“The Skeleton Divine Creed has a pretty grand name, yet I haven’t seen anything valuable.”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, along with Tang Chuanwu and the others, plundered the Skeleton Divine Creed’s treasures, which couldn’t even compare to the bequest left behind by the three-eyed ghost and the hollow shadow.

As they looted, Meng Jingzhou grumbled, “Say, why do you have to call yourselves the Skeleton Divine Creed for no reason? It made me think you were on the same level as the Heartless Creed and the Everlasting Creed. I thought we were catching big fish. But this is all we get?”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were knowledgeable and had seen much of the world; few things could catch their interest. But Tang Chuanwu and the other two were different—every single item from the Skeleton Divine Creed was an invaluable treasure in their eyes.

For example, Lu Yang had found several bottles of the Marrow-Cleansing Pill that Tang Chuanwu had consumed previously. They were all cheap stuff to him. A single drop of blood from either Old Meng or me is more effective than these pills.

At the Divine Transfiguration Stage, after numerous rounds of purging impurities, their bodies had become as immaculate as if they were born from heaven and earth. Their blood, flesh, and bones encompassed terrifying amounts of spirit energy, making them supreme treasures for Qi Training and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Needless to say, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou’s physiques had even reached the Fusion level and were far more terrifying.

“By the way, that Protector Jue or whoever said you took something of theirs. What did you take?”

Tang Chuanwu felt conflicted, uncertain whether he should tell them the truth. The Marrow-Cleansing Pill is no big deal, but the fragment is something else entirely. Although its origin is unknown, it is exceptionally sharp. It’s definitely no ordinary item.

Although these two’s reputation spread far and wide, what if greed gets the better of them? He gritted his teeth and decided to take the risk. Even if they give in to greed, I can start over.

“That time, when I was out gathering herbs, I happened to encounter members of the Skeleton Divine Creed, and I obtained a wooden box from a dying person. Inside were a Marrow-Cleansing Pill and a fragment.”

“A fragment?”

“I hid it somewhere else. I don’t carry it around.” Tang Chuanwu had feared the Skeleton Divine Creed would find him and search his person directly. With the fragment hidden elsewhere, he could still negotiate.

“Can you let me take a look?” Lu Yang was mainly concerned that the fragment might be dangerous and could pose a risk to Tang Chuanwu.

After dealing with the Skeleton Divine Creed, the group followed Tang Chuanwu to a large banyan tree within Kaihuang City.

Tang Chuanwu nimbly retrieved the fragment from a bird’s nest in the tree. Its inner surface bore complex patterns, likely markings of some array.

Lu Yang scanned the fragment with his spiritual consciousness, then consulted the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. He soon reached a conclusion. “It looks like part of a cauldron. The main material is Heavenly Star Copper. The complete cauldron should be a Transcendent Tribulation cultivator’s magical treasure.”

Meng Jingzhou shot Lu Yang a surprised sideways glance. Didn’t you brat say you don’t know anything about artifact refinement? How did you discern all that?

The Skeleton Divine Creed was a minor faction, with its leader only at the Basic Nascent Soul Stage. It couldn’t possibly possess anything from a Transcendent Tribulation cultivator, not even a fragment.

“They probably obtained it by chance. The Skeleton Divine Creed themselves didn’t know the origins of this item.”

Lu Yang returned the fragment to Tang Chuanwu. “Keep it. This fragment has some background; it’s good stuff. If you can find the other pieces, they should automatically assemble into a complete cauldron.” 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

It’s just a Transcendent Tribulation-level magical treasure; there’s nothing worth making a fuss over. It’s fine as long as it isn’t dangerous.

Tang Chuanwu carefully tucked it away. This is a fragment of a Transcendent Tribulation mighty expert’s magical treasure. It is priceless. If I get lucky in the future and find the other pieces, I may one day possess the complete cauldron.

