Chapter 531

Chen Mu's gaze swept across the entire Golden Maple Valley basin.

The metal-attribute energy here was rich and pure, and the environment was unique, but there seemed to be no powerful guardian beasts or dangerous restrictions.

And the "Sunset Broken Tablet" itself, besides its special material and containing ancient Dao rhyme, could not sense active aggressiveness.

It seems that the strong person who left the "Key of the Four Seasons" did not set too many tests here, but hid the "Autumn Key" in this place where metal energy gathered, waiting for a destined person to take it with a token.

"Go over and see."

Chen Mu walked towards the broken tablet in the center of the basin first.

Daoist Daoist Zhuqing and Ning Ning Zhixi followed closely, observing the surroundings vigilantly. Although this place seemed calm, no one could guarantee that there were no hidden dangers.

Approaching the broken tablet, the heavy and ancient sharp Dao rhyme was even clearer.

Ning Ning Zhixi followed the hints in the "Spring Key" information and took out the three tokens of "Summer," "Winter," and "Spring," approaching the base of the broken tablet.

Hum—

The three tokens resonated clearly at the same time, the golden-red "Summer Key," the ice-blue "Winter Key," and the verdant "Spring Key," each emitting light of corresponding colors, the light interweaving and shining on the dark golden broken tablet base.

The broken tablet shook slightly, and at the gap where the base contacted the ground, a soft golden light pattern of the same source as the three keys suddenly lit up.

The light pattern flowed, quickly outlining a complex circular formation pattern about three feet in diameter on the metal soil in front of the broken tablet.

In the center of the formation pattern, space distorted slightly, and a phantom portal that could only accommodate one person, exuding faint golden light, slowly emerged.

The inside of the portal was deep, and even purer and more ancient metal-attribute energy faintly dissipated.

"The entrance has appeared." Ning Ning Zhixi looked at Chen Mu.

Chen Mu nodded, his spiritual sense had already probed into the portal.

Below was a closed stone room made entirely of dark golden metal, and in the center of the stone room was a small metal platform, on which a token was quietly placed.

There was nothing else in the stone room, and no fluctuation of any restrictions.

"I'll go down and get it."

Chen Mu signaled the two to wait outside, his figure flickered, and he had already submerged into the golden light portal.

The stone room was not large, about three zhang square, and the four walls and the ground were all made of that kind of dark golden metal, smooth as a mirror, reflecting the faint light.

On the metal platform in the center, an ancient token with the withered yellow color of autumn leaves and dark golden patterns inlaid on the edges lay quietly there.

On the front of the token, an ancient character, carrying the complex artistic conception of desolation, murderousness, harvest, and ending, was clearly visible.

"Autumn"!

Autumn Key, obtained.

Chen Mu stepped forward and picked up the token.

It was heavy in his hand, carrying the coldness of metal and a hint of the heaviness of autumn, but there was no other information or guidance.

Chen Mu put away the "Autumn Key" and turned out of the stone room.

His figure flickered, flashing out of the golden light gate, and returned to the Golden Maple Valley basin.

The golden light portal quickly faded and dissipated behind him, and the complex formation pattern on the ground also disappeared, leaving only the ancient Sunset Broken Tablet, still standing silently, as if it had never changed since ancient times.

"Senior Brother Chen, how is it?"

Ning Ning Zhixi stepped forward, her eyes filled with expectation and a hint of nervousness.

Daoist Daoist Zhuqing also cast a concerned look.

Chen Mu spread his palm, and the "Autumn" character token with withered yellow autumn leaves and dark golden patterns on the edges lay quietly in his palm.

"'Autumn Key' obtained."

Ning Ning Zhixi breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appeared on her face, and she reached out to take it.

However, the moment her hand touched the token, the smile on her face stiffened slightly, and then turned into astonishment.

"This... no hint?"

Chen Mu nodded, put the token into her hand, and said: "No. Only the 'Autumn Key' itself, no extra information."

"How could it be..."

Ning Ning Zhixi held the "Autumn" character token and quickly took out the "Summer," "Winter," and "Spring" keys. The four tokens gathered together, immediately producing a strong resonance, the four-colored brilliance flowed, and the complete artistic conception of the four seasons' rotation permeated, making people feel comfortable.

But no matter how she communicated with true qi, no matter how she focused her sensing, except for the previously known that the secret treasury could be sensed on the day of Frost Descent, there was no hint about the specific location of the secret treasury.

"The 'Summer Key', 'Winter Key', and 'Spring Key' I obtained before all had hints about the next location or the final location. Why does this last, and most crucial, 'Autumn Key' have none?"

Ning Ning Zhixi frowned, looking at Chen Mu, and then at Daoist Daoist Zhuqing, her eyes full of confusion and anxiety, "Without a specific location, even if we know it can be sensed on the day of Frost Descent, the world is vast, how can we arrive at the correct location at the specified time? Could this 'Four Seasons Secret Treasury' just be a joke?"

Just then, Daoist Daoist Zhuqing said slowly, "Regarding the final location of the 'Four Seasons Secret Treasury', I do have some clues here."

"Oh?" Chen Mu looked at her.

Ning Ning Zhixi also cast a surprised look.

Daoist Daoist Zhuqing took out three neatly stacked animal skins from her arms, the edges yellowed with age, but clearly specially treated.

"This is a map of the area where the secret treasury might exist, collected and organized by my Heavenly Heart Temple's predecessors over countless efforts, and finally pieced together."

Daoist Daoist Zhuqing gently spread the three animal skins on the metal soil in front of the "Sunset Broken Tablet," her expression solemn.

"According to the records in the temple's classics, only by collecting all four maps and stimulating them with special methods can the true entrance location be revealed. My Heavenly Heart Temple has an ancient inheritance, but over the years, we have only found three of them."

Ning Ning Zhixi hurriedly leaned in to look closely.

The three animal skin maps were pieced together, and the general outline could already be seen. It was an extremely vast mountain range area with complex terrain, marked with many dangerous places and suspected ruin points.

But in the most central and crucial area of the map, it was blank, and the edges of the three maps were also obviously missing, clearly still lacking a crucial piece to form a complete map.

"Still missing the last piece..."

Ning Ning Zhixi looked at the glaring blank space, and the hope that had just ignited dimmed a little, "Where would this last map be? Do you want us to look for it like headless flies in the world's mountains? Three months, how can it be in time?"

"The last map..."

Daoist Daoist Zhuqing also showed helplessness and a bitter smile, "This map is lost outside, and its whereabouts are unknown. My Heavenly Heart Temple has been searching for many years, but there are no clues. I thought this time I might get a hint from the 'Autumn Key' or the secret realm, but I didn't expect..."

Chen Mu's gaze swept over the three ancient animal skin maps, especially lingering for a moment on the missing blank area and the tear marks on the edges.

A smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"The last map..."

Chen Mu said slowly, and under the gaze of Daoist Daoist Zhuqing and Ning Ning Zhixi's puzzled eyes, he took out a remnant map of the same texture unhurriedly.