"Master, you..." Qian Shou Zhang finally realized that his master had asked him to retrieve the treasure not out of genuine care, but to sacrifice him for his own goals.
"Good disciple, without your sacrifice, this master cannot advance his cultivation and avenge you. Travel well, and I hope you do not blame me." Venerable Void watched as Qian Shou Zhang was about to fall into the gaping maw of the fire serpent, offering words of comfort.
Whoosh!
After the fire serpent swallowed Qian Shou Zhang, it licked the blood from its lips, appearing quite satisfied.
But it did not retreat into the cave. Instead, its sharp eyes fixed on Venerable Void. Those fiery red eyes, filled with immense power, froze Venerable Void in place, too scared to move.
Legend had it that the fire serpent in this cave was the guardian of a divine artifact, possessing the ability to overturn seas and rivers. Even a master at the Land Immortal realm would not have absolute confidence facing it.
Much less Venerable Void, who was only at the Grandmaster realm.
However, Venerable Void knew that once the fire serpent drank blood infused with a talisman, it would retreat from Feng Shui masters.
Before coming, he had already tampered with Qian Shou Zhang.
Logically, the fire serpent should not harm him now. Upon seeing him, it should flee back into the cave and dare not reappear.
From the moment the talisman took effect, it would last for at least half an hour, which was the optimal time for Venerable Void to enter the cave and retrieve the divine artifact.
But now, he saw that the fire serpent showed no signs of fear towards him. Instead, it wore a greedy expression, as if it intended to swallow him whole.
His heart sank!
"Great Fire Serpent, please don't eat me. My blood doesn't taste good."
Venerable Void prayed silently. If he tried to turn and flee now, he wouldn't be able to escape at all.
Just as he watched the fire serpent approach his body and open its massive jaws to swallow him alive, the talisman suddenly took effect. A golden light emanated from its mouth!
It reared its head and let out a hiss, as if it had seen a demon. It dared not continue its attack and instead turned, quickly retreating back into the cave.
Thump!
Venerable Void, sweating profusely from nervousness, his legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Fortunately, it was just a scare. If the talisman hadn't worked, he would have certainly died just now.
A moment later, he recovered his senses, checked the time, and realized that ten minutes of the optimal treasure retrieval window had passed. He dared not hesitate further. He immediately got up from the ground and cautiously walked into the cave.
He stepped into the cave, turned on his phone's flashlight, and saw a long, arched passage. The walls were very smooth and had been scorched black by fire, making them incredibly sturdy.
Judging by the age of the cave, it was at least several hundred years old.
And this fire serpent had resided here for hundreds of years. This was no ordinary beast, but an ancient monster.
But none of that mattered. What he coveted was the Fire Serpent Sword within.
As long as he obtained this sword and combined it with the dragon pearl containing spiritual energy that he had previously acquired, he would undoubtedly be able to elevate his cultivation to the Land Immortal realm.
Then, dealing with Lin Xiao Tian would be effortless.
After all, Lin Xiao Tian did not possess any divine artifacts!
When individuals of the same realm compete, it is the power of divine artifacts that determines the outcome.
Swish, swish, swish!
After walking several hundred meters into the cave, Venerable Void began to feel an intense heat radiating from his body.
However, thankfully, the fire serpent did not reappear, and he remained safe all the way.
As the ambient temperature rose, he knew he was getting closer to the Fire Serpent Sword.
As expected, after walking another few hundred meters deeper, his eyes suddenly spotted a colossal sword, radiating flames, suspended in mid-air.
The area around the giant sword was filled with intense flames, making it impossible to approach.
Venerable Void's face lit up with joy. He recognized at a glance that this giant sword was the Fire Serpent Sword he needed.
"Excellent, the legends are all true. This sword will soon be mine."
Venerable Void exclaimed with ecstatic joy, his footsteps gradually moving him closer to the giant sword.
The closer he got to the Fire Serpent Sword, the hotter his body felt, to the point of near dehydration.
But he did not give up. He continued to advance with great difficulty, step by step, his hands drawing ever nearer to the Fire Serpent Sword.
"Ah!"
Venerable Void took the final step and reached out to grasp the Fire Serpent Sword. The moment it landed in his palm, a powerful wave of fiery energy erupted.
His body, utterly defenseless, was directly blasted backward by the intense energy wave!
Crash!
A few seconds later, his body, along with the Fire Serpent Sword, was hurled out of the cave by the blast.
He landed heavily on the ground and took a long while to gradually recover.
He gently shook his head and then looked at the Fire Serpent Sword in his hand. Venerable Void's heart surged with excitement. The plan had actually succeeded!
He would soon become a master at the Land Immortal realm!
"Hahaha, my goal is achieved. I can finally break through my current realm."
"Lin Xiao Tian, you just wait. The first thing I'll do after cultivating to the Land Immortal realm is to take your head."
Venerable Void got up from the ground, coughing violently. The energy wave had inflicted serious internal injuries.
Fearing that someone might discover he had taken the Fire Serpent Sword and pursue him, he immediately left the area with the sword.
He now needed to find a safe place to recuperate and patiently cultivate, rapidly enhancing his strength.
Meanwhile.
Lin Xiao Tian, following the old man, arrived at his home by car.
He saw that the old man lived in the remote mountains, and the surrounding location was not ideal, not seeming like that of a wealthy person. However, upon arriving at the doorstep, he realized that the old man was a man of great discretion.
His home was actually a traditional manor, vast in area. Although somewhat old, it was built during the Qing Dynasty. The roofs of the houses were adorned with intricate carvings and paintings, each one worth a considerable sum.
In addition, the old man's home displayed dozens of high-end Zisha teapots made by national artisans, many famous calligraphy and paintings, Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain, and other precious antiques.
The items visible on the surface alone were worth at least tens of millions.
After inviting him to sit, the old man told him that all of this was inherited wealth from his ancestors.
His ancestors had been high-ranking officials, and the ancestral home, passed down to the present, was already invaluable. Previously, a wealthy merchant had offered one hundred million to buy the ancient residence, but the old man had refused.
"Old man, I didn't expect you to be so discreet. This ancient residence is enough for three generations of your family," Lin Xiao Tian said with a playful tone while sipping tea with the old man.
"Master Lin is too kind. This house cannot be sold. It was left by my ancestors and must be passed down through generations."
The old man had lived a frugal life with no grand ambitions, safeguarding this wealth very well.
But whether his grandson could maintain it was another matter.
After serving him tea, the old man said earnestly, "Master Lin, the room in the front is where I live. The strange sounds were coming from that direction."
"Oh? Take me to see it." Lin Xiao Tian put down the blue and white porcelain teacup and followed the old man.