Chapter 208: Plunder and Treasure Hunt

“What’s going on?”

The sudden attack left everyone stunned. No one had seen where the energy blast came from.

Zheng Jia Zhu stared in horror at the massive hole in his chest.

Only Cheng Zhu and a few other Xian Tian Jing cultivators spun around, eyes locking onto a distant direction.

There, atop a tree a hundred meters away, a figure stood tall, a long bow still clenched in hand.

Who else could it be but Lu Qing?

“Who are you, and what is your intent?” asked the Refined Elder, his voice grave.

“When I slew Zheng Jia Lao Tai Po, I made a promise—her eldest son’s tomb would be destroyed, and he would never find peace in the afterlife. So tell me, do you have any objection?” Lu Qing replied coolly.

The Refined Elder froze, caught off guard, unable to find words.

Seeing the man’s silence, Lu Qing felt a flicker of disdain. Then he turned to Cheng Zhu.

“City Lord, with irrefutable proof before us, Zheng Jia has committed unspeakable atrocities—conducting Living Human Sacrifices, a cruel and barbaric burial practice. I believe you know how this must be handled.”

“Of course I do,” Cheng Zhu replied calmly, nodding.

“Good. I trust you’ll act with justice and punish Zheng Jia thoroughly. Otherwise, the next arrow I draw may not be aimed at a corpse—but at someone else.”

With that, Lu Qing leapt from the tree and vanished into the distance.

From beginning to end, he never once mentioned Zheng Jia’s head. To him, the man was no more than a bug—easily crushed, utterly insignificant.

Watching him disappear, Cheng Zhu and the others remained still, letting him go.

Yet within their hearts, a deep shock stirred.

Before Lu Qing struck, none of them had sensed his presence. They hadn’t even known when he’d arrived.

It was as if their innate sensations—sensory awareness—were nothing more than a useless illusion before him.

Such eerie, unpredictable power, combined with Lu Qing’s proven might, only deepened the fear the Xian Tian Jing cultivators felt toward him.

And this spectacle, witnessed by the leaders of other powerful clans, sent shockwaves through their ranks.

They couldn’t believe someone had dared to murder openly in front of several Xian Tian Jing masters—worse, even taunt and threaten them.

Even more shocking was that Cheng Zhu and the others didn’t react with anger. If anything, a hint of fear lingered in their eyes.

Who was this youth? What kind of power did he wield?

And from his words, it seemed Zheng Jia Lao Zu had already fallen by his hand!

In that instant, the hearts of every clan leader trembled with unease.

“City Lord,” asked the Middle-aged Man with Face Like White Jade, glancing at the corpse of Zheng Jia’s head, “what now?”

“What else can we do? We must proceed by the law.” Cheng Zhu replied, his expression unchanged.

The Middle-aged Man with Face Like White Jade felt a surge of relief. Zheng Jia was finished—completely ruined.

The charge of Living Human Sacrifice was too grave. With Zheng Jia Lao Tai Po dead, and the head now captured, even Zhou Fu Cheng itself could no longer shelter the Zheng family.

Other clan leaders, hearing this, exchanged glances, their eyes flickering with hidden thoughts.

…

Zhou Fu Cheng.

Lu Qing moved swiftly through the night.

Having destroyed the Tomb of the Eldest Son of the Zheng Family and killed Zheng Jia Zhu, he didn’t linger. He activated the Earth Movement Talisman and vanished back into Zhou Fu Cheng, slipping unseen into the city.

He didn’t need to guess what would happen to Zheng Jia.

Once he had slain Zheng Jia Lao Tai Po, the family’s fate was sealed.

And now, with their crimes exposed in broad daylight—openly defying the laws of Sheng Shan and the Imperial Capital—there was no turning back.

Zhou Fu Cheng was a bustling metropolis, yes—but also a den of fierce competition, where wolves prowled in every shadow.

Zheng Jia, now broken and leaderless, was nothing short of a massive, juicy prize.

It was inevitable that the city’s factions would tear it apart.

But Lu Qing had no intention of letting others devour the finest piece.

Soon, he reached Zheng Fu.

Inside, chaos reigned.

