Immortal Venerable of the Beast Race
Chapter 454 - 362 Treasure Hunt Invitation_1

Chapter 454: 362 Treasure Hunt Invitation_1

"So this must be Taoist Friend Shen! I’ve long heard of your great reputation, and seeing you today, it indeed lives up to your name."

A refined-looking scholar in a yellow robe spoke with a sonorous voice.

"Taoist Friend Xu is too kind with his praise. Speaking of renown, who doesn’t know of the great name of Haoran True Monarch?"

Shen Long said modestly.

The scholar in the yellow robe was Haoran True Monarch, whose real name was Xu Qingshu, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage, and the Deputy Sect Master of the Holy Spirit Sect.

Xu Qingshu invited Shen Long to sit down, and the others took turns introducing themselves by name.

"Madam Chen comes from the Heavenly Melody Sect!"

Shen Long was somewhat surprised as his gaze landed on a full-figured woman in a purple dress.

The woman in the purple dress was called Chen Yue, who came from the Heavenly Melody Sect.

"Taoist Friend Shen, is there something improper?"

Chen Yue asked, puzzled.

"Not at all. I just didn’t expect Fairy Chen to travel such a long way to attend the Holy Spirit Gathering."

Shen Long said.

"I did not come to participate in the Holy Spirit Gathering, I just happened to come across it. My senior brother traveled to the Western Desert Cultivation Realm and was killed by someone unknown, so I specially came to investigate."

Chen Yue explained.

"Fairy Chen’s senior brother was killed in the Western Desert Cultivation Realm? How coincidental."

A portly man in a golden robe said in surprise.

"What! Taoist Friend Wu has also had relatives or sect members killed in the Western Desert Cultivation Realm?"

Chen Yue asked, puzzled.

The man in the golden robe nodded and said, "A descendant of mine traveled to the Western Desert Cultivation Realm and perished. We haven’t yet determined the cause of death."

"Why are there so many cultivators meeting their end in the Western Desert Cultivation Realm? Has a powerful evil cultivator appeared in the Western Desert?"

Shen Long wondered.

While visiting the Zhou Family, Chu Buyu mentioned that a Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Sun Moon Palace died in the Western Desert Cultivation Realm. Chu Buyu and Xu Xin intended to investigate the cause of death thoroughly.

"More than two hundred years ago, an evil cultivator known as Blood Blade Demon Monarch, who was at Nascent Soul Middle Stage, emerged in the Western Desert, wiped out several forces, and caused the deaths of more than a dozen Nascent Soul Cultivators. Taoist Friend Xu, I heard that the Great Elder of your Holy Spirit Sect personally led a team to capture this person. What resulted from that?"

Qian Xin said.

"That person was severely injured by Senior Brother Lin and fled into the Heavenly Sand Ruins. His whereabouts are unknown. Could he be the one causing trouble again?"

Xu Qingshu said.

"We cannot rule out that possibility. Blood Blade Demon Monarch’s spirit is overwhelming, and he possesses a fourth-grade Spirit Flame. Ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators are no match for him. He rivals those at the late stage of Nascent Soul, and his strength is extraordinary."

Lu Tong chimed in.

"Even if Blood Blade Demon Monarch is still alive, it is not certain that all of those who died in the Western Desert Cultivation Realm were killed by him. Perhaps they were killed by other cultivators or perished while searching for treasures in the Heavenly Sand Ruins."

Qian Xin analyzed.

Xu Qingshu nodded and said, "Taoist Friend Qian makes sense. However, these cultivators serve as a warning. When leaving home, fellow cultivators should be extra careful."

After chatting for more than an hour, Xu Qingshu suggested exchanging cultivation resources, and no one objected.

Shen Long traded Blood Mushroom Pills for a demon core of a fourth-grade initial stage Purple Crystal Sky Scorpion and also obtained more than twenty millennium-aged Spiritual Medicines. Chan Master Xinkong took out a segment of two-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo, hoping to exchange it for Six Cleansing Bamboos, but was unsuccessful.

Six Cleansing Bamboos are one of the Ten Great Spiritual Woods and are high-quality materials for crafting Buddhist treasures.

