Black Jade Spirit Snake, Black Jade Bone-Setting Pill (Please Bookmark)

At the entrance of his cave dwelling, Qi Chuan looked at the writing on the Paper Crane Letter in his hand, a trace of surprise appearing in his eyes.

"I truly hadn't expected Murong Fan to happen upon a Treasure Map and even invite me to explore it with him..."

A so-called Treasure Map was, in truth, a map recording one or several treasure sites.

Within those treasure sites, there were usually treasures, wealth, and the like, left behind by some individual or some force.

Once one found a treasure site, if circumstances were favorable, one could obtain quite a substantial haul.

And in the Cultivation World, anything capable of drawing the interest of Murong Fan, a prodigy of a Cultivation Family, naturally would not be ordinary. At the very least, the treasure site would contain a respectable batch of cultivation resources.

However, since it was a Treasure Map, it would inevitably contain hidden riddles and mysteries. It would not allow people to easily learn the true location of the treasure site. Only by solving the riddles within the Treasure Map could one find the correct path into the treasure site.

"The letter says that Murong Fan has already verified the authenticity of the Treasure Map. In other words, he has solved the riddles on it and found the treasure site, perhaps even gone there himself, only to be unable to enter."

Looking at the Paper Crane Letter in his hand, Qi Chuan pondered quietly.

Ever since he had agreed to establish a tenuous connection with Murong Fan last time, Murong Fan had disclosed information about the Inner Sect to him on several occasions over the past year or so, exchanging what they each needed.

Occasionally, Murong Fan would also write to invite him to take on some Inner Sect missions together.

Qi Chuan refused the Vast Majority of them.

Still, he had agreed once or twice.

There were several reasons why he had agreed.

For one, Qi Chuan himself needed resources to cultivate the Minor Profound Crystal Jade Body and exchange for Gathering Yuan Pills to aid his cultivation.

Thus, over the past year or so, Qi Chuan had occasionally accepted Inner Sect missions from the Wind Moon Sect to earn resources.

Among the Inner Sect missions he had taken were some relatively rare internal sect missions with fairly good rewards.

There were also some comparatively safe missions that required leaving the sect.

Lastly, there were the missions Murong Fan had invited him to join, which Qi Chuan had considered and found acceptable.

No matter what, he had to take on some Inner Sect missions to earn resources, so what difference did it make which missions he took?

When he went to the Mission Hall himself, he sometimes waited a long time without getting a good mission.

Murong Fan gave him another channel.

Second, Qi Chuan dared to join Murong Fan in some Inner Sect missions because he had confidence in his own strength.

Their realms were the same, both at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, while Qi Chuan's Fireball Technique and other Basic Five Elements Spells had all reached the Perfected Stage. He had even improved somewhat further within the Perfected Stage.

A Fireball Technique at the Perfected Stage was already a formidable method even among Late Qi Refining Stage cultivators.

Not to mention that Qi Chuan possessed five such spells.

If Murong Fan harbored murderous intentions, Qi Chuan was confident that he could crush him with strength and kill him.

Besides, even if he took another step back, did he not still have that Talisman Treasure bearing the image of a Black Giant Ruler?

Ever since obtaining it, Qi Chuan had taken time during the past year or so to leave the sect, find a deserted place, and test its power.

The result of that test had left Qi Chuan utterly dumbfounded.

To describe it in four words: terrifying beyond measure!

An ordinary Talisman Treasure, at its best, could possess no more than thirty percent of the original Magic Treasure's power. A poorer one might have only ten percent.

Based on the test results, Qi Chuan believed that this Talisman Treasure bearing the Black Giant Ruler possessed thirty percent of the original Magic Treasure's power. Moreover, the original Magic Treasure was absolutely no ordinary Magic Treasure, because thirty percent of an ordinary Magic Treasure's power might not be this terrifying.

Even in the Foundation Establishment Realm, this Talisman Treasure could be called a Dao Protecting Divine Artifact.

With such an item in hand, Qi Chuan had absolute confidence that if Murong Fan made any unusual move, the moment the Talisman Treasure emerged, he would be turned into a puddle of flesh in an instant.

Unless Murong Fan brought out the Murong Family's sole Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, Murong Patriarch, to deal with a mere Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivator like him, only then might something unexpected occur.

Still, while such a possibility existed, it was not very likely.

That was why Qi Chuan dared to take a small risk and occasionally join Murong Fan in one or two Inner Sect missions.

Fortunately, in their two few collaborations, Murong Fan had not displayed any schemes or tricks. He had remained fairly honest throughout, and the gains from those two missions had been decent as well, so he had earned a tiny measure of Qi Chuan's trust.

It was also because Qi Chuan had taken some Inner Sect missions himself over the past year or so, along with occasionally cooperating with Murong Fan, that he had obtained quite a few resources.

Using those resources, Qi Chuan had cultivated his Minor Profound Crystal Jade Body from the initial Entry Stage of the first layer to the current peak of the first layer over the past year or so.

