Chapter 351: Jiuyuan and the Treasure Pavilion
"Playing with fire? Heh, I've never been afraid of that!"
Deep within the ancient secret realm, at the bottom of the abyss, Xiao Tiance faced the Nine Headed Serpent's fiery onslaught. With a smirk, he unleashed the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame.
"Burn the Heavens!"
Boom!
In an instant, two searing flames clashed. Despite the Nine Headed Serpent's potent fire, it was no match for the long refined Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame.
Boom!
Within seconds, the serpent's fire was devoured entirely, and the Golden Emperor's Flame surged toward the serpent like a tidal wave. The serpent narrowly evaded the flames by retreating swiftly. Had it been even a fraction slower, it would have been reduced to ash.
However, as the serpent backed away, the relentless flames continued to pursue it, accelerating under Xiao Tiance's control.
"You think you can escape?" Xiao Tiance sneered, increasing his spiritual power to ensure the flames engulfed the massive creature.
But just as the fire was about to overtake the serpent, it suddenly stopped fleeing, standing its ground to shield the enormous serpent corpse behind it.
Xiao Tiance's brow furrowed in surprise. Still, he retracted the Golden Emperor's Flame, intrigued by the creature's behavior.
The Nine Headed Serpent, bracing for what it thought was certain death, hesitated when the expected attack never came. Slowly opening its eyes, it saw Xiao Tiance playing with the Golden Emperor's Flame in his hand, no longer showing hostility.
"You... you spared me?" The serpent's cold gaze softened slightly as it hissed uncertainly.
"You understand me, don't you?" Xiao Tiance said, his voice calm. "You could've easily dodged my attack with your speed. Instead, you chose to protect the serpent corpse behind you. That tells me you're not the merciless beast you appear to be."
The serpent's eyes flickered, and after a moment, its enormous body began to shrink and transform.
Before Xiao Tiance stood a young man, appearing no older than sixteen or seventeen, dressed in black robes. His long black hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his strikingly handsome features were accentuated by a pair of captivating golden eyes.
"Thank you… for sparing me," the youth stammered, his voice hoarse from disuse.
"No need for thanks," Xiao Tiance replied with a faint smile. "Your actions showed your true nature. I wouldn't kill someone without reason."
The serpent turned youth nodded, then glanced at the massive corpse behind him. "I'm Jiuyuan. That's my mother's body. What's your name, and why are you here? It's been tens of thousands of years since anyone has dared venture into this place. Those who tried never left alive."
"I'm Xiao Tiance," he said. "I came here in search of the Heavenly Dao Sect's Treasure Pavilion."
"You didn't come here to kill me?" Jiuyuan asked, suspicion lacing his tone.
"Kill you? Why would I do that? We've never met before," Xiao Tiance replied, genuinely puzzled.
Jiuyuan hesitated, then sighed. "I don't sense any aura of the Outer Demonic Clan on you. You must be from the Great Thousand World. I've been hiding here for tens of thousands of years to escape their pursuit. My mother sacrificed herself to protect me, and they locked her here. I haven't seen them since, but I assumed they would return one day."
"Can you tell me more about your past?" Xiao Tiance asked.
Jiuyuan nodded. "My mother and I are from the Nine Headed Heavenly Serpent Clan. She was the guardian beast of the Heavenly Dao Sect, entrusted with protecting the Treasure Pavilion.
"Our lives were peaceful until the Outer Demonic Clan broke through the sect's defenses tens of thousands of years ago. This place became a battlefield. My mother joined the fight, but I was too young and careless.
"One of their demon lords captured me and used me to threaten her. To save me, my mother allowed herself to be bound by their formation, her life force chained to these pillars. The demon left afterward, presumably to fight elsewhere, but never returned."
Hearing Jiuyuan's story, Xiao Tiance nodded. "That explains a lot. But you should know, the Heavenly Dao Sect has long since fallen, and the Outer Demonic Clan was driven back."
"What?" Jiuyuan's golden eyes widened in disbelief. "The Heavenly Dao Sect… destroyed? And the demons… defeated?"
"Yes," Xiao Tiance confirmed. "It's been tens of thousands of years. If the Outer Demonic Clan were still active, the world would have descended into chaos long ago. From what I've heard, the Great Thousand Palace intervened and drove them back."
Jiuyuan's eyes glistened as he knelt before his mother's corpse, tears streaming down his face. "Mother… did you hear that? The demons are gone. They're gone!"
Xiao Tiance stood silently, allowing Jiuyuan time to grieve. When the youth eventually composed himself, Xiao Tiance said, "Jiuyuan, I've come for the Treasure Pavilion. I intend to build a superpower of my own. If you plan to stop me, then we'll have to settle this here and now."
Jiuyuan looked at Xiao Tiance, his golden eyes steady. After a moment, he shook his head. "No. If you're here for the Treasure Pavilion, you can take what you need. My mother guarded it for the Heavenly Dao Sect, but they're gone now. However…"
"However?" Xiao Tiance raised an eyebrow.
"I only have one condition," Jiuyuan said. "My mother's body stays untouched. The Treasure Pavilion is yours, but her legacy belongs to me."
Xiao Tiance chuckled. "Fair enough. I have no intention of disturbing her rest. Lead the way."
