Chapter 24: Treasure

He watched as the tall figure in beast hide vanished into the distance, one arm now severed. Even as the figure faded into the night, Wu Yuan remained in place, motionless.

After a long time...

He should be far away now.

Wu Yuan finally exhaled, his gaze sweeping over the wreckage around him. There were no longer any members of the Vicious Tiger Gang in sight. All that remained were lifeless bodies scattered across the ground, fragments of stone, toppled structures, and the faint glimmer of distant flames.

I never imagined that defeating a first-rate Adept would be so challenging.

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

This encounter marked his first battle with a first-rate Adept. His opponent had proven to be far more formidable than he had anticipated. Wu Yuan conceded that he had underestimated the martial artists of this world. A first-rate Adept could expertly harness Twofold Power Surge, and their strength was truly astonishing.

In the martial grading system of the Middle Land, a first-rate Adept was only a third-grade martial artist. What about second-grade martial artists? First-grade martial artists? And what about the legendary martial artists who earned a place in the Heavenly Rankings? At the moment, Wu Yuan could not fathom how strong they were.

I can kill an ordinary second-rate Adept with ease. However, the martial skills of a first-rate Adept are remarkably impressive. Despite my superior skills, defeating one isn't an easy task.

All strategies were useless in the face of absolute strength. If the man in beast hide could consistently unleash a force of 100,000 catties, Wu Yuan might have found himself literally crushed to death. In such a scenario, being competent in martial skills would prove futile.

In truth, Wu Yuan didn’t pursue him not because he was feigning indifference, but rather because he was uncertain about his chances of success. Despite his opponent’s evident injuries, Wu Yuan, too, had pushed himself to his physical limits.

Although Wu Yuan had reached the Rigid Yet Supple stage which reduced his energy expenditure, his relentless use of Saber Power Surge had taken a toll that could not be ignored. The unceasing clashes and the formidable might of his adversary had left Wu Yuan with numerous internal injuries.

The execution of the Thousand Mountains Blade was his final stand. Though he forced his opponent to retreat, Wu Yuan also found himself at the limits of his physical and mental endurance, his arm throbbing with pain.

Pursuit? If he forced his opponent into a desperate counterattack, there was a good chance that he might lose his life. Wu Yuan wasn't willing to gamble on that.

This battle to the death was something I was forced into. The nature of such life-and-death battles is extraordinary, I believe it will have a profound impact on my future.

However, one must not deliberately place themselves on the precipice of life and death repeatedly. With too many attempts, even a minor lapse in judgment could lead to actual death.

Wu Yuan was keenly aware of this fact.

Progress could be made without constantly courting danger. Unless absolutely necessary, pushing oneself to the limit too many times was excessive and might lead to one failing to reach the ultimate goal.

By forcing the Vicious Tiger Gang to disband and saving the chieftain, Wu Yuan had fulfilled his objectives. There was no need to risk his life against this mysterious first-rate Adept.

As for the future?

If you intend to seek vengeance, I hope you can keep pace with my rate of improvement.

Wu Yuan was confident that the man would be no match for him in time to come. All he needed was time for his body to develop. Given equal physical attributes, Wu Yuan was confident he could defeat the man in beast hide within three moves.

I'd better clean up the battleground quickly. After such a major incident involving the Vicious Tiger Gang, with most of its members dispersing, someone will arrive soon.

Wu Yuan remained in place for a while. Once he felt some of his fatigue ebb away, he did not linger any longer.

He proceeded to clean up the battlefield, starting by retrieving the box that had fallen from the soft armor of the tall youth in beast hide. Secondly, he securely stashed away the green jade vial obtained from the Vicious Tiger Gang's leader. As objects retrieved from two powerful experts, Wu Yuan naturally regarded them as the most important items. For the moment, Wu Yuan did not examine them closely, and continued searching for valuables.

