Talisman Emperor

Chapter 178 - Qian Yuan's Treasure Vault

The Xun Sword of Wind had myriad of variations and was free like the wind, it was like the cotton of a willow tree seed stroking the clouds when it was gentle, yet was able to split the sea and shatter rocks when it was violent. In terms of variation, nothing in the heaven and earth could compare to it.

Early on when he was at the depths of the Southern Barbaric Mountain Range, Chen Xi had already comprehended a complete Wind Dao Insight. At this moment, when it was fully combined with the Xun Sword of Wind, its might was sufficient to traverse a realm and annihilate Golden Hall Realm cultivators!

A complete Wind Dao Insight?

Xue Chen's eyes squinted and then revealed a wisp of disdain. This type of attack was still exceedingly weak to him, and he stood on the spot without moving a single step as the energy that was accumulating within the palm of his hand had indeed become more and more vast and thick. He was just waiting for Chen Xi to come forward, and then he would smash Chen Xi to death!

Obviously, Xue Chen was extremely conceited towards his own strength.

However, contrary to his expectations, Chen Xi, who was covered in countless sword shadows, hadn't dashed over to attack him before abruptly changing direction halfway and flashing explosively towards the distance.

Whoosh!

The Divine Windwing Flight was executed to the limit by Chen Xi, and it was combined with his Wind Dao Insight and Sky Dao Insight, causing his entire body to seem like a wisp of a translucent phantom. At the instant that Xue Chen was caught off guard, he'd already grabbed the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat on the ground and tossed it into the space within the Buddha's Pagoda before turning around and flashing violently towards the depths of the forest!

From executing the Xun Sword of Wind to taking away the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat and then fleeing, his entire movement was smooth in a single stretch like moving clouds and flowing waters, and his speed so was quick it could be said to be the limit Chen Xi could attain.

Exactly. Chen Xi had utterly never thought about killing Xue Chen. Since the beginning of his fight with Xue Chen, Chen Xi knew that it was extremely difficult and even impossible for him to surmount two realms and annihilate Xue Chen by relying on his current strength. Moreover, for the sake of protecting the rich spoils of the battle that was the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat, it was absolutely impossible for Chen Xi to continue bitterly dawdling with this fellow. In that way, although he would be able to preserve his life, he would surely lose the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat, and that would cause him to lose more than he would gain.

So the instant that they fought, Chen Xi had already decided to flee.

"Dammit! Kid, you won't get away! I originally intended to kill you in an upright manner, and I've already given you the chance to retaliate. Unexpectedly, you don't know how to cherish it. Looks like I can only ruthlessly annihilate you and retake the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat!" No matter how high Xue Chen's cultivation was, he never imagined that this nobody that was like an ant would actually be so shameless and so lacking in poise, and he sneered as he immediately chased towards Chen Xi.

Right at this moment, the other companion of Xue Chen's fumed with rage as he flashed over, and he spoke with an ominous expression. "Dammit! Xue Chen, that kid fled as well?"

"Flee? How could he possible free from the palm of my hand? I can easily crush a Violet Palace Realm ant to death!" Xue Chen sneered. "Senior Brother Pei Zhong, just you wait, that Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat will surely be ours!"

"Hmph! I hope it's as you said." The young man cold Pei Zhong grunted coldly and said no more.

Instantly, the two of them swiftly flashed towards the depths of the forest that was covered in trees.

——

After the time for an incense stick to burn, Xue Chen and Pei Zhong stopped at an empty area in the depths of the forest.

"Shit! That kid's aura vanishes here, and I can't find it no matter what." Xue Chen's expression was slightly unsightly as the enormous energy of his soul swept out towards the surroundings, yet he didn't notice the slightest clue.

"Didn't you say that catching that kid would be as easy as taking something out of your pocket? What? A dignified cultivator with a cultivation at the intermediate-stage of the Golden Core Realm is actually unable to do anything against a little fellow at the Violet Palace Realm?" Pei Zhong grunted coldly, and his voice revealed dense dissatisfaction.

"Senior Brother, that kid is too sly. Even though he only has a cultivation at the Violet Palace Realm, he comprehended a complete Wind Dao Insight, and his movement technique is extremely profound as well. I'm afraid he has really escaped." Xue Chen's expression changed indeterminately as he spoke, as allowing a Violet Palace Realm ant to escape from the palm of his hands was truly too shameful.

"Nevermind, looks like we have no fate with that Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat. Originally, I was thinking of obtaining its Inner Core to assist you in breaking through to the perfection-stage of the Golden Core Realm, but now…" Pei Zhong sighed. "Now we can only make a trip to that Oceanic Desert."

Xue Chen sighed as well when the Oceanic Desert was mentioned, and he said, "The Oceanic Desert is indeed terrifying, but if I'm able to cultivate to the perfection-stage of the Golden Core Realm within it, then I would have the confidence to charge into the top ten rankings in the Allstar Meeting five years from now. Otherwise, relying on my current cultivation, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to enter the top 100."

"I'm not worried about this." Pei Zhong shook his head and said, "According to my knowledge, besides cultivators from our Whitecrane Sect, the younger generation of the various sects of the central plains will also be heading towards the Oceanic Desert as well. On one hand, it was to temper their strengths and make preparations for the Allstar Meeting five years from now, and on the other hand, it was instead for the sake of searching for the clue to a treasure vault."

"A treasure vault's clue?" Xue Chen was surprised.

"Yes, according to the prediction of our sect's elders, the Qian Yuan's Treasure Vault of legend will appear within the Oceanic Desert in the near future. This treasure vault was left behind by a Heavenly Immortal, and it contains countless wondrous items of the heaven and earth, and the inheritance of the Heavenly Immortal Realm expert. The sect elders ordered the both of us to head to the Oceanic Desert for the sake of finding out if the prediction is true." Pei Zhong spoke slowly.

