149: Chapter 148: Returning Empty-Handed [Extra Chapter for Alliance Hierarch Stephen T] 149: Chapter 148: Returning Empty-Handed [Extra Chapter for Alliance Hierarch Stephen T] The four searched the palace again, disheartened to find nothing but a skeleton.
Upon reflection, what valuable items could possibly be sustained in such an environment, with such friends and under such dark, sunless conditions?
There were no cultivation objects, no use for the magic artifact of a skeleton—his own bones were the best artifacts; elixirs were useless without a stomach, tossed into the mouth only to roll out between the ribs, or perhaps straight out at the collarbone…
Looking at the empty hall, Hou Niao sighed.
Was this all just killing time?
“Wang Mian, take the bones back, along with those bee corpses.
Perhaps the elders in our sect could identify their origins?”
Their current level of skill and limited Realm perspective meant many hidden things remained unseen, yet Wang Mian merely shook his head,
The elders in the sect won’t appreciate them, and there’s no point in disgusting them; besides, I only have three Treasure Gourds—one for the Sword, sacred and inviolable; one for wine, as I don’t indulge in brewing tiger bone or ant liquor; and one…”
Hou Niao, growing impatient, interrupted him, “Fine, fine, fine, can I bring them?”
Wang Mian was impeccable in his work, if occasionally absent-minded; Hou knew this was a form of spiritual struggle, not wanting to feel like an accessory to his senior brother, which led to various acts of defiance.
There was only one Fang Yazi, besides, he had no interest in gathering followers, and it wasn’t suitable under his other identity.
The value of these bones was unclear; but following the principle of ‘who kills, who collects,’ it would be inappropriate for Little Immortal Huang to covet them; they held no relation to his path, and weasels aren’t skilled at artifact refining, though they excel in formation expertise comparatively.
Hou Niao had many Treasure Gourds; taking an empty one, he began collecting bones and noticed a nondescript, unremarkable mark on the sole of the skeleton’s foot—a lotus flower?
He had been directly involved in the carnage, clearly remembering the scene as he struck the skeleton—bones flying about, all other skeletons displaced except for this segment of foot bone, stationary?
Little Immortal Huang wasn’t careless and had inspected these bones closely, focusing on key parts like the skull and ribcage; numerous bones, impossible to scrutinize each one.
A lotus flower, faint and indistinct, on the sole of the foot bone?
Not thinking too much about it, he tossed it into the Treasure Gourd.
Some things might not make sense now, but when he reached a higher Realm and broader vision, looking back might offer a different perspective.
In many nations, carving a totemic design as a personal totem is common—nothing startling.
Little Immortal Huang approached him, “Hou young friend, what shall we do next?”
Hou Niao understood its intent—probing for any clues he might have acquired before others arrived.
It was not about uncovering secrets; with Little Immortal Huang’s cunning, human secrets hardly mattered.
It was eager to know if Hou Niao’s objectives were met and thus determine the next move.
“The Jade Skull is destroyed, and with the death of the giant rat demon couple, I believe there might be nothing left worth exploring here.
Elder, please decide our next course of action; I have no objections.”
Huang Xiaoxian smiled with beaming eyes, being truly reluctant to linger in this place any longer than necessary.
The gains were limited, the dangers significant—why bother?
“In this case, shall I take the liberty then?
Let’s at least finish exploring the lower palace chambers to see what else we can find.
After that, we can just head back the same way we came.
The flooding in Suqiu has caused quite a stir.
Once the rain stops above, we might still have to face inquiries from various forces in Yinling.”
The four of them reached an agreement and felt much more relaxed because, so far, three dangerous beings in Ksitigarbha Palace had been eliminated.
There couldn’t possibly be any more, right?
They were fortunate; during their subsequent search, they discovered the real treasure trove of the Giant Rat clan.
The items here, in terms of quality, were far better than the common goods encountered earlier.
Although it couldn’t be considered a rapid fortune, Spirit Stones, precious materials, useful Magic Artifacts, and some bizarre objects were amicably and fairly divided between the parties, without any disputes over resources.
This was something Hou Niao and Huang Xiaoxian deliberately did, fully aware that in the future, amidst the changing vicissitudes of Yinling, they would need each other’s support.
It would be a significant loss to fall out over minor resources.
For Hou Niao, it was never a matter of entrusting his Cultivation future to scavenging—how ignorant would one have to be to think that?
In this world of Cultivation, resources could determine many things, but what truly determined the future were higher, ineffable levels of understanding, conveyed more by instinct than explicit expression.
Huang Laotian indeed had some ability, just as Huang Xiaoxian had mentioned.
On their way back, he clearly remembered every fork in the road, not once taking a wrong turn, and smoothly they emerged from the cave entrance.
As soon as he came out, Huang Xiaoxian took a long breath and shuddered, “Young friend, don’t blame old Huang for being timid, but what I fear most in Ksitigarbha Palace is a collapse.
If we really got trapped inside, we would not have the ability of my burrowing friend!”
“You, those Earthquake Bombs, were really too ruthless.”
Hou Niao patted old Huang—a touch that would be impossible for a yellow mongoose, as they don’t allow any other species to touch them; but this was a tacit understanding, like him reverently calling himself old Huang, it was a way to express closeness.
“I’m scared too, but I have to endure.
Otherwise, we couldn’t have entered the cave at all!”
Huang Xiaoxian shook his whiskers, “Young friend, this endurance…”
Hou Niao laughed heartily, “The key to pretense isn’t how much you pretend, but that you must outlast and go deeper than others…
It seems that the trip to Suqiu is settled, there isn’t any need to leave people here waiting for nothing.
And they won’t catch anything.”
“We still have some minor matters to attend to, I don’t know if old Huang you…”
Huang Xiaoxian nodded, “As it should be.
In Suqiu, I’ll leave three of my clan members to continue guarding for another ten days.
For the rest of my clan, I’m planning to visit a few other places.
As I know, the Giant Rat clan has several branches in Yinling—it’s not right to unfairly favor one over another.”
This old fellow was truly cautious when necessary and ruthlessly firm when needed, clearly intending to seize the moment to secure an advantage.
“Old Huang, do you need any help?”
Huang Xiaoxian waved his hand, full of bold spirit, “Not necessary!
I refrained from taking action before only because I dreaded the strength of the Ksitigarbha Palace Giant Rat clan.
Now that their roots have been uprooted, why would the young friend need to lift a finger?
“We can handle it ourselves.
We must send them off properly to not be unworthy of a neighborly relationship.”