Qin Yun followed the female warrior into the yard.
"Open." Qin Yun opened his Eye of Lightning and carefully observed the compound. It was an ordinary structure with only three buildings.
The buildings were unspectacular and lacked treasure light.
Only the spot by the white-robed man had a blurry treasure light coming from the books and portraits on the table in front of him. But most eye-catching of all was the dazzling treasure light by his chest. It was reddish-pink. To Qin Yun's vision, the treasure light illuminated half the yard.
"Without the concealment of the array formation, this treasure light is even clearer." Qin Yun was momentarily mesmerized by the sight. "I felt that it would be worth at least two inferior-grade Numinous treasures from afar, but now I see it is probably equal to three inferior-grade Numinous treasures."
Qin Yun made that judgment.
The female warrior walked to the side of the peach tree and looked at the white-robed man's corpse silently. Following that, she looked up at Qin Yun and pointed across the table. "Please sit."
Qin Yun understood what was happening and walked to the other side of the table, sitting opposite the white-robed man.
The white-robed man was rather handsome and there was a faint smile on the corner of his lips.
"Whoosh."
The cross-legged man suddenly opened his eyes and looked up, staring straight at Qin Yun.
Qin Yun was taken aback.
However, he noticed that the white-robed man's corpse remained sitting there cross-legged! Now there was an additional white-robed phantom that overlaid it.
"A scene left behind before his death?" Qin Yun was enlightened.
"My name is Fang Rong." The white-robed phantom looked at Qin Yun. "I also came to the Ancient Augury World to vie for Exalted Immortal Nine Raven's treasure. But as you can see, all my efforts were for naught. I even lost my life as a result."
Qin Yun's heart stirred.
Exalted Immortal Nine Raven's treasure?
The female warrior watched as tears gradually formed in her eyes.
"I never really held the extravagant hopes of obtaining the Connate Numinous treasure that is famous throughout the Three Realms, the Sky Measuring Rule of Immortal Nine Raven. After all, it is a Numinous treasure born from the starry Chaos itself. Even Golden Immortals and Buddhas would desire it. As a ninth Firmament Skyimmortal existence, Exalted Immortal Nine Raven had relied on this Connate Numinous treasure to defeat mighty figures like Golden Immortals and Buddhas. He had a crusty temper and showed no respect for anything or anyone. He eventually enraged Magus Luo of the Ten Magi. He was inflicted with a hex art and fled to his lair in the Ancient Augury World, where he succumbed to the hex half a month later."
Qin Yun was secretly alarmed.
The magus lineage that was considered to be declining in the Three Realms was that powerful? An existence that could defeat Golden Immortals and Buddhas was hexed to death just like that?
But on further thought, that was indeed possible. Although it was in decline, it was still a faction that spanned all of the Three Realms!
"Exalted Immortal Nine Raven's treasure was sought frenetically by powerful experts. However, the Ancient Augury World is a Small World that is governed only by the Heavenly Dao. Mighty figures are unable to gain entry as a result. The highest existences that can enter are nine Firmament Skyimmortals. Furthermore, given Exalted Immortal Nine Raven's temperament, it would not be easy to obtain his treasures even after his death."
"So without surprise, many immortals and fiends have died here. Some lost their lives because of Exalted Immortal Nine Raven's traps while others ended up in mutual destruction. Of course, there were others that were lucky enough to eventually obtain some of Exalted Immortal Nine Raven's treasures," said the white-robed phantom. "As for my batch, we were drawn to one of the three supreme-grade Numinous treasures of Exalted Immortal Nine Raven, the Fire Raven Calabash. Opening the calabash will release a million fire ravens, each one of them having sentience. They burrowed underground to form this Fire Raven Nest."
"The Fire Raven Nest is extremely dangerous. Many experts have targeted the supreme-grade Numinous treasure within. Should anyone ever obtain it, they would be invincible to anyone below the seventh Firmament Skyimmortal realm."
"I also wished to obtain it. With it, I could have sought my revenge."
The white-robed phantom's eyes suffused with hate as he said that.
Following that, he said in a self-deprecatory manner. "Although we knew that many experts would die and that only one person would obtain the Fire Raven Calabash, we still stormed in here. Unfortunately, I was not the one destined to win."
Qin Yun was secretly alarmed.
The underground nest with its dense, cavernous passageways that resembled a gigantic maze was actually the Fire Raven Nest?
