Chapter 1890: Goodbye Remnants

Volume Ten: The War in the Demon Realm

A Mortal's Journey to Immortality, Volume Ten: The War in the Demon Realm

"A true treasure! Fellow Daoist Jin, you speak with quite a bit of confidence. I do indeed possess a few items from the Primordial Spirit Ranking, items whose value surpasses ordinary Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures. But do you truly believe I would offer them in exchange for Underworld River Milk?" The old man sneered, refusing without hesitation.

"Hehe, I was just making a suggestion, Brother Xuling. If you're unwilling, then so be it. However, I heard that before your seclusion, you acquired an extraordinary treasure, one seemingly related to a Profound Heaven Treasure. I was hoping for a chance to witness it." Marquis Jin Yan showed a hint of regret.

"A Profound Heaven Treasure!" Upon hearing this, Qing Yuanzi's expression also changed slightly.

"Hmph, you are quite well-informed. However, it's merely a fragment of a Profound Heaven Treasure, not a true one. Since Fellow Daoist Jin Yan has already specifically mentioned this item by name, it would seem petty for me to keep it hidden. I shall bring it out for both of you to examine." The Xuling Elder narrowed his eyes, glanced at Marquis Jin Yan and Qing Yuanzi, and then surprisingly smiled and agreed.

"If that's truly the case, then Brother Jiang and I are in for quite a spectacle. Though I've cultivated diligently to this day, this will be the first time I've ever witnessed a Profound Heaven Treasure with my own eyes." Marquis Jin Yan said, greatly pleased.

"I once witnessed the might unleashed by a Profound Heaven Treasure in my younger years, but my cultivation was low back then, and I was far away. I, too, have never seen the true form of a Profound Heaven Treasure. However, speaking of which, as one of the great clans of Fengyuan Continent, shouldn't the Mayfly Clan possess a true Profound Heaven Treasure as its clan-protecting artifact?" A hint of excitement also flickered in Qing Yuanzi's eyes.

As for Han Li, upon hearing the words "Profound Heaven Treasure," his heart tightened. He shifted his gaze from the colorful treasures floating in the air and also looked towards the old man.

"My clan does indeed possess a Profound Heaven Treasure. However, it was offered to our clan's Sacred Spirit Lord countless years ago. Even I have only seen its image in ancient texts. There are only a dozen or so true Profound Heaven Treasures in the entire Spirit Realm. These are the limits of what this realm can produce." The old man said calmly. Suddenly, he rubbed his hands together, and with a muffled sound, a ball of red light immediately appeared between his palms.

Within the red light was unmistakably an incense burner-like object. Its surface was pitted and uneven, with several faint, familiar golden runes visible. At the top, there were also inscribed patterns of several strange beasts, never before seen: some with eagle heads and horse bodies, others with pig heads and dragon torsos. However, all of them were missing limbs, appearing exceptionally fragmented.

Han Li and the other two naturally fixed their gazes upon the object, their expressions varying.

"This is a fragment of a Profound Heaven Treasure!" Marquis Jin Yan looked at the object in the red light with a hint of doubt.

Qing Yuanzi also frowned slightly. "Hehe, Fellow Daoists, how can those of our cultivation realm still be misled by mere appearances?" Seeing that they still seemed somewhat disbelieving, the old man did not get angry. Instead, he chuckled, then suddenly extended a finger and lightly flicked the incense burner before them.

Following a crisp "clang," the incense burner trembled. The golden inscriptions on its surface brightened considerably, and simultaneously, the divine patterns on the burner's top shimmered with red light, their missing parts instantly filled by the glow.

At that moment, with another movement of the old man's finger, he flicked it a second time.

With a "bang," the golden runes that had appeared suddenly scattered across the incense burner's surface, transforming into countless golden stars that enveloped the entire object. The patterns of strange beasts also twisted and moved within the red light, appearing as if they could burst forth directly from the burner at any moment.

Concurrently, a vast surge of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy suddenly emanated from the incense burner, transforming into an invisible immense force that instantly enveloped the entire hall.

Han Li, who had originally stood up, swayed slightly under this terrifying pressure, his expression changing subtly.

Although Qing Yuanzi and Marquis Jin Yan remained steadily seated, they couldn't help but marvel at the wondrous phenomena displayed by the incense burner.

"This fragment of a Profound Heaven Spirit Treasure was something I stumbled upon accidentally in an ancient battlefield deep within the wilderness. Later, I expended immense effort to re-refine it before I could even activate this extraordinary treasure. What I just demonstrated was merely one-tenth of its power. If fully unleashed, it would certainly be no less potent than the top ten Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures on the Primordial Spirit Ranking." The old man retracted his magic art, beckoned with one hand, and drew the incense burner into his palm, then spoke with a triumphant air.

"A mere fragment possesses such power; I can't imagine how terrifying true Profound Heaven Treasures must be. Brother Xuling, you truly have an extraordinary stroke of luck! With this treasure by your side, you must have greater confidence when facing your tribulation, I presume." Qing Yuanzi said admiringly.

