After a brief look at the surrounding mountain terrain, Ye Fan couldn't help but nod.
Taiping Town was situated in a prime location, a place that gathered dragons and embraced water, with excellent feng shui, which explained its growing population.
"The mountain to our left is called Dongwang Mountain. Its terrain is steep and its forests are dense. Many people consider it a treasure trove, which is why there are numerous man-made pits on the mountain. If one stumbles and falls in, the chances of survival are slim, making it very dangerous. Nowadays, even the residents of Taiping Town rarely venture up the mountain."
Lu Sheng pointed to the majestic high mountain to the east as he spoke.
"What about the mountain to the west?"
Ye Fan looked up at the western mountain range, which lay across the horizon like a giant dragon.
At the end of the mountain range was the dragon's head, which stretched into the sea, resembling a dragon diving into the water.
"That's Fushan. Legend has it that when Tianjing City was breached, the young king fled into the mountains to hide. Because it was blessed with the young king's fortune, it was named Fushan."
"Fushan has gentle slopes and is rather barren, not suitable for hiding treasures. Therefore, hardly anyone visits Fushan. However, there is a very scenic spot on Fushan, at the very end of the mountain, where one can admire the Tianwang River and enjoy beautiful sunrises and sunsets."
Ye Fan nodded and looked at Dongwang Mountain. "Let's go up and take a look."
Ye Fan, Shen Bao, Lu Sheng, and Zhang Hao leisurely made their way towards Dongwang Mountain.
There was only a single path trampled by people, winding and twisting, meandering through the dense forest, making the journey quite arduous.
Fortunately, the group possessed good stamina. They walked and observed, and after an hour, they finally arrived in front of a mountain cave.
"Was this also dug by hand?"
Ye Fan asked, looking at the dark cave entrance.
The cave was quite hidden; if Ye Fan hadn't had sharp eyes, he might not have discovered it.
Lu Sheng shook his head. "This one looks naturally formed. I haven't been inside, so I don't know how deep it is."
Lu Sheng's tone was tinged with bitterness and helplessness.
Although he had lived there for over a decade, he wasn't a living map, and it was impossible for him to have explored every inch of the land.
Ye Fan examined it closely and noticed signs of recent human activity at the cave entrance.
Ye Fan was momentarily stunned and immediately became interested.
"Since there's nothing else to do, let's go in and take a look. Consider it an exploration."
With a smile, Ye Fan walked slowly towards the cave entrance with great interest.
Seeing Ye Fan enter the cave, Shen Bao quickly followed.
Lu Sheng and Zhang Hao trailed closely behind.
The cave entrance was very low at first, forcing Ye Fan and the others to stoop as they proceeded. After about fifty meters, the height gradually increased.
Taking out a flint he carried, Ye Fan used the light to see that the man-made traces were becoming more and more obvious.
"This appears to have been excavated by hand, with traces of shoveling on the surroundings," Shen Bao said, frowning as he touched the wall.
"Who would dig a cave like this here?"
Lu Sheng was surprised and furrowed his brow, utterly perplexed.
Just then, several figures rushed towards them swiftly.
"Who's there?"
Ye Fan exclaimed and prepared to dodge.
However, the cave was too narrow to allow for any large movements.
Within moments, four or five figures surged forward, blocking Ye Fan and his companions.
"Trespassing in a forbidden area, you're seeking death."
The man in the lead said coldly, and then, the others drew their knives.
Ye Fan's brow furrowed. In this situation, it was impossible to contend with these people. After all, among their group of four, only Ye Fan had any real fighting capability; if a fight broke out, there was a high chance of casualties.
Helpless, Ye Fan could only endure and look for an opportunity to escape.
"Gentlemen, we only came in out of curiosity. If we have caused any offense, we ask for your pardon."
Ye Fan quickly spoke in a low voice.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, Shen Bao frowned but managed to suppress his anger and refrained from acting.
Lu Sheng and Zhang Hao, being shrewd individuals, saw Ye Fan bowing his head and plastered smiles on their faces, offering apologies.
However, the other party didn't seem inclined to let them go. The leader said coldly, "Tie them up."
The men stepped forward swiftly, tied Ye Fan and his companions' hands, and then led them deeper into the cave.
After walking for several miles, the path suddenly opened up to a stone chamber, about fifty square meters in size.
Inside the stone chamber were various daily necessities, and a map was hung on the wall, clearly marking the topography of Taiping Town and the surrounding mountains.
Seeing this, Ye Fan frowned. What were these people doing? Why did they choose to live here? And they even had a map of the area?
Pushing Ye Fan and his companions to a corner, the leader, a burly man with a beard, sized them up coldly.
"If you want to live, stay quiet for me, otherwise, we'll kill you, and no one will ever know."
The place was too secluded; even if a life were taken, it was unlikely anyone would ever find out.
Ye Fan smiled. "We are all residents from down the mountain. We came up to the mountain to search for treasure. Please, sirs, let us off the hook."
His words were earnest, but his gaze swept around the surroundings.
There was only one exit. To escape, they would have to incapacitate everyone here.
Upon hearing Ye Fan mention treasure, the bearded leader looked at him with suspicion.
"Since you're from Taiping Town, you should know the clues to the treasure. Tell me, where is the treasure hidden?"
Lu Sheng and Zhang Hao immediately became nervous. How could they possibly know?
Shen Bao, with a grim expression, clutched the ropes binding his hands, ready to break free and fight.
Ye Fan, however, smiled, his expression calm and composed.
"If we knew where the treasure was hidden, we wouldn't have to search so hard. However, according to rumors, the treasure seems to be hidden on this Dongwang Mountain. The exact location is unknown for now, and we can only search bit by bit."
Ye Fan's tone became increasingly sincere, even wearing a serious expression.
"Search bit by bit? Are you taking me for a fool? Dongwang Mountain is so vast; if we searched it from end to end, we might not even finish in ten years, kid. You definitely know something."
Saying this, he took a saber from one of his subordinates and held it to Ye Fan's neck. "Be sensible and tell me, otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The bearded man's face grew increasingly ferocious, resembling a devil.
Seeing this, Ye Fan sighed helplessly. "We do know some clues, naturally. However, if you wish to extract these clues from me, shouldn't you treat us with some respect?"
His tone suddenly became forceful, as if he had transformed into a different person compared to moments ago.
The bearded man paused, but then grabbed Ye Fan by the collar. "Are you trying to negotiate with me?"
His demeanor suggested he was ready to attack Ye Fan at any moment.
But Ye Fan was not afraid.
"I can guarantee that besides me, no one else knows the clues to the treasure. If you kill me, you'll likely never find the treasure in your lifetime."
At this moment, this was their greatest leverage. As long as they held firm and insisted on having the treasure clues, these people wouldn't dare to act rashly.