novelraw Chapter 459 – Life 118, Age 21, Martial Master Peak
Chapter 459 – Life 118, Age 21, Martial Master Peak
The moment I stepped through the golden passageway, the noise of the mountainside clearing vanished, and I appeared in the middle of a vast hall that smelled of incense. The ceiling was so high that its peak vanished into a haze of distance, and the floor was a single, seamless slab of marble.
Even though the leaders of each group had entered the treasury in steady succession, I found myself alone in this hall, with nothing but stone pedestals to keep me company.
Seventeen rows stretched out in front of me, with fifty pedestals per row. The first four rows were a muted yellow. The next four, a glossy black. After that came four rows of earthy brown, then four that were sky blue. The seventeenth and final row was carved from shimmering purple crystals.
I approached the nearest yellow pedestal, where a lacquered scroll case hovered in the air. Beneath it, a jade slip gleamed with neat golden characters.
Writ of the Soaring Arrow, Ranks 1–3
Low-Earth, Dual-Element Cultivation Technique (Bow/Wind)
Cost: 30 points
Not wanting to waste my single purchase, I refrained from touching this scroll and directly activated my analysis ability.
Unknown Rank Unknown Illusion
I let out a disappointed sigh. Perhaps this was for the best. If none of the treasures were real, then I didn’t have to wrestle with the temptation to steal them.
Setting this aside, I started walking the rows in earnest.
Priced between 10 and 100 points, the treasures on the yellow pedestals were mostly items that could be purchased from the Sect Affairs Bureau with contribution points. 30 points for a full set of Warrior Tier cultivation techniques was a pretty good deal, but who would waste their single purchase on a set of Low-Earth techniques? Only someone who had already spent the bulk of their points outside, enhancing their talents and affinities.
Only a single item in this entire section caught my eye—the jade box that hovered over the pedestal at the end of the second row. The card below it read:
Flame of the Hidden Vault Fire
Earth-Rank (Space)
Cost: 100 points
An Earth-Rank spatial spirit fire.
Without being able to use my analysis ability, I had no way of knowing exactly what this flame did. If it were just another flame for creating storage bags, it might not be especially useful, but if it created space qi, it could be a game changer.
Also, the existence of an Earth-Rank spirit fire implied the existence of an Earth-Rank fire seed. Even if that seed were only a minor variation on the one I already possessed, it might be able to significantly increase the rate at which I could grow my inner world. There was no way the Saint of Heroes would offer up such a valuable fire seed in this treasury, but if she was giving away the spirit fire, then she had to have the seed somewhere, right?
A small part of me itched to purchase this fire immediately. However, while undeniably tempting, it was among the most basic of the treasures available. So, I forced myself to turn away and look at what else was on offer.
The black pedestals were where the treasury really began, with everything priced between 1,000 and 10,000 points. There were full sets of Peak-Earth cultivation techniques, Rank 4 and 5 weapons, a variety of useful spirit fires, and rare resources for each of the different professions.
For many, the most valuable items in these rows would have been the Rank 4 and 5 Ascension Pills. For only 10,000 points, a cultivator could buy a jade bottle containing ten five-patterned Rank 4 pills, granting them a smooth advancement from Peak Grandmaster to Peak Lord.
I, however, had little use for such pills. Instead, I was more interested in the pouch of rare herb seeds. I had already collected these seeds during my time in the Palace of the Herb Sovereign, but using them would have risked our status as a First-Class Sect. Acquiring a set here would help smooth things over with the Bureau.
After making a full circuit of the black pedestals, I let out a slow sigh.
Normal groups would have killed for these items, but for us, they were mostly unnecessary. The techniques were nice, but as a First-Class Sect, we could just purchase them from the Bureau. As for the weapons and pills, we would be producing our own soon enough. Buying them would save us some time and resources, but not much else.
After one last glance, I turned and headed deeper into the treasury.
The items on the brown pedestals were all priced between 100,000 and 1,000,000 points. The cheapest items were the Rank 6 resources and the complete sets of Peak-Yellow Ruler Tier cultivation techniques. These held little interest to me.
The more expensive items, though…
The third row of brown pedestals held Profound-Rank fire seeds for each of the domain's nine weapons. With just one of these seeds, we could set up feeder sects across an entire empire and lure in talent from a hundred cities. Given time, we could arm all of our strongest members with spirit fires of their own, improving both their combat strength and their productivity in their chosen professions.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
That said, compared to what I found on the fourth row, these fire seeds were mere trinkets.
Scripture of the Turning Wheel, Ranks 1–3
Low-Heaven Cultivation Technique (Guandao)
Cost: 1,000,000 points
There were nine such techniques, one for each of the domain’s nine weapons. If it had been possible, I would have stolen every last one without even blinking.
