Precisely because there was so much of it, the Ganges Star Sand was unlikely to provoke a dispute. Everyone present cultivated the immortal path. Even the selfish ones generally maintained a veneer of courtesy. They would not readily fall out over a treasure that, while rare, was not indispensable.
Under ordinary circumstances, they could simply divide such a vast amount of Ganges Star Sand according to their cultivation levels.
Yet when everyone extended their spiritual senses, they hesitated.
For some reason, their spiritual senses could not penetrate the blue curtain of light. In other words, they would have to break the curtain before obtaining the sand.
Who should break it? Who would count the sand once the restriction was broken? How could they prevent someone else from taking advantage? None of these problems was easily resolved.
Moreover, of the eleven people present, only Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie and the other master-servant pair were traveling together. The remaining seven had entered alone and could hardly trust one another. When dividing treasures was involved, vigilance was all the more necessary.
As they wrestled with the problem, the languid youth spoke again. “This stuff is no use to me. I certainly don’t have time to waste here.”
From his words, it seemed he intended to leave ahead of the others.
A Golden Core perfected master promptly protested, “Didn’t we agree earlier that we would enter these stone chambers together? Now that we’re staying here, how can you simply leave?”
Aside from the master and servant and Yun Lie, he was the only Golden Core perfected master on this path. Since Yun Lie had said nothing, he was the only person with any standing to object.
The languid youth curled his lip. “I don’t want this treasure. Does that mean I have to wait for you? If you spend six months or a year trying to break the restriction, am I supposed to stay here for that long too? That’s unreasonable.”
He did have a point.
For a moment, everyone exchanged helpless looks, at a loss for words. Even the protesting Golden Core cultivator fell silent.
Ultimately, they were merely traveling the same road. Each hoped to obtain treasures or the inheritance, but no one had the right to compel someone else to do anything. Of course, if the others possessed higher cultivation, this indolent young man might not have been so free to speak his mind.
The youth added, “And don’t say I didn’t warn you. None of us knows how this inheritance works. There are five paths, but that doesn’t necessarily mean only one holds the inheritance. Suppose something happens when we reach the end…”
Several people’s expressions changed.
Xu Ziqing understood the implication too.
Perfected Master Luofu had undoubtedly left an inheritance, but once the seekers stepped onto the five paths, they had no way to know what trials he intended. Perhaps the inheritance was concealed along one particular path. But perhaps the paths all led to the place of inheritance at their ends. If the latter were true, wouldn’t whoever reached the end first gain the advantage?
The group fell into a stalemate.
Those who needed Ganges Star Sand were reluctant to abandon it. At length, however, they agreed on a plan. “Why don’t we leave the treasures for now and inspect the chambers one after another? If we reach the end without finding the inheritance, we can come back and collect them!”
Hearing this, the languid youth curved his lips into an unreadable smile and strode out with his nine-chi-tall attendant.
Xu Ziqing glanced sideways at his senior brother and nodded.
Yun Lie’s expression did not change, but he walked toward the door alongside him.
Seeing the stronger cultivators leave, the other six or seven hastily followed them out.
Unexpectedly, just as the last person stepped outside, an explosion sounded from within the chamber!
Everyone’s expression changed, and they turned to look.
For some unknown reason, the restriction had burst apart. Every grain of Ganges Star Sand within had turned to ash.
Not a single grain remained!
The weaker cultivators could not help drawing sharp breaths.
Someone smiled bitterly. “It seems Perfected Master Luofu has no intention of letting us exploit loopholes on the path to his inheritance…”
Several of the cultivators were heartbroken over the lost sand.
Xu Ziqing, however, admired Perfected Master Luofu even more. “The Perfected Master’s intentions truly are subtle.”
Yun Lie actually nodded slightly. “Such is the Dao of choosing what to take and what to relinquish.”
Everyone present was no fool. By now they understood what Perfected Master Luofu intended.
Every stone chamber along this route probably contained treasures, but each treasure was protected by a restriction.
Without breaking the restriction, one could not obtain the treasure. Breaking it would take considerable time and delay the search for the inheritance. And if someone devised a clever shortcut to claim both the treasures and the inheritance, the treasures would destroy themselves, leaving nothing but regret.
Thus, everyone who walked this road had to make a choice.
Treasure, or inheritance?
Choosing the inheritance might leave a person empty-handed in the end. Choosing a treasure might lead to bitter regret if someone ahead obtained the inheritance first. What, then, was the right decision?
For a while, no one spoke.
They opened the second stone door. Another blue curtain filled the chamber. This time, eighty-one flying swords floated within it, each an upper-grade spiritual artifact. They clearly formed a complete sword array. A radiant, diamond-shaped jade slip hung among them, presumably containing the matching technique.
If a cultivator obtained the entire set and learned its accompanying art, it would certainly provide a powerful means of saving his life. He might even become a formidable figure in his own region.
But once again, there was the question of choosing.
