Chapter 1072: The Immortal Artifact of the Time Immortal

"This proves Senior Brother Fang, that your fortune rivals the very heavens."

Lu Yang stepped forward with proper tact to offer his congratulations, appearing even more delighted than if he had gathered the map fragments himself.

"Chen Yachong spent centuries without ever obtaining the other two pieces, yet you, Senior Brother Fang, have completed the collection after merely taking a single stroll. What does this signify? It signifies that this map is destined for you!"

"Indeed, indeed, this must surely be an omen of great auspiciousness." Meng Jingzhou also came forward to congratulate him. The two were highly skilled in speech, matching each other word for word, praising Fang Jin as though he were the chosen one of heaven itself.

The three pieces of jade-silk map were layered together, revealing the true form of the cartography.

Displayed within the map was a region named the Azure Lotus Mountain Range, with a circle drawn directly in the center, indicating that something ought to be there.

"Where is the Azure Lotus Mountain Range?" Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou looked at each other blankly, unfamiliar with the various names of mountain ranges. Where in the Great Xia was this located?

"The Azure Lotus Mountain Range..." Fang Jin frowned, the name carrying a faint resonance in his memory.

"If I recall correctly, the Azure Lotus Mountain Range was its name during the Great Qian era."

"By the time of the Great Yu era, it was called the Jiangbei Hills."

"And by the Great Xia era, it became known as the Tianhe Plains."

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou wore peculiar expressions; this seemed to be rather more than a mere change of name.

"It is quite normal. Consider this: there were plenty of cultivators during the Great Qian and Great Yu eras, and their battles were entirely devoid of order, frequently altering the very topography of the land," Fang Jin explained.

"Over three hundred thousand years, driven by human might, seas have turned into mulberry fields; the maps of that era have long since ceased to resemble the present day."

Fang Jin possessed deep research into ancient maps; from the Great Qian to the Great Xia era, he remembered every transition of the geography with absolute clarity.

This ancient map was useful precisely because it had fallen into Fang Jin's hands; had any other cultivator obtained it, they could only stare at it in helpless bewilderment.

"Come, let us go to the Tianhe Plains and take a look." With the ancient map in hand, Fang Jin's interest was thoroughly piqued.

Since he had gathered the ancient map through such an incredible coincidence, perhaps, just as Junior Brother Lu had spoken, the treasure was indeed destined for him.

The Tianhe Plains were rich with water and lush grass, with cattle and sheep scattering the landscape; the arrival of the trio startled a flock of sheep, which bleated and fled, leaving behind a ground littered with droppings.

A small lamb, completely unafraid, bleated as it charged toward the three of them, only to be swiftly dragged away by the jaws of its mother.

Fang Jin gestured with his hands, for the circle marked upon the ancient map was grand in scale: "It should be roughly around here."

He released his divine sense, searching every single inch of soil within the perimeter, and detected an anomaly beneath the earth.

"There seems to be a secret realm underground. Let the three of us dig it open and see."

"Why bother digging? Wouldn't it be simpler to just let Old Lu eat the dirt?" Meng Jingzhou suggested.

Lu Yang kicked him instantly; this place was covered in sheep droppings, eat it yourself.

Fang Jin and Lu Yang simultaneously manifested the Law-Enacting Heavenly Form, while Meng Jingzhou manifested his Dharma Image, and the three giants squatted upon the earth to dig through the soil.

Having dug to a depth of approximately two thousand meters, the three struck a stone. The stone seemed embedded within this very space; even when the soil beneath it was cleared away, it did not fall, and the three attempted to move it to no avail.

Fang Jin channeled spiritual energy into the stone, whereupon complex textures manifested upon its surface, ancient and mysterious, and the stone produced a powerful suction, drawing all three of them inside.

When the three regained their senses, they were met with absolute darkness.

"This place seems to suppress divine sense; it cannot be utilized."

Meng Jingzhou raised his head and ignited the Pure Yang Fire, illuminating the expanse of this space.

"A cavern?"

The three discovered they were situated within a hollow yet damp cavern, unable to feel the slightest breath of wind, indicating that the cavern was entirely sealed.

"Is there some kind of treasure hidden within?"

