"An inverted triangle rock?" The tan man muttered, turning to his companion, who shook his head while still kneeling.

Unexpectedly, a chubby, bald kid in the crowd, wearing bright blue clothes, piped up. "Oh, I know that rock! My friend says it's the Fat Lin rock."

"The Fat Lin rock! Of course!" The city guard exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "It is indeed a massive inverted triangle rock, but you can only see the whole thing if you dive into the river. From above, it looks like an arena in the middle of the water. A man nicknamed Fat Lin discovered it about a dozen years ago."

Liu Xing nodded, his curiosity piqued. "Where's it located?"

"If you follow the river east, you'll find it," the guard replied, gesturing towards the horizon.

That rock was a landmark that could help him locate three important hidden treasures in this city. If Liu Xing found that rock, he'd find the Ethereal Pearl nearby, and then he'd easily find the other two.

"All right, thank you," Liu Xing said. He summoned his invisible gun and activated his Lightning Cloak technique. Gasps and exclamations erupted from the crowd as sparks danced across Liu Xing's skin.

"He's covered in lightning!"

"God! He's a thunder god!"

Liu Xing ignored them and prepared to bolt. He was pretty sure there were rules about using techniques in the city, but since he'd already paid a fine, he figured he might as well break one more law to get away quickly.

Just before jumping, Liu Xing decided to warn the people around him.

"People of Second Gray Cloud City. Listen carefully. My sect, the Purple Moon Sect, is holding a race right now. Thousands of disciples are running around trying to find treasures. While I'm the first to arrive in this city, there's no doubt others will come. I warn you all to stay away if you see a disciple from my sect. Not everyone values mortal life, and some might kill without hesitation. Be careful and stay safe."

After delivering his warning, Liu Xing kicked off the ground and soared straight into the sky. Looking down, he saw many people pointing up at him, their faces a mix of awe and fear.

His warning came from the depths of his heart. Many cultivators saw mortals as insignificant as ants, and Shen Ye was the most recent example. Since there was a real possibility other disciples from his sect would come to this city, Liu Xing hoped his warning would prevent anyone from foolishly offending his fellow disciples, especially the two guards.

Summoning his shield, Liu Xing kicked it and flew vertically like a bird, the wind whipping through his hair.

As he soared above the city, Liu Xing checked the sun's position to ensure he was heading east. The Fat Lin rock was submerged in the river, so he needed to stay close to the water.

With his incredible speed, Liu Xing traversed the city so quickly that within minutes, the man-made buildings disappeared from view. The landscape transformed into a sea of trees, winding roads, and dense bushes, punctuated by rocks jutting from the ground.

As he flew, Liu Xing wondered how far he was from the sect. The people around here still knew about the Purple Moon Sect, but Liu Xing doubted they understood its true size and power.

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He leaped from his shield and turned his head. Behind Second Gray Cloud City loomed a gigantic mountain, its white peak clearly visible against the cloudless sky. Liu Xing had crossed that mountain to arrive here from Mystic Moon City, and he doubted normal people could traverse it. While there was nothing particularly interesting there, the forest creeping up the mountain was full of towering trees, treacherous cliffs, and wild beasts. If not for his new shield allowing him to move in a straight path, even Liu Xing might have gotten lost in that forest.

Shaking off these thoughts, Liu Xing continued his journey. He flew like an arrow above the wide, blue river that snaked through the landscape.

Deciding to slow down, he ran along the riverside, afraid he might miss the Fat Lin rock. The riverbank was littered with large, jagged rocks, and Liu Xing wondered if the mountain behind the city was volcanic. After all, these massive boulders had to come from somewhere.

Liu Xing leaped from rock to rock, sometimes landing on flat surfaces, other times springing off pointed peaks. He came across a small waterfall, its misty spray refreshing his face as he jumped over it.

After hopping from rock to rock for about five minutes, Liu Xing finally spotted the Fat Lin rock. It truly looked like a submerged arena, as if long ago, people had built a raised platform that had been flooded over time.

After taking off his shoes, Liu Xing landed on top of it, the cool water submerging his feet up to his calves. With bare feet, he could feel the rock's surprising smoothness.

Liu Xing walked around the smooth rock. It was about twenty meters wide, yet it didn't cover the entire river.

"What a weird rock," Liu Xing muttered, his brow furrowed in confusion.

It didn't look natural, and Liu Xing couldn't be certain of its purpose. Shaking his head, he set aside unnecessary thoughts. This was the landmark he'd been looking for, which meant the Ethereal Pearl was probably nearby.

Jumping to the riverbank and landing on a flat rock, Liu Xing removed his robe. He needed to swim, and while his robe had self-cleaning and quick-drying features, swimming in it would hinder his movement.

After tucking the robe into a gap between two rocks, Liu Xing dove into the river. Instantly, he felt the refreshing water embrace him, its coolness a stark contrast to the warm air above. Liu Xing opened his eyes, looking around the underwater world. The bright sunlight penetrated the clear water, revealing a vibrant ecosystem. Schools of fish darted around him, their scales glinting in the filtered light. Submerged logs covered in bright green moss and swaying river plants created an otherworldly landscape.

Swimming around, he repositioned himself to face the inverted triangle rock. From above, it had looked like an arena, but from below the surface, Liu Xing could see its true shape.

An upside-down pyramid.

The rock was almost white, untouched by moss or algae. The tip of the pyramid touched the riverbed, and Liu Xing wondered why it didn't topple over. There was nothing visibly holding it in place.

Liu Xing treaded water and tried to sense the qi around it, suspecting that a cultivator had created this pyramid. But even if that were true, he couldn't feel any qi emanating from it. In fact, the area around the pyramid seemed devoid of qi entirely.

Liu Xing's head was full of questions, but while the pyramid intrigued him, he didn't forget about the pearl he was searching for.

Swimming around, Liu Xing searched for the pearl. He had assumed that since the Ethereal Pearl was a treasure, it would be easy to find. But Liu Xing quickly realized that he was wrong. Instead of sensing one strong qi signal, he picked up dozens of subtle spots that caught his attention.

He carefully explored each one, digging into the muddy riverbed and turning over smooth stones. His fingers combed the underwater terrain, searching for any sign of the Ethereal Pearl.

Despite the lack of a clear signal, Liu Xing remained confident. The pearl had to be nearby, and he was determined to find it. It was only a matter of time and perseverance.

As Liu Xing dug a hole in the riverbed, sensing a qi spot there, he felt his lungs tighten. He swam upward and broke the surface, gasping for air. The sun's warmth caressed his face as he emerged from the cool water.

Liu Xing was about to dive again when he heard some strange noises. A whimper, a "thud thud" sound, and laughter. Looking around, he traced the source to a bush beside the river. Narrowing his eyes, Liu Xing swam toward the bush. He had a hunch about what he might find, and he suspected he wouldn't like it one bit.