Qian Xin brought out more than ten fourth-grade demon cores to exchange for Fire Attribute materials for artifact refining and managed to exchange for many of the materials he needed.

Half an hour later, the exchange concluded, and the cultivators gradually left, each returning to their own homes.

Returning to his residence, Shen Long sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his face revealing a thoughtful expression.

From the conversations at the gathering, it seemed Qian Xin was not practicing Ghost Path spell nor did he keep ghost creatures. This being the case, the heavy ghostly aura on him should be due to possession of a Ghost Path Spiritual Treasure, such as the Hundred Ghosts Umbrella.

...

In a small courtyard with blue tiles, Lu Tong, Qian Xin, and Qian Shuo sat around a green stone table, discussing something.

"The ancient cultivator’s cave! The Five Elements Guarding Spirit Barrier!"

Lu Tong’s brows furrowed slightly, his face showing interest.

"We’ve tried it, the barrier is strong. It takes five Nascent Soul Cultivators working together to have a chance of breaking it. Taoist Friends Lu and Qian, what do you think?"

Qian Xin asked.

After pondering for a short while, Lu Tong said, "Taoist Friend Qian, give us a few days to consider it, alright?"

"No problem. But don’t take too long. I’ll give you three days. If you’re not willing, forget about it, and we’ll find someone else," Qian Xin said earnestly.

"Alright, I’ll give you an answer within three days," Lu Tong agreed.

Qian Xin stood up to leave, departing from the place.

"Taoist Friend Lu, has Taoist Friend Qian invited you to treasure-hunt before?"

Qian Shuo inquired.

"Back in the Core Formation period, I treasured hunted with him. Thanks to his timely assistance, I was saved. You also heard at the gathering earlier, many cultivators have met with misfortune in the Western Desert. It’s better to be cautious," Lu Tong said gravely.

Qian Shuo nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing.

...

Seven days passed, the Holy Spirit Garden.

Xu Qingshu, Wu Yuan, Chen Yue, Shen Long, and over ten other Nascent Soul Cultivators gathered in the bamboo pavilion, leisurely chatting over tea.

A tall man in a blue shirt hurried in, bowed deeply, and said to Xu Qingshu, "Master Uncle Xu, we’ve found the remains and relics of Senior Wu’s descendant."

"Where?"

A portly man in a golden robe asked eagerly.

The man in the blue shirt took out a blue Storage Bag and handed it over with both hands to the man in the golden robe.

The elder in the golden robe swept the area with his divine sense, nodded, and said, "Many things here are indeed Yu’er’s personal belongings. Where did you find them? How did you know they belonged to my descendant?"

"To Senior Wu, we found them in the Heavenly Sand Ruins. Among the relics was an Echo Crystal left by Fairy Wu. She entered the Heavenly Sand Ruins in search of the Golden Soul Fruit and encountered a late stage fourth-order Rift Valley Rhinoceros. Right, she ran into two Nascent Soul Cultivators, including Senior Lin whom Senior Chen was looking for," explained the man in the green robe.

"What! She met Senior Brother Lin? Taoist Friend Wu, please take out the Echo Crystal and let me have a look," Chen Yue said.

The elder in the golden robe nodded, took a blue crystal ball out of his storage bag, channeled his mana into it, and the Echo Crystal lit up with a dazzling blue light. A blue beam shot out, forming the spectral image of a woman in blue with a pale face.

The spectral woman’s left arm was missing, and she looked severely injured.

"If someone sees the image in the Echo Crystal, I must be no longer alive. I leave you all my possessions. Please go find my grandfather, Wu Shan, and send him a message for me. I received word that somewhere in the Heavenly Sand Ruins there is a Golden Soul Fruit tree. I went to the ruins in search of the Golden Soul Fruit and met two Nascent Soul Cultivators..." the spectral woman said slowly.

Wu Yu entered the Heavenly Sand Ruins in search of the Golden Soul Fruit. On her way, she met several Nascent Soul Cultivators. After a brief encounter, they went their separate ways. She suffered grievous injuries from a late stage fourth-order Rift Valley Rhinoceros deep in the ruins and recorded a message in the Echo Crystal before she died, hoping that whoever found her remains would inform Wu Shan.

