Inside the true main hall of the tomb behind the pond, the deep-blue-themed architecture was exceptionally cold and mysterious, with a trace of eeriness permeating the air.
“These are all Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! And this—this is actually a High-Grade Spirit Stone!”
“This is a Mid-Grade Rank 1 magical artifact, and this one is Mid-Grade Rank 3.”
“There are even High Grade spiritual pills among these! We’ve struck it rich; these are all ours now!”
Having already lost many disciples, the remaining party of twenty-seven people had scrambled into the main hall and wandered through several rooms before pushing open the final door. Inside, they found mountains of heavenly treasures, spirit stones, and medicinal pills. The rich aura of spiritual energy instantly surged toward everyone.
The disciples from the five sects, who had just fought a bloody battle, eyes lit up. They felt the pain of their injuries vanish in an instant. Completely ignoring the attempts of their sect elders to stop them, they immediately rushed toward the treasures that they wouldn't have been able to earn even by doing sect missions for their entire lives.
The leading elders from Danfeng Valley and Huayan Villa looked displeased, but they did not stop them again. The more the disciples grabbed, the more the sect would profit; although they couldn't directly snatch the items themselves, it didn't stop them from letting their disciples do the work.
“Where is your decorum? Each of you is being so reckless! Gong Xu, make them all stop.”
Luo Yuntian scolded them a few times for the sake of appearances. Danfeng Valley had lost the fewest disciples this time, but Third Elder Ouyang Ao, a Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator, had perished. Since the elders of the other forces were unharmed, it stood to reason that Danfeng Valley should take the lion’s share.
The other elders also made a show of saying a few half-hearted words.
“Alright, stop embarrassing yourselves. Everyone, stand down!”
Watching this from the side while surrounded by others, Wangquan Gusui’s eyes were full of mockery. When he spoke, it was not to stop the pillaging but to permit it. “Elders, there is no need to be harsh. Everyone here put in a great deal of effort and even lost many elite disciples to accompany me to this place. We agreed before coming in that you would divide these heavenly treasures, spirit pills, and magical artifacts among yourselves. I only want the Moon Soul Arrow.”
Luo Yuntian was the first to speak, his tone polite and respectful. “The Heir’s matters are of the utmost importance; we naturally wouldn't dare forget. Most of these disciples are heavily injured, so let them remain here. We elders will accompany the Heir into the inner tomb to retrieve the Moon Soul Arrow. We certainly won't delay your important business.”
These words made the other elders curse him in their hearts as an old fox. Since Danfeng Valley had the most surviving disciples, if they really divided things by head count later, Danfeng Valley would obviously get the most.
“Very well. Then I shall trouble the elders to enter with me and Housekeeper Li Yan.” Conveniently, Wangquan Gusui went along with his suggestion.
The disciples stayed behind to guard the outer hall while the elders entered the inner chamber.
“This is...”
As the group entered the inner chamber, Luo Yuntian looked up from the crowd, and his pupils suddenly trembled slightly. From a distance, he saw a massive sarcophagus in the dimly lit inner hall. Hovering above the sarcophagus was a deep blue, transparent, and cold bow and arrow. It remained motionless, as if waiting for its master.
Even though one corner of the bow was damaged, they could feel waves of bone-chilling cold emanating from the weapon even from dozens of meters away. Just looking at it was enough to give one goosebumps.
Wangquan Gusui gazed at the Moon Soul Arrow, his eyes burning with a light of determination to possess it.
“That is the Moon Soul Arrow. There are nine arrays within this hall, and there is a restriction upon the sarcophagus. That restriction is derived from an ancient grand array that is far more mysterious and exquisite than ordinary arrays; no outsider can touch the Moon Soul Arrow. Otherwise, it will immediately awaken and fire an arrow. Once touched by the toxic blue flames on the arrow, one’s soul will be damaged, and they will be reduced to ashes in an instant.”
These words immediately intimidated the elders of the various sects.
Helian Zhou of the Moquan Sect was also among them. He frowned slightly and took a step back, not intending to be the one to stick his neck out.
As for Luo Yuntian, he raised a hand to stroke his beard and nodded.
“We can work together to handle the nine arrays. As for that restriction, I haven’t the slightest clue about it.”
Upon hearing this, the elders of Seven Fiends Hall and Wind-Thunder Hall also shook their heads.
Wangquan Gusui introduced the woman in white beside him. “The elders need not worry about that. This Young Villa Mistress of Huayan Villa is a legacy disciple of Master Duan Qiong, who has spent a lifetime studying restrictions and is famous throughout the Eastern Province. With her here, we will surely be able to break the restriction.”
Bai Jinshui, who wore a veil, nodded calmly. “The Heir overpraises me. I only understand a little bit; I cannot compare to the battle-hardened experience of the elders.”
Seeing her humility, the displeasure the elders felt from Wangquan Gusui’s earlier comparison subsided slightly.
Luo Yuntian nodded. “Since the Heir has arranged everything, let us begin immediately to avoid further complications.”
“Very well.”
What the group didn't know was that a figure with a shielded aura had already entered the outer hall where the disciples were waiting.
...
On the city wall, a Demon General’s heart spun continuously. All the demonic meridian energy transformed into a stream of black mist, entering the object below which was shrouded in black flowing light, obscuring its form.
Wen Li watched quietly, her hands forming seals and shifting as she focused. Her brows were furrowed, and she poured all her spiritual power into it.
As the blackish-red color of the Demon General’s heart gradually faded, even turning a grayish-white, the dense spiritual energy around the egg-like object on the ground began to slowly dissipate.
A child gradually appeared.
It was a child with a head of dry red hair and a thin, frail body. Two dark red, sharp demonic horns grew from his head, and his ears were pointed and eerie. A pair of pitch-black pupils faintly glimmered with a dangerous light, and two tiger fangs peeked from the corners of his mouth.
That child was Hua Cishu.
Though he was said to be eight years old, he looked like he was only six due to years of malnutrition and being bullied. Despite this, the child was exceptionally beautiful. His skin was fair, glowing under the sunlight, and his curly red hair drifted like willow catkins rendered in an oil painting. At the corner of his eye was a clear, pale red tear mole.
His beauty was androgynous, making one think he was an angel.
Hua Cishu opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Wen Li in her light green robes against the red sky.
Her gaze was cold yet held a hint of softness as she watched him. She didn't say a word, just watched him silently.
In his throat lingered the taste of the pastries she had fed him earlier.
To others, they might have been too sweet, but to Wen Li, they were just right—and to him, they were a delicacy he had rarely tasted in eight years.
Before he was caught by a cultivator and kicked from the Demon Race lands in the Central Province all the way to the Eastern Province, he could only eat rotten meat covered in mud and drink dirty pond water. Everyone in the Demon Race looked down on him, and anyone could trample over him.
Because he had been heavily injured and reverted to a Demon Race juvenile form, he had been unable to speak. Wangquan Sheng had taken him in and given him a single cake, which was why he stayed by his side.
Hua Cishu simply sat on the ground and looked at her, blinking his eyes without saying a word. The air remained silent.
Wen Li sighed softly and inaudibly as she slowly stepped forward. She crouched down, her tone softening.
“Follow me, and there will be good food.”
With just that one sentence, Hua Cishu’s pitch-black pupils instantly lit up. He finally opened his mouth.
“...Mother.”
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