A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 169 Four Treasures and Auspicious Symbols
Tong Zhan frowned slightly upon hearing this, looked at the reclusive cultivator, and said, "What Spirit Gathering Pearl? This is a treasure given to me by my elder brother."

The five elders, who arrived late, were shocked to see Tong Zhen recovering some of his life force. They also heard the hermit talking about a Spirit Gathering Pearl from afar. Elder Jin stepped forward and immediately asked, "What is the origin of this pearl?"

Upon hearing this, the hermit exclaimed excitedly, "This Spirit Gathering Pearl is no ordinary object; it is a treasure of the immortals. It was once the personal possession of Master Gu Xu, the master of the True Martial Hall. Later, it was given to Long Yu, the ancestor of the Long family, who then passed it down as a family heirloom along with the Divine Dragon Sword."

Upon hearing the hermit's words, the elders all showed expressions of shock. The name Zhenwu Hall might not be known in the martial arts world today, but they knew its origins very well, and in their eyes, Daoist Gu Xu was already a god-like figure.

"This Spirit Gathering Pearl has such a great background, then my elder brother..."

Tong Zhan couldn't continue speaking at this point, probably because of his own reasons that Long Bo had taken it out and lent it to him.

"Tong Zhan, you did a bad job on this matter." Elder Jin had already learned of the treasure's value from the hermit, and the only thing in the Water Moon Cave Heaven that could compare to it was the Spirit Mirror.

Tong Zhan felt very guilty upon hearing this, but he was also conflicted. On one hand, there was his father, and on the other hand, there was morality and ethics. He didn't want to give up either of them.

Just as he was struggling with this thought, Tong Zhen, who had been unconscious for a long time, opened his eyes. Yin Xiu was the first to notice and immediately exclaimed with delight, "Clan leader, you're awake!"

The hermit hurriedly helped Tong Zhen up, and the others immediately surrounded him, all looking at Tong Zhen with concern.

"Tong Zhan, return this pearl to Long Bo. I cannot use it."

As he spoke, Tong Zhen carefully took the Spirit Gathering Pearl off his chest and handed it to Tong Zhan. The latter, seeing his father's determined expression, dared not disobey and accepted it with both hands.

"Being able to use this pearl to delay things for half a month is already a blessing from heaven and earth. You must not be greedy. Tong Zhan, as the next clan leader, you are still so reckless. You are going to live in seclusion in Shuiyue Cave, are you trying to drag the Tong clan into an abyss of no return?!"

Tong Zhen's face turned an unnatural red, and he coughed several times. The hermit quickly channeled his true energy into him, which gradually calmed him down.

With the help of the Spirit Gathering Pearl in Tongzhen, and given his own considerable cultivation, he easily discovered that Tong Zhan was tainted with a worldly aura that did not belong to Shuiyue Cave Heaven. Needless to say, he must have secretly left the barrier, and with a little guess, it was probably for his own sake.

"Father, I dare not do it again." Seeing his father's weak appearance, Tong Zhan immediately knelt down to admit his mistake. He regretted leaving Shuiyue Cave. Not only did he take his elder brother's ancestral heirloom, but he also almost caused Tong Xin to become a demon.

Upon hearing this, Tong Zhen waved his hand, signaling Tong Zhan to leave. The latter dared not say anything more and got up to leave the prayer square.

After Tong Zhan left, Tong Zhen roused himself and said to Elder Jin, "Elder Jin, the clan leader succession ceremony must be held within half a month, otherwise, once the time is up, we will have to wait another twenty years."

Elder Jin replied, "Don't worry, Clan Leader, everything is ready. However, regarding the Clan Leader's health..."

"I can hold on for half a month, and besides, I still have the pills left by Elder Tianxing, which is enough."

The hermit opened his mouth as if to say something, but then kept his mouth shut. The others looked solemn. Before Elder Tianxing went into seclusion, he had already calculated the clan leader's time limit and specially left behind a pill with extremely strong medicinal power, which could restore the former vitality of a person with little life left in a short time.

