Chapter 743: Jade Pendant with a Phoenix Carved on It

Luo Chen nodded, with a trace of expectation flashing in his eyes: "Okay, we can take a break there and inquire about the situation in the market."

Qingshuang smiled slightly. She knew that Luo Chen always liked to explore unknown places, even if it was just for a short stay.

The two walked side by side towards Nanheng City. The city gate was tall and solid, with traces of time engraved on it.

When the guards saw them, they simply nodded and seemed to be accustomed to the passing pedestrians.

Entering the city, there are all kinds of shops on both sides of the street, with hawking sounds coming and going, and it is very lively.

Luochen and Qingshuang walked among the crowd, feeling the prosperity and hustle and bustle.

"Let's find a place to stay first." Qingshuang suggested.

Luochen looked around, and finally his eyes fell on an elegant-looking inn.

"That inn looks nice, let's stay there."

They walked into the inn, and the waiter greeted them warmly: "Two guests, what do you need?"

"Prepare a quiet room for us." Luochen said.

"Okay, sir, please come with me." The waiter took them to the second floor and opened a door.

The room was simply and cleanly decorated, with a peaceful courtyard outside the window and a few birds singing happily on the treetops.

After Luochen and Qingshuang settled down, they decided to go shopping in the market to see if there was anything they needed.

"There should be a lot of good things in the city, and we can just replenish some training materials." Qingshuang said.

Luo Chen nodded, and the two of them left the inn together and walked towards Fangshi.

People are coming and going in the market, and various stalls are filled with a dazzling array of products.

Luochen and Qingshuang looked at it while walking, stopping from time to time to ask about the price and use.

"Luochen, look at this." Qingshuang picked up an exquisite jade pendant with a lifelike phoenix engraved on it.

Luo Chen took the jade pendant, looked at it carefully, and said, "This jade pendant seems to contain an extraordinary power. If you like it, buy it."

It seems that Qingshuang always has a soft spot for things like jade pendants.

When Qingshuang heard this, a hint of joy appeared on her face: "Really? That's great."

The two of them continued to wander around the market, and before they knew it, the sky was getting dark.

Luo Chen looked up at the sky and saw a bright moon hanging high, casting a silvery glow.

"Qingshuang, it's getting late, let's go back." Luo Chen said.

Qingshuang nodded, and the two of them turned and walked towards the inn.

After returning to the room, Luo Chen planned to sleep with Qing Shuang.

However, not until the two of them fell asleep.

Outside the room, there were waves of subtle footsteps.

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang looked at each other, and both saw vigilance in each other's eyes.

Luochen gently signaled Qingshuang to stay where he was, and he quietly walked towards the door, his ears pressed against the door panel, trying to hear what was going on outside.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and it seemed like someone was walking towards their room.

Luochen's hand has already grasped the hilt of the sword, ready to deal with possible dangers at any time. Qingshuang also quietly gathered her magic power, ready to support at any time.

Just when Luo Chen was about to open the door, a deep voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Two immortal masters, it's me."

Luo Chen was stunned for a moment and then recognized the voice. It was the mayor they had met in the town before.

He quickly opened the door and saw the mayor standing outside the door anxiously, holding the bead they left in his hand.

"Mayor, why are you here? What happened?" Luo Chen asked.

The mayor was breathing heavily, obviously coming all the way in a hurry.

"Two immortal masters, something happened in the town. The bead suddenly lost its light, and the black mist appeared again, and it was thicker than before."

When Luo Chen and Qing Shuang heard this, their expressions became solemn.

They knew that this was no coincidence. There must be some connection between the beads losing their light and the reappearance of the black mist.

"We have to go back and take a look immediately." Qingshuang said.

Luochen nodded and turned to the mayor: "You rest in the inn first, we will leave immediately."

The mayor nodded gratefully, while Luo Chen and Qing Shuang quickly packed their belongings and prepared to leave.

They knew that time was running out, and every minute of delay would put the residents of the town in greater danger.

The two traveled all night and finally arrived back to the town at dawn.

