Chapter 28

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Chapter 28: Treasure

The spiritual power within him surged like tidal waves, reaching unprecedented intensity. Compared to yesterday, it had grown nearly ten times stronger.

Not just his spiritual power, but his physical body, soul, perception—everything had undergone remarkable improvement.

The Internal Breathing stage represented the most crucial early phase of the body refinement stage. Before reaching this stage, cultivators could only absorb spiritual energy from spirit stones and pills. Even if they drew ambient spiritual energy into their bodies, true assimilation remained nearly impossible.

Upon reaching the Internal Breathing stage, however, cultivators could directly refine the world’s spiritual energy upon intake. Though the amount absorbed naturally paled in comparison to spirit stone refinement, this integration symbolized the heavens’ tentative acknowledgment—a qualitative leap from pre-Internal Breathing states.

Ye Yun trembled as he sensed every transformation within him, waves of exhilaration crashing through his mind.

He’d never imagined breaking through directly to the fifth stage of body refinement—the Internal Breathing stage—so effortlessly.

“What *are* you?”

His heart hammered against his ribs as the question consumed him.

The brief intertwining of the black and white lights had revealed their nature—mere emanations from some hidden object. These lights weren’t even the treasure’s true form, just residual glows perceptible at his current cultivation level.

Without this treasure, even if he’d absorbed energy from a few middle-grade spirit stones over ten days to reach Internal Breathing, his physical enhancements wouldn’t have been so drastic. His spiritual power couldn’t have achieved such overwhelming density.

This improvement far exceeded any cultivation records in his sect’s archives.

“A treasure surpassing Golden Pill masters?”

Visions flooded Ye Yun’s mind—endless tides of golden-armored warriors, two figures strolling casually through the celestial host.

Previously, he’d subconsciously viewed Golden Pill masters as the world’s apex. Yet considering how the black and white lights devoured spiritual energy, resisted Golden Pill pressure, and even absorbed traces of alchemy pill essence—this treasure might exist beyond the Golden Pill realm itself.

How could such an artifact end up in Demonic Beast Valley? Why had it chosen him?

Ye Yun inhaled deeply. Answers would only come through cultivation advancement and gradual revelation of the lights’ secrets—speculation alone proved useless.

This treasure had voraciously consumed sixty-odd middle-grade spirit stones’ energy through means faster than any Spirit Gathering Array. Yet it had refined that energy into pure spiritual power, propelling him instantly to the fifth body refinement stage. With sufficient spirit stones, his cultivation could skyrocket.

Whether Heavenly Sword Sect’s elders or true inheritors possessed similar treasures mattered little. For a former servant disciple, this defied the natural order itself.

“Spirit stones! More spirit stones!”

The craving burned fiercer than ever. Without hesitation, he clutched two top-grade spirit stones and activated his basic cultivation technique.

Now in the Internal Breathing stage, his energy absorption speed had multiplied. Yet after an hour, his eyes snapped open in frustration.

The black and white lights refused to emerge.

A peculiar intuition struck him—the lights seemed to be digesting the alchemy pill essence and middle-grade spirit energy they’d consumed. Would this cause them to evolve?

His pulse quickened again. Whatever changes occurred, the lights could only grow more potent.

“Still… need more stones.”

“In my future cultivation, as long as I have enough spirit stones, my progress can’t possibly be slow! I might even advance faster than those inner sect disciples and true inheritors!”

His blood surged, making his temples throb visibly.

He abruptly stood up the next instant.

He’d originally planned to cultivate undisturbed for three days before checking Tian Zhu Peak’s arrangements. But having reached the Internal Breathing stage and exhausted his middle-grade spirit stones, he now needed to explore the peak first. Perhaps he could find opportunities to earn rewards and stockpile resources for future cultivation.

Since he hadn’t properly inspected his residence before, Ye Yun began by walking through every room. The outer disciple quarters were decently furnished – living spaces on the first floor, bedrooms and cultivation chambers on the second. As a Tian Zhu Peak specialty, they’d even used spiritual soil to create a basic planting room for spirit herbs.

Though the planting room appeared rudimentary, suitable only for common herbs, Ye Yun considered how useful it might become. If he found spirit herbs absorbing spiritual energy during missions, cultivating them here could provide modest future benefits. His current spirit stone consumption rate was staggering compared to his days as a servant disciple – back then, he’d received mere low-grade stones monthly, needing a full year to save one middle-grade stone. Only privileged disciples like Duan Chenfeng could amass such wealth.

After inspecting his residence, Ye Yun studied the Glowing Screen projections from his waist token. The annotations omitted Tian Zhu Peak’s secret areas but listed dozens of accessible locations: Discipline Hall, low-level alchemy rooms, spirit fields, Martial Hall, and collection valleys including the Demonic Beast Valley. These familiar places allowed free entry, letting disciples search for cultivation herbs during spare time.

The Trial Hall interested him most for acquiring resources. This task-issuing center offered missions ranked from simplest (Level 1, rewarding 1-2 middle-grade stones) to near-impossible (Level 10). Legend said the highest reward included 5,000 middle-grade stones, a premium low-grade spiritual weapon, and a Spirit Gathering Pill – crucial for condensing true qi when breaking through from body refinement to Qi refining stage. A twenty percent success boost drove many cultivators mad with desire.

Following the map after an incense stick’s time, Ye Yun arrived before the teal metallic Trial Hall radiating coldness. A crystalline stele before it displayed glowing white characters. His eyes immediately locked onto the top entry – a Level 10 mission: “Slay Bloodwing Tiger and retrieve demon core.”

This ninth-level beast nearing spiritual awakening rivaled second-layer Zhou Tian realm cultivators – far beyond Ye Yun’s current capabilities. Shaking his head, he scanned lower entries:

Level 9: Slay seventh-level Purple Li Serpent (500 middle-grade stones + low-grade spiritual weapon)

Level 8: Gather three Illusory Fruits (500 middle-grade stones)

Level 7: Track down Heavenly Sword traitor Xing Chen (200 middle-grade stones). Detailed notes warned this first-level Qi refining cultivator wielded a middle-grade spiritual weapon, making survival unlikely if discovered.

A Level 4 mission caught his eye: “Eliminate traitor Xing Huayun (sixth-stage Connecting Orifices body refinement)” offered eighty middle-grade stones. Though confident against fifth-stage opponents, Ye Yun felt melancholy. Had he truly rebelled with Liu Daolie, Liu Yu, and Qin Qianhan against sect rules, his own name might’ve been listed here with tempting bounties.

“Senior Brother Ye Yun! Fancy meeting you here.”

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts as he prepared to examine lower tasks.