Chapter 414 - Greener Pastures!

With just a glance, Yun Xiao knew he had hit the jackpot.

Dharma Crown Qin was undoubtedly a high roller in the Primordial Ruins, packing more wealth than the overwhelming majority of the folks trying to eke out a living there.

Her Bag of Holding included two types of Immortal Jade—the common white kind, about the size of a grain of rice, and the fancier pale gold ones, big as soybeans and shimmering like the morning sun, chock-full of Immortal energy.

This pale gold Immortal Jade, considered medium quality in the Primordial Ruins, put the lesser quality ones in the lower worlds to shame in terms of value.

"Dang, she was hauling over five billion of the lesser quality Immortal Jades and ten million of the medium quality ones," Yun Xiao mused.

In fact, the value of those ten million gold Immortal Jades far outstripped that of the five billion white ones.

Thanks to a little help from Lian Xi's formidable granny, all these riches were now Yun Xiao's for the taking. He didn't stop at the Immortal Jades, though. He looted Dharma Crown Qin clean, grabbing every magic treasure, pill, bottle of inscription ink, and scrap of cultivation resource he could find, no holds barred.

"With this loot, boosting my cultivation in the short term will be a breeze!" Yun Xiao thought.

As he stood there, bathed in the light reflecting off the water of the hot spring, Yun Xiao sighed. "Shame I can't take this spring water with me."

Just then, Red Moon lit up with an idea, leaped from his arms, and dove into the bath, slurping up the water.

"Uh, you do realize that's bathwater, right?" Yun Xiao couldn't help but remark.

Red Moon, surfacing with a splash, and Blue Star, pinching its nose in disdain, didn't seem to mind.

"No wonder it tasted so good!" Red Moon exclaimed with delight.

Just then, Yun Xiao's Prison Warden Life Sigil, fed by the essence of the Great Silver Serpent Sigil he'd just consumed, finally felt sated.

"450,000 Runes and over 1,000 mini formations... That's going to take a pretty long time to absorb," Yun Xiao remarked to himself. It was like feeding a starving wolf, and now, finally, it had had its fill.

Currently, the Rune count on Yun Xiao's Prison Warden Life Sigil had increased to 320,000, with 800 mini formations. And after absorbing Huyan Pin's Sword Soul, his Sword Aura had also increased to 310,000 layers.

"Now, both my Sword Soul and Life Sigil are around the same level!" Yun Xiao smiled.

This was a level that only the top geniuses of the Primordial Ruins could reach!

With the Prison Warden Life Sigil returning to the form of a nine-headed dragon emblazoned across his brow, Yun Xiao felt the raw surge of newfound power and couldn't help but think, "This gamble was worth the risk."

Walking the path of cultivation with an ever-cautious step, he made it his business to know his enemies inside and out.

After dispatching Huyan Pin in the Primordial Pagoda, the murderous intent from Dharma Crown Qin and the Mysterious Sword Manor Lord became as clear as day.

On his way back to the Divine Dawn Pavilion, Yun Xiao made sure to get as much information on these two formidable foes from Lian Xi, covering everything from their strengths and quirks to their favorite hangouts.

Armed with the Sword Heart of Lian Xi's grandma on the brink of expiration, Yun Xiao wasn't going to sit around waiting for trouble to find him.

Between his two marked targets, one was a fortress unto himself, always flanked by guards, while the other, a bit of a loner, seemed an easier mark. Even a fool knew who to strike at first.

Rummaging through the spoils, Yun Xiao pulled out a token, heavy and brimming with power, clearly a treasure of high rank.

"I'll ask Lil Xi what this thing is," he decided, pocketing the token, and then signaling to his little beast, "Time to get going, no more drinking."

Yun Xiao's daring escapade had paid off, and now wasn't the time for slip-ups.

However, Red Moon, ever the glutton, couldn't resist a final gulp, sucking up the spring like a vacuum, then staggering around tipsy and flushed from the feast.

"Look what we've got here, a kid so greedy he drinks bathwater like it's milk," Blue Star chided.

"It's all in your belly now!" Red Moon burped in response.

Blue Star's fur stood on end, a gag reflex kicking in at the thought.

Yun Xiao, amused and exasperated by this duo's antics, scooped them up, ready to slip away quietly into the night.

"Who are you!?"

At that moment, a cold voice rang out.

Whirling around, Yun Xiao locked eyes with a strapping young man draped in a pale gold robe, his white eyes fixing Yun Xiao with an indifferent gaze.

The unexpected visitor was Tian Zhixiu. Stepping forward with the might of a dragon, he demanded, "Is that you, Yun Xiao?"

Caught off guard, Yun Xiao could only nod, acknowledging his presence with a hint of surprise.

