Chapter 168: Chapter 161: Chixia’s Secret
The thunderous fourth strike landed on Han Zaiyin’s chest.
BAM!
His body shuddered, then slammed rigidly against the wall. It hung there for a moment before sliding down, all signs of life completely gone. Even in death, his eyes were wide with disbelief, as if he couldn’t accept that he had been killed by a mere Qi Refining Cultivator...
’He’s dead!?’
In the Earth Palace, Chen Che gasped for air, his heart pounding like a drum and his Qi and Blood roiling within him.
The thick stench of blood filled his nose and mouth. Most of it was Han Zaiyin’s, but some was his own. A searing, tearing pain wracked his entire body.
The Nine Shocking Ape Strikes were powered by Qi and Blood and placed immense demands on one’s Physique. Forcing the technique without sufficient Qi and Blood could even cause backlash, injuring the user.
In a life-or-death moment, the slightest hesitation could lead to disaster.
Besides, his opponent had been a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!
Less than half an incense stick’s time had passed from the moment he entered the Earth Palace to when he killed Han Zaiyin.
Just before he died, Han Zaiyin had reacted strongly to the mention of True Master Chixia, but Chen Che had slain him regardless.
’The secrets of True Master Chixia... could it be they really know something?’
He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and glanced around the Earth Palace.
’It’s going to collapse!’
The battle had been too ferocious. The entire Earth Palace was already on the verge of ruin and was now about to cave in completely.
Countless massive rocks rained down from the ceiling with a deafening RUMBLE.
With a flick of his hand, Chen Che retrieved the Pure Jun Sword and the Black Tide Evil Lock. His Divine Sense swept the area, finally settling on Han Zaiyin’s right hand. There was a ring on it, pulsing with True Essence.
’A Storage Ring!’
Chen Che’s eyes lit up. He pulled the ring to him with his power, then flicked a finger, incinerating Han Zaiyin’s body with a ball of flame.
Just as he exited the tunnel, a cataclysmic roar echoed from the village. The Earth Palace had collapsed, leaving a massive sinkhole in the center of the settlement.
Watching the enormous plume of dust billow into the sky, Chen Che averted his gaze and fled on his Little Chick without hesitation. As he flew away, he saw that the thunderous collapse had seemingly alerted people from the mine and the Han Family’s main territory; figures were continuously rushing toward the village.
Not long after, a Signal Arrow shot into the sky above the Han Family’s territory.
...
...
’That’s the Han Family’s signal!’
He didn’t dare return the way he came. Instead, he took a wide detour, catching a Demon Beast along the way:
A Five-Colored Deer.
It was an endangered and protected animal of the Immortal Sects. Its meat was highly restorative and nourishing, even offering a slight effect of Life Extension and Longevity.
While devouring the meat, he reviewed the day’s events. He felt that everything had gone smoothly, with nothing overlooked and few traces left behind.
’There are so many Sword Cultivators in the world. No one will suspect me.’
Perhaps the only unexpected event worth mentioning was the Corpse Evil Pill his opponent had swallowed in his desperation.
’The longer one cultivates, the more trump cards they have. Even if they’re down to their last breath, you can never let your guard down!’
Han Zaiyin’s strength was comparable to Zhou Changping’s, but he was several times more ruthless and insidious.
After all, Tribulation Cultivators lived on the edge of a knife; they were all battle-hardened veterans.
After eating half the deer, the excruciating pain in his body had faded by nearly half. With his immense Qi and Blood, his recovery ability was naturally strong.
A few days of quiet rest would be enough for a full recovery with no lasting side effects.
’This chain is a vicious thing!’
Mumbling to himself, Chen Che eagerly began to take stock of his loot. The first thing he looked at was the ’Black Tide Evil Chain’ that Han Zaiyin had used.
