Immediately after.
His gaze fell upon another bronze treasure chest...
The entire chest gleamed with a deep, shadowy azure light. Ancient patterns engraved across its lid coiled and wound about, identical to those on the chest opened earlier.
A similar aura of Restrictions flowed faintly from it.
Clearly.
These two sets of Restrictions came from the same source, both sealing methods passed down through the Golden Flood Dragon Clan.
With a single sweep of his eyes, Cheng Buzheng saw through its workings and found the precise location of the core node through which the Restrictions circulated.
After one glance...
He did not hesitate. Flicking his finger—
A five-colored Spirit Light shot from his fingertips, swift as lightning and sharp as a shuttle, striking the core node where several patterns converged upon the chest's surface with unerring accuracy.
Bang!
With a soft sound, the bronze lid sprang open.
There were no Spirit Materials or rare ores within, as he had expected. Instead, what met his eyes were round, jade-like pearls, each one suffused with flowing golden light.
Profound patterns had naturally formed across their surfaces, and an extraordinary aura seeped faintly from them. They were clearly no ordinary objects.
At the sight, Cheng Buzheng's gaze tightened, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes.
He did not touch them directly, merely reaching out and making a beckoning gesture—
Buzz!
A golden pearl rose from the chest at once. Flowing light turned across its surface as though drawn by an invisible force, tracing a brilliant arc through the air before landing steadily in his outstretched palm.
The pearl was slightly heavy in his hand, warm and smooth like jade, yet it faintly carried a rhythm resembling the pulse of a bloodline.
Cheng Buzheng slowly opened his palm. A golden pearl the size