"Hehe, I hope so. But how easy is it to overcome the Ascension Tribulation? It's not as if no one in our Spirit Realm has attempted it before. Every single one of them was cautious and only underwent the tribulation when they felt fully prepared. Yet, very few succeeded. If I didn't feel absolutely unable to pass the next Grand Heavenly Tribulation, I would never risk preparing for ascension. However, if I had a true Profound Heaven Treasure in my possession, I might actually have a slight chance. Unfortunately, the one in the hands of the Sacred Worm Lord has long been refined and integrated with his body, making it impossible to borrow." The Xuling Elder fell silent for a moment, then spoke with great regret.

"However, I seem to recall hearing that several centuries ago, another Profound Heaven Treasure appeared in our Spirit Realm." Qing Yuanzi's eyes flickered as he suddenly spoke words that made Han Li's heart skip a beat.

"Is that true? Why have I never heard of it? But that seems unlikely, doesn't it? Could Brother Jiang be mistaken?" Marquis Jin Yan was startled upon hearing this, appearing highly incredulous.

"Brother Jiang must have heard that news from Elder Hua of our clan. It's indeed true. When I just emerged from seclusion, I heard from clan elders that a few years ago, another Profound Heaven Treasure, one among the top-ranked, suddenly appeared on the Primordial Spirit Ranking. This truly is an extremely strange occurrence. I heard that this treasure originated on our Fengyuan Continent, and even the Horned-Chi and Sea races seemed to cross continents in search of it, even resorting to blood sacrifice methods. However, it appears they did not succeed. Afterward, there was no further news of this item. It's unknown whether it developed sentience and concealed itself, or if other powerful individuals obtained it first and used divine abilities to obscure its traces, making it impossible to determine its whereabouts. Several elders in my clan, skilled in divination, after paying an astonishing price, were also unable to obtain any accurate information. They could only temporarily give up." The Xuling Elder replied somewhat grimly.

"Such a thing exists! But how could a Profound Heaven Treasure even conceal itself from divination? Could it be that this treasure fell directly into the hands of a True Spirit?" Marquis Jin Yan shook his head repeatedly, speaking with extreme astonishment.

"Falling directly into the hands of a True Spirit is highly unlikely. Although most True Spirits are born in various realms, upon reaching maturity, they usually leave their original realm, either ascending to a higher Immortal Realm or directly wandering through the void spaces between realms to establish their own abodes. They generally don't have the opportunity to encounter Profound Heaven Treasures first. Otherwise, how would our clans even worship these True Spirits as our fundamental protectors? I, on the other hand, believe this matter might be related to the fact that this Profound Heaven Treasure was not born in this realm. For a Profound Heaven Treasure not native to this realm, forcibly divining its location once or twice might be possible. However, once such a treasure develops sentience and becomes aware, it's not too strange for it to find a way to resist divination stemming from the Heaven and Earth power of another realm." The Xuling Elder's gaze sharpened, and he slowly spoke words that seemed to approach the truth.

"Hmm, hearing Brother Xuling explain it that way, it does make sense. Perhaps that is truly the case. Otherwise, the various clans wouldn't have quieted down so quickly. After all, no one would waste effort on something as foolish as searching for a needle in a haystack. Fellow Daoist, your vast knowledge of history is truly beyond ordinary people!" Marquis Jin Yan pondered for a moment before speaking with some admiration.

Qing Yuanzi nodded from the side, his face showing agreement.

"Haha, this conclusion was jointly reached by a group of elders in my clan, not something I figured out on my own. Alright, young Han, you've listened for quite some time now. Have you chosen the treasure you desire?" The Xuling Elder chuckled, then suddenly turned to Han Li and asked, seemingly not having forgotten the matter they had nearly put out of their minds.

After listening to their conversation, Han Li's previously anxious heart finally settled. However, upon hearing the old man's question, a strange expression reappeared on his face. After a long moment, he could only brace himself and reply, "Senior, although these treasures are remarkably marvelous, none of them are what this junior desires. I still wish to keep the Underworld River Spiritual Milk for my own use."

"None caught your eye? Do you truly possess a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure from the Primordial Spirit Ranking? Very well. If you genuinely have such a treasure, I naturally won't insist on exchanging it for these items. But if not, then I can only consider it disrespect towards me, and I may have to teach you a lesson." To Han Li's surprise, the old man did not fly into a rage after hearing this. Instead, his expression darkened, and he spoke somewhat grimly.

Upon hearing this, Han Li said nothing more unnecessary. He simply flipped his hand, and with a flash of silver light, a brilliant silver short ruler suddenly appeared.

With a slight wave of his five-fingered grasp, an astonishing aura immediately emanated. Simultaneously, amidst shimmering spiritual light, countless silver ruler-shadows materialized, appearing extraordinarily profound.

"Oh, it really is a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure ranked on the Primordial Spirit Ranking. Although it's likely one of the lowest-ranked ones, it seems Fellow Daoist Han truly isn't lacking in ordinary treasures." Marquis Jin Yan was first somewhat surprised, then a slight smirk played on his lips, evidently taking a little pleasure in the old man's predicament.

Qing Yuanzi rubbed his chin, letting out a wry smile.

Seeing that the items he had presented twice in a row had failed to facilitate an exchange, the old man's expression grew somewhat unpleasant. After glaring at Han Li for a while, he sneered and said, "Unexpectedly, your cultivation level isn't too high, yet your wealth is quite considerable. Since you lack neither pills nor magical artifacts, then I shall use something you cannot possibly refuse to exchange for this spiritual milk!"