Chapter 965: Obtaining the Treasure
Chapter 965: Obtaining the Treasure
Shen Shouhang's eyes gleamed with determination, "You're right, I'm from the Shen family, a Senior Elder with real authority. But I'm just an ordinary cultivator."
"I can't control the lives of others, nor do I have the ability to do so."
"I just want to move forward, to walk my path well, and pave the way for my descendants to become immortals. I want them to climb higher on my back, step by step..."
"But to climb higher, one must pay a price."
"The price is the Solitary Cultivators of Lonely Mountain."
"Without them, how could the Shen family have prospered? How could they have become the greatest clan in the Heavenly Path Sect? How could they have achieved today's splendor?"
"Once their value is extracted, there's no need to keep them around."
"It's inevitable..."
"If I don't kill these people, someone else will. It's their fate, and no one can change it..."
"It's their fate..."
Shen Shouhang's emotions stirred noticeably.
These words seemed to have been bottled up inside him for years, and he had never shared them with anyone, keeping them to himself.
Now that the truth was exposed, he could no longer hold back and released the emotions he had suppressed for so long.
At the same time, a dark shadow passed through his eyes, and his divine sense trembled, causing his aura to change subtly.
Mo Hua found this strange and frowned slightly.
After Shen Shouhang finished speaking, Xun Ziyou and the others also fell silent.
He had spoken the truth—if he didn't kill these people, there would certainly be other cultivators from the Shen family, or even other clans, who would do so.
When people are driven by self-interest, they will disregard boundaries, extract benefits, and shift the consequences onto others; this is an inevitable truth.
Shen Shouhang just happened to be the executioner in this case.
But...
Xun Ziyou sighed softly and raised his long sword, "This isn't an excuse for the heavy sins you've committed."
"Those who seek the Dao must possess righteousness and cultivate their Dao heart."
"Your path has been crooked from the very beginning."
"Righteousness? Dao heart?" Shen Shouhang scoffed, "Can these things be exchanged for spirit stones? Can they bring power and benefits? They are just tools for preaching, worthless in themselves."
Xun Ziyou's gaze turned cold, "Our paths are different, and we cannot cooperate."
Shen Shouhang shook his head and also drew his long sword, "Indeed, at this point, there's no use in saying anything more."
"Whether it's for the Shen family, for myself, or for my descendants, some secrets must be buried in this tomb."
Shen Shouhang's cultivation at the peak of the Golden Core stage rose slightly, and his sword energy surged with concentrated killing intent.
Xun Ziyou and the others were on high alert.
Currently, everyone was heavily injured, except for Shen Shouhang, who had the highest cultivation and retained the strongest combat power. Whether to fight or not was entirely up to him.
That was why, despite Shen Shouhang's lengthy speech, no one dared to make the first move.
But now, as Shen Shouhang drew his sword, it signaled the beginning of a brutal life-and-death battle.
With the honor of their clan and their own lives at stake, Shen Shouhang would show no mercy.
Xun Ziyou's eyes narrowed, and he braced himself.
In just a moment, a flash of white light, and Shen Shouhang's sword pierced through the air, attacking Xun Ziyou.
The others in the hall were either demon or magic cultivators, people who kept a low profile. Even if they knew some inside information, the impact wouldn't be significant.
However, Xun Ziyou was different. He was an inner elder of the Void Gate Sect, and if he survived and escaped, it would mean that the entire upper echelon of the Void Gate Sect would become aware of this matter.
Therefore, Xun Ziyou must die first.
Xun Ziyou's expression turned solemn, and he dared not slack off. He exerted his full strength, using the Void Sword Technique to meet Shen Shouhang's deadly attack.
Sword energy and sword intent intertwined, causing their auras to tremble as they fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand.
Xun Ziyou was slightly inferior, but his foundation was solid, and his sword intent was exquisite, allowing him to hold on for the time being.
As Shen Shouhang and Xun Ziyou fought, Xiong Bei, the bear demon cultivator, no longer hesitated. He pounced towards the Dragon Coffin, intending to seize the Dragon Vein within.
