The Demon Lords

Chapter 540 49 Finding the Treasure Vault_1

In the morning, the weather was clear—a rare, cloudless day within the Skybreak Mountain range.

Yao Zizhan, who was being carried on Fanli's shoulder, slowly woke up and asked in perplexity, "Where are we now?"

Fanli turned his head, glanced at the old man, and said, "I don't know. You were guiding."

"But I just woke up."

"You were guiding in your sleep."

A puzzled Yao Zizhan looked over at Mr. Chen, who was carrying Miss Su. Mr. Chen nodded, confirming that what Fanli said was true.

"Tsk, my memory... Last night, I remember we were escaping, and I had a nightmare. It scared me silly."

"Here, have some water." Zheng Fan offered a waterskin to Yao Zizhan.

Hearing Zheng Fan's voice, Yao Zizhan shivered inexplicably before taking the waterskin. He pulled out the stopper, didn't drink immediately, but rather placed it before his nose and sniffed. Confirming it was water, he then tilted his head back and took several large gulps.

After drinking the water, Yao Zizhan regained some spirit and looked around again. Only then did he realize, "It seems I really was the one guiding. I remember this place now. Brother Zheng, look at that mountain range ahead. What does it look like?"

Zheng Fan looked at the mountain range ahead, pondered for a moment, and said, "Like a saddle?"

Mountains, especially ranges, more or less resemble camel humps or saddles.

"It's clearly an axe!"

"Oh!"

Zheng Fan nodded. How on earth did you associate it with an axe?

"This mountain is called Fallen Axe Mountain."

"Is there a story behind it?"

"Naturally. Among the countless peaks in the Skybreak Mountain range, those recorded in official histories are few and far between. This mountain is one of them. Over two hundred years ago, the Jin State General Helian Qing led thirty thousand elite Jin troops as a vanguard, chasing the wild people all the way here. The wild people back then weren't as useless as they are now; the wild people had a king. Helian Qing crushed the wild people's army in this mountain and captured their king alive. Then, right on that mountain, he personally took up an axe and beheaded him! Since then, this mountain has been called Fallen Axe Mountain."

"Oh, so that's how it is. Then, Master Yao, what did you mean earlier when you asked me what this mountain looked like?"

This mountain is called Fallen Axe Mountain because of a famous person's deeds, not because of what it looks like!

"COUGH, COUGH..." Yao Zizhan coughed dryly and said, "To lead into the next part of the story."

"So that's it."

"Brother Zheng, the Helian Family treasure vault you've been longing for is actually within Fallen Axe Mountain. Back then, Helian Xiongbi once took me to see it." He chuckled. "The fine armor stored inside numbered three thousand, and there was also a dazzling array of gold, silver, and jewels."

Zheng Fan nodded, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, as if he could already smell them.

However, Zheng Fan still teased, "It seems Master Yao truly had a good relationship with Helian Xiongbi back then. Oh, this junior forgot, this is the Jin State."

Yao Zizhan was speechless.

Just then, Xue Three returned from the front and reported, "My lord, there's no one near that mountain."

Fallen Axe Mountain was renowned because the king of the wild people was beheaded there. Consequently, no wild people settlements were nearby. Although the wild people might seem to have a low level of culture, they too understood what was 'unlucky'.

The group continued onward, arriving at the foot of Fallen Axe Mountain by afternoon.

Zheng Fan looked at Yao Zizhan and asked, "Master Yao, where is the entrance to the treasure vault?"

Yao Zizhan's old face flushed red as he said, "That was so many years ago, how could I possibly remember now? All I recall is that on the day Helian Xiongbi showed me, we rode horses together to the foot of Fallen Axe Mountain. There should be a door here somewhere."

Zheng Fan looked at Yao Zizhan with a half-smile.

Yao Zizhan said with a serious expression, "Brother Zheng, I've already led you this far. There's no need for me to play tricks on you now. I truly don't remember."

Zheng Fan nodded. Indeed, when you were with your beloved back then, you certainly wouldn't have paid attention to other things.

"Blind Man, San'er, I'll leave it to you," Zheng Fan ordered.

The Blind Man placed Helian Baozhu on the ground and then went up the mountain with Xue Three.

San'er was skilled at tomb raiding, and his physique was also well-suited for this line of work. After all, generally speaking, tomb raiding tunnels wouldn't be made very large; in some places, one wouldn't dare to dig too wide for fear of causing a collapse. In Xue Three's original comic, there were many storylines involving tomb raiding.

As for the Blind Man, he was like a detector.

Zheng Fan believed that as long as the treasure vault was within the Fallen Axe Mountain area, with the abilities of these two demon kings under him, they would definitely be able to find it.

As for the others, A Ming went to the periphery to stand guard.

Mr. Chen put Miss Su down. She remained unconscious; it was unclear whether Fanli's kick had caused a concussion or if the effects of the snake venom hadn't dissipated, as she was constantly in a daze.

However, this was also a good thing. With her not speaking, everyone felt more at ease.

Fanli, meanwhile, went to gather firewood nearby.

Zheng Fan and Yao Zizhan sat facing each other. Yao Zizhan rubbed his forehead; perhaps because he was revisiting an old haunt, a flood of emotions suddenly welled up within him.

A man of letters, after all; without rich emotions, how could one write so many poems?

