Episode 10, Chapter 19: Ink and Wash Painting

Spiritual Beast Rings were not few in number in the Immortal Realm, but in the Mortal World, even a Twelve Tribulations Independent Immortal would lack the power to refine such rings, making them extremely precious.

Not to mention anything else, just gifting these Spiritual Beast Rings to those Independent Immortals and Independent Demons of the Eighth or Tenth Tribulation could certainly make them view one with newfound respect. Even if one did not gift them to others, using captured Demon Beasts as mounts would be incredibly free and easy.

"It seems that Immortal Emperor Ni Yang has left quite a few treasures for us. Since there are eighteen Spiritual Beast Rings and they are for double nines, we should distribute them according to the original agreement. I will take two of the rings," said Huo Can as he was about to make his move.

Lady Yan Ji gave him a cold look, her voice icy, "Huo Can, haste won’t speed up your results."

Upon seeing these Spiritual Beast Rings, the first thing Qin Yu thought of was—controlling Demon Beasts.

"Lady Yan Ji, I am still not very clear about these Spiritual Beast Rings. How can they completely control Demon Beasts?" Qin Yu politely inquired.

Lady Yan Ji, seeing it was Qin Yu, and knowing the power behind Star Pavilion, immediately smiled and said, "The method of refining these rings is extremely unique; it seems they can connect to the soul. Once a Demon Beast is bound, it absolutely cannot betray its master."

Qin Yu was delighted in his heart.

His biggest worry was what would happen to his family if one day he ascended and left, or if he died. Now with these Spiritual Beast Rings, that worry was alleviated.

With a Spiritual Beast Ring, Qin Yu could fully capture a powerful Demon Beast. Having a Spiritual Beast Ring could definitely ensure that the Demon Beast would protect his family.

"Lady Yan Ji, let us now distribute these Spiritual Beast Rings," Elder Qian Xu’s gaze was fervent. As soon as he saw the rings, excitement surged in his heart. Being just a Third Tribulation Independent Immortal, these rings were treasures even a Twelve Tribulation Independent Immortal would desire.

Lady Yan Ji looked at everyone and then said, "Since this is the case, let’s follow the original agreement. I will take three parts out of nine, which is six rings. Qin Yu and his group get two parts, which is four rings, the Dragon Clan also gets four rings, Qian Xu gets two rings, and Huo Can and Yida both get one each. Is this agreeable?"

Everyone nodded.

Lady Yan Ji immediately waved her hand and took the eighteen Spiritual Beast Rings and then first looked at Qin Yu with a smile, "Here are your four Spiritual Beast Rings from Star Pavilion." She then very amicably handed the four rings to Qin Yu.

Giving the first set to Qin Yu spoke of Lady Yan Ji’s goodwill towards him.

In fact, Lady Yan Ji’s actions were influenced not only by the powerful Independent Immortal behind Qin Yu but also by an important reason—Qin Yu possessed the Devouring Rock Thunder Seal, the only thing among those present that could harm or even take her life.

"Thank you, Lady Yan Ji," Qin Yu said with a smile as he took the four Spiritual Beast Rings.

Qin Yu looked towards the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion, "Why hasn’t Li’er arrived yet?"

"Yan Lang and Yan Mo, these are for your Dragon Clan." Lady Yan Ji then handed four Spiritual Beast Rings to them. Yan Lang, representing his group, immediately reached out to take them and quickly handed two of them to Yan Mo beside him.

However, Yan Mo only took one, "Yan Lang, one Spiritual Beast Ring is enough for me."

"Huo Can, these are yours and Yida’s," Lady Yan Ji took out two Spiritual Beast Rings and handed one to each, Huo Can and Yida.

"Yida, why do you want the Spiritual Beast Rings?" Huo Can reached out and took the two Spiritual Beast Rings. Yida was now awkwardly extending his hand, looking somewhat embarrassed. Although Yida relied on Huo Can, it was clear Huo Can intended to give Yida none of the rings.

Yida withdrew his hand, seemingly not annoyed but instead smiled and said, "Senior Huo Can is an Independent Demon, and as my power is still weak, possessing these Spiritual Beast Rings wouldn’t be of much use to me. They would be better utilized in the hands of a senior like you."

A look of satisfaction finally appeared on Huo Can’s face.

He then gave Elder Qian Xu’s share to Elder Qian Xu, and thus the eighteen Spiritual Beast Rings were completely distributed.

"I remember Immortal Emperor Ni Yang once said that there is a unique treasure in the Treasure Pavilion, worth ten times more than the Qingyu Immortal Mansion. Although these Spiritual Beast Rings are precious, they are not as valuable as the Qingyu Immortal Mansion, let alone ten times more. Could that treasure be on the second floor?" Yida mused aloud.

