The storage bags Xuan Ze had given them held few things: several hundred mid-grade spirit stones, a high-grade spirit sword, and a box containing seeds from various kinds of plants. Even so, it was quite a generous gift.
The spirit sword was little more than an unnecessary embellishment to Yun Lie now. The seeds, however, delighted Xu Ziqing. Most were seeds of spiritual herbs useful in alchemy, and the thought behind the gift was genuinely appreciated.
The two put the storage bags away and flew toward the exit. Although no one stopped them, they still felt an uncomfortable prickle between their shoulder blades.
Without question, it was probably those two Sword Venerables from Myriad Swords Immortal Sect.
Yun Lie felt no fear. Xu Ziqing broke out in a light sweat under the pressure, but soon suppressed his unease and drew a deep breath.
What did he have to fear before so many witnesses?
Once they left Absolute Sword Heavenly Manor, though, he grew more cautious still.
Tianlan’s Secret Treasury contained countless treasures, and people’s intentions had become correspondingly unpredictable. It would hardly be surprising if someone employed underhanded means out of sight of others. Falling victim to such a petty scheme through carelessness would be a bitter injustice.
They had not gone far when a long black-gold sword appeared beneath Yun Lie’s feet. Ancient in form, it concealed its sharpness deep within. He caught Xu Ziqing by the arm and drew him onto its blade. Then the sword rose from the ground and sped toward the distance.
Seeing his senior brother act this way, Xu Ziqing grew suspicious.
His senior brother was invariably deliberate in his actions. Had he sensed something?
At times like these, Xu Ziqing bitterly regretted his inadequate cultivation, which kept him from anticipating danger.
The black-gold sword moved with extraordinary speed. In the blink of an eye it had carried them several hundred li, several times faster than Yun Lie’s former pace.
Wind roared in Xu Ziqing’s ears, shaking his body slightly. But Yun Lie’s grip remained firm on his arm, so he was in no danger of being thrown off by the tremendous force.
After they had flown a little farther, an immensely powerful pressure appeared ahead. It remained stationary, as though waiting for them.
The sword attempted to change direction. Yet even when it turned, that pressure remained perceptible, seemingly present on every side.
It was a net cast across heaven and earth, surrounding them so completely that there was no escape.
Xu Ziqing’s heart tightened. Their visitor clearly meant them harm.
Yun Lie merely raised a hand, formed a seal, and struck his own shoulder.
Instantly a dragon-shaped marking appeared there, majestic and domineering, accompanied by the faint sound of a dragon’s cry.
The sight seemed familiar to Xu Ziqing. He recognized it the next moment.
It was the dragon mark of a core disciple!
Why had his senior brother activated it now…?
Before Xu Ziqing could think any further, a figure appeared ahead.
It was an elderly man whose hair and beard had turned completely white. His cheeks were plump and rosy, and his smile seemed gentle and kindly.
Yet within that kindly smile lurked an indescribable malice.
“Brats, leave your lives here for this old man!”
With those words he thrust out a palm.
In an instant, crimson true essence transformed into a boundless sea of fire. The surrounding space seemed about to melt from the heat.
And at the center of that blazing sea was an enormous, red-hot palm, hurtling straight at them!
This old man was unmistakably a Nascent Soul ancestor.
Indeed, he might well be stronger than an early Nascent Soul cultivator.
The oppressive aura he radiated surpassed those of the ancestors Xu Ziqing had seen among Xuan Ze’s entourage.
Why would such a lofty figure seek trouble with him and his senior brother?
On reflection, however, the only people they had truly offended in Tianlan’s Secret Treasury were the two Sword Venerables of Myriad Swords Immortal Sect.
Although that great sect was primarily composed of sword cultivators, that did not mean it lacked other powerful cultivators. Even if every member were a sword cultivator, a great sect would certainly have numerous subordinate forces.
They had sent a Nascent Soul ancestor after them… Anxiety flashed across Xu Ziqing’s eyes. Whoever was behind this had resolved to take both their lives!
Just then, space nearby suddenly caved inward and collapsed.
A fissure opened in the void. From it emerged an enormous palm carrying an immeasurably ancient, boundless aura, and it struck directly against the burning crimson hand!
Boom! Boom!
Several thunderous impacts sounded as the two palms collided head-on, swiftly wearing one another away.
Even the energy that should have spilled out from their collision vanished silently, as though it had never existed.
Xu Ziqing watched, dumbfounded. Then Yun Lie tugged his arm, carrying him onward before he could linger.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the old man’s face darken. A refined, handsome youth in scholar’s robes was stepping out of the fissure.
The youth wore a faint smile and appeared perfectly composed. Facing that aggressive old man, he showed not the slightest disadvantage.
The scene flashed past in a heartbeat. Yun Lie had already carried Xu Ziqing away, so the latter naturally did not hear the conversation that followed.
The scholarly youth spoke mildly. “What lackey is this, daring to attack a core disciple of my Wuling Immortal Sect?”
The old man’s expression changed dramatically. “You’re… the sect master of Wuling Immortal Sect! You actually value that junior enough to lodge a divided divine consciousness upon him!”
