After entering the light portal, the teleportation distance was indeed short. Zhang Ling only felt a faint teleportation power before he appeared in a dim stone room.
After a quick scan, he clearly understood the situation inside the stone room.
The stone room was small, only about five or six zhang in size. Besides the teleportation portal behind him, which was still rotating, there was nothing else. In front of him was a half-open black stone door, leading to a passage that opened into a large stone hall.
Upon entering the stone hall, Zhang Ling immediately felt a rich spiritual energy fluctuation. The spiritual environment inside the stone hall was even slightly stronger than a high-grade spiritual vein.
But as his gaze shifted, he saw five or six dried corpses lying on the ground, which was somewhat eerie.
Zhang Ling expressionlessly examined the dried corpses. He immediately noticed that their bodies were relatively intact, but their shriveled heads had rolled to the side.
It seemed they had been instantly killed by some cultivator.
But surprisingly, the storage pouches on these dried corpses were still there, and had not been taken away.
With a flash of spiritual light in his hand, seven or eight storage pouches fell into Zhang Ling's grasp, along with seven or eight spirit treasures with dimmed light that floated from the corpses.
After a brief inspection, he found that several of the storage pouches were high-grade.
Moreover, these people had spirit treasures on them, indicating that their cultivation levels were not low when they were alive. In fact, four of the seven or eight spirit treasures were even ancient treasures.
It was a pity that these people seemed to have died a long time ago. The spirit treasures and ancient treasures were not well-preserved, and their spiritual light had dimmed. It would be good if they retained most of their power.
Of course, with some effort, these treasures could be carefully refined to restore their spirituality. But Zhang Ling naturally wouldn't care about these ordinary spirit treasures.
Their greatest value to him was to exchange them for spirit stones and materials.
A yellow light struck the storage pouches, causing a series of clattering sounds as Zhang Ling poured out all the contents in front of him.
These people really had a lot of things, scattered in several piles.
After a brief look, Zhang Ling shook his head helplessly. There were indeed a lot of things, and he found a few more ancient treasures and spirit treasures, as well as some spiritual herbs.
But these things were also not properly preserved, either losing their medicinal properties or weakening their spirituality. There wasn't much of value.
Then, he rummaged through the miscellaneous items and found jade slips, books, scrolls, and other items that recorded information. He carefully examined them.
Perhaps he could glean the origins of the dried corpses from these items, and thus deduce the identity of the owner of this cave.
After a moment, Zhang Ling's expression became somewhat solemn. He was silent for a moment, then waved his hand and put away the miscellaneous items on the ground, leaving only a floating, cyan-gray scroll in front of him.
With a tap towards the ancient scroll, it unfolded with a whoosh. The unfolded scroll was about seven or eight zhang long, covered with dense lines depicting many terrain sketches, as well as many written annotations.
This scroll was surrounded by faint spiritual energy fluctuations, and seemed to be a magical artifact, but in reality, it was just a map.
But this regional map was no ordinary map. According to the annotations on it, it seemed to record the original Yuan Ling Continent from ancient times, before it was invaded by the Ancient Demon Realm and before it collapsed.
To be precise, it was a complete map of the Eastern Region of the Yuan Ling Continent.
On the left side of the map were written several large ancient seal characters: 'Complete Map of the Eastern Region of Yuan Ling'.
At a glance, this ancient map was marked with densely packed regional names, as well as the divisions of many immortal cultivation sects and other forces.
With a turn of his gaze, Zhang Ling found the location of Myriad Poison Valley, in a place called Wood Poison Peak in the Green Shade Mountains area.
There was also a small note specifically marked on it, 'Myriad Poison Valley, one of the super sects of the Eastern Region, with a Transformation God stage ancestor residing in the sect'.
Upon closer inspection, most of the area around the Green Shade Mountains on this ancient map was within the sphere of influence of Myriad Poison Valley.
Seeing this, Zhang Ling really recalled some information about Myriad Poison Valley.
When he first came to the Eastern Region's cultivation world, he collected a lot of information about the Eastern Region. According to records, this Myriad Poison Valley was indeed a super power.
During the period of the Ancient Demon Realm invasion, Myriad Poison Valley had a famous Transformation God stage cultivator, Granny Heavenly Spider, who killed many ancient demons while resisting the ancient demons. But according to legend, this ancient cultivator did not have a good ending, and was besieged by several ancient demons of the same rank, and eventually self-destructed and died.
