The three entered the abode and returned to the hall they had visited earlier. Su Ru was already waiting there. When she saw Xu Yang and the others, she quickly rose and went to greet them.
After they had met, nobody said much. They went straight to sit in the chairs in the hall. Su Ru looked anxiously at Ling Feng, her expression full of questions.
Ling Feng glanced at Su Ru, then took out the Taiyin Jade Rabbit Bracelet from his robes. "This is a spatial treasure called the Taiyin Jade Rabbit. The female cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm wore it close to her body. The things we're looking for should be inside its space."
As he spoke, Ling Feng raised his hand and passed the bracelet to Su Ru. She accepted it delightedly and examined it closely. Then Ling Feng gave her a detailed account of what had happened inside the abode.
The dangers they had faced left Su Ru, who had been happily inspecting the Lunar Bracelet, looking shocked. Finally, Ling Feng nodded at Xu Yang and said, "We owe a great deal to Fellow Daoist Xu Yang this time. Otherwise, I would have been dead long ago, and we could never have obtained the treasures in the abode."
After hearing Ling Feng's account, Qin Shuang and his wife immediately rose and bowed to Xu Yang. "My wife and I thank Fellow Daoist Xu for your wholehearted assistance. We will remember this kindness."
Xu Yang quickly stood and cupped his hands. "Thank you, seniors. I won't stand on ceremony. If I need help in the future, I'll come to you."
Xu Yang said no more about it. Instead, he took out a Qiankun Bag and placed it on the stone table. Turning to Qin Shuang, he said, "The treasures we found on this expedition are in this bag. Ling Feng and I divided the pills for Qi Refining cultivators between us; everything else is here. The Talisman Treasure, the God-Sealing Lock, is with Fellow Daoist Ling."
Qin Shuang's expression shifted at Xu Yang's words. He reached for the Qiankun Bag and emptied its contents onto the table. In an instant, it was covered with all manner of treasures: pills, magical treasures, and spirit materials.
Qin Shuang and his wife were astonished. They hadn't expected Xu Yang and Ling Feng to obtain so many treasures. A glint flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes as he silently praised Xu Yang. Xu Yang had brought out all these treasures without a moment's hesitation, proving he was no greedy man and had an excellent temperament.
Qin Shuang looked over the treasures on the table and smiled at Xu Yang and Ling Feng. "You both contributed greatly to the successful completion of this mission. You may choose your treasures first."
Xu Yang and Ling Feng exchanged a glance but didn't refuse. They went straight to the stone table and began choosing carefully. There were two magical treasures on it: a Flying Sword and a precious mirror. Xu Yang only glanced at them before looking away. Magical treasures could only be wielded after reaching the Golden Core Realm, which was far beyond him. It was better to choose something more practical.
Besides these, there were six top-grade Dharma Artifacts: two Flying Swords, a small emerald-green mountain, a Whisk, a green Daoist robe, and a precious mirror. Xu Yang's gaze fell on the mirror and the emerald-green mountain. Without hesitation, he reached out and picked them up.
Ling Feng thought for a moment, then took one of the Flying Swords and the green Daoist robe. After that, the two of them also took some spirit pills that could improve the cultivation of Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with a few common refining materials, and then stepped away from the table.
Once the two had finished choosing, Qin Shuang walked forward and swept the treasures off the stone table. Turning to Ling Feng, he said, "Ling Feng, you obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill in the abode. You're about to go into seclusion and break through to Foundation Establishment, aren't you?"
Ling Feng replied with delight, "That's right! I never expected to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill this time. I've been at the peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining for a long while. As soon as I get back, I'll go into seclusion and make my breakthrough."
Qin Shuang nodded. "Good. Once you break through, I'll give you another reward. Go into seclusion now. I imagine you can hardly wait."
At those words, Ling Feng could no longer contain his eagerness. He rose and solemnly cupped his hands to Xu Yang. "I hope Fellow Daoist Xu will understand. Once I break through to Foundation Establishment, I'll thank you for saving my life. For now, I'll take my leave."
Xu Yang waved a hand and said sincerely, "I understand how eager you must be. I wish you a smooth breakthrough and success in reaching Foundation Establishment." Ling Feng bowed to Xu Yang, nodded to Qin Shuang and his wife, then turned and headed deeper into the abode.
After watching Ling Feng leave, Qin Shuang turned to Xu Yang with a smile. "Ling Feng is like a brother to me. Once he breaks through to Foundation Establishment, I'll give him a separate reward. But Fellow Daoist Xu is different. You contributed greatly to the success of this operation, so I naturally ought to show my gratitude for your help."
Qin Shuang continued, "Besides, I took the lion's share of the treasures from this expedition. The two magical treasures and the other spirit pills are extremely valuable. I can't simply ignore that." He stroked his chin and pondered, clearly considering how best to thank Xu Yang.
After a moment, Qin Shuang clapped his hands and took a pile of things from his Qiankun Bag. "These are items I've kept in my collection. Some are extremely valuable, while even I don't know what some of them are for. Fellow Daoist Xu, you may choose three. Consider it my thanks."
