Chapter 56

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Chapter 56

It is well known that any long-standing Immortal Sect possesses at least one or two spiritual treasures.

Even a small sect like Moonfire Valley has three or four spiritual items refined by their ancestor, Hao Chengzi, to guard their land, subtly deterring the surrounding area.

Elder Wancheng took a deep breath and, suppressing his shame, revealed the truth.

“Our proud treasure, the Dark Perfume Silk… was discovered to have been stolen fifty years ago.”

Everyone present showed no particular reaction; most had never even heard of this name.

Dark Perfume Silk? What?

No sect would openly flaunt their hidden treasures, fearing not only theft but also the attention of thieves.

Even the lower-ranking disciples of Zhi Bai Guan were unaware of this treasure, let alone outsiders who had never heard its name.

Seeing their lack of reaction, Elder Wancheng felt slightly embarrassed and cleared his throat.

The accompanying disciple immediately understood and bowed to everyone, explaining the origin of this spiritual treasure.

“When our third-generation Master of Zhi Bai Guan, the Hidden Deer Sage, traveled through the Spiritual Sea of the Ghost Mountains, he was inspired by the hues of the peaks and comprehended the flow of creation, weaving the immortal aura into this silk.”

“This Dark Perfume Silk surpasses all silks and satins in the world; even the colorful hues of the dawn pale in comparison.”

Most of those present were rough men, and only Cheng Ji could vaguely imagine the stunning sight of the silk floating around, his face showing a hint of regret. “What is the use of this silk?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“At first, the Hidden Deer Sage used it merely as an adornment, enjoying how it gathered the spiritual energy of the mountains and rivers, rich and vibrant, and he carried it with him daily.”

“It is unclear whether it was initially imbued with immortal aura or gained it over time as it accompanied the sage in his cultivation. Eventually, this dark silk could absorb spiritual energy, available at will, regardless of the quantity.”

As the disciple spoke, a dazed expression crossed his face.

“And… no matter how many times it is used, it shows no sign of wear or damage.”

Hua Tingxiao gasped, “Regardless of the quantity!”

Elder Wancheng nodded gravely, clearly regretful. “After the sage’s Ascension, this spiritual item was left in the depths of the treasure vault. We juniors dared not take it out regularly; only during significant events did we request to see it.”

They only discovered the theft of this treasure fifty years ago by chance; they had no idea where to trace the clues or even whom to seek!

After listening to everything, Master Ancestor felt a stir of emotion.

“So, you believe that… there are traitors who stole this treasure and used it to draw away the spiritual energy of others from afar, secretly ruining the path of cultivation for people everywhere?”

“Master Ancestor,” Tu Xuixin stood up and bowed, smiling wryly, “It’s unlikely that such a thing could be done with just this item.”

Elder Wancheng was about to argue, but Tu Xuixin continued, “However, with the formations of Jin Yan Tuo, this matter is certainly not simple.”

Formations can amplify or transform the inherent effects of objects, and if an expert on Jin Yan Tuo got hold of this Dark Perfume Silk, they could potentially absorb the ethereal aura within it while also extracting the accumulated efforts of cultivators from miles away!

Elder Wancheng led the people from Zhi Bai Guan in bowing and earnestly pleaded, “I have long heard that your Valley is extraordinarily powerful. If you can resolve this issue and retrieve the spiritual item, it will not only alleviate the hidden pain of Zhi Bai Guan but also bring blessings to the world!”

The disciples behind him echoed loudly, kneeling in unison.

“Please, Moonfire Valley, lend us your help!”

“Please, Moonfire Valley, lend us your help!”

Hua Tingxiao and Tu Xuixin exchanged glances, finding it hard to speak.

Even if they wanted to help, it was impossible to ask their Master again.

They had just opened the alchemy furnace and asked questions this year; each time, it consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy from six Palace Lords and the Master Ancestor, making it impossible to do it again in such a short time.

Master Ancestor remained silent, and the several Palace Lords wore troubled expressions. Gong Wu, after a moment, bravely asked, “What do you want Moonfire Valley to do?”

Elder Wancheng hesitated, and Ji Yang also responded, “If even your sect cannot find the whereabouts of the spiritual treasure, where can we offer our assistance?”

“Actually,” the elder clenched his fists, a heavy look in his eyes as he turned toward them, his gaze somewhat unfocused, “to be honest, I actually wanted to ask both of you for help.”

Hua Tingxiao, who had been troubled, exclaimed, “Help with whom?”

“Those two children, can they help you?”

He stood next to his two young disciples, worried they might be taken advantage of by people from Zhi Bai Guan. “Although these two disciples have encountered several strange events this year, it should not mean putting themselves in danger. I don’t need to elaborate, right?”

Elder Wancheng swallowed hard and shook his head, “To be more practical, I’ve heard that your sect previously obtained a spiritual leopard and later encountered a celestial phoenix; they are definitely not ordinary beings.”

“Although Zhi Bai Guan raises some white deer and white cranes, they still lack any real connection to the ethereal.”

“Could we… please ask your sect to give it a try?”

Before he finished speaking, the two disciples next to them both knelt down, presenting a bundle of clothes and a mat.

“These are the old belongings of the Hidden Deer Sage. Because of the long passage of time, ordinary searching techniques cannot reveal them.”

“We are also out of options, begging your sect for help. Once the matter is resolved, we will certainly reward you generously!”

Gong Wu turned back to exchange a look with her Master, recalling the nearly cracked abacus in the account room, finding herself in a situation both amusing and awkward.

Having consulted her Master and the Master Ancestor, she raised her hand and whistled, calling Gong Hua Ji to come quickly.

With a sharp whistle breaking through the air, a leopard appeared in an instant, causing a gust of wind that ruffled everyone’s robes.

