Xu Fang’s mind was in turmoil, and at this moment, he was like a clay sculpture, contemplating the familiar yet strange characters on the stone door.
Fortunately, Fen Bao Yan was understanding. Listening to Yuan Shi and Tong Tian’s guidance, it found its own way, sparing Xu Fang much worry.
"This is it, this stone door here has the exact same characters as the previous one."
Yuan Shi pointed to a spot and said.
"Brother Er, the way you say it isn't quite right."
Tong Tian frowned upon hearing this and corrected him.
"To be precise, although they look similar, the character before it is completely different."
Yuan Shi nodded, accepting Tong Tian's correction.
As they spoke, Fen Bao Yan landed at their designated spot.
Listening to their words, Xu Fang became increasingly expectant and even more uneasy.
He certainly wanted to investigate, but he was afraid that if he truly saw these familiar characters, everything would point to the guess in his heart.
However, once the arrow is loosed from the bow, there is no turning back. Even if Xu Fang regretted it now and wanted to back out, the five curious fellows beside him probably wouldn't agree.
While Xu Fang was pondering, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian, with practiced ease, activated the grand formation, causing an opening to appear. Everyone else had already entered and was calling for Xu Fang.
Seeing this, Xu Fang sighed inwardly with resignation.
"Alas, if it is fate, it cannot be avoided. If you can dodge the first day, you cannot dodge the fifteenth. I still have to face these."
This was no longer about solving the matter of Kai Ming Beast Lu Wu; it was about Xu Fang's origin, his background, and even his very life.
If this problem were not resolved, Xu Fang would only become more confused and unsettled. It was better to muster the courage to face it!
With this thought, Xu Fang composed himself and followed the footsteps of the others into the grand formation.
As before, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian unleashed their magical powers, causing the stone door to materialize. Xu Fang did not bother studying the face of Kai Ming Beast Lu Wu on the stone door, but went straight to the point, looking below the face.
As Yuan Shi and Tong Tian had said, the characters on this stone door, like the ones they had just seen, all had a "yao".
However, Tong Tian was right; the character before it was entirely different, no longer that 5, but a 1!
"Could it be that these preceding numbers are indeed the sequence of these stone doors?"
Xu Fang gazed at these familiar characters, and despite his anticipation, he was still immensely shocked, pondering in his heart.
"How is it? Daoist Friend Xu Fang, do you have any thoughts?"
"Senior, what exactly do you know? Tell us!"
"Yes, Daoist Friend Xu Fang, you're being so mysterious, are you deliberately trying to vex us?"
Seeing Xu Fang engrossed in the stone door, everyone spoke up, trying to glean some information from him.
However, Xu Fang shook his head repeatedly.
"I still don't understand. Forget it, let's quickly go to the other stone doors!"
Xu Fang was not intentionally concealing anything. It was just that his mind was in such a mess that he had no idea what was going on, so how could he tell everyone?
Seeing this, everyone could only helplessly tidy up and continue riding Fen Bao Yan to the other stone doors.
Fen Bao Yan moved with incredible speed, stopping and starting on Kunlun Mountain. With Yuan Shi and Tong Tian leading the way, they quickly visited all nine stone doors.
After seeing the last stone door, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian couldn't hold back and began to ask.
"Daoist Friend Xu Fang, what exactly have you discovered? Can you tell us?"
"Yes, along the way, it felt like Daoist Friend Xu Fang was lost in thought and yet lost something. Daoist Friend Xu Fang?"
Yuan Shi and Tong Tian called out repeatedly, only then bringing Xu Fang back to his senses. He quickly composed himself, looked at Yuan Shi and Tong Tian, and shook his head helplessly.
"I apologize, two Daoist friends, but I'm afraid this time, we've all made a trip in vain."
Xu Fang said with a face full of apology.
"Although I have seen these characters before, I do not know their meaning. To try and decipher the matter of Kai Ming Beast and the Nine Gates based on this is clearly a case of a clever cook being unable to cook without ingredients!"
Seeing Xu Fang sigh repeatedly, it did not seem like he was faking. Yuan Shi and Tong Tian exchanged glances, both filled with disappointment.
They never expected that the matter of Kai Ming Beast Lu Wu and the Nine Gates would be so mysterious that even Xu Fang, renowned as the foremost treasure hunter in the Primordial Era, was helpless!
However, considering that so many beings had found nothing over the years, placing their hopes on Xu Fang was indeed putting him in a difficult position.
Seeing Xu Fang’s embarrassed expression, they quickly began to comfort him.
"It's alright, Daoist Friend Xu Fang, there's no need to feel bad. We were just curious and didn't necessarily have to figure it out."
Yuan Shi said, and Tong Tian followed suit.
"Indeed, indeed. It would be best if Daoist Friend Xu Fang could resolve it, but it's alright if he can't. We can just consider it as us traveling Kunlun Mountain with Daoist Friend Xu Fang."
Tong Tian then laughed.
"Chance encounters are better than planned meetings. Since this matter cannot be resolved, why doesn't Daoist Friend Xu Fang come to San Qing Courtyard for a chat? We can have a good discussion about the Great Dao!"
Xu Fang refused Tong Tian's invitation.
"No, I still have matters to attend to. Daoist friends, we shall meet again another day!"
Seeing this, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian, since the matter could not be resolved and Xu Fang had other engagements, did not press further.
They bid farewell and headed towards San Qing Courtyard.
The Golden-Winged Great Peng, along with the other two, watched Yuan Shi and Tong Tian’s figures depart, shaking their heads and sighing.
"I never expected the matter of Kai Ming Beast Lu Wu and the Nine Gates to be so bizarre, that Senior Xu Fang is also unable to resolve it!"
"Alas, perhaps this is an unsolvable problem! It's only natural that Senior couldn't solve it, right?"
"Senior, you don't need to be too sad. Even the best horses stumble sometimes! Senior?"
Despite their hopes dashed, the three of them spoke to comfort Xu Fang, fearing that this failure would become a blemish on Senior Xu Fang's treasure-hunting career and leave him dwelling on it.
However, no matter how they spoke, Xu Fang remained indifferent, as if he hadn't heard, leaving the three of them even more helpless.
It seemed that this failed treasure hunt had indeed dealt a heavy blow to the Senior!
Meanwhile, Xu Fang had no time to attend to them. The constant inquiries from the magical treasures were also ignored.
At this moment, his mind was rapidly recalling the characters he had jotted down from the nine stone doors.
His claim of no harvest to Yuan Shi and Tong Tian was merely a necessity. How could he truly have gained nothing?
However, these matters concerned his origins. Let alone Yuan Shi and Tong Tian, even these three little followers before him, he could not reveal a single word!
"5. yao, 1. yao, 2. kai, 7. qu, 3. men, 9. dun, 4. zhao, 6. shi, 8. hun, what on earth is this?"
Xu Fang mumbled these characters to himself, but found no answers. He immediately arranged these characters according to his own ideas, ordering them by the preceding numbers.
yaokaimenzhaoyaoshiquhundun.
Xu Fang looked at this string of characters, incredibly familiar, yet more confused than ever, feeling as though the entire world of the Primordial Era was shrouded in thick fog.
However, even though Xu Fang did not understand the meaning, he understood one thing clearly.
"So, my transmigration is not unique!"
Through these characters, Xu Fang was certain that somewhere in this Primordial Era, there was a transmigrator hidden, one who came from the same place as him!
There truly was another transmigrator; he was not the only one!