Moving the Great Treasure and Encountering Blood-Dripping King Feng Wushang

"Oh, Kunwu Steel Jade! A rare forging material—good stuff, take it!"

"Wow, Cold Frost Iron Ingot! And it's the kind that's been reforged a thousand times—good stuff, take it!"

"Wait... that's Star Silver Sand, and here's Feathered Immortal Dust too. All great stuff—take it all!"

Yang Qi moved through the sixth layer of the South Wasteland Temple, eyes sparkling. The first three layers were gold—mountains and seas of it, dazzling to behold—but Yang Qi didn’t linger and headed straight for the lower levels. The whole South Wasteland Temple was a treasure trove, but the most valuable things weren’t gold. From experience, Yang Qi knew that anyone with real skills never worries about making money, and anything you can buy with cash isn’t the rare treasure you’re after.

The real prizes are the things you can’t just buy with money—like those limited-edition miracle herbs from the Herb House. That’s the good stuff you want to grab first.

Besides, this place is deep in the heart of the South Wasteland—how many people can even make it here to hunt for treasure? And how many of them have the means to haul away all that gold? Forget camels; even sand skiffs need to be light enough to ride the wind over the dunes. So even if you let everyone go wild, they still couldn’t move much. Plus, when folks see this much gold and silver, you know they’ll start fighting over it. After a big round of infighting, there won’t be many left standing anyway.

So, going straight for the rare, high-quality stuff is the number one priority right now.

That’s why Yang Qi skipped the third layer and headed for the fourth. There’s a long spiral staircase from the third to the fourth layer, ending at a door with an iron mechanism. Once you open it, you find the fourth layer is even bigger and more spacious than the third. And instead of gold, what’s on display here are a bunch of 'bricks.'

"What are these bricks? Why are they all lined up here?"

"These are Red Dust Clay Bricks—they’re top-quality iron ore." Yang Qi picked up a brick and hefted it: "A single clay brick like this is way easier to refine than regular ore. Just break it up and roast it, and you can get iron out in no time." After stashing a sample in his storage space, Yang Qi looked around and said, "I’m guessing this whole layer is full of forging materials. Let’s split up and scout the area."

Yang Qi split up with the three girls to start mapping out the place. Thanks to his echo-location technique, it didn’t matter where the others were—as long as they weren’t too far, a single shout could let Yang Qi pinpoint their location and get a sense of the layout of the fourth layer. So really, the three girls were like his personal detectors, speeding up the whole exploration.

Most of the fourth layer was just ordinary forging materials, and since they’d been here so long, a lot of the metal was rusted. Only the Red Dust Clay Bricks—pure raw material—could last this long. Yang Qi picked out some to haul away, and his storage space was plenty big, so he took the racks and the materials together. After five or six rounds of collecting different types, they found a passage to keep going down, heading into the fifth layer.

The fifth and sixth layers were all forging materials too, but the deeper you went, the less there was and the more complicated the layout. It wasn’t like a warehouse anymore—it was more like a treasure maze, where you had to wander forever to find anything, but the quality kept going up.

In the sixth layer, things like Kunwu Steel Jade, Star Silver Sand, Feathered Immortal Dust, and Cold Frost Iron Ingot were all top-notch. Sure, Divine Weapons are hard to come by, but you don’t always need one to get the perfect balance of hardness and flexibility. Just add some Star Silver Sand and Feathered Immortal Dust during forging, and you’ll get amazing results—like better ductility when heated and more elasticity when cooled.

It’s kind of like in online games, when you add special materials to forge equipment. The gear’s level might not go up—won’t turn from blue to gold—but it gets that extra sparkle, those cool special effects.

"We gotta haul all this good stuff out!" Yang Qi’s left hand was a blur, sweeping up box after box of premium materials. Of course, he waited until the three girls weren’t looking. Not that he didn’t trust them—he just didn’t like showing off too much. That’s just how he was.

