Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Great Harvest
A pillar of golden light shot into the sky, illuminating the land for a hundred miles around.
Countless prodigies flocked to the sight, rushing toward the location.
But at this moment, as Qin Ya gazed upon the magnificent palace before him—a structure even more grand than Nangong Wen’s Jinluan Hall—a look of exasperation appeared in his eyes.
"You certainly put on a grand show, but you’ve left me with such a mess. Seventh Elder, you bastard!" Qin Ya ground out through clenched teeth.
’I was planning to quietly take the treasures and leave, but now look at this. That pillar of light is bound to attract countless people. There’s no escaping a fight now.’ Although Qin Ya wasn’t afraid, that didn’t mean he enjoyed trouble.
"Whatever. While no one’s here yet, I’d better go in and get the treasure." Qin Ya put away the Array-Breaking Bell, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. His figure flickered, and he shot directly into the palace.
His eyes were met with a scene of sheer splendor: carved beams, painted rafters, jade, and agate.
The place was immaculate, without a speck of dust to be seen. It had clearly been hidden within an array for ten thousand years, completely undiscovered.
’Heh, who knows how many treasures Seventh Elder left behind in here.’
Qin Ya chuckled. Ignoring the dazzling furnishings around him, he walked directly into a room. The moment he stepped inside, a brilliant light flashed, forcing him to narrow his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw shelves packed with all sorts of Profound Soldiers: longswords, War Sabers, Armor, protective gear, and various other bizarrely shaped weapons. Judging from the brilliant light they emanated, not a single item was below the Seventh Grade.
’Letting such treasures gather dust... what a sin!’
Qin Ya sighed and rushed forward, his figure becoming a blur. Wherever he passed, the weapons on the shelves vanished into his Storage Ring. In a matter of moments, the room once packed with Profound Soldiers was completely empty.
"Much better." Qin Ya smiled in satisfaction and headed for the next room. "Is this... Elixirs? What a waste! Such a waste."
Entering the room where the Elixirs were stored, Qin Ya gazed at the colorful Pill Bottles on the shelves, his heart aching with distress. Though the bottles were numerous, Qin Ya was exceptionally sensitive to Elixirs. With a brief scan, he knew all their Medicinal Power had completely dissipated. They were nothing but a room full of Wasted Pills now.
Unlike Profound Soldiers, Elixirs cannot be preserved for long. Their Medicinal Power gradually dissipates over time. After ten thousand years, even the Medicinal Power of a Ninth-Grade Elixir would be all but gone.
Staring at the room full of Wasted Pills, Qin Ya’s face turned livid, his expression verging on ferocious.
Many of them were Ninth-Grade Elixirs, and a small portion were even ones he had refined himself years ago. Now, they had all been reduced to useless Wasted Pills.
For an Alchemist, such a sight was nothing short of torture!
"These Eighth-Grade Nourishing Profound Pills... what a shame."
"The sacred healing medicine, the Muscle and Bone Building Pill... an entire bottle, gone."
"This... This is a Ninth-Grade Spirit Gathering Pill, wasted just like that."
Qin Ya looked around, the pained expression in his eyes growing more pronounced, until it finally twisted into a ferocious, teeth-grinding glare. "Seventh Elder, you wasteful spendthrift! It’s a good thing you’re dead, or I’d beat the hell out of you!"
Finally, the Purple Flame surged from within Qin Ya’s body, transforming into a monstrous blaze that incinerated every Elixir in the room. With a trace of sorrow in his eyes, he murmured, "May you all... rest in peace!"
After leaving that room, Qin Ya entered another. This one housed a few rare Marvels of Heaven and Earth, most of them sealed within Exquisite Jade. Without a second glance, Qin Ya tossed them all into his Storage Ring. After he was done looting, his Storage Ring was actually packed to the brim. The haul was simply staggering.
Qin Ya was sure that his current wealth surpassed even the national treasury of the Yunxiao Empire. A pleased look appeared on his face. "Did Seventh Elder build a Cultivation Room or a Treasure Storage Room? Well, I’m the one who benefits now. We were old acquaintances, after all. Since you’re dead, I’ll put these to good use for you."
"The Hidden Dragon Valley Secret Realm... I’ve only been inside the Valley for two days, and I’ve already gained so much," Qin Ya said with a faint smile. "Heh, this trip was definitely worth it."
「Meanwhile, outside...」
Following the appearance of the Seventh Elder’s Cultivation Room, all the prodigies who had seen the sky-piercing golden light rushed over, hoping to investigate and, ideally, obtain some great treasures.
When the crowd arrived, they all stared at the palace, their faces filled with awe.
"Haha! A palace this magnificent must contain great treasures!"
"I’ve traveled through most of the Hidden Dragon Valley and have never seen a palace this splendid. To think such a place was hidden here."
"Heavens above! This palace shows no signs of decay, which means it’s an undiscovered ruin. Based on past experience, there must be priceless treasures hidden inside!"
"It’s mine! The great treasure is mine!"
Countless people grew excited, eager to rush inside and begin their treasure hunt.
"Everyone, look! What’s that?"
Suddenly, someone cried out. The crowd looked over and saw several human-shaped ice sculptures glittering under the sun. As they drew closer, they gasped in unison. Frozen inside were corpses, their faces twisted in fear and agony. "Who could have done this?"
"Judging by their robes, they seem to be disciples of the Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain."
All eyes turned to a group of about twenty people in the crowd. Each was dressed in purple robes with a lifelike purple cloud embroidered on the chest. They were the disciples of the Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain.
Their leader was a handsome young man, but as he stared at the surrounding corpses, his face was like ice, livid with rage.
"Who? Who dares kill disciples of my Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain?" the young man ground out, a vicious light in his eyes. A powerful aura suddenly erupted from his body, like that of an enraged Fierce Beast.
His Cultivation had actually reached the Celestial Essence Realm, and judging by his aura, he was by no means weak within that realm. "No matter who you are, I will hunt you down and make sure you die without a grave! I’ll show you the consequences of offending the Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain!"
With a flicker, he appeared in front of Murong Hai’s body. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. "Murong Hai. I never thought he’d die here. It seems the killer is formidable... and perhaps it wasn’t just one person."
Gazing at the wound on Murong Hai’s neck, he murmured, "Judging from the wound, it was caused by a long, spear-like weapon. The strike was extremely fast, so it must have been a spear expert. And those ice sculptures... they must be the work of a Martial Artist who has comprehended the Ice’s Great Trend, and to a high degree."
Finished, he looked toward the palace. "It seems someone has already beaten us here. Hmph. No matter who you are, I, Ouyang Lin, will not let you escape."
