The labyrinthine passages branched out in every direction. Even with a map in hand, navigating them, discerning one path from the next, proved immensely difficult.

Yet, this reality held no sway over Bai Lingba. He strode forward, his pace unhurried but utterly constant, pausing for nothing along the way.

He Yiming placed absolute trust in Bai Lingba. Though he privately grumbled about the man's navigation skills, overall, the promises made by this fellow were remarkably reliable.

Chu Haozhou clutched the map He Yiming had given him, his brow deeply furrowed. Though his eyes were fixed upon the parchment, suggesting complete confidence, only he knew the truth: Bai Lingba had utterly spun him around; he had no clue where they were on this bewildering chart.

Finally, he leaned forward slightly, inquiring in a low voice, "Younger Brother, has Brother Bai visited this place before?"

He Yiming shook his head with mild impatience. "Brother Bai has been following me; how could he have ever been here?"

Chu Haozhou’s complexion paled slightly. "Younger Brother, up until this very moment, Brother Bai hasn't even glanced at the map once."

He Yiming was greatly puzzled. "Is there something amiss with that?"

Chu Haozhou offered a wry smile. "This map is impossibly intricate, with countless pathways. Without it, no one could possibly memorize the route. Brother Bai isn't just leading us on a wild chase, is he?"

He Yiming paused for a moment, considering, then chuckled. "Elder Brother, rest assured. Brother Bai possesses the gift of instant recall."

Regarding this, He Yiming held unwavering faith. If Bai Lingba could replicate the Divine Scroll of the Dao, a mere map was hardly a challenge.

It was a pity, however, that this fact could not be shared with others, lest it cause an enormous stir.

Chu Haozhou followed, half-convinced, but not long after, the eyes of the group lit up—they had emerged into a vast, open expanse.

Upon closer inspection, they realized they had arrived in an enormous cavern. High above them, countless stalactites hung suspended from the ceiling. These stones varied wildly in shape, bizarre and innumerable. But they shared one characteristic: every single stone emanated a faint luminescence.

Chu Haozhou gazed upward for a long time before finally murmuring, "Lumin-Ores. So, such treasures truly exist in this world."

He Yiming also looked up, deeply captivated by the beautiful spectacle overhead, letting out a profound sigh. "Elder Brother Chu, what are Lumin-Ores?"

"They are a rare mineral. If smelted into divine weapons, they can induce auditory and visual illusions."

He Yiming’s heart stirred, his thoughts immediately turning to the Ten Thousand Year Pearl he carried. While the effect of the Lumin-Ore was far less exaggerated than that of the Pearl, combining the two would surely yield an unparalleled, miraculous effect.

With a slight push of his toes, He Yiming leaped upward. His body seemed weightless as he floated effortlessly into the air, then drifted to the cavern roof, some ten zhang high.

The cavern ceiling held a considerable number of Lumin-Ores. He Yiming selected a spot for a moment, then gently tapped a comparatively small stone fragment.

The fragment immediately cracked away and plummeted down. He Yiming’s body descended straight down with the falling stone, but just before touching the ground, he reached out, easily catching the rock fragment with deft precision.

Chu Haozhou expressed surprise. "Younger Brother He, although Lumin-Ores serve to confuse the senses, without a corresponding cultivation technique, their effect is negligible. Even incorporating them into a divine weapon might result in more loss than gain."

He Yiming laughed heartily. "Thank you for the guidance, Elder Brother; this junior remembers."

Chu Haozhou shook his head slightly. Observing He Yiming’s casual demeanor, he knew the young man hadn't truly taken his words to heart. He considered offering further counsel but then thought: It’s just a few Lumin-Ores. Since there are so many here, wasting a little is no great matter.

However, the thought of the route they had taken to get here gave Chu Haozhou a pounding headache. He truly could not fathom how Bai Lingba had managed to memorize such a dense, spiderweb-like maze of paths.

The Lumin-Ore He Yiming retrieved was only as long as his forearm, tucking against his back without causing much hindrance.

Despite how easily He Yiming had brought it down, an ordinary Xiantian expert would have needed considerable effort to dislodge even one.

Continuing onward, after a while, everyone noticed a thin layer of mist seemed to have enveloped them.

Unlike ordinary fog, this mist carried a faint trace of purple radiance.

He Yiming and the others exchanged glances and halted their progress.

Who knew what this strange mist was? If it contained virulent poison, even if they weren't afraid of it, it would certainly lead to trouble.

Their gaze turned toward Thunderclap. The great eyes of the steed blinked rapidly, and then, with a sudden, long neigh, it broke into a gallop, four hooves pounding the ground before them.

