I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Chapter 302 Not Entering the Gate of Blood Curse, the Suspicion of the Three Junior Brothers?

"Soul Control Seal!"

Zhou Yuan's gaze sharpened.

The vast and boundless divine power within his sea of ​​consciousness instantly condensed to a high degree, and his hands flashed in front of his chest to form a complex and profound hand seal.

An invisible and intangible transparent talisman, yet containing a strange power to control the soul, quietly took shape, with almost no fluctuations leaking out.

The next moment, he flicked his finger.

The Soul Control Seal, as if teleporting, ignored spatial distance and silently entered the head of the sleeping Fire Toad Beast!

"Buzz—"

The massive body of the sleeping fire toad seemed to tremble very slightly.

The red clouds swirling around its body also momentarily became disordered.

But its thunderous snoring only paused for less than half a breath before continuing, as if it had just had a brief dream.

However, Zhou Yuan had already sensed that the Soul Control Seal had been successfully imprinted deep within his soul and was rapidly stabilizing.

This ancient beast, in its sleep, had unwittingly changed masters and become Zhou Yuan's loyal servant.

Zhou Yuan was not surprised by this.

He has now cultivated the Great Evolution Technique to the fifth level of perfection, and the strength of his divine sense far surpasses that of ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

With such divine sense, he could unleash this "spirit control technique" specifically designed for beings with low intelligence. As long as the target had not truly awakened their intelligence or taken human form, and their spiritual strength was far inferior to his, he was almost invincible.

Although this fire toad beast is exceptionally gifted and possesses formidable combat power, it is indeed not very intelligent.

Having slumbered in this desolate place for countless years, without any interaction with its own kind, its soul is pure and "blank," making it the perfect target for spirit control techniques.

The biggest trouble in the cave, this troublesome ancient beast that almost possessed an "indestructible body" and the supernatural power of "fire escape," was easily captured by Zhou Yuanbing without bloodshed while he was asleep.

"this----"

Tianhen Old Monster, Nanlong Marquis, and Linghu Old Ancestor were all dumbfounded.

They had expected a fierce battle and were even prepared to retreat if they were defeated and to plan for the future.

To their utter surprise, Zhou Yuan simply stood at a distance and cast a spell, and the ferocious beast that they all deeply feared became fish on a chopping board.

"Senior Brother Zhou—your spirit control technique is simply too—defying the heavens!"

After holding back for a long time, Tianhen Laoguai finally uttered this sentence, his eagle eyes filled with shock and admiration.

He considered himself quite knowledgeable, but he had never heard of such a casual method of subduing an ancient beast of the same level.

Marquis Nanlong and Ancestor Linghu were also amazed, their gazes towards Zhou Yuan filled with awe and a hint of unfathomable mystery.

"A trivial skill, merely a matter of chance."

Zhou Yuan smiled calmly and did not offer any further explanation.

He raised his hand and beckoned, and the sleeping fire toad seemed to receive the command. Its huge body nimbly flipped over, landing on all fours, and opened its lantern-sized crimson eyes.

At this moment, there was no longer any ferocity or chaos in his eyes, only pure awe and obedience to Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan took out a specially made spirit beast bag engraved with heat-insulating and space-stabilizing runes, and pointed the bag at the fire toad beast.

The Fire Toad Beast let out a low roar, its body rapidly shrinking, transforming into a streak of red light, and disappearing into the bag.

Having dealt with the guardian beast, the four faced no further obstacles. With a swift movement, they crossed the lava lake and landed on the stone platform opposite, where the crystal remains were placed.

The closer you get, the more you can feel the extraordinary nature of that blue robe.

Even after such a long period of time, it remains spotless and imbued with inner brilliance.

The four tentatively extended their divine senses to the remains, trying to carefully examine their condition and any possible hidden restrictions.

However, the moment their divine sense touched the blue robe, a sudden change occurred!

"Buzz—!"

A soft yet resilient bluish-green radiance suddenly shone from the robe, like ripples spreading across a calm lake after a pebble has been thrown in.

He effortlessly, yet with unwavering resolve, deflected the four probing divine senses that were reaching out!

None of the four people's divine senses could penetrate this seemingly thin layer of cyan light.

"Huh? It can actually isolate our divine senses?"

Linghu Patriarch let out a soft exclamation, somewhat surprised.

All four of them were at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm. When they combined their divine senses to investigate, even ordinary ancient treasure restrictions could not completely block them.

That's all.

