“What is this, Senior Dantian, have you seen it before?” Han Li frowned for a long while before sending a voice transmission to Dantian the Transcendent with his spiritual sense.
“Do you really think this old man knows everything under the heavens? I’ve never heard of this thing before. However, since it can resist your spiritual sense, it can indeed be considered an extraordinary treasure. You might as well ask the other party how they obtained it. Whether or not you take it is entirely up to you,” Dantian the Transcendent replied somewhat irritably.
Hearing this, Han Li chuckled inwardly but showed no anger. Instead, his eyes flickered as he withdrew his spiritual sense, allowing the bubble to return to normal. He then placed the jade box back on the table.
“Well, Fellow Daoist, do you recognize this item?” Jin Yuan asked eagerly.
“Apologies, but my knowledge is limited. I truly cannot identify this object,” Han Li said with a regretful expression.
“Even Brother Han doesn’t recognize it? Just now, I saw an unusual reaction from it and thought you might know its purpose!” The old man looked utterly dejected, with a faint trace of suspicion in his tone.
Han Li chuckled lightly and explained nonchalantly, “The earlier anomaly was simply caused by enveloping it with a large amount of spiritual sense. Though I don’t know what it is, calling it an extraordinary treasure isn’t too far off.”
“Oh? Is that so?” The old man seemed half-convinced, his gaze shifting to the golden bubble in the box as he also released his spiritual sense.
Han Li remained expressionless, quietly observing the old man’s actions. After a while, the bubble indeed began to shimmer with golden light again, slightly expanding and contracting. The old man exhaled deeply, his face showing signs of fatigue. He closed his eyes briefly to rest before reopening them.
“My abilities are lacking, and I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you, Fellow Daoist. But Brother Han’s spiritual sense is truly extraordinary,” Jin Yuan said, his face filled with envy.
In his mind, since the other party’s cultivation level was similar to his, yet Han Li had handled the task with such ease while he himself had struggled so much, it must mean Han Li was naturally gifted with an exceptionally strong spiritual sense. Such individuals were undoubtedly key disciples in any sect, destined for limitless prospects.
Han Li smiled faintly but offered no rebuttal.
“Brother Jin, where did you obtain this item? It does seem quite peculiar. Does it have any special origins? Of course, if you find it inconvenient to say, that’s fine too,” Han Li said calmly, adopting an indifferent demeanor.
“There’s nothing particularly secretive about its origins, but I fear you might not believe me once I tell you, as the matter is rather unbelievable,” Jin Yuan hesitated at first, then gave a bitter smile.
“How would I know whether to believe you or not unless you tell me? Besides, knowing its background might help me recall something about it. After all, a lifeless object alone offers little clue to its origins,” Han Li replied with a light laugh. Judging by the other’s tone, this item indeed seemed to have quite a story behind it.
“Truthfully, there’s nothing to hide about its origins. It’s just that several close friends of mine perished because of this item, so I’ve been reluctant to bring it up,” Jin Yuan sighed before continuing.
Han Li was momentarily stunned but, seeing the thoughtful look on the old man’s face, remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
“You can probably guess that I’m a rogue cultivator, specializing in earth-attribute techniques. My other abilities are rather ordinary, but I happen to possess an innate earth-spirit body, which grants me some proficiency in earth遁术. If not for my inferior spiritual roots, many major sects might have competed to take me in as a disciple,” the old man said, his face filled with regret.
(Note: “earth遁术” is a cultivation term that could be translated as “earth escape technique” or “earth遁术” if retaining the original term is preferred. Please specify if a different translation is desired for this term.)