The others present all changed their expressions.

When distributing the Spiritual Beast Rings, everyone had been amiable, not overly concerned about the rings. That was because everyone remembered that Immortal Emperor Ni Yang had once mentioned the treasure, ten times more valuable than the Qingyu Immortal Mansion.

The atmosphere grew tense with Yida’s words.

"Since we’ve already distributed the Spiritual Beast Rings on this floor, let’s go to the second floor." Lady Yan Ji said, smiling as she walked toward the staircase, not caring whether the others followed or not. She was the first to ascend the stairs.

Elder Qian Xu, Huo Can, and other experts hurriedly followed her.

The Spiritual Beast Rings, far less valuable than the Qingyu Immortal Mansion, let alone compared to that treasure which is ten times more priceless. Such a treasure, every expert there would vie violently for it.

Moreover—

According to Immortal Emperor Ni Yang, it is unique, meaning there is only one. Since there is only one, there is no need to distribute it, but to compete for it based on individual abilities.

The staircase, made of milky white marble, was ascended by the crowd.

Lady Yan Ji’s heart skipped a beat when she saw that someone was standing in the spacious hall on the second floor, and it was Li’er.

"Miss Li’er, how did you get to the second floor? I was just on the first floor and didn’t see anyone enter the second floor via the staircase. How did you get up here?" Lady Yan Ji was most concerned that Li’er had obtained that treasure.

Qin Yu and others also came up one after another.

Seeing Lady Yan Ji’s fierce expression and hearing Li’er being questioned, Qin Yu felt a surge of annoyance. He immediately moved in front of Li’er and demanded, "Lady Yan Ji, what are you doing?"

Qin Yu was furious, his hand gripping the Devouring Rock Thunder Seal.

Lady Yan Ji, burning with rage and the strongest among the eight, was set on obtaining the treasure ten times more valuable than the Qingyu Immortal Mansion. However, upon entering the second floor, she found that Li’er had already arrived.

Nevertheless, seeing the Devouring Rock Thunder Seal, she forcefully suppressed her anger and said, "I just want to ask how Li’er got to the second floor?"

"Lady Yan Ji, when we were outside the Treasure Pavilion, you entered the first floor; I directly went to the second floor," Li’er naturally replied.

Qin Yu was also startled and turned to look at Li’er in confusion, saying, "Li’er, no one passed through the staircase just now, and the stele of Immortal Emperor Ni Yang also mentioned entering the second floor from the first floor’s pathway. How did you get here?"

"She flew up directly," Li’er honestly said.

"Impossible, I had carefully observed before, this Treasure Pavilion had restrictions set up. It couldn’t be casually entered, only through the passage left by Immortal Emperor Ni Yang was it safe to enter," Elder Qian Xu angrily said at this moment.

"You actually fully believe what Immortal Emperor Ni Yang said?" Li’er looked at the crowd as if they were fools.

Everyone seemed to choke on their food and couldn’t speak.

"Well played, Immortal Emperor Ni Yang, we’ve been tricked again," Green Dragon Yan Lang shook his head and sighed with a smile.

The others also filled their hearts with resentment towards Immortal Emperor Ni Yang. Immortal Emperor Ni Yang said to enter the second floor through the first floor’s passage, but was it really necessary? Most people sensed the restrictions in the Treasure Pavilion, so they dared not trespass recklessly; however, Li’er flew directly to the second floor.

"Miss Li’er, is there any treasure on this second floor? Have you discovered anything?" Lady Yan Ji glanced at the second floor and finally asked Li’er.

When they were on the first floor, the eighteen Spiritual Beast Rings had appeared before everyone. But on this second floor, although Lady Yan Ji only glanced briefly, with her strength, if the Immortal Treasure was not too hidden, she definitely would have found it.

"Lady Yan Ji," Qin Yu took over the conversation and stared at Yan Ji, "Whether my Li’er has got it, what business is it of yours? The treasure mentioned by Immortal Emperor Ni Yang is only one, it doesn’t need to be shared; whoever gets it, it belongs to them, why does Li’er need to tell you if she got it?"

"You..."

Lady Yan Ji was furious, but seeing the Devouring Rock Thunder Seal Qin Yu always held in his hand, she forcibly swallowed her anger.

At this moment, not only Lady Yan Ji but other powerful figures on the second floor were also green with envy for that treasure. They too wanted to know if Li’er had gotten that Immortal Treasure.

"Everyone, I swear to heaven, if I got that so-called unique Immortal Treasure, let Heavenly Thunder strike me, scattering my soul," Li’er earnestly swore.

"Li’er, you..." Qin Yu was shocked to see Li’er swearing so openly.