The chain was normally only a meter long and very inconspicuous. But when infused with True Essence, with a sharp *CLICK*, rows of canine-like barbs would pop out from inside and outside the links. Each barb was several feet long and incredibly sharp.
Recalling how it had trapped his Pure Jun Sword, he imagined that if a Cultivator were caught in it, they would likely be shredded to mince in an instant.
’If I can change its appearance, I could keep it for my own use!’
After examining the Black Tide Evil Chain, Chen Che flipped his hand over, and a ring appeared in his palm.
The ring was entirely black and shaped like an Ouroboros.
It was Han Zaiyin’s Storage Ring.
Storage Rings and Storage Pouches could both store items, but they were not the same class of object.
This was because a Storage Pouch didn’t create a true space.
It was merely refined using Low Tier spatial Materials combined with special techniques.
The theory behind it was equivalent to compressing several cubic meters of volume into a pocket-sized pouch.
A Storage Ring, however, was different. It contained a true internal space. Its primary material was the Tier Three Middle Grade ’Spatial Treasure Crystal.’ Because this stone contained the Power of Space, its structure was unstable, making it extremely difficult to mine.
Therefore, every Storage Ring was exceedingly expensive.
’There’s a Divine Sense Restriction!’
When Chen Che tried to open it, he was suddenly blocked by a barrier.
This barrier was the Divine Sense Mark left by Han Zaiyin.
It was like a lock on the Storage Ring. The owner of the Divine Sense Mark could access it freely, but anyone else’s Divine Sense would be blocked.
’I don’t need Master Wu to pick the lock this time. I can do it myself!’
Chen Che lifted his palm slightly, and the Storage Ring levitated in mid-air.
’Open!’
With a single thought, his vast Divine Sense surged out, enveloping the Storage Ring. Han Zaiyin’s Cultivation hadn’t been high; his Divine Sense was only around the First or Second Layer.
About an hour later, with a soft *POP*, the Divine Sense Mark left by the other man was completely erased.
’Finally, it’s open.’
Overjoyed, Chen Che’s Divine Sense swept inside, now completely unimpeded.
The space inside the Storage Ring was huge, over three hundred cubic meters.
’Tsk, tsk!’
Chen Che frowned, silently cursing Han Zaiyin. The man was a complete slob.
Inside the vast storage space, Pills, Cultivation Techniques, Magical Artifacts, and everything else were all piled together in a chaotic mess without any semblance of order.
He dumped the items out and began to sort and organize them.
There were seven or eight bottles of Pills, mostly Tier Two Elixirs. Each had a Pill Seal on it, though he couldn’t tell whose work it was.
Once he erased the seals, he could put them up for sale in the Pill Shop.
There were also quite a few Spirit Stones.
There were over 4,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones and more than 50 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones, totaling nearly 10,000 Spirit Stones in value.
This was several times Zhou Changping’s entire net worth.
’It makes sense. Although both were Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Zhou Changping had been a clan head, while Han Zaiyin was only a Tutor for the Primordial Sect. Their net worth was naturally going to be different.’
The Spirit Stones could be used immediately without any need for processing.
’Counting what I had before, I now have 14,000 Spirit Stones. Tsk, relying on the Pill Shop, it would take me twenty or thirty years of scrimping and saving to earn this much. "Murder and arson line your pockets with gold." The ancestors were truly right!’
Next, Chen Che took stock of Han Zaiyin’s Magical Artifacts.
There were quite a few of them—twenty-seven in total, including the Black Tide Evil Chain. The vast majority were Tier One High Grade, with four Tier Two Low Grade items and two Tier Two Middle Grade items.
One was the Black Tide Evil Chain, and the other was a suit of Inner Armor.
’I didn’t realize Meng Changtu was so ferocious!’
Chen Che held up the Inner Armor. Judging by the size, it must have been Han Zaiyin’s personal Soft Armor.