Before long, someone gritted his teeth and spoke first. “I’ve cultivated Water-attribute techniques since childhood, and this sword array is perfectly suited to me. I, Lin… have decided to stay!”
Once he had spoken, several others who had been tempted gave up on it. Staying would mean competing with the cultivator surnamed Lin in the end, and that would be troublesome.
The others continued onward, inspecting the third chamber, then the fourth.
This truly was a place of inheritance hidden within a secret trove. Perfected Master Luofu had left behind an abundance of valuable things, including rare natural treasures and even entire sets of upper-grade spiritual artifacts.
The seekers’ wills were reasonably firm, and they resisted many temptations. But when a low-grade treasure artifact appeared, someone finally stopped.
How precious was a treasure artifact, particularly one so well suited to its prospective owner?
Gradually, only four Golden Core perfected masters, Xu Ziqing, and one other Core Transformation cultivator continued along the path.
They reached another stone chamber. Within the blue light floated a dark, slender trunk, its texture almost metallic. It seemed exceptionally heavy and possessed a strange, mysterious quality.
Xu Ziqing did not recognize it, but the languid youth exclaimed softly, “Eh?” He then said, “Jiazi, take this thing out and catch up with me.”
The nine-chi-tall giant who had silently guarded him all along lowered his head. “Yes.” He rarely spoke. His voice was so deep and weighty that it brought to mind ancient timber dug from deep beneath the earth.
The languid youth smiled in satisfaction and left again. The giant, Jiazi, turned back, raised his hand, and launched a powerful burst of force at the blue curtain. Ripples instantly spread across its surface.
Once Jiazi stayed behind, the remaining Core Transformation cultivator and Golden Core perfected master both appeared somewhat relieved.
To them, Jiazi was the truly intimidating one. The young master he protected did not inspire nearly as much fear. After all, he looked like a harmless early Golden Core cultivator. Even the Core Transformation cultivator believed that, though he might not be able to defeat the youth, he would have no trouble escaping.
Xu Ziqing walked a little behind the others, shoulder to shoulder with Yun Lie. Having observed the languid youth all along, he did not underestimate him. Although the youth’s aura indicated only early Golden Core cultivation, something about him felt oddly incongruous.
It seemed that this person should not be… like that.
Xu Ziqing was discreetly studying him when the youth’s keen senses detected his gaze. He immediately looked back. Embarrassed, Xu Ziqing smiled apologetically and withdrew his eyes.
Indeed, whoever the young man was, and regardless of whether he had concealed his cultivation, Xu Ziqing should not have stared so rudely.
Judging by the youth’s response, however, his temperament did not seem particularly bad.
The next two chambers contained excellent treasures, but the remaining group did not stop. By the time they reached another chamber, Jiazi had already caught up. He respectfully placed a storage ring in the languid youth’s hand, evidently containing the object he had retrieved.
Golden Core cultivators were naturally better equipped than those at Core Transformation to break the blue curtains, so the delays were shorter. But once greed stirred, anyone who lacked restraint would want to take everything they saw, wasting precious opportunities. That, too, was another kind of choice.
At the next chamber, however, Xu Ziqing stopped.
The thing floating within the blue radiance filled him with longing.
Geng-Metal.
A piece of Geng-Metal fully five chi square.
The essence of Geng-Metal was the Essence of Geng-Metal. Xu Ziqing had not forgotten that obtaining the latter was his principal reason for entering the Tianlan Secret Trove.
Yet this area belonged to the map fragment held by Xuan Ze, whereas the Essence of Geng-Metal lay in the region depicted on the fragment he had seen in the Fox King’s possession. Earlier, Xuan Ze had needed to produce his fragment to reach this place. Presumably, the same would be required to reach the other area. But Xu Ziqing had never obtained the Fox King’s fragment. He had only memorized the markings on it, so there was no telling whether he could actually reach that region.
If he could not obtain the Essence of Geng-Metal, therefore, acquiring this piece of Geng-Metal would still be worthwhile.
It was extremely pure, without the slightest impurity. Though not quite equal to the Essence of Geng-Metal, it was several times better than ordinary Geng-Metal.
Having decided, Xu Ziqing said, “This Geng-Metal will be useful to me. I’ll stay and break the restriction.”
The languid youth’s gaze passed over him, then moved to Yun Lie. He smiled meaningfully. “Such deep affection between you.”
With that, he led Jiazi away. The other Golden Core perfected master was also interested in the Geng-Metal, but after sensing Yun Lie’s icy aura, he gritted his teeth and gave it up. The remaining Core Transformation cultivator left even faster.
Soon only the two martial brothers remained in the chamber. Xu Ziqing said, “Senior Brother, let’s break the restriction quickly and take the Geng-Metal.”
Yun Lie nodded slightly, then pointed a finger. A beam of sword aura as thick as an arm shot out like a rainbow, straight toward the blue curtain!