The golden bamboo slip in Wang Xuan's hand was a relic from the Pre-Qin period, used in various lengths from several centimeters to over half a meter. It was inscribed with characters using a knife. This particular slip was eight centimeters long, three centimeters wide, and two centimeters thick, relatively short and heavy in his hand—one could easily imagine it sinking in water.

Instead of text, the bamboo slip bore several engravings depicting a creature with a human head and a serpent body in different poses. The figure had long, flowing hair, making it hard to tell if it was male or female. Some images showed the creature coiled like a snake, while others depicted it rolling on the ground, and one had the serpent tail standing upright like a sword pointing toward the sky.

The slip had no text—just these engravings, which seemed unrelated to the old arts; at least Wang Xuan couldn't see its value.

"Indiscernible and ungraspable, it's been in my possession for many years; I've always treated it as a piece of jade," the middle-aged man with the blue mask said, sitting quietly with his thick, short hair.

"I've gained so little; a pile of golden bamboo slips fell into the hands of the tycoons on New Star. I only obtained two back then," he continued blandly.

Wang Xuan was sure this man was a master, likely with remarkable achievements in the old arts. It was no easy feat to snatch treasures from tycoons and take away two slips.

Such bamboo slips were considered rare items even on New Star; after major organizations acquired them, they kept them secret and conducted research out of public view.

"Has anyone on New Star deciphered anything from them?" Wang Xuan asked.

"Not clear," the short-haired middle-aged man replied briefly, unwilling to discuss that topic further. Silence fell in the room.

Wang Xuan had seen him two years ago, when he first learned about the darker sides of this seemingly peaceful city. In a landmark building's ninth underground floor, there was a weekly old arts combat competition. Contestants fought in iron cages, resulting in bloody matches where losers often left with severed limbs.

In the stands outside the cage sat masked individuals—men and women alike—cheering and screaming as they watched the brutal contests, a mix of excitement and chaos.

Wang Xuan had refused to participate, making it clear he would never walk in that gray area. He loved studying the old arts but wouldn't "perform gruesome acts" for an audience. The short-haired man had laughed then, explaining he just wanted to show Wang Xuan another side of the city. The bloody competitions didn't concern them; they merely sought potential candidates.

They were explorers.

Their experiences were far more thrilling, mysterious, and even terrifying, as they had ventured into the starry expanse beyond the old land. The middle-aged man told him that, in terms of prospects and abilities, explorers were far more brilliant than those roaming in gray areas.

They had discussed several times, but Wang Xuan still declined his offers. The short-haired man had left him a golden business card, saying that if Wang Xuan changed his mind after graduation, he could find him.

Two years prior, he had even predicted that the old arts experimental class would inevitably disband, and that investment project would be shelved.

"Why did you come to find me?" Wang Xuan had once asked seriously.

The man had replied that the old arts experimental class drew his attention first, then he observed everyone in the class and ultimately focused on two individuals. The others lacked conviction and doubted the old arts, and even if they continued down the old path, their achievements would be limited.

In truth, once Wang Xuan embarked on the path of the old arts, he made rapid progress, successfully gathering energy and nurturing himself within a few short years.

The man believed Wang Xuan had great potential and would likely achieve extraordinary feats in the realm of old arts. This organization was relatively free and loose but undeniably powerful, with its reach already extending into the stars, rivaling New Star.

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"Let me formally introduce myself; you can call me Qingmu," the man said, breaking the silence.

"Does this mean I've joined?" Wang Xuan asked.

"Not yet; you're one of the potential candidates I've chosen in recent years, but not the only one," Qingmu replied.

"Are there any tests to go through?"

"Yes, that's a rule. While I see your potential, I can't change it."

Qingmu informed him that there would be an adventure in two days, which could serve as his assessment, and he asked if Wang Xuan would participate.

"I'll join!" Wang Xuan nodded.

"Once you join us, you'll have a general idea of what you're going to face, but I must emphasize what exploration means—it will come with dangers, even threats to your life. You need to think it over," Qingmu said seriously.

"No problem; I've thought it through," Wang Xuan assured him.

