Ever since Ao Yun told Ao Shun about what had happened during that trip, Ao Shun had treated Jiang Yun even better, and he had also passed the information on to the other three great Dragon Palaces.
Jiang Yun had previously given the Dragon Race such a good idea, but Ao Shun had not yet had the chance to thank him. After discovering Jiang Yun's abilities this time, Ao Shun directly took him to the Dragon Race's secret treasury in the name of gratitude and let him choose any treasure he wanted.
The Dragon Palace treasury was divided into three levels.
The first level was the ordinary treasury, also called the outer treasury. It mainly stored relatively common aquatic treasures and comparatively valuable treasures containing spiritual energy. Ordinary treasures included pearls, coral, and other items used for decoration or daily purposes. The more valuable items were things containing spiritual energy, such as Sea Beast inner cores and rare ores. The defenses of this kind of treasury were relatively weak. Usually, simple water-screen restrictions were set up, with low-level shrimp soldiers and crab generals assigned to guard it and prevent ordinary aquatic creatures from accidentally entering.
The second level was the inner treasury, also called the inner storehouse. This was an important repository for the Dragon Palace's wealth and usually held extremely precious treasures. These included the Dragon Pearls of fallen members of the Dragon Race, powerful Houtian Spiritual Treasures, and precious medicines grown from spiritual roots. Everything collected in this treasury could greatly improve one's cultivation or enhance one's combat power. Its defenses were incredibly tight. Complex bloodline restriction formations had been set up around it, and the guards were all powerful Dragon Princes and Grandchildren. Their cultivation was profound, and more importantly, their bloodlines could connect with the treasury's defensive system. Once danger arose, the power of the entire Dragon Palace could quickly provide support.
The third and final level was the core treasury, also known as the secret treasury. The secret treasury was the most mysterious and important place in the Dragon Palace, representing its foundation. It stored the Dragon Palace's treasured relics. Some were top-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures with extremely powerful or special functions, while a small number were Innate Spiritual Treasures. There were also secret records of the Dao arts passed down through the generations of the Dragon Race, divine abilities, secret techniques, and various secrets of the primordial world. The defense of the core treasury was the Dragon Palace's highest priority. It had restriction formations meticulously carved by powerful Dragon Palace experts throughout the generations, as well as hidden experts of the Dragon Race guarding it. The treasury was hidden within a special space, and only the successive masters of the Dragon Palace could open it through a specific bloodline secret technique.
Jiang Yun followed Dragon King Ao Shun to the secret treasury. Its entrance was hidden behind a deep, dark-blue water screen. The water screen flickered with mysterious light, like a barrier separating it from the mortal world.
Ao Shun stopped before the secret treasury and softly uttered a string of ancient, obscure Dragon Language. His voice echoed through the water, as though it were a summons from primordial antiquity. As he chanted in Dragon Language, a gentle blue light also rose from his dragon horns, drifting toward the water screen like strands of silk.
The water screen seemed to sense the aura and incantation of the Dragon Race and slowly began to ripple, like satin stirred by a gentle breeze. Waves spread out in circles, gradually forming a spinning vortex in the center of the water screen. The vortex spun faster and faster, emitting a faint hum. Its center gradually turned transparent, revealing a passage radiating blue light. The walls of the passage were covered in ancient Dragon Race Runes that glimmered faintly, as though recounting the Dragon Race's distant history.
Ao Shun led Jiang Yun into the vortex, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived in another space.
The secret treasury's space was a vast palace. Countless Luminous Pearls were embedded in the ceiling. Judging from its appearance, the palace seemed to have several levels, and they were currently within the first. Crystal racks stood throughout the first level, each holding various treasures that radiated powerful spiritual energy. Some were enveloped in clusters of gentle light, while others occasionally flashed with dazzling lightning or chilling radiance.
Jiang Yun sensed the grades of these treasures. Most were top-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures, while the few Innate Spiritual Treasures were all low-grade. The even better treasures should be hidden in the treasury's deeper levels.
He was not lacking in spiritual treasures, and he truly could not bring himself to care for these treasures of ordinary use.
Ao Shun could also tell that he was only mildly interested. Knowing that Jiang Yun might look down on the treasures of the first level, he led him through another vortex behind it and entered the second level.
There were far fewer treasures on the second level, with only three crystal racks and a dozen or so treasures in total. However, the spiritual treasures here were considerably higher-grade. The best was a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure in the form of a seal, upon which a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon coiled. The moment Jiang Yun saw the seal, he felt an inexplicable connection to it and immediately chose it.
As far as he was concerned, no matter how many levels the secret treasury had beyond this one, they definitely would not be opened to him. Since he had encountered something that could stir his senses, he had to seize it at once.
After choosing the spiritual treasure, Ao Shun led him out of the treasury, then recited an incantation and closed it.
Jiang Yun asked Ao Shun to arrange a quiet room for him. He had previously obtained the Wood Spirit Pearl and Kunlun Wood in the open sea, and after returning, he had received the seal treasure given to him by the Dragon King as thanks. He needed to spend some time in seclusion to refine what needed refining and absorb what needed absorbing, quickly turning these items into his own strength.
After entering the quiet room that had been arranged for him, Jiang Yun set up several warning formations inside as well. Caution was the key to staying safe.
He first took out the seal treasure that had stirred his senses. After his primordial spirit came into contact with it and learned its information, he was greatly shocked. This was actually the Kongtong Seal!
Wasn't the Kongtong Seal on Shouyang Mountain? How had it appeared so early? How had the Dragon Race's treasury come to possess this treasure?
A series of questions surged through Jiang Yun's mind, sending his thoughts flying, yet he could not sort out a clear thread.
Since he could not figure it out for now, he decided not to think about it. After clearing away the chaotic thoughts in his mind, his shock gradually turned into joy.
The Kongtong Seal was the future supreme treasure of the Human Race. It could suppress the Human Race's fortune and could even be used to depose or establish Human Emperors. Moreover, its wielder could enjoy thirty percent of the Human Race's fortune.
Following the Kongtong Seal's functions, Jiang Yun could not help thinking again. The Human Race's supreme treasure... the Human Race... the Way of Man...
"Could the Kongtong Seal be a supreme treasure of the Way of Man, suppressing the Fortune of the Way of Man?" At this thought, a flash of insight streaked through Jiang Yun's mind.
If the Kongtong Seal was a supreme treasure of the Way of Man, then everything made sense. The fact that the Dragon Race had obtained this treasure proved that, in the eyes of the Way of Man, the Dragon Race had originally been the race most likely to unify the primordial world and gather the fortune of the Way of Man throughout it. Unfortunately, Luohou had secretly sabotaged things later, inciting a war between the three races. Hongjun had taken advantage of the situation, ultimately defeated Luohou, and claimed the fruits of victory. The first opportunity for the Way of Man to awaken had thus been wiped out.
Presumably, if Ancestor Dragon had unified the three races and gathered their fortune, the Kongtong Seal could have become a true supreme treasure of the Way of Man under the influence of that enormous fortune, rather than merely a top-grade spiritual treasure as it was now.
The Kongtong Seal's ability to resonate with Jiang Yun should have been related to his identity as a member of the Human Race in his previous life. After all, the Human Race would eventually become the sole protagonist of the primordial world.
Having figured this out, Jiang Yun hurriedly picked up the Kongtong Seal and began refining it.
Before you continue