Chapter 606 - 415: Relics of the Ink Flood Dragon

After reading the information, Fang Qingyuan, under the watchful eyes of Qiqi and Jinbao, chose to uproot this stone stele as well and store it inside his Immortal Mansion.

With this new stone stele, Fang Qingyuan now had four. He was only one short of completing the set of five from his initial vision. Fang Qingyuan wondered, ’If I collect all five, will I be able to comprehend something from them?’

Of course, for now, this was just a hopeful thought. When he turned his attention to the remaining items and gave them a quick look, he felt a pleasant surprise.

’The cultivation realm of the Cultivator practicing here in the vision was unclear, but to deal with a Divinity Transformation Ink Flood Dragon, this Cultivator’s own cultivation must have been at least at the Nascent Soul realm, right?’

’Otherwise, how could a Golden Core Cultivator get involved in such a battle? Wouldn’t they be afraid of being destroyed by a single stray shockwave?’

’Only a Nascent Soul Cultivator could meddle in something like this; even one at a slightly lower level wouldn’t be able to. The Cultivator in the Qi Yun Daoist Robe from the vision must have held a high status. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been entrusted with such a critical mission.’

Fang Qingyuan surmised that the crystals collected by this Daoist Qi Yun likely contained the sealed traces of the Ink Flood Dragon.

The Ink Flood Dragon was a peculiar case. Information about this demon beast had been passed down for ten thousand years. From the depths of the Barbaric Wilderness here to the Death Swamp near the Southern Border, despite the vast time span, the Ink Flood Dragon appeared and disappeared intermittently.

According to the information Fang Qingyuan had gathered, the Ink Flood Dragon had appeared here ten thousand years ago and was sealed. Then, three thousand years ago, it appeared again in the Death Swamp. ’Could there have been other appearances that I don’t know about?’

’Even if the Ink Flood Dragon is powerful, for a Divinity Transformation-level combatant to evade capture or death for ten thousand years... it makes the Qi Yun Daoist Sect and the Beast Taming Sect seem utterly incompetent.’

Fang Qingyuan reined in his thoughts. These ancient matters were too far removed from him; the mission was the current priority. Of course, before getting to it, the items left behind here were his for the taking.

"One Tier Four Clear Heart Jade Meditation Cushion, one Tier Four Three-legged Copper Ear Medicine Incense Burner, and three broken, unidentified incense sticks. Additionally, this table and chairs are made from Tier Three Spiritual Materials, so they’re worth a few Spirit Stones. Qiqi, you and I discovered this place together, so I won’t take advantage of you. After we assess the value of these things, let’s split it into four shares. You and the Confusion Insect take two, and Jinbao and I take two. How does that sound?"

Fang Qingyuan made a preliminary valuation of the remaining items and asked for Qiqi’s opinion. Both Qiqi and the Confusion Insect had proven their worth on this mission, and Fang Qingyuan couldn’t just ignore their contributions.

They were partners, after all. Fang Qingyuan didn’t want Qiqi and the Confusion Insect to harbor any resentment over a few items, so he decided to settle the division of spoils clearly from the start, saving Qiqi the trouble of complaining to herself later.

"Thank you, Sect Leader Fang. That division is fair. I should also mention, my ancestor is waiting at the edge of the black soil. If the Confusion Insect sends a signal, he can be here in less than forty-five minutes."

Qiqi said, squatting to one side and flicking her tongue out to lick her lips. As the most powerful Golden Core Demon Beast under Bear Wind, her words represented his will.

Fang Qingyuan nodded. This was the Wind Breath Returning Soil Beast’s territory, after all. If Bear Wind came here, he would be risking a war with it. Thus, it was best not to summon him unless it was absolutely critical.

Besides, this mission was assigned by Tu Wuzhao. Fang Qingyuan didn’t want to rely on Bear Wind’s help. For one, he would owe Bear Wind a favor. For another, Tu Wuzhao would look down on him. It would only be appropriate to call on Bear Wind when facing an enemy who far outmatched him.

Bear Wind was not Fang Qingyuan’s hired muscle, but a trump card to be played. A minor exploratory task like this was not worth his intervention.

Fang Qingyuan and Qiqi both understood this point.

In the cramped space, there was nothing else of note besides the items they had just discovered. After collecting all the man-made objects, Fang Qingyuan’s thoughts turned to how he might leave this place and get to his true destination.

"According to the Confusion Insect’s analysis, this is another exit from the spatial fissure outside. It originally opened up near the Ghost Cultivator’s location, about half a kilometer away. That means the other side of these stone walls must also be that incredibly viscous and astonishingly heavy black clay."

Fang Qingyuan gently ran his hand over the surrounding stone wall, carefully sensing its texture.

’In the vision of his departure, that Nascent Soul Cultivator vanished in a flash. It didn’t look like any Escape Technique I recognize. He must have left through a similar spatial fissure. Yes, that makes sense. The Ink Flood Dragon is clearly a Space Element demon beast. The Nascent Soul Cultivator left behind to collect its remnants must have specialized in that area as well.’

’So, besides leaving through the spatial fissure, how did he normally get in and out while collecting the Ink Flood Dragon’s remains? There must be some kind of portal for entry and exit. It’s just that my cultivation is too low for me to perceive it.’

All sorts of analyses flashed through Fang Qingyuan’s mind. He carefully examined all the surrounding stone walls but found no sign of a portal. Finally, admitting his own eyes weren’t up to the task, he decided to let Jinbao have a try.

But even when Jinbao’s eyes shone with a blazing golden light and he fully activated his Lifebound Talent, the Golden Eye of Truth, a thorough scan of the area revealed no trace of the portal that should have been there.