Treasures and Beauty

Treasures and Beauty

"Five-hundred-year Blood Soul Jade!"

"Thousand-year Poison Sand Gold!"

"The Spirit Stones are actually piled into a small mountain... Huh, this kind of purple Spirit Stone, could it be Superior Spirit Stones?!"

"And complete sets of magical artifacts, high-grade flying swords, and pills!"

He had expected there to be plenty of treasure, but his Qi Refining Stage strength had still limited his imagination. He truly had not expected a Golden Core cultivator's wealth to be so abundant.

Back when he had still been on Blue Star in his previous life, he had heard an interesting question.

It was this: if one day, the lottery ticket you bought together with a companion won five million, would you give half to that companion?

Xiao Liang had once thought that an unlucky bastard like himself would never encounter such a happy problem.

Yet after coming to this immortal cultivation world, he had instead gotten the chance.

Xiao Liang stared somewhat numbly at the dazzling treasures inside the Heaven-Earth Bracelet, caught in an inner struggle.

But a moment later, Xiao Liang could not help laughing.

Because he had thought of his ability to transmigrate.

He thought of the myriad worlds he had once glimpsed in passing—though they had been apocalypse versions.

All of it foretold that his fate would be extraordinary. His horizons would never be confined to the Sky Mist Continent.

Compared to the benefits before him, Xiao Liang felt that preserving a free and unfettered heart was more important. Otherwise, the remnants of morality from his previous life would surely bring him no small amount of torment.

Most importantly, compared to the vast sea of countless stars, was this little bit of treasure really worth risking his conscience over?

Wake up, my friend. Countless civilization ruins were waiting to be explored, and endless lost treasures were waiting to see the light of day again.

Even if I become a devil, I would rather people describe me as cunning, terrifying, evil, and tyrannical than label me a backstabber, miser, or schemer. That would be far too low-class.

As Xiao Liang thought this, he glanced at Qin Long, who stood quietly to the side with only curiosity on her face. He sighed inwardly. People from Blue Star really have filthy hearts.

This female cultivator's cultivation was several levels higher than his. She had a special physique and a Nascent Soul inheritance. Who knew how many trump cards she had? She was definitely no fool.

Besides, she had not made a move against him, an Early Qi Refining Stage cultivator.

Even if he used some underhanded tricks to keep a few scraps for himself, it would not do much for his cultivation.

After all, one had to eat one bite at a time. The resources dropped by that old ghost Hundred Tribulations were enough for his early development, even if he only took a small portion of them.

For the current Xiao Liang, as long as his initial development needs were met, he could rapidly grow stronger through a snowballing process until people were left dumbfounded.

When it came time to seize truly enormous benefits, it would depend on how he explored the apocalypse worlds in the future.

Excessive, unnecessary greed was simply foolishness.

Once his thoughts settled, Xiao Liang made up his mind and felt his mind become much clearer.

He took out a pile of Spirit Stones from the Heaven-Earth Bracelet—there had to be over ten thousand of them. They formed a mountain of Spirit Stones, and intense spiritual energy instantly spread through the air.

Just one breath of it made one feel refreshed and clear-headed.

When the Golden Core old ghost, Hundred Tribulations Daoist, saw this, he thought Xiao Liang only planned to divide this much.

He immediately shot Xiao Liang an almost imperceptible glance. Seeing the latter's utterly calm expression, he spat viciously in his heart.

As expected of a brat from my Ten Thousand Demon Cavern. How greedy and vicious.

"Wow! So many Spirit Stones..."

In contrast, Qin Long's eyes sparkled. Her delicate hand swept through the pile of Spirit Stones, producing a crisp rustling sound.

Her gaze was pure, completely immersed in the sight before her. She seemed fully satisfied already and did not even glance at Xiao Liang again.

Nor did she ask to inspect the Heaven-Earth Bracelet. She simply accepted the result before her with delight.

"Ghost Shadow, we only survived because you fought desperately. However you plan to divide these Spirit Stones is fine with me."

Qin Long smiled at Xiao Liang, then walked to one side with her hands folded and handed the decision to him.

At this moment, Hundred Tribulations Daoist looked at the woman as though she were an idiot.

There's only this little stuff, and she still wants to split it, making me get even less? For an old devil, that is unimaginable.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

But Xiao Liang merely snorted, raised his head, and said calmly, "What are you talking about? That old ghost has plenty of treasures. This pile of Spirit Stones is the least valuable thing inside!"

After saying that, he brought out several more piles of Spirit Stones and stacked them together until they rose all the way to the hall's ceiling.

Qin Long's eyes widened slightly, but Xiao Liang did not stop moving.

High-grade artifact-refining materials!

Out they came! They covered the floor like heaps of scrap iron.

Rare magical artifacts, formation flags, flying swords, and pills!

Out they came! Bottles and jars piled up like they had entered a general store.

Some treasured jade slips containing spells!

Handwritten notes recording cultivation insights!

Maps to some hidden treasure locations!

All of it came out! Layer upon layer, piled together as casually as wastepaper.