Zhou Yuan's gaze swept over the robe, and he said calmly, "This is woven from the spiritual silk spun by an ancient spirit insect called the Heavenly Eye Azure Silkworm. Its unique material naturally possesses the ability to isolate and deflect divine sense. In ancient times, it wasn't considered a top-tier treasure, but it was still one of the common garments worn by cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above, used to protect themselves from prying eyes. However, the Heavenly Eye Azure Silkworm is now extinct, and its crafting methods have mostly been lost, which is why this robe is so precious."

He was well-read and had far more knowledge than his peers; he recognized the origin of the robe at a glance.

It turned out to be the case.

Linghu the Elder suddenly realized, and his gaze toward the blue silkworm robe became even more interested.

The fact that this robe has retained its spirituality over such a long period of time and in such harsh conditions shows that it is of the highest quality.

Its ability to isolate one's consciousness may have surprising uses in certain situations.

Zhou Yuan didn't linger any longer and his gaze fell on the waist of the remains.

There hung a storage bag, no bigger than a palm, entirely black and with an antique design. He reached out and grabbed it, and the bag flew up and landed in his palm. It was cool to the touch and tough in texture, clearly not an ordinary item.

Instead of immediately examining it, he turned the bag upside down and dumped its contents onto the stone platform.

"Splash—"

—

A pile of items were scattered.

The most eye-catching items were blocks of iron, about the size of a fist, entirely red, radiating astonishing heat, as if they had just been taken out of a furnace. At a glance, there were no fewer than a hundred of them.

Each piece glowed with a red light and burned intensely, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary spiritual material.

"This is... some kind of top-grade fire-attribute spirit ore?"

Linghu Patriarch picked up a piece, feeling the pure and surging fire spirit power within it, and said with emotion.

"It seems to be an auxiliary material for refining certain special fire-attribute ancient treasures, or even—one of the possible auxiliary materials for refining the legendary Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure?"

Old Monster Tianhen, with his broader knowledge, spoke with a tone of uncertain shock. Materials that could be used to refine Heavenly Treasures were practically legendary in this realm.

Besides these red-hot iron blocks, several other items were quite eye-catching:

A jade box, pure white and smooth as jade, with a pale silver sealing talisman affixed to it.

A delicate little mirror, only the size of a palm, entirely purple, with a smooth, water-like surface and a faint shimmering of lightning.

A flying sword about a foot long, golden in color, with an ancient design and dragon-shaped patterns running along its blade.

A set of twelve flying needles, as thin as cow hair, dark green in color, with tips gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light.

Two simple, dark-colored medicine bottles with cloud patterns engraved on their bodies.

In addition, there were some inconspicuous fragments, such as a few jade slips of dull color, a few pieces of ore of unknown material, and a few bones that appeared to be those of some kind of monster.

The treasures before me shone brilliantly.

Especially the small purple mirror, the golden flying sword, and the dark green flying needle, all exuding a powerful spiritual pressure, were clearly ancient treasures of extremely high quality.

Those two medicine bottles, still perfectly sealed after all these years, must contain some extraordinary pills.

The white jade box, which was sealed so solemnly, must contain something of even greater value.

"The treasures have been inventoried."

Zhou Yuan's gaze swept over the items on the ground, then he looked at Tian Hen, Nan Long, and Linghu, his tone calm, "As agreed, since all four of us came together, we will divide these spoils equally. Do any of you fellow disciples have any objections?"

He is now extremely wealthy and possesses the resources of a nation, with a very high vision.

These ancient treasures and spiritual materials in front of him are good, but not enough to make him want to keep them all for himself.

However, Tianhen Old Monster and Linghu Ancestor exchanged a glance and shook their heads at the same time.

"Senior Brother Zhou,"

Old Monster Tianhen spoke first, his tone sincere, "The route for this treasure hunt was obtained by Senior Brother and Junior Brother Nanlong. Along the way, whether it was breaking the restrictions, dealing with spatial rifts, or subduing ancient beasts, it was almost entirely thanks to Senior Brother's efforts."

My junior brother Linghu and I merely followed behind, without contributing anything. As members of the same sect, we should help each other, but we cannot accept undeserved rewards. Dividing these treasures equally would leave me uneasy.

Linghu Patriarch nodded in agreement: "Tianhen is absolutely right. My lifespan is nearing its end, and it is already a great fortune that I was able to come to this perilous place with my senior brother and broaden my horizons. It would be best if Senior Brother Zhou and Junior Brother Nanlong discussed and distributed these treasures."

Both of them were mature, steady, and proud individuals. Along the way, they had been almost "carried" by Zhou Yuan, and they felt both admiration and a little ashamed.

