Arc 13: Wild Beast Plains | Chapter 226: Secret Map
Translator: Lynn
Subsequently, the two individuals conversed once again, and their words were clearly audible to Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie, revealing a wealth of confidential information.
Evidently, the Fox King and Panshan King had a history dating back thousands of years due to an old incident. During that time, Panshan King, then a third-rank monster snake, sought refuge at Lingtu Mountain while being pursued by natural enemies. The Fox King, not yet in its current position, held a prominent status in the clan due to its natural blood heritage.
The inexperienced Jiuxuan Meihu rescued the monster snake from assailants, fostering a companionship that lasted for hundreds of years. Eventually, Jiuxuan Meihu left for mountainous cultivation, and the demon snake went its separate way.
Years later, Jiuxuan Meihu gained fame and became the Fox King at Lingtu Mountain, while the monster snake, after numerous perilous encounters, found refuge with the current king, evolving into a seventh-order monster on the plains.
King Panshan, successful in his cultivation, visited the Fox King just as news of the secret treasure in Tianlan surfaced.
This revelation left Xu Ziqing astonished. Glancing at Yun Lie, he noticed a slight ripple in his usually stoic eyes.
This wasn’t due to their lack of foresight; rather, the news was truly momentous.
As is known, anything labeled a “Secret Treasure” was a relic from ancient times, comprising hidden places, mausoleums, or other concealed locations. These often held a plethora of magical artifacts, ancient relics, exercises, rare elixirs, and even mineral deposits—rare treasures that emerged once in a millennium. Even in the ordinary great world, encountering the birth of secret treasures was exceedingly uncommon.
The Qingyun Great World was just one of the three thousand great worlds in the universe, and over the years, fewer than five individuals had witnessed the birth of secret treasures.
Those fortunate enough to escape the secret traps with their findings reap numerous benefits. Many became outstanding figures in the world, breaking through previously unimaginable levels due to these rare adventures. Some even obtained strange treasures that helped them overcome celestial tribulations during the Immortal Ascension stage.
Yet, what heightened the excitement wasn’t just the material gains. More enticing were the ancient cultivators’ legacies contained within.
While several current world practices have ancient origins, many were creations of later individuals. However, ancient practices often boasted more power, harboring mysterious insights that rendered them superior to their contemporary counterparts. Numerous cultivators aspired to join prominent sects to acquire the best skills, making the discovery of an ancient cultivator’s inheritance particularly enticing.
Receiving such an inheritance meant gaining the ancient cultivator’s experience, valuable treasures suitable for the practice, and sometimes empowerment-like methods for rapid progress.
Given the allure, numerous cultivators eagerly sought these inheritances. However, the methods employed by ancient cultivators were often lost, and the aura was more abundant in ancient times. As a result, their legacies posed considerable dangers.
To safeguard the inheritance and treasures from being lost, or for some other reason, whenever a secret treasure emerged, a map accompanied it. This map, divided into several pieces, would unpredictably fall into different hands—be it ordinary Qi-refining cultivators or formidable Mahayana cultivators. The map detailed passages, traps, secret places, and special areas within the secret treasure, offering a comprehensive guide.
In possession of a complete map, one could almost secure the most valuable treasures within the secret storehouse, gaining an advantage over other intruding cultivators. Even with an incomplete map, discovering the corresponding location provided an opportunity to explore the secrets comprehensively. Consequently, forces keenly observed those who owned the map, often resorting to forceful acquisition and sparking bloodshed.
As Xu Ziqing grasped the implications, he looked at Jiuxuan Meihu, finding clarity in his eyes.
The Fox King happened to be fortunate; after the secret treasure’s emergence, he obtained an incomplete map. However, the eighth-rank monster, revered as the “King Zun” by the wild beasts on the plains, somehow learned of this and promptly captured the Fox King.
During that period, King Panshan visited the Fox King, only to discover that the Fox King had been apprehended. Despite numerous inquiries, he realized that King Zun would not release the Fox King unless he surrendered the map fragments.