I considered immediately jumping back to before we had first entered the Shattered Blades Realm, but even if I went all out, there was no way I would be able to gather a million points. Rank 3 beasts simply didn’t provide enough points. If I pulled out my Rank 7 moon spade and killed that ibex, I might be able to purchase a few of the cheaper items in this section of the treasury, but these cultivation techniques were simply out of reach.
I winced, finally seeing the trap. The treasury wasn’t a reward—it was bait. Anyone who walked in would walk out hungry for the Bureau’s next trial. Anyone who hadn’t bought a token for entry into the Howling Gorge Realm would likely be willing to do just about anything to get one.
I understood the trap, but I still pressed on, walking deeper into the treasury.
The blue pedestals were even more impressive, offering Rank 9 items and Peak-Heaven Warrior Tier cultivation techniques. They even had a set of Low-Profound Ruler Techniques. I wanted these items, but how were I supposed to earn the 100 million points needed to purchase them?
Based on what I knew about Small Worlds, these Secret Realms shouldn’t be able to contain anything more powerful than a Rank 7 demon beast. Rank 2 beasts were worth 10 points, and Rank 3 beasts were worth 100 points. Therefore, a Rank 7 beast should be worth a million points.
We would need to kill 100 Rank 7 demon beasts to earn enough points for just one of those Peak-Heaven techniques. The beasts in these trials might be nothing more than illusions, but illusions still need energy, and the energy cost of generating that many Rank 7 illusions would be astronomical.
That said, compared to the items on the crystal pedestals…
All but nine of the crystal pedestals were completely empty, and those that did have an item didn’t deign to list what it was. Each of the jade plates was identical:
Cost: 10,000,000,000 points
Aside from two jade boxes that likely contained fire seeds, the only item I recognized was an ingot of shiny black metal—the same metal that I had traded the Ancestor of the Wong Clan for my Rank 9 pill furnace. Upon seeing it, my jaw tightened. I had definitely overpaid for that furnace.
Taking a slow, steady breath, I pushed my irritation aside and studied the remaining displays.
Putting this out of my mind, I studied the other offerings.
Each of these nine items was immensely valuable, but not knowing what they were, it was hard to get too excited. The only one that really caught my eye was a strange silvery energy construct. It was two meters long and shaped like the twisted root of some massive tree.
“System, what is this? What is it an illusion of?”
Cost 1,000 credits.
1,000 credits was well within my means, but this root construct wasn’t. By the time I could afford to purchase it, I would probably already know what it was. So, instead of wasting credits, I swallowed my curiosity and walked away.
The Heroes Treasury was full of temptations, but for the moment, they were all out of reach. After one final circuit, I made my way back to the rows of black pedestals and grabbed a random cultivation technique. As a First-Class Sect, we wouldn’t be able to use anything we acquired in an abandoned timeline, but it would still prove useful as research material.
This done, I exited the treasury and was teleported back to the now-empty field where we had first entered the Shattered Blades Realm, where both my elders and our Disciples were waiting for me.
After sending all the weapons back into my inner world, I turned to the elders and touched each of the technique manuals they had chosen, creating copies in my mental library. Then, I handed YuLong the technique that I had chosen.
“Good luck,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
Then, I sat down, swallowed a poison pill, and stepped back in time.
You have died.
After handing the pile of weapons back to our Disciples, I looked at my elders.
“JiuLi, Meng LuYao, try to find some useful seeds. Kan and YuLong, buy the best martial techniques you can find.”
I considered looping through the treasury a few more times to grab copies of everything I could afford, but what was the point? Nothing in the yellow or black sections was worth the effort.
When we approached the elder, he once again offered us tokens for the other trials. This time, I didn’t hesitate.
“Thank you, Elder. Each of us will take a token for the Howling Gorge Realm, and I will take one for the Hall of Deeds.”
Pleased by my decisiveness, the elder smiled. “Excellent. Here you are, young man.”
Inside the treasury, I spent a few minutes wandering between the pedestals, letting my gaze linger as if I were weighing my options. After several minutes of this, I let out a sigh of disappointment, circled back to the rows of yellow pedestals, and purchased the only valuable item that I could still afford: the flame of the Hidden Vault Fire.
Then, I left.
Once everyone was back outside, the elder pulled Kan aside for a private chat.
“Sect Master Kan, I understand that the members of your Amorphous Blade Sect all come from the Nine Rivers Domain. Since you entered the Shattered Blades Realm using tokens earned through your sect’s Heavenly Ascension, you are under no obligation to fight against the Li Clan’s invasion. However, I hope you will consider assisting your new home.”
Kan shot me a brief look, then gave the elder a respectful bow. “Of course, Elder. Supreme Elder Su has already briefed us on the nature of this invasion. We have no choice but to oppose it. However, we will not engage these opponents until we are ready.”
The elder gave him the slightest of nods. “Prudent. The Li Clan should not be taken lightly. Consolidate your strength. When you choose to act, you will be given targets worthy of your strength.”
With a final bow, Kan turned and guided us through the portal back to Whistling Arrow City.