"Oh?"
Shen Ying and Lu Zheng exchanged glances, not expecting that Hou Ping had such a fortuitous encounter.
"Thinking back now, I used to be curious about the drawings on those walls and would often look at them in confusion. Sometimes I'd even play mimicking them. Perhaps that's why I've grown strong and intelligent," Hou Ping said.
Lu Zheng's eyes flickered, "So, it's a cultivation technique?"
Shen Ying nodded upon hearing this and said, "Alright, let's go take a look together."
She didn't particularly need any other techniques, as she was aligned with the "Peach Blossoms." Her curiosity was more driving her, mainly interested in seeing if there was anything Lu Zheng could use.
Lu Zheng was also curious. In modern times, he frequently read in novels about inheriting legacies in remote mountainous areas; having spent over a year in ancient times, all the techniques he'd acquired were either taken by force or given to him. He had yet to find one in a wilderness.
Now was the time to verify whether or not he was the protagonist, whether he had the protagonist's aura!
"Let's go!"
Seeing Hou Ping full of excitement, he sprang up eagerly, leading the way with an innocent heart.
Shen Ying held Xiaocui back, advising her and the Eighteen Celestial Maidens to continue cultivating, then teamed up with Lu Zheng to head out.
Upon leaving, Hou Ping first hitched up his robe around his waist and then took off his slightly larger shoes to hold them in his arms. With a sudden leap, he landed on the treetop nearby, grabbed a branch, swung forward, and soared two to three zhang afar.
Hand in hand, Shen Ying lightly soared as Lu Zheng performed a hand seal, causing wind to rise from the ground. Their garments fluttered as they floated four to five feet above the ground, closely tailing Hou Ping, drifting like immortals, resembling a couple of divine companions.
...
The three traveled southward, venturing deep into the mountains where no more paths existed—just stretches of hills with dense forests and scattered leaves, epitomizing an uninhabited area.
On their way, they encountered the monkeys that belonged to Hou Ping. However, Hou Ping merely swept past without greeting them.
Continuing forty li further, Hou Ping slowed down and circled half around a large mountain, detouring around a steep mid-mountain cliff before reaching the entrance of a valley.
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, "A valley hidden within cliffs, quite a challenging place to find."
"Fairy, Young Master Lu, this is it. We've arrived!" Hou Ping turned back, announcing before leading the way into the valley.
As Lu Zheng stepped into the valley, a brightness met his eyes. There were many green trees, unlike the winter chill outside the valley. However, given the valley's small size and lack of hot springs, it was likely either due to the terrain or connected subterranean geothermal veins.
"Nice place," Lu Zheng praised.
"Hehe!" Hou Ping chuckled with pride, squinting as he said, "Though small, it's warm in winter and cool in summer, not easily accessible to most animals. It's indeed a nice spot for us."
Hou Ping swung out from the last tree like on a swing, releasing his grip and gliding seven to eight zhang before landing at the base of a vine-covered cliff, "This is the place."
Lu Zheng looked into the distance and spotted a dark cave entrance on the mountain wall, surrounded by dense vines, but the entrance was cleared of vegetation.
The monkeys had undoubtedly cleared the cave entrance to seek shelter from rain.
Hou Ping pushed aside two hanging vines at the cave entrance and sauntered inside.
Lu Zheng and Shen Ying arrived at the cave entrance; Lu Zheng bent down and followed in.
Shen Ying lifted her skirt and followed at the end of the group.
"Indeed an artificial cave."
The cave entrance wasn't large, and the tunnel was short, leading into an open cavern within two zhang.
Although there were no torches, with Lu Zheng's current cultivation, he could clearly see the cave interior, borrowing the faint light from the entrance passage.
The cave was irregularly circular, about five zhang in diameter, more than two zhang high, with countless scattered stones on the floor, and a mound of stones stacked in the corner.
True to Hou Ping's description, the cave walls were engraved with various humanoid figures and densely packed writings.
"It's indeed a cultivation technique," Lu Zheng briefly skimmed through, "Qi Refining and Body Nourishing, coupled with Divine Soul cultivation. The power isn't strong; it's a bit like the 'Meridian Breathing Method' I practiced before, more of a health cultivation technique."
This breathing technique spanned over three thousand characters and had no name, so Lu Zheng didn't know what the technique was called. However, its lack of power made the absence of a name matter little.
Shen Ying looked at Hou Ping, "But it's enough for you. Not only can you cultivate True Qi, but it also aids your Demon Qi cultivation. Use it, and if there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me at Peach Blossom Plain."
"Really? Thank you, Fairy!" Hou Ping was ecstatic and looked expectantly at the two, "Does this help the Fairy and Young Master Lu?"
Lu Zheng and Shen Ying exchanged smiles and nods, "It provides some help and insight."
"That's great!" Hou Ping clapped with joy and began somersaulting in the cave.
"Thud!"
In a moment of carelessness, Hou Ping kicked the stone pile in the cave corner with one of his somersaults.
This pile, over one zhang high, was structured with several large stones forming the base, filled with variously sized stones.
For decades, monkeys had played on this pile, scattering the lighter stones all over. However, the remaining large stones were too much for them to move, keeping the pile largely intact.
But now, having consumed a Biluo Fruit and achieved transformation, Hou Ping, despite his weakness, was still a demon. Thus, inadvertently kicking away a large stone left the pile unbalanced, causing a wobble, ultimately collapsing a section and revealing something inside.
"Oh?" Lu Zheng's eyes flashed as he spotted a skeleton, "Is it the owner of this cultivation technique?"
Shen Ying nodded, "It should be."
The collapse's noise shocked Hou Ping, leaving him frozen in place before he saw the exposed bones in the rubble.
"What is this..."
Lu Zheng said, "Presumably the owner of the technique, your mentor of sorts. Offer your respects and properly bury the bones."
"Yes, yes!" Hou Ping hurriedly agreed, kneeling before the bones to pay his respects.
After nine prostrations, Lu Zheng and Shen Ying joined in helping collect the bones.
With years past, the clothes and hair on the bones had turned to dust, leaving only a skeleton. Hou Ping removed his clothes and gathered the bones, wrapping them up.
"Clink!"
Lu Zheng casually moved a stone, revealing a palm-sized gourd among it.