C19 A Peerless Treasure

Master Silversword regarded Hu Nao with contempt. "A mere Seventh Heaven in the Body Tempering Realm dares to ambush me, several realms below my own. He really overestimates himself. Isn't he afraid the backlash might kill him? However, I must admit, your martial arts are impressive. Once I've captured you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a flash of blood and a dark gold energy wave severed his right shoulder.

"Awwooo..."

Master Silversword wailed in agony as he quickly pressed on his severed limb with his left hand, sealing the acupoints to prevent excessive bleeding.

In an instant, his energy was in disarray, and the sword qi he emitted began to collapse.

Nan Xi seized the moment, shifting from defense to offense with a powerful punch.

A colossal shadow of a fist burst forth, shattering through the sword qi and striking Master Silversword's chest with such force that the sound of breaking bones sent shivers down one's spine.

"Ahhhh..."

Master Silversword let out another agonized scream, collapsing to the ground, as powerless as a dead dog. His right arm was severed, and his chest ribs were more than half shattered, completely robbing him of his ability to fight.

Hu Nao moved like a flash, covering dozens of feet in an instant, and stomped on Master Silversword's face. "Facing you head-on, I stand no chance. But to die from a counterstrike during an ambush? That would be too pathetic."

Nan Xi also arrived, flashing a thumbs-up at Hu Nao. "Young Master, that was a masterful move! Still as a mountain before the strike, brewing with lethal intent. Then, with the force of a thunderbolt, you unleash an unstoppable assault. You're truly a matchless assassin!"

Hu Nao offered a faint smile, standing tall in the wind with his clothes billowing, embodying the aura of a solitary master. His gaze turned cold and menacing as he looked down at Master Silversword, the smile vanishing from his face. "You vile creature, not only have you conspired with Qin Feng, but you also dared to harass my Nan Xi. What use do we have for you now? Time for you to descend to hell!" With those words, he channeled his Qi, invoking the formidable power of the Three Dragons and Three Elephants.

A domineering aura permeated the air. Master Silversword felt as if not a person, but a prehistoric behemoth was trampling on his face. One more ounce of pressure, and his skull would shatter, ending his life instantly.

It was only then that he realized Hu Nao's cultivation level, though seemingly low, was not to be underestimated. Far from an average practitioner of the Seventh Heaven in Body Tempering, Hu Nao's prowess nearly matched that of the Eighth Heaven and was closing in on the Ninth Heaven. He had foolishly underestimated him.

"Please, Young Master, spare my life. I have something to say..." Master Silversword pleaded, his words slurred as Hu Nao's foot deformed his mouth.

At this stage of the confrontation, what could he possibly have to say other than to plead for his life?

Nan Xi?

The name rang a bell. Master Silversword suddenly recalled the recent uproar in Egluarsall—the incident of Hu Bugui adopting a girl. He blurted out, "You must be Young Master Hu Nao and Miss Nan Xi, correct? Please, don't kill me. I have vital information that could be a matter of life and death for Young Master Hu Nao!"

Seeing that the old man had lost his ability to fight, Hu Nao saw no need to rush the killing blow. "Indeed, I am Hu Nao, and she is Nan Xi. I'm aware of your collusion with Qin Feng. You must have heard about the death match between us in six months. Speak, if you have information that could be of use to me, sparing your life is not out of the question."

Master Silversword, sensing a glimmer of hope for survival, relaxed slightly. After a moment's contemplation, he said, "Young Master, you must be on this journey to swiftly enhance your cultivation, in preparation for the upcoming death match, am I right?"

"Don't play coy, you old cur. Don't try to bait me into your scheme and gain the upper hand," Hu Nao retorted sharply, seeing right through Master Silversword's intentions. "My patience has its limits. If you wish to live, skip the nonsense and get to the point!"

"Yes, yes, yes." Master Silversword hadn't expected Hu Nao to be so astute and practically impregnable. His anxiety flared up again as he hurriedly said, "I heard that you, Young Master, were at the Sixth Heaven of Body Tempering just yesterday, and today you've reached the Seventh Heaven. It seems my Sunroot must have been ingested by you, for without it, such a breakthrough would be incredibly challenging. You certainly wouldn't have been able to advance so swiftly... Ah, ah, ah, please don't step on me. I'll get to the point. The point is that rare treasures and panaceas are the only shortcuts to breaking through realms. As it happens, I am privy to an unparalleled treasure trove, containing items a million times more valuable than the Sunroot. Spare my life, Young Master, and I will lead you to it!"

Hmm?

Intrigued, Hu Nao eased the pressure on his foot. "Go on, give me the details."

Master Silversword immediately felt a wave of relief and quickly divulged the full story.

He had been on the wanted list of several major cities in the Northlands and couldn't risk being seen in crowded places. Opting for seclusion, he took to the deep mountains and forests, where he continued his cultivation and explored various perilous locales in search of rare treasures. Over the years, he had indeed discovered many valuable items, including the Sunroot that Hu Nao and Nan Xi had consumed, which he had stumbled upon the previous year.

The "peerless treasure" he mentioned was no exaggeration—it was, in fact, a Dragonfang Rat nest!

At the mention of "Dragonfang Rat," Hu Nao's eyes blazed with excitement. "Are you certain it's a Dragonfang Rat nest? You're not deceiving me?"

The Dragonfang Rat was a spirit animal with ties to the Nagas.

