Volume 1 Volume 7 Chapter 95

Volume 7 Chapter 95: The Eerie Treasure Hunt (26)

"How did you find me?"

Xuan did not reply to Jiluo. Instead, he coldly stared at Jiluo and asked, "What do you want?"

Xuan was used to being alone, but whether it was the previous Righteous Alliance or the "Ming" organization, or now the Human Alliance or the Shura Clan, they could not find him. His hiding skills were rare. Because of this, Xuan was so surprised that Jiluo could find him.

Jiluo, however, did not care about the presence of this top master and continued to speak in a cold and indifferent tone, "My family master says that this time cooperating with Xu Qingfan, Xu Qingfan is already cautious of my family master. And you are also one of the top masters in the world, often helping my family master. To prevent you and my family master from completely allying in the future, Xu Qingfan, with his nature, will surely try to stir up trouble between you and my family master. All of this is Xu Qingfan’s doing, and my family master did not use any of his subordinates. In this action, anyone claiming to be my family master’s subordinate cannot be trusted."

Xuan frowned for a moment. He did not believe that Zhang Xusheng would treat him this way. Now, hearing Jiluo’s words, he started to believe it a little, but he still said coldly, "This mission is entirely Xu Qingfan’s work, while your family master is just here to reap the rewards, right? Hmph, that guy is great at using others’ strength for his own gain. Alright, I’ve listened to your family master’s explanation. Now tell me, how did you find me, and what else does your family master want from me?"

Although he spoke with a cold smile, his words lost their earlier distant tone. Jiluo’s voice, while uncomfortable, still held a hint of respect. Zhang Xusheng’s subordinates had always looked down on everyone except for Zhang Xusheng, and over the years, Xuan had grown used to it. Unless someone like Chou directly questioned his abilities, crossing him, Xuan couldn’t be bothered to care.

However, Jiluo still did not answer Xuan’s question and continued speaking to himself, "Your family master said that due to your pride, if Xu Qingfan’s people anger you, you will surely retaliate. The main target of Xu Qingfan’s mission is the ‘Shura Holy Pearl,’ so your means of revenge will likely involve taking the ‘Shura Holy Pearl.’ According to Xu Qingfan’s plan, your family master estimates a 40% chance that the ‘Shura Holy Pearl’ remains with the Shura Clan, with a 30% chance in both Xu Qingfan’s and your hands. Your family master says if the ‘Shura Holy Pearl’ is in your possession, please give it to me. Your family master will repay you in the next life."

Upon seeing Jiluo repeatedly ignore his questions, even though Xuan knew Zhang Xusheng’s subordinates had such strange tempers, he couldn’t help but feel a bit angry.

His tone turned cold again. Xuan said, "Will you repay me in the next life? That sounds strange, as if your family master is about to die. The ‘Shura Holy Pearl’ is in my hands—this is your family master’s request? I can give it to you, but you must first tell me how you found me."

As he spoke, Xuan’s tone suddenly became sharper, "I’ve tolerated you over and over for Zhang Xusheng’s sake. If you ignore me again, don’t blame me for not giving Zhang Xusheng face."

Hearing Xuan’s words, a flicker of anger flashed in Jiluo’s cold eyes. It wasn’t anger at Xuan’s threat, but rather anger at Xuan’s disrespect towards Zhang Xusheng.

Unconsciously, a hint of mocking smile appeared on Jiluo’s face as he finally began to answer Xuan’s question.

"The seven God Weapons that you rely on, four of them were given to you by my family master. As long as you carry these four swords, you cannot escape our watch."

Hearing Jiluo’s words, Xuan’s body shook, and he suddenly stood up, questioning loudly, "Zhang Xusheng actually plotted against me!?"

Although Xuan was seriously injured and might not even defeat a golden core cultivator, he was one of the most skilled masters in the world. His every word and action carried authority. When he stood up to question, Jiluo felt an overwhelming force rushing towards him, and under that pressure, he could not help but take several steps back, almost falling to the ground.

However, despite Xuan’s impressive aura, after a brief change in expression, Jiluo not only quickly returned to normal but also had an even deeper smirk on his face, and his tone became colder.

"Senior, you made two mistakes before. First, when my family master said he would repay you in the next life, it doesn’t mean he is about to die. The next life refers to your next life. Second, my family master’s request is not for the ‘Shura Holy Pearl.’ He said that with his relationship with you, such things don’t need to be requested. What my family master wants is something else, and that is… your entire cultivation."

After a pause, Jiluo seemed to remember something and added, "By the way, there’s something my family master insisted I tell you— the fruit has ripened, and it is time to pick it. Although the fruit grows low on the tree, it is still useful. This was the agreement between you and my family master back then."