Zhang Wei, heavily injured, would not allow this to happen.
The two engaged in close combat, entangled once again.
Xuan Gongzi's eyes turned cold. Originally, he only needed to capture Zhang Wei to obtain the Dragon Vein, and with the leverage in his hands, the Dragon Vein would undoubtedly become his possession.
Who could have guessed that at the critical moment, Shen Shouhang would take matters into his own hands and strike back, causing the situation to gradually spiral out of control?
Xuan Gongzi said coldly, "Shen Shouhang, do you not care about your son's life?"
Shen Shouhang, still fighting with Xun Ziyou, glanced at him and scoffed, "Boy, live a few more years, then come back and bargain with me."
"My son is my talisman of protection."
"If he remains safe and sound, I'll spare your life. But if anything happens to him, you will also be buried with him."
Shen Shouhang held a high position and had been engaged in power struggles for many years. His ability to gauge the situation was naturally beyond Xuan Gongzi's comparison.
He would not be manipulated by Xuan Gongzi.
Xuan Gongzi's expression turned cold, and he smirked inwardly.
There was no other way; he had to take action himself.
Amidst the chaos, Shen Qing Sheng, a Late Golden Core Cultivator, was at a disadvantage. He could only harass with his blood-colored sword light, lest he be caught off guard and lose his life.
The situation grew more chaotic.
Amid the melee, the first to approach the Dragon Coffin was Shentu Ao.
Shentu Ao punched, pushing back Xiong Bei Elder, and reached for the Dragon Vein.
Xiong Bei Elder was caught off guard.
Xuan Gongzi slashed with his sword to deter Shentu Ao, but the strike only left a shallow wound on Shentu Ao's body.
Ignoring everything, Shentu Ao stretched out his large hand toward the Dragon Vein.
The Dragon Vein radiated a pure, dazzling light.
Just as he was about to succeed, Shen Shouhang, who was fighting Xun Ziyou, sent a sword beam toward Shentu Ao.
He wanted to kill Xun Ziyou but couldn't let the Dragon Vein fall into Shentu Ao's hands.
Shen Shouhang, at the peak of the Golden Core, unleashed his sword aura, far surpassing Xuan Gongzi's earlier strike. Moreover, he aimed for a vital point.
Shentu Ao had no choice but to retreat.
Shen Shouhang's distraction gave Xun Ziyou, who was barely holding on, a chance to catch his breath.
Seizing this opportunity, Xun Ziyou broke free from Shen Shouhang and rushed toward the Dragon Coffin.
He wanted to seize the Dragon Vein.
Now, if Shen Shouhang wanted to kill him, he would have to fight at the Dragon Coffin.
Xuan Gongzi, Shentu Ao, and Xiong Bei Elder, in their pursuit of the Dragon Vein, would have to battle at the Dragon Coffin.
Xun Ziyou guided the battle, intertwining their fights once more.
Everyone involved in the battle had some lingering grudges, eager to see each other dead.
Thus, when they fought together, they would inevitably scheme, kill, and guard against each other.
Shen Shouhang was also drawn into this entanglement, diverting his attention, and Xun Ziyou's pressure lessened.
After a brief clash, the blood mist in the air gradually thickened.
Engrossed in their fight, none of them noticed, even inhaling the blood mist without realizing its effects.
The blood mist stirred their desires.
Their murderous intent and greed intensified, fueling an endless battle, and their blood mist was rapidly consumed.
At this moment, Xiong Bei Elder, taking advantage of the chaos, approached the Dragon Vein.
His eyes gleamed with greed, and he stretched out his large, bear-like hand toward the Dragon Vein.
But in the next instant, Xun Ziyou's sword beam sliced off his palm.
The severed palm fell to the ground, blood gushing out and splattering on the floor, creating a hidden mist of blood. Xiong Bei Elder wailed, clutching his injured arm.
