Chapter 312 Mountain Treasure Trove
The two sisters are cousins; the older cousin is named Liu Jinlan, and the younger cousin is named Liu Jinmian.
The two sisters have a very close relationship and are always together, often cooperating with each other in their spiritual practice.
This trip involved a great risk, but because they were considered outstanding among the younger generation, they were able to travel together with some support from their families.
The journey was barely smooth.
Of course, there were some dangers, but each time it was just a life-threatening crisis. All that was needed was to use the talismans and array plates provided by the family to escape safely.
However, there were no shameless scoundrels like the Jiao family's纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled brat), so they wouldn't have to suffer humiliation.
Fortunately, they survived and met two senior figures.
·
The Liu sisters told their benefactors, the couple, almost everything.
There are reasons why they dared to do this.
·
Both sisters are very meticulous.
As Liu Jinmian nervously faced her benefactors, she had already tried her best to subtly and quickly sized them up.
The couple's clothing wasn't particularly high-class, but its quality was comparable to that of some of the elders of the Liu family. Meanwhile, as the taller young man helped the shorter boy, the boy inadvertently revealed a glimpse of his golden inner shirt…
Liu Jinmian recognized that this kind of inner garment was at least at level seven!
Although it was just a fleeting moment, Liu Jinmian would never have noticed it before. However, in order to successfully obtain the treasure vault and identify the resources within, all the dispatched clansmen had undergone prior training in treasure appraisal within their families and developed an instinct for it. As a result, when the clansmen saw anything, they couldn't help but judge its grade and value.
The two sisters were no exception.
In their view, the benefactors, a married couple, could wear level seven treasure robes casually and had an extraordinary demeanor, so they must be very wealthy and would not covet a small resource vault that was probably not even level seven.
At the same time, the two sisters and the Jiao family were just strangers to them, yet this couple chose to save the two sisters. This must be because the Jiao family's纨绔 (playboy) acted in such a despicable and shameless manner.
The couple disapproved of the spoiled brats of the Jiao family, and their character was naturally quite good, which further increased the sisters' trust in them.
·
After identifying her, Liu Jinmian quickly gave her cousin a hint.
The two sisters had a great understanding, and Liu Jinlan understood immediately.
The two women took turns explaining their experiences, and they continued smoothly.
Up to this point, the two sisters could only introduce the Jiao family as much as possible, briefly stating their names, that they came from the Liu family of a certain place, and mentioning that they were a branch of the Liu family in the Xihe region.
However, at this moment, the two learned from the couple that they not only came from the Western River Region, but also had a past connection with the Liu family there.
The two sisters had already trusted the two men quite a bit, which is why they slowly revealed the return and the treasure trove when the two men asked why the collateral branch was within the territory of the Heavenly Spirit Dynasty.
·
At the same time, the two sisters also had their own guesses.
This couple might actually be disciples of the Lingxian Sect and the War God Hall.
After hearing the spoiled brat from the Jiao family introduce himself, these two killed him at will, which shows that the Jiao family patriarch posed no threat to them, and their own background must be far superior to that of the Jiao family.
The Liu family of the Western River Region is an affiliated family of the Lingxian Sect. They try their best to send any family members with good aptitude to the Lingxian Sect.
It's quite reasonable that the disciples of the Lingxian Sect had a past relationship with the Liu family.
Furthermore, the Lingxian Sect and the War God Palace were quite renowned, although the Liu family members themselves weren't entirely aware of them due to the distance—at least not ordinary members like themselves. However, once the two branches of the Liu family made contact, the collateral branches naturally wanted to hear about the Lingxian Sect's connections and thus learned about the close relationship between the two powers…
The two elders were so loving, and this characteristic matches up again.
·
The two sides exchanged views.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan naturally understood what the two sisters were thinking.
Zhong Cai pondered that his master had mentioned years ago that if the Liu family needed help and they were good at it, they could help them without hesitation.
The Liu sisters are currently searching for a treasure trove within the mountains, and given their current condition, it is extremely dangerous for them.