Since then, Myriad Poison Valley has declined, but until 20,000 years ago, Myriad Poison Valley still existed, and its power was not small, with three Grand Cultivators. What they controlled was the Green Shade Mountains area.
But unfortunately, that period was when the Dragon family was rising. The Dragon family produced the Dragon Flame Emperor, and then the Dragon Martial Emperor.
The Dragon Martial Emperor was ambitious and once wanted to rule the entire Eastern Region, stirring up the entire Eastern Region's cultivation world.
Many forces were implicated in it, and Myriad Poison Valley was one of them, having joined forces with several other forces to participate in the occupation of resources controlled by the Dragon family.
After the Dragon Martial Emperor became a Transformation God stage cultivator, he settled accounts after the autumn harvest. Overnight, the Dragon Martial Emperor killed all the Nascent Soul stage cultivators in Myriad Poison Valley.
Since then, the Myriad Poison Sect was considered destroyed.
During that period, it was not only the Myriad Poison Valley that was destroyed, but many small forces disappeared overnight.
These forces were all powerful figures in the Eastern Region 20,000 years ago.
Zhang Ling's gaze then fell on the other forces marked on this ancient map that were destroyed during the Dragon Martial Emperor's period.
Sects like Heavenly Sword Sect, Dharma Light Temple, and Yin Ming Mountain were all forces that had once produced Transformation God stage cultivators in legends.
Many of the forces marked on this ancient map no longer exist in today's Eastern Region's cultivation world. Even if a few sect force names are occasionally seen that are somewhat familiar, they have mostly been reduced to ordinary cultivation sects.
Only some special areas have not changed much in terms of terrain and environment.
Zhang Ling quietly looked at this ancient map for a while. There were more than a dozen forces clearly marked on it that had Transformation God stage cultivators.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of longing in his heart, and this was only the Eastern Region. If the other regions of the once unbroken continent were added, there might have been more than a hundred Transformation God stage cultivators in the human world back then.
This shows how weak the human world is now.
After being silent for a while, Zhang Ling pursed his lips, chuckled, and then put away the ancient map.
Based on this ancient map alone, he naturally couldn't deduce the era in which the dried corpses on the ground once lived.
This map may have been passed down from ancient times, or it may have been accidentally obtained by these people from somewhere.
Of course, in addition to this map, he also found a few other map information in the miscellaneous items in the storage pouches earlier.
But they were not comprehensive, and were all regional maps of small areas.
Zhang Ling was not very familiar with the Eastern Region's cultivation world. Unless he specifically looked up some information, it might be possible to deduce some information.
But this was purely a waste of time, after all, it was all outdated information and of no great use to him.
Zhang Ling touched his chin and continued to explore inside. There was also a passage on the other side of the stone hall. When his divine sense probed into it, he could see a water-blue light curtain at the end of the passage.
After entering it and sensing the strength of the light curtain, he sacrificed two flying swords, which transformed into sword lights and attacked.
After a series of bangs, the water-blue light curtain, although stubborn, was still broken open by him after a while.
After passing through the light curtain, the other side was still a bluestone hall, a few sizes smaller than the stone hall outside, but much brighter.
Looking up, the top of the stone hall was actually a transparent glazed stone dome, emitting a bright white light, illuminating the space in front of him.
He could also see many moonstones emitting soft light, decorating the surrounding walls. Many ancient carvings of immortal mountains and immortal beasts were also engraved on the curved walls.
At the same time, in the areas separated by these murals, several thick stone doors were also built. When his divine sense swept over them, Zhang Ling felt a daze in front of his eyes, as if he really saw immortal mountains and exotic beasts.
He narrowed his eyes, and all the illusions in front of him disappeared. Looking at the murals and carvings on the walls again, apart from finding them vividly carved, he no longer had the feeling of the illusion just now.
After looking at it for a few more times, Zhang Ling sensed that there were faint rune lights hidden on the stone carvings and murals, which were obviously restricted.
In addition, in this stone hall, there was also a huge jade screen and several jade tables and stone chairs. It looked like a reception hall.
With a sweep of his gaze, Zhang Ling noticed that on one of the square jade tables, there was also an incense burner emitting a faint red light, and a yellowish blue jade slip.
As soon as he got close, he could smell a faint fragrance.
This incense burner was also an ancient treasure. With a wave of his hand, he grabbed the incense burner.
This object was dark red all over, warm to the touch, and engraved with a pattern of two golden cicadas spitting fire. Upon closer inspection, there was still half a stick of dark black incense inside.