"Go down and get ready."

Seeing the worried looks on their faces, Tong Zhen spoke calmly without offering any further explanation.

Upon hearing this, Elder Jin and the others bowed and then left, leaving only the reclusive cultivator behind.

"Clan leader, are we really going to take that 'Yellow Spring Step Pill'? I have some Qi-replenishing Pills that might be able to help."

"No need for further explanation. Elder Tianxing had already foreseen today's events. When the clan leader passes on the position, the inheritance mark must be passed on to the successor. This process consumes a large amount of true energy. Although the Replenishing Yuan Pill is quite effective, it is not enough to make up for the loss. Once the inheritance is interrupted, it will be Tongzhen's fault."

Upon hearing Tong Zhen's words, Yin Xiu said no more. It was indeed true that the transfer of the clan leader's inheritance mark would severely damage the user's vitality. If Tong Zhen were at his peak, he would naturally not be in mortal danger, but now, for the sake of the clan's future, no mistakes could be made.

As for the use of the Spirit Gathering Pearl, the recluse didn't even mention it. This item is a treasure passed down through the Long family. Being able to borrow it even once is already a great honor. If he were to use it to help him complete his mission, even if Tong Zhen survived, he would have no face to face the patriarchs of the past generations.

Outside, at Yujian Manor

Two days have passed since the defeat of Tianqin Mountain. During this time, the spectators have all left. At this moment, in the main hall, Yin Hao is discussing matters with Yin Jun.

“Brother, yesterday, Tianhe found Zhong Ping’s body in the Broken Soul Forest, and all the flesh and blood of the body had disappeared, as if it had been drained.”

Upon learning of this, Yin Jun personally went to investigate and asked the village's expert coroner to carefully examine the body, confirming that the deceased was indeed Zhong Ping.

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao frowned and then said, "We didn't stop her that day, and Liu Xuanwei had already sent her men to escort her. How could she have been murdered? Have any other corpses been found around the Broken Soul Forest?"

"No, there are no signs of a struggle. This is strange. Either the person who did it is highly skilled in martial arts and quickly cleaned up the traces, or the person who did it is an acquaintance."

Yin Jun actually suspected that Liu Xuanwei was the one who did it, but he didn't have any solid evidence.

After hearing this, Yin Hao pondered for a moment before asking, "Are there any martial arts techniques in the martial world that involve absorbing flesh and blood to cultivate skill?"

Yin Jun thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He said, "There really is such a skill, called the Bloodthirsty Demon Art. This skill emphasizes absorbing blood and qi to increase one's power, especially the flesh and blood of martial artists, which is the most beloved ingredient for this skill. However, a little over a hundred years ago, the last person to practice this skill, Daoist Huoyang, died at the hands of our ancestor, and this skill gradually disappeared. Brother, you mean..."

Yin Jun snapped out of his daze and was startled. Could it be that someone who cultivated this skill had reappeared and was colluding with Tianqin Mountain, intending to harm Yujian Manor? The more Yin Jun thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He looked at Yin Hao.

"This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated. I'll go ask our ancestor later; he must know the reason behind it."

Although he didn't want to rely on his ancestors, the enemy was currently in the shadows while his own side was in the open. If the enemy wanted to do something underhanded, Yujian Manor might not be able to find out. This feeling of being spied on made Yin Hao very unhappy.

"That's fine too. It's all because we younger generations are so disappointing. If we had the power and prestige of our ancestor Yin Qing back then, how could these clowns dare to be so arrogant!"

Although Yin Jun had never witnessed the power of Yujian Manor in its heyday, it was not difficult to learn from the books stored in the manor that under Yin Qing's leadership, Yujian Manor controlled most of the territory in Tianhua Prefecture. However, it declined in just over a hundred years after Yin Qing's death, and at its most dangerous moment, it was forced to retreat to Shenglong Town.

