Chapter 269 - 172: Treasure

Chapter 269: Chapter 172: Treasure

It was Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, so dense it was almost tangible.

Although Su Mu was not yet in the True Essence Realm and couldn’t draw Spiritual Qi into his body, long-term exposure to this Gathering Spirit Stone would still allow the Spiritual Qi to temper his body. The benefits of that went without saying.

It was precisely because this Gathering Spirit Stone was so enormous that when it was removed, the entire mountain lost its spine and collapsed outright.

"I heard the Da Xuan Royal Family has a Gathering Spirit Stone that’s less than half the size of this one, and it’s already considered a national treasure."

Xue Shan glanced at the Gathering Spirit Stone in Su Mu’s hand, his voice laced with envy. "This one of yours is an absolutely priceless treasure."

Despite saying so, he had no intention of trying to snatch it.

The main reason was, he couldn’t win a fight against him.

He still couldn’t think of any way to counter that bizarre blood-body technique.

What’s more, Su Mu had the Five Flames Heaven-Shaking Bow, and his own strength was unfathomable.

Trying to steal the Gathering Spirit Stone from him? Wasn’t that like an old man tired of living hanging himself—courting death?

"Listen, Su Mu, you’d better hide this Gathering Spirit Stone well and not let anyone know about it. Wu the Second and I aren’t gossips, but if others find out, you know how wealth can stir people’s hearts. When that time comes, you might not be able to hold onto it."

Xue Shan reminded him kindly.

The three of them had been through life and death together. Although they would still be more foes than friends once they left, it didn’t stop him from considering Su Mu a friend for now.

"He’s right."

Wu Yiqi said, "A Gathering Spirit Stone this size is enough to make many people lose their minds."

"Aren’t you two tempted?"

Su Mu nodded and looked at the two of them.

"I don’t lack for Gathering Spirit Stones."

Wu Yiqi’s tone was completely flat, as if he were stating a simple fact.

Su Mu and Xue Shan both rolled their eyes.

But Wu Yiqi wasn’t lying.

He came from a prominent family and was a True Disciple of the Shennong Hundred Herbs Sect.

The Shennong Hundred Herbs Sect specialized in Alchemy, and as everyone knew, Alchemists were the wealthiest people around.

Therefore, Wu Yiqi had no lack of cultivation resources.

Things that others would view as priceless treasures were, in his eyes, merely common.

He certainly didn’t own a Gathering Spirit Stone this large, but if he wanted smaller ones, he could get as many as he wished.

"I’m very tempted,"

Xue Shan said with a shrug, "but our Golden Wind Tower has a rule: we only take what’s ours.

This Gathering Spirit Stone isn’t mine for the taking. But the silver you promised me—you can’t be short by a single tael.

Don’t you think that just because we’ve been through life and death together, you can dock my pay!"

"I won’t."

Su Mu shook his head.

His strength recovered, he stood up, took off his outer robe, and wrapped the Gathering Spirit Stone tightly before slinging it onto his back.

"Let’s go. If we follow this underground river for about two or three li, we should be able to get out."

Su Mu said.

Wu Yiqi and Xue Shan knew Su Mu had sent out his external avatar to scout the path long ago, so they didn’t doubt his words in the slightest.

With envious looks, the two of them got to their feet and followed him.

...

BOOM!

Several flashes of blade light fell at once.

The last Tier Three Demon was brutally hacked into several pieces, dying before it could even let out a scream.

Zhao Poni’s hair was disheveled, and he looked like a madman. His clothes were stained red with Demon Blood.

"Brother Zhao, my condolences."

The stern-faced True Essence Realm Governor sighed, offering words of comfort to Zhao Poni.

He completely understood how Zhao Poni felt. If such a genius under his command had died just like that, he would have been even more frantic than Zhao Poni.

But the path of the Martial Dao was just that cruel. No matter how much of a genius one was, as long as they hadn’t fully matured, they could fall at any moment.

Even if one did mature, what of it? Look at someone as powerful as the Marquis.

Once you set foot on this path, such consequences were inevitable.

"In any case, we’ve finally avenged him,"

another Governor said with a sigh.

"Thank you, my lords."

Zhao Poni gradually calmed down. He cupped his hands to the others and said, "This time, I fell for a demon’s trap. I suspect the Demon Court is pulling strings from the shadows. I will submit a detailed report to Headquarters later explaining what happened.