Furthermore, while it's true that Qinghui killed the Jiao family members, the Jiao family should already know this. If the Jiao family tracks them down, the Liu sisters will likely be doomed.
The two sisters did not ask the couple to resolve the issues left over from the Jiao family. If they were just ordinary passersby, they would have simply helped them and left without having to deal with the aftermath.
But it just so happens to be the Liu family.
The spoiled brat of the Jiao family is greatly favored. Even if the so-called patriarch of the Jiao family dares not disregard the laws of the dynasty and exterminate the Liu family for the sake of a spoiled brat, it is hard to say what kind of reaction he will take.
So……
Zhong Cai pondered for a moment and asked, "Have you determined the location of the treasure vault yet?"
The two sisters exchanged a glance and both nodded.
Zhong Cai then said, "Then you two lead the way. We, the husband and wife, will see you off for a while. After you get the treasure vault, we'll continue our journey together."
The two sisters were stunned.
Does this mean that not only must we accompany them to retrieve the treasure, but we must also escort them back to the Liu family?
Zhong Cai saw through their thoughts and laughed, "We two are traveling, so it doesn't matter where we go, we'll just change direction. We won't cause trouble for your Liu family, we'll just stay near Xinyu City."
The two sisters were quite apprehensive.
Zhong Cai knew their concerns and casually added, "There's no other reason than our old friendship."
Liu Jinlan took a deep breath and boldly inquired, "What is the connection between you two and our family...?"
Zhong Cai replied, "The Liu family of Xihe Region may not know about this matter, but it is indeed a favor, related to a member of the Liu family many years ago. Since we have encountered your important relocation, we will do it on our way and repay some of it."
Liu Jinlan dared not ask any further questions.
Liu Jinmian was equally puzzled.
But the two sisters knew very well that their friendship was genuine, after all, even if it was a branch of the Liu family, they wouldn't need to go to so much trouble.
So the two sisters solemnly said, "In that case, thank you both very much, seniors."
In fact, they didn't make the request simply because they lacked the shamelessness; their inner worries were no less.
Now that they have no means of self-defense, if they were to venture into the deep mountains to search for the treasure vault, they risked their lives if they encountered even a fourth-tier savage beast. However, this was a matter of great importance to their clan, and no matter how dangerous it was, they were determined to do it, even at the cost of their lives.
The Jiao family is also a huge problem, but we can only deal with them as they come, try to hide deep in the mountains, and find a way back.
Now that the two elders are willing to offer some protection, the two sisters know that their journey will be much smoother, which is truly a great favor.
·
Zhong Cai leaned weakly against Wu Shaogan and let out a soft breath.
The two sisters looked concerned, but did not dare to step forward. They simply watched as the gentle young man reached out and patted the chest of his sickly benefactor to help him catch his breath.
The two sighed inwardly.
My benefactor either has a physical deficiency that needs to be remedied, or he/she has been poisoned or harmed by some kind of alien energy, which is why he/she cannot be healed quickly with elixirs and can only suffer like this for the time being... I wonder if the Liu family's treasure trove contains anything that would be beneficial to my benefactor.
If they truly possess such a thing, they should inform their families and present it to them, both to express their gratitude and to strengthen their bond.
The truly confidential items in the treasure vault are things like inheritances; other resources, on the other hand, can be used for various purposes.
In order to ensure a smooth relocation, the Liu family had spent a great deal of money on the resources they had previously discovered in some treasure troves...
·
At this moment, Zhong Cai said softly, "Let me take care of myself first, and you should also heal your injuries quickly."
The two sisters were actually quite seriously injured, but they had to express their gratitude for being saved immediately, so they did not receive timely treatment.
It was actually the kindness of our benefactor who reminded us.
The two sisters were very grateful and immediately swallowed the pills, quickly recovering.
·
After Zhong Cai recovered, both sisters also recovered completely.
Zhong Cai smiled and let the Liu sisters lead the way.
At the same time, the little silver wolf that was perched on Wu Shaogan's shoulder suddenly rushed out and landed at the very front to clear the way.
