Chapter 116: The Treasure Passage
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
Splash! Splash!
The ocean’s surface barely rippled as a few sparkling waves vanished as quickly as they had appeared, leaving behind the dark, silent water.
Far below the sea, Yu Zhao and her companions descended along the underwater slope of the island, their bodies protected by barriers of spiritual energy. As they plunged deeper, the water churned briefly before calming, as if the ocean itself was swallowing them whole.
The deeper they sank, the fewer vibrant sea creatures and plants they encountered. The water darkened, and the pressure of the deep ocean pressed down on them, creating a gnawing sense of unease that grew with every foot they descended.
They had already descended several hundred feet, yet the ocean floor remained elusive. The vast, unknown depths below them stirred a quiet, creeping fear in their hearts.
Suddenly, a faint ripple of spiritual energy brushed against their senses.
Swish!
Zhao Xian and his wife reacted instantly, shooting forward like twin bolts of lightning. Their rapid movement sent waves rippling through the water in their wake. Ji Han Zhou instinctively stepped forward but hesitated when he noticed that Yu Zhao, Lady Hua, and Boss Wu remained still.
“Don’t rush. Let them scout ahead,” Yu Zhao’s voice echoed in his mind, calm and controlled.
Ji Han Zhou nodded, reminding himself to observe more and act less—there was no need to draw unnecessary attention.
The group maintained a steady pace, neither too fast nor too slow. By the time they caught up with Zhao Xian and his wife, the couple had already stopped in front of a towering mountain wall.
“What’s happening?” Boss Wu asked, his curiosity piqued.
Zhao Xian stepped aside slightly, his expression grim. “This should be the entrance to the undersea passage, but it’s sealed by a restriction.”
A restriction, unlike typical magical formations that cultivators often encounter, is a complex barrier drawn directly by the user’s spiritual consciousness. Unlike formations that rely on array stones or disks, a restriction can be altered at the user’s will to produce various effects. Because of this, breaking a restriction is much more challenging than dismantling a standard formation. The two primary methods to break a restriction are brute force or understanding its mechanism and outsmarting it.
Unfortunately, neither Zhao Xian nor his wife possessed the skills to do either, leaving them helpless before the sealed entrance.
Boss Wu scratched his head in frustration. “I don’t know much about formations. Does anyone here have expertise in this area?”
Both Lady Hua and Yu Zhao shook their heads.
Ji Han Zhou hesitated before speaking up. “I could give it a try.”
The others looked at him in surprise.
To them, Ji Han Zhou’s presence had been almost negligible, aside from his strikingly handsome appearance. Even though Yu Zhao had recently spoken up for him, they hadn’t really taken him seriously.
Yu Zhao smiled encouragingly. “Junior Brother Han Zhou, go ahead. I’ll ensure no one disturbs you.”
Somewhat embarrassed, the group made way for Ji Han Zhou.
He approached the entrance with determined steps, realizing this was his chance to prove himself to Senior Sister Yu Zhao. He couldn’t afford to mess up.
Ji Han Zhou wasn’t particularly skilled in handling restrictions. As a sword cultivator from the Heavenly Sword Sect, he frequently practiced sword formations with his fellow disciples, giving him a decent understanding of magical arrays.
Formations and restrictions share some common principles, and once those connections are understood, breaking a restriction becomes more manageable.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Han Zhou exhaled slowly, his eyes locking onto the intricate, mysterious lines of spiritual energy etched into the mountain wall. His mind raced as he calculated his next moves.
He stood there, motionless, for seven long days.
Boss Wu and the others went from hopeful anticipation to doubt and finally to disappointment.
They had suspected that this kid wasn’t reliable—if he didn’t know how to break the restriction, he should’ve just admitted it instead of wasting their time.
“Cultivator Yu Zhao,” Boss Wu cautiously suggested, “maybe we should have Brother Han Zhou stop and try to come up with another solution?”
Yu Zhao shot him a cold glance. “Why don’t you tell us your solution first?”
Boss Wu faltered. He didn’t have a plan; he just didn’t want to waste more time waiting.