"This South Wasteland Temple is basically a prep kit for anyone planning a rebellion—tons of strategic supplies, and in huge quantities." Yang Qi did some quick math: with enough skill, those Star Silver Sand, Feathered Immortal Dust, and Cold Frost Iron Ingot, combined with regular high-purity iron ore, could make thousands of sets of gear. And each piece would be way better than your average armor.

"Master, come check this out!" came a shout from Fiona Fang in the distance. This disciple of his had a real knack for treasure hunting—she could stumble into good stuff just by wandering around, and she’d found a lot of the best materials first. Yang Qi hurried over and found Fiona in a small room. There were lots of big chests inside, and under the firelight, the stuff in them gleamed with a golden glow.

But it wasn’t gold coins—it was clusters of crystal-like stuff, clear and mysterious.

"This..." Yang Qi thought of something, rushed over and picked one up for a closer look. After a long breath to steady himself, he said, "This is Refined Gold—a top-tier forging material. Just a fist-sized chunk like this would fetch tens of thousands of gold if you sold it. Add a bit of Refined Gold to common iron, and you’ve got a blade that can cut through hair."

And this whole room, all these big chests—aren’t they just handing me the goods? Take it all!

Besides Refined Gold, they found Dense Silver, Black Steel, and Bright Copper. On top of pure Darksteel, they’d pretty much scored every top-tier forging material, making Yang Qi absolutely thrilled. He cleaned out everything.

"Just like they say—first batch gets the meat, second batch gets the scraps. Since we’re the first ones down, we get all the perks!" The four treasure hunters, fired up, pushed on to the seventh layer. There was another big door, this time with a bronze mechanism. The four exchanged glances, turned the mechanism, and opened the door. What lay beyond was a world of armor. Row after row of finished suits, styled kind of like Earth’s Qin and Han dynasties—really old-school. But when Fiona Fang picked up a helmet and tried it, she couldn’t help but gasp: "Whoa, this is heavy!"

Everyone poked around and found the armor was seriously heavy—each set weighed at least sixty or seventy pounds. On Earth, no soldier could wear this stuff for long; it’d be like carrying a girlfriend into battle, talk about exhausting! But the fact that these suits were here meant the South Wasteland folks were just built tough—they could handle the weight.

Too bad most of the armor had decayed over the years. The air down here wasn’t foul—good ventilation, actually—but even that couldn’t stop the metal from rusting. It’s been over a century since the ancient South Wasteland dynasty fell, and with nobody maintaining the armor, it’s all pretty much gone to history, buried by time. Hit it hard and it just crumbles into rusty flakes—no protection left at all.

For Yang Qi, these suits of armor were less useful than gold coins. Unless you melt them down for material, there’s not much point. No need to haul them out just yet.

"Come on, let’s keep moving," Yang Qi said, leading the way. "I bet the other treasure hunters are almost here."

Just as he said that, there was a series of clicks and clatters—all the walls around them started making noise. Everyone tensed up, and then—whoosh!—the underground temple lit up! Beams of light shone from every corner, like bright midday sunlight, instantly turning the pitch-black temple crystal clear. It felt like they weren’t underground at all, not nighttime, but standing in some spring paradise. Everyone was stunned.

Even Yang Qi and Rachel Luo were blown away. In a world that’s basically ancient, how do they have underground lighting? What’s the principle here? What kind of tech level is this?

"Looks like someone triggered a mechanism." Yang Qi was the first to recover, snuffed out his torch, and strode ahead: "Come on, the deeper we go, the better the loot. Let’s get ahead of the pack and see what secret treasures are in the deepest part of the South Wasteland Temple!"

At the same time, on the first floor.

The gate to Zone Eleven had been cracked open. Aside from those lost in the giant mountain maze, about sixty percent of the people had made it through the tunnel into the temple. The Tienjin Pavilion folks were the first to arrive. Mr. Goldwin led his crew into the temple, and when the pavilion members saw the rows of golden statues, their eyes went wide and they started congratulating their boss on his haul. But Mr. Goldwin didn’t care—he kept up his brisk pace, moving forward without a pause.

He walked past room after room, never glancing sideways: "Not enough. Not enough."