Guided by the Liu sisters, the group quickly passed through the outer perimeter of the mountain range and continued heading towards a certain direction in the inner perimeter.
Along the way, they naturally encountered many ferocious beasts, but none of them were a match for the silver wolf. At most, they were killed in just a few exchanges.
Then, the couple casually picked up all the corpses, seemingly not caring much about them.
The two sisters couldn't help but secretly gasp in amazement.
Along the way, they also encountered some rare medicinal herbs and minerals, but the benefactors instructed them to collect all such resources, as they had no interest in them whatsoever.
At first, the two sisters were a little embarrassed, but after only a couple of refusals, the gentle young man became subtly impatient, seemingly annoyed that they were always talking to their benefactor…
They obediently kept quiet and took it, which added to their prestige.
However, the two sisters didn't want to take things for free.
So whenever the young benefactors showed signs of fatigue along the way, the two of them would demonstrate their culinary skills, preparing many delicious dishes for the couple with great care.
The benefactor boy was satisfied, and the gentle young man's demeanor softened slightly.
The two sisters naturally sighed in their hearts: What an extremely loving couple they are!
—During the mountain climb, because the young benefactor disliked the two sisters constantly referring to him as their benefactor, they learned that the senior benefactor's surname was actually Zhong, and his Daoist partner's surname was Wu, so they changed their way of addressing him.
·
We walked in the mountains for more than a day.
In the evening, Senior Wu took out one of the treasure cars, and the kind-hearted Senior Zhong also prepared to take out another treasure car for them to stay in.
The two sisters quickly took out their tent and politely declined.
That night, the two sisters didn't actually sleep; instead, they stayed up together.
After all, they hadn't expended any energy along the way. All the dangers had been dealt with by Silver Wolf, and they had only walked a few steps, so there was absolutely no need for them to rest.
Even the next morning, the two sisters still meticulously prepared a delicious meal, just waiting for their two elders to get up so they could serve it immediately.
Senior Zhong was clearly quite pleased and smiled, which pleased Senior Wu as well.
The two sisters felt a slight sense of relief.
They weren't entirely useless...
·
Several more hours passed before the two sisters finally found a mountain peak with a forest of fallen leaves in front of it.
Similar plants grow all over the mountains and fields. They have little medicinal value, but their trunks are hard and can be transformed into a batch of decent second-grade refining materials every three to five thousand years.
The area it occupies is dangerous, but its total value is not high, and it is not cost-effective to cut it down specifically.
There is a rock formation in the mountains with a special color. It originally contained some small, shapeless pieces of waste ore. Such rocks never formed veins and did not need to be mined.
Therefore, it is also very safe.
·
The special rock has many crevices, but there is only one place where strange array patterns were engraved long ago.
When the two sisters took out a compass and carefully sensed each crevice, it took them quite a while to finally find the correct crevice.
At this moment, Zhong Cai was lying on Wu Shaogan's back, looking exhausted and drowsy.
·
In the past few days, Zhong Cai has drastically changed her public persona.
Wu Shaogan also cooperated with Zhong Cai's performance—or perhaps it wasn't entirely acting, all the acting skills came from that gentle appearance.
In their interactions with the two sisters, the couple were actually observing them.
At the same time, they naturally had a lot of private interactions.
Just like now.
Zhong Cai rested her chin on Wu Shaogan's shoulder, feeling a little bored.
That senior member of the Liu family really knows how to hide his abilities...
I reckon this treasure vault is at most a level seven treasure, yet it's hidden so well!
No wonder most of the treasures haven't been lost over the years... they're really hard to lose!
Zhong Cai turned her head and nuzzled Wu Shaogan's neck.
[I've come all this way, but I still can't sense the treasure vault at all.]
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly.
The internal formations should be very dense and balanced.
Zhong Cai nodded.
Indeed, otherwise, some of the array's aura would have been leaked out.
Ordinary cultivators wouldn't notice this place, but for some cultivators with keen senses or array masters, it would feel strange and out of place.
