The vast ruins of the Great Mystery Sect had finally welcomed their first visitors in tens of thousands of years.
Dense, almost tangible spiritual energy permeated the air, wrapping around their bodies with a soothing warmth that was utterly pleasant. Without even needing to circulate any cultivation technique, the ambient spiritual energy naturally seeped into their bodies of its own accord.
Cultivating in an environment like this could practically save several times the usual amount of time!
Not only were Wu Yi and the others visibly excited, but even the woman surnamed Ye wore an expression of longing.
On the Dark Star, the place with the densest spiritual energy was none other than Star Emperor Mountain. As the previous Sect Master of Star Emperor Mountain, the woman surnamed Ye naturally had the standing to speak on the matter. Yet when compared to this location, Star Emperor Mountain's spiritual energy was like a small candle held up against the blazing sun — utterly worlds apart.
Beneath Star Emperor Mountain, a single supreme-grade spirit vein provided the circulation of spiritual energy. But beneath the ruins of the Great Mystery Sect, there seemed to be far more than just one supreme-grade spirit vein. Instead, several of them crisscrossed through the ground below.
Ahead lay a flight of white jade stairs, appearing pristine and flawless. Even after tens of thousands of years without a single sweep, not a speck of dust marred their surface. The stairs were constructed from the purest jade, their luster warm and gentle, stretching upward as far as the eye could see. A rough count revealed at least ten thousand steps.
Yang Kai and Yang Yan walked forward shoulder to shoulder, their pace neither hurried nor slow, taking in the dense spiritual energy while simultaneously extending their divine sense to probe the surroundings.
The woman surnamed Ye followed closely behind them, with Chang Qi and the rest of the group trailing after her. The several dozen Disciples who had originally belonged to the Heke Family brought up the rear, clustering in small groups of three or five, whispering among themselves in high spirits.
When they had followed Wu Yi to leave the Heke Family years ago and join Dragon Cave Mountain, it had been a decision born of genuine loyalty. Yet every one of them had harbored at least some nostalgic feelings for their original clan.
But over the following years, having received abundantly rich cultivation resources and an excellent cultivation environment within Dragon Cave Mountain, they had gradually developed a sense of belonging, coming to think of themselves as true members of Dragon Cave Mountain.
Now, Dragon Cave Mountain had been razed flat — a regrettable affair, to be sure. But Yang Kai and Yang Yan had led them into this entirely new world, one that surpassed Dragon Cave Mountain by countless times.
Every past event flashed vividly in their minds. Each warrior silently congratulated themselves on the decision they had made back then. Those warriors who had remained in the Heke Family were probably still scrapping over meager cultivation resources at this very moment, while they themselves had no such worries. All they needed to do was sit and cultivate. Sacred Crystals were supplied without limit. Medicinal pills and elixirs were supplied without limit. Even Artifacts were of exceptional quality.
Such treatment could not be provided even by the first-tier Sects on the Dark Star, yet here they were, enjoying it as a matter of course.
If someone from the Battle Heaven Alliance or the Thunder Terrace Sect were to come inviting them to join now, they would surely scoff without the slightest hesitation.
What was the Battle Heaven Alliance? What was the Thunder Terrace Sect? Could either compare to Dragon Cave Mountain?
One flight of steps fell behind them after another. After roughly half an hour, Yang Kai and the others finally reached the summit. Looking up, they saw two colossal pillars rising toward the heavens on either side ahead, and draped across the top of those pillars hung an enormous plaque bearing three bold, sweeping characters that danced across its surface like dragons in flight.
Great Mystery Sect!
Those three characters radiated an ineffable profundity that defied comprehension. It was impossible to imagine whose brushwork had left them behind, but the person's strength had absolutely been formidable — quite possibly a Void King Realm powerhouse!
A mountain breeze drifted past, clear and natural. Their gaze passed through the sect gate of the Great Mystery Sect and into the interior. Mountains rose in succession, pavilions and towers blanketed the landscape, stretching out beyond the reach of the eye. Yet within these magnificent sect ruins, there was not the faintest trace of life or vitality.
Yang Kai's divine sense expanded outward, yet even so, he could not cover the entirety of the Great Mystery Sect.
A sect of such magnitude could comfortably accommodate a hundred thousand Disciples without feeling crowded. Yet now, fewer than a hundred people had entered this place — and for a very long time to come, these same fewer than a hundred would be the only ones living and cultivating here.
Each person could claim an entire mountain peak for themselves without any issue.
"This should still be the front hall area," Yang Yan said, her elegant brows furrowed slightly as if sensing something. "Everyone split up and explore. It doesn't look like there are any restrictions here, but that's no reason to be careless. If you come across anything suspicious, don't rush in recklessly — just send a message to me or Yang Kai."
"Understood." Wu Yi acknowledged the order immediately, dividing the several dozen warriors into more than a dozen teams of three to five people each, sending them scattering in every direction.
Yang Kai, naturally, would not sit idle either. He set off alone to explore the front hall of the Great Mystery Sect.
He had expected that some decent remnants might still linger here. To his surprise, there was nothing of value whatsoever — nothing left but a vast, empty shell of a sect. He could not help but feel somewhat disappointed.
He spent an entire day exploring in succession, yet Yang Kai found nothing of note.
The Heke Family Disciples, on the other hand, had decent luck. Some unearthed ancient Artifacts, while others discovered medicinal pills that could still be consumed. They came beaming from ear to ear to report their findings, eager to hand over what they had found.
Yang Kai had no interest in such things. After a cursory inspection, he told them to keep whatever they had found.
This decision only further fueled the Disciples' exploratory fervor. Throughout the entire front hall of the Great Mystery Sect, they could be seen bustling excitedly back and forth, entering and exiting one palace building after another.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Over these fifteen days, the group of several dozen had done nothing but explore the ruins of the Great Mystery Sect. Even so, they had not managed to survey the entire place.
The grounds contained no fewer than eighty-one mountain peaks, varying in size from large to small. Each peak brimmed with spiritual energy, rivaling — and even surpassing — the headquarters of any other Sect.