The Hidden Secret

"Just as I suspected!"

Shen Changchuan approached the scarred man's corpse and, from the inside of his sleeve, retrieved a storage bag.

The storage bag was palm-sized and entirely earth-yellow.

Shen Changchuan channeled his Magical Power to activate the runes near the bag's opening, and a storage space approximately two meters in length, width, and height appeared within his perception.

Inside this storage space were some spirit stones, Yao Beast materials, jade boxes containing sealed spirit herbs, elixirs, and various other miscellaneous items.

A hint of joy now flickered across Shen Changchuan's somewhat pale face.

It seemed most of these people's wealth was contained within this storage bag.

Recalling the battle, though fraught with danger and nearly costing him his life several times, he had indeed struck it rich after surviving the ordeal.

Shen Changchuan didn't have time to inventory the contents of the storage bag just yet.

But setting aside everything else, the storage bag itself was already incredibly valuable.

As far as Shen Changchuan knew, a storage bag cost at least three hundred spirit stones.

And that was the price for black market goods.

There was always the risk of it being recognized one day, leading to someone seeking revenge.

Genuine storage bags were even more expensive!

They had always been an unattainable object for the perpetually poor Shen Changchuan.

Even if the storage bag were empty, Shen Changchuan felt this trip was worth it!

Tucking the storage bag securely inside his clothes, Shen Changchuan then took the Soul-Snatching Bell from the scarred man's corpse.

He briefly attempted to control it.

He discovered that the Soul-Snatching Bell remained silent under normal circumstances, only emitting sounds when activated with Magical Power.

And those sounds had a special effect against the Spiritual Sense and Soul of cultivators!

Its power, Shen Changchuan had experienced firsthand.

His head felt as if a large club had struck the back of his skull.

He had nearly lost consciousness.

"A good item!"

"Very powerful!"

"If I hadn't consumed the Azure Origin Water Grass, strengthening my Spiritual Sense to a level comparable to Qi Gathering Seventh Level, I might have fallen victim to that move just now!"

Recalling the previous moment, Shen Changchuan couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of dread.

At that time, under the scarred man's relentless close-quarters attacks, his Magical Power had been severely depleted. He had been forced to create an opening, drawing the opponent in to create an opportunity for a counter-kill.

But who knew, the guy would pull out something like the Soul-Snatching Bell.

Even though Shen Changchuan's mind was taut, constantly wary of a potential trump card from the opponent, he was instantly ensnared.

If the scarred man hadn't misjudged his strength, and hadn't expected him, at Qi Gathering Fourth Level, to possess Spiritual Sense strength comparable to a cultivator at the late Qi Gathering stage, he wouldn't have seized the opportunity for a counter-kill.

Otherwise, Shen Changchuan would have been the one to die in this battle!

"It's only because I, having merged with this body's memories and a fragmented Soul, coupled with the effects of the Azure Origin Water Grass, was able to elevate my Spiritual Sense to the late Qi Gathering stage and withstand it, recovering my actions in a short period."

"Otherwise, facing this magic item, I fear there would be no resistance at all!"

"With this in hand, cultivators below the late Qi Gathering stage would likely not be many people's match!"

Shen Changchuan mused inwardly.

At the same time, his heart filled with even greater joy.

Because this ultimate weapon has now fallen into his hands, becoming his possession.

The more powerful this magic item is, the better it naturally is for Shen Changchuan.

Based on Shen Changchuan's previous experience, this Soul-Snatching Bell can definitely shake even a cultivator at the Qi Gathering Seventh Level!

It doesn't need to completely immobilize them; just shaking them, creating a momentary opening in combat, is enough to decide the victor!

"It's just a pity that the Magical Power required to use the Soul-Snatching Bell seems to be too much."

"Given my current realm, I'm afraid I can't use it many times in a single battle."

After just a few simple attempts at controlling it, Shen Changchuan had already discovered that this thing was an absolute drain on Magical Power.