Especially array masters, they might have a way to detect it and then start studying it here.
Wu Shaogan expressed his agreement.
·
Zhong Cai glanced at them and saw that the two sisters were working quickly, so she continued chatting with her husband, Lao Wu.
How much of a favor have we repaid for this time?
Wu Shaogan smiled.
[Any amount is acceptable.]
Zhong Cai chuckled and laughed again.
That's true.
Their relationship with the Liu family could be very large or very small.
After all, Zhong Cai has now joined the Lingxian Sect and doesn't need to return any inheritance. The Lingxian Sect also knows that the Liu family deserves some credit for successfully recruiting a young top ten like Zhong Cai.
Although the Lingxian Sect did not make any major response, it would likely allocate some resources to the Liu family behind the scenes.
The main reason Zhong Cai was willing to help the two sisters was... because she had too much free time.
And, these sisters have decent personalities.
·
The Liu sisters quickly used the compass to connect with the internal formation. Before long, some creaking sounds came from inside the mountain, as if some old mechanism or formation had been activated and was reacting to each other.
The two sisters cautiously took a few steps back, but for the sake of their family, they did not leave that area.
Liu Jinlan gritted her teeth and continued to dispel the formation, while Liu Jinmian took out her weapon, ready to deal with any possible crises at any time.
Suddenly, a crisp sound came from inside the mountain wall!
Liu Jinlan's pupils contracted, and she quickly pulled out the compass.
The entire mountain wall slowly opened up with a crack, splitting apart to both sides.
Liu Jinmian immediately pulled Liu Jinlan away!
·
The moment the entire mountain wall opened up, an extremely surging and terrifying force suddenly burst forth and swept out in an instant!
Although the two sisters were prepared, they still couldn't withstand the force of the attack and were thrown backward.
The Zhong and Wu couple looked this way.
Wu Shaogan raised his hand and slapped the force.
Strong winds wreak havoc!
The slap didn't land on the two sisters, but rather grazed them with incredible precision, striking them with terrifying force and dissipating their impact.
Soon, that terrifying force subsided.
The two sisters crashed hard into a large tree and then slid down, both experiencing a dull pain in their chests.
Fortunately, both of them were at the Enlightenment Realm, and their physiques were not weak. As long as they were not directly hit, they would not suffer any real damage.
The two of them got up, feeling even more fortunate.
If it weren't for the two seniors accompanying them, even if they were able to find this treasure trove by overcoming the interception of those savage beasts, they would probably still have faced this terrifying impact.
The two may not die as a result, but they will most likely be in a coma for a period of time.
During this time, if other cultivators happen to arrive, the treasure vault that they have already opened will become theirs.
The two sisters will probably be killed as well.
·
Logically, the power accumulated in the treasure vault shouldn't harm the Liu family members. The reason the two sisters couldn't hold on was simply because their cultivation level wasn't high enough.
When the Liu family ancestors set up this treasure vault, they certainly didn't intend for members of the enlightened clan to come and retrieve the treasure. At the very least, it should have been cultivators at the peak of the Suspended Illumination Realm or the Fusion Realm.
However, the Liu family's collateral branches were so short-handed that all the clansmen who were dispatched could only search for treasure troves that exceeded their capacity.
·
The two sisters came to the couple again and thanked them.
The couple nodded but did not move.
The two sisters were puzzled.
Zhong Cai laughed and said, "What are you looking at us for? Why don't you go in and get the treasure?"
The Liu sisters were taken aback, then suddenly realized that the two seniors did not intend to enter the treasure vault with them.
Liu Jinlan subconsciously invited, "Senior has helped our Liu family a great deal. If you are interested, why not take a look at the methods that our Liu family ancestor once set up, and see if they meet your standards?"
Liu Jinmian also said, "You two have gone to great lengths to accompany us here. Even though the contents inside are nothing special, they can at least help you pass the time."
The sisters could have gone in alone, but there's no doubt that the entire treasure vault was opened successfully thanks 99% to this couple. While it might seem like they were simply taking what was rightfully theirs, leaving others outside to retrieve the treasure themselves, it was actually... not so entirely justifiable.
