Chapter 124: An Abundance of High-Ranked Magical Artifacts

Chapter 124: An Abundance of High-Ranked Magical Artifacts

Chu Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief after ensuring that all of his opponents were dead. However, his gaze toward Xu Runsheng held a hint of complexity.

Xu Runsheng's body was rapidly withering away before their eyes, and a fork protruded from his throat, yet strangely, there wasn't much blood flowing out.

"This Blood Devil Pill must consume a large amount of one's essence and blood," Chu Ning mused to himself. "Last time, Duan Yanwu burned himself too quickly and didn't notice this."

As Chu Ning pondered this, Tan Zhang and Lin Lan approached from a distance.

Tan Zhang's face was pale, indicating that he had just endured the brunt of Xu Runsheng's final attack and was far from unscathed.

On the other hand, Lin Lan's fair cheeks were also pale, but it seemed to be more from fright than injury. Xu Runsheng had likely focused his attacks on Tan Zhang, considering her lower cultivation level, and being a member of the Spirit Talisman Tower, she might have had some life-saving tricks up her sleeve after receiving a reward from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion last time.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Li!" Tan Zhang said as he reached Chu Ning's side. He had intended to call Chu Ning, who was at the sixth level of Qi Refining, his junior brother. But after witnessing Chu Ning single-handedly take down all six opponents, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

"If it weren't for your reminder and subsequent intervention, Sister Lin and I would've been in grave danger," he continued.

"Senior Brother Tan is too kind," Chu Ning said with a gentle shake of his head. "It was just good fortune that I happened to arrive when I did, causing them to mistake me for an accomplice. Had you arrived later, my cover would've likely been blown. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to take out these Yin Demon Sect members."

Chu Ning's words held a mixture of truth and deception, but it was undeniable that Tan Zhang's arrival had provided him with a window of opportunity. If Xu Runsheng and Yu Jiehui had been cautious of him from the start, the battle would've been much more challenging, especially with the two of them consuming the Blood Devil Pills.

It was only through a combination of Chu Ning's stealth attacks, Tan Zhang's distraction, and the element of surprise that he had managed to emerge victorious.

Tan Zhang nodded slightly, his eyes filled with astonishment as he regarded Chu Ning. "Senior Brother Li, your experience and methods in combat are truly impressive. You have an abundance of magical artifacts and talismans. Where did you get all those talismans...?"

Chu Ning waved dismissively at Tan Zhang's attempt to revisit the details of the battle. "I merely accumulated some spirit stones during my time in the External Affairs Hall, which allowed me to purchase a few extra life-saving items. But now, we have a more pressing problem. The Yin Demon Sect wouldn't send just a few infiltrators; there must be more of them among us."

As Chu Ning had intended, Tan Zhang's attention was successfully diverted by this revelation. "Indeed! We must warn the other senior and junior brothers about the Yin Demon Sect's scheme as soon as possible, lest others fall into their trap," he exclaimed.

However, Chu Ning shook his head at Tan Zhang's suggestion. "That's easier said than done. We don't even know how to identify who among us is from the Yin Demon Sect. If I hadn't happened to see Lu Yunfang today, I wouldn't have thought of this possibility myself."

Moreover, with everyone scattered, it was practically impossible to notify them all.

Chu Ning voiced his concerns, causing Tan Zhang's expression to turn solemn and troubled.

Chu Ning, however, was more focused on searching the bodies of the fallen cultivators, collecting their storage bags and magical artifacts. Tan Zhang and Lin Lan watched him without any sign of disapproval, understanding that these items rightfully belonged to the victor.

After all, if not for Chu Ning's intervention, they would've likely met the same fate.

As Chu Ning finished collecting items from the charred remains of the last cultivator, burning the bodies with his Fireball Technique to leave no traces behind, Tan Zhang stepped forward and suggested, "Senior Brother Chu, why don't we travel together from now on? It would be good to have company."

Lin Lan's eyes lit up at Tan Zhang's suggestion, and she, too, looked at Chu Ning with anticipation. They hadn't witnessed Chu Ning's methods during the battle clearly, as they had been engaged with Xu Runsheng themselves. But the fact that Chu Ning had defeated so many opponents gave them a profound sense of security.

However, Chu Ning shook his head. "I'm used to traveling alone. I'm not accustomed to having company."

After all, he was currently using the Illusion Transformation Technique, and he couldn't maintain the disguise indefinitely. Eventually, he would have to revert to his original appearance, and the longer he stayed with Tan Zhang and Lin Lan, the higher the chances of his secrets being discovered.

Furthermore, Chu Ning had already revealed quite a few of his tricks during the previous battle. Fortunately, when he had first used the Divine Wood Longbow, Tan Zhang and Lin Lan had been occupied with Xu Runsheng and hadn't noticed. Later, when they joined forces against the other cultivators, Chu Ning relied more on talismans, which didn't expose his identity.