Just as Fang Jin was about to take a step forward, he suddenly heard Lu Yang's voice.

"Senior Brother Fang, do not walk forward!"

Fang Jin halted abruptly: "What is it?"

"There is a restriction in front of you. Walking forward will trigger it, which is highly dangerous!" Lu Yang warned solemnly.

Startled, Fang Jin hastily withdrew his left foot and squatted down to examine the ground, discovering that there truly were runes ahead which he could not decipher, though they were fragmented and broken.

"This cavern seems to have been filled with restrictions, but someone forced their way inside, destroying these runes," Lu Yang stated, offering the words of the Immortal Fairy as his own deduction.

Even though the runes had been destroyed, they still contained a terrifying power, far beyond what they could safely touch.

"This method of laying down restrictions resembles that of the Immortal of Time," the Immortal Fairy mused, rubbing her chin. "Because his true form is a tree, he always likes to place things deep underground, making them incredibly troublesome to find."

"Little Yang, walk forward. Some fool has already cleared the path for you, and the restrictions blocking the way have been destroyed; as long as you do not touch them, you will be fine."

"The little trinket at the end of the cavern should be something crafted by the Immortal of Time."

Lu Yang carefully bypassed the restrictions, leading Fang Jin and Meng Jingzhou to the deepest depths of the cavern, where they found a small metal box, roughly the size of a fist, resting upon a high platform.

Fang Jin condensed a grand hand out of spiritual energy, retrieving the metal box from across the distance; the box felt heavy in his grasp.

"This is crafted from Immortal Gold?!"

Fang Jin was startled; if it was made of Immortal Gold, it indicated that this metal box was at the very least an immortal treasure forged by a Half-Immortal, or perhaps, with a slim probability, an immortal artifact forged by a true Immortal!

"Fairy, what is the purpose of this metal box crafted by the Immortal of Time?"

The Immortal Fairy pondered with great distress: "The trinkets forged by the Immortal of Time all look rather similar; this Immortal always confuses them."

"However, judging from the design of this metal box, it seems to be an immortal artifact capable of slowing down time."

Lu Yang was astonished; an immortal artifact capable of slowing down time sounded extraordinary indeed. As expected of the Immortal of Time, to forge an artifact with such potent effects.

"To utilize this box, there is an incantation: 'Immortal is supreme, Time is king'—no, that is not it. Then it must be 'The stars revolve at my command, the four seasons change in an instant'—no, that is wrong too. What was it again?"

"How about we just go and ask the Immortal of Time himself?" Lu Yang suggested; since she could not remember, it would be simplest to ask the man in person.

"No need, how troublesome it would be to go back and forth. Open the 'Quotations of the Immortals,' pick out the words spoken by the Immortal of Time, and recite them sentence by sentence; the incantation is bound to be inside."

"...Very well."

Fang Jin turned the box over and examined it for a long while, entirely unsure of how to use it: "Forget it, Master and the Supreme Elder are vast in knowledge and experience; I shall take it back for them to inspect."

The metal box belonged to the Immortal of Time, and by all rights, it should be returned to its original owner, but with Lu Yang's status, claiming the metal box directly was inappropriate; it required the higher-ups of the sect to step forward.

He would mention it to Eldest Senior Sister later, letting her find a way to request its return to the Immortal of Time, Lu Yang thought.

"Old Lu, this metal box isn't dangerous, is it?" Meng Jingzhou asked, filled with unease.

"It should be safe; after all, this is a fine treasure left behind by the Immortal of Time."

"That is good then."

...

"Xiao Tian, do you think my punishment for making Little Meng and Little Lu work for nothing at the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect for two months is a bit too severe?" The Third Elder had been deeply conflicted recently, wishing to consult with Yun Zhi, but failing to find her, he happened upon the Third Senior Sister, Gan Tian, to discuss the matter.

Gan Tian thought to herself, I originally believed you were using this opportunity to let them learn the Law-Enacting Heavenly Form and the Dharma Image at the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect, but it turns out you were truly just punishing the two of them?

"Should I call the Second Chief back? I will go call her!" Yun Mengmeng volunteered enthusiastically.