Xun Ziyou had only intended to restrain Shen Shouhang, but after a prolonged battle and inhaling the blood mist, his mind was unknowingly affected. He couldn't resist reaching for the Dragon Vein.
Fortunately, he quickly regained his senses and realized what he was doing.
"What am I doing?" Xun Ziyou immediately withdrew, but it was too late. A punch carrying the shadow of a dragon and overwhelming force struck his back.
Xun Ziyou managed to sidestep, mitigating some of the impact, but the punch still hit him, shaking his internal organs. His body flew like a kite and landed in the corner of the hall.
He spat out a mouthful of blood and half-squatted on the ground.
"I miscalculated..."
The lingering Evil Dragon power entangled within him, leaving Xun Ziyou unable to move. He could only focus on recovering his strength as soon as possible, or the situation would deteriorate beyond control.
Not only was Mo Hua at risk, but he himself might also perish here.
Shentu Ao punched Xun Ziyou, sending him flying, and his mind became hazy. Ignoring everything, he reached for the Dragon Vein.
But a warning sign grew stronger in his heart, as his greed took over, and he couldn't suppress it.
As expected, Shen Shouhang's sword slashed at his back, opening a bloody wound.
Shentu Ao countered with a palm strike, but Shen Shouhang dodged. Shen Shouhang's counter-attack with his sword, using the Shen Family White Jade Sword Art, and his pure white sword aura pierced through Shentu Ao's chest.
Shentu Ao clenched his teeth and slowly fell to the ground.
With that, only Shen Shouhang remained near the Dragon Coffin.
Inside the coffin, the Dragon Vein held by Ye Er emitted a captivating light.
Shen Shouhang's heart raced, and he couldn't help but approach the coffin.
This time, no one could stop him. Shen Shouhang successfully retrieved the Great Wilderness Dragon Vein from the deceased Ye Er.
Holding the Dragon Vein, the aura of the Great Wilderness surged toward him.
A thread of majestic Dragon Power flowed through his palm into his blood, spreading throughout his body, causing excruciating pain as if his body were being torn apart.
This pain was sharp and accompanied by a deafening Dragon Roar.
It seemed his bloodline was incompatible with the Dragon Vein, and the rejection intensified.
The Dragon Roar grew more ferocious, making his scalp tingle.
The hand holding the Dragon Vein began to corrode from the Great Wilderness Dragon Power, his flesh and blood slowly rotting, and the decay gradually spread to his entire arm.
The pain snapped Shen Shouhang back to his senses.
Seeing his entire arm about to be disabled, Shen Shouhang's pupils trembled, and he immediately released the Dragon Vein.
The corrosive dragon energy ceased, but half of his right arm was utterly destroyed.
He tossed the dragon vein into the air, where it drew a streak of light before landing on the empty ground nearby.
The great hall fell into a deathly silence.
The four strongest Golden Core Cultivators, some wounded and others on the brink of death, were all in dire straits.
At this moment, they all realized something was amiss, and they turned their heads to look at Xuan Gongzi.
A cold smile appeared on Xuan Gongzi's solemn face.
"How could mere mortals dare to touch the dragon vein of the Great Wilderness? Without the bloodline of the Great Wilderness, attempting to seize the dragon vein would trigger the dragon's wrath and result in being devoured by its energy."
A chill ran through everyone's hearts as they slowly understood.
They now realized why Xuan Gongzi had used Mo Hua and Shen Qing Sheng as bargaining chips, forcing them to fight for the dragon vein.
Not just anyone was qualified to control the dragon vein.
Aside from Shen Tu Ao, who possessed the bloodline of the Imperial Clan, whoever obtained the dragon vein last would suffer the torment of being devoured by the dragon energy and endure the fury of the Great Wilderness dragon.
Even Shen Shouhang, a Late Golden Core Cultivator at the peak of his power, had one of his arms permanently disabled.
Shen Tu Ao couldn't possibly reveal the secrets of the Great Wilderness.
Xuan Gongzi, with his schemes, wouldn't disclose them either.