Faced with such a precious treasure, although tempted, they couldn't bring themselves to share it equally.

Moreover, with their lifespans nearing their end, they are more focused on finding opportunities to prolong their lives and making arrangements for their lineage after death. Their need for offensive ancient treasures is not as great as their desire for spiritual objects that can increase the success rate of Nascent Soul formation or prolong life.

None of these things seem to have any direct effect on prolonging life.

Seeing that the two were determined, Zhou Yuan stopped being coy and nodded, saying, "In that case, we will do as my two junior brothers wish."

He turned his gaze to Marquis Nanlong: "Junior Brother Nanlong, we explored the Cangkun Ruins together, and we shared the jade slips. Let's discuss how to divide what we've obtained this time."

Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Nanlong showed a complex expression, a mixture of emotion, shame, and a sense of relief.

He stepped forward and bowed deeply to Zhou Yuan: "Senior Brother Zhou, you are mistaken. Back then, at the Cangkun Ruins, if it weren't for your great abilities, your ability to see through the Ghost Spirit Sect's conspiracy, and your efforts to turn the tide, I would probably have perished long ago. How could I have obtained the jade slip? This journey has been entirely thanks to your help. I am already incredibly fortunate to have joined the Ascension Sect and received your guidance. How could I dare to covet more?"

He paused, his gaze falling on the pile of treasures, finally settling on the ancient-looking golden flying sword. A hint of fondness flashed in his eyes, but he quickly became resolute: "Senior brother, these treasures should all belong to you."

If Senior Brother insists on dividing this, then—Junior Brother will shamelessly take this golden sword, this ancient treasure. As for the rest, please accept them, Senior Brother, and do not refuse!

His attitude was resolute; he only took one sword strike, clearly indicating that he was giving up the vast majority of the benefits to Zhou Yuan.

This was not only out of gratitude, but also because he knew that following Zhou Yuan, the legendary sect leader destined to lead the way in Tiannan, would bring long-term benefits far exceeding those of a few ancient treasures.

Looking into Nanlonghou's sincere eyes, Zhou Yuan remained silent for a moment before finally nodding: "Alright. Since you say so, Junior Brother, then this Golden Dragon Sword is yours. As for the rest, I will keep them."

He no longer stood on ceremony and, with a wave of his hand, collected all the items on the ground except for the golden flying sword, including the hundreds of pieces of crimson spiritual material, the white jade box, the purple mirror, the dark green flying needles, the black medicine bottle, and other odds and ends, into his storage bracelet.

He knew perfectly well that those crimson spiritual materials were important auxiliary materials needed to refine certain ancient treasures, or even "heaven-reaching spiritual treasures".

What concerned him most was the white jade box.

He broke the seal and opened the box.

There was nothing else inside, only an ancient jade slip with a yellowish color and a dim light.

Zhou Yuan picked up the jade slip and immersed his consciousness into it.

A moment later, a look of understanding and satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Just as he expected, the jade slip did not contain any cultivation techniques or secret arts, but rather an extremely complex and profound weapon-refining diagram—"The Seven Flames Fan Refining Method"!

This is the proper method for refining a divine treasure!

The Seven Flames Fan is said to have been created by an ancient powerful being who imitated the innate divine power of the true spirit "Seven-Colored Peacock". Once fanned, it can summon seven divine flames with different attributes and immense power.

It can burn mountains and boil seas; its power is boundless.

Of course, given the current resources and crafting capabilities of the human realm, gathering all the materials to craft a complete "Seven Flames Fan" and successfully creating it is practically a pipe dream. Many of the key ingredients have likely already disappeared from this realm.

But Zhou Yuan was not discouraged.

He was confident that, with his increasingly profound skills in weapon crafting, and with the guidance of the puppet and weapon-crafting master, the Great Evolution Divine Lord, he could completely simplify and improve the "Seven Flame Fan Crafting Method," utilizing the resources he already had.

Or, alternative materials that may be found in the future, could be used to refine "imitated Tongtian Lingbao" that, while not as powerful as the real Tongtian Lingbao, are still far superior to ordinary ancient treasures—such as the "Three Flames Fan".

Or perhaps it's a four-flame fan!

Even if it's just a replica, its power is enough to become another powerful trump card for him.

Zhou Yuan was in high spirits after a fruitful harvest.

He looked at his three junior brothers, about to discuss their next steps, when Nanlonghou, unable to contain his excitement, asked, "Senior Brother Zhou, we've obtained the treasures here. Should we now head to the Blood Curse Gate?"

According to Cang Kun's last words, that's where he truly buried his core treasure; the rewards there must be ten times greater than here!