The scholarly youth looked at him coolly. “For old immortals like us, ascending to immortality has become exceedingly difficult. All we can do now is offer the younger generation a little protection. Yet you, a dignified Nascent Soul ancestor, blocked a junior’s path and attacked him. Such despicable conduct would make everyone under heaven ashamed to be associated with you.”
The old man’s expression changed several times before turning livid. “Hmph! If you had come here at your full strength, I would naturally have had no choice but to flee. But this is merely a divided consciousness with who knows how much strength remaining. Do you truly think so little of me?” He clenched his teeth. “Then I’ll destroy your divided consciousness first, before grinding your precious disciples’ bones to dust to avenge this humiliation!”
The scholarly youth’s eyes went cold. He raised another enormous palm. “…You truly overestimate yourself.”
Firelight and mighty forces clashed in continuous explosions. One combatant possessed the pride of an unrivaled expert; the other fought desperately, knowing he must either succeed or perish. Their battle was fierce.
Whatever the outcome, the white-haired old man could no longer pursue the two martial brothers.
Meanwhile, Yun Lie kept hold of Xu Ziqing as they sped forward on the black-gold sword, leaving the battle behind. Before long, they had traveled several thousand li and found an exit based on Xuan Ze’s directions.
The exit was actually a hidden gate. Many such gates had appeared in the space of Tianlan’s Secret Treasury when its treasures emerged. More than ten were marked on Xuan Ze’s fragmentary map, and he had told the martial brothers about them before their separation.
That was why the two found one so easily.
The hidden gate was a pale blue, nearly the same shade as the sky. But to a cultivator examining it carefully with spiritual sense, it could not remain concealed.
Once the martial brothers were certain, the black-gold sword gave a clear cry and plunged swiftly through the gate.
Darkness engulfed them for an instant. When Xu Ziqing opened his eyes, he saw the splendid landscape outside Tianlan’s Secret Treasury.
Although the spiritual energy outside seemed less abundant and pure, the sight finally allowed him to relax.
They had escaped at last.
The black-gold sword did not stop, but continued flying forward.
Many cultivators were still hurrying toward the treasury in scattered groups. Perhaps they had traveled from distant regions, been previously occupied, or only just heard the news. In any case, each appeared anxious to arrive, and some looked openly vexed, clearly afraid the opportunities had already been claimed by others.
Naturally, none spared much attention for the two figures who had suddenly emerged from the tomb.
After they had traveled together for a while, Xu Ziqing remembered their encounter and asked, “Senior Brother, that senior just now…”
The man had appeared immediately after Yun Lie formed a seal and activated the dragon mark. Xu Ziqing did not believe the two events were unrelated.
The black-gold sword slowed, and Yun Lie released his arm. “A divided divine consciousness of the sect master.”
Xu Ziqing was startled. “…The sect master?”
He had never met the sect master and did not know what he looked like. Naturally, he had failed to recognize him.
What surprised him more was that the sect master looked so… difficult to describe.
But after some thought, it no longer seemed strange.
Cultivators lived extremely long lives, and retaining the appearance of a youth was hardly unusual. Xu Ziqing himself had scarcely changed in appearance since Foundation Establishment, remaining much like a young man.
Still puzzled, he asked, “Did the sect master come because you…” He tapped his own shoulder. “…did that?”
Yun Lie nodded slightly. “Every bearer of a dragon mark carries a trace of divided divine consciousness from a great expert of the Out-of-Body stage or above.”
Unlike certain sects, Wuling Immortal Sect did not take a fragment of its important disciples’ primordial spirits to fashion soul lamps.
Those valued so highly by the sect generally possessed strong personalities, ambition, and pride. They were unwilling to be bound. Although a soul lamp containing part of one’s primordial spirit could allow the sect to protect its owner, it could also place that person under another’s control. If the spirit fragment fell into the wrong hands, a secret technique might be used to extract it and manipulate its original owner.
The danger was far too great. What extraordinary genius would willingly entrust his life to another?
Not even a sect that had bestowed immeasurable kindness upon him could demand such trust.
Yet core disciples were precisely the talents the sect intended to nurture with all its resources. Traveling and tempering themselves in the world were essential, but the sect could not allow them to perish casually outside and waste years of care.
Thus the dragon mark contained a trace of a great expert’s divided divine consciousness.
With that expert’s power, any attempt to extract the divided consciousness would make it self-destruct at once, killing the would-be thief.
Moreover, a core disciple could activate the mark with a special seal. The divided consciousness would then swiftly take physical form and attack with one-tenth of its original body’s power.
Even a tenth was generally enough to resolve a core disciple’s troubles, provided the opponent was not another ancient monster of comparable standing.
That was why Yun Lie had activated his dragon mark when faced with an assassination attempt.
It also explained why, despite offending the two Sword Venerables, he had dared to bring his junior brother back toward their sect.
Yun Lie was certainly fond of battle. He willingly fought opponents to the death, using the boundary between life and death to comprehend his own Dao.
But he was not a stubborn fool incapable of judgment. Fighting that old man would offer his Dao no benefit at all. To knowingly confront an opponent he could not defeat when another course was available would not be courage. It would be courting death.
At last Xu Ziqing understood.
So that was how it worked.