For the next five days, Ji Yuan only visited the Star Mansion once to inform Zhao Yuansong. After that, he directly took up residence in a branch of the Mingxin Pavilion.
Each day, apart from necessary cultivation, he stayed with Liu Ruyan and several honored guests of the Mingxin Pavilion.
These honored guests were skilled in formations and the operation of spiritual lands. With their involvement and the information Ji Yuan provided about Xuan Tian Peak, a framework was soon established.
On the morning of the sixth day, a message arrived from Lin Miaoyi, stating that the elders of the Nine Xuan Sect had announced the exploration of an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling.
This announcement included the approximate area of the dwelling and the number of disciples who would be selected for the exploration.
"I didn't expect this to be the dojo of a peak Golden Core stage great cultivator!" Liu Ruyan exclaimed, reading the message in her hand.
Ji Yuan, sitting beside her, also showed a look of contemplation.
A cave dwelling and a dojo were two entirely different concepts.
The former was a place where one or a few cultivators lived and practiced, varying in size but generally not too large.
A dojo, however, was different. It would at least occupy a small mountain range and gather cultivators from various places, resembling a sect but distinct from it.
Generally, a dojo was established by a cultivator of high attainment for their own cultivation and as a means of passing on their legacy. Over time, it would continuously attract cultivators from all directions.
These cultivators were typically rogue cultivators or those from remote wilderness, who could establish their own cave dwellings there with the permission of the dojo's master.
As time passed, the area of the dojo would grow, and the number of cultivators within it would increase, leading to opportunities far beyond those found in a single cave dwelling.
"It seems this trip won't be so simple," Ji Yuan sighed, not feeling any particular joy from this revelation.
A dojo belonging to a peak Golden Core stage great cultivator, hidden for ages and undiscovered until now, would inevitably attract competition from great cultivators of similar standing.
Even if, at the beginning, various factions allowed their disciples to enter and seek opportunities while gathering intelligence, it was likely that cultivators at the third realm would lead the expeditions.
In such a scenario, two cultivators at the second realm would be unable to make any significant impact, and the dangers they faced would undoubtedly escalate.
"If it's so dangerous, perhaps you shouldn't go?" Liu Ruyan asked with concern.
Given the Mingxin Pavilion's foundation and Ji Yuan's talent, he was destined to reach at least the third realm in the future. There was no need to take such immense risks before he had fully grown. Even if he needed to temper his cultivation to reach the Golden Core stage, he could still go out and travel after reaching the third realm.
However, after careful consideration, Ji Yuan shook his head with a solemn expression, not accepting the suggestion.
If he gave up at the mere thought of danger that wasn't necessarily life-threatening, he would never reach the pinnacle of the Great Dao in his lifetime.
Furthermore, Zhao Yuansong was his close friend, one of his few companions. He couldn't possibly let him venture alone.
Moreover, although he sought stability, he knew that tempering oneself earlier was better. Being too cautious would ultimately be detrimental, posing a significant hidden danger to his future path and his Dao heart.
"I must go. The path of cultivation is a struggle against heaven and against man. If one always seeks stability, how can they pursue the Great Dao?" Ji Yuan mused.
He added, was it possible to wait at home for opportunities to fall from the sky and present themselves?
Although the current situation differed from his initial expectations, it merely required more preparation.
As long as he was adequately prepared and maintained caution and vigilance, even if he didn't find any great opportunities, he should at least be able to ensure his safety.
After all, they had the Nine Xuan Sect behind them!
Furthermore, the news might not necessarily leak. Aside from the disciples of the Nine Xuan Sect, only a few cultivators from Qinghe County knew about this.
It was unlikely that they would spread such crucial information freely.
"You decide for yourself. If you need anything, just ask, and I will do my best to help you achieve it," Liu Ruyan sighed, no longer trying to persuade him.
Ji Yuan didn't hesitate and immediately began writing a list of required materials. Although the quantity was large, none of the items were particularly valuable. Many were things commonly used by ordinary mortals.
