Hall of Treasures.
The Hall of Treasures was an enormous palace. Magical treasures and strange objects floated high above, radiating waves of powerful energy...
Although these waves made one's heart tremble, they were all kept under control by the spells and restrictions cast by the first master, Daoist Sanshou.
So even though the magical treasures above possessed overwhelming power, it was perfectly safe below.
"There are many magical treasures and strange objects in this Hall of Treasures." Yellow-Haired Great Bear looked at Lei Zhan beside him. A golden book appeared out of thin air in his hand. "The treasures and strange objects recorded in this golden book are all Human-Grade. You may choose one."
"Go ahead and look."
Lei Zhan nodded and took the golden book.
The golden book bore only two God-Devil characters: Treasures. When he opened it, he found illustrations of magical treasures and strange objects, along with written descriptions.
"Water-Fire Primordial Staff?"
"I cultivate the Crimson Bright Nine Heavens Map, so I'm naturally skilled in the Dao of Water and Fire. This treasure would be extremely suitable for God-Devil Body Refining. What a pity..."
Lei Zhan shook his head. He used a spear, and he had just obtained a divine weapon that his master, Immortal Juhua, had custom-forged for him. He wasn't all that eager for this treasure.
"Star-Radiance Divine Needles? A set of thirty-six? If my Qi Refining cultivation breaks through to the Purple Mansion, this treasure would be just the thing to make up for the shortcomings in my Qi Refining Path techniques." Lei Zhan's gaze lingered on the Star-Radiance Divine Needles.
This set of treasures also counted as a single item, but all thirty-six Star-Radiance Divine Needles were top-grade Human-Grade magical treasures. Being of the same origin, the complete set was far more valuable than ordinary treasures of the same level.
"Seventy-two top-grade Human-Grade fire-attribute flying swords? This set has even more of them!"
"This Separating Fire Sword Formation is made up entirely of top-grade Human-Grade flying swords. And flying swords are the most commonly used treasures among the Qi Refining immortals of the Three Realms." Yellow-Haired Great Bear pointed at this page of the Treasure Catalog.
"Though you follow the Great Dao of the Spear, using Qi Refining techniques as a supplement would make up for the fact that God-Devil Body Refining isn't suited to fighting at long range."
Yellow-Haired Great Bear said mildly, "If your Qi Refining method didn't produce far purer elemental energy than other methods, you probably wouldn't even have been allowed to see this set until after you passed the second level of the War God Hall."
"Most importantly, Juhua can guide you in using these Qi Refining techniques."
"Mm." Lei Zhan looked down at the Treasure Catalog in his hands, his gaze settling on that page as well.
Flying swords were indeed among the treasures most commonly used by cultivators.
Even if one didn't follow the sword path, flying swords had many functions and uses.
Most importantly, they were well-rounded.
"If I want to supplement my Qi Refining techniques, this set of Separating Fire Sword Formation treasures has more pieces. It's more suitable for me than the Star-Radiance Divine Needles."
Lei Zhan nodded, then continued flipping through the pages. The treasures in the Hall of Treasures were as numerous as the stars; surely there would be something better further on.
Lei Zhan turned the pages one by one, unable to tear his eyes away.
"These treasures..." Lei Zhan marveled.
The weakest treasures listed here were all top-grade Human-Grade! More than half were peak-grade Human-Grade! Some sets were even made up of dozens, or a hundred or more, magical treasures.
For the first time, Lei Zhan gained a clear understanding of the Water Mansion's reserves. He had known that Daoist Sanshou was powerful and that Star-Plucking Mansion had deep foundations, but it had always felt distant, like flowers glimpsed through a fog.
Now...
"I really wish I could take them all." Lei Zhan grumbled inwardly, then shook his head with a rueful smile.
"Too bad I can only exchange for one."
But if he exchanged for a powerful peak-grade Human-Grade treasure to break through to the Purple Mansion using the Nine Directions Fragment, the foundation he established would be far stronger than if he used an ordinary treasure.
"What? Already unable to tear your eyes away?" Yellow-Haired Great Bear glanced at Lei Zhan. "I told you back then: if you'd come here while you were still at the Xiantian level, you might have gotten two extra chances to choose treasures."
"The treasures... truly stir the heart. After seeing the treasures in this Hall of Treasures' catalog, the few magical treasures I have seem almost too shabby to show anyone." Lei Zhan sighed.
"How could those ordinary things you have compare with the treasures in the catalog?" Yellow-Haired Great Bear shook his head.
