Chapter 408
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Chapter 408: Dual Plans
“Benefits?”
Ye Yun smiled. He would’ve been surprised if Old Cheng hadn’t demanded compensation—someone like him always put profit first.
“What do you want?” Ye Yun asked. “How about letting you pick two treasures once we find the Secret Vault?”
Old Cheng dismissed the idea with a wave. “Empty promises won’t do. The Secret Vault of the Immortal Sword Sect is precious even to the royal family, since it likely holds secrets of how the sect rose to power in a mere century—and a saint’s legacy too. But who knows what’s actually inside? Give me something tangible, like spirit stones.”
Ye Yun nodded. “Spirit stones? I have some top-grade ones, though not many. How about two thousand? Three thousand?”
Old Cheng shook his head. “Top-grade stones are too conspicuous. More you give me, more danger I’m in. I want high-grade spirit stones instead. Two hundred thousand high-grade stones, and I’ll help you find the vault.”
Surprise flickered in Ye Yun’s eyes. Top-grade stones were rare treasures in the Great Qin Empire, valued far beyond their official exchange rate of one to a hundred. Twenty thousand high-grade stones couldn’t even buy two thousand top-grade ones. Old Cheng’s price was cheaper than the shopkeeper’s two jars of wine.
Seeing Ye Yun’s puzzled expression, Old Cheng explained, “High-grade stones are easier to trade without drawing attention. Too many top-grade ones would attract greedy eyes. I’d rather avoid trouble.”
Ye Yun tilted his head. “But for something as valuable as the Secret Vault, isn’t your price too low?”
Old Cheng chuckled, patting his belly. “I’ve already drunk most of those two priceless wine jars. Twenty thousand high-grade stones is plenty. Especially since that wine can’t be bought with coin alone.”
“Then how will you find the vault?” Ye Yun pressed.
Uncorking his Wine Gourd, Old Cheng took a long swig. “As I said, fewer than ten people in the empire truly know the vault’s location—I’m not among them.”
Ye Yun’s face darkened. “Then why mention ten people?”
Wiping wine from his chin, Old Cheng clarified, “Those ten know the general area and whether it truly exists. As for rumors about a saint’s vault somewhere in the empire? Half the population’s heard that much.”
“So how do we find it?”
“Ask anyone else, they’d give you nonsense. But back when I was called the Capital’s Know-It-All, I picked up a thing or two.” Old Cheng leaned closer. “The ten informants belong to the royal family and two major sects. The royals are out of reach, but the sects—Misty Sect and Divine Grace Palace—you’ve heard of them?”
Ye Yun nodded. He’d studied the Great Qin Empire’s power structures since arriving.
“To learn the vault’s location, you must join one of these sects, impress their higher-ups, and earn a spot when they finally open the vault.”
“Join a sect?” Ye Yun’s eyes narrowed. That sounded time-consuming.
A voice suddenly spoke in his mind—the Ancestor of the Sword Path. “The boy’s right. I’d planned for you to seek my second soul fragment in the royal palace for vault details, but my current memories only give a rough location. Opening it requires someone below Nascent Soul stage anyway—the formation’s defenses kill anyone stronger. That’s why the sects and royals haven’t opened it in a thousand years.”
“A millennium isn’t long for Nascent Soul cultivators,” the ancestor continued. “They’ll wait until everything’s perfect. Claim the saint’s legacy, break through to Nascent Soul, and soar beyond the heavens.”
Turning back to Old Cheng, Ye Yun asked, “How does one join these sects and qualify for the vault?”
Old Cheng grinned. “The Divine Grace Palace holds outer disciple trials in half a month. With your talent and resources, reaching Golden Core stage soon is possible. That’d give you a fighting chance.”
Ye Yun snorted. “What use is Golden Core against Nascent Soul experts? They’d swarm a saint’s legacy!”
Old Cheng’s eyes sharpened. “So you do know something. Rumor says the vault bars Nascent Soul cultivators—they can barely move through its defenses. Saints trying to enter would destroy the vault entirely. If true, Golden Core cultivators will lead the charge.”
A spark lit in Ye Yun’s eyes. If most entrants were Golden Core realm…
Though reaching Golden Core himself would take time, his five mastered elemental laws—especially the Sword Path’s essence—might let him rival mid-Golden Core opponents if he reached Seventh Level of Foundation Establishment.
“How do I join the sects?”
“Divine Grace Palace’s trials are in the capital in fifteen days.”
Ye Yun inhaled deeply. The capital—home to both the royal family and Divine Grace Palace.
Become a sect disciple to access the vault, while searching for the ancestor’s second soul fragment? Two birds with one stone.