He was not only creating an opportunity for internal strife among them but also intended to use the backlash of the dragon vein to disable his opponents.
"Indeed, you are worthy of being a demonic beast from the Dark Magic Sect..." Shen Shouhang's voice was hoarse.
Despite his young age, his thoughts were profound and sinister, rivaling those of the old demonic cultivators.
Shen Shouhang secretly channeled his energy, attempting to heal the injuries caused by the dragon vein's backlash, but the vengeful dragon energy of the Great Wilderness was exceptionally fierce, making it impossible to eliminate within a short time.
Moreover, he discovered a trace of foul origin within his body.
Recalling how he had lost his will and became entranced when he saw the dragon vein earlier, Shen Shouhang's pupils constricted.
"Did you use other means as well?"
"I utilized some poison from the Illusionary Demon Sect..." Xuan Gongzi spoke calmly.
As he strode towards the dragon vein not far away, he explained, "The poison of the Illusionary Demon Sect is adept at creating illusions, confusing one's perception. I mixed the poison into the blood, disrupting your minds, and combined it with the Daoheart Demonization Art to make you fight for the dragon vein without regard for your lives."
"The brilliance lies in the fact that this poison isn't very potent. I smeared it on my sword, using the sword light of the Dark Magic Blood Sword to administer the poison without anyone noticing."
"As long as blood is drawn during your mutual slaughter, the poison will disperse. Due to its mild toxicity, you won't be able to detect it."
"I had no choice but to go to such lengths because your cultivation is too high. Even after studying the original canon of the Illusionary Demon Sect, if I wanted to use the Daoheart Demonization Art on you, I had to put in this much effort..."
Shen Shouhang's gaze turned icy. "Did you plan everything?"
"Of course..."
Xuan Gongzi had already reached the dragon vein, a faint smile on his lips. "If not for this, how could a Golden Core Cultivator in the initial stage like me dare to take such a risk and confront Golden Core Cultivators in the late stage, even those at the peak?"
"This is a test and a trial for me."
"Demons dance, blades licking blood."
"Only by accomplishing what ordinary Golden Core Cultivators cannot will the Ancestor acknowledge me and entrust the Dark Magic Sect to me in the future."
"Only then will the unruly and unyielding demonic cultivators within the Dark Magic Sect submit to me willingly."
"And now, the dragon vein is finally in my grasp..."
Xuan Gongzi's heart was filled with exhilaration and excitement as he looked at the dragon vein before him, but he didn't act rashly. Instead, he took out a black demonic flag and covered the dragon vein with it.
This ancient demonic flag of unknown origin blocked the radiant light of the dragon vein and sealed its energy.
The dragon vein, now shrouded by the flag, resembled an ordinary bone, devoid of the dragon's majestic aura.
Only then did Xuan Gongzi dare to hold the dragon vein without fear of being devoured by its energy.
With the dragon vein in his possession, everything was proceeding according to plan.
"Whether you are a prince of the Great Wilderness, a Golden Core Cultivator from a great clan, or an elder of a sect, you are all my playthings, manipulated at my whim..."
Xuan Gongzi's face carried a hint of mockery as he weighed the dragon vein in his hand, then smiled triumphantly and casually handed it to Mo Hua beside him, instructing, "Hold this for me."
Mo Hua took the dragon vein.
Xuan Gongzi turned his head to look at Shen Shouhang, but before he could say anything, his heart skipped a beat:
"Why did I just give the dragon vein to someone else for safekeeping?"
The smile on Xuan Gongzi's face vanished, and his pupils slowly widened. He quickly turned his head to look, only to find that Mo Hua's figure was already ten zhang away, having stealthily slipped away.
As Mo Hua slightly raised his head, he noticed Xuan Gongzi staring at him. Mo Hua turned his head and glanced at Xuan Gongzi as well.
The two locked eyes for a moment, time seeming to freeze.
Mo Hua blinked and then silently turned back, no longer hesitating. He held the dragon vein close and walked away.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