Though nicknamed Flower Orange, the spiritual leopard now had a large and strong build, its gaze sharp yet steady, commanding respect without anger.

It had been cared for meticulously, and its coat shone with a slick sheen, the golden-red patterns so beautiful they resembled luxurious robes, with a tuft of spiritual fur on its ear standing out proudly.

“Cough.” Gong Wu removed the chicken feather stuck to its paw and scolded quietly, “Where did you go to steal food again?”

The leopard yawned, displaying its sharp teeth, then turned to look at Cheng Ji, its plush tail swaying behind it.

“I had my disciple bring it,” Master Cheng said with a smile. “Just a treat, nothing to worry about.”

Gong Wu took the mat and robes once used by the Hidden Deer Sage hundreds of years ago and held them near the little Leopard’s nose, urging it to sniff.

After all, heavenly beings are different from mortals.

If they had earned a divine role, they could not easily interfere in worldly matters; otherwise, the mortals could simply ask the celestial being and find out.

Hopefully, her little Leopard could find that Dark Perfume Silk, at least allowing her Master to stop waiting desperately for ascending to immortality.

The Leopard sniffed and sniffed, its spotted long tail swaying back and forth.

Perhaps it had been waiting too long; Xuan Zhi flew to Ji Yang’s shoulder, tilting its head to see what its companion was doing.

Elder Wancheng felt astonished, truly unable to understand how these two had acquired such rare spiritual pets. When he saw the spiritual items they carried, he couldn’t help but feel sincere envy.

Not only him, but several Palace Lords in Moonfire Valley had never gained heaven-forged spiritual items. Seeing the elder’s expression made them sigh in sympathy.

The two children were truly fortunate.

As the Leopard’s tail swished across a certain spot, it seemed to identify something, suddenly leaping up like a needle pricking.

Gong Hua Ji grabbed the mat and ran, leaping up high, quickly disappearing from sight.

Tu Xuixin quickly began forming a talisman to summon clouds, following behind with his two disciples in pursuit.

“Wu Er!! Tell it to slow down!!”

Gong Wu struggled against the wind, her eyes nearly shut. “Master—it’s never listened to me—”

The three individuals flew incredibly fast. Although the people from Zhi Bai Guan closely followed behind, they lost sight of the Leopard amidst the clouds.

Tu Xuixin had no idea where the Leopard was heading, relying solely on the black phoenix to guide him, barely managing to keep up while also ensuring Ji Yang maintained his distance.

“Quickly send a message back, saying we’re in pursuit and will report back later!”

Ji Yang quickly wrote a talisman, sending it off with the wind, then glanced back. “Did the people from Zhi Bai Guan not follow?”

“Master!! Slow down!!” Gong Wu tugged at Ji Yang’s sleeve, “I’m about to get blown off—”

Gong Hua Ji ran joyfully, bounding over mountains and ridges as if heading toward the central plains. They didn’t stop until two or three hours later.

After it casually hunted a few mountain chickens for a hearty meal, the three disciples finally caught up, panting from their chase.

“This place is…” Tu Xuixin turned the compass, then looked up at the mountain landscape and sky, uncertain. “Is this Jingzhou… or Yangzhou?”

Ji Yang flew higher to see the lake and mountains. When he landed, he said, “It looks like it’s by Dongting Lake."

Gong Wu squatted beside the Leopard, watching as the black phoenix landed on its back, smiling and giving them both a gentle pat.

“Did it find something?”

The Leopard let out a low growl, nudging aside the wild grass and tangled stems with its nose to reveal a small pathway.

Upon closer inspection, there were chaotic hoof prints, indicating that someone had come this way but not left. The tracks abruptly ended here.

Several people must have ridden here in a hurry, and then just disappeared without a trace.

“It’s a barrier,” Tu Xuixin confirmed. “Wait, let Master come.”

He pricked his fingertip, drawing a talisman in the air. Immediately, a misty wall began to rise, marking the location of the barrier.

“Another key like in the Wolf Demon realm,” Ji Yang recalled an unpleasant past, furrowing his brows. “Be careful; there may be a trick.”

“It doesn’t seem like the work of a spirit creature,” Tu Xuixin remarked, examining the faint traces near the Magical Formation and the partially erased hoofprints. “Several cultivators came here on horseback, and the footprints are still fresh.”

He pulled out a small porcelain bottle from his robe and waved it in front of his two disciples.

“I have an unconventional idea. Would you like to try it?”

Gong Wu blinked. “An unconventional idea?”

Ji Yang eyed him suspiciously for a moment. “You want to turn us into flying insects and hitch a ride on their horses to sneak in?”

“I’ve calculated the timing. In an hour or two, more people will pass through here,” Tu Xuixin said with a grin. “My Six Lines technique has improved quite a bit—you can trust me.”

“So, do you want to become little mosquitoes or little butterflies?”

Gong Wu took the porcelain bottle and watched as Tu Xuixin swallowed something, hesitating. “Is there really anyone willing to become a mosquito… What if we get swatted?”

Before she could finish, her Master’s figure blurred, and he buzzed into the air as a tiny insect.

It was spring and summer, and the mountain was teeming with flying bugs. In the blink of an eye, it was impossible to tell which one was him.

Ji Yang took out a pill and glanced at her. “What should we turn into?”

“Let’s go with butterflies,” Gong Wu whispered. “A little black butterfly might not stand out as much on the baggage.”

Ji Yang nodded with a smile and reached for her hand.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. “Close your eyes, imagine what a little butterfly looks like, and count to three silently.”

As the elixir settled in her stomach, Gong Wu closed her eyes and felt a slight shiver.

Years later, she wouldn’t remember the patterns on her butterfly form.

She only remembered how warm her brother’s hand felt.