Chapter 227 - 223: Ancient Records of the Daluo Sect
BANG!
A loud crash rang out. Cao Bohao had slammed his palm on the tea table beside him, shattering the wooden furniture into pieces. The teacup broke, and tea splashed all over the floor.
"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" A murderous glint flashed in Cao Bohao’s eyes as killing intent billowed toward Ye Xing. "We don’t even know if that Treasure Map Fragment in your hand is real, yet you dare to make so many demands."
As expected of an Overlord, the rolling wave of killing intent from Cao Bohao sent a chill down Ye Xing’s spine.
Gao Zhisong, standing to the side, couldn’t help but frown. His right hand gently gripped the Seven-Snake Centipede Whip at his waist, his mind on high alert. ’If Cao Bohao dares to make a move, I’ll have to stop him. Otherwise, with Cao Bohao’s strength at the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, my master, Ye Xing, would be in grave danger.’
The air in the tent seemed to freeze, and the atmosphere grew tense.
"Haha, Patriarch Cao, are you doubting the authenticity of the Treasure Map Fragment in my possession? Very well. I shall let the two patriarchs have a look." Ye Xing smiled faintly. With a flip of his hand, he presented the back of the Treasure Map Fragment for all to see.
The ancient parchment, its yellowed edges, and the peculiar lines...
Everyone in the tent’s eyes lit up. ’It’s those patterns! It really is genuine! This is great!’
"So, do the two patriarchs want this Treasure Map Fragment or not?" Ye Xing said with a slight smile. "Ten thousand Gold Coins, or you agree to my condition!"
Liu Family Head Liu Liqun and Cao Family Master Cao Bohao exchanged a look.
"Very well!" Liu Family Head Liu Liqun nodded. "I, Liu Liqun, swear that I will allow little brother Ye Xing to participate in the treasure hunt. If I try to kill him in secret, may I suffer a terrible death!"
After Liu Family Head Liu Liqun made his vow, Cao Family Master Cao Bohao and the others followed suit, making their own vicious oaths.
Clearly, the Treasure Map Fragment was extremely important to them. After all, without the piece Ye Xing held, they might have to spend months searching Biluo Mountain, and even then, there was no guarantee they would find the treasure’s location. But with Ye Xing’s fragment, they could assemble a complete Treasure Map and immediately head to the Treasure Land to seek the prize.
As for the so-called vicious oaths, they were a constraint, but not a significant one. They had never paid much mind to a mere boy at the Martial Arts Sixth Realm. Even if Ye Xing joined the treasure hunt, they didn’t believe they would lose out to a piddling Martial Arts Sixth Realm brat.
Of course, Ye Xing didn’t fully trust their vicious oaths either. The vows merely restrained them to a certain degree, preventing them from acting with complete impunity. For Ye Xing, that was enough.
Ye Xing immediately walked forward with his Treasure Map Fragment. Liu Family Head Liu Liqun and Cao Family Master Cao Bohao each took out their own fragments as well.
The three of them placed the Treasure Map Fragments on the table and pieced them together. A complete Treasure Map instantly appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Everyone in the tent crowded around.
Besides detailing the treasure’s location, the Treasure Map also recorded the method to open it. Without this method, it would be extremely difficult to get inside even if they found the location. Fortunately, the complete map was incredibly detailed, showing the location, opening method, and even a name.
"Daluo Sect Treasure Map! This is the treasure of the Daluo Sect. Has anyone heard of a Sect called the Daluo Sect?" Liu Family Head Liu Liqun asked, his brow slightly furrowed in confusion.
"Never heard of it!"
"I haven’t heard of it either. It must not be a Sect from the last century or two!"
Everyone in the tent shook their heads. Clearly, none of them had ever heard of the Daluo Sect.
"Who cares what Sect it was? We have the Treasure Map now. There’s no time to waste, let’s go find the treasure!" Cao Family Master Cao Bohao declared loudly. He was about to lead the men of his Cao Family to begin the hunt.
