https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-143-The-Sword-Qi-Disperses-A-Feast-is-Prepared/12619083/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-145-A-Medium-Grade-Spirit-Artifact-the-Flaming-Cauldron/12619087/
Chapter 144: The Grand Cauldron in the Fire Cave Chamber
"Admiring a treasure?"
The elderly doctor was quite surprised that Wei Shanhai would extend such an invitation.
"Indeed," Wei Shanhai explained. "The treasure I acquired holds a special realm within it, capable of cleansing one's spirit and inspiring divine insight. It's incredibly beneficial for martial artists in their cultivation, especially those at the Innate Realm. The first time one beholds it, the effects are remarkable, and it may offer some assistance to your future cultivation, Elder Chen."
"But this is still a treasure of the Wei family. As an outsider, it may not be appropriate for an old man like me." Elder Chen, while grateful, was not overly interested in treasures. His help to the Wei family came from his heart, not from any desire for reward.
"Your words are misplaced, Elder Chen," Wei Shanhai said earnestly. "The gratitude I owe you is as deep as if you had given me a new life. My family has nothing too precious to repay you with, so I can only offer a glimpse of the unique realm within this treasure as a token of my appreciation."
In the end, touched by Wei Shanhai's sincerity, Elder Chen accepted his request. After the banquet, he would go and admire this treasure, curious about its mysterious nature. However, he had one condition—he wanted to bring Lu Qing and Ma Gu along.
Wei Shanhai had no objections. He was well aware that it was largely due to Lu Qing and Ma Gu's efforts that Madam Wei and her son had returned safely.
Moreover, the treasure's essence would be unveiled regardless of whether one person or several people witnessed it, so there was no harm in accommodating the request.
And so, after the banquet, Elder Chen and his companions rested briefly before following Wei Shanhai to the back courtyard. They eventually arrived at a tall tower in the center of the Wei estate.
"After you, Elder Chen," Wei Shanhai said, opening a hidden door within the tower, from which a dry breeze emanated.
"Your family's treasure is kept underground?" Elder Chen asked curiously, eyeing the stairs descending into the darkness beyond the door.
Lu Qing, on the other hand, remained vigilant, activating his supernatural abilities and peering into the darkness beyond the door. There, he saw a dense red light emanating from the door.
[Hidden Door: A portal to a peculiar underground location.]
[A wonderland lies beyond, and a treasure is hidden within.]
[There are protective mechanisms in place, but they are currently inactive.]
Upon seeing this information, Lu Qing's tension eased slightly. This was indeed the Wei family's treasure chamber, and Wei Shanhai hadn't been deceiving them. As for the protective mechanisms, it was only natural to secure a place where valuable treasures were kept.
Nonetheless, Lu Qing maintained a cautious mindset. It wasn't out of mistrust, but as the saying goes, it never hurts to be careful.
As the hidden door opened, Wei Shanhai led the way inside, aware that inviting others into an underground passage could easily arouse suspicion. To dispel any doubts, he walked at the front and asked Wei Xinghe and Lu Qing to stay close together, signaling that the Wei family meant no harm.
After all, with Elder Chen's strength, any mishap could be easily dealt with; capturing Wei Xinghe would be child's play for him.
The group made their way down the passage, lit by oil lamps on either side, dispelling the gloom. As they progressed, Lu Qing's expression shifted slightly as he noticed the air growing increasingly hot and the elemental energy of the world becoming richer.
However, despite having cultivated his spiritual power, Lu Qing's acupoints remained closed, hindering his ability to discern the type of elemental energy present.
Elder Chen, on the other hand, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "What dense fire-attributed elemental energy! I never expected such a wonderland beneath this county. Your family's foundations are indeed profound."
Chapter: The Red Giant Cauldron
"Ah, so that's why Wei Shanhai chose to cultivate fire-attributed qi," the elderly doctor realized.
With such a place abundant in fire-attributed elemental energy, cultivating fire-based techniques would undoubtedly yield twice the results with half the effort.
"To be honest, this place wasn't built by my Wei family. It's a peculiar place discovered by my ancestors, and its age is unknown. We are merely enjoying the blessings left by our predecessors," Wei Shanhai said, a bit embarrassed.
As the two chatted, the staircase ahead of them suddenly stopped descending and leveled out. After walking a few more steps, the passage opened up into a spacious cavern.
A wide cave appeared before them, its walls a pale red, the stone seeming to blend into jade. Strange talismans were carved into the walls.
In the center of the cave stood a stone platform, upon which rested a crimson cauldron, half the height of a man and large enough for several people to embrace. It emanated a strange, ethereal aura.
This wondrous sight left Elder Chen and his companions momentarily stunned.
Ma Gu, in particular, had never seen such a spectacle, and his mouth hung open in awe.
Only Lu Qing, recognizing the familiar layout of the cave, felt a jolt in his heart.
At a glance, he deciphered the meaning of the talismans inscribed on the walls.
It was a talisman array, a formation related to the fire element.
Moreover, he was quite familiar with the technique used to set up the array.
Could this cave be related to the Shenfumeng (Divine Talisman Sect)? Lu Qing's mind raced with this thought.
"Elder Wei, is this cauldron...?" Elder Chen asked, taking in the scene before him.
"Indeed," Wei Shanhai nodded. "This crimson cauldron is one of the treasures that Wang Cangyi and I discovered in a divine land many years ago, and it is the most precious of them all."
"But this cauldron is clearly extraordinary. How could Wang Cangyi allow you to take it away back then?" Ma Gu asked, puzzled.
Lu Qing shared his confusion.
More importantly, the cauldron was enormous and appeared extremely heavy, likely weighing over ten thousand pounds. How had Wei Shanhai brought it back all those years ago?
Just the journey back would have invited countless greedy eyes.
"It's quite a tale," Wei Shanhai said. "When Wang Cangyi and I first discovered this cauldron, it was no bigger than a thumb, rusty and utterly unremarkable.
We both thought it was just a trinket, otherwise, with Wang Cangyi's stingy nature, he wouldn't have let me take it."
"The size of a thumb?"
Ma Gu exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes darting between the giant cauldron on the stone platform and Wei Shanhai.
Lu Qing and Elder Chen wore similar expressions of shock.
"It's hard to believe, but it's true," Wei Shanhai continued. "After I acquired the cauldron, I traveled with it for many years, and it showed no signs of being extraordinary.
It was only when I returned to the Wei estate, reached a bottleneck in my cultivation, and began training in this ancestral underground cave, exposed to the pure fire-attributed elemental energy, that the cauldron began to reveal its true nature.
I realized its potential and placed it on this stone platform. Then, I watched as it grew bigger year after year.
From the size of a thumb, it grew to the size of a fist, then a bowl, a water jug, and now, after nearly a century, it has reached its current state."
"A giant cauldron that grows?"
Ma Gu's mouth hung open once more, struggling to process what he had just heard.
Wei Shanhai's story exceeded his understanding, leaving his mind reeling.
Lu Qing was equally stunned. With a flicker of his consciousness, he silently activated his supernatural abilities and focused his gaze on the crimson cauldron.
(End of Chapter)
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