Chapter 73: Mysterious Treasure, Return to Quiet Cloud Island!
Zhao Ruoqin closed his eyes as well, preparing to circulate his energy once more and heal the heavy wounds within his body.
Just then—
“Hm!?”
He opened his eyes, his brows slightly furrowed.
What was happening?
He couldn’t quite explain it, only feeling a sudden and inexplicable stirring in his heart. At this moment, anxiety weighed upon him, as if calamity was imminent.
“Could it be that those rival families have already received the news?”
Zhao Ruoqin’s brows knit tightly, unease gnawing at him, yet he was helpless to do anything about it.
With no other choice, he closed his eyes again, trying to regulate his breathing and focus his energy, striving to recover from his injuries.
Meanwhile, outside the flying vessel—
Shen Yan employed the Celestial Serpent Concealment Technique, slipping directly into the vessel.
He was pursuing the Treasure Tower Ship, determined to slay Zhao Ruoqin and eliminate the final obstacle.
Some matters must be done thoroughly, or not at all. Root out the weed, leave no future threat!
Zhao Ruoqin, at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, was the patriarch of a considerable Foundation Establishment power.
He controlled the cultivation market of Little Lan Mountain, his wealth abundant beyond measure.
Killing him would grant Shen Yan the resources of an entire marketplace.
Thus—
With the Heavenly Emperor Seal activated, he charged into the vessel.
Inside the Treasure Tower Ship, Zhao Ruoqin, who was healing his wounds, opened his eyes once more.
He felt turmoil within, blood boiling, and waves of unease.
It seemed disaster was about to strike!
What was going on?
He didn’t know.
But following his instincts, he rummaged through his storage pouch, pulling out several second-tier protective talismans.
He swallowed a bottle of second-tier pills to boost his magical power and replenish his energy.
Finally, he produced a Golden Cicada Pearl, placing it atop his head.
A beam of azure light cascaded down, safeguarding him.
He used every resource at his disposal, all his means of survival.
Yet the sense of unease would not dissipate.
On the contrary, it grew stronger, more ominous by the moment!
“What is happening?” Zhao Ruoqin frowned deeply, pondering to himself.
Though wounded, his injuries were not fatal.
With all his defenses deployed, even if his family’s enemies received word and came to assassinate him, he was confident he could fend them off.
Why, then, was his anxiety so intense?
Could it be—
“Hiss!”
Amidst his turmoil, a sudden wave of agonizing pain struck.
“Ah!”
Even Zhao Ruoqin, seasoned by a century of hardship, could not withstand such agony.
He cried out, collapsing to the ground.
“Someone truly intends to harm me!”
In the midst of boundless pain, Zhao Ruoqin finally awoke in terror.
But Shen Yan, having succeeded in his attack, would never allow him time to react. With a flicker of spiritual energy, a Yuan Mystery Frost smashed Zhao Ruoqin’s protective aura into turbulence.
The excessive consumption of Zhao Ruoqin’s magical power caused his neck veins to bulge.
His features twisted, sweat the size of beans pouring down, soaking his clothes.
The sword wound on his chest, crusted in blood, burst open again, fresh blood spraying out in a horrifying spectacle.
“Die!”
Zhao Ruoqin’s strength plummeted, his protective aura vanished, and Shen Yan directly manipulated water to flood Zhao Ruoqin's sea of blood.
In an instant, Zhao Ruoqin felt indescribable pain engulf him, forcing a shrill scream.
“Patriarch!”
“Patriarch!”
Outside, shocked cries rang out, but the protective array prevented anyone from entering.
Shen Yan paused, choosing not to kill those people.
He needed them alive!
He intended to stir trouble for Hanhai Sect and all the factions, diverting attention from the Azure Lotus Spirit Land.
“Patriarch!”
Boom!
The array was finally breached, and a horde of Zhao clan members rushed in.
By then, Shen Yan had already left the vessel. As for Zhao Ruoxu, he slumped to the floor, his white hair gradually turning ashen.
The light vanished from his body, which shriveled and cracked.
He began to disperse like ashes.