A supreme-grade Numinous treasure? With it, one would be invincible to anyone below the seventh Firmament Skyimmortal realm?
For reference, superior-grade Numinous treasures might be rare, but the Great Chang world's Patriarch Bai had the superior-grade Numinous treasure, the Stellar Heavenly Cycle. However, he would not dare claim invincibility beneath the fourth Firmament Skyimmortal realm! Was a supreme-grade Numinous treasure that much more powerful than a superior-grade Numinous treasure?
"Before I met my end, the amounts of treasure I accumulated dwindled. There are only the most common weapons left." The white-robed phantom looked at Qin Yun. "However, there is also a medial-grade Numinous treasure. It can be considered of some use."
Qin Yun's heart raced.
A medial-grade Numinous treasure?
It was more than enough! He now had enough treasures to rescue Xiaoxiao! He never expected the Skyimmortal Fang Rong's weapon to be a medial-grade Numinous treasure.
The female warrior shot a glance at Qin Yun before looking back at the white-robed phantom. She cherished every look in his eyes and expression on his face. This was the final time in her life she would be able to see her master speak.
"But for me, my cultivation to date stems from it." Fang Rong pointed at a scroll laid out among the books and scrolls on the table. "Years ago, I was the scion of a wealthy man. I barely managed to knock open the gate of immortality. I didn't even enter the Connate realm! Back then, I was at a restaurant and encountered a drunken man who couldn't pay for his meal. I pitied him and paid for him. I even got him a room to stay that night. The next day, he drew a portrait for me personally, saying that it was to repay me for the silver."
"That portrait allowed me to cultivate to where I am now. It also allowed me to escape my homeworld's catastrophe."
"Perhaps it might have been easier to die with my loved ones in my homeworld," muttered the white-robed phantom before he looked back at Qin Yun. "I'm leaving these items to you but I have one request. I wish for you to kill Hawk Fiend King Che Jie when you are absolutely confident you can do so. He was originally a hawk demon who was also a famous demon king in the Effulgent borders. He wreaked havoc in the region and destroyed my homeworld. As for his cultivation level, he has reached the sixth Firmament Skydemon realm. His lair is in the Small World of the Efflugent borders, the Hawk Fiend World."
"This is my only request." The white-robed phantom looked at Qin Yun. "Receive my treasure and subsequently, the karma."
With that said, the white-robed figure dissipated, leaving the white-robed corpse motionless.
"I will take this karma." Qin Yun nodded.
The eyes of the female warrior warmed greatly when she heard that.
She beckoned her hand as a Cosmic Bag situated at the white-robed corpse's chest flew out onto the table.
"The treasure is all in there," said the female warrior. "This Cosmic Bag, the books and scrolls, and especially that portrait. My master was able to cultivate into a Skyimmortal all thanks to that portrait. According to my master's guess, the drunk guest he encountered… was likely a mighty figure's avatar that had descended into the mortal world incognito. Only a mighty figure could produce such a powerful portrait."
"The portrait of a mighty figure?"
Qin Yun's eyes lit up.
Mighty figures were unable to enter Small Worlds with their true bodies but their avatars were capable of doing so.
For instance, back when the Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure preached the Dao on Numinous Treasure Mountain, he had done so with an avatar.
Qin Yun picked up the Cosmic Bag and permeated it with his Dharmic powers. He immediately sensed a flute inside. However, at his present level, he was quickly able to determine that it was a medial-grade Numinous treasure!
"I really gained a lot." Qin Yun put away the Cosmic Bag and looked at the books and scrolls on the table. He reached out for the rolled portrait.
He unrolled it and on it, there was a splatter of ink. It looked like a dark and solemn land. Above the splash of ink was a simply-drawn butterfly.
The butterfly looked like it was flying, like it had an intelligence.
It flew happily, brimming with joy and cheerfulness. The portrait even seemed to 'come to life.' Qin Yun could see that the trajectories formed by the fluttering of its wings were profound and unfathomable. They appeared to contain the ultimate truth of the Heaven and Earth.
Qin Yun was an itinerant sword immortal. He had never had a powerful master. He modeled himself after nature and that led his cultivation to this day. But this portrait… it was the most impressive thing he had ever seen. He could not help but feel touched seeing it, thinking back to the phrase 'acquiring comprehension of the Dao in the morning leaves one contented even if one dies in the evening.' All the questions that puzzled him when he contemplated his Sword Dao alone were resolved. The truth of the Heaven and Earth was elegantly fused into the butterfly.