Jiuyuan's lips curved into a faint smile. "Follow me. I'll take you to the pavilion."
Upon hearing this, Jiuyuan shook his head and sighed. "The Treasure Pavilion is right there. I've never entered it myself, so you're free to explore. I won't stop you. For years, I believed the Heavenly Dao Sect was still locked in battle with the Outer Demonic Clan, so I hid here, afraid to leave. Now that the Heavenly Dao Sect has fallen, there's no reason for me to stay. Besides, you had the chance to injure me earlier and chose not to. Consider the treasures inside your reward."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance let out a small sigh of relief. He stored away his Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame, nodded, and said, "Thank you."
With that, he turned and walked toward the Treasure Pavilion.
The sight of the perfectly preserved Treasure Pavilion filled Xiao Tiance with anticipation. He knew that whatever was inside would be of immense value, worthy of a superpower like the Heavenly Dao Sect. However, a protective seal still blocked the pavilion's entrance an array likely created by a Grandmaster of Spirit Arrays.
"Ling'er," Xiao Tiance called out. "Can you analyze this array and figure out how to disable it?"
There was no response.
If not for the fact that Xiao Tiance could still sense Ling'er's presence within his body, he might have thought something was wrong.
Suddenly, the sound of wind behind him caught his attention. Xiao Tiance turned swiftly, grabbing an object flying toward him. It was a token inscribed with the characters "Heavenly Dao".
Jiuyuan's voice followed: "The seal in front of the Treasure Pavilion was placed by a Spirit Array Grandmaster. To enter, you either need to break the array directly or use this token."
"Thank you, Jiuyuan," Xiao Tiance replied, examining the token.
As soon as the token touched the seal's barrier, the characters "Heavenly Dao" emitted a radiant golden light. The light spread to the array, and with a loud boom, the entrance to the Treasure Pavilion opened.
The array's protective barrier split apart, revealing the treasures within.
Xiao Tiance didn't rush inside. Instead, he turned to Jiuyuan and asked, "Are you sure you don't want to come with me? There might be something inside that could be of use to you."
Jiuyuan remained where he was, shaking his head. "Even though the Heavenly Dao Sect is gone, guarding this pavilion has always been the mission of my Nine Headed Heavenly Serpent Clan. I won't step inside."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance nodded in admiration. The ability to resist temptation and remain steadfast in one's duty was rare, and Jiuyuan had earned his trust.
Without another word, Xiao Tiance stepped into the Treasure Pavilion.
First Floor of the Treasure Pavilion
As Xiao Tiance entered, he saw countless orbs of light floating in midair, each emitting a dazzling glow. Though he couldn't see what was inside, he knew these orbs held treasures of incredible value.
He reached out with his spiritual power, and an orb flew into his hand. Despite its struggle to escape, it couldn't break free from Xiao Tiance's grasp.
As his energy probed the orb, the light dissipated, revealing a plant resembling a human shaped ginseng root. Its quality far surpassed that of the Hunter's Flower he had found earlier.
"As expected of the Heavenly Dao Sect's Treasure Pavilion," Xiao Tiance murmured. "This is just the first floor, yet the treasures here are already extraordinary. The energy within this single plant could help an ordinary person cultivate their body to the level of indestructibility."
He released the plant, watching as it re formed its protective light and flew back among the other orbs.
"So, this is how they remain so well preserved for tens of thousands of years," Xiao Tiance mused, impressed.
Xiao Tiance expanded his soul power, scanning the entire first floor. He quickly counted over 100,000 orbs of light floating throughout the space.
"Unbelievable," he muttered. "If I take all of this, it'll be like inheriting the Heavenly Dao Sect's entire foundation!"
Suppressing his excitement, Xiao Tiance moved toward a wooden platform in the room. It rose and fell rhythmically, leading to the next level of the pavilion.
Second Floor of the Treasure Pavilion
The second floor was smaller than the first but still packed with treasures. Xiao Tiance estimated there were 80,000 light orbs, their glow even more intense than those on the floor below.
Third Floor of the Treasure Pavilion
This floor was smaller still, with fewer than 10,000 orbs. The orbs here moved much faster, evading capture with surprising agility. Xiao Tiance smiled, knowing that only cultivators of exceptional skill could seize these treasures.
Fourth Floor of the Treasure Pavilion
The fourth floor contained a mere 2,000 orbs. Their movements were not only faster but also seemed to possess a strange, sentient quality. As Xiao Tiance approached, they actively avoided him.
When Xiao Tiance reached the fifth floor, he felt a sudden, heavy pressure settle over him, as though a massive stone had been placed on his shoulders.
"Ah," Xiao Tiance mused. "It seems the Treasure Pavilion was designed to test those who enter.
"The first floor allows entry to anyone, regardless of strength. The second requires at least the Three Heaven Realm. The third, a minimum of Fifth Rank Sovereign. The fourth, Earth Sovereign.
"This fifth floor… It seems to be tailored for those at the level of Lower Earth Sovereign. Beyond this, I imagine there are further tests for Middle Earth Sovereigns, Upper Earth Sovereigns, and perhaps even Heavenly Sovereigns."
He scanned the fifth floor, noting that it contained fewer than 1,000 orbs.
"The higher I go, the more incredible the treasures become," he thought, suppressing a grin.
(Chapter End)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1