It wasn't until their great-grandfather succeeded to the throne that the Imperial Sword Manor slowly recovered its strength and regained its place in the martial arts world. Today, after three generations of hard work, the Imperial Sword Manor has become the number one sect in the martial arts world, but it is still far from its heyday.

"Rise and fall are inevitable. What we need to do is to continue to pass on the legacy of Yujian Manor. One day, it will be restored to its former glory."

Yin Hao sighed. If his father hadn't gotten into too many romantic entanglements back then, causing the Imperial Sword Manor to have strained relations with other sects, his grandfather wouldn't have given up such a great opportunity to clean up the mess his father had made.

"Second brother, we must keep a close eye on the news from Tianqin Mountain. If there is any unusual activity, report it immediately. Also, we must monitor the Water Village, Baiweng Ridge, and Shenqiang Pavilion. We cannot let a single person escape. If we don't teach them a lesson this time, they will think that our Yujian Manor is easy to bully!"

"Yes, brother."

Yin Jun immediately responded and, seeing that Yin Hao had no further instructions, bowed and then withdrew.

After a while, Yin Hao left the main hall, returned to his room, and entered the underground city through a secret passage.

The once open hall was now sealed off, and a stone gate stood in the main passageway with five crystals shimmering on it. Yin Hao knew that the ancestor was in seclusion and began to cultivate. With that thought, he prepared to leave.

Compared to the ancient ancestors' seclusion and cultivation, this matter is insignificant.

As he turned to leave, the crystal on the stone door went out, the stone door slowly opened, and a powerful voice entered Yin Hao's ears.

"come in."

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao immediately turned around and strode into the hall. There, in the mercury pool, Yin Zhong, dressed in white, sat upright in the void. The terrifying blood python was constantly circling around him, and wisps of blood energy were continuously flowing into Yin Zhong's body.

"Greetings, Ancestor." Yin Hao dared not look any further and immediately bowed down.

"Get up. What's wrong? Speak."

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao immediately recounted the matter in detail. After a while, Yin Zhong, who had been keeping his eyes closed, opened them, his eyes shining brightly. He looked at Yin Hao and said, "I already know about this matter. Bring the corpse here." "Yes, Ancestor."

Yin Hao immediately left the underground city, carried over Zhong Ping's body which was sealed in a secret room, carefully placed it next to the mercury pool, and unwrapped the white cloth covering it. After doing this, Yin Hao stood respectfully to the side.

Before Yin Zhong could make a move, the blood python beside him seemed to have discovered something extraordinary. Its scarlet snake eyes were fixed on Zhong Ping's corpse. It looked at Yin Zhong, who nodded. The blood python flicked its tongue and opened its mouth to suck in blood. To Yin Hao's astonishment, streaks of blood mixed with black energy began to gather.

In just a few breaths, it had condensed into a ball of blackish-red blood, and the originally shriveled corpse seemed to weather away, immediately turning into a pile of powder.

"Ancestor, what is this?"

Yin Hao was horrified. The black and red blood bead gave him a very dangerous feeling, and there were very few things in the martial arts world that could threaten him.

"This is Blood Fiend, but it's not entirely Blood Fiend. This thing is practiced improperly and is far less powerful than the real Blood Fiend. Otherwise, just the fact that you came into contact with it would be enough to drive you to madness."

Yin Zhong pressed down, and the black and red blood bead seemed to be subjected to tremendous pressure. The black energy was continuously peeled away, and it slowly changed from the size of a fist to the size of a date pit. The color also became more and more vivid, like a pure blood bead. This was the first time Yin Hao had seen his ancestor make a move, and he stared at it intently.

Half a quarter of an hour later, the last wisp of black energy was extracted and fell into the mercury pool, quickly dissipating. The blood python sensed the purity of the blood bead, shook its enormous head, and fawned over Yin Zhong. The latter patted its head and said, "Here you go."