"Sigh, the great Helian Family, comparable to a state, said it was gone, and it was gone. I was even thinking of coming personally to congratulate Helian Xiongbi on his birthday next year."

"My condolences," Zheng Fan comforted. "After all, the Qian State might end up like this too."

Yao Zizhan was silent.

At this moment, Mr. Chen looked at Zheng Fan with some curiosity and asked, "You're already Seventh Rank?"

"Yes."

"Last time, you seemed to be only Ninth Rank."

"Mm."

"That's fast."

"Mm."

Having finished his awkward small talk, Mr. Chen turned his head to continue watching Miss Su.

Yao Zizhan took out a handful of fennel-braised beans from his robes, gave some to Zheng Fan, and said, "Brother Zheng, looking at you, you don't quite seem like a pure Yan person."

Zheng Fan put a fennel-braised bean into his mouth, chewed it slowly, and simultaneously asked, "How so?"

"You intend to monopolize this old Helian fellow's treasure vault."

"Yes," Zheng Fan admitted openly.

"It seems Brother Zheng is a man of great ambition."

"Heh."

"Come, your old brother here can discuss this properly with you. The Helian Family's treasury is one thing, but if you could obtain the support of my Qian State, then in the future..."

Zheng Fan's face showed not the slightest hint of excitement. He said very calmly, "Why would a wolf seek cooperation with a sheep?"

Although the Qian State, ever since the last war and starting with the Qian Emperor himself, had launched a vigorous campaign of military reorganization and war preparation, I don't believe that in just a few years, the Qian State could truly possess a million-strong army. Even if the number of ghost soldiers on the military rosters had decreased, elite soldiers and skilled generals couldn't be mass-produced so easily.

Yao Zizhan gestured towards his own chest and said, "Because sheep can produce milk."

Zheng Fan was silent.

Yao Zizhan then grabbed his own arm and continued, "And sheep can be shorn for wool."

"Hmm..." Zheng Fan mused.

"Brother Zheng, let us speak frankly. Though Great Yan currently has great momentum, it is ultimately built upon those three individuals. If any mishap befalls those three, who can say if this blazing fire, this boiling oil, can last? Older brother here doesn't believe that Brother Zheng, being in the Yan Army, wouldn't sense this undercurrent. To put it bluntly, my Great Qian only desires to maintain its corner of peace and ensure self-preservation. Cooperating with you is also in the hope that you can establish your own domain in the future. It would be best if this Great Yan were to be torn into four or five pieces. Even if my Great Qian has ambitions to march north, annex Great Yan, and unify the world, until that truly begins, it's not as if we can't be friends, nor is it impossible to cooperate, right? In the end, how things turn out, doesn't it all depend on our respective abilities and destinies?"

The words were very direct, but Zheng Fan remained unmoved.

If we were to cooperate, there would surely be leverage held by both sides. The Qian State court wouldn't care anyway; it's the top dog in its own country. If this matter were exposed, the Qian Emperor could at worst find some minor Vice Minister from the Ministry of War to take the blame. And what about me? Wouldn't Tian Wujing come to 'cleanse the house' in minutes, believe it or not? As long as Tian Wujing is above me, Chief Zheng truly lacks the courage to rebel. The psychological trauma Tian Wujing inflicted on me is simply too profound.

"It's too far."

The distance is too great. My position at the northernmost end of central Jin State is truly too, too far from the Qian State. If I were the City Lord of Nanwang City, then perhaps I could secretly manage some dealings.

"The distance is not an issue. As for the specifics, we can discuss them slowly after we return to Shengle City. My Great Qian may not have much else, but it certainly has enough silver to support an additional vassal town."

"Master Yao, you are a representative of culture. How can you also engage in this kind of brothel pimping business?"

"No matter how beautiful the window paper, it's ultimately just window paper. It can't compare to a solid door panel for reliability. One has to eat, you know."

Zheng Fan shook his head and said, "Let's talk about it again in the future."

"Alright. We have plenty of time ahead of us anyway."

Fanli had gathered dry branches and was about to start a fire when Xue Three and the Blind Man returned.

Xue Three darted forward, getting ahead of the Blind Man, and quickly arrived before Zheng Fan, intending to be the first to report the good news.

However, just as Xue Three skidded to a halt in front of Zheng Fan, Zheng Fan muttered to himself, "Alright, I know."

Xue Three was stunned.

Damn it! Blind Man, you cheated!

The Blind Man, who was behind, showed a faint smile. Trying to beat me in reporting speed? You're still too green.

The Blind Man had already used his spiritual power to inform his lord of the location coordinates.

Zheng Fan stood up and said, "Master Yao, the entrance has been found."

Yao Zizhan also patted his rear and stood up. "Alright, this old man will go in and take another look."

Saying this, Yao Zizhan pointed to Helian Baozhu, who was sleeping on the ground, and said, "Bring this girl along. There's one thing this old man remembers very clearly. Back when Helian Xiongbi took me inside, he used his own blood to open the main gate. The treasury door should have some kind of formation restriction."

Xue Three said, somewhat exasperated, "So you don't remember the location, but you remember *this* so clearly?"

The Blind Man added cuttingly, "Probably because he was greatly distressed at the time, so the impression was particularly deep."

Yao Zizhan was speechless.