He couldn't help but greedily think to himself.

With the mere ten percent of Magical Power he had left, he probably wouldn't even be able to ring it.

While many thoughts flashed through his mind, Shen Changchuan's hands and feet didn't stop moving.

He first hung the Soul-Snatching Bell on his wrist, covering it with his sleeve, so it would be convenient to use during combat.

After doing this, He confirmed that the scarred man had no other valuables on him.

Shen Changchuan then collected the formation disk buried in the ground not far away, which contained spirit stones, and the scattered formation flags, putting them one by one into his storage bag.

Although he didn't recognize what kind of formation it was, nor did he know how to use it.

Still, a thief never leaves empty-handed.

Good things should naturally be taken along.

At this point, Shen Changchuan had finished collecting all the spoils from the surrounding battlefield.

He then turned around, Walked to Zhao Hantao, who was lying unconscious not far away, and grabbed the man by his collar with one hand, And walked out, preparing to leave.

But at this moment, Shen Changchuan suddenly thought of something.

He paused in his steps.

His eyes flickered a few times.

After thinking for a few breaths and hesitating for a moment, He put down the unconscious Zhao Hantao in his hand, turned back, and collected the corpses of the three individuals into his storage bag one by one.

Only then did he once again take Zhao Hantao and leave.

In the original spot, Only a mess of broken trees remained, And bloodstains on the soil, along with other traces of battle, indicating that what had happened earlier was not just an illusion.

However, these traces, In the dense forest, would likely disappear very quickly before long.

Zhao Family Village.

Originally a village nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, a strategically defensible location like a hidden paradise.

Now, more than half of it was engulfed in raging flames.

Flames and smoke soared into the sky.

Even from more than ten miles away, one could clearly see the pillars of black smoke continuously rising into the sky.

In the village, which had almost turned into ruins, Along the surrounding alleys, inside collapsed houses, scattered corpses lay in pools of blood.

Bodies littered the ground.

Those who had miraculously survived had all fled into the deep mountains, like headless flies, panicked and trembling, afraid to show themselves.

At the same time, Inside the prosperous mansion located at the highest point of the village, Zhao Hantao's son, Zhao Jingming, a notorious prodigal son known far and wide, was currently kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"Why, why?"

"My father already told you all the secrets, and he did exactly as you demanded. Why do you still want to kill people? Why destroy the village?!"

Zhao Jingming knelt on the ground, covering his face with his hands, his body hunched over as he buried his face between his legs, sobbing uncontrollably.

The sounds of intense flames burning outside and houses collapsing mixed together, clearly reaching his ears.

The ghosts struggling and wailing in the fierce flames seemed to unleash the most venomous curses and hatred upon him!

It was him!

It was all because he invited wolves into his house that this peaceful and harmonious village of yesteryear had met such a disaster!

Zhao Jingming's body trembled continuously.

He didn't dare to look up at the corpses lying in pools of blood around him, even less did he dare to look at Zhao Family Village, which had already been engulfed in great flames outside.

He just wanted to be an ostrich burying its head in the ground, unwilling to face this bloody reality.

"Heh, naturally it's to destroy the clues, what else could it be?"

At this moment, on the main seat, the third among the Four Fiends of Heshan, his clothes stained with blood and exuding a murderous aura, wiped the blood from his long sword after killing someone. He glanced disdainfully at the cowardly Zhao Jingming below and said.

He stood up, holding his sharp sword, and slowly walked towards Zhao Jingming.

"Although according to the intelligence, that person is merely an insignificant illegitimate son of the Shen Family, he is still the son of the Shen Family Patriarch. Once he is harmed..."

"Heh, although we Four Brothers of Heshan have already prepared to flee to the Southern Yue Kingdom's immortal cultivation world after this matter, and will never return to this land, it's still best not to provoke the retaliation of such a large family."

