Chapter 32

[Beep! Scan complete! Item identified as Abstruse gemstone, an ancient treasure. Very Rare. Wearing the stone, cultivating speed would be enhanced by at least 3 times. Source: Eve of Rare Stone Manual]

Nie Li's gaze fell onto the gemstone pendant. His face showed a hint of astonishment.

"It's actually a piece of abstruse gemstone! This alone is enough to make this expedition a resounding success for me!" Nie Li exclaimed excitedly. The remnant Soul force now felt like the extra special on the side, with this as the main dish.

"This abstruse gemstone is very good, if only the existence of such a thing is known, it may start a massacre. I should be careful and not show this to anyone!" Nie Li thought, smiling away. Even though there is almost no one except for him, who can identify it, It's good to be careful. In his mind, only an idiot will gift this to someone else.

Nie Li immediately wore the pendant made out of the Abstruse gemstone. Then he turned around, he found out a secluded corner and sat down on the ground.

He retrieved some Soul Assembling Pill and Spiritual Enhancing Pill and started to cultivate and solidify his realm, he felt that he could push past another realm, if he used the energy absorbed into his soul realm.....

"Chaos is the beginning, Chaos is the End; Chaos makes no enemy and Chaos makes no Friend"

Nie Li began to submerge himself into his soul realm, finding the secrets hidden deep in his sea of consciousness. The serene site of his calm mind, it's grandeur and stillness, accompanied by a ever present mystery, like a dragon sleeping through the ages and slowly woking up from it's slumber. The energy absorbed was locked in a corner of his realm hidden and suppressed to protect from overload, Nie Li silently motioned his realm and utilized the energy laced with intent of an Unrivalled Expert, uniquely enough it held no malicious desire only pure intent of the past and the guidance of an elder.

Nie Li embraced the intent and used it to shape his advancement successfully solidifying his rapidly acquired strength and he also proceeded to an extra step.

After a while, Nie Li opened his eyes. He looked a bit more calm and handsome than before, his temperament had a phenomenal growth. he had an ever present soft smile on his lips and the ocean blue eyes, with unmatched depths.

"A.I.Chip, How long was I cultivating for?"

[Beep! Host has been cultivating for 2 days]

"2 days? It felt like only few moments, no matter it was a very fruitful endeavor. Show my status! " Nie Li said as he stood up to walk further and explore some more.

[Beep! Nie Li. 4-Star Bronze rank Demon Spiritualist. Physique : 436 , Soul force : 407, Status: Healthy ]

Nie Li has successfully broken through to another realm and stepped into 4-Star Bronze rank. His rate of improvement has experienced an explosive growth and in addition to the abstruse gemstone, it was only enhanced a step further.

Without thinking much, Nie Li began to walk. He has to find an exit too before the crew of Chen Linjian comes, although Nie Li doesn't know if they could find this place, he also doesn't know the content of the map either.

Everything inside the hall has been collected. Nie Li began searching for an exit within the deep passage. The construct here was like a maze.

After two consecutive days, Nie Li was still in the underground maze wondering as he searched for the exit.

However, over the time, using his strong sense of direction, Nie Li began to draw a map of this maze.

"Here! " Nie Li stood in front of a stone wall. He examined the wall for awhile, from the scanning of the A.I.Chip, the stone wall should be a hidden door. Before, when he passed by here, he realised that there was something here.

Nie Li placed his hands onto the stone wall and slowly pushed inwards.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The stone wall slowly turned. A huge stone chamber appeared in front of Nie Li.

Within the stone chamber, there's a staircase connecting upwards. However, the exit has been blocked by some huge stones.

The things in the stone chamber left Nie Li in a state of shock.

This place was filled with all sorts of bronze and silver armours. There are even a large amount of inscription scrolls, demon crystals, furs and horn-type materials. It was also full of precious metals and piles of gold coins, which was naturally the currencies of the Sacred Empire.

There are also many unknown valuables which should be precious treasures of the Sacred Empire.

If someone obtained these treasures and brought it back to Glory City to sell it, they would definitely make a fortune out of it!

"My luck is quite good! I shouldn't be polite then. Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers! " Nie Li looked at mountain of wealth and said. The amount of treasures here is too much. He has brought half a dozen of interspatial rings and it might not be enough, but luckily after Nie Li's constant breakthrough his inventory space has increased multifold. According to his estimation, He can pocket all the treasures, leaving the less important and mediocre items.