Upon hearing Jiluo’s words, strangely, the anger on Xuan’s face began to fade, replaced by a hint of daze and confusion as if he was recalling something.

Xuan had always walked alone, but he had a notable connection with Zhang Xusheng, which seemed like a transaction. Zhang Xusheng found a God Weapon for Xuan, and in return, Xuan would do something for Zhang Xusheng, but in truth, only Zhang Xusheng in the world could engage in such a transaction with Xuan.

…

Xuan’s background is quite mysterious; he has no master and no legacy. After entering the world, he became one of the top experts of his time, practicing the "Eight Gate Sword Formation" and rarely encountering opponents throughout his life.

But no one knows that Xuan’s current abilities are greatly connected to Zhang Xusheng.

Long ago, Xuan was just a simple swordsman in the world, only thinking about reaching the peak of his sword path. One day, while practicing in the mountains, he suddenly turned around and noticed a young scholar standing not far away, watching him with a smile that was both elegant and mysterious.

"The martial way is just a small part. With your talent and nature, only practicing martial arts is a waste. Here are the basic cultivation methods needed for immortality, along with the ‘Eight Gate Sword Formation’ that I accidentally came across some time ago. With your nature, it is perfect for you to practice. I am giving it to you now, and I hope you won’t let me down."

A soft, elegant voice echoed in Xuan’s ears, and in the next moment, two books appeared before him.

Glancing through them, Xuan confirmed that they contained the legendary cultivation methods for immortality. He felt a surge of joy, but when he looked up, he realized the young scholar had already vanished.

"Why are you helping me like this?"

Xuan ran through the woods, calling out.

"A fertile soil should grow the best fruit trees. Work hard, and when the fruits are ripe, I will come to pick them."

In the forest, the elegant, soft voice sounded again, and then the young scholar was gone without a trace.

That year, Xuan was just an ordinary person, and Zhang Xusheng was merely a low-level cultivator who had just stepped into the Lingji Stage.

…

Time passed quickly, and almost a thousand years went by in the blink of an eye.

Over the thousand years, with incredible focus and hard work, Xuan finally achieved great success in his cultivation. After coming into the world, he learned that the mysterious young man who had brought him into the cultivation world was actually Zhang Xusheng, the first genius of the Jiuhua Mountain in the Holy Land, who had become a master after three thousand years.

At that time, Zhang Xusheng was already seen as the next sect leader of the Jiuhua lineage, but no one knew about his research into dark arts.

Of course, Xuan was already a grandmaster himself; his progress in cultivation was not any slower than the genius Zhang Xusheng’s, and he had even surpassed him in some ways.

"A fruit that looks very tasty; what a pity. It grew well, but it is flavorless."

When Xuan went to Jiuhua to see Zhang Xusheng, the first sentence Zhang Xusheng said was very hard to understand.

…

"Feng Qingtian, Xu Qingfan, Zhang Yi… Are these people the fruits you will pick in the future? I remember you saw me as a fruit back then; why are we working together now?"

The scene changed, and in the blink of an eye, a thousand years had passed. Zhang Xusheng and Xuan had grown from ordinary Nascent Soul Stage masters into the top powerful beings in the world. Zhang Xusheng had betrayed Jiuhua and become the leader of the dark path, while Xuan was now stronger than Zhang Xusheng.

The two of them joined the mysterious organization called "Ming." Xuan did not know Zhang Xusheng’s purpose for joining this organization; he simply joined because Zhang Xusheng was in it, and that made sense to him.

Following Zhang Xusheng’s request, Xuan handed over the "Dragon Summoning Order" and the "Immortal Ascending Pill" to Xu Qingfan to help him grow, and then he asked Zhang Xusheng a question.

"In my eyes, there are two kinds of fruits in this world. One kind grows high on the tree, delicious and sweet, but picking it means climbing that tall tree. If you are not careful, you might fall, and though it’s dangerous, it tastes even better after being picked. The second kind grows low on the tree, easy to reach; it is also tasty, but lacks the thrilling process, so it always misses some flavor when eaten. I prefer the first kind; the second is too easy and not interesting to me. For me, Feng Qingtian and the others are the first kind, while you are the second kind."

"What do you mean? Am I not better than Feng Qingtian and the others?"

"I wanted to cultivate you like a fruit high on the tree, but you grew low instead. You are a simple cultivator, still holding onto the code of a hero from your mortal days. Because of what happened back then, you trust me too much. Though you are strong, you have no hostility and no schemes… Picking fruit is all about the anticipation and the dangerous process. Although you are much stronger than them, you have neither of these qualities. Since you are so easy to reach, I can’t be bothered to pick you."

"So, are you saying I’ve disappointed you?"

"I can’t say that either. Low-hanging fruit can still be useful. Who knows what the future holds?"