"Brother Cao, wait! Please don’t go to the Treasure Land just yet!" Liu Family Head Liu Liqun suddenly shouted, stopping him.
"Don’t go to the Treasure Land yet? Liu Liqun, what do you mean by that?" Cao Family Master Cao Bohao sneered. "Are you stopping me from going because your Liu Family wants to sneak off and claim the treasure for yourselves?"
"Brother Cao, you misunderstand. Think about it, Brother Cao. Many powers are surely aware that our Cao and Liu Families have joined forces to lock down Biluo Mountain. If we rush off to the treasure with a large group in such a conspicuous manner, I’m afraid word will spread in every direction within two or three shichen," Liu Family Head Liu Liqun said in a low voice.
Cao Family Master Cao Bohao froze, his gaze flickering with uncertainty.
After a pause, Liu Family Head Liu Liqun continued, "Therefore, I suggest we set out tonight, when it’s late and quiet. And we shouldn’t take too many people—just the few of us should be enough. What do you think, Brother Cao?"
Cao Family Master Cao Bohao contemplated for a moment. "You have a point. Very well. We shouldn’t announce that the Treasure Map is complete just yet. Let’s have our men from both families continue to seal the mountain and search for the treasure."
...
The Southern Tang Country was divided into thirteen states and seventy-two cities, and Red Sun Province was one of them. Red Sun Province was vast, dotted with countless villages and cities. Major cities like Biluo City and Sunset City were all within the jurisdiction of Red Sun Province.
Chiyang City was the capital of Red Sun Province. As a provincial capital, a city second only to the Imperial City, it was naturally incomparably prosperous.
At this moment, within a magnificent estate in Red Sun Main City...
In the study,
a middle-aged man in a fiery red robe sat before a desk. He held an ancient tome in his left hand, reading, while his right hand gently tapped on the redwood tabletop, making a soft TAP, TAP, TAP sound.
The study was very quiet. Reading a book was ordinarily a mundane affair. However, the astonishing thing was that the man in the fiery red robe didn’t seem to be using his hands to turn the pages at all. It was as if an invisible pair of hands in the air was turning the pages for him, one by one.
"The Daluo Sect, a top-tier Sect. Its Sect’s Ultimate Skill, the Daluo Evil Skill, once struck terror throughout the Central Plains Martial Arts world, establishing it as an Overlord. Because its Evil Skill was too domineering, eight hundred years ago, the Daluo Sect was besieged by a joint force of nine Major Sects. The Sect was destroyed and its people annihilated. The surviving remnants split into several factions, fleeing with great treasures in an attempt to rise again. One of these remnant groups fled into the Tang Country’s Red Sun Province, passing through Sunset City and Biluo City before vanishing without a trace..." The man in the fiery red robe mumbled to himself as his eyes scanned the pages of the book.
Just then, an old man in dark clothes walked in from outside the study. He knelt on one knee and said respectfully, "Master, our spy on Biluo Mountain has sent the latest news!"
The fingers of the fiery-robed man tapping on the redwood desk paused for a moment. "Mm, speak," he said lightly.
"The spy reports that at noon, a young man in green robes entered the main tent of the Cao and Liu Families. The young man only has a cultivation at the Martial Arts Sixth Realm, and the reason for his visit is unknown. Cao Bohao and Liu Liqun have not taken a single step out of the tent since," the old man reported.
"Is that all? Nothing else?" The middle-aged man in the fiery red robe looked at the elder. "Have our people keep a closer watch. It is imperative that we receive all news from Biluo Mountain at the earliest possible moment."
"Also, be careful of that Liu Family Head, Liu Liqun!" the fiery-robed man added.
"Be careful of Liu Liqun?" The dark-robed elder was taken aback and asked in confusion, "But Liu Liqun is only ranked at the bottom of the Wind and Cloud List. His strength is considerably lower than Cao Bohao’s or Gao Zhisong’s—"
"That man is not simple," the fiery-robed man said flatly.
"Yes, this subordinate obeys!" The dark-robed elder immediately bowed and retreated.