After the dust settled, Zhang Yang couldn't help but exclaim as he looked at the blade radiating a faint, cold aura.

Just by its appearance, this weapon was clearly extraordinary, certainly no mere mortal object.

This cave wasn't entirely devoid of other weapons; there had been some swords and blades near the skeletons before, but those had succumbed to corrosion over time. Only this one, like a pearl hidden beneath the dust, revealed its captivating elegance the moment it was brought out.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Wuying was calling out, and it sounded quite agitated.

Wuying was a treasure-seeking rat; it loved all treasures, and any object with a spiritual quality couldn't escape its keen nose. Judging by Wuying’s demeanor, this was undoubtedly a remarkable sword.

Even when Wuying encountered the imitation Dragon-Devouring Dagger, it hadn't shown such excitement.

Zhang Yang carefully examined the precious sword, then flipped the blade over, blowing the dirt from its reverse side.

"Hanquan Sword!"

As the dust fell away, revealing the inscription on the blade, Zhang Yang froze, staring at the sword in his hand with disbelief.

The Hanquan Sword first appeared six hundred years ago. It was forged by a master of the Fourth Level of Inner Strength, who spent seven years crafting it using exotic iron from beyond the stars.

Legend has it that the Hanquan Sword was forged continuously beside the eye of a cold spring, repeatedly tempered, until it eventually consumed every drop of water in that spring.

This is how the sword earned its name.

Ordinary spring water is easy to find, and there are many comfortable hot springs, but a true 'cold spring' is exceedingly rare. It was said that forging the Hanquan Sword required the very best, a ten-thousand-year-old cold spring eye.

It took the entire precious resource of that ancient cold spring to finally achieve this blade.

The Hanquan Sword burst onto the scene six hundred years ago and was instantly acclaimed by many, quickly ascending the ranks of the Top Ten Divine Weapons, ultimately claiming the ninth position.

Some commented that the Hanquan Sword appeared too late; unlike many divine artifacts listed in the Divine Weapon rankings, which possessed immense antiquity, its ranking wasn't higher because of its relative youth.

If the Hanquan Sword had emerged a thousand years earlier, it would undoubtedly have ranked within the top five, rather than ninth.

Gripping the sword, which radiated a cool comfort, Zhang Yang’s heartbeat quickened considerably.

He had a premonition. This was the true Hanquan Sword, a genuine artifact from the Divine Weapon Rankings.

It was absolutely incomparable to the imitation Dragon-Devouring Dagger he held; only a true Divine Weapon Ranking artifact could impart this unusual sensation.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Wuying cried out again, even scrambling onto Zhang Yang’s hand and looking anxiously at the long sword.

"Good Wuying, you've accomplished something huge this time. You'll certainly be rewarded when we return!"

Zhang Yang broke into a wide smile. Since coming up the mountain, he hadn't managed a single smile, constantly worried about the powerful spirit beast and the inability to locate the Dragon-Guiding Grass. This unexpected find finally lifted his spirits considerably.

Holding the precious sword, Zhang Yang glanced again at the skeleton on the ground.

According to legend, the Hanquan Sword fell into the hands of 'Gentleman Swordsman Xiao Rang' two hundred and sixty years ago. Xiao Rang was a renowned master in the cultivation world at the time, a well-known solitary figure.

Xiao Rang only achieved fame at the age of thirty, but by then, he was already a master of the Third Level of Inner Strength. Before fifty, he had ascended to the pinnacle of the Fourth Level of Inner Strength. Ten years later, Xiao Rang mysteriously vanished, and the Hanquan Sword disappeared from circulation thereafter.

Many mourned this loss, marking another divine weapon from the ranking list gone, leading to very few divine artifacts retaining any clear lineage afterward.

Zhang Yang surmised that this skeleton might very well be Xiao Rang.

However, why Xiao Rang was here, how he died here, and who the other deceased individuals surrounding him were, Zhang Yang could not ascertain.

"Senior, the Hanquan Sword is a divine weapon possessing sentience. It should not be left buried and forgotten. This junior has been fortunate enough to obtain this sword and will certainly not tarnish its glorious reputation!"

Facing the skeleton, Zhang Yang spoke softly.

Regardless of whether this skeleton belonged to Xiao Rang or not, he was a senior, and addressing him as such was the correct course. Zhang Yang was lucky to acquire the Hanquan Sword; this was the finest divine weapon he had ever obtained.

The previous encounter with the imitation Dragon-Devouring Dagger had already surprised him; now, having truly obtained a weapon from the Divine Weapon Rankings made him deeply content.

Carrying the skeleton outside, Zhang Yang used the Hanquan Sword to cut down a large tree, shaving off a section to fashion a crude shovel. The Hanquan Sword was exceptionally sharp; even this aged tree yielded easily to its edge, as it was rumored to be a divine blade capable of slicing iron like mud.

With this makeshift shovel, Zhang Yang dug a large pit and buried the remains.

From ancient times to the present, whether among cultivators or ordinary folk, the principle of 'rest in peace underground' prevails. Since Zhang Yang took the man’s treasured sword, burying the senior was only proper.

As for the other skeletons in the cave, Zhang Yang paid them no mind.

From the appearance of the remains, Zhang Yang had already discerned some possibilities: the one holding the treasure sword was likely Xiao Rang, who might have been injured and resting there. The people who entered later might have seen his vulnerability, tried to take advantage, and were subsequently killed by him. As for who these attackers were or how they ended up here, Zhang Yang had no idea.