The sight of the town surprised them. The town that had returned to life was once again shrouded in black mist, and the air was filled with a suffocating and evil atmosphere.

Luochen and Qingshuang went straight to the basement and found that the stone box had been opened and the beads inside were missing.

They realize that someone must have taken the beads while they were away, causing the black mist to reappear.

"We must find the beads." Luo Chen said firmly.

Qingshuang nodded, and the two began to search for clues in the town.

After some efforts, they found a series of footprints leading outside the town.

The two followed without hesitation.

The footprints extend all the way into a dense forest outside the town.

Deep in the jungle, they discovered a hidden cave.

There was a faint light coming from the cave, and it seemed that the beads were inside.

Luochen and Qingshuang cautiously entered the cave and found an altar inside, with the bead placed on the altar.

But there were several men in black standing around the altar, and they seemed to be performing some kind of ceremony.

"It seems that someone deliberately took the bead and wanted to use it to perform some evil ritual." Qingshuang whispered.

Luo Chen clenched the sword in his hand, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "Then we can't let them succeed."

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang looked at each other, with determination shining in each other's eyes.

They knew that the next battle would be a tough one, but for the sake of the peace of the town, they had no choice.

"Qingshuang, are you ready?" Luo Chen asked in a low voice, holding the sword hilt tighter.

Qingshuang nodded slightly. There was no fear in her eyes, only persistence for justice.

"I'm ready Luochen, we can't let these men in black succeed."

The two of them approached the altar quietly, and the tip of Luo Chen's sword shone coldly in the faint light.

Qingshuang began to recite a spell in a low voice, preparing to attack at any time.

At the moment they were about to launch a surprise attack, the beads on the altar suddenly burst out with dazzling light, illuminating the entire cave like daylight.

The people in black panicked and retreated one after another, obviously not expecting this turn of events.

"Now!" Luo Chen shouted, his figure was like lightning, and he rushed towards the nearest man in black.

The sword's light was like water, and the man in black was knocked back with one strike.

Qingshuang's spell was also completed at this time. She pushed with both hands, and a powerful ripple of mana spread out, knocking the other two men in black away.

The remaining men in black saw that the situation was not good and fled one after another.

Luochen and Qingshuang did not pursue. They knew that the first priority was to ensure the safety of the beads.

Luo Chen quickly stepped forward and took the beads off the altar.

As soon as the bead left the altar, the surrounding light gradually dissipated and the cave fell into darkness again.

"It seems that this bead does have extraordinary power." Qingshuang said, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Luochen nodded and carefully put the beads away.

"Let's go back to the town first and see how the situation is."

The two left the cave and returned to the town. When the residents of the town saw them, they gathered around them, their faces full of gratitude.

"Thanks to you, the town can see the light of day again." An old man said gratefully.

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang responded with smiles. They knew that this was just a small episode in their adventurous career.

In the future, there are still more unknowns waiting for them to explore.

After resting in the town for a day, Luochen and Qingshuang decided to continue their journey.

They said goodbye to the residents of the town and left.

...

In the blink of an eye, it was another month later.

The two finally arrived outside the city where they lived before.

The city is still prosperous.

It's just that... there seem to be many more outsiders, many outsider cultivators.

Under normal circumstances, Fang City should not have so many outsiders, or people from family forces, or sect forces coming!

What exactly happened?

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang looked at each other, a trace of doubt flashing in each other's eyes.

They know that abnormal conditions in the market may mean that something big is happening or that some kind of crisis is brewing.

"We have to be careful." Luo Chen whispered to Qingshuang.

Qingshuang nodded. She had gathered her magic power in her palms, ready to deal with possible dangers at any time.

The two walked into Fangshi and found that people on the street had a trace of nervousness and uneasiness on their faces.

Luochen stopped a middle-aged man who looked like a local resident and asked politely: "Excuse me, why are there so many foreign cultivators in Fang City?"

