Chapter 43: Seeking Technique

Just as before, the group continued to search the room meticulously.

Even more carefully than the last two rooms.

They didn’t miss a single detail, checking everything down to the pots, bowls, and ladles.

Jiang Xu joined the others in searching the room.

However, he was only putting on a show. All of his attention was fixed on Yang Shu.

As Jiang Xu secretly watched him, he noticed that Yang Shu appeared to be searching with great enthusiasm.

But in reality, he was just pretending, same as Jiang Xu.

He wasn’t searching properly at all.

Not only that, but Jiang Xu also saw that Yang Shu seemed a bit nervous, his eyes constantly darting toward a particular spot on the floor.

’This guy is definitely up to something!’

Jiang Xu’s heart skipped a beat. He kept his eyes on the object he was supposedly examining, but watched the spot Yang Shu was focused on out of the corner of his eye.

He saw that in that spot, there was a...

Nothing.

Jiang Xu was dumbfounded.

He rubbed his eyes hard, then raised his arm to eye level, shielding them to prevent others from seeing where he was looking.

Then he looked directly at the spot.

This time, he found it.

But Jiang Xu didn’t know what it was.

The object seemed to be covered by dust on the floor, making it impossible to see clearly.

Just then, Shan Lanlan walked over to that area.

Jiang Xu’s heart leaped into his throat.

At the same time, on the other side of the room, Yang Shu’s hands also froze.

But unexpectedly, Shan Lanlan just glanced at the spot before moving on to search elsewhere. It seemed she hadn’t noticed it at all!

’Damn it!’

Jiang Xu almost cried out. On the other side of the room, Yang Shu’s body trembled slightly.

Just as Jiang Xu was wondering if he should pretend to casually and accidentally point it out to everyone, Zong Ziqi suddenly let out a sound of surprise.

He then walked over to the spot on the floor that Yang Shu and Jiang Xu had been staring at, pinched something off the ground, and shook off all the dust.

"What’s this?"

As Zong Ziqi voiced his confusion, Jiang Xu could finally look over openly.

At the same time, the others in the room were also drawn over.

Jiang Xu saw that Zong Ziqi was holding a piece of paper.

Actually, calling it a piece of paper wasn’t quite right.

It looked more like a small slip of paper.

The edges of the slip had two burn marks, as if someone had tried to destroy it.

Yan Chunyu walked over, took the slip from Zong Ziqi, went to the table, and laid it down.

Everyone crowded around to examine the slip of paper closely.

"It’s all blackened. What does it say?"

"I think I see the word ’Celestial’..."

"..."

Everyone fell silent.

Jiang Xu possessed the Spiritual Eye Technique, so he could see it more clearly than the others.

The three words "Celestial Blade Sect" were written on it, though half of "Celestial" and "Blade" were burnt away.

The remaining, barely legible characters appeared to be on different lines. They looked like "receive," "can," and "report."

"President, could it really be the Celestial Blade Sect?"

Shan Lanlan asked Yan Chunyu hesitantly, a rare look of worry on her face.

"No, we can’t jump to conclusions yet!"

Although Yan Chunyu held a high position, she was extremely guarded when it came to matters like this.

"Ding Shiping, you’re up!"

Yan Chunyu stepped aside and said to Ding Shiping.

"Ding Shiping?"

It took a second for Jiang Xu to register what Yan Chunyu had said.

The person she was referring to was the stoic-faced man who had been completely silent the whole time, not even taciturn.

’Why call on him now?’

Jiang Xu watched with curiosity as Ding Shiping walked up to the slip of paper.

At that moment, Ding Shiping took out two other items and placed them on the table as well.

Then, he began to form a Dharma Seal with his hands.

His left palm faced up, thumb and index finger touching, with the other three fingers slightly curled.

He made a fist with his right hand, pressing the pad of his middle finger against the Laogong acupoint in his left palm, the other four fingers slightly relaxed.

His Magical Power began to circulate, and he suddenly spoke:

"Heaven and earth as the medium, stars as the guide, from a thousand miles away, the search for a person begins."

Following a ripple of Magical Power, the three items on the table began to tremble slightly.

This astonished everyone.

"What is this?"

Jiang Xu couldn’t help but whisper.

"This is the Seeking Technique."

Zong Ziqi clicked his tongue in amazement at his side and explained to Jiang Xu:

"This is a Tier One Middle Grade Magic, and a very rare one at that. I never thought someone under Yan Chunyu would know such an esoteric technique."

"The Seeking Technique?"

"That’s right. Although it’s called the ’Seeking Technique,’ it can also be used to find people. By casting this Magic on an item someone frequently uses, you can locate its owner.

But that’s not its most powerful application. Legend has it that if one cultivates the Seeking Technique to a high enough Realm, they can find all the treasures and rare beasts in the world. They could even locate Spirit Veins, Dragon Veins, Immortal Relics, and Cave Mansion Secret Realms.

But you don’t need to think hard to know that’s just an exaggeration. How could a mere Tier One Middle Grade Magic be so mystical?"

GULP—!

Jiang Xu swallowed hard.

’He didn’t know what kind of effects the Seeking Technique would have for other people. But he knew that if he, Jiang Xu, got his hands on it and raised it to the Mastery level or higher, Zong Ziqi’s legends might just come true!’

Ding Shiping, who was in the middle of casting the Magic, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Startled, he quickly looked around, but found nothing out of the ordinary, which only earned him a questioning look from Yan Chunyu.

’What was that just now? Why did that feel so weird? Whatever, I’ll just focus on the Seeking Technique.’

The Seeking Technique was now in its final stage.

His palm faced upward, ring and pinky fingers bent with his thumb pressed on their knuckles. His index and middle fingers were held straight together, forming a sword-finger sign.

Then, he flicked the sign through the air toward the three items.

"Rise!"

Immediately, the three objects flew straight up and spun a few circles in the air.

"What now?" Jiang Xu asked, watching the three items fly up, unsure of what would happen next.

"They are items belonging to the three missing disciples. I found the other two in their rooms, and I’m using that slip of paper as a substitute for Jiang Zhuo’s item. My Seeking Technique is now complete. These three items will seek out their respective owners. I expect they’ll find them, unless a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator is concealing them or they’re simply too far away."

At some point, Ding Shiping had appeared next to Jiang Xu and rattled off a whole bunch of words all at once.

"Whoa! You can talk!"

Jiang Xu was startled by Ding Shiping, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey! Of course I can talk! Just because I’m quiet doesn’t mean I’m a mute! I’ve wanted to talk, but the problem is I’m practicing Silent Meditation. That Magic Door requires me not to speak. I’m only allowed to talk for a short period after casting a Magic. If I speak at any other time, I’ll break my cultivation! It’s been killing me! I’ve wanted to greet you guys this whole time. It was fine when I was alone in my cave mansion, but now that I’m out here..."

"..."

Jiang Xu stared at the endlessly chattering Ding Shiping and silently rolled his eyes.

’What an annoying guy! He talks way too much!!!’