"So, does that mean that everyone in this world is just fruit for you to pick?"

"But that’s not quite right. In my eyes, to be called fruit, the standards are very high, especially for those who grow high above. They must have potential, desire, hatred, cunning, and they must be willing to do whatever it takes, even if it is extremely dangerous. Sadly, you only meet the criteria for potential."

…

Lost in thought, memories that should have been long forgotten flooded Xuans’s mind.

Zhang Xusheng’s words have always been hard to tell if they are true or false. Xuan always thought that the past was just something Zhang Xusheng said casually. He felt that he must be a very special presence to Zhang Xusheng, just as Zhang Xusheng was to him. Like Xu Qingfan and Jin Qinghan, they could be together and understand each other, or spend hundreds of years without contact, or go through fire and water for a single word.

Otherwise, Xuan wouldn’t have been so furious over just a few simple words from Chou.

But clearly, Xuan was wrong.

Just as Zhang Xusheng said, Xuan is only a simple cultivator, still holding onto the code of a hero from his days as a mortal. Such a person, no matter how powerful, poses no threat to Zhang Xusheng.

"Do you see me as fruit to pick as well? Or just something easily within reach? Hahahaha…"

Under Jiluo’s surprised gaze, Xuan first murmured to himself, then his voice grew louder, and finally, he burst into wild laughter, as if he had encountered something incredibly funny.

With a wave of his hand, seven God Weapons began to slowly spin around Xuan, no longer caring about the injuries within him, as if ready to strike at any moment.

"Now, I will make Zhang Xusheng understand that even picking low-hanging fruits can lead to a fall and injuries, and even if I am a fruit, I am not so easy to pick."

The Spirit Qi between heaven and earth suddenly became wildly chaotic. Xuan let out a long howl, as if he had been greatly stimulated, but in the next moment, he strangely became incredibly calm. His reddened eyes, which he didn’t know when they had started, coldly stared at Jiluo, as he spoke slowly and clearly.

"Or when picking low-hanging fruits, one might fall from the tree, but since the fruit is so low, the fall won’t hurt much. This is what my family master asked me to tell you at this moment…"

Outside the cave, a faint voice suddenly came, filled with the same mockery as Jiluo.

"All your reactions, including what you might say at this moment, are completely foreseen by my family master. So, how could you possibly make my family master fall from the tree?"

With a sigh, seventeen cultivators entered the cave in a line, surrounding Xuan. Eighteen indifferent eyes all focused on Xuan in the center.

"Ah!"

The seven God Weapons suddenly grew larger, turning into seven giant swords that fiercely swept towards the people around.

A chaotic battle began just like that.

…

In the southwest of the Shenzhou Continent, the great battle between the Zhong family and the Shura Clan continued, with Spirit Qi shaking powerfully, startling all the cultivators in the world.

So, in a corner of the Shenzhou Continent, the battle between the severely injured Xuan, who could only use half of his strength, and eighteen peak Golden Core Stage cultivators did not catch anyone’s attention and was not worth describing in detail.

One day later, the battle ended.

The original cave and the mountain where it was located had long turned into flat ground during the battle.

On the flat ground, Xuan lay on the ground, barely alive, still stubbornly trying to get up, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not succeed.

Around Xuan, only seven of the eighteen members of the "An" organization who were attacking remained, looking disheveled and pale as they stared in horror at Xuan lying in the middle.

As for the other eleven people, they didn’t even leave behind their bones.

Jiluo survived the great battle and looked at the barely alive Xuan, his eyes filled with disbelief.

According to Zhang Xusheng’s judgment, after fighting the Shura Clan, Xuan must have been seriously injured, and having only half of his strength left was already quite lucky. With such strength, it would be extremely difficult to defeat an ordinary golden core cultivator.

Meanwhile, Jiluo and the other seventeen people all had the strength of the peak of the Golden Core Stage, and after Zhang Xusheng’s transformation, they all possessed some strange yet powerful abilities. Once they formed a formation, they could even match two to three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators for a while.

That terrifying demon Zhong Ling from the past was also trapped by them.

But the truth is, Xuan only had half of his strength left, making it extremely difficult to defeat an ordinary golden core cultivator. After one battle, they were down to just seven people, and each one of them was injured.

Although they won, it was a pyrrhic victory.

Suddenly remembering Zhang Xusheng’s words, Jiluo walked over to Xuan, bent down, and whispered in his ear, "In fact, this is the last hope my family master has for you. If, during the battle, you don’t just fight desperately but instead think of ways to escape and plan for future revenge, we will let you go. Because my master says that such a you would have gone through a transformation. He is very eager to see how a you, who no longer cares about your dignity, will take revenge on him. At that time, you would only think about fighting and revenge, letting out your grudges in battle… A delightful revenge… Haha, that sounds nice. But in this world, those who seek delightful revenge have long died. Those who survive are all clever and will do anything."