The Zhao clan members gazed in terror—the patriarch was dead, Xu Mao was dead, and could they still hold Little Lan Mountain’s marketplace?
Would they have to relinquish Little Lan Mountain and ignite another battle for spiritual lands?
...
News of the Zhao clan’s flying vessel being attacked quickly spread throughout the cultivation world of Qian Country.
The world of cultivation was vast.
Take Qian Country, for example, which was occupied by the Hanhai Sect.
Yet its territory was enormous, and Hanhai Sect could not rule directly.
They had to divide Hanhai’s Twelve Towers and govern jointly with other Foundation Establishment powers.
Each of Hanhai’s Twelve Towers was overseen by a Foundation Establishment cultivator acting as resident steward.
Within every cultivation marketplace, there was also a Hanhai branch.
Those branches were managed by stewards at the peak of Qi Condensation or early Foundation Establishment.
Such was the structure of Hanhai Sect’s rule.
Its strength was self-evident.
At that moment, in one of Hanhai’s towers—
“Is it true?”
One of the twelve resident stewards, Xuanjizi, listened to his subordinate’s report, his brows tightly knit.
“It’s said someone infiltrated the vessel and assassinated the Zhao clan patriarch.”
“Yan Sheng, Yan Sheng…”
Of all the losses suffered by Little Lan Mountain, the most significant was undoubtedly Zhao Ruoqin and Xu Mao’s estate.
His first suspect was Shen Yan, but after careful analysis, Xuanjizi dismissed his suspicions.
If Zhao Ruoqin’s death was truly at Shen Yan’s hands, the matter would be terrifying indeed.
“But he was badly wounded; how could he possibly kill Zhao Ruoqin?”
As a resident steward overseeing the region, Xuanjizi was well aware of Zhao Ruoqin’s strength.
Even at the peak of Foundation Establishment, without extraordinary means, one might not be able to defeat him.
“So, perhaps it was Yan Sheng’s sword strike that severely wounded Zhao Ruoqin, giving someone else the opportunity?”
In such cases with no clear culprit, the first suspects are always those with vested interests.
Who struck the blow?
One of the Zhao clan’s enemies?
Or one of those old ghosts at the peak of Foundation Establishment?
Xuanjizi analyzed the situation, initially placing suspicion on Shen Yan but then shifting it elsewhere.
Muttering to himself, he finally made a decision and rose to leave.
“Though I don’t know who did it, there’s no harm in me going with the flow!”
...
Elsewhere, Shen Yan was inspecting his spoils.
“Four hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones, two lower-grade spiritual artifacts, and a cultivation technique manual.”
Though only lower-grade artifacts, spiritual artifacts were still artifacts.
Both their power and value surpassed ordinary magic tools.
“Zhou Tian Gang Qi Technique: once physical cultivation reaches the small achievement stage, Foundation Establishment is possible; with great achievement, one can reach the late stage, even perfection!”
Shen Yan nodded quietly, opening the second storage bag belonging to the Zhao clan’s patriarch.
“Two hundred seventy thousand spirit stones, more than twenty magic tools—another fat sheep.”
“Indeed, murder and arson bring golden belts!”
“Sadly, such things cannot be done often.”
Additionally, there were magic tools, pills, talismans, cultivation jade slips, and other items.
No wonder he was the head of a cultivation family managing a marketplace.
The three families of Little Lan Mountain controlled a second-tier spiritual land.
Managing the cultivation market brought them riches daily.
After centuries of accumulation, such wealth was only natural.
Summing it up—
Magic tools, pills, talismans, inheritance jade slips, various materials, and some unknown oddities.
Altogether, the value should exceed one million spirit stones.
“A great harvest!”
Having secured his gains, Shen Yan began to comprehend the Zhou Tian Gang Qi technique.
His divine sense penetrated the manual, quickly absorbing its contents.
But upon finishing, Shen Yan frowned slightly.
“After achieving perfection, if there is a follow-up technique, one can cultivate the Zhou Tian Gang Qi body!”
The Zhou Tian Gang Qi technique, a rare physical cultivation method in the world of cultivation, piqued his immense interest.
As Shen Yan quietly studied the technique, the door was suddenly knocked.