Spiritual Treasures

"Azure Cloud Sect..."

Hua Yuhe's expression changed drastically.

Although she came from a branch of the Hua Household, had married out of the family many years ago, and had little contact with Rejuvenation Valley,

Hua Yuhe still knew of the momentous news that a new-method sect had appeared on the Southern Edge Continent for the first time.

The Hua Household's branch had, in particular, now joined the Azure Cloud Sect.

Hua Yuhe put aside her bearing as the city lord's wife and a noble daughter of a great clan, lowered her eyes, and said, "Hua Yuhe greets Immortal Master Lin."

Lin Muyang shook his head and said earnestly, "Madam Hua is descended from an immortal clan. There's no need to be so polite."

"Besides... it would be better for us to address each other as fellow Daoists."

Hua Yuhe naturally had no desire to place herself a rank below him for no reason. Relieved, she smiled and said, "You're right, Fellow Daoist Lin."

Lin Muyang turned to the silent City Lord Du and asked with interest, "Fellow Daoist Du, was that Invisibility Talisman your work?"

Du Qingquan was silent for a moment before answering, "The Treasure Talismans were passed down by my ancestors. Only three still work."

The Invisibility Talisman had already been seen.

As for the other two, Du Qingquan said no more.

With friend and foe yet to be determined, that was enough to warn and deter Lin Muyang.

"Only the Treasure Talismans, with no inheritance?"

When Lin Muyang saw Du Qingquan shake his head, he was filled with regret. "That truly is a pity."

At the side, Liu Zhijian's heart was pounding like a drum.

Lin Muyang of the Azure Cloud Sect had attacked without hesitation earlier. He was clearly a foe, not a friend.

Du Qingquan and his wife, Hua Yuhe, were clearly formidable figures as well.

The three were talking so animatedly that if they turned around and joined forces against him, he would truly be in serious trouble.

Liu Zhijian had little interest in the Flood Dragon cave abode either. He carefully helped Deng Gang up, preparing to slip away.

"Stop!"

Hua Yuhe's gaze was cold and sharp, and her voice was chilling. "Who are you? Did I say you could leave?!"

Liu Zhijian inwardly cried out in dismay.

He had a Law Artifact bestowed by his master, so dealing with mortal martial artists was naturally no trouble at all.

But if it came to one against three, and all his opponents were cultivators, he feared he would have no chance of winning.

Now he could only play the fox borrowing the tiger's might and take a gamble.

I wanted to get along with you as an ordinary fishing enthusiast, but all I got in return was contempt.

Now I'm done pretending.

Time to lay my cards on the table.

Liu Zhijian sighed and said in a deep voice, "I am Liu Zhijian of Supreme Mystery Mountain. I was ordered to descend the mountain for training and wandered into this situation by mistake. Now I wish to take my friend and leave. Fellow Daoists, please grant me this convenience and do not press the matter."

Hua Yuhe was stunned, unsure for a moment how to respond.

How could this middle-aged man with his plain, rough-hewn face be a cultivator of Supreme Mystery Mountain?!

Hadn't her harsh words and stern manner just now brought trouble down on her?!

Du Shouquan looked startled but remained silent.

Lin Muyang of the Azure Cloud Sect looked grim. He scrutinized Liu Zhijian from head to toe, then slowly asked, "You say you're a cultivator of Supreme Mystery Mountain. Do you have proof?!"

Liu Zhijian took a black token from his robes. A conspicuous character for "mystery" was engraved on it. "Of course."

Hua Yuhe was, after all, from the Hua Household and had heard of this token of Supreme Mystery Mountain. She exclaimed, "The Grand Mysterious Token!"

Lin Muyang's expression turned ugly. He asked hoarsely, "May I ask whose disciple you are, Fellow Daoist?!"

Liu Zhijian was silent for a moment before answering, "My master is the current sect master of Supreme Mystery Mountain."

He's actually the personal disciple of Supreme Mystery Mountain's sect master!

If I had really killed the disciple of Supreme Mystery Mountain's sect master...

Alongside his irritation, Lin Muyang felt a surge of lingering fear.

Before he descended the mountain, the sect elders had repeatedly instructed him to give any cultivator from Supreme Mystery Mountain a wide berth. Under no circumstances was he to get into a conflict and give the Southern Verge Immortal Alliance an excuse to start a war.