Moreover, the two sisters had already made their decision.
If the two seniors actually have something they like, that would be even better.
—That little bit of old friendship is really not worth the two of you both saving my life and keeping me busy.
·
Zhong Cai hadn't expected that the Liu sisters would be so kind as to invite him and Lao Wu to enter the treasure vault together.
She's... a bit naive and innocent.
I trusted them too much.
Seeing Zhong Cai's expression, Wu Shaogan remained silent, waiting for Zhong Cai to make a decision.
Zhong Cai said, "Then let's go in and take a look. Let Qinghui lead the way."
Upon hearing this, the two sisters smiled again and said, "Thank you both!"
Qinghui reappeared instantly, and just like before, entered the already opened grotto first.
·
After the mountain wall opened up, a cave entrance was revealed that could only accommodate one person at a time.
Zhong Cai lay on Wu Shaogan's back.
Qinghui was at the very front, followed by the two sisters, and then the two of them were at the very back.
Once inside the cave, the group did not encounter any danger.
Qinghui walked with his head held high, and no matter how he stepped in all directions, he encountered nothing that could stop him, nor did he activate any formations or receive any attacks.
As they ventured deeper into the cave along the path, all they could hear were the faint sounds of their own breathing; there was no other noise.
The cave was pitch black, but no one dared to take out a light source.
After a while, a faint light finally appeared.
The two sisters immediately said, "We heard there's an inner lake here, it seems it's true."
At that moment, everyone heard the sound of water and smelled a pleasant fragrance.
It seems that there is not only an inner lake here, but also some rare medicinal herbs growing on it.
Zhong Cai's heart stirred slightly.
I wonder what kind of rare medicine it is, or what grade it is?
This treasure trove has been there for countless years. The precious medicinal herbs have been growing here in seclusion and must have had medicinal effects for many years.
Wu Shaogan understood Zhong Cai's thoughts and couldn't help but smile.
Zhong Cai then thought that if it were something he hadn't seen or collected before, perhaps he could try to exchange it for some branches from the Liu family. If he offered more resources, the Liu family probably wouldn't refuse…
·
The view ahead suddenly opened up, and the light became even brighter.
They all saw a lake.
It's not really a lake; it's more like a small pool in the mountains, taking up most of the cave's area.
Behind the small pond is another door, with an ancient and old-fashioned design and some kind of restriction.
The real treasure trove must lie within this door.
·
Located near Guangzhou, the Jiao family.
Master Jiao was a very diligent cultivator who practiced diligently every day in order to break through his limitations.
His lineage only has Jiao Ye as its only descendant, and even though the latter has a bad temper, he is still deeply loved by the old ancestor Jiao.
There's also a hidden reason behind it.
Jiao Ye's aptitude is the same as that of Jiao Laozu, and his appearance is also similar to that of Jiao Laozu when he was young. However, in Jiao Laozu's generation, many more members of the Jiao family had better aptitude, so Jiao Laozu was always the one who was overlooked.
Now, the reason why Old Master Jiao dotes on Jiao Ye is not only because he is the only son, but also because it seems to be a way of making up for what he did to himself back then.
No matter how domineering and flamboyant Jiao Ye's personality was, Old Master Jiao felt as if he could also be young and impetuous, and felt very comfortable.
Therefore, even though Master Jiao was in seclusion for most of the year, he would still come out every year to check on Jiao Ye's condition.
This time, Old Ancestor Jiao's strength had improved somewhat, and he was in a very pleasant mood when he emerged from seclusion.
But the moment he stepped out, he found a large group of attendants and juniors kneeling in front of the palace.
Old Master Jiao frowned, a bad premonition suddenly rising in his heart.
At this moment, the Jiao family elder, who had been looking distressed, turned deathly pale the instant he saw him emerge from seclusion.
Then, the elder of the Jiao family tremblingly lifted up a shattered soul tablet.
—This is Jiao Ye's spirit tablet!
Old Master Jiao's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets!
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