Chapter 484 - 5: Mysterious Girl

The Hanyue Royal Family member’s storage Magical Artifact was shaped like a scale and covered in complex restrictions. After Fang Cheng refined away the restrictions with his Li Hen Demon Light, he swept his Divine Sense inside, and a look of disappointment crossed his face.

With his discerning eye, he could tell this Royal Race member possessed no real treasures. Instead, he found quite a few Upper-Grade Spirit Stones and over a hundred jars of Spirit Wine. Apparently, the man had been a lover of wine.

He didn’t bother looking further and put it away with a flick of his wrist.

An Escape Light drifted toward him from the front. The figure within was hazy and indistinct, but the voice was sweet and pleasing to the ear. "Fellow Daoist Fang, that Hanyue Royal Family member..."

It was none other than the graceful and charming beauty, Xie Wanqiu.

Fang Cheng sighed, shaking his head in frustration. "I’m not skilled in Flying Escape techniques. He got away."

Xie Wanqiu looked skeptical but knew better than to press him. "We should return and regroup with Fellow Daoist Xi first," she said instead. "Then we can decide what to do."

The two of them returned to the golden, multi-storied ship, where the fighting had already concluded.

Wen Lie, Ji Changqing, and Xi Yinglong were all standing on the deck. Beside them were three third-rank and one fourth-rank member of the Hanyue Royal Family.

The fourth-rank Royal Race member was covered in grievous, overlapping blade wounds. His aura was feeble, and a Talisman had been slapped onto him, sealing him in place.

As for the other fourth-rank Royal Race member who had fled, his fate—whether he was dead or alive—remained unknown.

Seeing Fang Cheng and Xie Wanqiu return together, Xi Yinglong asked in a heavy tone, "Fellow Daoist Fang, what is the situation?"

A look of shame crossed Fang Cheng’s face as he cupped his hands in a salute. "I was careless for a moment and let him escape."

Xi Yinglong fell silent for a moment before saying, "It’s no matter."

He waved his sleeve, summoning a black Treasure Pagoda. A dark halo pulsed from it, sweeping over the captured members of the Ancient Evil Race and pulling them inside.

Xi Yinglong said, "Wait here for a moment."

With that, he followed them into the Treasure Pagoda.

The other four waited for a full hour before Xi Yinglong finally emerged from the pagoda.

He retrieved the Treasure Pagoda with a wave of his sleeve. "Let’s head inside the ship to talk."

As he spoke, he removed the mask from his face, revealing a grim expression laced with suppressed fury.

The five of them entered a cabin. Ji Changqing was the first to ask, "Fellow Daoist Xi, has there been a complication?"

As he spoke, he shot a pointed, yet seemingly casual, glance at Fang Cheng.

The implication was clear: the member of the Ancient Evil Race carrying the treasure had escaped on Fang Cheng’s watch, and Fang Cheng had jeopardized their entire mission.

Xi Yinglong said gravely, "We were one step too late. Someone beat us to it and stole the treasure."

The others exchanged glances, stunned. None of them had expected this outcome.

Xi Yinglong continued, "Fortunately, the Hanyue Royal Family left an imprint on the treasure. I now have the Talisman Decree that can track that imprint, so we can continue the chase. However... word of this has clearly gotten out, which means we are running out of time."

Xie Wanqiu then asked, "So where is the treasure now?"

"The Yin Yang Sect."

Xi Yinglong replied, his expression dark.

The Yin Yang Sect was one of the seven great sects of the Demon Dao in the Mingxiao Domain. Although they currently had no presiding Tribulation Realm Great Power, the legacy left behind by past Tribulation Realm Cultivators remained. Their strength far exceeded that of ordinary sects, and even a power like Red Bright Immortal City was unwilling to provoke them lightly.

Fang Cheng’s expression remained neutral, but inwardly, he found the situation rather odd.

’Could it be that I’m fated to cross paths with the Yin Yang Sect?’

Xi Yinglong scanned the faces of the others. "Everyone," he said, "let us make a trip to the Yin Yang Sect!"

After a moment of silence, they all nodded in agreement.

Xi Yinglong then turned to Fang Cheng. "Fellow Daoist Fang, that member of the Ancient Evil Race has memorized your face and aura. Once he gets back, he will certainly bide his time and seek revenge. Why not join my Red Bright Immortal City and become an Honored Guest Elder of my Yinglong Mansion? Under the protection of our Immortal City, I can guarantee your safety."

Ji Changqing and Xie Wanqiu exchanged a knowing glance. They both understood that Xi Yinglong was impressed with Fang Cheng’s strength and was now trying to recruit him.

Fang Cheng replied, "Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Xi. Please allow me some time to consider."

Xi Yinglong said coolly, "Very well. You can give me your answer after this is all over."

With that, he dropped the subject.

He then produced another Talisman Decree, this one an icy blue that radiated a chilling light. It dissolved into countless ice crystals, which slowly coalesced and spread out within the cabin.

Images of mountains and rivers materialized upon the crystals, forming an incredibly detailed map.

On this map were two moving points of light.

The group recognized one of the points of light as their own location.

The other, they presumed, marked the location of the treasure.

...

「Several days later.」

The great golden ship came to a stop within a deep mountain ravine. Shimmering lights danced around it, gradually melding with the surroundings until the vessel was completely concealed.

Inside the cabin, the point of light representing their own position was still flickering, but the other point of light had vanished.

Judging by the location where it vanished, the thief had entered the marketplace run by the Yin Yang Sect.

Xi Yinglong deduced that once the thief entered the Yin Yang Sect Marketplace, the sect’s grand Sect Protection Array must have masked the treasure’s imprint, causing them to lose the trail.

What frustrated him was that they had been on the verge of catching their quarry, only for the thief to disappear into the Yin Yang Sect Marketplace.

Xie Wanqiu frowned. "Are they planning to sell the treasure in the marketplace?"

"It’s very likely." Ji Changqing nodded, his expression grim, and said:

"Fellow Daoist Xi, why don’t you describe the treasure’s appearance and features to us? We can enter the marketplace and search for it. Even if it’s like finding a needle in a haystack, it’s better than sitting here waiting."

Xi Yinglong considered this for a moment, then took out a jade slip. "Very well. I trust all of you. If you find any clues about the treasure, you must notify me at once."

With that, he handed the jade slip to Ji Changqing.

A look of surprise crossed Ji Changqing’s face after he read it. He then passed the slip to Xie Wanqiu, who, after reading it herself, gave it to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng took one look and inwardly clicked his tongue.