"And where might Dharma Crown Qin be?" Tian Zhixiu asked, his gaze sweeping the surroundings and finally resting on the now barren spirit spring.

Realizing the fellow hadn't witnessed the deed, Yun Xiao couldn't help but crack a smile.

"You're a bit late to the party; she's moved on to greener pastures. Got tired of her old boy toy, and decided I was better," he quipped before swiftly turning on his heel.

In an instant, his Heaven Burial Sword Soul transformed into a six-foot Sovereign Sword, carrying him away on a wave of illusions crafted from countless sword phantoms.

"Thinking of leaving?" Tian Zhixiu's eyes turned icy.

With a series of pops, his body surged with the strength of a wild beast, a golden light pursuing Yun Xiao with relentless fury.

"Five Decays Realm... to be so formidable at such a young age," Yun Xiao marveled inwardly, pushing his limits as he fled. The sensation of being hunted by a legion bore down on him, a killing intent seeping deep into his bones.

Glancing back, Yun Xiao saw his pursuer was right behind him, a white-gold spear in hand, blazing with the fierce patterns of a blazing qilin, its tip roaring with flames, ready to strike.

Yun Xiao found himself facing down the business end of a Yang grade treasure, the Daylight Flame Qilin Spear—a true monarch among magic treasures and a rarity even in the exalted land of the Primordial Ruins. This was the kind of firepower that Dharma Crown Qin could only dream of wielding.

With a cold chuckle, Tian Zhixiu's figure flickered with a golden radiance as he turned into a beam of light. With the poise of a seasoned warrior, he lunged with the spear, aiming to pin Yun Xiao like a butterfly to a board.

"Die!" Tian Zhixiu roared. For the cultured president of the Pathseeker Society, he lacked any decorum of a refined scholar right now!

"Quite decisive, aren't we?" Yun Xiao couldn't help but remark under his breath as he summoned his Prison Warden Life Sigil, transforming it into the Runic Umbrella.

The spear met the umbrella with a clang that echoed like a bell, sending ripples of runes spiraling into dragon patterns, locking the spear's advance in its tracks.

With a whirl, the umbrella spun, flinging off the spear with a shower of sparks, deflecting the killing blow and sending its wielder tumbling backward.

The clash left Yun Xiao reeling hundreds of feet away, a testament to the explosive might of a Martial Cultivator who honed his entire body into a lethal weapon.

The lines blurred between demons and humans when martial cultivation was added into the equation. Demons had demon magic to bolster their power, but Martial Cultivators made use of magic weapons and armor in combat! Even though demons were tougher in terms of raw physical power, humans were a lot more cunning!

In this clash, Tian Zhixiu hadn't gained any sort of advantage. He'd been knocked to the ground himself.

"How?" Tian Zhixiu stared at Yun Xiao incredulously, baffled by the youth's impossible combat prowess.

"Easy. I'm just more talented than you," Yun Xiao quipped back. He offered a parting glance, a mix of challenge and provocation, before vanishing into the shadows with his Sovereign Sword

After missing his opportunity, Tian Zhixiu would have a hard time chasing after him.

"Dammit!" Tian Zhixiu cursed, his face filled with frustration. "What was he doing here anyway? And where's Qin Lianyan? Could she really have...?"

▬ι══🪦✧⚰️✧🪦══ι▬

Back in the garden, he looked around, the air heavy with a question, "Dharma Crown Qin, are you here...?"

Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of a silky silver robe resting on a stone.

"Her robe?" Tian Zhixiu's face darkened further.

Then, a scent in the air caught his attention. He stooped, examining a stone slab closely. Rubbing the surface, he lifted his finger only to find it stained black.

"Ashes of the dead!" His face paled as his heart thundered. "I need to find the Temple Head!"

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

In a flash, Tian Zhixiu was gone, a streak of golden light vanishing into the night.

▬ι══🪦✧⚰️✧🪦══ι▬

Back in the Divine Dawn Pavilion, Lian Xi was deep in her cultivation, flanked by two majestic white tigers formed from swirling vortexes of energy, their presence commanding and untouchable.

A knock broke the silence.

"Lil Xi, open up," a familiar voice called.

With a gentle exhale that roared like a tiger, Lian Xi dispelled the charged atmosphere and skipped to the door. Swinging it open, she found Yun Xiao, who swept her into a hug as he stepped inside.

"You're back?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Without a word, Yun Xiao produced a token from his embrace and placed it in her hands.

"What's this?" he asked.

"The Mystic Zenith Command Token, also known as the All-Realm Pass," Lian Xi remarked, her gaze flicking between the token and her Yun Xiao. "This is only supposed to be with the Temple Head. How did you get this?"

"Let's not dive into that just yet. Tell me, what's it used for?" Yun Xiao pressed.