Curious, Xu Yang wanted to see what treasures Qin Shuang had collected. He immediately went to the stone table and looked down at the items on it.
There weren't many things on the table, only five: a dark tortoiseshell, two white insect eggs about the size of ping-pong balls, a red crystal the size of a fist, a fist-sized piece of Deep Sea Cold Iron, and a thumb-sized piece of Geng Metal.
The tortoiseshell seemed incomplete, with more than half of it missing; only a third remained. Nobody knew what kind of demonic beast had laid the two white eggs. Xu Yang had no idea what the red crystal was either. The Deep Sea Cold Iron and Geng Metal, on the other hand, were immensely valuable and rare. They were generally used only by cultivators at the Golden Core Realm or above.
After considering for a moment, Xu Yang chose the broken tortoiseshell, the two white eggs, and the red crystal. He made his choices partly out of curiosity and in the hope of stumbling upon a hidden treasure, and partly to leave Qin Shuang with a good impression. The Deep Sea Cold Iron and Geng Metal were far too valuable, and he had no use for them anytime soon. Better to win Qin Shuang and his wife's favor.
Qin Shuang was a little surprised by Xu Yang's choices. He silently praised him. Good lad. He even turned down the Deep Sea Cold Iron and Geng Metal, resisting their temptation. If he can keep this up, he's bound to achieve great things. His regard for Xu Yang grew even stronger.
Once Xu Yang had made his choices, Qin Shuang swept his sleeve and returned the Deep Sea Cold Iron and Geng Metal to his Qiankun Bag. He explained, "I found the Geng Metal and Deep Sea Cold Iron in an Ancient Cultivator Abode. As for the three things you chose, I found them in a marketplace. That tortoiseshell is incredibly tough. Even a top-grade Dharma Artifact can barely scratch it, and I have no idea why."
"As for the two white eggs, after investigating them from every angle, I learned that they belong to Ice Centipedes. Ice Centipedes are extremely powerful demonic beasts. Once they reach adulthood, they're already at the Golden Core Realm. As for the red crystal, I have no idea what it is either. I only know that it's incredibly hard, no less so than the tortoiseshell."
After listening to Qin Shuang's explanation, Xu Yang nodded in understanding and put the three treasures into his Qiankun Bag. Then he said solemnly to Qin Shuang and his wife, "You two should give the Lunar Bracelet to Yaoyao as soon as possible. Only Yaoyao can refine it and open the space inside."
"I think Yaoyao should receive the female cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm's legacy as soon as possible. The situation in Yue Province is somewhat chaotic right now, and there's also an abode in Yong Province waiting for Yaoyao to inherit. But hundreds of years have passed. Who knows what condition the abode is in now? The higher Yaoyao's cultivation, the better."
"Besides, that female cultivator had enemies in Yong Province. What will you do if they come looking for you one day?" Qin Shuang and his wife's expressions changed at once. They had been so caught up in their excitement that they hadn't considered any of this. Now that Xu Yang had brought it up, a sense of urgency immediately welled up in them.
The couple exchanged a glance. Su Ru said gratefully to Xu Yang, "Thank you for reminding us, Fellow Daoist Xu. My husband and I hadn't thought of that. I'll go find Yaoyao right away and have her refine the Lunar Bracelet. Please excuse me." She rose, bowed to Xu Yang, and headed toward the inner chambers of the abode.
After Su Ru left, Xu Yang and Qin Shuang chatted pleasantly. Xu Yang took the opportunity to humbly ask Qin Shuang about the questions he had encountered in his cultivation. Qin Shuang kept nothing to himself and explained everything in detail. Xu Yang was suddenly enlightened; one difficulty after another became clear, and his heart opened wide.
After their conversation, Xu Yang admired Qin Shuang even more. He hadn't expected Qin Shuang's knowledge to be so broad or for him to understand the many questions of cultivation so thoroughly. Xu Yang couldn't help but admit he was outmatched.
They talked for a while longer. Xu Yang noticed Qin Shuang repeatedly glancing toward the inner chambers and immediately understood that he was worried something might go wrong while Yaoyao refined the Taiyin Jade Rabbit. Xu Yang quickly ended the conversation and rose. "Thanks to your guidance today, senior, I've been enlightened. I'm truly grateful."
"Since you're worried about Yaoyao, I won't keep you any longer. I'll take my leave now so you can go check on her. I'll visit again another time."
Qin Shuang rose and said to Xu Yang, "I truly am worried about them, so I hope Fellow Daoist Xu will understand. Since you're leaving, I won't see you out. If you need to contact me in the future, you can send me a message with this Sound Transmission Talisman." As he spoke, Qin Shuang tapped his Qiankun Bag and took out a Sound Transmission Talisman, which he handed to Xu Yang.
Xu Yang accepted it, put it in his Qiankun Bag, and cupped his hands to Qin Shuang before turning to leave. Qin Shuang watched him leave the hall, then immediately went into the inner chambers to check on Su Ru and her daughter.
Before you continue