Upon hearing this, Tianhen the Old Monster and Linghu the Ancestor perked up, their eyes revealing anticipation.

The Gate of Blood Curse, the final secret in Cang Kun's last words, is far more alluring than the ancient cultivator's remains before us.

However, Zhou Yuan slowly shook his head and uttered a sentence that left the three of them stunned: "The Gate of Blood Curse? No, we're not going."

"What? You're not going?" Marquis Nanlong almost thought he had misheard, his face filled with disbelief. "Senior brother, that's the location of the final treasure mentioned in Master Cangkun's last words! Why aren't you going?"

Tianhen the Old Monster and Linghu the Ancestor were also filled with surprise and doubt as they looked at Zhou Yuan.

After overcoming numerous hardships to enter the Fallen Demon Valley, we finally found this place.

With the greatest treasure right in front of them, why would they give it up? That seems illogical.

Zhou Yuan's gaze swept calmly over the three men, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Fellow disciples, are you suspecting that I, Zhou, intend to slack off from you and retrieve the treasure within the Blood Curse Gate alone, thus deceiving you into giving up?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Senior brother, you flatter me!"

Upon hearing this, the three were startled and immediately denied it.

Although they were puzzled, they still had basic trust in Zhou Yuan's character and abilities, so they wouldn't make such speculations. It was just that this decision was too sudden and difficult for them to understand.

"Senior brother's actions must have a deeper meaning. But—junior brother wants to know, why abandon that treasure that was so close at hand?"

The old monster Tianhen carefully considered his words and asked.

Zhou Yuan did not answer directly, but instead flipped his wrist and took out a silk scroll with an old color and slightly torn edges. The scroll was about three feet long and one foot wide when unfolded.

The painting depicts a scholar dressed in a Confucian robe, carrying a long sword, with an upright posture, facing away from the viewer, seemingly gazing at the distant sea of ​​clouds.

The painting is exquisite. Although the figure is only shown from behind, it exudes a lofty and otherworldly aura.

There is no inscription or signature on the painting, only a small, blurry red seal in one corner of the picture.

"This item also comes from that ancient ruin."

Zhou Yuan held the scroll in his hand and spoke slowly.

"This—could the person in the painting be the Venerable Cangkun from back then?"

Looking at the figure in the painting, Tianhen Laoguai noticed that the aura he exuded vaguely matched the few records he knew about Cangkun Shangren, and guessed.

"Dissatisfied with my fellow disciples,"

At this moment, Marquis Nanlong stepped forward, his face showing a mixture of pride and complexity, and said in a deep voice, "My Nanlong lineage does indeed have some connection with Venerable Cangkun. According to the secret traditions of our clan, Venerable Cangkun was an ancestor of my Nanlong family from countless generations ago."

"I have never mentioned this matter to outsiders, but now that we have arrived at the site of our ancestors' treasures, there is no need to hide it any longer."

He is actually a descendant of the Venerable Cangkun!

Both Tianhen and Linghu were moved upon hearing this.

No wonder he was so obsessed with and familiar with the Cangkun Relics.

"What Junior Brother Nanlong said is correct; the person depicted in the painting is indeed Master Cangkun."

Zhou Yuan affirmed the Marquis of Nanlong's statement, but then changed the subject, a profound look flashing in his eyes, "However, this scroll is not just a simple portrait of an ancestor."

After saying that, he made hand seals and cast a series of complex and profound spells on the scroll. Each spell landed on the scroll, and a faint ripple spread across its surface, as if a stone had been thrown into a calm body of water.

"A world within a painting?" The old monster Tianhen, with his keen senses, was the first to notice that inside the scroll, there seemed to be an extremely hidden, tiny space sealed by layers of restrictions! This was not a simple storage space, but more like a cage, or rather, a place where souls resided?

"good!"

Zhou Yuan nodded, his hands still forming incantations. "This scroll is sealed by an ancient and profound restriction. Inside lies a hidden world, imprisoning a remnant soul."

The final unsealing spell was cast.

"Buzz—!"

The scroll shone brightly, and the originally static scene seemed to come alive.

The sea of ​​clouds began to flow slowly, and the scholar carrying a sword in the painting slowly and eerily turned around!

A refined and scholarly face with three long strands of beard and deep-set eyes was clearly presented before the four people.

His appearance bears a striking resemblance to some of the scattered portraits of the Venerable Cangkun that have been passed down from ancient times!

But what's even more unsettling is that the eyes, which should have been lifeless in the painting, are now unusually lively, their gaze almost tangible, carrying a wisdom that has seen the vicissitudes of life and a hint of barely perceptible urgency, as they slowly sweep over the four people.