Lin Muyang even suspected that Liu Zhijian's appearance was very likely a plot by the pro-war faction of the Southern Verge Immortal Alliance, intended to have him die at Lin Muyang's hands and then spark a great war!

"So you're a fellow Daoist from Supreme Mystery Mountain."

Lin Muyang could only yield now. He took a deep breath and apologized. "Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist."

"I have water and wood dual Spirit Roots, and I mainly cultivate wood techniques."

"When I saw the extraordinary spiritual charm of the Law Artifact in your hand, I was overcome by greed for a moment."

"As the saying goes, those who do not know are not to blame."

"My Azure Cloud Sect is staying in this honored land and has absolutely no intention of offending Supreme Mystery Mountain."

A thought occurred to Lin Muyang. He took a step back and said, "As an apology, you may take one of the spiritual treasures in this Flood Dragon cave abode first. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?!"

Hua Yuhe and Du Qingquan were clearly the owners of the cave abode.

Yet before the disciples of the two immortal sects, they did not even have the standing to speak.

Liu Zhijian secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as they didn't fight, all was well.

As for the spiritual treasure...

He couldn't very well refuse it.

Wouldn't that betray his timidity?!

Liu Zhijian's thoughts raced, and he nodded in agreement.

His gaze swept over the cave abode, and his heart jolted.

In the southeastern corner of the Flood Dragon cave abode, a watery light flickered faintly, at once drawing everyone's attention.

The blind old Daoist from before seemed to have died at the hands of this very thing.

Not only was it quite powerful, but its spiritual charm was astonishing.

Anyone could tell that this spiritual treasure was bound to be extraordinary.

Liu Zhijian's heart surged. The stirring he felt was a hundred times stronger than when he had faced the flood dragon pearl.

This thing is in tune with my very life. It must be a top-grade [Kan Water] spiritual treasure!

I mustn't let it slip by!

Excitement showed on Liu Zhijian's face as he started forward to take it.

"Fellow Daoist Liu."

Lin Muyang looked solemn as he asked tentatively, "May I ask what spiritual treasure this actually is?!"

Liu Zhijian took a deep breath. The fervor in his eyes faded considerably, and he managed to calm himself before saying slowly, "If I'm not mistaken, this is a wisp of [Kan Water] Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi sufficient to enter the Dao."

"As for which particular wisp it is, forgive my poor eyesight, but I truly can't tell."

Lin Muyang cultivated the new method, after all, and did not understand for a moment.

Hua Yuhe and Du Qingquan, standing nearby, had already cried out in shock.

Cultivation by the ancient method was difficult.

The complete [Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] used to enter the Dao through Qi Ingestion was the rarest kind of spiritual treasure.

One only had to look at Li Chengxuan to know.

As the esteemed current sect master of the Grand Mysterious Immortal Sect, he had been unable to find suitable [Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] and had ultimately been forced to refine [Mortal World Turbid Qi] to enter the Dao!

Liu Zhijian had also read quite a few classics. He knew that if he obtained this wisp of [Kan Water Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] today, it would save him years, or even more than a decade, of painstaking effort in the future.

Master said that if I gathered [Clear Qi Above the River], it would surely take a great deal of effort.

This flood dragon must have had quite a background.

The [Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] in its cave abode surely can't be poor.

If I refine it, I might even gain some of the flood dragon's innate gifts, or perhaps even a minor Divine Ability!

The more Liu Zhijian thought about it, the more certain he became that he couldn't miss this chance. He stared fixedly at the watery light, unable to tear his gaze away.

Lin Muyang of the Azure Cloud Sect hesitated. He didn't want to miss out on such a spiritual treasure, but he didn't want to fight Liu Zhijian either.

Hua Yuhe and her husband, Du Qingquan, only dared struggle with the matter in their hearts, but they also knew full well that a treasure like this most likely wasn't destined for them.

"Since you fellow Daoists are letting me choose first, I won't stand on ceremony."

Liu Zhijian finally made up his mind. He took a jade bottle from Deng Gang, collected the pool of flood dragon blood beneath the flood dragon's remains, and carefully put it away. Then he helped Deng Gang up, turned, and left.

As for how the other spiritual treasures were divided, that was no longer his concern.