Li’er winked at Qin Yu and said playfully, "Just say if you got nothing. Although I came to this second floor first, I really haven’t discovered any Immortal Treasures here; it seems indeed very well hidden."

The others breathed a sigh of relief.

Ignoring Li’er, the other six immediately started to search the second floor meticulously.

This second floor was arranged like a larger study. There were several paintings hanging on the walls, and a huge bookcase stood against one side; in the very center, there was a desk, which also held brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone.

"I dare say, Immortal Emperor Ni Yang must have lived in the Mortal World for some time," Qin Yu remarked as he picked up a brush and took a closer look.

The model of this brush was unique to the time when Emperor Qin Shi Huang was alive. However, when Qin Yu held it, he felt the brush was very heavy; and just as he was about to continue speaking—

A hazy Sword Qi suddenly shot out from the brush, piercing directly through Yida’s arm with ease.

"Who sneak attacked..." Initially focused on searching, Yida saw the astonished expression on Qin Yu’s face as he looked at the brush, still emitting trails of Sword Qi, and Yida’s eyes heated up instantly, transforming into a streak of light.

Rushed toward the pen holder on the desk.

The second floor wasn’t very large, and the energy emitted by the Sword Qi made all the masters aware and alert, but few reacted as quickly as Yida. Yan Lang was one of them, and Lady Yan Ji also reacted in time.

"Boom!" The pen holder, containing five brushes, exploded as several masters fought over it, scattering the five brushes.

Yida grabbed a brush, and at that moment, a drop of his heart’s blood fell onto the brush. Immediately, misty Sword Qi flickered, and then the brush merged directly into Yida’s body. At the same moment, the other great masters also started to fight over them.

The quick-reacting Yan Lang and Lady Yan Ji each seized a brush as well.

Afterward, Elder Qian Xu and Huo Can, relying on their own strength, also obtained a brush.

Including the brush initially seized by Qin Yu, there were a total of six brushes. All the masters immediately performed blood recognition; at the moment of blood recognition, Yan Lang exclaimed in surprise, "It’s actually a Middle Grade Immortal Artifact, and it even contains fierce Sword Qi."

"These six brushes are actually six Middle Grade Immortal Swords," exclaimed Lady Yan Ji delightedly.

"Eh, I thought the brushes were transformed from six Immortal Swords, but upon merging them into my body, I realized that these artifacts, which released such astonishing Sword Qi, are actually brushes!" Elder Qian Xu said, his face still flush with excitement.

Middle Grade Immortal Artifacts, even among the Independent Immortals in the Chaotic Star Sea who have endured the Eighth or Tenth Tribulation, few possess such artifacts. Even in the Immortal Realm, most Golden Immortals only use Middle Grade Immortal Artifacts, which speaks to their preciousness.

Even Yida, who initially had his arm pierced by the Sword Qi, had speculated that the other brushes were also Immortal Swords.

Who would have thought, upon merging them into his body, that these artifacts were originally brushes, but in terms of attack power — they even surpassed typical Middle Grade Immortal Swords.

"If I’m not mistaken, Immortal Emperor Ni Yang once refined six brushes, and often used them for painting and writing, naturally infusing his Sword Qi into the brushes, which made the six brushes more powerful than regular Middle Grade Immortal Swords," Lady Yan Ji conjectured.

Elder Qian Xu expressed his astonishment, "Could it be... Immortal Emperor Ni Yang is the legendary Sword Immortal, whose kind has long vanished from the Tenglong Continent?"

Sword Immortals, known for their formidable attack power, had no successors in the Tenglong Continent for millions of years. The great masters, Independent Immortals, and Independent Demons could only learn about Sword Immortals from some ancient books in their sects.

"Yan Mo, what are you doing?" Lady Yan Ji suddenly noticed Yan Mo collecting an ink and wash painting from the wall.

There were dozens of ink and wash paintings hanging on the walls of the second floor, which everyone thought were merely decorative for the room, but not only Yan Mo, even Qin Yu was collecting an ink and wash painting from the west wall. Lady Yan Ji merely glanced and noticed the similarity between these two paintings.

At the bottom of these two ink and wash paintings, both had a small image of an Immortal Sword.

"There’s another one!"

Many ink and wash paintings hung on various walls, yet Lady Yan Ji spotted a third painting with a small Immortal Sword image at the bottom and immediately, like a thief, swept the painting into her hold.

"They..." Elder Qian Xu, Huo Can, and others were baffled.

Qin Yu, Yan Mo, and Lady Yan Ji, all collected ink and wash paintings and momentarily came to their senses, faces flush with uncontrollable excitement. Even with Yan Mo’s self-control, even with Lady Yan Ji’s stature, they trembled with excitement, their faces red with emotion.