"Why didn't I obtain the news?" Xue Chen stared blankly as he spoke.

"This matter was even only vaguely deduced by the elders, and its uncertainty was too great. What could you do if you found out? Besides that, don't you know now?" Pei Zhong frowned and said, "Remember, humans die in the pursuit of wealth like birds die in the pursuit of food. The purpose you're heading to the Oceanic Desert is to temper your strength, as for the Qian Yuan's Treasure Vault, it's best if we have the destiny and obtain it, but if we don't have the destiny, then don't take it to heart so as to avoid it affecting your Dao Heart."

"Senior Brother's teachings are right." Xue Chen nodded, yet a trace of disagreement slid past the depths of his eyes.

"Let's go, we can't stay here any longer. Senior Sister Qing Xiuyi might have already arrived at the Oceanic Desert and be waiting for us." As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Zhong soared up into the sky and flashed towards the horizon.

Senior Sister Qing Xiuyi? A graceful and beautiful figure that was unparalleled flashed within Xue Chen's mind, causing his heart to be unable to help but start thumping, and he instantly flashed out as well.

"So these two fellows are Whitecrane Sect disciples from the central plains…" Not long after Xue Chen and Pei Zhong left, a figure abruptly leaped down from a towering tree at the side of the empty area. Shockingly, it was exactly Chen Xi.

He'd restrained his aura earlier with the Traceless Aura Technique before concealing himself. Unless it was an expert that had condensed his Divine Sense, otherwise, no one would be able to notice Chen Xi. It was precisely because of this that he was able to escape the search of the two Golden Core Realm cultivators, Xue Chen and Pei Zhong.

Hiding on the tree also allowed Chen Xi to clearly hear the conversation between Xue Chen and Pei Zhong, and he couldn't help but feel speechless in his heart as he thought.

According to what that Pei Zhong said, many disciples from the sects in the central plains have also taken the Oceanic Desert as a cultivation grounds to temper their strengths and make preparations for the Allstar Meeting that's held five years from now. Looks like when I head to the Oceanic Desert, not only do I have to defend against natural disasters, I have to also watch out for the calamity brought by people.

Most interesting to Chen Xi was that there actually was a treasure vault left behind by a Heavenly Immortal that was about to appear in the Oceanic Desert. If this news is true, then perhaps I can go there in the hopes of bumping into the fortune of immortals?

Chen Xi could be said to have been looking forward towards things like trying his own luck and finding the fortune of immortals for a long time. When he annihilated Su Leng at the Sword Tomb Nirvana Realm, he'd obtained a Boundless Secretrealm Discovering Pearl from Su Leng, and it was able to break open the spatial walls of places like secret realms and abodes. After so many years, he'd never used it a single time, and it caused him to feel extremely regretful.

"Those two fellows have left?" Ling Bai leaped out from the Buddha's Pagoda, and he patted his little belly as he let out a resounding burp.

Chen Xi nodded, and then he realized something and cried out involuntarily. "You wouldn't have eaten the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat, right?"

Ling Bai nodded. "It was an extremely delicious feast. I'm already almost drunk from the spirit energy contained within it. This won't do, I have to go back and cultivate and strive to advance to the Golden Core Realm."

The corners of Chen Xi's mouth twitched fiercely, and he was extremely regretful in his heart. That was a primordial variant beast that had overcome the Heavenly Tribulation and had almost taken human form, an existence that was comparable to a Rebirth Realm cultivator, yet it was actually completely eaten by this fellow?

"You're angry?" Ling Bai blinked his eyes.

Chen Xi said with an expressionless face, "What do you think?"

"Do you intend to not roast meat for me anymore?" Ling Bai followed up.

Chen Xi still had an expressionless face as he said, "What do you think?"

"I'm kidding, I kept that vile beast's Inner Core for you."

"…"

"Why aren't you speaking?"

"In the future… Don't play this kind of joke with me!" Chen Xi's voice seemed as if it was squeezed out from the cracks of his teeth, and he glared fiercely at this little fellow that learned everything but things that were good.

Ling Bai grinned as he flipped his palm, and an Inner Core had already appeared on it. The Inner Core was crimson red like fire with a surface that seemed translucent as extremely vast pure essence surged within it, and Chen Xi was even vaguely able to see a Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat howling and swimming about within it.

Thump! Thump!

This Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat's Inner Core emitted a sound like a heartbeat, and it carried along a trace of the rhythm of life and was full of vigor.

"I've already refined this Inner Core for you. After you consume it, I guarantee you'll be able to advance your qi refinement cultivation to the Golden Hall Realm." As he spoke, Ling Bai raised his hand and tossed over the Inner Core.

Chen Xi hurriedly and carefully grabbed it in his hands, and then he glared at Ling Bai. "I'll forgive you this time."

"Alright, alright, quickly go cultivate, I'll go play with Bai Kui." Ling Bai waved his hand before vanishing within the Buddha's Pagoda. When they were fleeing from that blood colored mountain, Ling Bai was carried out by Bai Kui as well.

The funny thing was Bai Kui had found that Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat earlier, and he'd wanted to seize the opportunity when it transformed to swallow its Inner Core. But now it had instead benefited Chen Xi.

This caused Chen Xi to be unable to refrain from sighing emotionally. "This little fellow Bai Kui deserves to be called a top auspicious beast in the heaven and earth. No matter where he goes, he's able to bring me exceedingly great fortune."

Without wasting anymore time, Chen Xi found a concealed place within the forest and set up a defensive formation before sitting down cross-legged within it, and then he started to consume the Six-Winged Blood Dragonbat's Inner Core and charge into the Golden Hall Realm!