It was already damaged, however. In the center of the chest was a Hand Seal, which had almost punched all the way through. The area around the seal was covered in melted marks. It was clear that Meng Changtu’s three palm strikes had been intended to kill Han Zaiyin, but he had managed to survive thanks to this Soft Armor.
’He must cultivate a Fire Element Palm Technique! A major clan with several hundred years of history really has some power.’
As he mused, he looked at the Cultivation Techniques in the Storage Ring. The Fierce Demon Ape Strike that Han Zaiyin had used was among them.
Chen Che, of course, looked down on it.
Even if cultivated to Great Success, its power was only comparable to the third strike of his Nine Shocking Ape Strikes.
As for the rest, it was just a pile of junk.
There were even a few sets of women’s undergarments.
’What’s this?’
Originally, Chen Che had thought that was the extent of Han Zaiyin’s fortune, but when he found a handwritten journal in the ring’s space, he discovered he was sorely mistaken.
Chen Che hadn’t paid it any mind at first, but a single glance made him narrow his eyes.
’True Master Chixia!’
It was a scroll containing records about True Master Chixia.
A large portion of it detailed the life of True Master Chixia. His most glorious era was about eight hundred years ago. He had cultivated his entire life to reach Golden Core Great Perfection, and his fame had spread across a hundred prefectures. Even fledgling cultivators new to their path had heard his great name.
Of course, what he was most praised for was his Alchemy Skill.
Even Nascent Soul True Monarchs had sought Pills from him.
For a time, his prestige was unmatched.
Even the current patriarch of the Primordial Sect had only reached his present state after receiving half of the True Master’s legacy.
Unfortunately, about five hundred years ago, he suddenly vanished without a trace and was never seen again. Rumors said he had long since passed away.
Of course, the final resting place of such a Major Cultivator was naturally coveted by many. After all, his lifelong accumulation of wealth was extraordinary; obtaining even a tenth of it would be enough to last a lifetime.
Countless Cultivators had searched for clues, but to no avail.
And according to this journal, based on the places True Master Chixia frequented, someone had speculated that he likely had nine separate Cave Mansions.
’So my place is just one of True Master Chixia’s Cave Mansions!’
Chen Che was lost in thought.
Han Zaiyin and Dan Guangao had repeatedly mentioned True Master Chixia’s Cave Mansion. He had originally thought they knew something specific, but it turned out this was the real reason.
This made him breathe a sigh of relief.
Soon, he quickly finished reading the journal, which had been handwritten by Han Zaiyin himself.
The reason for it was that Han Zaiyin had once killed and robbed a Tier Two Alchemist. From that person, he had found half of a Jade Pendant. Through Soul Searching and interrogation, he learned that this Jade Pendant had been given by True Master Chixia to a "fated person." With this pendant, one could directly enter his Cave Mansion and obtain his legacy!
Unfortunately, during the long years of True Master Chixia’s absence, that "fated person" had long since been killed and robbed, and the Jade Pendant had been broken in two during the struggle.
This half of the Jade Pendant had passed through countless hands before being obtained by that Pill Master, and then it had fallen into Han Zaiyin’s possession.
’A Jade Pendant?’
Chen Che’s eyes instantly lit up. Sure enough, when he swept his Divine Sense through the ring’s space, he found a fish-shaped Jade Pendant in a corner, of which only half remained.
The jade was crystal clear and radiated a moon-like glow.
However, the upper half was nowhere to be found.
’True Master Chixia has eight other Cave Mansions!’
Chen Che toyed with the Jade Pendant, his eyes narrowing slightly.
...
「Meanwhile.」
Outside the Han Family’s Earth Palace, Han Family Cultivators had set up a tight blockade, forbidding outsiders from entering.
The Cultivators from Jinyun Valley were stopped outside the perimeter.
Hu Yao stood on a mountain, only able to see the sinkhole from a distance. Han Xiyue stood at the site of the collapsed Earth Palace, his expression grim to the extreme as he watched his clansmen searching the area.