He hadn't used the Earth Spirit Bracelet, but Tan Zhang and Lin Lan might have caught a glimpse of the Blazing Flame Bracelet and the Heaven-Piercing Fist. However, those were his trump cards, and he wouldn't use them lightly. If the situation truly called for their use, the potential exposure of his abilities would be a lesser concern.

Chu Ning's expression turned cold as he bluntly replied, "No need. I don't want to be held back by you."

As he spoke, Chu Ning's gaze swept over Lin Lan.

The round-faced female disciple from the Spirit Talisman Tower couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Tan Zhang, too, was taken aback by Chu Ning's blunt and hurtful words.

Without waiting for them to respond, Chu Ning immediately took to the winds and left. He didn't even follow the direction indicated by the needle, but deliberately veered off in a different direction.

It wasn't until Chu Ning's figure had completely disappeared that Tan Zhang shook his head helplessly and turned to Lin Lan. "Let's go as well. We should be careful on the way and see if we can find any other fellow disciples."

As they spoke, the two took out their direction-guiding needles to check their bearings before continuing on their path.

At the other end, Chu Ning walked for a while before changing his appearance once more.

After traveling for another fifty or sixty miles, he altered his course again and headed toward the direction indicated by the needle.

At the same time, he released Ling Xiaobai from its concealment.

However, as the little creature was rather conspicuous, Chu Ning didn't let it perch on his shoulder. Instead, he allowed it to shrink in size and hide within his sleeve.

After walking for a while, Chu Ning found a relatively secluded spot in the woods and placed Ling Xiaobai at a slightly farther distance to act as a lookout.

He then swallowed a Hui Yuan Dan and began to meditate, channeling the Green Wood Eternal Spring Art to restore his spiritual energy.

The battle against the Yin Demon Sect disciples had drained a significant amount of his power.

Realizing that this so-called mission wouldn't be as simple as he'd anticipated, Chu Ning knew it was essential to maintain a sufficient level of spiritual energy at all times.

After about a quarter of an hour, his spiritual energy was fully restored.

Chu Ning then took out the storage bags and various artifacts he had acquired from the defeated cultivators.

He briefly inspected the storage bags belonging to the disciples below the seventh level of Qi Refining and set them aside.

These individuals had died too quickly, and they hadn't had the chance to bring out any valuable items.

Upon examining their possessions, Chu Ning found that they indeed didn't possess anything of great worth.

The artifacts in their storage bags were merely the intermediate-level ones issued by the sect when they entered this task site.

There were also some talismans, pills, spirit stones, and other similar items.

Chu Ning perused the pills and was mildly surprised to find that none of them carried the Blood Devil Pills.

Many of the pills in their possession were the more common varieties used within the Green Creek Sect.

For instance, there was the Ju Yuan Dan from Lu Yunfang, and the Ling Yuan Dan found in the storage bags of the two seventh-level Qi Refining disciples.

"It seems that the Blood Devil Pill is considered a valuable resource within the Yin Demon Sect, and not everyone can obtain it," Chu Ning mused to himself.

With that thought, he opened the storage bag of the Transmission Hall disciple at the eighth level of Qi Refining, whom he had slain.

This person had also died quickly, just as he was about to react and defend himself. Chu Ning's attack had been relentless, with a mix of talismans that included two intermediate-lower tier ones.

Thus, he had been defeated in a single exchange.

Within this disciple's storage bag, Chu Ning discovered a bottle containing three Blood Devil Pills.

In addition, there were some pills, spirit stones, and a rather impressive high-grade artifact.

"It appears that the Yin Demon Sect places more emphasis on infiltrators at the eighth level of Qi Refining and above, providing them with Blood Devil Pills and high-grade artifacts," Chu Ning deduced, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

If that was the case, it would indeed be troublesome.

The Blood Devil Pills were incredibly potent, and the eighth-level Qi Refining disciple, Yu Jiehui, had already displayed strength comparable to a peak Qi Refining cultivator.

As for Xu Runsheng, Chu Ning suspected that he had exhibited Foundation Establishment stage prowess during the battle.

If it hadn't been for him and Tan Zhang using intermediate-middle tier talismans to disrupt Xu Runsheng's Blood Devil Qi, defeating him would have been much more challenging.

If they were to encounter more ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators from the Yin Demon Sect, or even peak Qi Refining ones who had consumed the Blood Devil Pills, the situation would become increasingly dire.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Chu Ning continued rummaging through the storage bag.

A jade slip then caught his attention, and he subconsciously began to examine its contents.

A moment later, Chu Ning's eyes widened in surprise.

The jade slip contained a Yellow-ranked high-grade earth-attribute cultivation technique called the "Kun Yuan Manual."