Unfortunately, Jiuxuan Meihu, being exceedingly cunning, hadn’t brought the map with him, leaving its whereabouts unknown. King Zun, wanting to extract the map’s information from the Fox King, was hesitant due to the Fox King’s ability for self-destruction.
This form of self-destruction wasn’t ordinary; it obliterated the entire being instantly, leaving no trace of the soul. It was almost a pure suicide, a drastic measure that wouldn’t be employed unless absolutely necessary.
Fearing the Fox King’s self-destruction, King Zun proceeded cautiously. Eventually, after mediating with various parties, King Panshan was tasked with guarding the Fox King. King Zun hoped that King Panshan could elicit information about the map from the Fox King.
In a peculiar and harmonious turn of events, the Fox King, desiring to escape for treasure hunting, and King Panshan, motivated by love for the Fox King and a quest for credit, found themselves in this unusual situation.
Understanding the secrets and motives behind this scenario, Xu Ziqing felt relieved but couldn’t shake a lingering suspicion. Given Jiuxuan Meihu’s cunning nature, the leaked information during his conversation with King Panshan might have been intentional. However, the motive remained unclear, prompting Xu Ziqing to tread cautiously, having encountered numerous schemes before.
While King Panshan continued his intimate discussion with Jiuxuan Meihu, the latter remained reticent. King Panshan, faced with the Fox King’s refusal, expressed concern about the limited time he could delay the situation. He questioned the Fox King’s motives for troubling King Zun, suggesting that handing over the map fragments could secure his release and potential benefits.
Uncertain of the Fox King’s plan, Jiuxuan Meihu responded with a mocking laugh but remained silent. As dawn approached, King Panshan left the stone prison, and once the outer gate closed, Jiuxuan Meihu lazily directed his gaze toward Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie.
Inquiring about their awareness of the conversation between him and King Panshan, Jiuxuan Meihu received a confirmation from Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie: “Of course… We heard clearly.”
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In the heart of the Monster Beast Kingdom within the Wild Beast Plain lies the expansive Qingtian Cave, nestled deep in the mountains. This cavernous space features numerous stone chambers and guard posts, all leading to a grand hall.
Dominating the hall is a towering stone platform adorned with countless treasures embedded in the cave walls, casting a brilliant illumination across the entire space.
Upon the stone platform reclines a colossal and menacing beast. Its robust physique, coated in dark fur, exudes unmatched strength, and its sinuous tail sways gracefully, producing a whistling sound as it moves. Though it appears to be in a half-closed-eye, almost nap-like state, the creature’s potent aura is enough to make the entire cave tremble even with the slightest movement.
Suddenly, the creature’s eyes snap open, revealing a flash of green light within its pupils.
“Who?” it growls with a low, thunderous voice that sends shivers down one’s spine.
In response, more than ten figures materialize in front of the stone platform with a swift “swipe” sound.
These individuals emit formidable auras, with the weakest possessing the early-stage Nascent Soul cultivation level and the tallest standing at the peak of the late Nascent Soul stage, just a hair’s breadth away from the Divine Soul Formation stage. Undoubtedly, they form a group of cultivators, their breath carrying both the essence of immortality and the mystique of magic.
Leading the group is a young cultivator adorned in silver robes with a golden belt, his neatly tied black hair crowned on top. Despite occupying the forefront, this cultivator surprisingly holds the weakest cultivation level, just in the late Golden Core stage. Nevertheless, his demeanor exudes an extraordinary presence.
As the power of the giant beast surges, creating a formidable current, the young cultivator remains composed. He raises his hand, producing a golden bowl and swiftly turning it over to absorb the rushing airflow.
Following this, the young cultivator smiles calmly and respectfully states, “The junior has seen King Zun.”
Once again, the giant beast narrows its eyes and questions, “Which son of Emperor Yan are you?”
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