Every single item was extraordinary. Each time one was taken out, Hundred Tribulations Daoist's brows twitched, and he glared viciously at Xiao Liang as though he wanted to swallow him alive.

Those treasures were all his!

Originally, Xiao Liang secretly keeping most of the treasures, while despicable and shameless, had suited the old ghost quite well.

Because Hundred Tribulations Daoist had been thinking that once Xiao Liang died someday, he could inherit his own estate again.

But now, this spendthrift seemed determined to divide the treasures in the Heaven-Earth Bracelet with this little girl.

Once the two went their separate ways, one to the ends of the earth and the other across the seas, how would the Patriarch take over again?

"Ghost Shadow, this is too much. You don't have to..."

Qin Long pursed her lips and looked at Xiao Liang. Rather than being as delighted as before, her expression had become quite complicated.

Xiao Liang held the Heaven-Earth Bracelet and gave it another shake. Several South Sea Spirit Pearls brimming with spiritual energy actually fell out one after another.

"Mm, it's finally empty. This should be about everything!"

Then Xiao Liang clapped his hands and casually tossed the Heaven-Earth Bracelet in his hand onto the pile of Spirit Stones.

Looking around, the once extremely empty Earthfire Hall was nearly filled to the brim with every kind of treasure.

Hundred Tribulations Daoist had not been boasting. The Heaven-Earth Bracelet truly could hold a mountain. Once all the treasures inside were taken out, there were so many that they made one dizzy.

The escaping spiritual energy even formed a thin white mist, gathering in the air above the hall into the shapes of rare birds, strange beasts, precious flowers, and exotic grasses as though it possessed intelligence.

The space left for them to stand in had become extremely narrow. They had been completely submerged in treasure.

"According to our agreement before entering the hall, half of these treasures for each of us should be fair enough."

Hearing Xiao Liang's words, as plain as water, Hundred Tribulations Daoist felt tears stream down his heart and nearly fainted.

Besides the resources originally in the Earthfire Hall, there were also heavenly treasures he had painstakingly accumulated over centuries. Yet they were now being divided between two Qi Refining Stage juniors.

"You devil brat, why don't you divide me up too?!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Perhaps because he could not bear to watch any longer.

Hundred Tribulations Daoist suddenly controlled the Golden Core, sending it crashing wildly through the air before it plunged headfirst into the now-empty Heaven-Earth Bracelet and fell silent.

Qin Long, however, could not help laughing when she heard Hundred Tribulations Daoist's complaint.

Then she turned to Xiao Liang, her eyes holding both appreciation and a trace of reproach.

"You're actually a smart person. You should know that you don't need to give me so much. You saved my life, and I'm very grateful."

"I know, but I suddenly didn't want to do that."

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't sit right with me."

Qin Long suddenly laughed. Her brows and eyes were full of mirth as she pointed at Xiao Liang. "Perhaps you really should learn from that Golden Core old ghost how to be a proper devil."

Xiao Liang tugged at the corner of his mouth and spread his hands. It seemed he still had a long way to go before becoming a stingy, despicable devil.

"But doing this puts me in a difficult position."

"If you feel that you owe me a favor, there's no need. I don't care about that. I wanted to cultivate the true inheritance technique you gave me myself."

Xiao Liang said.

Qin Long shook her head, then circled Xiao Liang a few steps. With a raised hand, she drew a flying sword from the treasure pile into her slender hand.

She casually performed several sword forms. The spiritual light gleamed brightly, and the sword qi stretched like a rainbow. It was countless times better than her previous Clear Wind Sword.

"Luoshui... what a fine sword. It surpasses countless ordinary weapons."

Qin Long held the sword before her and examined it closely. Its name was engraved upon it.

She lightly stroked the blade with two fingers. The sword body trembled faintly, like a pool of autumn water, reflecting the peerless face of a woman of stunning beauty.

"You... So it was a disguise technique!"

Xiao Liang stared blankly, then felt it was only natural. He had long thought that this woman's bearing and figure did not match her ordinary appearance.

"It's just a disguise trick from the martial world. Ghost Shadow, do you know how long I've been on the path of immortality?"

"I don't."

Xiao Liang considered it, then shook his head. With this woman's talent and fortune, he truly could not tell how long it had taken her to reach the Fifth Level of Qi Refining.

Qin Long did not mind. Her appearance was exceedingly beautiful, but not the fragile, flower-like sort of beauty that inspired pity. It was the dashing beauty of a proud eagle.

She was unlike the cultivators Xiao Liang remembered. She was more like a wandering heroine of the martial world, whose life and death were bound to a single sword amid storms and bloodshed.

"It has been less than half a year since I encountered my immortal opportunity, so I don't consider myself a cultivator. I would rather see myself as someone of the martial world."

Qin Long's eyes fixed on Xiao Liang. An intimidating aura erupted from her as the sword in her hand pointed straight at him.

Damn it, this woman isn't about to make a move, is she?

Just as Xiao Liang thought he was about to be robbed and slashed with a sword, the sword's owner suddenly curved her lips into a captivating smile.

"By the rules of the martial world in Yan Kingdom, if I cannot repay a life-saving grace, then I can only offer myself in marriage!"