novelden Chapter 169 - 145: Hidden Spring Secret Collection
Chapter 169 - 145: Hidden Spring Secret Collection
Deeper in the Barbaric Wilderness, the vegetation was overgrown and the branches were dense, unsuitable for massive Camel Beasts like the Flying Manta Rays to penetrate. After leaving enough people behind to guard the Flying Manta Rays, Fang Qingyuan led the main party further into the depths.
The first hundred li of the Wilderness Forest from the border of human territory wasn’t very dangerous. Beyond that, however, one could encounter Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts. A few hundred li further still, and Golden Core Demon Beasts would occasionally appear to roam and hunt. Under those circumstances, a Qi Cultivation Cultivator’s death was all but certain.
Therefore, Fang Qingyuan concluded that the three Wen Brothers had gone one or two hundred li deep at most. They wouldn’t dare venture any further.
She Xi Yu, Zhao Xiangchen, and the several Patriarchs who had come to lend a hand were gathered around Fang Qingyuan. Liu Yi, however, kept a slight distance, a flicker of hesitation in his heart.
Seeing that Fang Qingyuan was truly here to capture the three Wen Brothers, and that he had brought so many people simply to conduct a large-scale search, Liu Yi felt he finally understood the situation. He immediately grew hesitant about venturing deeper into the Barbaric Wilderness.
Fang Qingyuan noticed Liu Yi’s expression and said with a smile:
"Elder Liu, you don’t wish to proceed? If you have other concerns, please feel free to depart."
Having his thoughts spoken aloud by Fang Qingyuan, Liu Yi felt his face flush with embarrassment. ’Fang Qingyuan, a mere Qi Cultivation Cultivator, dares to venture deep into the Barbaric Wilderness to hunt Tribulation Cultivators, yet I, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, am getting cold feet,’ he thought. ’If word of this gets out, how will I ever show my face again?’
So, Liu Yi waved his hand in dismissal and said:
"It’s nothing. Let’s continue. I’ll do my part to help capture these Tribulation Cultivators."
Seeing that Liu Yi wasn’t leaving, Fang Qingyuan paid him no further mind and led the group of experts, pushing single-mindedly deeper into the wilderness.
With the Eagle’s Eye of Illusion-Breaking scouting from above, Spirit Dogs tracking on the ground, and several Armor-Piercing Beasts searching for concentrated Spiritual Power underground, the Wen Brothers stood no chance. Though they were long-time Tribulation Cultivators with considerable wealth, their mere Qi Cultivation levels were no match for the methods of the Beast Taming Sect.
In less than half a day, their trail was discovered at a deep pool in a mountain ravine.
This was a Nether Spring, its surface only seventy or eighty feet across, but its depths were so profound that even with the strength of his Divine Sense, Fang Qingyuan couldn’t immediately probe its bottom.
Seeing the pack of Spirit Dogs barking incessantly at the pool, Fang Qingyuan had them led away. Then he signaled for everyone to encircle it completely.
By now, everyone present understood that the ultimate target of their journey was hiding beneath the water. Without waiting for Fang Qingyuan’s command, several Cultivators pulled out various Talismans and hurled them into the pool.
After dozens of Blazing Talismans were tossed into the water, just as the pool was about to boil, the three Wen Brothers hastily flew out. The one in the lead shouted loudly:
"We have no quarrel with any of you! Why do you press us so relentlessly?"
Fang Qingyuan sneered and said:
"’No quarrel?’ Open your dog eyes and take a good look! Who here doesn’t have a blood feud with you? Stop playing innocent."
The eldest Wen Brother noticed that the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators hadn’t spoken, while Fang Qingyuan, a mere Late-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator, was the one to speak up. Moreover, the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators showed no sign of displeasure after he spoke. Realizing Fang Qingyuan’s status must be extraordinary, he immediately asked:
"Fellow Daoist, I don’t recall ever offending you. If you tell me what this is about, I’m willing to offer compensation in Spirit Stones, if that would suffice."
"A month ago, you raided my trade route and murdered my mortal subjects. Have you forgotten already?"
"Ah, just for that? Surely you can’t be serious."
Seeing that the eldest Wen Brother was still trying to talk his way out of it, and just then Jinbao tugged on his sleeve, Fang Qingyuan said impatiently:
"All of you, take your revenge. Just be careful not to kill them all. I still have questions for them."
The moment Fang Qingyuan spoke, the Cultivators who held a grudge against the Wen Brothers could no longer restrain themselves. In the next instant, the light of dozens of Magical Artifacts and Talismans flared, raining down upon the three brothers.
But an instant later, the Magical Artifacts all struck empty air. The figures of the Wen Brothers were merely an illusion, created by a high-grade Illusion Talisman. Their real bodies were still at the bottom of the pool, trying to burrow even deeper.
The Wen Brothers’ trick had fooled almost everyone. Fang Qingyuan curled his lip and commanded:
"Into the pool!"
The surface of the deep pool wasn’t large, but the space beneath the water was, shaped like an inverted gourd with a narrow opening and a wide base. The water here was even connected to other underground Dark Rivers through a network of passages.
The Cultivators all descended using their own methods. Some performed the hand seals for a Water Avoidance Technique, others enveloped themselves with Magical Artifacts, and some simply relied on the toughness of their physical bodies.
On Fang Qingyuan’s side, She Xi Yu cast a Water Element Technique, creating a massive bubble that enveloped many of the cultivators.
