The spiritual energy in the stone chamber was so dense it almost took physical form, gathering into a faint mist that lingered in the air.
Just taking a single breath made her feel clear-headed and refreshed.
The first thing that caught her eye was the massive pile of spirit stones stacked against one side of the chamber.
And they were no ordinary spirit stones. There were barely any mid-grade or low-grade stones among them. Almost all of them were high-grade spirit stones, crystal-clear and brimming with energy. Even a rough glance told her there had to be at least a million of them.
They were piled into a small mountain that pulsed with such intense spiritual pressure it made one's heart tremble. And at the top of that glittering mound were several thousand smaller stones that gleamed with flowing light, as if liquid spiritual energy ran within them—supreme-grade spirit stones. Each of those was worth more than tens of thousands of high-grade stones combined.
As for mid-grade and low-grade spirit stones? They were nowhere to be seen. Clearly, You Ji Shàngrén had never even considered keeping such low-tier resources.
Just this single pile alone was enough to drive an entire mid-sized sect insane with greed.
On the opposite side of the chamber stood several jade racks neatly arranged in rows.
Displayed upon them were various rare materials, and several magic treasures faintly glowing beneath layers of sealing formations. Even sealed, their inner power could still be felt, vast and formidable.
At the very center of the chamber stood a raised jade platform.
Three items floated quietly above it.
The first was a fist-sized crystal—the core component of the Heart of Ten Thousand Puppets.
The second, a pitch-black ancient bracelet that revealed no material or energy signature, yet carried an unfathomable depth that made the heart tremble.
And the third, a humanoid puppet forged entirely from An Jinen metal, its eyes closed, its form lifelike and still.
Though it emitted no energy fluctuations, the sheer presence of it was enough that even Xie Zhaolin could barely sense its existence.
Its rank was far beyond any puppet she had faced during the trials.
"Hehe, well, how about it, Master?" You You's voice was practically singing with joy, all traces of earlier despair gone. "See? I told you! My real stash is still here! This is my true foundation!"
Her tone was filled with pride, like a child showing off her most precious collection.
"Those outer storerooms were just decoys! This is the real core!
The high-grade and supreme-grade spirit stones here are more than enough for you to cultivate all the way to the Nascent Soul stage!
The pills and materials are all the best of the best!
And that An Jin guardian puppet, that's one of my masterpieces from my prime! When it fights at full power, it's strong enough to rival a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator! I made it as my personal protector puppet!
That bracelet's the You Ming Bracelet I refined myself, a top-tier storage treasure with an enormous inner space!
And as for the Heart of Ten Thousand Puppets… well, I don't think I need to explain that, right?"
Her voice grew more and more excited as she listed everything, practically glowing with enthusiasm. "With all this, Master, once you leave this place, you'll soar straight to the heavens!"
Xie Zhaolin's gaze swept across the room, taking in the brilliance of countless treasures. Even with her experience from her past life, she couldn't stop her heart from stirring.
You Ji Shàngrén truly lived up to her name as one of the mighty of her era. This core vault far exceeded anything she'd expected.
While the outer storerooms had been completely looted over the ages, this final treasury had remained untouched, perfectly preserved—and its value was beyond calculation. The contrast between this and her earlier thoughts of "a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse" was so sharp it almost felt unreal.
This wasn't "a bit left."
This was enough to sustain a mid-tier sect for hundreds of years—a treasure trove vast enough to rebuild an entire force from nothing. It was the ultimate capital prepared by a great cultivator for her own rebirth and return to power.
She had expected that after thousands of years of decay and possible theft, all that might remain were a few leftover pills, some decent treasures, and scattered spirit stones. She'd even braced herself for disappointment, ready to accept that all she'd gain was the inheritance itself.
But reality had just slapped that expectation aside.
This so-called "bit of wealth" was enough to make anyone's heart race. A stray thought surfaced in her mind.
"If... if all those looted storerooms outside had originally been full like this…
If none of their resources had been drained by time or stolen by intruders…
Then just how terrifyingly vast would You Ji Shàngrén's original rebirth fund have been?"
Even imagining it felt unreal. That kind of wealth would've been astronomical, enough to make a top-tier sect turn green with envy.
As expected of a former powerhouse—her wealth and foresight were extraordinary beyond measure.
"Master? Master?" You You's voice grew a little nervous when she noticed the silence. "You're not... unhappy with it, are you?"
Her tone was timid, as if afraid the master might find these treasures beneath her.
Xie Zhaolin finally came back to herself. She took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in her heart, and her expression returned to calm.
"Not bad," she said quietly, her tone even, though the faint gleam of satisfaction in her eyes couldn't be hidden.
Hearing that, You You instantly relaxed and broke into a bright grin.
"Hehe, I knew you'd like it, Master! These are all top-quality treasures I picked out myself! The outer storerooms were just common stuff anyway, not worth crying over!"
She tried to sound nonchalant, but the flicker of pain in her eyes betrayed her.
Xie Zhaolin didn't call her out on it. Instead, she began working swiftly and methodically.
Her gaze first fell on the You Ming Bracelet.
To handle great work, one must first sharpen their tools.
A storage treasure large and stable enough was essential before collecting this vast hoard. The rings she currently had couldn't hold even a fraction of it.
The bracelet felt cool and smooth to the touch, not cold like metal but with a strange jade-like warmth. It was astonishingly light, almost weightless.
She extended a strand of divine sense into it.
The inner space was far greater than any storage tool she'd used before, easily enough to contain everything in the chamber, with room to spare. The structure was stable and fortified, even equipped with protective formations and spatial locks—truly a top-tier treasure.
"Excellent," she thought with approval, then slipped the bracelet onto her left wrist.
It adjusted automatically to fit her perfectly. The ancient black color contrasted subtly against her pale skin, understated yet refined.
With this You Ming Bracelet, collecting the treasures became quick and effortless.
At a thought, the bracelet glowed faintly.
Within just a few breaths, the mountain of spirit stones vanished completely, leaving only a faint mist where it once stood. The spiritual energy in the chamber noticeably thinned. Then she turned to the jade racks, storing every item displayed there.
When all that was done, her gaze returned to the center platform.
Only two things remained: the Heart of Ten Thousand Puppets and the An Jin guardian puppet.