Chapter 1610: Hunt for Treasures! (5)
After carefully sorting through Dargoth’s memories, Ace’s mind gradually settled on a clear course of action, which was the Central Repository!
If there was a place within the Corpse Clan that could reveal deeper secrets about the Undead Boundary, it was undoubtedly that location. Not only was it connected to every repository across the clan, but it had existed within the Undead Boundary since the very beginning.
That alone made it suspicious, and more importantly, the repository contained enormous amounts of treasures gathered by the Corpse Clan over countless years.
If Ace played his cards right, this single location might yield more rewards than everything else combined, as well as give him the chance to go after the Undead Boundary’s core location.
At this moment, wearing Dargoth’s mirror persona, Ace slowly rose from the bone altar, and the massive corpse vessel of the Abyssal Thunder Demon moved smoothly under his control.
Violet corpse lightning flickered faintly across its limbs as the heavy body stepped down from the platform, for his decision was made. He would scout the Ninth Division Treasury first and, from there, observe how the Central Repository worked before attempting anything more ambitious.
With that thought in mind, Ace calmly exited the cultivation cavern as the stone gate sealed itself behind him, and the formation resumed its quiet pulsing.
Outside, the corridors of the Lower Grave Strata stretched endlessly through the fossilized black rock formations of the Ninth Bone Legion district.
Ace moved with steady steps. Now that he possessed Dargoth’s identity, there was no need for stealth. His aura carried the unmistakable pressure of an Abyssal Lord, and any corpse clan cultivator who sensed it instinctively avoided his path.
The underground terrain of the Lower Grave Strata unfolded before him. Massive bone pillars rose from the cavern floors like the skeletal remains of ancient titanic beasts. Pale corpse-light streams flowed through carved channels in the rock like glowing rivers.
Clusters of cultivation chambers dotted the cavern walls, while distant corpse altars radiated waves of stagnant Qi. Despite the eerie stillness, the district was not completely empty.
Occasionally, lower-ranked Corpse Cultivators could be seen patrolling or transporting resources. Each one respectfully stepped aside when they sensed the approaching Abyssal Lord’s aura. None dared question him.
According to Dargoth’s memories, the Ninth Division Treasury was located deep within one of the inner cavern sectors reserved for high-ranking members. Only Abyssal Lords and above were permitted to enter.
After several minutes of walking through winding stone tunnels and descending bone bridges that crossed glowing vile rivers, Ace finally arrived at the location.
The treasury entrance was carved into a massive black stone cliff within the cavern wall, with ancient corpse-runes covering its surface, and standing before the entrance were two Abyssal Lord Realm guards.
Their corpse vessels were massive skeletal warriors clad in decayed armor. Their eye sockets burned with dim corpse flames as they silently monitored the area.
The moment Ace approached, their gaze shifted toward him, and for a brief moment, the oppressive aura of three Abyssal Lords collided in the air.
Then both guards lowered their heads slightly.
"Captain Dargoth."
Their voices were calm and respectful; clearly, they recognized him, and Ace simply nodded.
The guards did not ask any questions, and without hesitation, the massive stone gate behind them slowly opened.
Without any hesitation, Ace stepped inside, and the interior of the treasury was surprisingly quiet; instead of stacks of treasure or countless artifacts, the chamber was almost empty.
The cavern was wide and circular, its walls carved with countless corpse-runes that glowed faintly under the pale corpse-light. In the center stood a black stone platform.
Several similar platforms were arranged around the chamber, each one marked with intricate runic patterns.
Ace calmly walked toward the central platform, as he already understood from Dargoth’s memories how this place worked. He reached into the storage ring attached to the corpse vessel and retrieved a small bone token engraved with the emblem of the Corpse Clan.
This was Dargoth’s Corpse Clan Authority Token, and without hesitation, Ace placed the token onto the platform.
The moment the token touched the runic surface, the formation activated, and a faint pulse of mysterious Qi spread through the chamber, followed by an emotionless voice echoing through the cavern.
"Identity confirmed."
"Abyssal Lord: Dargoth Veyr."
"Rank: Corpse Captain of the Ninth Bone Legion."
"Contribution Points: 48,700."
"Access authorization granted."
A soft humming sound followed, as this was the standard method used throughout the Corpse Clan. Every member accumulated contribution points through missions, battlefield achievements, or resource submissions.
These points could then be exchanged within the repositories for cultivation resources, treasures, knowledge, or rare materials. It was a perfectly organized system that allowed the clan to distribute resources efficiently.
The moment the announcement ended, a translucent projection screen appeared before Ace, and rows of treasures began appearing across its surface, astounding him.
There were weapons, cultivation resources, corpse refinement materials, rare herbs, many corpse vessels, and so forth. Each item displayed its required contribution points for exchange.
Ace also noticed that some sections of the projection were sealed behind dim barriers, and he knew why, because those were treasures that required higher cultivation realms to unlock.
Even as an Abyssal Lord, Dargoth could not access them yet. But still, the available items were already astonishing as Ace scanned the list calmly.
But soon something caught his attention as his gaze stopped at a particular item.
’Iniquitous Crystal?’ Ace’s eyes narrowed slightly because he immediately remembered this name.
This was the exact same treasure that the Evernight Council had received from the Corpse Clan as a periodic ’offering’, and the description displayed beneath the item confirmed his suspicions.
The Iniquitous Crystal was a unique resource that could only form inside the Undead Boundary. When refined, it allowed cultivators to gain deeper insights into their Laws.
Not only that, but its effect was far more potent than spirit stones, abyssal gems, or even spirit crystals.
But it didn’t end here; even more incredible, it had no side effects. In simple terms, it functioned like a top-grade alchemical medicine that cultivators could refine repeatedly without any limit.
It was an extremely precious cultivation resource that even within the Corpse Clan, only Abyssal Lords and above were allowed to exchange for it, and the Evernight Council also played a big part in its limited supplies!