"Most importantly, you must help me get a bowl of merit water!" Ji Yuan said with a serious expression.
Merit water was clear water offered before divine statues in some Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries. Due to prolonged exposure to incense smoke, willpower, and a trace of divine essence from the statues, it possessed miraculous effects.
Its most significant effect was to ward off evil spirits and ghosts, specifically counteracting Yin evil spirits, ghosts, and even demonic paths.
Legend had it that a bowl of merit water in the Taoist temple revered as the state religion in the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty could directly obliterate third-realm Yin evil spirits. Even a cultivator at the Golden Core stage, upon contact with such merit water, would have their cultivation reduced to less than a tenth.
"Do you think that dojo might have produced Yin evil spirits?" Liu Ruyan asked, puzzled.
Ji Yuan shook his head. "Even if there are no Yin evil spirits here, it's hard to guarantee that demonic cultivators won't infiltrate it."
Setting aside whether Yin evil spirits would breed after millennia buried underground, if the news leaked, demonic cultivators hidden within the Great Yu Dynasty would rush there as quickly as possible.
Moreover, there were two demon tribes near the dojo. It was hard to say whether they wouldn't intervene upon hearing the news.
Being prepared in advance wouldn't hurt.
After more than two hours, once Ji Yuan's required materials were gathered, he borrowed a quiet room at the Mingxin Pavilion branch and began his preparations with focused effort.
For a full half a month, he drew hundreds of talismans for various purposes, finally creating nine high-grade talismans as a trump card.
During this half-month, the Mingxin Pavilion also stopped concealing its identity and began vigorously acquiring materials related to the dojo exploration.
However, previously, the Mingxin Pavilion in Feiyun County, due to shifting its focus away from business, was weaker than other shops and could only acquire a limited amount of materials. Fortunately, having received the news early, they had prepared a considerable amount.
Notably, the situation Ji Yuan and Lin Miaoyi had worried about did not materialize. They were not the only ones who had received the news; many inner disciples had also passed on intelligence.
Ultimately, the Mingxin Pavilion, leveraging this information, like several well-established shops, made a substantial profit. After deducting various costs, labor, resources, and taxes, they earned at least a million taels of silver.
Despite the good harvest, Liu Ruyan couldn't help but lament that if the Mingxin Pavilion's strength in the area were greater, the profit earned would have doubled. In her estimation, those deeply entrenched merchant guilds had earned nearly ten million taels of silver from this venture alone.
This was because, for this exploration of the dojo, the Nine Xuan Sect had gathered nearly half of its inner disciples, numbering at least eighty. Not to mention the hundreds of outer disciples, eight elders at the third realm, and a Golden Core great cultivator! Such a force would have been sufficient to attack a sect with a millennium of heritage.
The Nine Xuan Sect's actions naturally attracted attention from Feiyun County and even several surrounding counties. Some sensitive factions had already begun to summon their disciples.
As winds of change brewed across several counties, Ji Yuan finally emerged from his secluded cultivation and exited the quiet room. After understanding the current situation, he hurried to Star Mansion, where he met Zhao Yuansong and Lin Miaoyi.
Besides them, Li Junxian, Zheng Wanrong, and the Tang brothers were also present.
"The sect has changed the rules this time. Except for the top thirty-six inner disciples, all other inner and outer disciples can freely form teams with no upper limit on numbers and explore the dojo independently," Zhao Yuansong explained to Ji Yuan.
It was because of this rule that he had quickly summoned Li Junxian and Zheng Wanrong, while Lin Miaoyi had invited the Tang brothers to assist. However, as they were only outer disciples, they couldn't invite inner disciples at the second realm. Thus, they could at best scavenge for opportunities in the periphery. Still, it was better than nothing.
After understanding this, Ji Yuan pondered for a moment and then asked Lin Miaoyi to guide him, leading Zhao Yuansong to a relatively secluded courtyard in Star Mansion.