Saying this, Jiluo stood up, looking down at Xuan, and continued coldly, "Do not hold a grudge. In fact, if it weren’t for my family master’s protection all these years, someone as innocent as you would have been used to death by Immortal Zizhen, Mr. Liu, and Great Brahma. Besides, the reason you have come this far is largely because of my family master… So now, even though my family master has abandoned you for the greater good, you have nothing to complain about. You have gained a lot."

After speaking, Jiluo nodded at the other six people, grabbed the powerless Xuan, and soared into the distance.

…

You State, the place where Black Emperor Cliff used to be.

However, after many shocking battles that could change the fate of the world, Black Emperor Cliff, once known as the highest mountain in the world, had long been flattened in the great war.

Yet, for over a hundred years, no human cultivator or Shura Clan had dared to approach You State. The conflict between the Shura Clan and humans did not involve You State at all. Moreover, both the Shura Clan and human cultivators each sent their best fighters to guard around You State, preventing anyone from entering. These guardians from both clans, even during the fiercest battles between humans and the Shura Clan, never fought against each other and lived in peace.

This is because You State seals a world-destroying demon—the "Spirit Eater"!

After the great war, Jiluo and the others, carrying the barely alive Xuan, sneaked past the guards of both clans and entered You State.

In fact, the Shura Clan cannot be called patient. Sensing chaos near their main camp, the Shura Clan guards rushed to help. So, at this moment, You State had only human cultivators left behind, making it much easier to sneak in than expected.

"Now, it is time for you, senior, to use your power to help my family master."

After flying to the location of the "Spirit Eater" seal, Jiluo looked at the enormous, dome-shaped, colorful barrier before him with a slight smile and spoke to the Xuan he was holding.

As if sensing something, the barrier suddenly shook violently, as if the "Spirit Eater" inside was banging against it fiercely.

Along the way, Xuan seemed to have lost all hope and was no longer struggling. At that moment, hearing Jiluo’s words, he slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze was unexpectedly calm.

"What is your master really thinking?"

Xuan asked slowly.

At this moment, he already knew the fate that awaited him—becoming food for the "Spirit Eater," to be devoured and absorbed.

Although Xuan had no Spirit Qi left in his body, the Nascent Soul and blood within him were more powerful than any Spirit Qi. After consuming Xuan, the "Spirit Eater," with the help of Xuan’s blood and Nascent Soul, would continue to grow even if sealed by the "Void Spirit Barrier" and with no Spirit Qi to absorb, until it broke free from the barrier.

Jiluo seemed to have never considered such a question; following Zhang Xusheng’s orders without asking why had become second nature to him. After pondering Xuan’s words for a moment, he gave up and said, "How could I guess what my master’s thoughts are?"

While Jiluo was speaking with Xuan, the other six had already attached over a hundred talismans to the "Void Spirit Barrier," floating around it in the shape of "Six Harmonies," mumbling quietly.

A moment later, as if the snow met the bright sun, the incredibly strong barrier actually opened a hole about one meter wide around the spell.

Suddenly, a breath filled with deep-rooted terror, carrying the scent of ancient times, began to spread out from the hole. There was no chill and no intent to kill, but Jiluo and the others couldn’t help but shiver a few times.

Suddenly, a silent shriek echoed in everyone’s hearts. At the same time, a black tentacle, as thick as a person’s waist, shot out from the hole like lightning, ready to coil around the group.

Seeing the tentacle, Jiluo suddenly came to his senses. He raised his hand, and a huge rock suddenly appeared in front of him, then smashed hard towards the tentacle that was coming for him.

With a loud boom, the tentacle was knocked back into the barrier.

"Senior, please forgive me."

Jiluo said to Xuan.

At that moment, Xuan seemed to have let go of everything. In the face of the oncoming fate, his eyes remained calm.

"Tell your family master that he is playing with fire."

"This is not playing with fire; this is planting a stronger fruit tree," Jiluo answered in a deep voice, then suddenly smiled slightly and added, "These are the original words of my family master."

As he spoke, with a wave of his hand, Xuan’s body was thrown into the barrier.

There were no cries of pain, no screams, just silence.

The other six members of the "An" organization murmured again, and the symbols around the cave entrance glowed with spiritual light as they whispered. Then the opening in the barrier slowly closed, and as the symbols turned into flames and fell, the barrier returned to what it was before.

"When you appear again, it will be a new era."

Looking at the barrier before him, a look of obsession flashed in Jiluo’s eyes.

With the departure of Jiluo and the others, Zhang Xusheng’s plan was officially complete.