Yu Zhao looked away, her expression thoughtful. She believed in using the right person for the job. Ji Han Zhou wasn’t someone who would overestimate his abilities. The more focused he was, the more confident he likely felt. Yu Zhao would never drag her companions down when they needed her support.
Boss Wu had no choice but to retreat in defeat. The others, even if they had thoughts of their own, didn’t dare voice them.
Three more days passed.
Bored out of his mind, Boss Wu plucked a strand of hair from his head and began slicing it into tiny pieces with his spiritual power. Just as he reached his forty-eighth cut, Ji Han Zhou suddenly moved.
His hands formed a complex seal, and a pale yellow circle of light emerged from his palms, quickly flying toward the restriction.
Buzz~
The spiritual lines on the mountain wall began to shift and pulse rapidly, and a destructive force started to build up.
Did he fail?
Boss Wu and the others were horrified and instinctively retreated.
Yu Zhao prepared a defensive spell, but instead of retreating, she advanced. Just as she was about to pull Ji Han Zhou away, she noticed something unusual about the restriction on the mountain wall.
The yellow circle Ji Han Zhou had cast was merging with the restriction at an astonishing rate.
Within moments, the two forces completely fused, and the immense energy that had been building up suddenly dissipated. Before them, a stone door slowly emerged from the mountain wall.
“Senior Sister Yu Zhao, I did it.”
Ji Han Zhou turned around, beaming at Yu Zhao. Though dark circles hung under his eyes, and he looked utterly exhausted, there was a brightness in his smile that hadn’t been there in a long time.
“Impressive,” Yu Zhao praised without hesitation.
For Ji Han Zhou to successfully break a restriction that even a group of Golden Core cultivators couldn’t, using only his own skills, was truly commendable.
Ji Han Zhou’s smile widened, but then his vision blurred, and everything went black as he collapsed.
Yu Zhao caught him just in time, her expression softening as she checked his condition. As expected, he had exhausted himself mentally and physically, causing him to slip into a deep, self-induced sleep.
“Is Brother Han Zhou alright?” Boss Wu and the others, now that the crisis had passed, gathered around to confirm the kid’s condition.
“He’s not dead yet,” Yu Zhao replied dryly.
Boss Wu and the others exchanged glances, somewhat taken aback by her bluntness.
Yu Zhao’s words were as sharp as ever.
“Who’s going in first?” Yu Zhao asked, her gaze sweeping over the group.
Silence fell over them.
Even Zhao Xian and his wife, who were usually eager to take the lead, had learned their lesson and kept their heads down.
“You don’t expect me to carry my junior brother and go in first, do you?” Yu Zhao’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “I can’t promise I won’t leave a few surprises for you inside the passage.”
Realizing their intentions had been seen through, Boss Wu and the others quickly denied any such thoughts. After a brief discussion, they decided that Lady Hua would take the lead, with Boss Wu covering the rear, and Zhao Xian and his wife positioning themselves ahead of Yu Zhao.
Standing at the front, Lady Hua cautiously pushed the stone door open.
In an instant, a blinding light flooded out, illuminating the dark underwater world.
Lady Hua froze, her spiritual senses probing inside. Her mouth fell open in shock, and her eyes filled with feverish excitement.
The wide passage before them was filled with dazzling treasures—pearls, corals, gems of every color, and even beast cores the size of fists. The passage wound downward, with no end in sight.
Just the treasures in this passage alone were enough to make them all rich beyond their wildest dreams.
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
Boss Wu gulped, his mind racing with thoughts of wealth.
“This must be the Siren’s treasure trove! I’m going to be rich! Filthy rich!” he thought, barely containing his excitement.
Zhao Xian and his wife could hardly tear their eyes away from the dazzling sight.
Although being rogue cultivators offered them freedom, it also came with countless hardships, especially when it came to acquiring the resources needed for cultivation. The incident with the Long family brothers fighting over resources was a perfect example.
But now, these gems and beast cores could support Zhao Xian and his wife’s cultivation for decades to come.