As soon as they entered the pool, Jinbao tugged on Fang Qingyuan’s sleeve again, pointing toward a hidden spot to the side. Fang Qingyuan scanned it with his Dharma Eye but detected nothing out of the ordinary.
Seeing that Fang Qingyuan didn’t understand, Jinbao began to gesture wildly. Thankfully, after so many years together, Fang Qingyuan could understand its frantic motions. Jinbao was telling him that there was a large Array beneath the pool, and the spot it had pointed to was one of the entrances.
None of the other Cultivators could make sense of Jinbao’s gestures; only Fang Qingyuan understood. He was inwardly startled by Jinbao’s discovery but kept his expression neutral, merely giving a subtle nod to show he understood.
No one else present was aware of Jinbao’s discovery, not even the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators who lacked the perception to see it. This was all thanks to one of Jinbao’s innate Talents: the Golden Eye of Truth.
This innate Divine Technique allowed Jinbao to see through and be immune to all mind-affecting techniques cast by those at a lower level of power than itself.
The Illusion Talisman the Wen Brothers had used earlier had fooled most of the cultivators, but it had not deceived Jinbao’s eyes.
As for the hidden underwater Array, it was imperceptibly clouding everyone’s senses, causing them to unconsciously overlook its very existence.
’The cultivator who set up this Array must have an incredibly high cultivation base,’ Fang Qingyuan thought. ’Perhaps even a Golden Core Cultivator. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to deceive both She Xi Yu and Liu Yi.’
But that person could never have imagined that their handiwork would be seen through by a small bear.
In truth, the creator of the Array had been exceptionally skilled, but their work was no match for Jinbao’s absurdly powerful Talent. Once the Golden Eye of Truth was active, very few things could fool it. Furthermore, the Array had been active for who knows how long; without its master to maintain it, flaws were bound to appear.
After learning this, Fang Qingyuan pretended he was none the wiser. He pulled Jinbao close, ruffled the fur on its head, and then continued the pursuit of the Wen Brothers.
No matter how cunning or resourceful the Wen Brothers were, they couldn’t escape. Faced with the pursuit of dozens of experts and locked on by the spiritual senses of two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they were finally captured and dragged to the surface.
As for the coordinated-attack formation that the Wen Brothers were famous for—one supposedly capable of dealing with a Foundation Establishment Cultivator—they never even got the chance to deploy it before it was shattered by the dozens of attacking Cultivators.
In a clearing above the Nether Spring, Fang Qingyuan sat in a chair. Someone had already prepared hot tea and was serving it to the group.
Except for those who had a personal vendetta against the Wen Brothers, the rest of the Cultivators instinctively fanned out over a radius of about a li, standing guard for Fang Qingyuan.
When the three Wen Brothers were brought before him, their collarbones pierced and bound by iron chains, Fang Qingyuan took a slow sip of his Spirit Tea. He looked at them and said:
"Speak. Who ordered you to raid my trade route?"
The eldest Wen Brother’s face was ashen, but his tone was defiant. He stuck out his neck and said forcefully:
"No one ordered us. Kill me or torture me, do whatever you want."
Looking at the defiant eldest brother, Fang Qingyuan let out a laugh. He said mockingly:
"A loyal Tribulation Cultivator? How interesting. I already know the answer, even if you won’t tell me. I was just giving you a chance. Since you don’t want it, I won’t be so courteous. My Beast Taming Sect has countless ways to deal with tight-lipped Cultivators like you. Senior Brother Zhao, please be so kind as to demonstrate."
Zhao Xiangchen, standing to the side, gave a nod. Expressionless, he yanked the chain piercing the eldest Wen Brother’s collarbone and dragged him away to begin his work.
Then Fang Qingyuan looked at the two remaining Wen Brothers and said:
"Do you know how my Senior Brother is going to deal with your older brother? First, Senior Brother Zhao will stuff him into a large jar. Then, he’ll make countless small incisions all over his body, exposing the flesh and blood. Finally, he’ll smear some Flower Nectar all over the wounds. Just like that, your brother will become a delectable feast for all the bugs.
At that point, we’ll leave the jar near an anthill. When the ants discover such a delicious meal, they’ll call all their friends to help drag it back to their nest. Just imagine... the feeling of being eaten alive by tens of thousands of ants. Can you imagine the pain?"
These words terrified the third Wen Brother, who began to tremble uncontrollably. The second brother was slightly tougher; he started shouting curses, hoping to anger Fang Qingyuan enough to be granted a quick death.
Finding him noisy, Fang Qingyuan sealed his mouth with Spiritual Power and had him taken away to receive the same treatment as his eldest brother.
Only the third Wen Brother, who had always been sheltered by his two older brothers and possessed a weaker character, remained. After seeing the gruesome fate of his siblings, he confessed everything.
With this confession, Fang Qingyuan now had a justifiable reason to move against the mastermind behind the raids.
Truthfully, Fang Qingyuan could have launched an attack without the confession. However, doing so would have damaged his reputation and could even have affected the revenue of the Yuanling Square Marketplace. If other Loose Cultivators saw him acting so tyrannically, they would become too afraid to do business there.
But acting with just cause would garner understanding and support, allowing him to occupy the moral high ground.
After ordering his subordinates to officially document the confession, Fang Qingyuan had the others set up camp where they were. He then took Jinbao and returned to the depths of the Nether Spring, starting to explore inward according to Jinbao’s guidance.
As if navigating a maze, Fang Qingyuan followed Jinbao’s lead, every step taking him along the correct path. After a journey that was not overly long, the secret hidden beneath the Array finally revealed itself to him.