Chapter 1275 - 645: Heavenly Artifact Stone Axe
Someone couldn’t help but ask, "What about the other thing?"
"You should all be quite familiar with it; it’s something like a curse or an array." Changtian knew that these mortals before him had learned some Heavenly Master techniques. Although they couldn’t see the Evil Qi as cultivators did after expanding their Divine Thought, they could vaguely sense its presence. The continuously thickening Evil Qi could indeed maintain the operation of the array.
Ning Xiaoxian voiced the doubt that had been lingering in her heart from the beginning, "Even cultivators can’t enter here; otherwise they’d be suppressed by the thick Evil Qi, their cultivation taken away, their minds seized. How can you move freely here?"
Boss Kun gave her a heavy look, somewhat reluctant to speak, as this was one of their trump cards. Ning Xiaoxian raised an eyebrow, reminding him, "Agreement?"
Since they were in the same boat, Boss Kun pursed his lips and narrated the cause and effect briefly.
It turned out they had indeed traveled a long distance. Boss Kun hailed from Kunshan, seven hundred miles away. The surname alone indicated that the Kun family was once a prominent clan in the area. This family originally held vast lands, collecting rent until their hands were soft, indeed thriving. But over two hundred years ago, a member of the clan apprenticed under a famous alchemist, subsequently inviting a "Heavenly Master" for careful tribute, with many descendants practicing Heavenly Master techniques.
Those who followed the Heavenly Master’s path mostly ended up lonely, and the Kun family wasn’t an exception. The originally large family of near two thousand dwindled in his generation, facing decline and dwindling members. The only blood brother passed away fifteen years ago, entrusting his child to Boss Kun on his deathbed, and that child was Aji. Boss Kun’s wife hadn’t borne a child yet, so he always treated Aji as his own.
As the saying goes, the barefoot aren’t afraid of those wearing shoes; both Kun family’s remaining men were now in the underground palace, no wonder Boss Kun dared to honestly share his background.
Fate seemed indeed to be against Boss Kun; he initially wanted to avoid the unlucky occupation, hoping to revive the Kun family. He used his savings to buy a few acres of land, only to encounter floods and drought, with nearly all crops dying. Then he relied on some martial skills, attempting to be a traveling merchant. But there’s a lot of trickery involved in commerce too, and he got deceived two or three times, losing everything and ending up with debts.
Debts are the last thing one should have, so he returned to the old profession. Fortunately, Boss Kun was indeed skilled, gaining repute in nearby areas. Anyone facing ghosts or demons sought his help. Returning to being an alchemist led to smooth sailing, and he gave up on other livelihoods. Through years of operation, he managed to gather his team and brought them into the underground palace.
A month and a half ago, someone approached him, offering an irresistible price to explore an underground palace seven hundred miles away at Red Ghost Mountain, promising double the gold and silver as payment afterward. Boss Kun slowly said, "That person said whatever I find can be mine; he only wants one thing from this palace."
Ning Xiaoxian listened intently, asking, "What is it?"
"A heart-shaped stone."
The Stone Heart, why did that sound familiar? Ning Xiaoxian frowned, and Changtian’s voice transmitted to remind her, "Back then, the little Cat Demon sneaked into the Mirror Sea King Mansion to steal a Stone Heart, wasn’t it?"
She suddenly understood. When she saved the little Cat Demon, she heard him say that the sect elders wanted him to steal the Stone Heart from the Mirror Sea King Mansion, and now there’s one here in the underground palace too, meaning there are at least two Stone Hearts in the world? What are they used for?
But the underground palace only opened half a year ago due to a natural disaster; how did the person hiring Boss Kun know about hidden treasures inside? Listening to these alchemists, her doubts grew, and she couldn’t help but glance at Changtian, seeing his eyes glow, without confusion. She suddenly thought: "Could he know too?" This underground palace was indeed a remnant from tens of thousands of years ago, same era as Changtian, so wouldn’t it be normal for him to know more secrets?