Eternal Life: Hundredfold Rewards-Chapter 45 - 44: Black Jade Spirit Snake, Black Jade Discontinuity Pill
At the cave mansion entrance, Qi Chuan gazed at the handwriting on the paper crane letter, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"I really didn’t expect that Murong Fan would come across a treasure map by chance and invite me to explore together..."
The so-called treasure map is actually a map that records one or several treasure sites.
In these treasure sites, there are usually some treasures or valuables left by someone or some power.
If one manages to find the treasure site, in a good situation, they would receive a considerable reward.
In the cultivation realm, anything that could pique the interest of Murong Fan, a proud scion of a cultivation clan, certainly wouldn’t be ordinary; there would be at least some substantial cultivation resources in the treasure site.
However, since it’s a treasure map, there must be some enigmatic puzzles, not allowing one to easily know the true location of the treasure site. Only by deciphering the riddles on the treasure map, can one find the correct path to enter the treasure site.
"The letter says that Murong Fan has already verified the authenticity of the treasure map, meaning he has deciphered the riddles on it and found the location of the treasure site. He even went there himself but couldn’t enter."
Looking at the paper crane letter in his hand, Qi Chuan pondered slightly in his heart.
Ever since he agreed to forge a tenuous connection with Murong Fan more than a year ago, Murong Fan has frequently shared some inner sect news with him, maintaining a reciprocal exchange.
Occasionally, Murong Fan would send him letters inviting him to undertake some inner sect tasks together.
Qi Chuan rejected the majority of these.
However, he did agree once or twice.
There were several reasons for his agreement.
Firstly, Qi Chuan himself needed resources to cultivate the Little Profound Crystal Jade Body and exchange for Gathering Essence Pills to assist his practice.
Therefore, over the past year or so, Qi Chuan sometimes undertook tasks within the Wind Moon Sect’s inner sect to earn resources.
Among the inner sect tasks he accepted, there were some sect tasks with decent returns that were relatively rare.
There were also some relatively safe external tasks.
Lastly, among the tasks for which Murong Fan sent out invitations, after Qi Chuan’s consideration, he found a few acceptable ones.
Ultimately, he needed to take on some inner sect tasks to earn resources, so what does it matter which tasks he accepts?
Going to the Task Hall himself, sometimes he would wait for a long time without getting a good task.
With Murong Fan, it was like having an additional channel.
Secondly, Qi Chuan dared to participate in some inner sect tasks with Murong Fan due to his confidence in his own strength.
Because both were at the same realm, Qi Refining Fourth Layer, and Qi Chuan’s Fireball Technique and other basic Five Elements Magic had all reached the Great Success Level, and even among the Great Success Level, he had refined them further.
A Great Success Level Fireball Technique is considered a decent skill in the late stage of Qi Refining.
Moreover, Qi Chuan possessed all five types.
If Murong Fan harbored any ill intentions, Qi Chuan was confident that he could crush him with his strength and kill him.
Furthermore, even if pushing it further, isn’t that Talisman Treasure with the black giant ruler still available?
Since obtaining it, over the past year, Qi Chuan had taken some time to go out and test its power in a secluded place.
The result of that power test left Qi Chuan stunned.
In four words: "Terrifying beyond measure!"
General talisman treasures, at best, can only possess about thirty percent of the original magical treasure’s power, with a lesser one possibly only having ten percent.
Based on the test results, Qi Chuan believed that this Talisman Treasure with the black giant ruler had about thirty percent of the original magical treasure’s power, and its original magical treasure was certainly not ordinary, as thirty percent of an ordinary magical treasure’s power wouldn’t be this terrifying.
This Talisman Treasure could even be considered a protector artifact within the Foundation Establishment Realm.
With such an artifact in hand, Qi Chuan had absolute confidence that if Murong Fan had any strange movements, the Talisman Treasure would reduce him to a puddle of flesh in an instant.
Unless Murong Fan enlisted the Murong Family’s only Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, the Murong Ancestor, to deal with someone like him at Qi Refining Fourth Layer, unexpected situations might occur.
However, although there’s a certain possibility for such a thing, to bring it up again, the likelihood is not high.
This is why Qi Chuan dared to take a small risk and occasionally participate in one or two inner sect tasks with Murong Fan.
On a positive note, in the limited occasions of collaborating on tasks, Murong Fan didn’t display any devious schemes, behaving quite honestly, and the results of these collaborations were also satisfactory, thus preliminarily gaining a little of Qi Chuan’s trust.
It was also through this past year or so that Qi Chuan undertook some inner sect tasks on his own and occasionally cooperated with Murong Fan, earning a substantial amount of resources.
Using these resources, in the past year or so, Qi Chuan’s Little Profound Crystal Jade Body has been cultivated from the initial entry First Layer state to the current First Layer extreme.