Ancient texts recount that in the primordial era, when the heavens and earth were undivided, numerous formidable beasts roamed, such as the ancient Blazing Flame Lion, the Golden-Eyed Snow Tiger, the holy beast Kun Peng, the Five-Colored Divine Ox, the Qilin, the Phoenix, the Gloomfang, and others. Each possessed divine powers to reverse Yin and Yang and to turn the world on its head.

Among these creatures, the Nagas were the mightiest, having forcibly interbred with many species, leaving behind a vast progeny.

The Dragonfang Rat is a descendant of the Nagas and the Gloomfang Rat. Legend has it that this creature possesses the teeth of a dragon and the body of a Gloomfang Rat, making it exceptionally skilled at gathering all sorts of rare treasures. Anyone lucky enough to discover its lair could potentially ascend to great heights and strike it rich.

"So, Young Master Hu is aware of the Dragonfang Rat," Master Silversword remarked, his face still pinned under Hu Nao's foot as he lay curled up on the ground, struggling to speak. "I am certain it's a Dragonfang Rat. I stumbled upon it earlier this year and have been monitoring it monthly. The creature is at the Ninth Heaven of Body Tempering, and I was at the same level, unsure if I could defeat it. Fearing I might startle it, I refrained from acting hastily and decided to wait until I advanced to Spirit Speak."

"I once consumed a Sunroot, but another from the cave wouldn't be as effective. I thought of exchanging it for other panaceas to make the leap into Spirit Speak all at once."

"A few days ago, I learned that Qin Feng from Northwind Keep had arrived in Egluarsall, so I..."

In his bid to win Hu Nao's trust, Master Silversword spilled everything.

Hu Nao didn't need to guess why Master Silversword hadn't shared the Dragonfang Rat information with Qin Feng; it was clear he intended to keep the potential fortune to himself.

"Given the circumstances, I'll let you live," Hu Nao finally lifted his foot from Master Silversword's face.

Hu Nao knew that trusting the old man's words could be risky; what awaited him might not be a treasure but a trap, considering the old man had managed to evade capture by the major cities of the Northlands for decades. He must have had an escape plan.

Yet, for Hu Nao, achieving Spirit Speak within six months seemed an insurmountable task. If the Dragonfang Rat's treasure did exist, it offered a glimmer of hope. With no other choice, he was compelled to take the risk.

Fortunately, Master Silversword had been gravely injured, and together with Nan Xi, they could easily keep him in check. With a bit of caution, they need not fear any reprisal.

In the evening, the bitter wind raged and snowflakes danced through the air. Beneath a cliff sheltered from the wind and snow, a bonfire crackled warmly, providing a welcome respite from the cold.

Hu Nao sat cross-legged, meditating in silence, attuned to the shifts within his body since advancing to the Seventh Heaven of Body Tempering. On that day, the dark gold feather from the depths of Spring Lake had transformed into fire energy and infused his body, unlocking numerous wondrous effects. Regrettably, he was unaware of how much energy remained and fretted over the possibility of it being depleted.

With his current level of training energy to cultivate spirit, his inner breath and spirit were highly integrated, granting him an even more profound awareness of his physical state. Eyes closed and spirit concentrated, he could perceive the faint glimmers of dark gold flame coursing through his limbs and bones, exuding specks of fire essence that silently fortified his physique.

"No wonder my progression has been so rapid, ascending from the Fifth to the Seventh Heaven in mere days. The dark gold flames have been a constant source of energy," Hu Nao mused with delight.

Yet he knew the fire essence within the dark gold flames wasn't inexhaustible. "I estimate that by the time I reach the Ninth Heaven of Body Tempering and the Return to Origin stage, it will have been fully consumed," Hu Nao speculated internally. Though it was conjecture, he trusted his intuition to be accurate.

With the ability to discern the minutest details through training energy to cultivate spirit, how could he misjudge his own body's condition?

"I just hope Master Silversword wasn't deceiving us. Without a real Dragonfang Rat nest, advancing to Spirit Speak will be exceedingly challenging." Now aware of the dwindling supply of dark gold flames, Hu Nao couldn't help but feel anxious.

Despite the Hu family's status as a leading household in Egluarsall, with ample wealth and resources, they belonged to the family collective and couldn't be lavished solely on Hu Nao. Moreover, some items were beyond the reach of wealth, such as the Nirvana Pill and Sunroot.

To acquire rare treasures and unparalleled pills, he had to venture out on his own. With urgency pressing upon them, Hu Nao and Nan Xi, guided by Master Silversword, hastened toward the Dragonfang Rat nest with all their might.

Master Silversword had not disclosed the location of the preparations, and Hu Nao refrained from inquiring. He understood that this secret was the old man's sole lifeline, and any question on the matter would be in vain; the old man would never reveal it.

The mountains and trees lay blanketed in snow...

In this world cloaked in silver, untouched by a speck of dust, it was effortless to cast aside worldly troubles and cleanse the soul, refining one's sentiments.

In recent days, Hu Nao had been traveling without rest, lacking the opportunity for meditation and cultivation. Yet, amidst the widespread snowy baptism of the mountains and plains, his spirit grew increasingly transcendent, as pure as a newborn and as serene as an enlightened monk. In this way, he was solidifying his cultivation through an alternative method.

The whooshing wind buzzed in his ears, disrupting his hearing, yet he could still discern the sounds of wild beasts hunting, birds taking flight, and serpents slithering within a mile's reach.

Only with a formidable spirit and heightened senses could one achieve such awareness.