Meng Zhang had some impression of the name Purple Gold Sect. In the Sect Master's chronicles of Taiyi Sect passed down through generations, there were some accounts of the previous Sect Masters. Starting from over a thousand years ago, Purple Gold Sect was the sole overlord of the Endless Sea of Sand. All sects, including Flying Swan Sect, had to submit to Purple Gold Sect to establish themselves in the Endless Sea of Sand.
During its heyday, Purple Gold Sect had a Primordial Spirit Ancestor and several Gold Core Daoist Masters. Not only did they dominate the Endless Sea of Sand, but their influence extended southward, contending with the Jiuqu League.
Approximately seven hundred years ago, a great change occurred in the Endless Sea of Sand, leading to the demise of Purple Gold Sect's Primordial Spirit Ancestor. Subsequently, in a chaotic sand monster uprising that swept through the entire Endless Sea of Sand, Purple Gold Sect suffered heavy losses, with even many Gold Core Daoist Masters perishing.
After the tumultuous sand monster uprising, Flying Swan Sect joined forces with numerous sects to challenge Purple Gold Sect's dominance. The Qi Family, a large cultivation clan from outside the region, settled in the Northern Desert and joined the camp against Purple Gold Sect. The external Jiuqu League also intervened, openly or covertly opposing Purple Gold Sect.
After fierce bloodshed, Purple Gold Sect was exterminated, and both Flying Swan Sect and Qi Family rose to prominence. Flying Swan Sect, in particular, gained the most significant benefits. They not only claimed the largest portion of Purple Gold Sect's heritage but also became the new overlords of the Endless Sea of Sand. Qi Family's influence was suppressed and confined to the Northern Desert, while the external force, Jiuqu League, was expelled from the Endless Sea of Sand.
After many years of effort by Flying Swan Sect, the current power structure of the Endless Sea of Sand took shape. The preceding members of Taiyi Sect did not participate in this grand and turbulent history, as Taiyi Sect had not yet sought refuge in the Endless Sea of Sand at that time. The records left by the past Sect Masters were mostly based on rumors and hearsay, lacking certainty and detailed information.
After Meng Zhang and Jue Ying left the secluded little valley, they each released their mounts from the spirit beast bags and set off towards their destination. Meng Zhang quickly glanced at the map in his hand to confirm the direction to proceed.
The map was relatively detailed, marking the location of the former cultivator's cave of the Purple Gold Sect ancestor and the surrounding terrain. On the way, Meng Zhang had a question and proactively asked Jue Ying.
Usually, Meng Zhang kept his distance from unknown cultivator caves. However, Luo Ye had no reason to set him up, and the map she provided should be reliable. Upon hearing Meng Zhang's inquiry, Jue Ying, who was usually silent, provided a detailed explanation.
It turned out that Purple Gold Sect was eradicated after numerous battles. The process of its downfall was quite protracted, giving the sect's high-level members sufficient time to make preparations and secretly set up some contingencies.
Purple Gold Sect, once the overlord of the Endless Sea of Sand, had both visible and hidden bases scattered throughout the region, with numerous disciples. Although Flying Swan Sect spent a long time and countless efforts hunting down the remnants of Purple Gold Sect after their downfall, many disciples scattered across various places managed to evade their pursuit.
After failing to rebuild Purple Gold Sect and overturning Flying Swan Sect, several Purple Gold Sect disciples chose to go into hiding using various methods. They changed their identities and concealed themselves within the Endless Sea of Sand. The map Luo Ye obtained came from one of these Purple Gold Sect disciples.
This disciple's descendants had not awakened their spiritual roots, and he himself had no disciples to inherit his legacy. Before he died during meditation, he left this map detailing the location of his cave to his descendants, hoping that when one of them awakened their spiritual roots, they could follow the map to find the cave and receive his inheritance.
Over time, the map fell into the hands of outsiders and was obtained by Luo Ye by chance. Through information gathered from the black market, Luo Ye investigated the origin of the map and the events surrounding it.
Cultivator caves one primarily served to pass on legacies to future generations and were generally safe, without deadly traps. That's why Luo Ye originally intended to send Jue Ying to explore it, but then Meng Zhang came to visit. Thus, Luo Ye offered the map to Meng Zhang as a gift and suggested that he and Jue Ying explore it together, agreeing to discuss how to distribute the gains later.
After listening to Jue Ying's explanation, Meng Zhang felt reassured. A cultivator cave with such a foundation was worth exploring.
Following the directions marked on the map, the two of them swiftly traversed until they reached a location over three thousand miles west of Firewell Market. It was a desolate desert with relatively flat terrain, with elevations not exceeding a hundred meters.
According to the map, the cave of the Purple Gold Sect cultivator was constructed underground. Meng Zhang couldn't help but comment that cultivators in the Endless Sea of Sand seemed to have a fondness for building their caves underground, as if they had turned into groundhogs.
Of course, Meng Zhang knew that this custom was related to the terrain of the Endless Sea of Sand. Most areas were vast, flat deserts with only a few hills. The few mountains were mainly occupied by major cultivation forces. In the vast, flat desert, there were almost no natural coverings. Without constructing caves underground, how could they ensure secrecy?
Several centuries had passed, not an insignificant period. Though not witnessing drastic changes, the surrounding terrain had undergone significant alterations. In the large desert, it was difficult to find suitable landmarks for reference, and the desert terrain often changed. A sandstorm could create countless sand dunes on the ground, and these dunes were unstable and frequently shifted positions.
Cultivators often relied on celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and stars for orientation, but many times, it wasn't precise enough. Meng Zhang and Jue Ying knew that the cultivator cave they sought was near this large desert, but the map couldn't help them pinpoint the exact location.
With no other option, Meng Zhang and Jue Ying had to search separately, both activating their Earth Escape Spell to begin their exploration underground. Searching without seeing the light of day was a very laborious and complicated task. For cultivators who hadn't mastered eye techniques, it was akin to blind people feeling an elephant; they relied solely on their senses to explore.
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