Upon hearing this, the blood python suddenly lunged forward, opened its mouth, swallowed the blood bead, and quickly sank into the mercury pool.

“This person must have cultivated the Bloodthirsty Demon Art. Only this art can attract the power of blood and evil. When Daoist Huoyang died, the books that recorded this art were burned. Only some fragments remain in the manor. What a tragedy. Yin Hao, you should understand what happened.”

Yin Hao's face turned extremely ugly after hearing this. If he still didn't understand after his ancestor's reminder, he would be a fool, and it was another of his father's good deeds.

"Back then, you were still young. In order to make amends, that wicked Yin Kai actually used his authority as the head of the manor to bring Yue Tang from Tianqin Mountain into the library. It was at that time that Yue Tang memorized this incomplete scroll of demonic arts."

Yin Zhong calmly recounted the events of that year. In his eyes, these were merely spice in his life. Since Yin Qing's death, over the past five hundred years, there have been fewer than a handful of people he has truly cared about. If it weren't for the fact that Brother Yin Hao possessed some talent, he would not have shown himself.

"Now that the source of the demonic power has been determined, I will not interfere with what you do. Go back. Tianqi is a kind-hearted child, but he lacks experience. Give him more guidance when you have time. The Imperial Sword Manor has been passed down for a hundred years, and I do not want it to end with your generation. Go down."

Yin Hao listened obediently to Yin Zhong's words, then bowed respectfully and left the hall. After he left, the stone door of the hall slammed shut, and the crystal on it lit up again.

Looking at the closed stone door, Yin Hao sighed, turned around and went back to his room. After a night of contemplation, he finally made a decision.

Three days later, a large group of people emerged from the Imperial Sword Manor. The five leaders were Yin Mang, Yin Rui, Tie Zheng, Yin Zheng, and Yin Jun, accompanied by Yin Tianqi and two others, as well as more than fifty elite iron guards.

The reason why the Imperial Sword Manor mobilized most of its forces this time was to completely wipe out the forces such as Tianqin Mountain, and at the same time send a signal to other sects that anyone who targets the Imperial Sword Manor without cause will only face death.

After everyone left, the Imperial Sword Manor became quiet. After observing for a long time, Long Bo knew that things had finally eased up a bit, so he presented his visiting card.

"Young Master Long, please come with me."

Steward Li respectfully invited Long Bo into the manor, after all, the young master of Longze Manor should not be neglected under any circumstances.

Long Bo thanked him and followed Steward Li into the living room, where Yin Hao was already waiting.

"Greetings, Master Yin." Long Bo stepped forward and bowed with clasped hands as Yin Hao stood up.

“Young Master Long, there’s no need for such formalities. Please sit down and let’s talk. Steward Li, please bring out my treasured ‘Thousand Peaks Emerald’.”

Yin Hao gave the order, and Steward Li immediately obeyed and went to carry it out.

"Young hero, have you come here again for the matter of the Blood Ruyi?"

Upon hearing this, Long Bo immediately stood up and said sincerely, "My thoughts cannot be hidden from Master Yin. I have indeed come here for the Blood Ruyi. I ask that Master Yin be lenient. I am only borrowing it and will return it afterward. To show my sincerity, I am willing to use these four treasures as collateral."

As he spoke, Long Bo opened the package he was carrying, which contained four jade boxes of varying sizes. Yin Hao's gaze narrowed slightly. Although the jade boxes provided protection, the astonishing spiritual energy emanating from them could not escape Yin Hao's perception.

"Please look, Master, this is 'Xu Duan Cao' (a type of medicinal herb)." Long Bo opened the smallest jade box, inside which were two spiritual herbs with green leaves, golden flowers, and red veins and jade roots, glowing with a faint wisp of smoke.