It not only included the cultivation method for the peak Qi Refining realm but also provided the foundation establishment stage technique.

Considering the disciple's affiliation with the Transmission Hall, it was plausible that he had access to such advanced techniques. However, it was highly unlikely that he would be permitted to carry the technique out of the sect.

The only plausible explanation was that this disciple had secretly made a copy of the technique.

"As expected, different identities grant access to different resources," Chu Ning mused to himself, feeling a sense of awe. However, despite obtaining this valuable cultivation technique, he didn't feel overly excited.

In fact, Chu Ning had always felt that when his Green Wood Eternal Spring Art reached perfection, there was a high possibility that the refreshed talent would be related to the next stage of his cultivation journey.

However, he wasn't sure exactly what form it would take.

"This person cultivated a wood-attributed technique, but for some reason, the copied technique in the jade slip is earth-attributed," Chu Ning muttered, a little disappointed.

If only the jade slip had contained a wood-attributed technique; that would have been a great boon for him.

Even though he couldn't use it right now, Chu Ning recognized its value and carefully stored it away in his bag.

As for the high-grade artifact, Chu Ning gave it a cursory glance and saw that it was a halberd. Moreover, it was water-attributed.

This was quite unexpected, as it was the first water-attributed offensive artifact he had come across.

He picked up the halberd and then turned his attention to the longsword that had belonged to Yu Jiehui, the Enforcement Hall disciple he had slain.

Before consuming the Blood Devil Pill, Yu Jiehui's attacks with the sword seemed to be wood-attributed, according to Chu Ning's recollection.

Indeed, upon closer inspection, Chu Ning discovered that the sword was not made of metal. Instead, it was crafted from the same Frost Spirit Bamboo as his Silver Crystal Frost Bamboo Shield, with a coating of silver crystal on its surface.

However, judging from the fact that this artifact was of high-grade quality, the quality of both the Frost Spirit Bamboo and the silver crystal was evidently superior to that of the previous shield.

Chu Ning could also sense an extremely rich wood-attributed aura emanating from the sword, similar to that of the Earth Spirit Crystal.

He speculated that the sword might have been refined with Wood Spirit Crystals as well.

"This artifact is quite useful for me," Chu Ning remarked with a smile, referring to the Silver Frost Sword.

In addition to being able to utilize the artifact's inherent offensive capabilities, he wondered how it would fare when paired with the Azurewood Sword Technique. It might seem a little odd, but as long as it could kill enemies, he didn't mind the mismatch.

Putting down the longsword, Chu Ning picked up the other artifact that had left an impression on him—the dark shield that had belonged to Yu Jiehui.

While it didn't cover the entire body, its formidable defensive capabilities had caught Chu Ning's interest. During the battle, he had employed several tactics, all of which had been blocked by the shield.

"So heavy!" Chu Ning exclaimed as he lifted the shield, his first impression being its substantial weight and thickness.

The shield was over a foot thick, and it felt even heavier than the Black Mystery Iron Soulwood he had encountered before.

The difference was that this artifact was made of metal.

What surprised Chu Ning was the absence of any powerful arrays. There was only a simple defensive array etched onto its surface.

"So, the reason this artifact has strong defensive capabilities is because of its thickness, weight, and the hardness of the material used," Chu Ning mused. He swung the shield casually in his hand.

With his body refined to the Unceasing Tendon stage, his physical strength was extraordinary. Despite the shield's weight, he could wield it with ease.

"Bang!"

With a loud sound, a rock that seemed incredibly hard was shattered into pieces by Chu Ning's accidental swing of the shield.

His eyes glinted as an idea came to mind.

"What if I used the Blazing Flame Bracelet with the Heaven-Piercing Fist in my right hand, and the Earth Spirit Bracelet with this shield in my left hand?" he wondered aloud.

Not to mention his current level of body refinement, just the force of this shield alone...

Moreover, the shield also served as a means of defense.

"This might be interesting," Chu Ning mumbled to himself as he stored the shield away.

He was accumulating quite a collection of artifacts, with several high-grade ones already in his possession.

And it didn't end there; the one that Xu Runsheng had used to attack him earlier was probably also a high-grade artifact.

Although it had ultimately been blocked by a mid-grade intermediate talisman, it was no ordinary talisman that could do so.

Those intermediate mid-grade talismans were worth hundreds of spirit stones each, and they could even withstand a magical attack from a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator to some extent.

Not everyone would have such talismans in their possession.

With that in mind, Chu Ning picked up the short pike.

Sure enough, it was a high-grade artifact, and an offensive metal-attributed one at that.

When he infused it with spiritual power, the pike glowed with a golden magical light, indicating its considerable power.

After examining the artifacts, Chu Ning turned his attention to the storage bags of the two cultivators.

Just like the others, their bags contained some pills and talismans.

