Soul Emperor Awakening

Lan Qinghua crashed into the protective shield again, leaving him dazed and his head swimming. To have so many people watch him get repelled was as embarrassing as it gets.

This was the price of greed. What was the use of being anxious? The treasure was simply unattainable; all one could do was stare.

"Damn it!" Lan Qinghua roared, launching an attack. Blue Elemental Power swept out and slammed viciously against the shield. With a loud BANG, the attack ricocheted, whipping back toward him.

Lan Qinghua’s expression changed. He waved his hand to counterattack, creating a deafening BOOM that sent a shockwave through the courtyard. When the dust settled, the shield was unharmed. Lan Qinghua, on the other hand, had only suffered for his efforts. What was the point of venting if the attack just bounced back to hurt him?

Most of the onlookers wanted to laugh, but they didn’t dare let it show. The treasures were wonderful, but since they were completely unobtainable, they could only give up on the idea.

"Patriarch Lan, if you want that treasure, you shouldn’t be so hasty. Haste makes waste, you know! Take a good look; constantly running into a wall is making you a laughingstock." Tuo Shengfeng let out a few hearty laughs, then turned and headed for another passageway. He knew he couldn’t possibly break the shield, so he might as well see what else there was to find.

Lin Xuan stared intently at the Coiling Dragon Ginseng. ’This thing would be of immense benefit to me. If I could absorb this Coiling Dragon Ginseng, my Cultivation would soar! I might even be able to break through to the Spirit Pill Stage. Once I reach the Spirit Pill Stage Level, I’ll be able to unleash a great deal more of my power.’

’But with this shield here, how am I supposed to break it?’

’Could the fated opportunity the young Martial God mentioned be referring to these treasures?’ Lin Xuan gave a wry smile. If so, it was a massive opportunity indeed. The problem was, how could he possibly acquire any of it?

’This explains a lot. No wonder those experts at the Core Formation Stage come to the Demon Cloud Sea when their time is running out; this place is full of treasures. The Coiling Dragon Ginseng is a prime example. Absorbing it can advance one’s Core Formation Stage Cultivation, and even if it doesn’t, it can still extend one’s life.’

’Extending one’s life is incredibly important to them. If Xu Qianlong were here to see this, he would absolutely lose his mind.’

They then entered another courtyard. After getting a clear look, Tuo Shengfeng and his group were startled for a moment before shaking their heads. The treasure before them was impressive, but it held no meaning for them.

Lin Xuan, however, grew ecstatic at the sight. Before his very eyes was Five-Colored Spirit Wood! ’Yes, it’s definitely Five-Colored Spirit Wood, and it looks to be at least a thousand years old—far more potent than any I’ve possessed. If I used this to carve, I could absolutely create a guard at the Spirit Pill Stage Level!’

’A Spirit Pill Stage Level guard poses little threat to a Core Formation Stage expert, but having more backup would be a definite advantage for me. Especially if I carved it into a Phoenix, who could possibly catch me then? Unless they were an expert at the Void Spirit Level, no one would be able to keep up.’

’This isn’t an exaggeration. A Core Formation Stage expert might barely be able to keep up with a Phoenix at the Peak of the Essence Pill Stage. But a Phoenix at the Spirit Pill Stage Level? They wouldn’t stand a chance of catching it. Flight is the inherent advantage of a divine bird like the Phoenix; it would be absurd if it could be easily overtaken.’

For them, the Five-Colored Spirit Wood was of little significance. In their view, its age didn’t significantly enhance the power of engraved inscriptions, making a thousand-year-old piece hardly different from one a hundred years old. For Lin Xuan, however, its significance was entirely different.

"It’s a shame there’s a shield, or I’d really want to take a piece!" Lin Xuan sighed. ’What good is having a treasure right in front of me if I can’t take it and can only watch helplessly?’

’I don’t need much, just one branch would be enough. All I need is enough to carve a few figures, and I’d have several more Spirit Pill Stage guards. At a critical moment, they could even take a blow for me.’

They then moved on to another courtyard, where the treasure was equally extraordinary—a Five-Colored Lotus.

It didn’t provide much help for one’s Cultivation, but it was immensely beneficial for healing. It could even regrow a severed arm! That was the power of the Five-Colored Lotus. A single petal could restore any maimed part of the body—an absolutely astonishing effect.

However, it only had five petals, meaning it could only be used to heal five people. Despite this, it drew a wave of greedy stares. But greed was futile; with the shield in the way, their desire was pointless.

There were no other treasures. These three courtyards held only these three items, and all were protected by shields. Furious, Lan Qinghua and his men joined forces with a few others and began to frantically attack, trying to shatter the shield by force and get to the Coiling Dragon Ginseng.

The Coiling Dragon Ginseng was the most useful, making it the most coveted of the three.

As for the other onlookers, they had no choice but to leave. This was no place for them, and besides, they couldn’t get the treasures anyway. Even if there were no shield, it wouldn’t be their turn to claim them. While the powerful factions were still distracted, the smaller groups chose to slip away, not daring to linger.

If Lan Qinghua and the others became frustrated and took their anger out on the remaining families, it would be a terrible injustice.

Soon, many people had retreated from the courtyard, leaving only members of the three great families. The sound of frantic attacks echoed around them, and when the explosions ceased, they were replaced by the sound of furious cursing. Clearly, the shield was indestructible; it simply couldn’t be broken.

Having a treasure right before your eyes yet being unable to possess it—this was the greatest form of torture.

"Huh? What’s this slot here? Is something supposed to go in it?" Tuo Zhanhong noticed an indentation on the side that looked like it could fit a round object.

Lin Xuan moved closer to inspect it. There was indeed a curved, sunken depression on the side, perfectly shaped to fit a spherical object.

’Could it be for a round treasure?’ Lin Xuan frowned. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as he remembered a long-forgotten item—the Treasure Pearl!

’Yes, the one he’d taken after wiping out the bandits when he found Liu Xin and Liu Yue’Er. It was lying quietly in his Storage Ring right now. All this time, he had no idea what it was for, assuming it was just a decoration.’

’Could it be that Treasure Pearl?’ It was just a guess, but the size seemed to be a perfect match. He also recalled that the pearl seemed to emit a faint trace of Demonic Nature.

’If it really is this Treasure Pearl, then I can unlock all three treasures!’ At the thought, his heart began to race. ’Is this the fated opportunity I was meant to find?’

’If this is real, then my good deed back then wasn’t for nothing. A treasure I got by chance could be the key!’

"Island Master, why don’t we go take a look at the Five-Colored Spirit Wood?" Lin Xuan said, suppressing his inner turmoil and keeping his expression calm. He didn’t want anyone to see how he felt, especially with Zeng Yinghua standing nearby. He didn’t dare go over by himself.

’Whether this works or not will all depend on if I can open the shield around the Five-Colored Spirit Wood. If I can, then I’m confident I can get my hands on the other two treasures as well!’