Qingmu replied solemnly, "You'll stay here. We must ensure that no information leaks before the operation, as it's extremely important!"

Wang Xuan agreed; staying wouldn't be an issue. Holding the golden bamboo slip, he looked at Qingmu behind the redwood desk. "Can I ask you some questions?"

Qingmu replied, "It depends on the question. If it involves some shocking secrets, even if you successfully join us, an equivalent exchange is required."

Wang Xuan asked, "I want to know, is the end of the path in the old arts truly the pinnacle of the masters? Is there really no road beyond that?"

Qingmu sighed. "I understand your feelings because I started with the old arts as well, but this path is too arduous. Countless efforts and years of dedication may yield little success. The theoretical peak is the master, and the endpoint is clear."

This echoed what Wang Xuan had heard from the life research on New Star.

"In fact, what's most discouraging is that even if you know where the path leads, few can actually reach that point. Since the Pre-Qin period ended, the number of people achieving the level of masters has dwindled, and there have been none in recent ancient history."

The old arts had increasingly fallen into decline, and masters were now considered legends, nearly impossible to glimpse.

"Is the master's position truly the end of the road? Has no one ever tried to explore further?" Wang Xuan asked.

"Not so easy. Throughout history, even genuine masters have failed to re-emerge, so how could later generations dare to think about this?" Qingmu shook his head sadly. "In ancient times, some formidable individuals attempted to push the path forward, but unfortunately, no one succeeded."

"Why were those masters able to refine the old arts to perfection? Are later generations forever unable to surpass them?" Wang Xuan questioned.

"Do you think it was merely a result of a few masters' efforts? No, it was the continuous improvement of the old arts by generation after generation of powerful masters. Eventually, they found themselves at an impasse, and the pinnacle of masters may be the strongest individuals in ancient humanity."

That night, Qingmu had someone prepare various equipment needed for the adventure, including alloy knives, daggers, protective suits, and realistic human masks.

Additionally, there were firearms!

The next morning, they set off, first heading outside the city to a secret estate, where they boarded a small spacecraft bound for Qingcheng Mountain.

This advanced small spacecraft could not be detected by the satellites of the old land.

It was Wang Xuan's first time inside such a spacecraft, and everything felt new and exciting, though he remained calm and observant, refraining from asking too many questions. He felt he had a lot to learn.

Qingmu's involvement in the operation indicated its importance.

Besides Wang Xuan, there were four other companions, all wearing realistic human masks, leaving their true expressions concealed.

Qingmu stated, "Our target is Qingcheng Mountain. There are tycoons from New Star secretly digging in the mountain, and our objective is the same!"

"What was discovered in Qingcheng Mountain that attracted the New Star tycoons?" someone asked.

Before the mission, everything had been kept confidential, and even they didn't know the destination earlier.

Qingmu replied seriously, "It seems someone found some remarkable records from a bamboo slip left by a certain master from the Pre-Qin period, and it points directly to Qingcheng Mountain."

"Are they still interested in the masters' legacies?" someone questioned, noting that New Star had developed super arts, officially abandoning the old arts.

Qingmu replied solemnly, "The deciphered bamboo slip contained some secrets, and there seems to be something in Qingcheng Mountain that excites and stirs even the masters, which is why the tycoons have come secretly again."

The group was invigorated, and even Wang Xuan's heart raced at the thought of new discoveries in Qingcheng Mountain. Could it possibly be related to the legendary immortals?

Masters were considered the top tier among them.

However, there were those who disputed this, believing that there were beings even more mysterious and powerful than masters.

"The Zhou family and the Ling family have dug into the underground palace and have indeed found the target!" Qingmu murmured, having just received the latest intelligence.

Wang Xuan's heart jumped; it was those two families?!

Time passed quickly as they approached their destination.

Qingcheng Mountain, renowned as one of the Four Famous Mountains of Daoism and one of the Five Immortal Mountains, was also considered a birthplace of Daoism. Zhang Daoling had once resided there to preach, and some believed he eventually achieved transcendence in these mountains.