He passed through the second layer, saw the gold murals and carvings, and still shook his head: "Still not enough. My own wealth already matches this—South Wasteland’s treasure can’t just be this little!"

He was getting frustrated, even a little anxious, making everyone around him nervous.

Finally, he reached the third layer.

Columns of light poured down from the dome, shining over a golden sea. Faced with this overwhelming flood of gold, Mr. Goldwin suddenly froze, eyes wide. Then he took a step, then another, moving forward in a daze. Quinn Liu, reading the room, stopped everyone from approaching.

Mr. Goldwin squatted in the golden sea, scooped up a handful of coins, and tossed them into the air. The coins rained down with a tinkling sound, like raindrops on a roof, filling the air with the music of wealth. Suddenly, Mr. Goldwin flopped down in the sea of gold, stretching out like a man who’s finally slept well after years of insomnia, then folded his hands over his chest.

"Whew..." The Tienjin Pavilion boss didn’t burst out laughing—he was too stunned. His mind was blank, but filled with a long-awaited sense of enlightenment. Satisfied, he closed his eyes, lost in the endless gold, his aura subtly shifting: "Now, I can finally change my name to Goldwin Goldwin Goldwin..."

Buzz—a ripple of energy seemed to spread out from Mr. Goldwin, brushing over everyone nearby. For a moment, everyone shuddered, like an invisible brush had swept right through their bones and flesh. Mr. Goldwin’s already imposing aura surged, then quietly faded, making him seem even more mysterious. His inner strength was already impressive, but now it felt like he was connected to the heavens, overflowing with boundless vitality.

"King Gamble, looks like I’ve beaten you to the punch." Mr. Goldwin murmured with his eyes closed. "Since I’m ahead, next time we meet will be your last."

Innate—this is what it feels like to be an Innate master. Like a true dragon, free to change size at will. Brilliant when revealed, hidden when needed. Right now, his vital energy was still settling, in a period of transformation, so his aura was unstable and his power still at sixty years. Once he finished this metamorphosis, he’d level up again. Mr. Goldwin’s path was the Way of Wealth, and with all this gold in the South Wasteland Temple, he might just jump straight to the second or even third tier.

Watching Mr. Goldwin with his eyes closed, Quinn Liu’s expression was hard to read. After a moment, she called out loudly, "Godfather, should we start hauling the gold?"

"Go—start hauling now. Let the penny-pinchers fight over the scraps on the first floor. You all get to work on this gold!" Mr. Goldwin—or maybe Goldwin Goldwin Goldwin now—snapped his eyes open, his face twisted with pure joy. The absolute ecstasy finally broke through his composure and spilled onto his face: "This gold is all mine—every last bit! Haul it all out!"

"Yes!" Quinn Liu bowed respectfully and waved her hand to the crew. The heavy lifting was left to the underlings, while the leaders waited happily for the results. So Quinn Liu suggested, "Now that you’ve broken through to Innate, you’re the top dog among these treasure hunters. Why not show yourself, shock the competition, and take command?"

"Good idea, good idea!" Jin Jiupang (three 'Gold' is nine 'Gold') beamed. "Qing’er, you’re right! Come with me—we’re leaving now!" There’s no way to describe the feeling of breaking through to Innate; it’s better than getting into Peking or Tsinghua University. If you had to compare, it’s like a lifelong bureaucrat finally making it to the Central Political Bureau—pure, unrestrained joy. Like a strong liquor with a long aftertaste, Jin Jiupang’s initial composure was gone, now he was totally swept up in the excitement.

In short, just four words: over the moon!

Isn’t this the perfect time to show off? So what are we waiting for? Time to strut out with a beauty on your arm!

Jin Jiupang didn’t care about eavesdroppers or etiquette anymore—he wrapped his arm around Quinn Liu’s waist and strode out, his aura blazing. The Innate energy rolled off him, intimidating everyone in sight. Some folks who’d crossed him during the city incident saw his new presence and bolted immediately, yelling as they ran.

