pills and Immortal Herbs, the vast amount of spiritual energy had probably been absorbed by the Spiritstone Essence.

In the end, Ding Fan found a pile of withered bones in the cave, which were clearly ancient and severely weathered.

Next to the bones, there was a line of small characters.

Guang Fazi and his wife practiced dual cultivation at Immortal's Peak. Alas, his beloved wife perished from demonic deviation. Guang Fazi built her tomb next to his dwelling, wishing only to accompany her in life, with no desire for immortality...

Reading these words, Ding Fan understood why a cultivator's legacy would be found together with an ancient tomb.

It turned out that Guang Fazi and his wife practiced cultivation together here. After his wife succumbed to and perished from demonic deviation, Guang Fazi placed her tomb next to his dwelling. Throughout his life, he wished only to keep watch over his wife's tomb, forsaking the pursuit of immortality...

Ding Fan couldn't help but sigh. Guang Fazi truly was a man of deep affection, willing to give up his cultivation to guard his deceased wife. Those bones must be the remains of Guang Fazi himself.

Ding Fan knelt down solemnly and gave three deep bows to Guang Fazi.

Behind him, Guo Jing was puzzled, but he also followed Ding Fan's example and knelt on the ground to kowtow three times.

...

Having discovered one secret passage, it stood to reason that there might be others. Thereupon, Ding Fan and Guo Jing searched through the other stone chambers, and eventually they did find another secret chamber.

When the door to the secret chamber opened, not only Guo Jing but also Ding Fan themselves were astonished. Inside, the size of a basketball hall, the chamber was crammed with various ancient antiques. Perhaps these were the antiques that the Japanese had hidden away after their defeat all those years ago.

At this moment, Ding Fan had already obtained what he wanted and didn't care about these things.

Ding Fan's indifference in the face of all these treasures only increased Guo Jing's admiration for him. Guo Jing made a note of the location where these treasures were hidden, intending to return them to the country.

After learning of Guo Jing's intentions, Ding Fan was actually taken aback for a moment. Guo Jing's mind was indeed pure. Any other person might have thought to keep these treasures for themselves. In an instant, Ding Fan found himself harboring a newfound fondness for Guo Jing.

After leaving the cave, Ding Fan had thought to stay and train in the deep mountains, letting Guo Jing and the others leave by themselves.

However, Guo Jing was warm-hearted and always considered his friends' well-being. Su Qinger had an injury on her leg, and it was clear from a glance that Wang Han was physically weak and lacking strength. There was practically no possibility of the three of them making it out on their own.

Ding Fan sighed and resigned himself to the fact that he had no choice but to escort these three people out of the forest first.

When Guo Jing and the others heard that Ding Fan was going to join them, they were overjoyed. After all, the forest was extremely dangerous, and having a master like Ding Fan to escort them was just perfect.

However, Su Qinger's leg injury made it difficult for her to walk quickly, which left Ding Fan somewhat speechless.

Ding Fan just wanted to get them out of the forest quickly so he could find time to train.

"I'll carry you," Ding Fan said to Su Qinger.

Su Qinger didn't refuse at all. After nodding her head, she naturally leaned on Ding Fan's back. Her thigh had already been kissed by him; being carried was hardly a big deal.

However, the sight left both Guo Jing and Wang Han shocked. Su Qinger might seem as gentle as a kitten now, but in reality, she was usually very averse to contact with men.

There had been countless dandies who wanted to pursue Su Qinger, only to be chased away by her thunderous firepower.

But now, Su Qinger on Ding Fan's back didn't show any aversion; on the contrary, she looked very well-behaved. The gentle side Su Qinger showed left Guo Jing and Wang Han almost unable to recognize her.

Su Qinger was not heavy, and after Ding Fan hoisted her on his back, he strode forward.

"Could Qinger have met her Prince Charming?" Wang Han mused, blinking as he watched Ding Fan and Su Qinger's retreating figures.

