Continuing inward, the cave passage grew wider, and Ye Tian encountered more and more skeletal remains. These corpses came from different periods and died in various ways, but without exception, they all met untimely ends. Some were poisoned, some were stabbed, and some had their heads severed. This led to the inference that many people had come here, but for unknown reasons, they had all perished within the cave.
The treasure the monkey spoke of was not within the Qing Ling Blessed Land itself, but rather the personal belongings carried by these remains.
Ye Tian had no interest in these remnants of the dead. He continued inward. After walking for a while, he suddenly stopped, noticing that the monkey beside him was staring at him with fierce eyes. Surprised, he asked, "What's wrong?"
At this moment, the Xian Ji Gu in his mind transmitted a message: "It has fallen into an illusion. It now perceives you as its greatest enemy. Don't you feel it?"
Ye Tian carefully observed his surroundings and realized the cave walls had disappeared. He found himself in an unfamiliar world, enveloped by gray mist.
He sighed and said, "Now I know why so many people died here!"
He asked the Xian Ji Gu, "Is there any way to break this illusion?"
Xian Ji Gu replied, "There is no way."
Ye Tian fell silent. He understood that if there was no way to break it, there were only two paths forward: either continue onward and confront the illusion, or leave immediately. The illusion he was currently experiencing was still mild, and leaving would pose no problem.
"Should I continue further in?" He hesitated for a moment.
Before long, he suddenly chuckled and said, "I cultivate for longevity and to strengthen myself. I am already a Human Immortal. How can I risk so much for a Qing Ling Blessed Land whose existence is uncertain?"
With this thought, he turned and left. At that moment, his mind was clear, devoid of any greed.
As this thought emerged, the surrounding illusion vanished. Then, he saw a gate.
"Huh?" Ye Tian was very surprised. How had he arrived at the gate?
He then realized, murmuring, "I understand. I fell into an illusion halfway, I just didn't know it."
He glanced at the gate. On it was a compass-like object, adorned with intricate patterns and immortal script. The Xian Ji Gu then said, "I know this."
Ye Tian asked, "Do you know what this is?"
Xian Ji Gu replied, "This is ancient numerology. Many years ago, I controlled a person who was proficient in ancient numerology."
Ye Tian then sought its guidance. Soon, he understood the principle. He pressed several of the patterns in sequence, and finally rotated left and then right several times. As the last rotation was completed, the gate boomed open, and a dense spiritual energy gushed out.
Ye Tian's eyes widened, and he stepped inside in a single stride. As soon as he entered, the gate closed again, almost trapping the monkey that had been following Ye Tian outside.
Upon entering the gate, Ye Tian found himself facing a downward sloping path. Stone steps were carved into the slope, leading down.
He descended the stone steps. Halfway down, he saw the scene ahead. It was an underground world. Countless luminous plants grew on the ground, their appearance peculiar; he had never seen any of them before.
Moreover, the spiritual energy here was extremely abundant. With just a single breath, he could absorb a considerable amount of spiritual energy. The underground world was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see. Faintly, he could discern many living beings moving about underground.
He stood motionless on the stone steps. The monkey, excited, ran downwards, but Ye Tian grabbed it.
"If you don't want to die, stay by my side obediently."
The monkey, filled with awe for Ye Tian, dared not move when pulled. It obediently followed behind him.
He closed his eyes, extending his divine sense to scan the surroundings. He was extremely vigilant in this new environment, not venturing carelessly but first exploring with his divine sense.
As his divine sense swept through the area, Ye Tian gasped. Within a radius of three hundred meters, he detected at least seven deadly creatures, each emanating a powerful aura.
It was important to remember that the abundant spiritual energy within the Qing Ling Blessed Land meant that any creature surviving here would be no ordinary being. Even as a Human Immortal, he had to proceed with extreme caution and prudence, lest he capsize in a ditch.