"Only the three Blood-Refined Divine Weapons Juhua made for you could make it into the Earth-Grade Treasure Catalog, thanks to their superior materials."
Lei Zhan nodded. He truly did love those three Cold Shadow Spears.
"The number of Human-Grade magical treasures listed in this catalog alone is staggering." Lei Zhan looked at Yellow-Haired Great Bear. "Senior Big Bear, these treasures have left me spoiled for choice. Could you pick out some that would suit me?"
Magical treasures.
Strange objects.
As Lei Zhan looked over one treasure after another, he found himself sorely tempted. But he knew that he could only exchange for one right now.
No matter how many he looked at, he could only yearn for them, his heart itching for what he couldn't have.
"Mm."
Yellow-Haired Great Bear nodded and waved his hand. The Treasure Catalog in Lei Zhan's hands instantly became much thinner.
"You like sets with lots of pieces, so I've left in plenty of those." Yellow-Haired Great Bear said, "But if you want something better, you'll have to break into the War God Hall."
"The first level poses no challenge to you. I'm sure you wouldn't waste one of your precious chances on it."
"But if you pass the second level, you can choose any treasure in the Hall of Treasures that's of the same value as a Human-Grade magical treasure. Some of them are very special, very unusual... far better than anything you've seen here. Though they're only Human-Grade magical treasures, some are more precious than ordinary Earth-Grade ones."
"Mm." Lei Zhan understood. Daoist Sanshou had left behind the Water Mansion inheritance to cultivate a successor. Naturally, he wouldn't raise hothouse flowers.
Want magical treasures? Strange objects?
Of course. Every treasure in the Hall of Treasures would make even a Celestial God or True Immortal green with envy.
As long as you could pass the War God Hall, you'd have a chance to obtain one of its top treasures.
After looking through the catalog for a long while...
"I'll choose this set." Lei Zhan turned the Treasure Catalog to a page and pointed at it.
"Rahula Divine Needles?" Yellow-Haired Great Bear seemed surprised. "Juhua is a sword immortal. If you choose the Separating Fire Sword Formation, he could teach you a sword formation technique."
"Even if you don't cultivate the sword path, using a sword formation technique wouldn't interfere with that."
"I remember he once killed a cultivator called Immortal Thousand Swords. That Immortal Thousand Swords had a Lesser Thousand Sword Formation that was decent."
"That Lesser Thousand Sword Formation is best suited to cultivators with abundant magic power and powerful souls."
"Lesser Thousand Sword Formation..." Hearing the familiar name, Lei Zhan hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"The Separating Fire Sword Formation is indeed excellent. But this set of Rahula Divine Needles has even more pieces—one hundred and twenty-eight in all—and each one is top-grade Human-Grade. The more treasures there are, the greater their power, as long as they can be controlled properly."
"Right now, my greatest strengths are my comprehension of the Dao and my God-Devil Body Refining techniques."
"Mm. Have you decided?" Yellow-Haired Great Bear turned to look at Lei Zhan. "There are very few chances to choose a treasure in the Hall of Treasures. Once you choose, you can't take it back!"
Lei Zhan nodded. "This is the one!"
"Good." Yellow-Haired Great Bear said no more.
"Come."
Yellow-Haired Great Bear pointed toward the high sky. Among the countless magical treasures and strange objects floating overhead, a streak of light shot down from a corner of the darkened sky, from a spot so remote the naked eye couldn't even see it. Like a shooting star, it quickly pierced through the barriers and dropped straight to the ground.
Lei Zhan turned to look. A cluster of inch-long black needles lay together, like a ball bristling with thorns.
"These are the Rahula Divine Needles you asked for." Yellow-Haired Great Bear beckoned, and the "ball" flew over. In an instant, the needles spread apart and circled around Lei Zhan.
Light flowed across the black needles. Each Rahula Divine Needle bore countless mysterious patterns, which linked together in formation, faintly forming an intricate array.
"What a treasure. Truly a fine treasure." Lei Zhan said delightedly, "These one hundred and twenty-eight top-grade Human-Grade Rahula Divine Needles seem to grow even more powerful when combined!"
"Of course. Every treasure in my Hall of Treasures has something precious about it. Otherwise, how could it be called a 'treasure'?" Yellow-Haired Great Bear said proudly.
"Of course." Lei Zhan nodded, then waved his hand and put away the set of Rahula Divine Needles.
"Now that you've chosen your treasure, little fellow, your Qi Refining cultivation is still only at the peak of the Xiantian level. You can see it, but you can't use it." Yellow-Haired Great Bear shook his head slightly. "Are you going to break into the War God Hall next?"
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