"No wonder I couldn’t find Yu’er; she died in the Heavenly Sand Ruins," Wu Shan sighed with a sorrowful expression.

"Friend Liu, you didn’t go looking for the Golden Soul Fruit?" asked Shen Long curiously.

The Echo Crystal mentioned the Golden Soul Fruit tree—weren’t the cultivators from the Holy Spirit Sect tempted?

"We went to the place Fairy Wu mentioned but didn’t find the Golden Soul Fruit. Someone else got there first," the man in the green robe said with a tone of regret.

Wu Shan nodded. "Yu’er has been dead for over a hundred years. With so much time passed, it’s likely that other cultivators have discovered the Golden Soul Fruit tree. Knowing the cause of her death, this old man can now rest easy."

"Just as I thought! Not all missing friends must have been killed by the Blood Blade Demon Monarch. The Heavenly Sand Ruins indeed have many treasures, but the eruption of Absolute Spirit Qi there is dangerous. Even the greatest divine skills cannot save one from death if encountered," Qian Shuo said.

"Indeed! So it seems, Madam Chen, that Senior Lin might have died in the Heavenly Sand Ruins," Wu Shan added.

Chen Yue nodded and let out a sigh, saying, "It seems that way. If only we could find Senior Brother Lin’s remains or belongings."

"Don’t worry, Madam Chen, we’ll keep an eye out for you," Xu Qingshu promised.

"I appreciate that, Taoist Friend Xu," Chen Yue said gratefully.

After a good half hour of casual conversation, the cultivators began to leave one after another.

"Taoist Friend Shen, please wait," Lu Tong called out to Shen Long, and he and Qian Shuo caught up to him.

"Is there something you need, Taoist Friend Lu?" asked Shen Long.

"Taoist Friend Shen, we’d like to talk to you about something, How about we discuss it at your place?" Lu Tong proposed politely.

Shen Long agreed and led them to his residence, activating the protections around the place.

"Taoist Friend Lu, Taoist Friend Qian, just speak your minds," Shen Long said.

"Taoist Friend Shen, we’d like to invite you on a treasure hunt! An ancient cultivator’s cave is sealed with a Five Elements Guarding Spirit Barrier, which requires five Nascent Soul Cultivators to break through. We’re one person short. Are you interested?" Lu Tong asked slowly.

"Ancient cultivator’s cave? Five Elements Guarding Spirit Barrier? Do you know whose Zouhua Cave it is?" Shen Long was somewhat intrigued.

"It might be the Zouhua Cave of the Blood Blade Demon Monarch. It’s located on the periphery of the Heavenly Sand Ruins where the risk of Absolute Spirit Qi eruption is quite low," Lu Tong explained.

"The Blood Blade Demon Monarch slaughtered many friends and possessed no shortage of fine items, with at least four Spiritual Treasures. It’s rumored that he has a Flying Spirit Treasure," added Qian Shuo.

"The other two friends aren’t in the late Nascent Soul stage, are they?" asked Shen Long with a frown.

"No, one is in the early Nascent Soul stage and the other in the middle stage. If you agree, I’ll contact them right away and ask them to come over. If you disagree, then never mind, just forget I ever mentioned it," Lu Tong said.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Long agreed.

Lu Tong took out a messaging plate that twinkled with yellow light, entered a spell, and made some gestures.

A short while later, a Sound Transmission Talisman flew in.

Lu Tong opened the door to let Wu Shan and Qian Xin in.

"Taoist Friend Qian, Taoist Friend Wu, it’s you," Shen Long said, slightly surprised.

"What’s the matter, Taoist Friend Shen, surprised to see us?" Qian Xin asked with a chuckle.

"I didn’t expect the other two friends Taoist Friend Lu mentioned would be you," Shen Long said with a smile, thinking to himself, "I must be cautious of Qian Xin; he might have a Spiritual Treasure like the Hundred Ghosts Umbrella."

"Now that everyone’s here, let’s set off! But let’s get this straight first: after we break the formation, Wu and I get first pick, and we’ll share the rest. After all, we discovered the ancient cultivator’s cave," Wu Shan said firmly.

Shen Long and the others had no objections and agreed. Then, the five left the marketplace.