The fastest runner was a sect leader—not quite Innate, but with sixty years of cultivation, and he’d once been a match for Jin Jiupang. But Jin Jiupang waved his hand, and a streak of golden light shot out, instantly piercing the sect leader’s back. He staggered a couple steps, stared down at his chest—and then exploded into a shower of flesh and blood.

"What? Sect Leader Zeng got taken out in one hit... What kind of technique is that? It’s terrifying!"

"That’s Golden Jade Full House! The Tienjin Pavilion boss’s signature move—Golden Jade Full House! He’s got two spheres, one gold and one jade. The one he just threw was the gold sphere, but rumor has it the jade one is even stronger! Now that Old Jin’s reached Innate, he’s probably unbeatable here. We’d better keep our eyes peeled and not test his wrath!"

All these whispers reached Jin Jiupang’s ears, making him even more pleased. After all, half the thrill of success comes from the awe of those around you. If you don’t get the "everyone’s stunned," "everyone’s jaws dropped," "everyone’s in an uproar" reactions, then showing off isn’t really satisfying. Showing off is like performing—it needs an audience, and the audience has to react. Otherwise, it’s like flexing for a blow-up doll—no fun at all.

Right now, Jin Jiupang was having the time of his life. Every step he took brought more gasps and more satisfaction. With Quinn Liu on his arm, he headed back through the tunnel, everyone they passed staring at him with awe. The flatterers were everywhere, showering him with lines like, "We’ll follow your lead," "At your service," and "We’ll go through fire and water for you." All that flattery hit the spot, making him even more pleased with himself.

"Qing’er, with so many people congratulating me, why haven’t you said anything?" Jin Jiupang looked at Quinn Liu. As his mistress, how could she miss the chance to flatter him at such a crucial moment? Minus points!

Quinn Liu flashed him a coy look: "My dear godfather, now isn’t the best time to congratulate you."

"Oh?" Jin Jiupang was intrigued. "Then when is the right time?"

Quinn Liu giggled, acting sweet and clinging to Jin Jiupang’s chest: "You’ll know when the time comes."

"Heh, you always have tricks up your sleeve. I’m curious what surprise you’ve got this time!" Jin Jiupang squeezed Quinn Liu’s backside, strutting back with smug satisfaction.

But as Jin Jiupang strutted out of the mountain crevice, riding high on his own success, four people appeared before him. Normally, everyone here would rush to butter up Jin Jiupang, but as soon as these four showed up, the whole place went dead silent—everyone was stunned.

"Th-this, this is..." Someone cried out in shock, recognizing the newcomers: "It's the Silver Sword King, the Bronze Axe King, and the Iron Spear King!"

"Three of the Four Kings of Peng Kingdom just showed up at once! How come there was no word of this before? Something big is about to go down!"

"Who’s that guy leading the way? If the three kings are all following behind him with such respect, he’s gotta be a big deal—maybe someone with a crazy important identity!"

Out in front of the Silver Sword King and his crew, one man led the way. He was tall, dressed in a fine robe and a high crown, about forty years old, with deep, captivating eyes and a neatly trimmed mustache. Even with the endless wind and sand swirling around, his regal aura was undisturbed—a man whose very smile could win anyone over.

But Jin Jiupang’s face turned ugly. Normal folks wouldn’t notice, but as someone who’d just reached Innate level, he could clearly sense one thing—this middle-aged man was a Heavenly King-level master! With the three Peng Kingdom kings following at his side, this guy had to be one of Peng’s own. There were only two Heavenly Kings in all of Peng, and Jin Jiupang knew one of them, so this guy’s identity was obvious.

The Silver Sword King bowed respectfully: "Royal Uncle, we’re here. This is the one."

Jin Jiupang froze. He’d never heard that this guy was the ‘Royal Uncle’? That’s huge—there’s never been a rumor like that in the whole martial world! Is he plotting something major? Did I just walk right into a trap? And wait—who exactly are they talking about? That seems pretty important!

The middle-aged man looked over, his voice gentle: "Oh, so it’s you."

