They were still in that same familiar void.
"Young master, your foresight is truly divine, and your wisdom surpasses all others. Most people would never have imagined the Sima Family still had such a contingency hidden away."
Wang Yong spoke with boundless admiration.
Qing Yun picked up where he left off, chuckling.
"How could either of us compare to the young master? Just wait. There's another fine show coming!"
Ming Hao rubbed his chin, thinking that the crown prince's grand tutor who had written the Record of Strange Encounters was truly a rare talent.
Another hour or so passed, and the sky began to show faint signs of light.
In the pool beside the artificial rockery, an utterly ordinary, unremarkable fish appeared.
It leaped out of the water and transformed into a delicate little girl, as though a magician had conjured a living person out of thin air.
The little girl shook the droplets from her head, stepped forward, and kicked the boy whose heart had just been pierced by a sword.
"Get up. Stop playing dead. No one else should be coming."
Sima Nan Feng's eyes, which had remained open in death, suddenly rolled, and he sprang to his feet with a carp's flip.
Clutching the wound in his chest, he declared smugly:
"Hmph! They'd never have guessed I was born with two hearts, one on the left and one on the right. They only pierced my left heart. They never imagined I had another on the right!"
"Hahahahaha..."
"Stop laughing. You're making my heart flutter with fear. If the enemy hasn't gone far and you draw them back, we're finished."
The little girl, Sima Niji, spoke softly, her face still filled with lingering dread.
"What's there to fear? I don't believe-"
Once again, before Sima Nan Feng could finish speaking, a sword pierced the right side of his chest.
Disbelief covered his face as he struggled to turn around. He wanted to say something, but no longer had the strength even to open his mouth!
Qing Yun forcefully twisted the sword in her hand and remarked in wonder:
"I've heard of people whose hearts grow on the right, but I've never seen anyone with two hearts. What a marvel."
Beside him, Sima Niji clamped her hands tightly over her mouth, desperately trying not to make a sound, as though that would keep her from being discovered!
But everyone's eyes were sharp and bright. In the end, she still could not escape her fate!
Qing Yun darted forward like a phantom. Cold light flashed from her longsword, and with two wet shlucks, its tip pierced Sima Niji's body with deadly precision.
Then her palms flew, delivering several strikes like a sudden storm. Their force surged forth with the might to topple mountains and overturn seas, instantly shattering every bone and sinew in both bodies!
Only after Qing Yun finished this sequence of attacks did Ying Ming Hao stroll forward unhurriedly and begin personally looting the pair's possessions.
He first rummaged inside Sima Nan Feng's clothes and, sure enough, found several Storage Rings.
Next, his gaze fell upon a Ring on Sima Nan Feng's hand that had originally been well concealed.
Under his scrutiny, the Ring slowly revealed its true appearance.
Ying Ming Hao held the Ring and examined it closely, discovering that a sleeping remnant soul was sealed inside.
Besides that, there was a small ten-story pagoda with a crack running down its middle, along with several precious cultivation and martial manuals.
Ming Hao did not spend much time inspecting these items, instead turning his attention to Sima Niji.
He likewise found several Storage Rings on Sima Niji, while the Jade Bangle on her wrist was actually another treasure containing a world within.
Ming Hao gently removed the Jade Bangle and examined it closely, discovering another feeble remnant soul sleeping inside.
There was also a lotus emitting a faint glow, along with several cultivation and martial technique manuals.
Ming Hao dared not be careless in the slightest. He meticulously searched both bodies and the surrounding area several more times, afraid of overlooking anything important.
Sure enough, after this sweeping search, he found several strange fragments.
Finally, Ming Hao stood and ordered his subordinates to conduct another thorough search together, making certain no fish had slipped through the net unnoticed.
Only after turning the entire area inside out and confirming nothing had been missed did he dust off his backside and leave, thoroughly satisfied!
At daybreak, the Guard Army arrived to clean up the scene and conducted another painstaking search from top to bottom. Not so much as a hair had been left behind, prompting another endless round of curses...
In a study covered with formations, Ming Hao sat at a desk with seven or eight Storage Rings laid out before him. They emitted faint glimmers, clearly packed with all manner of treasures.
Ming Hao inspected the Storage Rings with fascination, his heart brimming with anticipation.
These Rings were the first he had personally looted from others.
The resources previously looted from the Sima Family's children had barely warmed in his hands before, after some thought, Ming Hao bestowed them upon Qing Yun, Wang Yong, and the others to fund their future cultivation.
Yet that was not all. Not only had Ming Hao gained nothing from them, he had even contributed a considerable quantity of resources out of his own pocket.
After all, if you wanted a horse to run, you had to feed it grass. Otherwise, who would sincerely risk their life for you?
At that thought, his heart could not help bleeding a little.
Fortunately, there were still the fine treasures looted from Sima Nan Feng and Sima Niji.
Ming Hao picked up one of the Storage Rings, which contained a small, exquisitely crafted ten-story pagoda.