Moreover, there were enough resources left to exchange for Gathering Essence Pill to assist in cultivation, eventually successfully advancing to Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
Otherwise, the resources would have long been exhausted, and the mana and physical body would not have reached the current level.
"As for this Treasure Map, better listen to the details first. If the danger isn’t too great, it’s worth considering cooperation."
"If the risk is too high, forget about it."
Looking at the Paper Crane Letter in his hand, after a slight pause, Qi Chuan thought thus in his heart.
Anyway, the decision was his to make, better to take a look first.
Thus, Qi Chuan left his Cave Mansion, heading toward the northeast direction of the Inner Sect, where Murong Fan’s Tier One Middle Grade Cave Mansion was located.
Soon after, Qi Chuan appeared at the mid-mountain level of a Spirit Peak in the northeast direction of the Inner Sect, where a Cave Mansion could be seen.
This was Murong Fan’s Tier One Middle Grade Cave Mansion.
At this time, outside the Cave Mansion, a young man dressed in gray clothes, with a plain appearance, was waiting at the Cave Mansion entrance, his face calm without a sign of impatience.
It was Murong Fan.
"Brother Qi!"
Seeing Qi Chuan landing nearby, Murong Fan immediately stepped forward, clasping his hands respectfully.
"Brother Murong!"
Qi Chuan naturally responded with a clasp of his hands, then said, "First, tell me the details about the Treasure Map, then I will consider whether to participate."
Murong Fan nodded.
He felt it normal for Qi Chuan to be cautious.
"This isn’t the place to talk, please come in." Murong Fan gestured invitingly.
Qi Chuan nodded, followed Murong Fan into the Cave Mansion, and sat down beside a Stone Table.
Murong Fan put some Spirit Tea Leaves into a clay teapot, began brewing tea, and poured a cup for each of them. He took a sip from his own cup.
Qi Chuan picked up a teacup to play with but did not drink from it.
Murong Fan did not mind this, after taking another sip, he put down his teacup and began talking about the details of the Treasure Map:
"I have already verified the authenticity of the Treasure Map. The treasure is located in Black Snake City, several miles outside the sect, where there is an abyss named Black Snake Abyss."
"In Black Snake Abyss, it’s winding and convoluted with numerous forks and caves; the visibility is dim, and it is filled with a kind of Tier One Demon Beast called Black Jade Spirit Snake, with strength ranging from Tier One Lower Grade to Tier One Middle Grade."
"The treasure site is located somewhere in Black Snake Abyss, guarded by two Tier One Middle Grade Black Jade Spirit Snakes. With my power, I can only handle one, hence why I’m inviting Brother Qi."
Murong Fan mostly shared the details, except for the exact treasure location; for if he did, Qi Chuan could go by himself without needing him.
Qi Chuan nodded slightly at Murong Fan’s honesty, otherwise, he wouldn’t agree to cooperate.
"It’s several miles from the sect, in Black Snake Abyss outside Black Snake City?"
After listening to Murong Fan’s explanation, Qi Chuan showed a hint of surprise on his face.
Several miles is considered very close.
The Wind Moon Sect governs a vast area; within a hundred miles, it’s a strong suppression zone, and there has never been unrest. Even when Outer Sect Disciples travel within a hundred miles, mishaps are extremely rare and countable.
Is the treasure really so close?
Moreover, concerning the Black Jade Spirit Snake in Black Snake Abyss, Qi Chuan had once heard Second Uncle mention it during his time in Red Maple Valley.
This Black Jade Spirit Snake is indeed a Tier One Demon Beast, its strength ranges from Tier One Lower Grade to Tier One Middle Grade. Its Black Jade Spirit Snake Gall is extremely valuable; the bile can be refined into an elixir called Black Jade Discontinuity Pill, which can, to a certain extent, repair cultivators’ damaged meridians due to various reasons.
Second Uncle remained stuck in Qi Refining Third Layer for life, aside from having a Spirit Root of Lower Ninth Grade, being too poor, and having suffered an injury in his early years; having some minor meridian issues was also a key factor.
Approximately two years ago, Second Uncle mentioned that if he had a Black Jade Discontinuity Pill made from the gall of a Tier One Middle Grade Black Jade Spirit Snake, his minor meridian issues could be completely resolved.
But back then, Second Uncle’s expression was full of helplessness when he spoke.
Because with his strength being only Qi Refining Third Layer, he was powerless against a Tier One Middle Grade Black Jade Spirit Snake, let alone refining the gall into a Black Jade Discontinuity Pill.
Directly purchasing a Black Jade Discontinuity Pill was an unattainable dream due to lack of channels and Spirit Stones.