"This—this is—" Marquis Nanlong was struck dumb, standing there stunned. Looking at the pair of "come alive" eyes in the painting, his voice trembled. "Could it be—a wisp of my ancestor's remnant soul that has not been extinguished and is residing in this scroll?!"

An ancestor manifesting?! Tianhen Old Monster and Linghu Ancestor were also shocked and stared intently at the Confucian scholar who had "come to life" in the painting.

The scholar's gaze lingered briefly on the four figures, especially on Zhou Yuan, where he seemed to glance at him with a hint of surprise.

A perfectly balanced look of reminiscence and vicissitude appeared on his face as he slowly spoke, his voice resonating directly in the minds of the four, carrying an ancient and profound charm: "Throughout countless millennia, we have finally found our destined ones—you have already entered the Valley of Fallen Demons?"

His tone was calm, but Zhou Yuan keenly noticed that deep in his eyes, beneath the seemingly still surface, lay a barely perceptible ecstasy and—fear? Two completely different emotions flashed by in an instant.

"Indeed, we juniors were fortunate enough to enter the valley." Marquis Nanlong suppressed his excitement and was the first to respectfully bow in reply.

"Very good—very good—"

In the painting, the scholar nods slightly, his gaze fixed on the void outside the cave, as if he could penetrate the stone wall and see the entire Fallen Demon Valley.

"Since you have come here, you must be seeking the opportunity left behind by the ancient cultivators. I—know of a place that may contain clues to the ancient Spirit Garden, and even its entrance. The spiritual energy there is far more abundant, and the medicinal herbs more rare than you can imagine. Follow me, and you will have your own destiny."

Ancient Lingmiao Garden!

Upon hearing these four words, Tianhen Old Monster, Nanlong Marquis, and Linghu Old Ancestor trembled violently, their eyes blazing with uncontrollable greed and desire!

Lingmiao Garden is a legendary ancient sect that cultivated top-grade spiritual herbs and even planted some long-extinct medicinal herbs!

Its value is immeasurable!

If one could truly find it, any one of these medicinal herbs could be of immeasurable value.

However, in stark contrast to the excitement of the three, Zhou Yuan's face remained calm and composed, with a knowing and cold sneer deep in his eyes.

He understood everything perfectly.

The remnant soul in this scroll is not the remaining divine soul of the Cangkun Master at all!

Or rather, not entirely.

Based on the original story and his deductions based on some fragmented memories of the Great Evolution God, the true identity of this remnant soul is a fragment of the "Ancient Demon Blood Flame" that was separated and sealed by ancient cultivators!

This fragment of soul possessed the severely injured Venerable Cangkun after that great battle, and lived for a period of time under the identity of Cangkun.

To plot in secret.

They set up a conspiracy that spanned thousands of years.

It left behind the so-called "Last Words of Cangkun" and a map, describing the "Gate of Blood Curse" as a place containing great treasures, luring top cultivators of later generations to come and search for treasures.

Its true purpose is to hope that these cultivators can open the Blood Curse Gate and release their main soul!

Meanwhile, it lies dormant within this specially made scroll, which can nurture and conceal the soul, waiting for its opportunity.

But over thousands of years, this divided soul gradually developed its own independent consciousness and was no longer willing to remain a mere appendage of the "Blood Flame Main Soul".

It wants to get rid of the main soul.

Even—they turned the tables and took the lead!

It knew that its strength was far inferior to that of the main soul sealed within the "Gate of Blood Curse".

Therefore, they fabricated the lie of the Ancient Spirit Garden in order to seize the "Blood Flame Demon Body" that had been separated and sealed elsewhere in advance!

At that time, it will become a complete and independent "Ancient Demon Blood Flame".

Possessing terrifying power that dominates the human world!

Its fleeting moment of elation was because it realized that someone had finally brought it to the Fallen Demon Valley, and the plan was about to enter its most crucial step.

That trace of fear stemmed from the fact that this was the path leading to the Gate of Blood Curse.

What if the main soul is released?

He's in danger!

Zhou Yuan had already seen through all of this.

The reason he took out the scroll was to let Tianhen and the other two see the true face of this "remnant soul".

The greatest danger in the Fallen Demon Valley in the original story was not the spatial rifts and ancient restrictions, nor ancient beasts such as the Fire Toad Beast and the Flying Purple-Striped Scorpion.

Rather, it is the ancient demon's divided soul that has been lurking for thousands of years, with treacherous thoughts and grand schemes!

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