All of you, my brothers, should also be on your guard lately, in case the Demon Court makes another move."

The expressions on everyone’s faces turned exceptionally grim, and they all nodded.

After seeing off the other Governors, Zhao Poni, with a heavy heart, dragged the corpses of the four Tier Three Demons back to Wuling City.

News of Su Mu’s death in battle quickly spread within a small circle.

Some were sad, some regretful, and some secretly delighted.

「A few days later.」

Su Mu and Wu Yiqi finally returned to Wuling City.

Xue Shan had parted ways with them earlier.

As the Young Master of the Golden Wind Tower, it wasn’t appropriate for him to be seen openly with the two of them.

However, Xue Shan had also said he would find Su Mu to collect his pay.

"Su Mu, now that we’re back in the city, don’t think I’ll go easy on you because of what we went through. If the Taiping Bureau has done anything illegal, the Inspection Bureau will investigate it to the fullest."

Wu Yiqi said in a low voice, standing at the city gate.

"If you do no wrong in your life, you won’t be startled by a knock at midnight."

Su Mu said with a smile, "As long as the Inspection Bureau doesn’t call a deer a horse, we at the Taiping Bureau have a clear conscience."

Wu Yiqi nodded and strode toward the city gate.

The moment he reached the gate, the city guards looked as if they had seen a ghost. They raised their spears in unison, refusing to let him enter.

Su Mu, watching this from several dozen zhang away, was no longer in a hurry to go forward. He stood by the side of the road, enjoying the show with great interest.

Wu Yiqi seemed to say a few words, and then a soldier quickly ran off.

A moment later, a man rushed out from the city. He ran up to Wu Yiqi in a few hurried steps, grabbed his leg, and began to sob, his face a mess of tears and snot.

Wu Yiqi, still wearing his usual blank expression, pulled Wu Qiuyuan to his feet and walked into the city.

Before leaving, he seemed to glance back at Su Mu.

Su Mu was still enjoying the spectacle, unsure why the City Defense Army had first stopped Wu Yiqi and then let him in.

Shaking his head, Su Mu prepared to enter the city.

Suddenly, he felt as if someone was behind him.

He spun around and came face to face with a pretty, tear-streaked face.

"Am I dreaming again?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan murmured to herself, reaching out to touch Su Mu’s cheek.

Su Mu was so surprised he forgot to dodge.

It wasn’t until Xiang Xiaoyuan’s hand landed on his cheek that he realized something was wrong.

Pushing Xiang Xiaoyuan’s hand away, Su Mu asked in confusion, "Lady Xiang, what are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?"

"Ah?"

Feeling the warmth from his skin, Xiang Xiaoyuan snapped to her senses. "Cap-Captain Su, you’re not dead?"

"Of course I’m not dead."

Su Mu felt a dark cloud forming over his head.

"I—"

A look of ecstasy appeared on Xiang Xiaoyuan’s face, but in the next moment, it turned to embarrassment.

She covered her face with her hands. "I’m sorry, Captain Su! I’ve bothered you! Goodbye!"

Like a startled rabbit, she leaped onto a carriage in a flash, and the carriage quickly sped into the city.

Su Mu clicked his tongue in wonder. ’She really is a Martial Dao expert. With that speed, she must have reached the Perfection of Blood Exchange, right?’

’Should I find some time to pay Lady Xiang a visit?’

Su Mu wondered to himself. ’Xiang Xiaoyuan’s reaction was very unusual. Could it be that—’

’Can I help it if I’m too charming?’

Shaking his head, Su Mu strode toward the city gate.

The city guards gave him a strange look but didn’t stop him from entering.

Su Mu found it odd. Whenever he ran into someone he knew along the way and offered a polite greeting, they would flee as if they’d seen a ghost.

Su Mu was completely bewildered.

It wasn’t until he returned to the Taiping Government Office that he finally understood why everyone had reacted that way.

The Taiping Government Office was draped in white cloth.

A memorial hall had been set up in the main hall.

Several of his old acquaintances were inside, burning paper money.

Luo Anning, Cong Yuanlong, Liu Yang, Ding Shiyun...

Su Mu’s eyes immediately fell upon the name on the memorial tablet.

Su Mu!

At this sight, Su Mu’s face instantly darkened.

’What is the meaning of this? I’m not even dead, and they’ve already set up a memorial hall for me?’