"Could it be the 'Healing Grass' that can reconnect blood vessels and arms?" Yin Hao was slightly surprised. This thing was almost extinct in the martial arts world. It was a top-grade spiritual object with incredible uses. However, for the Imperial Sword Manor, although this thing was precious, it was not unheard of.

Seeing Yin Hao's indifferent expression, Long Bo didn't care at all. This thing was just a side item; the other three items were the real treasures.

Reaching out, he opened the second jade box, inside which lay a dark stone. When illuminated by the light, it shone like a star in the sky, its brilliance dazzling and impossible to look at directly. Yin Hao's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing it. This thing seemed to be a Heavenly Spirit Star Crystal. He had seen it before in the catalog in the treasure room, but he had already used it. He only knew that it was an excellent material for forging superior divine weapons.

"Master Yin, this is a piece of extraterrestrial iron, extremely hard. If even a tiny bit is added when forging the sword, it will be enough to improve the quality of the sword material, making it capable of cutting through iron like mud."

Manager Li, who was standing to the side, was already dazzled. Upon hearing Long Bo's introduction, he couldn't help but exclaim that Young Master Long had really delivered the perfect gift.

For the first time, Yin Hao's expression changed. Before he could speak, Long Bo had already opened the third jade box, inside which was a hexagonal crystal bead, bright red in color and radiating intense fire. This time, Yin Hao could not discern the origin of this object.

"Master Yin, this is Earth Fire Crystal, produced in the Flame Valley. It contains the essence of earth fire and is of great benefit to those who cultivate yang-style techniques."

"This last item is an unparalleled treasure. It would be extremely difficult to find a second one in the martial arts world today. Please take a look, Master."

Long Bo glanced at Steward Li, who was stunned by the three treasures, and then at Yin Hao, who was somewhat tempted. He immediately seized the opportunity and put out the "Fire Dragon Mushroom".

Upon seeing this item, Yin Hao suddenly stood up, his eyes gleaming. He said to Long Bo, "I understand your sincerity, young hero. Very well, please wait a moment, Steward Li, while I look after Young Hero Long for a while."

Upon hearing this, Steward Li immediately agreed.

"Young Master Long, please wait a moment."

"Please do as you please, Master Yin. I will wait here."

After leaving the living room, Yin Hao returned to his residence and took out the wooden box containing the blood-stained ruyi.

Before he could speak, he heard Yin Zhong's voice transmission: it's fine to borrow the Blood Jade, as long as it's returned on time.

"The Fire Dragon Mushroom must be of great use to our ancestor, otherwise he wouldn't be in such a hurry."

Yin Hao thought to himself, not daring to delay, and after taking the Blood Ruyi, he immediately rushed back to the living room.

At this moment, Longbo was savoring "Qianfengcui". After taking a sip, he put down the teacup and sincerely praised, "This 'Qianfengcui' truly lives up to its name. It is smooth and mellow on the palate, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth. Its pure quality is even slightly better than 'Xuelingsong' and 'Hanzhongmei'."

Upon hearing this, Steward Li gave a wry smile. Although he had some knowledge of tea ceremony, he was far inferior to this young master from a prestigious family. He had only heard of the names of those two top-quality teas, but had never seen them.

As the two were discussing the art of tea, Yin Hao walked in carrying a wooden box.

"Young Master Long, this is the Blood Ruyi."

Yin Hao placed the wooden box on the table and opened it. A red light instantly filled the entire living room, along with a slight warmth, like bathing in a hot spring, making one feel completely comfortable.

Long Bo had heard of this treasure, but this was the first time he had ever seen it. He stepped forward and examined it closely. The treasure was about half an arm's length long, blood red all over, as smooth as solidified fat, with a rosy glow and red light, auspicious clouds and spiritual light, cloud patterns on the head, a divine dragon wrapped around the handle, and seal script carvings on the tail. It looked ancient and exuded a vibrant vitality, making people feel refreshed and happy, as if they had seen a celestial being.

(End of this chapter)