The third brother walked up to Zhao Jingming, who was trembling all over, and whispered in his ear:

"As long as all the witnesses are dead, and your father and son disappear without a trace, when an investigation is carried out afterwards, the most attention will only be focused on your father and son, and it will have nothing to do with us four brothers."

"Even if they truly suspect us, by then, we four brothers will likely have already fled with the inheritance. The Shen Family won't have the ability to reach the Southern Yue immortal cultivation world tens of thousands of miles away."

"I will thank you father and son on behalf of Big Brother!"

The third brother said in a low voice.

His tone carried a hint of mockery, but also a touch of genuine sincerity.

He was indeed grateful to Zhao Jingming.

Who would have known, that the matter of the Hu Family Patriarch of Great Bay Village, who had some reputation in the desolate borderlands back then, killing a collateral descendant of the Shen Family, would actually involve the inheritance of a True Cultivator at the Out of Body Stage?

Who could have known, that the person who secretly reported to the Shen Family back then, causing the Hu Family's murder to be exposed and ultimately leading to their utter destruction, was actually the village chief of Zhao Family Village, Zhao Hantao, not far from Great Bay Village?

No one would have ever imagined, that Zhao Hantao, a mere cultivator at the Qi Gathering Fourth Level, a diligent and meek farmer toiling in the fields, actually held a great secret concerning the ruins of an Out of Body Stage True Cultivator!

Only an idiot like Zhao Jingming, who had lived a life of ease since childhood, who claimed to be unwilling to live an ordinary life and sought thrills, wanted to come and mingle with them, the robber cultivators.

Originally, when faced with such a clear-eyed and foolish idiot, they would always just take everything and leave.

They never expected that with just a few sweet words during the process, he would reveal such a huge secret!

You must know, that was the cave-mansion ruins of a True Cultivator at the Out of Body Stage!

The Out of Body Stage, was definitely an invincible big shot in this desolate borderland!

And according to deductions, it was the legacy of a disciple from the Elephant Mountain Sect that was destroyed three hundred years ago!

If one could inherit its legacy, Even if it doesn't give the four He Shan brothers a chance to glimpse the divine might of the Out of Body Stage, it's at least enough to give them all an opportunity to reach the ninth level of Qi Gathering!

With such immense wealth bestowed upon them, even if there were risks involved in the process, it would absolutely be worth it!

"No, that's not right. The Shen Family, a great family like the Shen Family, wouldn't be so easily fooled by you. You..."

Zhao Jingming trembled, wanting to say something excitedly, but a sharp long sword, with a swish, had already pierced into him from behind, piercing through his body and his heart.

The rest of Zhao Jingming's words were directly choked in his throat, unable to be spoken.

"Rest assured, Brother Zhao, you don't need to worry about this. We four brothers have our own plans."

"Brother Zhao has bestowed a fortune upon us. Such great kindness is truly unpayable, so we can only send Brother Zhao and his entire family to the Yellow Springs to reunite."

"Rest assured, Brother Zhao, your father will soon join you on the road to the Yellow Springs. Don't worry about being lonely down there."

Zhao Jingming's body fell powerlessly.

At the moment of his death, his eyes revealed endless unwillingness and regret.

Father...

I'm sorry. I was wrong.

Gazing at the corpse lying on the ground, the third brother revealed a mocking sneer on his face.

He wiped the bloodstains from the long sword with a rag, and was about to turn and leave.

However, at that very instant, Clang!

A clear bell sound echoed within the spacious house.

The sound seemed to carry some kind of invisible demonic power, directly penetrating the depths of one's spiritual consciousness.

Instantly, the third brother felt as if a heavy iron bar had smashed down on his head.

His head went dizzy, and he froze in place.

My computer broke the day before yesterday and I only got it repaired yesterday afternoon, so the second chapter is late.

I'm numb.

No money.

If I had money, I'd definitely buy myself a backup laptop.