“Then we’ll have to trouble Miss Cui to find us a place to eat.”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had rushed to finish off the Skeleton Divine Creed just so that they could make it back in time for dinner.

Night fell, and Kaihuang City remained bustling. Cui Que’er led them to a lavish, brightly lit restaurant.

“Here’s the place.”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou finally got to taste the so-called premium paste. Lu Yang was sorely tempted to ask, “Can your Buddhist Kingdom try a different cooking method? This thing looks utterly unappetizing.”

I had promised to bring Sister Mengmeng local specialties from the Buddhist Kingdom. I can’t exactly bring back a bucket of paste, can I?

The premium paste’s appearance left much to be desired, but its taste was actually decent, nothing like the barely swallowable stuff they had at noon.

After the meal, Cui Que’er took Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou on a tour of Kaihuang City as promised, with the Tang siblings chatting jovially beside them.

“Alright, it’s getting late. We should head back.” Lu Yang noted that Kaihuang City was huge; one night would certainly not be enough to see it all. He and Meng Jingzhou had boundless energy and could keep going indefinitely, but Cui Que’er and the other two had limited stamina.

Fearing that accidents might happen on their way home, Lu Yang escorted each of them back separately.

“We’ll be staying at Kaihuang Temple for a while longer. If you run into any trouble, you can come find us anytime.”

Before parting, Lu Yang contemplated for a bit, then flicked his index finger. Three droplets of blood flew out, landing in the hands of the trio.

“I can’t let you show us around Kaihuang City for nothing. Consider these three drops of blood your remuneration. They’re far more effective than Marrow-Cleansing Pills. Remember to dilute them with water, or you won’t be able to withstand it.”

Old Meng’s blood can’t be given out casually; the side effects are too severe. But my blood has no such concerns.

“See you around.”

~~~

Xitian Temple...

Meng Junzi proudly held up a newly captured Heartless Creed remnant, displaying the person before Master Mingyu.

“See? What did I tell you? With our Meng Family joining your Buddhist Kingdom, we’ll surely track down the Heartless Creed members.”

Master Mingyu’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably. I must admit that since the Meng Family joined the Buddhist Kingdom and worked alongside Xitian Temple’s monks to search for traces of the Heartless Creed, the results have been substantial. How many Heartless Creed elders have we caught now?

“Excellent. I never expected you to take action personally, Benefactor Meng.” Master Mingyu had assumed that, as a legendary immortal, Meng Junzi would maintain his dignity and refrain from acting, sending the Meng Family’s juniors to make the arrests instead.

Meng Junzi casually tossed the Heartless Creed remnant aside and plopped down unceremoniously. “Little Ming, that’s because you don’t get it. The reason I didn’t act before was to fool Guan Shanhai. Now that Guan Shanhai has been captured, shouldn’t I come out and make an appearance?”

Master Mingyu pressed his palms together and didn’t offer any comments.

The monks had already reported to him the details of Meng Junzi’s arrest operation. He really made quite the appearance.

When Meng Junzi caught the Heartless Creed elder, he had unleashed all manner of unusual celestial phenomena, as if heaven and earth had become his stage. The entire city’s population had prostrated in worship, crying out that the World-Honored One had manifested.

At the time, the Heartless Creed elder thought, No matter how heinous my crimes, it shouldn’t have warranted an immortal personally stepping forth to arrest me, right?

Typically, the person sent to capture the offenders would be at a similar cultivation level. How did they skip straight past the Transcendent Tribulation and Half-Immortal stages? Even catching the creed leader wouldn’t require such a grand display!

Then the Heartless Creed elder’s mind went completely blank.

As Meng Junzi recalled the reaction of the entire city, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from curling upward. After enduring for a hundred thousand years, I can finally act openly and legitimately. What? Immortals maintaining their dignity and rarely taking action? Nothing of the sort.

Isn’t all my painstaking cultivation precisely for moments like this?

“It’s all thanks to the opportunity that Yun Zhi’s little junior brother gave to me.”