Chapter 119. Treasure!

With a few leaps, they covered a considerable distance. Soon, the three of them set foot on a crimson land with the pitch-black Dark Forest behind them. The trio was Jiang Yun and his companions, who had just exited seclusion. At this moment, all three possessed the cultivation of the Tongtian Realm. Jiang Yun had reached the peak of the mid-stage Tongtian Realm, while Zi Yan, due to her more stable bloodline and further development, had surpassed Jiang Yun, reaching the late-stage Tongtian Realm.

Such is the nature of magical beasts: once their bloodline power evolves, their strength skyrockets. However, this power derived from their bloodline usually limits their maximum strength. Compared to humans, it is much harder for them to progress further under the same conditions. Medusa had advanced from the mid-stage to the peak of the Tongtian Realm. Although her progress was substantial, it seemed relatively ordinary compared to the other two.

As soon as they landed, an extreme, violent heat exploded within them, as if it intended to set their bodies ablaze. This scorching atmosphere seemed to make even their hearts restless.

"Hmph!" 

The sudden turn of events did not alarm the trio. Though the heat was violent, it posed no significant problem for their strength. Instantly, with a thought, their immense spiritual power surged forth, forcibly suppressing the heat entirely. However, this unusual situation made the three cautiously observe their surroundings. The crimson earth beneath them emitted a heat that distorted the space around them.

"This place is strange. Be careful," Medusa said gravely, observing the area with a frown.

"It's odd; we haven't encountered any other teams along the way," Zi Yan commented while surveying their surroundings, puzzled.

This remark immediately heightened the two's vigilance!

With their senses on high alert, the trio wandered aimlessly. As they delved deeper, the crimson earth was littered with numerous large and small ravines. Among some crimson sands, they even spotted shattered weapons, exuding a desolate aura.

"This seems to be the most intense battleground," Jiang Yun remarked after walking for about ten minutes. The traces on the ground indicated this spot was where the fiercest battles had occurred. Jiang Yun even spotted fragments of artifacts and sacred objects among them!

Deeper within, they eventually saw mountain peaks rising at the edge of their vision. On these peaks, ancient city walls could be faintly seen.

"Let's go have a look," Jiang Yun's eyes lit up as he spoke, quickly heading toward the city walls. Medusa and Zi Yan exchanged glances and swiftly followed on either side of him.

Upon closer inspection, the trio found a dilapidated city wall, marked everywhere with signs of battle. Even now, the dark red stains on it testified to the brutal wars that once raged there. This space had been silent for tens of thousands of years, presenting an air of desolation. However, remnants of enigmatic auras lingered on the city walls. Though too faint to form anything coherent, they still imposed a sense of inexplicable pressure on Jiang Yun and his companions. It was evident that in ancient times, this place was occupied by extremely terrifying powerhouses, who could shake the heavens and earth with just a thought. Even remnants of their auras struggled to dissipate after thousands of years, still imposing a sense of oppression.

Inside the city walls, clear ruins of ancient cities were visible, all of which had been utterly destroyed. This must have been one of the front lines of the ancient war!

"Xiao Yun, look over there!" Zi Yan suddenly exclaimed, pointing in a direction.

Jiang Yun and Medusa followed her gaze to see the ruins of a grand hall filled with skeletal remains. Some of these skeletons were positioned as if gazing at the sky, others staring ahead, exhibiting various postures. However, they all shared a common characteristic: their expressions were frozen in terror, as if something horrifying had descended upon them from all directions.

"The brutality of the ancient war far exceeds our imagination," Medusa said solemnly, her thoughts turning to her snake-human tribe. If her tribe faced a similar crisis in the future and she were powerless to resist, would her tribesmen have the same expressions? This thought sent a chill down her spine. Yet, when she turned to see Jiang Yun's back, her heart instantly calmed, a gentle smile appearing on her lips. Everything seemed to have changed now. She had witnessed a broader sky and now had wider aspirations. Everything was becoming different.

"What a pity. The time elapsed and the erosion by the surrounding evil aura have rendered these artifacts and storage bracelets useless!" Jiang Yun muttered, squatting to inspect a weapon and storage bracelet on a skeleton. As he picked them up, they crumbled into dust. Both women also felt disappointed. If these items had been functional, they would have represented a great fortune!

After surveying the area and finding nothing of value, Jiang Yun's gaze turned further afield. "Let's move on; there's nothing valuable here. We're not deep enough yet, as we haven't encountered any other teams."

Without hesitation, the trio sped off, transforming into streams of light heading toward the inner city. Along the way, they finally started noticing many strong figures. These figures seemed surprised at the trio's appearance but couldn't afford to harbor any ill intentions upon recognizing their profound strength.