With a flash of spiritual light in his hand, a spiritual power was injected into it, and a ball of crimson flames immediately rose in the incense burner, igniting the half stick of incense inside.
Immediately, wisps of white smoke emanated from the incense burner. Taking a light breath, Zhang Ling trembled all over, his mind was clear, and it seemed that the things in front of him were a bit clearer.
It seems that this half stick of incense has a lot of effects of awakening the mind.
A yellow light flashed in Zhang Ling's hand, and he unceremoniously put the incense burner into his storage bag. At the same time, he picked up the blue jade slip on the table and began to examine it.
However, to his surprise, as soon as his divine sense entered the jade slip, a mist seemed to form before his eyes, and he could only see some vague words.
Zhang Ling frowned, thinking to himself, could it be that the information in this jade slip has become blurred due to the passage of time?
But then he discovered that the information in this jade slip had not become invalid. Instead, there was a strange restriction inside that isolated his investigation.
His divine sense invading it was like being separated by a thick layer of gauze, making it impossible to see the information inside clearly.
Fortunately, he then increased the power of his divine sense, and the information in the jade slip became clearer and clearer in his eyes.
Zhang Ling frowned slightly. Things like jade slips, even if they have restrictions, are generally more advanced restrictions to prevent others from peeking.
However, the restriction in this jade slip seems to allow you to see the information inside clearly as long as your divine sense power reaches a certain strength. This kind of restriction is not very advanced.
It is more like a message jade slip left by a senior cultivator for his juniors. As long as their strength reaches a certain level, they will naturally be able to view the information inside.
Thus, as Zhang Ling increased the intensity of his divine sense, he barely managed to see the information inside clearly after mobilizing all of his divine sense power.
But after he saw the information recorded inside clearly, his expression became astonished.
Because the information recorded in this jade slip was not some cultivation method or secret technique left by a high-level cultivator for his juniors, or any kind of message, as he had imagined.
Instead, it was a message sent by one cultivator to another.
The content was a message sent by a cultivator named Feng Qingzi.
"Old Monster Shui Yuan, Daoist Xiaoyao has emerged from seclusion. This old monster has been in seclusion for hundreds of years, and his current cultivation has reached the peak of the mid-stage of Deity Transformation. He is only half a step away from advancing another level. This old monster is indeed worthy of being a descendant of the Seven Sages of Mysterious Void. His current strength is already the number one person in our human realm.
If it weren't for the loss of heaven and earth spiritual energy in the human realm, he might have really broken through to the late stage of Deity Transformation.
After the Demonic Calamity, this human realm is no longer suitable for us to cultivate. He can still reach such a realm, which is beyond my reach.
But he doesn't have much lifespan left. Not long ago, he sent me a message saying that he plans to risk breaking through and ascending to the Spirit Realm at the Thunder Pool Ascension Platform within a hundred years.
And in order to cope with the ascension, he also wants to refine a treasure to avoid tribulation. Recently, he will invite several of us to the Mysterious Void Grotto Heaven to help him refine the treasure.
Afterwards, he promised to let us witness the ascension tribulation when he ascends. You may be interested in participating in this matter.
I have already agreed to his invitation. In any case, I don't want to be trapped to death in the human realm. Before my lifespan expires, maybe I will have to risk trying it too.
By the way, I heard that Daoist Xiaoyao also invited the demon race this time..."
After reading the information on this jade slip, Zhang Ling immediately realized that this was a message between two Deity Transformation cultivators.
Although he had never heard of the names Feng Qingzi, Old Monster Shui Yuan, or Daoist Xiaoyao,
anyone who has stepped into the world of cultivation knows about the Seven Sages of Mysterious Void and the Mysterious Void Grotto Heaven mentioned in this message.
According to ancient records, during the period when the Ancient Demon Realm invaded the human realm, it was the Seven Sages of Mysterious Void who led all the cultivators of the human realm to resist the invasion of the Ancient Demons.
The Seven Sages of Mysterious Void were the seven top Deity Transformation cultivators of the human realm at that time, each with late-stage Deity Transformation strength. There are also legends that they were not originally cultivators of the human realm, but were sent down by the Spirit Realm.
As for the Mysterious Void Grotto Heaven, it was a human realm base camp that resisted the Ancient Demons at that time. It was a true blessed land, said to be built in a secret realm on a top-grade spiritual vein.
It is only rumored that the Mysterious Void Grotto Heaven was also shattered in the battle with the high-level Ancient Demons.