The little pagoda looked remarkably intricate. A crack ran up its middle from the base to the top, but strangely, it had not split cleanly in two; a few portions still held it together.
Ming Hao studied the little pagoda carefully, turning it over and over, but could find nothing else unusual about it.
Three tiny characters were engraved at its summit-"Demon-Suppressing Pagoda." Yet Ming Hao was unfamiliar with the name and had no idea what the little pagoda actually did.
Even more troubling, repairing it would probably consume enormous resources, with no guarantee of success.
Ming Hao could not help hesitating, unsure whether he should devote so much effort to repairing it.
He casually tossed it aside, and it shot like a meteor straight into the emerald-colored Cosmos Ring on his finger.
This Cosmos Ring was no ordinary item. Its internal space was more than hundreds of times larger than that of a normal Storage Ring!
Next, Ming Hao swiftly turned, his gaze falling upon a dusty cultivation manual.
Without hesitation, he picked up the book and gently brushed away the dust. In an instant, four large characters appeared before his eyes as though imbued with magic-"Devouring Great Art."
A trace of delight immediately appeared on Ming Hao's face, and he murmured:
"Have I stumbled upon a treasure?!" Though his voice was soft, it could not hide his excitement.
Filled with anticipation, Ming Hao slowly opened the manual to its first page.
Yet the moment his gaze touched those rows of words, a powerful attraction seized his eyes like an invisible vortex.
The words seemed alive, radiating a unique, irresistible allure.
They seemed to be telling a secret-a secret of devouring all things in the world and transforming them into one's own strength...
But just as Ming Hao became immersed in the words' magic, a warning suddenly leaped into view:
"Those who cultivate this art are prone to cultivation deviation and loss of reason, ultimately becoming demonic beasts that know only slaughter!"
Ming Hao's gaze faltered, and a chill rose in his heart. This art was indeed incomparably powerful, but it seemed those who cultivated it would all meet a grim end!
After a moment's hesitation, Ming Hao shook his head and set the Devouring Great Art aside.
After all, he had no desire to become a demonic beast that knew only slaughter.
Then Ming Hao turned his attention to the other three cultivation manuals.
These were the Earth-Escape Technique, the Ninefold Body Refining Art, and the Alchemy Compendium.
Examining the Earth-Escape Technique in his hand, he recalled how easily Sima Nan Feng had hidden within the artificial rockery without ever being detected. It certainly had its merits.
The Ninefold Body Refining Art focused on cultivating the body through methods somewhat akin to self-mutilation. He had no desire to seek out suffering for no reason!
The Alchemy Compendium recorded methods for refining all manner of wondrous medicinal elixirs, as well as the growing environments, effects, and other details of various spirit herbs.
The remaining Storage Rings held over a hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones and several million low-tier spirit stones, along with plenty of other pills and spirit herbs.
Finally, he picked up the Ring housing the remnant soul. Upon opening it, he found only an alchemy furnace and nothing else. Clearly, that unidentified remnant soul was hiding within the furnace.
A trace of emotion crossed Ming Hao's face. Despite his young age, Sima Nan Feng had clearly possessed heaven-defying opportunities, no different from a legendary chosen son of destiny.
Given a little time, he would surely have risen to prominence with unstoppable momentum!
Unfortunately, his lineage had made the wrong choice, dragging him down to an early grave.
Having finished inspecting Sima Nan Feng's Storage Rings, he turned his gaze toward Sima Niji's, filled with anticipation!
He first checked the Storage Rings. They held over two hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones, more than three million middle-grade spirit stones, billions upon billions of lower-grade spirit stones, mountains of low-tier spirit stones, and plenty of other wondrous medicinal elixirs.
Clearly, the Sima Family had placed enormous hopes on both of them.
He casually picked up a fiery-red cultivation manual, the Myriad Transformations Art. Those who cultivated it to profound mastery could transform into anything, both real and illusory, making truth and falsehood impossible to distinguish... those lacking firm resolve could easily lose themselves.
The Clear-Mind Art focused on cultivating the soul and safeguarding one's true heart, driving all evil away...
The Lunar True Scripture...
"I wonder what effect the Clear-Mind Art would have when paired with the Devouring Great Art..."
A gleam of inspiration shone in Ming Hao's eyes.
He looked again at the pure-white Jade Bangle. It contained an internal space shrouded in white haze, clearly some form of concealment.
Finally, only a faintly white lotus remained. When he took it in his hand, a sensation both warm and cool passed through him.
As he carefully sensed it, information emerged:
The Nine-Turn Divine Lotus could nourish the soul, strengthen spiritual perception, and improve comprehension.
It was suited to nurturing within the divine sea and was currently in its budding stage!
"Hehe, these are all fine treasures. What a windfall I've picked up for nothing!"
Ming Hao immediately beamed with delight.
Then he picked up the Clear-Mind Art, sat in meditation, and began cultivating!
Strength was the unyielding truth that allowed one to possess everything...
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