The news of the Ancestor’s death had spread like wildfire.

Though the servants and guards feared her, they also respected her—she was the very sky under which Zheng Jia stood.

As long as she lived, Zheng Jia remained one of the strongest families in Zhou Fu Cheng.

Everyone paid them respect.

Now that sky had collapsed.

Even the head was taken away by the City Lord to open the tomb.

How could they not panic?

Had Zheng Jia not maintained iron discipline and harsh punishments, the entire estate would have already descended into madness.

Lu Qing sensed the fear in the air—but he cared little.

Unleashing his Abilities, he began searching the mansion.

With the concealment of Shen Hun Fu Lu and his overwhelming strength, he moved freely through the estate, undetected by a single soul.

It didn’t take long.

He found the place he sought.

With a flick of his fingers, two steel needles shot out, piercing the throats of the two guards at the door.

Lu Qing drew his long blade, slashed through the lock, and pushed the door open.

“Truly a noble family—deep roots, immense wealth. The treasures stored here are staggering.”

Stepping into the storage room, Lu Qing paused, eyes wide.

Shelves lined the walls, piled high with priceless relics. The sight was dazzling—red light shimmering through the air, threaded with faint golden glimmers. He couldn’t help but marvel.

He stepped forward, a glowing screen appearing in his hand. As he swept it across the shelves, the treasures vanished into his Qiankun Yiqi Dai, absorbed in an instant.

Time was short. The Refined Elder and others would return soon.

He couldn’t afford to analyze each item. So he took everything.

The Qiankun Yiqi Dai had limitless space—no need to worry about capacity.

Before long, the entire vault was emptied.

Had his Spirit Soul Power not been so vast, even a Xian Tian Jing cultivator with such a treasure pouch might have struggled to carry so much.

After all, summoning the Qiankun Yiqi Dai consumed Spirit Soul Power.

Yet as he finished, Lu Qing frowned.

The treasures were abundant—but their quality was underwhelming.

The finest items only glowed with red light tinged with a faint golden aura.

That didn’t make sense.

A family with hundreds of years of legacy should have far greater treasures.

“There must be another hidden vault,” Lu Qing murmured, stroking his chin. “A deeper one.”

Just as he stepped out, a furious shout rang out:

“Who are you? How dare you intrude on this vault!”

Lu Qing looked up. A Middle-aged Beautiful Woman stood before him, her brows knitted in rage, flanked by two guards and a Green-Clothed Old Maid.

As he scanned her, a spark lit in his eyes.

“You’re just in time,” he said. “I was just wondering who could guide me.”

The Middle-aged Beautiful Woman locked eyes with him—and a sudden chill ran through her soul.

Before she could react, the Green-Clothed Old Maid stepped in front of her, face grim.

“The Lady of the Wei Family, be careful. This man is dangerous.”

The two guards drew their blades, having seen their fallen comrades.

But their swords hadn’t even cleared the sheaths when a sharp pain tore through their chests.

Their strength drained away like water, and they collapsed, lifeless.

Lu Qing didn’t even blink.

One moment, the guards were down.

The next, he stood before the Middle-aged Beautiful Woman, hand outstretched.

The Green-Clothed Old Maid gasped.

She hadn’t expected such overwhelming power—two Nei Fu Jing guards, utterly powerless against him.

Faced with Lu Qing’s oppressive presence, she unleashed her full strength.

A chilling aura surged from her, and her wrist flicked—

a silver blade shot from her sleeve, streaking toward Lu Qing’s throat.

“Flexible Sword—Zong Shi-level sword technique?” Lu Qing was surprised.

He hadn’t expected such a refined skill from an old woman with weak Qi and only Inner Organs Foundation-level cultivation.

But to him, even Zong Shi-level techniques were meaningless.

He flicked a finger—sending the blade spinning aside.

Then, with a single motion, his hand closed into a fist.

The palm, now a crushing imprint, exploded forward with ferocious force.

Boom!

The Green-Clothed Old Maid had no chance.

The blow struck her chest, sending her flying backward.

She slammed into a massive pillar, her chest caved in, her eyes blank.

She was dead—breathless, lifeless.