These questions, he suspected, could only be answered by the people from centuries past.

Zhang Yang confirmed the skeleton’s injury while moving it; as a doctor, even dealing with mere bones, he could deduce certain facts. Since those others were the senior’s enemies, and Zhang Yang had benefited from the senior’s possession, he naturally would not assist the enemies; he left them to remain in the cave.

Holding the long sword, Zhang Yang checked the time again.

It was past ten at night. He had been traversing the mountain for several hours, yet he hadn't found any trace of the Dragon-Guiding Grass.

Considering the situation, Zhang Yang carried Qu Meilan into the cave and applied the Breath-Sealing Technique (Guixishu) to her body.

The anesthetic agents here affected Qu Meilan more severely; continuous inhalation would do her body no good. Since Zhang Yang still needed to search for the Dragon-Guiding Grass, carrying her would only be a burden.

It was better to leave her here for the time being. The Breath-Sealing Technique would pause her breathing, eliminating concerns about the side effects of the airborne anesthetic agents. Once Zhang Yang found the Dragon-Guiding Grass flower, he could retrieve her later. Since there were no other living creatures here, her safety was assured.

Having secured Qu Meilan properly, Zhang Yang immediately set off with Wuying.

With a divine weapon in hand, Zhang Yang’s confidence increased slightly, but he understood that even so, he was still far from being able to contend with the powerful spirit beast inhabiting the area.

That spirit beast here was simply too formidable.

He continued circling the mountain. Zhang Yang had stopped bothering to collect the other rare medicinal herbs.

He now possessed a deep understanding of this mountain; the true reason people never returned was the pervasive anesthetic agent filling the air, which had little effect on him. As long as he avoided alerting the powerful spirit beast, it meant he could return to collect herbs at any time.

For Zhang Yang now, the Dragon-Guiding Grass remained paramount.

After circling continuously for over four hours, it was deep into the night, yet Zhang Yang had found nothing. Wuying also seemed anxious now, its little nose sniffing faster.

He had covered half the mountainside during these few hours.

Yinlong Mountain was vast, but its peak, like many mountains, was narrow, structured with a broad base tapering to a point. Zhang Yang was already quite high up, significantly reducing his search radius.

At two in the morning, Long Feng, down at the base of the mountain, glanced again towards Yinlong Mountain.

They hadn't slept all night, waiting for Zhang Yang. While waiting, Long Feng occasionally imparted words of wisdom to Long Cheng, making Long Cheng feel as though he was gaining immense insight, which kept him wide awake.

In truth, for Inner Strength cultivators like them, staying awake for one or two days was no issue at all.

Looking toward Yinlong Mountain, the corner of Long Feng's eye twitched slightly.

He knew Yinlong Mountain was fraught with danger, and he knew Zhang Yang was strong. At this moment, all he could do was pray here, wishing Zhang Yang a safe return.

Several more hours passed, and the sky began to lighten.

Having searched through the night, Zhang Yang had struggled to circle even half the mountainside and still had nothing to show for it. He hadn't even seen anything resembling the Dragon-Guiding Grass, let alone the herb itself.

According to Zhang Yang's understanding, the Dragon-Guiding Grass should be something possessing slight spiritual energy, similar to the Soul-Returning Grass. Such a plant should have a large yield; surely not just one or two stalks.

Furthermore, the fact that the grass could potentially be found down the mountain implied it was definitely mass-produced.

A mass-produced plant, something seen at the base of the mountain—yet he, so close to the summit, had found nothing at all. Zhang Yang wondered if this was due to his own bad luck, or perhaps Wu Zhiguo's.

After a short rest, Zhang Yang looked up towards the summit again.

The horizon was already showing the first pale light of dawn; his remaining time was shrinking.

Descending the mountain and returning required time, and he couldn't afford to wait until Wu Zhiguo’s Breath-Sealing Technique ended, as the Gu-luring method also required a significant duration.

Calculated this way, he absolutely had to return before noon; he only had the morning left.

"Wuying, let's climb a bit higher!"

After resting for about ten minutes, Zhang Yang stood up, resolution burning in his eyes.

Go up, climb higher, and continue the search for the Dragon-Guiding Grass.

The powerful spirit beast must be at the summit. According to legend, it was drawn by the Dragon-Guiding Grass; where it was, the grass must also be. However, Zhang Yang had no intention of searching near the beast; that would be no different from courting death. He only hoped to get a little closer, perhaps spotting some Dragon-Guiding Grass growing elsewhere.

He only needed one flower from a stalk of Dragon-Guiding Grass; that would be enough.

Wuying didn't call out but nodded its small head, immediately starting to climb upward. This time, its movements were exceptionally cautious.

Zhang Yang circulated his Inner Strength, held his breath, and tried his best to move without making any sound. He understood clearly that if the powerful spirit beast in the mountain was alerted, he would be in deep trouble.

He advanced stealthily upward, and in a short while, Zhang Yang had covered more distance.

He was now at most one-fifth of the distance from the summit; he could rush to the peak in a short span of time.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Wuying suddenly squeaked softly, the calls coming in rapid succession. As it squeaked, it darted forward quickly, and Zhang Yang simultaneously received its communicated message: it seemed to have found what Zhang Yang was looking for.

………… Second chapter update, more to come!