Xu Runsheng's bag, in particular, held quite a few talismans, including several intermediate lower-grade ones and even two intermediate mid-grade ones.

Apparently, he hadn't had the chance to use them before his demise.

"As expected, creating talismans is a lucrative business," Chu Ning muttered, impressed by Xu Runsheng's possessions.

With that in mind, he took out the two Blood Devil Pills he had obtained from Duan Yanwu earlier.

He then poured out the pills from both bottles to compare and carefully sensed their effects.

As expected, he found that the pills obtained from Xu Runsheng and Yu Jiehui had a more intense Blood Devil aura.

Even he, who wasn't very knowledgeable about pills, could sense the difference.

"So, the Blood Devil Pills that these Yin Demon Sect disciples brought this time are of a higher grade, no wonder they gained such a significant boost," Chu Ning thought, a realization dawning on him.

However, a new question arose in his mind.

Previously, after entering the spirit realm, these Yin Demon Sect disciples had all hidden themselves, intending to infiltrate the area where the array was set up.

But this time, they had gathered in advance and didn't seem overly concerned about exposing their identities.

Earlier, Xu Runsheng had immediately harbored murderous intentions after a brief test of Tan Zhang's strength.

"Could it be that the Yin Demon Sect has discovered some secret and now has a different plan?" Chu Ning wondered. Although he had obtained some information from Duan Yanwu and his group, it was incomplete.

All he knew was that the Green Creek Sect had sent so many people to obtain the so-called spirit seed.

After arriving here the last time, he had tried to gather more information about it, but the amount of intelligence he could gather at Yanji Fang was limited.

Even now, he still didn't know what this spirit seed was.

Therefore, he was even less clear about whether the Yin Demon Sect had any other plans.

"Oh well, I'll just play it by ear," Chu Ning thought, shrugging off his concerns.

He categorized and stored all the items in his storage bag, then stood up.

After the intense battle, although he had expended some resources, his gains were even greater.

Now, he had acquired so many high-grade artifacts that he couldn't use them all.

He also had more life-saving items, which naturally boosted his confidence.

Chu Ning recalled Ling Xiaobai and let it hide in his sleeve again before continuing on his way, following the direction indicated by the needle.

Along the journey, Chu Ning generally followed the direction indicated by the needle.

However, he would occasionally take detours, thanks to Ling Xiaobai's influence.

This little creature was incredibly sensitive to spiritual energy, and as long as there was a place with slightly richer spiritual energy nearby, it would immediately detect it.

As they ventured deeper into the core area, they encountered more spiritual herbs and plants.

For several consecutive days, Ling Xiaobai led Chu Ning to discover some spiritual herbs and fruits almost every day.

Some of these herbs were surprisingly old, and Chu Ning was fortunate enough to come across two spiritual herbs that were hundreds of years old, which took him by surprise.

He found it remarkable that the Green Creek Sect had sent so many people into this spirit realm over the past few decades, yet so many spiritual herbs remained.

However, upon further reflection, he felt that it made sense.

After all, most of the people who entered this spirit realm probably followed the direction indicated by their needles.

They explored less in the surrounding areas, so naturally, many places remained undiscovered.

Of course, the journey was not entirely peaceful. Along the way, Chu Ning encountered several demon beasts, including a few high-level first-stage ones.

Fortunately, he didn't run into any demon beast packs. With his current abilities, dealing with these high-level first-stage demon beasts was not a challenging task.

What puzzled Chu Ning was the fact that the spiritual energy in this place was so rich, yet Elder Mu had mentioned that there were no higher-level demon beasts in the spirit realm.

This contradiction sparked his curiosity.

Logically, with such abundant spiritual energy, the realm should be able to give birth to second-stage demon beasts.

Chu Ning cultivated along the way, and his progress was almost comparable to cultivating with the aid of the Green Wood Eternal Spring Art.

If Elder Mu's words were true, there might be some secrets in this place that he was unaware of.

One day, as Chu Ning was walking, his puppet bird was scouting in the air.

However, after a short while, Chu Ning stopped in his tracks and changed direction, heading toward another path.

This wasn't the first time he had done this in recent days. Whenever he sensed the presence of other cultivators, he would choose to detour and avoid them.

After all, he had no intention of killing others for their treasures.

Similarly, he had no desire to travel with others.

He didn't even bother to distinguish whether they were disciples of the Green Creek Sect or infiltrators from the Yin Demon Sect.

It was better to avoid encounters altogether.

After taking a detour of about ten miles, just as Chu Ning was about to turn back toward the indicated direction,

"Cheep!"

Ling Xiaobai poked its little head out from Chu Ning's sleeve and chirped, pointing in a particular direction.

"Little White, did you find something good again?" Chu Ning asked with a smile, seeing Ling Xiaobai's eager expression.

When Ling Xiaobai nodded, Chu Ning followed its guidance and changed his course.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end