Qin Yang's scalp prickled at the words.
Ten elders!
Even if the Qin Family's so-called elders were largely paper tigers, they were still ten Zongshi Realm experts!
"Where's the Noreturn Marsh?" Qin Yang sighed, still determined to give it a try.
Qin Dashan looked him up and down, then clasped his hands in greeting. "Brother, since you're the young master's friend, your cultivation must be quite advanced. Might I ask what realm you've reached?"
"Peak Qi Sea Realm," Qin Yang replied.
Qin Dashan's tongue seemed to get tangled. "Peak... Peak Qi Sea Realm?" He and his brother Qin Xiaoshan were only in the late Qi Gathering Realm. Qin Yang was younger than them, yet his cultivation was already a major realm higher!
Qin Yang nodded.
Qin Dashan's attitude grew even more deferential. "No wonder you dared to confront the Tian Swallowing Beast! I can show you where the Noreturn Marsh is and even guide you there. But... you must promise me one thing."
"Oh? What is it?" Qin Yang asked.
Qin Dashan lowered his voice. "Just help me gather a tier-5 spirit medicine or some earth-grade spirit materials..."
"Hmph!" Qin Yang's eyebrows furrowed. "Do you think fifth-order spirit medicines grow like weeds and earth-grade spirit materials lie scattered everywhere?"
Qin Dashan chuckled. "It seems you're unaware. Within this secret realm, fifth-order spirit medicines truly do grow abundantly, and earth-grade spirit materials are indeed plentiful."
Qin Yang studied Qin Dashan intently before asking, "If it's so rich in resources, why don't your family members harvest them yourselves?"
Qin Dashan shifted uncomfortably. "Every treasure in this realm is guarded by demonic beasts. These were sealed by our patriarch a thousand years ago. The secret realm was originally meant for cultivators' training..."
Patriarch? Qin Yang thought. More like the true Qin Family patriarch, not these old retainers!
"The realm only contains Zongshi-level treasures, and the demonic beasts are at most Zongshi-grade. With so many elders in your family, shouldn't obtaining these treasures be effortless? Sending someone of your cultivation level would be suicide." Qin Yang's gaze turned hostile as he pressed, "You're not content with risking your own life? Now you want to drag me into it?"
Qin Dashan waved his hands frantically. "Brother, you misunderstand! Those demonic beasts were never Zongshi-level to begin with! The secret realm's power level has been reduced, suppressing their cultivation."
He paused before continuing, "We're not going to our deaths. These beasts have been sealed away for centuries. They survive by absorbing spiritual energy from the environment and preying on other creatures that stray into their territory. Most of the time, they remain dormant to conserve energy. If we approach them while they're asleep, we can avoid waking them. After a thousand years, not only have their powers diminished, but they're also incredibly weakened..."
"Weakened?" Qin Yang couldn't help but scoff. Whether it was the Thornstone Turtle they'd encountered earlier or the Three-headed Flame Hound, neither had shown any signs of weakness.
Desperate to complete his mission, Qin Dashan pleaded, "Please help me. If you assist in finding spirit medicines and materials, I'll guarantee you'll see the Tian Swallowing Beast!"
Qin Yang considered this, already formulating his own plan.
As for why he needed to find the Tian Swallowing Beast, it wasn't just because of his promise to the Fire Dog. He also wanted to test whether the Fire Dog could be useful to him.
After all, the servants of the Qin Family within this secret realm were formidable. Qin Yang couldn't sweep through them alone. If he could rescue the trapped mythical beasts, their longstanding enmity with the Qin Family would drive them to attack without needing his provocation.
"Alright, I'll help you," Qin Yang nodded, his voice hushed. "Go. You know what to do."
Qin Dashan stood bewildered. Who was he talking to? A white shadow darted past his feet, startling him.
Upon closer inspection, it was... the Treasure Rat!
"Holy shit! The Treasure Rat!" Qin Dashan's eyes widened. Did Qin Yang actually possess such a rare mythical beast?
