Translator: AnubisTL
Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the Boundless Sea, a sudden cry of alarm rang out.
"All four soul lamps have shattered! What could have happened?"
"Two vice envoys and two Holy Sect Disciples dead at the same time? How is this possible?!"
"Impossible! I remember they went to Golden Wave Island for the Assimilation Ritual to replenish the Golden Spirit Pearl's spirituality. Could the Golden Vessel have rebelled?"
"..."
This was a branch altar of the Spirit Pearl Divine Sect, modest in size but staffed by cultivators of considerable strength, none weaker than the foundation establishment realm.
"We must report this to the Holy Envoy immediately. The Golden Spirit Pearl may have been lost."
"To kill the vice envoy and the other three, it must have been a great cultivator at least in the late-stage Nascent Soul Realm!"
The words "late-stage Nascent Soul Realm" sent a wave of shock through the disciples at the Branch Altar. They exchanged terrified glances, none daring to speak above a whisper.
Such a being stood at the pinnacle of the Human Realm. Without a Divine Transformation stage cultivator to oppose them, none could stand against their might!
"Don't panic," one disciple said. "Once this is reported, someone will handle it. We have no need to worry!"
"So what if they're late-stage Nascent Soul? Our Divine Sect has its own experts!"
Li Qing remained completely unaware of the events unfolding within the Spirit Pearl Divine Sect.
He sped across the vast sea territory, finally arriving at the Wind Origin Domain after more than ten days of relentless travel.
His destination wasn't the immortal city managed by the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild, but a remote location at the heart of the Wind Origin Domain.
Here, a towering, precipitous peak rose, its base washed by a winding river.
The mountain's summit pierced the clouds, occasionally graced by the flight of birds. The landscape was utterly pristine, as if no human had ever set foot there.
Upon arriving at the site, Li Qing retrieved a golden incense stick and casually ignited it with a flick of spirit fire.
This incense stick was peculiar; it burned without producing any smoke. Only a tiny flame at its tip steadily consumed the entire stick, until a sudden mutation occurred as it reached its end.
Rumble!
The towering mountain, encircled by the river, began to tremble violently. A golden light radiated from within the mountain's depths, layering upon itself in cascading waves.
Instantly, a path formed from golden light stretched out, extending directly to Li Qing's feet.
"What a grand spectacle!"
Even the seasoned Li Qing couldn't help but feel a surge of awe. He followed the golden path deep into the mountain's interior.
At the path's end, the surrounding light and shadows flickered like bursting bubbles.
It became clear that a spirit energy barrier had been erected here. From the outside, the area appeared ordinary, but venturing along the golden path revealed an entirely different realm within.
The pavilions and terraces here were arranged with meticulous precision, their aerial towers and resplendent golden palaces reflecting each other in a truly diverse architectural style.
"Hahahaha, Young Friend Limitless, we've been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"
As this clear, resonant voice echoed through the air, a figure with the refined demeanor of a scholar slowly emerged.
Wan Shengtian himself had come to greet Li Qing, demonstrating the immense importance he placed on Li Qing's visit.
Li Qing followed the sound, immediately cupping his fist in greeting. "Greetings, Senior Wan. Having made an agreement, I naturally wouldn't dare to delay."
Wan Shengtian's smile deepened with satisfaction.
With a flick of his finger, a vibrant crimson stream of light shot forth, striking Li Qing directly.
Li Qing's heart skipped a beat, but when he sensed the exceptionally pure fire-attribute spiritual energy within the light, a fervent glint ignited in his eyes.
Clap!
Li Qing opened his palm, revealing a magnificent red crystal radiating a faint warmth. The astonishing fire-attribute spiritual energy contained within made his heart race with anticipation.
He was certain that if this stone were placed in an ordinary spring, it would effortlessly transform it into a perpetually flourishing Spirit Spring Eye.
Moreover, simply holding the stone in his hand caused the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy to converge toward it.
Even wearing it close to the body would greatly benefit cultivators practicing fire dao cultivation techniques.
Without a doubt, this was the top-grade fire attribute spirit stone Li Qing had been yearning for day and night.
Upon confirming its origin, Li Qing's hand trembled slightly. He turned to Wan Shengtian and said, "The artifact refinement hasn't even begun yet, Senior. This is..."
Wan Shengtian burst into hearty laughter. "Hahahaha!"
"Now that you're here, do you think I'd worry about you running off?"
"As we agreed beforehand, even if the refinement fails, you'll still receive a top-grade spirit stone as compensation."
"Rest assured, young friend. After managing the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild for so many years, I value integrity above all else."
Li Qing took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing his overwhelming joy.
He didn't feign false modesty but instead carefully and reverently accepted the top-grade fire attribute spirit stone.
"Thank you for your esteemed favor, Senior. I will certainly do my utmost!"
Wan Shengtian didn't delve further into the matter. Instead, he turned his gaze to the figure shrouded in a black robe beside Li Qing and asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist, is that a corpse refinement by your side? I sense no trace of life within it, yet there's a pure surge of metal-attribute spiritual energy emanating from it."
Wan Shengtian valued his interaction with Li Qing and refrained from rashly probing the figure with his divine sense, fearing he might offend Li Qing's sensitivities.
Li Qing saw no need for secrecy. At Wan Shengtian's level, even revealing the secret of the Five Elements Spirit Pearls would be of little consequence.
Having reached the Divine Transformation stage, even a complete set of Five Elements Spirit Pearls would hardly enhance their cultivation further. He wasn't concerned about Wan Shengtian harboring any covetous intentions.
Moreover, Wan Shengtian wasn't a cultivator who specialized in the Metal dao, making him even less likely to be interested in this spiritually flawed and incomplete Golden Spirit Pearl.
After hearing Li Qing's account, Wan Shengtian's expression grew noticeably more solemn.
He spoke, "Young Friend Limitless, I've also heard of the Spirit Pearl Divine Sect. Their sect leader, who calls himself the Five Elements Spirit Saint, has unfathomable cultivation. You must be vigilant."
"Moreover, this sect employs extraordinary methods, dedicated to collecting all five elements spirit pearls. They possess unique techniques for tracking these pearls."
Li Qing's complexion shifted slightly upon hearing this. He hadn't realized the depths of this matter. The memories he'd extracted from the Daoist Nun's Sea of Consciousness had been incomplete, providing only a superficial understanding of this secretive sect.
There was no mention of the so-called Five Elements Spirit Saint within the Daoist Nun's memories.
"Then—"
Perhaps sensing Li Qing's concern, Wan Shengtian smiled knowingly. "Rest assured, within my Spirit Treasure Realm, even if the Five Elements Spirit Saint possesses heaven-piercing abilities, he cannot detect your presence."
"If you're worried, Young Friend Limitless, feel free to remain within my Spirit Treasure Realm."
(End of the Chapter)
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