Nie Li isn't greedy, but he has acquired this treasure after putting his life on the line, taking various high risk and now he isn't going to let someone else reap his fruit of labor.

Nie Li's began to screen through all the items taking everything in, after a moment his gaze fell onto a stone platform. At the top of the platform, a lamp was blinking with light, and the light was filled with mystery.

Upon seeing this lamp, Nie Li's face changed, he went near it and started to examine it. Nie Li searched through the database but found little to nothing about it. There are various treasures which name and impact has been erased through the sands of time and for Nie Li, it became such an item.

After some thorough searching, he concluded that there must be a Demon Spirit sealed inside it. The sealing container was so mysterious so Nie Li concluded the item inside should also be extremely rare, hence he decided to pocket it.

After reaching Silver rank, Nie Li would be able to integrate with demon spirit and it's much better to choose an useful one.

Nie Li kept the lamp, putting it into his interspatial ring. Nie Li look towards the entrance which was blocked and thought, ' This place is not so bad, I should cultivate for now and think about escaping later'

Nie Li wasn't really concerned about being trapped, he has confidence in himself to find a way out, so he decided to make the most of the opportunity and cultivate in silence.

Currently, within Ancient Orchid City's stone fort.

Chen Linjian, Ye Ziyun, Shen Yue, Huyan Lanruo and the others were gathered in the stone fort.

"So many problems already!" Chen Linjian said, a little depressed. Their trip here is to explore, however, they haven't gotten anything and they already had some casualties due to interception with Fox Bear demon beast. After which, there speed of travel become much less and distorted. In the end when they reached here, they were again attacked by the horde of Giant Blue Arm Ape, further causing casualties.

In the end after so much trouble, Chen Linjian and bunch reached the military ground. This is a flat military ground, which usually made it uneasy for it to be noticeable.

"Dig three feet down!"

Chen Linjian's men began retrieving their tools and started digging.

Underground Palace

A week has passed since Nie Li sweep clean the treasury and was cultivating in silence unknown to the trouble faced by his peers. The stone wall suddenly slightly trembled.

"It has begun!" Nie Li lightly smiled. He had a gut feeling that the crew will definitely come here after a while, although it took longer than expected.

Nie Li looked around the empty room and smiled wry, if the crowd outside saw the current scene they would most definitely rip even his body apart to take all the treasures away from him.

"I guess I have no other choice! " Nie Li shook his head and took out two items from his inventory, one was a small manual and other a pill.

These are the reward he received after the completion of his adventure. One was a special technique to breakthrough to Silver Rank called Miracle Meridian Hands and other was a healing pill complementary to the procedure of such a forceful breakthrough.

Nie Li seemed to have decided something as he lightly smiled. When breaking through into Silver rank, this technique called Miracle Meridian Hands can be used. This would seal the blood vessels of his arm, and various other body parts. He would seal thirty-six acupuncture points and force his soul force to be trapped within his Soul Realm, allowing him to forcefully break through into Silver rank.

This way of breaking through, aside from exhausting large amounts of soul force, would damage the meridians by a small amount. However, with the help of the elixirs, it can be easily healed.

"Let's go with this then," Nie Li lightly smiled. Through the Miracle Meridian Hands method, he began to seal the acupuncture points within his body one after another, thoroughly locking his soul force.

No one would use this kind of method, unless they have absolute confidence.

His soul force was constantly being squeezed within his soul realm, unable to find a way out.

It was constantly being compressed, the constantly tearing in an infinite cycle.

Nie Li felt his soul realm constantly tearing and reconstructing. This intense pain made his face turn pale white, sweat flowing down like rain.

"Urhhh!" Nie Li painfully screamed. Although his will is constantly being challenged, Nie Li still maintained a clear mind, constantly guiding his soul force that has been compressed countless times.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The barrier within his soul realm began to break. Every time it broke, Nie Li could clearly feel his soul force growing several times.

The last 'Boom!'

The compressed soul force began to explode, sweeping across his whole soul realm, causing it to surge nonstop.

Tsssss!

That terrible pain covered his whole body like millions of fine needles penetrating his brain.

His meridian was also constantly tearing, however, Nie Li forcefully endured the intense pain as he waited for the exploding compressed soul force to break open his closed meridians.