At the same time, Qin Dashan felt deeply conflicted. With the Treasure Rat, finding treasures should be effortless. Yet Qin Yang had been so hesitant before...
Qin Yang glanced at Qin Dashan. "After all these years, you must know this secret realm's treasure locations like the back of your hand. Does it really matter whether we have the Treasure Rat or not?"
Qin Dashan explained, "The Treasure Rat avoids calamity and seeks fortune. Any treasure it finds will undoubtedly be guarded by slumbering mythical beasts!"
Qin Yang pursed his lips. This was absolutely ridiculous! If the Treasure Rat had another master, perhaps it might be true. But its master was him!
After experiencing the might of the dragon's authority, the Treasure Rat practically wore a "Heaven first, I second" attitude. It wouldn't care a whit whether the guardian beast was asleep or not...
The two men followed the Treasure Rat, moving swiftly through the forest. They soon entered a dense wood and came to an abrupt stop.
Qin Dashan's legs trembled uncontrollably, his voice shaking as he said, "We... we should leave this place! People came here a few days ago, but none returned."
"What's here?" Qin Yang asked.
Qin Dashan replied, "A fifth-rank spirit medicine. The guardian beast is an Ice Dragon."
As he spoke, fear deepened on Qin Dashan's face. "That Ice Dragon appears to be asleep, but its senses are incredibly keen. Any living creature passing through its territory will instantly wake it. And the most terrifying part is... you'll never know if it's awake or not!"
"Go, kill it," the Dragon Jade suddenly spoke within Qin Yang's mind.
Qin Yang rolled his eyes, mentally retorting, "Easy for you to say! Why don't you use your dragon authority instead of draining my spiritual energy?"
But Qin Yang's curiosity got the better of him. "Why must it be killed?" he asked.
The Dragon Jade spoke, "Don't you possess the Dragon Song Bow? It's merely a Profound-grade magical treasure. Once you ascend to the Zongshi Realm, if you wish to continue using it, you'll need to forge it for an upgrade. The Ice Dragon's dragon tendons make excellent material for this purpose!"
Qin Yang nodded. The Dragon Jade certainly knew its facts. Yet he sensed there was more to this than met the eye.
The Dragon Jade usually didn't utter a single word. Why was it so eager now? When it came to the Flame Ruby Crystal's ability to advance magical treasures, the Dragon Jade hadn't said a thing.
"My goal is to integrate all martial arts into the Shocking Sword Finger," Qin Yang said. "Once I reach the Zongshi Realm, my Shocking Sword Finger will wield the power of the Ten Arrows of Wonder. I won't need the Dragon Song Bow."
After a moment of silence, the Dragon Jade finally revealed its true purpose: "Very well, I admit it. I need its essence blood."
"If you needed it, why not say so directly? Why beat around the bush?" Qin Yang asked with a smile.
"Using its essence blood isn't necessary. You could use your own essence blood and true qi to nourish me instead. The effect would be the same."
Qin Yang's face instantly filled with black lines of frustration.
The Dragon Jade spoke again: "Do you think unleashing my power requires only your spiritual energy? When your strength grows, to truly harness my power, you'll need to pay a greater price to nourish me."
"True power..." Qin Yang thought, feeling no anticipation whatsoever. It's just a piece of jade. What true power could it possibly have? They claim it's a super-grade magical treasure, but I don't see it.
"It's behind you. Be careful!" the Dragon Jade warned.
Qin Yang's body tensed, and he whirled around quickly. His sudden movement nearly made Qin Dashan jump. The elder man turned too, frozen in place as if petrified.
Cold sweat drenched their bodies, every hair standing on end.
A frosty Ice Dragon coiled on a massive tree, its eyes closed in apparent slumber.
Qin Yang's mind went cold. We just passed that tree! Where did this damn Ice Dragon come from?
Though the creature appeared asleep, Qin Yang knew better. This thing was putting on an act!