The man looked around and lowered his voice and said: "Two immortal masters, you are from outside. You may not know yet. Recently, an ancient ruins were discovered near Fang City. It is said that there are valuable treasures hidden inside. Many immortal cultivators have I came here for this news.”

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang were shocked after hearing this.

The discovery of relics is often accompanied by opportunities and dangers. They know that this may be an opportunity, but it may also be a huge challenge.

"Thank you for letting me know." Luo Chen thanked the man and continued walking with Qing Shuang.

They decided to find an inn to stay first and then slowly inquire about the news.

They rented a room at a place called "Qingfeng Inn". The room is small but clean and tidy.

"It seems that we have to be careful and not expose our identity easily." Qingshuang sat on the edge of the bed and said thoughtfully.

Luochen nodded. He walked to the window and looked at the bustling crowd outside the window, thinking about his next plan.

"Let's first find out about the ruins and see if there is really a treasure or it's just a trap." Luo Chen turned around and said to Qingshuang.

Qing Shuang agreed to Luo Chen's proposal, and the two decided to go to the center of Fang City first, where more news usually circulated.

They walked out of the inn and merged into the bustling crowd.

In a teahouse, Luochen and Qingshuang found a corner to sit down and began to listen to the conversations around them.

"I heard that the ruins were left from ancient times, and there may be immortal relics inside." A voice sounded in their ears.

"Don't listen to his nonsense. There are many dangers in the ruins. Several immortal cultivators have already disappeared inside." Another voice retorted.

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang exchanged a look, and they knew that this ruin was indeed not simple.

Just then, a young man in a gorgeous Taoist robe came over. He looked at Luo Chen and Qing Shuang, and then sat opposite them.

"My two Taoist friends, I don't see you. I guess you just arrived at the market?" The young man said with a smile.

Luo Chen looked at him warily and did not answer.

"Don't be nervous. I have no ill intentions. My name is Li Daniu. I am a disciple of a nearby sect. I noticed that you are interested in the ruins. Maybe we can cooperate." Li Daniu continued.

Qing Shuang looked at Luo Chen, who nodded slightly, indicating that she could listen to Li Daniu's proposal.

"Cooperation? What are your plans?" Qing Shuang asked.

Li Daniu smiled mysteriously and whispered: "I know a secret passage leading to the ruins. We can go in together and explore together. Of course, we will share the gains equally."

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang looked at each other. They knew that this might be an opportunity, but it was also full of unknown risks.

"We need to think about it." Luo Chen said lightly.

Li Daniu nodded, left a sound transmission note, and then stood up and left: "This is my sound transmission note. Contact me anytime when you have considered it."

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang looked at Li Daniu's back as he left, each thinking in their hearts.

"Do you think his words are credible?" Qing Shuang asked Luo Chen in a low voice.

Luo Chen pondered for a moment, then said: "We can't trust anyone easily, but we can't miss any opportunity. We can investigate secretly first to see if his words are true."

Qing Shuang nodded, she knew that Luo Chen's caution was right.

They decided not to respond to Li Daniu in a hurry, but to investigate it themselves first.

In the next few days, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang began to inquire about the news inside and outside the market, and at the same time secretly observed Li Daniu's actions.

They found that Li Daniu did often go in and out of some mysterious places, and seemed to be planning something famous.

One night, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang decided to follow Li Daniu to see where he was going.

They followed Li Daniu carefully, through alleys, and finally came to an abandoned warehouse.

Li Daniu looked around and then walked into the warehouse.

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang hid in the dark, observing the situation in the warehouse.

After a while, a slight conversation was heard in the warehouse.

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang looked at each other and decided to venture into the warehouse to find out.

They carefully pushed open the door of the warehouse and found that several cultivators gathered inside. Li Daniu was discussing something with them.

Luo Chen and Qing Shuang hid behind a pile of goods and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"The ruins do exist, but the danger inside is far greater than we imagined. We must be fully prepared." Li Daniu's voice came.

"We are ready. As long as we can get the treasures inside, what does it matter if we take a little risk?" Another voice responded.