After a while, the three stopped near a dilapidated grand hall. Their arrival seemed to trigger something, for whooshing sounds continuously approached from afar, and countless figures quickly drew near. The area became bustling with activity! Numerous groups eyed each other cautiously, none speaking, as they scrutinized the relatively intact grand hall, trying to find an entrance.

Soon, Jiang Yun and his companions stopped at a corridor's end where a tightly closed stone door lay. More figures continued to arrive, obviously aware of this peculiar location. Within a few minutes, the area was swarmed with people.

Jiang Yun scanned the surroundings, his gaze sharpening as he noticed members of the Fire Spirit Clan among the crowd. Many of these figures emanated astounding spiritual power, surpassing even the formidable physical experts they'd encountered earlier. It seemed that more than those from earlier had come to explore the ruins. There must be other entrances.

"Be cautious; plenty of tough folks are here," Medusa reminded as she sensed the powerful auras around them.

"Look, the door is opening!" A shout broke the tension, causing a stir. Everyone looked and saw the stone door slowly opening, releasing a faint fragrance that invigorated all present.

"Charge!" Overcome with excitement, someone dashed toward the hall, prompting everyone to rush in.

"We should go too!" Seeing the crowd, Zi Yan grew anxious. Jiang Yun, seeing it was about time, hurriedly pulled along Zi Yan and Medusa toward the hall. Turning into streaks of light, the trio quickly entered the grand hall.

Inside, the hall was brighter than outside. It was spacious, with numerous passages extending forward, leading deeper into the hall. Upon entering, Zi Yan sniffed the air, her eyes lighting up, and she exclaimed, "Xiao Yun, I sense treasure!"

Jiang Yun was delighted. This was the treasure-seeking dragon in action! Following Zi Yan's lead, the trio soon came to a hall brimming with ancient vibes, with three grand characters inscribed on it.

"Pill Refining Room!"

At the end of the corridor, four stone beasts guarded the pill room's only exit, like sentinels. Instinctively, Jiang Yun felt these stone beasts were unusual, but they lacked any spiritual power, making him believe it might be his imagination. Just then, slight noises from behind indicated others had arrived. Without overthinking, Jiang Yun called out and hurried into the spacious hall.

Once inside, their view broadened. Rows of wooden shelves meticulously held countless jade bottles, some still faintly emanating spiritual power, indicating the presence of surviving pills. Jiang Yun gave the shelves a quick glance but decisively led Zi Yan deeper into the pill hall, finding stairs to the second floor.

Medusa, trusting Jiang Yun's judgment, swiftly followed him. Jiang Yun deduced that most pills on the first floor were sixth grade and below, which weren't worth their time. They were racing against time, with many teams eyeing them from behind!

Zi Yan, left unchecked, might have indulged in the vast array of pills. Seconds later, several teams stormed the first floor, their eyes reddening at the sight of so many pills, and a scuffle ensued.

On the second floor, the number of pills was significantly less than on the first floor. Yet the existing pills here seemed better preserved, indicating higher quality. Jiang Yun reasoned they might have already been used up, given the ancient war setting. He found several seventh-grade pills after some searching, including some far ancient ones he couldn't recognize. With the diminishing aura on the first floor, Jiang Yun led Medusa and Zi Yan to the third floor.

"These must be the legendary eighth-grade pills!" Even the usually indifferent Medusa couldn't hide her excitement. Eighth-grade pills were legendary! "Maybe," Jiang Yun replied casually, prepared to find nothing. Considering the high consumption of high-grade pills in ancient wars, he wouldn't be disappointed by an empty hall.

Reaching the third floor, the hall was smaller, but their eyes were immediately drawn to its ceiling. Even Jiang Yun couldn't help but feel excited. The ceiling was filled with brilliant spiritual light, resembling a starry sky with countless shining pills that appeared as stars.

"Jackpot!" The trio exchanged looks of shock and excitement. Such many eighth-grade pills were unparalleled, even compared to those in Dou Qi Continent. Only perhaps the Pill Tower matched this.

"Eighth-grade pills possess intelligence, and some even have combat capabilities. Be cautious; don't go after the highest quality ones recklessly. We're pressed for time, with others hot on our heels. Aim to acquire the most possible pills quickly," Jiang Yun instructed calmly.

Both women nodded solemnly at Jiang Yun's words, then swiftly leaped toward the floating pills, using giant spiritual hands to break barriers and collect the pills quickly. Thankfully, while these eighth-grade pills had intelligence, their combat strength was lacking. If they had been ninth-grade pills, they would have had to flee.

As they each gathered several pills, a dull thud resounded... (Chapter ends)