In half a quarter-hour, he looted a substantial stack of silver notes and a heap of miscellaneous items from the courtyard littered with lifeless bodies. A rough estimate revealed that these silver notes exceeded 30,000 taels! Most of them were issued by the Starcom Consortium, with a handful originating from the Cloudstride Sect. Naturally, the silver notes carried by the gang leader and the handful of Adepts accounted for nearly 20,000 taels, with minimal contributions from the rank-and-file members.

Having entrenched themselves within Li City for many years, the Vicious Tiger Gang has amassed an abundance of treasures. Even if Yang Long allocated a significant portion of the spoils to his sect and the influential figures backing him, the silver he retained would still be a considerable sum. There should be no less than 100,000 silver taels in the gang's headquarters.

Nevertheless, he didn’t begin searching through the remaining sections of the stronghold. First and foremost, even though the Vicious Tiger Gang's headquarters did not encompass an extensive area, a solitary search would prove to be quite time-consuming. Secondly, the several hundred gang members who managed to flee had likely made off with the majority of the gang's silver reserves, leaving behind a meager remainder.

Furthermore, I just need sufficient silver to cover my needs. When I first awoke, I fretted over 500 taels of silver, but now?

This single battle had yielded him over 30,000 taels of silver. Such was the power of martial prowess. As his strength continued to grow, Wu Yuan was confident that, should he choose, accumulating vast sums of silver would become a simple matter.

He had gotten a decent haul from this journey. With a wave of his hand, he tucked the silver notes into his inner clothing.

After thinking for a moment, Wu Yuan carefully unsealed the jade vial. Instantly, an invigorating fragrance wafted from the vial, gradually overpowering the lingering scent of blood in the courtyard.

This?

Wu Yuan inhaled deeply. Immediately, he felt the refreshing scent revitalize his mind, causing him to freeze for a moment. Then, he promptly resealed the vial.

A natural treasure?

Wu Yuan recalled some passages from the texts he read that seemed to allude to a scent similar to the one emanating from the jade vial. However, he decided not to jump to conclusions. He had never seen a similar treasure.

The vast Middle Land abounded with innumerable treasures; natural treasures were the stuff of legend to the common populace. How was Yang Long, a second-rate Adept, able to get his hands on such a treasure? There had to be a reason.

Let's take a look.

Wu Yuan opened the box. Inside, he found neither natural treasures nor silver notes. Only a radiant golden token.

A token?

Wu Yuan reached out and picked it up. The token possessed substantial weight, much heavier than gold. The craftsmanship was also exquisite.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Chu-Jiang?

Wu Yuan scrutinized the token, closely examining the two ancient characters engraved on one side. His pupils subtly contracted.

Could it be...

In an instant, Wu Yuan grasped the implications. If his guess was right, he might have inadvertently stumbled into big trouble this time.

If Yang Long and the first-rate Adept indeed share an affiliation with the long-extinct Chu-Jiang Empire, it implies that they are part of a formidable organization. But what brings them to a small, unassuming county like Li County? What could their purpose be?

Wu Yuan was confounded.

However, he was certain about one matter.

I mustn't delay any longer. It's time to leave!

Wu Yuan carefully placed the token back into its box, kept it along with the jade vial in his pack, and hastened toward the prison.

The wreckage of the huge battle was somewhat contained. The battle did not cover a widespread area and ended relatively quickly, hence the prison remained untouched, save for the original prison guards who had all abandoned the building.

The occupants of the various prison cells had long noticed the commotion outside, yet none dared to act rashly. After all, the Vicious Tiger Gang's ruthlessness was common knowledge.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Brilliant blade rays illuminated the cell frames, and the clinking of falling chains followed suit. Door after door swung open.

"The Vicious Tiger Gang has been eradicated. You are all free to leave now," a chilling voice resonated from the courtyard, leaving the prisoners dumbfounded. Their incredulous gazes collectively landed on the figure concealed behind a bronze mask.

The Vicious Tiger Gang has been wiped out? Really?

Before the prisoners could process this revelation further, the figure leaped into the air and promptly vanished from sight.