Guo Jing rubbed his chin. "Brother Fan is a hermit from beyond this world; probably only someone like Brother Fan could tame Su Qing."

Wang Han rolled her eyes at Guo Jing. "You men always think about taming."

Black lines formed on Guo Jing's face.

However, as Guo Jing was about to explain, Wang Han had already scampered off to follow them.

Because Ding Fan was leading the way, the three of them made good time. By evening, they had covered at least twenty miles.

Carrying Su Qinger on his back, Ding Fan was not the least bit fatigued, but Guo Jing and Wang Han, who had been jogging behind him, were so exhausted they collapsed.

Actually, Ding Fan hadn't used his full strength. If he was just carrying Su Qing, he could have easily traveled three or four times the distance they covered that afternoon.

Ding Fan took out some compressed biscuits and shared them with everyone.

After eating the biscuits, Ding Fan quickly checked Su Qinger's wounds. Although the snake venom had been expelled, a reinfection would be troublesome.

After the checkup, he found that Su Qinger's wounds showed no signs of pus.

"Brother Fan, what do you normally do?"

Guo Jing and Wang Han deliberately created an opportunity for Ding Fan to be alone with Su Qinger.

Though Su Qing knew what her two friends were thinking, she genuinely enjoyed being with Ding Fan. Being by his side gave her a comforting feeling that neither her sister nor her parents had ever given her.

"Just a drifter," Ding Fan replied nonchalantly.

Although Ding Fan had sold pills before and even provided acupuncture and medical treatment, those were occasional endeavors and not his profession.

"Brother Fan, could you do me a favor?" Su Qinger suddenly asked, her eyes sparkling with hope as she looked at Ding Fan.

Su Qinger was already a stunning beauty, and her vulnerable expression now made it even harder for Ding Fan to resist.

"Hmm, if it's within my ability, I will help you," Ding Fan said lightly.

"I've been willful since I was a child. To tie me down as I grew up, my parents set up a company for my sister and me in Dongcheng. I've never had anyone to help me. Could you, if possible, help me?"

Hearing this, Ding Fan smiled faintly. He could clearly tell that Su Qing was trying to help him.

"Sure, wait until I'm done with what I'm handling now, and I will definitely come find you in Dongcheng," he promised her with a light smile. Even though he might not actually go in the future, he did not want to disappoint her now.

"Brother Fan, you actually look better when you smile," Su Qing said out of the blue. "You should smile more when you have nothing else to do."

While Ding Fan might not understand the sentiments of a girl, he could feel that Su Qinger seemed to be getting a bit too clingy.

"Brother Fan, do you dislike girls like me... I mean, letting a man carry them so casually..." Su Qing asked.

"Isn't it good to be unpretentious like this..."

Ding Fan said this, but suddenly, his expression turned grave.

"Brother Fan? What's wrong?" Seeing Ding Fan's sudden change of demeanor, Su Qing asked with concern.

Ding Fan shook his head slightly.

Once again, he felt that looming threat. Having clawed his way out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the Cultivation World, Ding Fan had a very keen perception of danger.

He sensed that danger was drawing closer. He should be getting tracked. Furthermore, Ding Fan had a feeling that the person tracking him was the same one that had followed him in the small town.

The person's power was formidable; at least for now, Ding Fan was not his match, otherwise, he wouldn't have casually hailed a taxi to rush to the Immortal Peak Forest.

"Su Qinger, we need to leave right away."

Seeing Ding Fan's serious look, Su Qing did not ask any further and simply nodded in agreement.

After informing Guo Jing and Wang Han, Ding Fan carrying Su Qinger once again set off to travel through the night.

Less than half an hour after they left, a figure sneaked up to the spot where they had just been resting.

The man who now appeared under the moonlight was He Chen, the one Wang Luohao had sent.

He Chen carefully surveyed the surroundings, eventually picking up a compressor biscuit wrapper, sniffing it, and then his lips slightly curled up. Afterward, he followed in the direction where Ding Fan and the others had disappeared.