Whew!

Nie Li felt relieved, his body relaxed. Although his meridians were damaged to quite a serious state, at this moment, Nie Li's face was filled with excitement. It went as he had expected. By using the Miracle Meridian Hands to expand his soul realm, it had allowed him to reach Silver rank.

After his soul force recovers, Nie Li will be a Silver rank Demon Spiritualist!

Nie Li took the recovery pills, crossed his legs, and started to practice quietly.

After practising for some time, Nie Li's meridians and soul force have already recovered.

He has finally reached Silver rank.

Nie Li opened his eyes as a light flashed across his eyes. He can finally use the unique Lamp.

He retrieved the Lamp. His right hand slowly stroked the lamp and inserted his soul force into the lamp. A 'Pu' sound came from the lamp, and began flickering like a ghost light in the dark.

Cries like devils was issuing from the Lamp. The lamp light is where the Demon Spirit resides. However, Nie Li was not afraid, his soul force was like a rope, winding towards the light.

Nie Li's soul force found a black shadow. When his soul force wound around the black shadow, the Demon Spirit shrieked miserably, trying to resist, as it tried to break Nie Li's soul force. Nie Li continued to operate his soul force around the Demon Spirit.

The Demon Spirit suddenly trembled as it continued its resistance. However, under the pressure of Nie Li's soul force, the Demon Spirit gradually lost his ability to resist.

'Whoosh' the Shadow Devil Demon Spirit turned into a black shadow and went into Nie Li's soul realm. Once a demon spirit enters a Demon Spiritualist's soul realm, they will be controlled by the Demon Spiritualist, with the support of the Demon Spiritualist's soul force. Unless the Demon Spiritualist releases the demon spirit on his own, the demon spirit will not be able to obtain freedom.

Just like being branded by soul force.

After integrating with the Shadow Devil Demon Spirit, Nie Li's soul realm expanded. Once integrated with a Demon Spirit, the Demon Spiritualist and Demon Spirit will affect each other. Even the Soul force training speed will be raised by twice the original speed.

"Shadow Devil Demon Spirit! That's some first beast, I integrated with! " A pleased expression flashed through his eyes, as he remember the information about the Demon Spirit.

Shadow Devil is an extremely rare and mysterious demon beast. It's said that when the Snow Wind Empire was already extinct, only seven Shadow Devil demon spirits were left and were made into seven lamps that were placed in a temple in the Divine Continent. Later, these lamps were stolen by thieves and were leaked out throughout the world.

Although the Shadow Devil is not particularly strong in its fighting capability, it is the most mysterious one. It has many unique abilities.

The Shadow Devil Demon Spirit is one of the most mysterious demon spirits. Very few would know of it's characteristics. Therefore, very few Demon Spiritualists can perfectly put their combat abilities into use.

The Shadow Devil Demon Spirit is undoubtedly extremely powerful. At the same time, it has an extremely high growth rate. Therefore, it can't be compared to those ordinary demon spirits.

Nie Li waved his right hand calling out the Shadow Devil Demon Spirit, as he hastily merged with the Shadow Devil Demon Spirit. At this moment, Nie Li's body disappeared and reappeared, like a ghost. A bone sickle grew out from his arms, like a mantis. The Shadow Devil Demon Spirit can void-form and corporeal-form, when Nie Li goes into void-form, very few will be able to capture his aura. However, while in void-form, Nie Li will have no attacking capabilities. When he enters the corporeal-form, he will be able to launch deadly attacks.

The Shadow Devil Demon Spirit is an extremely powerful assassin. When battling, even a higher rank can be killed by it, if they are not careful.

The bone sickle is near a meter long, a chilling light flashing on it, looking extremely sharp.

Suddenly as Nie Li checking the powers of the Shadow Devil *boom* the huge stone wall next to the huge boulder had opened an entrance. Dazzling light shot into the chamber, Chen Linjian and bunch began to fill the area.

Nie Li immediately went into the Void Form and exited through the entrance created by them, leaving behind a desolate cave and nothing except for dust and emptiness, after his breakthrough he took the small portion of remaining items inside his Inventory, since it experienced an amazing growth after the breakthrough into Silver Rank. From the current state of things one cannot even fathom the amount of wealth this place withheld previously.