This was the weight of an entire Minor World condensed into the war spear.
Without a doubt, for Yuan Gang to lift that spear would be equivalent to lifting a whole Minor World with one hand. The weight of a Minor World—let alone a million catties—would require tens of millions of catties of force, perhaps more. Such a feat would demand peerless might. Pure strength alone simply wasn't enough.
No matter how strong Yuan Gang was, he could not lift a Minor World. That had already exceeded the limits of his power. In front of this war spear, even a million catties of strength was like an ant trying to shake a tree.
"I... I lost."
Though unwilling to admit it, Yuan Gang still had integrity. He stared at the spear before him with visible reluctance but finally uttered those words. He truly couldn't lift the spear. Regardless of the reason, he had lost. There was no disputing that.
"Good. Fellow Daoist, your honesty is admirable."Yi Tianxing nodded with approval. With a thought, the war spear rose into the air, landed in his hand, and disappeared. Seeing this, Yuan Gang's eyes showed even more reluctance—he was certain there was something unusual about that spear. But the contest was over. A loss was a loss.
He loved treasures and wealth—but he did not lack the most basic sense of honor.
Reputation was something ingrained in his nature.
Though he hadn't expected to lose, Yuan Gang didn't go back on his word. Despite the pained look on his face, he still said, "Fine, I lost this time. You can choose one treasure from my collection. We'll call it even."
As he spoke, the anguish on his face grew worse. He clearly felt a heart-wrenching pain.
"Please, Fellow Daoist, let's speak inside the city. A feast of fine wine and delicacies has been prepared for your honor."
Jia Xu said with a warm smile.
Yuan Gang didn't hesitate. He wasn't afraid. He led his wooden horse straight into Sunset City.
Inside the City Lord's Mansion, in the main hall, a bountiful banquet had already been laid out. Though they had no chefs on the battlefield, they had pre-packed military rations and gourmet meals in storage tools before entering. The food, stored like boxed meals, could be taken out hot and fresh—virtually indistinguishable from freshly cooked fare.
Dishes like Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Braised Bear Paw, Three-Delicacy Blood Porridge, and Golden Dumplings were all laid out in abundance.
Steam rose from every plate.
Once everyone sat down, they didn't speak much and began enjoying the food.
Yuan Gang's eyes lit up. He had never tasted such incredible cuisine. The moment it entered his mouth, he was completely conquered by the flavors. He began gobbling food rapidly, nearly swallowing his tongue.
"So good—truly delicious!"
"I've never had food this tasty. You humans are amazing, being able to make such divine dishes. What will I do if I never get to eat like this again?"
After devouring every last bite on the table, Yuan Gang looked unsatisfied, savoring the taste. This was the best meal he had ever had—everything else he'd eaten before now seemed like dog food in comparison.
He was already worried. What if he never got to eat like this again?
This food was addictive.He could feel it—he was hooked. Addicted to flavor.
Once he was done, someone swiftly cleaned up the dishes.
Yuan Gang let out a burp and said, "Alright, I'm full. I won't go back on my word. Since I lost, you get to pick a treasure. But since you fed me such delicious food, I'll show you something real good."
BANG!!
With an air of confidence, Yuan Gang pulled out a treasure chest.
It truly was a treasure chest. At a glance, it looked ordinary, but its material was indescribable. The entire chest gleamed with a bronze luster, etched with ancient, mysterious patterns—depictions of countless treasures. These patterns weren't static—they shifted constantly.
"This is my treasure chest. All my treasures are inside. Without my permission, no one can take anything from it."
As he spoke, he reached out toward the chest. Though the chest had no visible seams—just a solid bronze block—his hand passed through it effortlessly, like slipping into air. The chest turned intangible to his touch.
When his hand emerged, he was holding a fist-sized gem.
It was a diamond—a King Diamond Crystal. With sharp, defined edges and dazzling brilliance, it radiated powerful energy. A strong Metal Origin aura emanated from it—sharp and indestructible.
King Diamond Crystal: Contains the power of the Vajra. When refined with the proper methods, it allows absorption of Vajra Essence, granting the body indestructible strength. A divine material of Heaven-grade, immensely beneficial to body cultivators.
Yi Tianxing instantly recognized the gem's attributes. This was a supreme treasure—coveted by all physical cultivators.
"And this one!"
Yuan Gang put the diamond back and pulled out a pair of boots. The boots were studded with sparkling diamonds, radiant and attention-grabbing. Worn on the feet, they'd be quite the spectacle.
But to Yi Tianxing, it was clear—this wasn't a magical treasure, just a pair of ordinary boots decorated with jewels. An artistic item at best. Compared to the previous treasure, it was laughable.
"Look at these boots. Aren't they beautiful? These are my treasure. You're not allowed to pick this one," Yuan Gang said with visible affection.
"And this."
Next, he pulled out a black hoof—a Millennium Black Donkey Hoof.
"This is a thousand-year-old donkey hoof. It wards off evil spirits. A human tribe gave it to me after I helped them."
It looked important, at least in Yuan Gang's eyes.
One by one, he showed off his items. Yi Tianxing and Jia Xu's expressions grew increasingly strange. This chest clearly wasn't an ordinary treasure box—it was a trap. It held incredible divine materials alongside completely worthless junk. To Yuan Gang, they were all priceless—but whether they actually were, depended entirely on perspective.
If Yuan Gang tried to use the donkey hoof as the wager's fulfillment, it definitely wouldn't end well.
"Alright, you've seen some of my treasures. That's only part of what I've got. All my valuables are inside this box. Honestly, I don't want to part with any of them. So, I'll let you reach in and grab one at random. Whatever you grab, that's yours. No regrets, no take-backs."
Yuan Gang said with great reluctance.
The treasure chest held countless items, its contents invisible from the outside. Only Yuan Gang could see them.
"Very well. I'll pick one at random. Since I can't see anything, it's all luck anyway."
Yi Tianxing nodded with a smile.
Without hesitation, he reached out. As his hand touched the chest, it felt like dipping into flowing water—easily penetrating the surface. Inside, he could sense an enormous space, far from small—a miniature world, in fact. Treasures were floating around inside, not stationary but moving unpredictably.
Many items avoided his hand as he reached in.
Yi Tianxing didn't mind. He followed his intuition and grabbed one item as it brushed past.
When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a small, crystal-clear tree, lifelike in its appearance. It didn't emit any sign of life—it looked like a flawless sculpture, carved to perfection. Mysterious runes flickered on its surface.
"What kind of treasure is this?"Jia Xu and the others were stunned, speaking in disbelief.
The tree seemed more like a work of art than anything else.
Its leaves—or perhaps fruits—were bizarre. Some resembled conch shells, others ancient zithers, some like lutes, golden bells, war drums, or jade flutes. All manner of shapes adorned the tree, enhancing its mystical aura.
This was clearly no ordinary treasure.
"You actually picked that one?! My treasure! My singing tree! I got that from a crawling creature. And now it's gone…"
Yuan Gang clutched his head in sorrow, eyes fixed on the little tree like a lovesick fool. "Want to trade? How about something else? I used to sleep to its song!"
His tone was filled with sincerity.
"What kind of tree is this? What does it do?"
Yi Tianxing asked swiftly.
"I don't know either. But I know it sings heavenly music. Whenever I hear it, I feel calm and peaceful—sleep like a baby. One time, I even saw a raging zombie turn docile under this tree. Its killing intent completely vanished."
Yuan Gang replied.
It was clearly a heavenly treasure.
There wasn't even a trace of artificial craftsmanship. It was not man-made.
Yi Tianxing instinctively used the Wordless Heavenly Tome to identify it...