He had also had enough resources left over to exchange for Gathering Yuan Pills to aid his cultivation, ultimately advancing successfully to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

Otherwise, his resources would have long since been exhausted, and neither his spell power nor his physical body would have reached their current level.

"As for this Treasure Map, I'll hear the details first. If the danger is not too great and it seems workable, then cooperating with him would be possible."

"If the risk is too great, then forget it."

Looking at the Paper Crane Letter in his hand, Qi Chuan thought this to himself after a moment of contemplation.

The decision was in his hands anyway. He would take a look first and decide afterward.

Thus, Qi Chuan left his cave dwelling and headed toward the northeast of the Inner Sect, where Murong Fan's Tier 1 Mid-grade Cave Mansion was located.

Not long afterward, Qi Chuan appeared halfway up a Spirit Peak in the northeast of the Inner Sect. There, on the mountainside, he could see a cave dwelling.

This was Murong Fan's Tier 1 Mid-grade Cave Mansion.

At this moment, outside the cave dwelling stood a Young Man in gray robes with an ordinary face. His hands hung respectfully at his sides as he waited at the entrance, his expression calm and devoid of impatience.

It was Murong Fan.

"Brother Qi!"

Upon seeing Qi Chuan land nearby, Murong Fan immediately stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Brother Murong!"

Qi Chuan naturally returned the gesture, then said, "Tell me about the Treasure Map first. Then I'll consider whether to participate."

Murong Fan nodded.

He found Qi Chuan's caution perfectly normal.

"This is not a place to talk. Please, come inside." Murong Fan made a welcoming gesture.

Qi Chuan nodded and followed Murong Fan into the cave dwelling, taking a seat beside a stone table.

Murong Fan placed some Spirit Tea Leaves into a Pottery Teapot and began brewing the tea. He poured each of them a cup, picked up his own, and took a small sip.

Qi Chuan picked up a teacup and idly turned it in his hand, but did not drink from it.

Murong Fan did not mind. After taking a sip, he set down his cup and began explaining the Treasure Map's specifics.

"I have already verified the Treasure Map's authenticity. The treasure site is at Black Snake City, several dozen li from the sect. Outside Black Snake City lies an abyss called Black Snake Abyss!"

"Black Snake Abyss twists and turns, its paths interlocking like dog teeth. It is filled with Forked Paths and caves, the visibility is extremely dim, and everywhere within it lurks a kind of Tier 1 demon beast called the Black Jade Spirit Snake. Their strength ranges from Tier 1 Low Grade to Tier 1 Mid-grade."

"The treasure site lies somewhere within Black Snake Abyss, with two Tier 1 Mid-grade Black Jade Spirit Snakes blocking the way. I can only handle one with my own strength, which is why I invited Brother Qi."

Murong Fan revealed nearly all the specific information, except for the treasure site's exact location. If he disclosed even that, Qi Chuan could go by himself without the Treasure Map, and Murong Fan would have no part left to play.

Qi Chuan nodded slightly at Murong Fan's candor. Otherwise, he would not have cooperated with him.

"Several dozen li from the sect, within Black Snake Abyss outside Black Snake City?"

After hearing Murong Fan's account, a trace of surprise appeared on Qi Chuan's face.

Several dozen li was exceptionally close.

The Wind Moon Sect controlled a vast territory, and within a hundred li, it maintained overwhelming suppression. Disorder had never occurred there. Even Outer Disciples rarely encountered trouble while traveling within that hundred-li radius, and the number of incidents could be counted on one hand.

The treasure site was actually so close?

Moreover, Qi Chuan had once heard Second Master mention the Black Jade Spirit Snakes during his time at Red Maple Valley.

The Black Jade Spirit Snake was indeed a Tier 1 demon beast, with strength ranging from Tier 1 Low Grade to Tier 1 Mid-grade. Its Black Jade Spirit Snake Gall was extremely valuable, and its bile could be used to refine an Elixir called the Black Jade Bone-Setting Pill. To a certain extent, it could restore cultivators' Meridians after they had been damaged for various reasons.

One important reason Second Master had remained trapped at the Qi Refining Third Layer his entire life, aside from his Lower Ninth-grade spiritual root being truly abysmal, was that he had suffered injuries in his early years and had some minor problems with his Meridians.

Around two years ago, Second Master had said that if he could obtain a Black Jade Bone-Setting Pill refined from the gall of a Tier 1 Mid-grade Black Jade Spirit Snake, the minor problems in his Meridians could be completely healed.

However, when Second Master spoke of it then, his expression had been filled with helplessness.

Second Master's strength was only at the Qi Refining Third Layer. He had no ability to deal with a Tier 1 Mid-grade Black Jade Spirit Snake, and even if he obtained Black Jade Spirit Snake Gall, he would have no way to refine it into a Black Jade Bone-Setting Pill.

Buying a Black Jade Bone-Setting Pill directly was even more of a wild fantasy, since he had neither the means nor the Spirit Stones.