He Yiming was greatly alarmed and instantly gave chase. Chu Haozhou and Bai Lingba dared not lag, positioning themselves one before and one behind, following the receding figure of He Yiming. After a quarter of an hour, they finally caught up.

The moment they stabilized themselves, they realized the surrounding mist had grown overwhelmingly dense.

But what astonished them even more was that the white horse, Thunderclap, began to prance joyfully within this thick haze, as if it had encountered something that brought it immense pleasure.

He Yiming and Chu Haozhou had already sealed their breath, even closing every pore on their bodies. However, seeing the white horse’s reaction, they instantly understood that this purple mist was certainly not lethal. Otherwise, given the steed’s intelligence, it could never have behaved so merrily within the fog.

Chu Haozhou slowly released the seal of his True Qi, holding his palm flat within the mist. He quietly watched the color of the vapor, continuously searching his memories for legends concerning purple mists.

He Yiming was even more open; he took a deep breath, released all physical restrictions, and thoroughly experienced the strange fog.

Moments later, extreme astonishment surfaced in He Yiming’s eyes. "Elder Brother, this mist is peculiar."

Chu Haozhou, who had already begun to form a vague idea, casually inquired, "How so?"

"This mist seems to possess a miraculous ability to steady the mind, causing one to become tranquil without realizing it."

Chu Haozhou’s body shuddered violently. He lifted his head abruptly and, mimicking He Yiming’s posture, fully opened his senses, quietly probing the mystery of the mist.

Slowly, Chu Haozhou’s expression softened. The doubts that had plagued his mind finally dissolved completely.

"Excellent, this is it," Chu Haozhou stated firmly.

He Yiming was greatly intrigued. "Elder Brother, what have you discovered?"

Chu Haozhou’s eyes glittered. "Younger Brother He, have you ever heard the legend of the Purple Qi Coming from the East?"

He Yiming blinked in surprise, pondering for a moment. "This junior read about it in a book. It said that overseas there was a purple energy, born in the East and extinguished in the East. If a cultivator could enter this purple energy and cultivate within it, it would be tremendously beneficial for breaking through bottlenecks. This is the famous, yet purely legendary, Eastern Purple Qi." His eyebrows shot up. "Elder Brother Chu, are you saying this is the Purple Qi from that legend?"

Chu Haozhou laughed heartily. "Indeed, this is the Purple Qi from the legend. However, Younger Brother, you misidentified its greatest function. Its primary purpose is not to shatter cultivation barriers, but rather to consolidate one’s existing realm."

He Yiming waved his hand, feeling the sensation the surrounding purple energy imparted, and couldn't help but smile wryly. The energy structure contained within this purple qi clearly lacked sharpness but possessed a rich, mellow quality. Attempting to use such power to violently assault a bottleneck would be ridiculous.

Chu Haozhou’s smile faded. Abruptly, he said, "Younger Brother, I do not wish to proceed further. Let us part ways here."

He Yiming paused, immediately grasping his meaning. Chu Haozhou had only recently broken through and was in dire need of stabilizing his realm. Since they had encountered the legendary Eastern Purple Qi here, it would be absurd for him to simply pass it by.

After a brief consideration, He Yiming said, "Elder Brother Chu, it is fine for you to wait here. I have Bai Lingba and the steed with me, so there is no major issue."

However, Chu Haozhou immediately shook his head. "Brother He, the Eastern Purple Qi not only solidifies one's realm but also offers immense benefits for subsequent cultivation. Therefore, you should leave Thunderclap behind." He added seriously, "If you leave the white horse here so it can also absorb the purple qi, it will certainly aid its future."

Although He Yiming was reluctant to part with his companion, he knew this opportunity was rare. He reached out, summoning the white horse, and whispered a few words into its ear. Though he didn't speak the steed's language, with Thunderclap's intelligence, it easily understood He Yiming's intent.

The horse seemed to deliberate for a long moment before finally nodding its large head, staying behind with Chu Haozhou.

He Yiming inclined his head toward the man and the horse, then turned and walked side-by-side with Bai Lingba.

Once their figures vanished into the mist, Chu Haozhou looked at the white horse and said in a deep voice, "Thunderclap, while the Eastern Purple Qi can help us stabilize our realms and even advance to a certain degree, you should be able to feel that the power contained within this qi is overly potent. We must completely refine it before we can continue absorbing more. Otherwise, the residual energy will actually impede our progress."

The horse tilted its head toward him and slowly nodded.

Chu Haozhou then allowed a slight smile to touch his lips. "Since you understand, let us begin training. Even though you are a Sacred Beast, you must remain cautious."

The man and the horse separated by several meters, both settling into silence. It seemed they had forgotten their prior grievances, like two old friends, or perhaps two strangers, beginning their cultivation within this field of Eastern Purple Qi.