“Your sword art is impressive,” Lu Qing said coldly, “but your aura… it disgusts me.”

He didn’t need to use his Abilities to probe.

The moment he sensed her presence, he knew—she had killed many, and not by quick death.

She relished suffering.

Staring at the corpse, Lu Qing realized:

This woman had been Zheng Jia Lao Tai Po’s personal attendant for decades.

And she had played a key role in the Living Human Sacrifice scandal.

“Filthy rats, all of them. Zheng Jia is rotten to the core.”

He turned to the trembling Middle-aged Beautiful Woman.

She had already collapsed to her knees, trembling.

“Mercy! Please, don’t kill me! I beg you!” Her voice cracked with fear.

“Zheng Jia Zhu’s wife, eh?” Lu Qing’s voice was calm. “If you want to live, take me to your family’s secret treasure vault. If the haul satisfies me, I might spare your life.”

She almost protested—claiming Zheng Jia had only one vault.

But when her eyes met his—cold, unreadable, as if seeing into her soul—she froze.

No lies. No tricks.

“Please… I only know the Ancestor’s quarters might hold another vault. I’ve never entered it myself. Even my husband, Zheng Shihao, and Zheng Yu—only they have been allowed in.”

Her voice dripped with resentment.

Zheng Yu—the family’s so-called “waste”—had entered.

But her own son, the eldest, had never been permitted.

That old hag was biased beyond reason.

Lu Qing felt the bitterness in her tone—but he didn’t care.

In noble families, corruption ran deep. He had no interest in their drama.

He reached into his Qiankun Yiqi Dai and tossed a pill into her mouth.

Before she could react, he pressed a finger to her throat, forcing her to swallow.

In her terrified gaze, he spoke:

“This is a poison I brewed myself. If you don’t take the antidote within two hours, your intestines will tear apart. You understand?”

Her face turned ashen.

She nodded, helpless.

Lu Qing stripped one of the dead guards’ clothes and donned them.

He shoved the corpses into the vault, locked the door, and left the scene.

It was a crude disguise—but it would buy him time.

“Let’s go.”

With his disguise complete, he motioned.

Zhou Fu Cheng was indeed in chaos.

Their fight had made noise—but no one had come to investigate.

The Middle-aged Beautiful Woman, having seen Lu Qing’s merciless efficiency, had no will to resist.

She led him through the estate, her steps quick and silent.

With her guidance and Lu Qing’s superior soul sense, they passed through the mansion undetected.

They arrived at the courtyard she mentioned.

As Lu Qing moved with uncanny precision—avoiding patrols as if he knew the future—the woman’s fear deepened.

“This is the Ancestor’s courtyard,” she whispered. “My husband once said there’s a Secret Vault entrance in her room. I’ve never entered. Only the Ancestor herself, my husband, Zheng Shihao, and Zheng Yu have.”

Her voice carried bitterness.

Even Zheng Yu—worthless as he was—had been allowed in.

But her son, the heir, had been denied.

Lu Qing felt her resentment—but he dismissed it.

Noble families were full of such petty cruelty. He wasn’t here to judge.

He entered the Ancestor’s chamber, using his Abilities to scan the space.

Within moments, he found a Hidden Door.

To his surprise, the scan revealed no traps.

No doubt the Ancestor believed no one would dare intrude on her private quarters.

But Lu Qing wasn’t fazed.

The Hidden Door was forged of thick steel, nearly indistinguishable from the wall.

He tapped it—solid, dense.

No key. No mechanism.

Impossible to open without force.

But that didn’t trouble him.

In front of the woman’s wide eyes, he withdrew his long blade from the Qiankun Yiqi Dai.

With swift, brutal strokes, he hacked through the steel door—cracking it apart like paper.

With a kick, he sent the ruined door crashing open.

Lu Qing stepped inside, dragging the pale-faced woman behind him.

The passage beyond was short.

He carefully scanned the path—no traps.

Soon, they reached a small Hidden Room.

Lit by Night Pearls, the chamber was bright and clear.

But Lu Qing wasn’t impressed.

His eyes locked onto a single object in the room—

and his pupils flared with intense light.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end