"Fellow Daoist Ji!" Upon seeing Ji Yuan arrive, Wu Chengqing's face lit up with joy. He was even more pleased to see that Ji Yuan was unharmed and that his aura was purer, indicating an improvement in his cultivation.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan nodded inwardly, and his last lingering concern vanished.
In this courtyard, besides Wu Chengqing, Liu Donglai and Wang Xiaoxuan were also present. They quickly stood up to greet him.
As soon as they were seated, Ji Yuan directly stated his purpose and asked Wu Chengqing and the others if they had already arranged to explore the ancient cultivator's dojo with other inner disciples.
"Fellow Daoist Ji thinks too highly of us. With the strength of just the three of us, why would anyone invite us?" Wu Chengqing said with a bitter smile, then shook his head. It made sense; if their strength were not low, they wouldn't have accepted the task of delivering daily supplies for the sect. Those exploring the ancient cultivator's dojo were all aiming to go deeper, hoping to find opportunities that would allow them to soar or make their future paths incredibly smooth.
"Actually, if it weren't for us, with Senior Brother Wu's strength, he wouldn't lack invitations," Wang Xiaoxuan, being the most intelligent, immediately understood Ji Yuan's intention and spoke up. In fact, there had been invitations during this period, but Wu Chengqing had politely declined them because those fellow disciples did not intend to take Liu Donglai and Wang Xiaoxuan along for the exploration. Although the two of them were also at the second realm, their combat prowess was somewhat lacking. While they had their strengths, they lacked suitable artifacts to fully utilize their abilities. This made them seem insufficient in fights with fellow disciples or even outsiders, potentially becoming a burden.
"Enough, no need to say more. At worst, the three of us will venture together!" Wu Chengqing said, shaking his head, but without any resentment. Ji Yuan was unsure why the three of them had such deep affection for each other, to the point of abandoning the potentially great opportunities before them. However, this made Ji Yuan feel even more at ease.
"If you haven't made any arrangements, how about accompanying us?" he asked with a smile, stating the purpose of his visit. Seeing the hopeful expressions on the faces of Wu Chengqing and the others, he then explained the situation in detail, mentioning that their team also included several outer disciples in the mid to late stages of the Enlightenment realm.
"If the danger increases, we will retreat and will not become a burden to our senior brothers and sisters!" Lin Miaoyi hastily added, seeing the thoughtful expressions on the faces of the three. She knew that the addition of three inner disciples at the second realm would be a tremendous asset. Even if they couldn't delve deep into the ancient dojo, they could acquire more benefits and opportunities in the periphery. Furthermore, she didn't want their group to hinder Ji Yuan and Zhao Yuansong's prospects. If they were to incur their displeasure, she and the Tang brothers would truly be unable to bear the consequences.
"If it's within our capabilities, we will naturally protect you. Our fellow disciples need not be so concerned," Wu Chengqing reassured them, stating that his previous hesitation was not due to this matter. If someone else had said this, Ji Yuan might have had some reservations, but he fully believed Wu Chengqing. Although he had not interacted with him for long, he had carefully observed Wu Chengqing's actions and even subconscious gestures. While not entirely selfless, this person greatly valued camaraderie, being almost impeccable in this regard. Otherwise, Ji Yuan would not have thought of inviting the three of them to explore the ancient dojo together.
"Fellow Daoist Ji, while friendship is important, some matters need to be clarified," Wu Chengqing said solemnly. "Within the ancient dojo, mutual support among fellow disciples is only natural. However, the distribution of acquired items needs to be discussed and agreed upon."
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan immediately nodded in agreement. In the mortal world, even brothers settled their accounts clearly. Although they were fellow disciples, some matters needed to be clarified beforehand to avoid unequal distribution, potential rifts, or conflicts.
"If the gains are from joint efforts, they will be distributed according to the level of contribution. If it is a personal opportunity, thirty percent must be given to those present," Ji Yuan proposed a simple method after a moment of thought.
"Excellent!" Wu Chengqing clapped his hands, having no other objections. The group then exchanged smiles, having reached an agreement.