Who? Who are they talking about, anyway?

Just as he was puzzling over it, his arms suddenly felt empty. In disbelief, Jin Jiupang watched as Liu Qingsheng stepped forward, bowed deeply to the middle-aged man, and announced: "Your servant Liu Qingsheng greets the Prince—may you live ten thousand years! Reporting in, the path to the South Wasteland Temple has been cleared, and there’s confirmed to be a massive stash of gold inside. Congratulations, Prince, on claiming the treasure!"

"Good, you’ve done well." The middle-aged man’s voice was warm, his gaze captivating. "For those who serve with merit, I never skimp on rewards. So, what do you want?"

"I wouldn’t dare ask for much. These past years I’ve had to hide right next to my parents’ killer, swallowing my pride and putting up with endless humiliation." Liu Qingsheng looked up, eyes brimming with tears, pitiful enough to tug at anyone’s heartstrings: "All I want is a chance to avenge my parents myself!"

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"Alright, I promise you," the middle-aged man nodded, then turned to look at Jin Jiupang.

Jin Jiupang’s eyes went wide as he finally realized what was happening. He knew instinctively that he was in deep trouble, so he let out a wild scream and hurled a jade-colored flash while making a desperate dash for his life. But the giant of a man blocked his way and caught the jade orb barehanded. At the same time, a young man shouted, "How dare you attack the Prince!" and chased after him.

With a crack, the cloth wrapping the weapon burst apart, revealing a pitch-black iron spear—clearly the Iron Spear King. His spear technique was sharp and relentless, and as an Innate master, Jin Jiupang couldn’t break free. He was quickly forced into a corner, drenched in cold sweat, and cried out, "Blood-Dripping King! Blood-Dripping King! I’ll surrender, I’ll serve you—just don’t kill me!"

Blood-Dripping King—the most mysterious of Peng Kingdom’s two Heavenly Kings. Nobody knew what weapon he used, what he looked like, or how strong he really was. Rumor had it he was the royal family’s secret blade, their top enforcer, and every kill was a clean, one-shot execution. Folks guessed he used a blood-dripper type weapon, which is how he got his nickname over time.

"You’re useless to me. And stop calling me ‘Blood-Dripping King.’ That’s just the emperor’s lapdog—anyone who’s not a dog deserves a proper name." The middle-aged man waved his hand, and for a split second, his pupils turned into vertical snake-like slits, eerie and mysterious: "The name is Feng Wushang—remember it."

Without any flash or sound, and from over twenty meters away, massive sprays of blood erupted from Jin Jiupang’s body. His arms and legs were severed at the roots, all four limbs flying off at once. Jin Jiupang screamed in agony and collapsed into the dust. Just moments ago he was riding high as a newly minted Innate master—now he was nothing but a broken man, all thanks to a single wave of Feng Wushang’s hand.

"Liu Qingsheng, he’s yours—consider it my reward to you."

"Thank you, Prince! I’ll serve you with everything I’ve got, no matter what!"

Feng Wushang led his people away, driving everyone guarding the valley entrance inside with him. Liu Qingsheng came up to Jin Jiupang, grabbed him by the hair, and lifted him up, then slapped on two acupressure points to stop the bleeding.

"Wh-who are you... Who were your parents?" Jin Jiupang gritted his teeth through the pain, eyes wide with disbelief. "I always make sure to wipe out every last root—so who were your parents? I searched for so long and never found anything off about your background. Who are you really trying to avenge?"

"Avenge? Avenge who?" Liu Qingsheng instantly dropped the sad act, wiped away the cheap tears, and flashed a sly, seductive smile. "You’re not my enemy—you’re my benefactor! Why do you think I worked so hard to help you reach Innate?"

Jin Jiupang’s eyes went wide in shock, his voice trembling: "Wait—no way, it can’t be... That evil skill was supposed to be lost forever!"

"Hahaha!" Liu Qingsheng cackled, then said deliberately, "Now’s the perfect time for that line: Congratulations, Sect Leader—you’ve achieved Innate! Thanks a million—"