As Jiang Sisi spoke, she reached into her storage pouch and took out a small object.
Everyone looked closely and saw that it was a tiny jade lotus.
"This Green Jade Lotus has been passed down through generations in my Green Lotus Sect, but no one in the sect has ever been able to figure out its use. We've tried many methods, but it behaves like any ordinary jade ornament."
"However, due to some ancient records left by our ancestors, and given that our sect has a deep connection with it, we've kept it safe for years."
One person in the group then asked, "If it's been deemed useless, why present it now, Daoist Jiang?"
Jiang Sisi seemed nervous upon being questioned. After taking a deep breath, she continued explaining, "Before we set out, our sect leader spent seven days in seclusion, meditating on our ancestors' records. When she emerged, she handed me this item and said that if we encountered Destruction Stones, it might be worth trying in times of crisis. Since no one else seems to have a solution, I thought I should offer it, though I leave the decision to use it up to you all."
With that, she blushed and stood there holding the Green Jade Lotus, unsure what more to say.
Jiang Sisi had brought this jade lotus with her, thinking of her sect leader's words, which led her to join the group when she heard there were developments with the Destruction Stone mines.
But after she finished speaking, no one responded. It was clear from her own hesitation and the group's silence that even she lacked confidence in the jade lotus's potential effectiveness.
Lin Xiao, noticing the scene, felt somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected to encounter someone with a social anxiety-like demeanor among cultivators—a rarity in this world, where confidence and assertiveness were common traits.
The group stared at the seemingly ordinary Green Jade Lotus, unsure what to make of it.
Regardless of its appearance, they knew that without any other ideas, it had to be tested. But the question loomed: who would take the risk?
It wouldn't be right to ask Jiang Sisi to test the item herself, as that would seem too harsh.
However, if the jade lotus proved ineffective, the person testing it would suffer the effects of the Destruction Stones, risking damage to their cultivation. No one wanted to diminish their strength, especially when facing the dangers ahead.
Just as two of the three Nascent Soul cultivators were about to speak, they heard the young cultivator from Lingxian Sect say:
"I'll try it."
Lin Xiao stepped forward and reached out to Jiang Sisi, explaining to the group, "Let me test it. You are the main force in tracking down the remnants of the Destruction Stone faction. You know more about them than I do. If the test fails and I suffer some damage, it won't affect the main fighting strength of the group."
Everyone silently agreed that Lin Xiao's reasoning made sense.
Moreover, given his youthful appearance, the others surmised that while he was a Golden Core cultivator, his lack of experience meant he wasn't as valuable to the group's battle plan as the others.
Although Lin Xiao's cultivation was high, some believed it might have been achieved through a wealth of resources rather than through sheer experience and talent.
Therefore, him volunteering to test the item was seen as beneficial for the group.
Only the Pusi Kingdom cultivator, who had been in contact with Lin Xiao, struggled to stay silent. He knew who Lin Xiao really was—the Sect Leader of Lingxian Sect. But since Lin Xiao hadn't revealed his identity, he chose not to mention it.
That cultivator was Li Yuanze, a member of the Pusi royal family who had been trained under Li Zhan Ying. He knew full well that it was Lin Xiao's sect that supplied crucial resources to their kingdom. But even he couldn't fathom why Lin Xiao was volunteering to take on this risky task.
As Lin Xiao took the Green Jade Lotus and began to approach the entrance to the Destruction Stone mines, Li Yuanze finally couldn't hold back and blurted out:
"Lin Daoist, be careful!"
His tone, rough and direct, made it sound more like a warning than a friendly reminder.
Lin Xiao turned and gave Li Yuanze a small smile. Noting the burly man's honest demeanor, Lin Xiao understood the well-meaning intention behind his words.
"Don't worry," Lin Xiao replied.
The others also called out for him to be cautious.
With the jade lotus in hand, Lin Xiao reached the entrance to the mine. Although he now possessed Yuan Qi, making him immune to the Destruction Stone's effects, he needed to test the item for the sake of the others.
The Destruction Stone mines were eerie and seemingly endless in their depth.
When Lin Xiao stepped into the mine, he felt no immediate effects, as the Destruction Stones' influence seemed contained within.
But inside, the stones would be relentless in their thirst for spiritual energy.
Determined, Lin Xiao ventured deeper without activating his Yuan Qi shield. He needed to see if the Green Jade Lotus would protect him on its own.
And then something remarkable happened.
The moment Lin Xiao entered the mine, the jade lotus, which had been useless for hundreds of years, suddenly glowed with a brilliant green light.
Outside, the group could see the green light from the entrance and grew excited.
Still, Lin Xiao pressed on, knowing that the outer areas of the mine had weaker Destruction Stone effects. To ensure safety, he needed to explore further.
As he ventured deeper, he allowed his spiritual energy to spread outward, testing the lotus's protective range.
He found that the jade lotus could shield an area large enough for ten cultivators to move freely, or about fifteen if they stayed close together. However, beyond that, any spiritual energy released was quickly absorbed by the Destruction Stones.
The further Lin Xiao descended into the mine, the more the lotus's protective range began to shrink.
Eventually, the Green Jade Lotus's shielding reached its limit, maintaining a protective space that could comfortably accommodate around ten people.