“After achieving some success in my cultivation, I often ventured into remote mountains and desolate lands, searching for ancient cultivators’ caves in hopes of stumbling upon some spiritual site or relic that could turn my fortunes overnight. But such places and treasures are far from easy to find. Though I can’t say I returned empty-handed, the gains were negligible compared to the time wasted. That is, until three years ago…”
Jin Yuan’s voice abruptly cut off, then resumed in a low, grave tone: “Three years ago, an old friend invited me to explore what he claimed was an ancient cultivator’s tomb from the primordial era. He wanted to utilize my Earth Evasion technique for the venture, promising me a portion of any treasures we might uncover. Naturally, I was thrilled and agreed without hesitation. Several other close associates also joined the expedition, which made me realize this tomb was far from ordinary. Sure enough, upon entering, we discovered…”
His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, “We discovered that the tomb belonged to a notorious ruler from ancient times—King Xuanye, a figure infamous for his cruelty and a legend in his own right. Initially, we were bitterly disappointed, thinking the expedition would be fruitless. After all, no matter how extraordinary he was among mortals, what use could his possessions possibly hold for us cultivators? But when we breached the main burial chamber, we were stunned to find it filled with rare cultivation materials and artifacts. Just as we were about to gather the treasures, the numerous mummified corpses in the chamber suddenly reanimated, transforming into indestructible zombies. No spells or magical tools had any effect on them. Caught off guard, most of our group was torn apart. Then, eerie sounds emanated from the main coffin, as if the legendary King Xuanye himself was awakening. Fortunately, my mastery of earth escape techniques allowed me to flee underground in time. Otherwise, I too would have perished in that accursed tomb. The others weren’t so lucky.” Jin Yuan’s face paled slightly as he recounted the events, clearly still haunted by the memory.
“And this item is…?” Han Li pointed at the jade box, his curiosity piqued.
“It was placed atop the main coffin. I grabbed it as I fled. Initially, I thought its peculiar nature made it a rare treasure, but after inquiring at various markets, no one could identify it. Though everyone agreed it was unusual, none were willing to pay a high price for it. So, it’s remained in my possession ever since,” Jin Yuan admitted frankly, his frustration evident.
“If it’s a burial artifact from an ancient emperor, it’s no wonder no one recognizes it. Many items from that era have long disappeared from the cultivation world. But for a mortal emperor to possess cultivator artifacts and even transform into a zombie—that’s quite alarming. Did you ever go back to investigate the tomb?” Han Li inquired, his expression turning peculiar.
“I did go back, even bringing a group of high-level cultivators with me. But when we arrived at the site, the tomb had inexplicably vanished, leaving only barren wilderness behind. I could hardly believe my eyes, yet the markings I’d left at the entrance were still there, clear as day,” Jin Yuan said, his face darkening.
Han Li frowned. If everything the old man said was true—with him being the sole survivor and the tomb’s subsequent disappearance—it went without saying that Jin Yuan’s life afterward couldn’t have been easy.
“Where exactly did you encounter this tomb? Could you share the location with me?” Han Li asked calmly after a moment’s thought.
“Where else? Deep within the Snow Ridge Mountains,” the old man replied through gritted teeth.
“The Snow Ridge Mountains? If I recall correctly, you mentioned earlier that cultivators often went missing there. Could this be related?” Han Li’s eyes flashed briefly with intrigue.
“Perhaps. I’m not entirely sure myself. But if you’re interested, I can give you the tomb’s coordinates. Maybe you’ll have better luck investigating it,” Jin Yuan said after some hesitation. He then retrieved a jade slip from his robe, imprinted something into it, and handed it casually to Han Li.
“Very well. If I find the time, I’ll take a look,” Han Li said after a brief silence, accepting the jade slip without any visible reaction.
“Haha! It seems we’ve hit it off splendidly. I haven’t shared these grievances with anyone in a long time. Since you seem quite interested in this item, how about I sell it to you at a discount? A hundred spirit stones, and it’s yours. What do you say?” The old man beamed.
“A hundred spirit stones? That’s indeed very reasonable. But I wouldn’t want to shortchange you, Brother Jin. How about two hundred spirit stones for it?” Han Li replied with an almost apologetic smile. He then reached into his storage pouch and produced two mid-grade spirit stones, offering them to the old man.
Jin Yuan’s face lit up at the sight of the mid-grade stones. After a few polite refusals, he accepted them and pushed the jade box with the golden bubble toward Han Li.
Han Li stowed the box into his storage pouch in front of the old man, who watched with a mix of relief and reluctance.
Just then, one of the spirit beast pouches at Han Li’s waist twitched, emitting a faint cry.
“What’s this…?” The old man stared curiously at the pouch.
“Nothing significant. Just a low-level spirit beast I’ve been raising. It probably sensed something interesting and got excited,” Han Li said dismissively, glancing down at the pouch.
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