The three could no longer hold back. Even though they were wounded, with the python's blinded eyes their attacks grew wild and imprecise—greatly weakening its strength and giving everyone an opening.
Fifteen minutes later, with a shudder of the earth, the colossal red python's body collapsed heavily to the ground, utterly lifeless.
They had no time to check the carcass. Rushing to where Wang Hao lay, they used magicked shovels—and their bare hands—to scrape him free from the cave wall.
— "Brother Wang, wake up!" Chu He slapped him sharply across the face.
Li Derong and Chen Qing hurriedly examined Wang Hao's wounds, bandaging him and applying salves. When they saw his pulse was strong, they all exhaled in relief: his life was not in immediate danger.
Wang Hao's body ached all over. Had he not trained the Jade-Ice Muscle & Bone Technique, he would surely have been done for. He forced his eyes open and croaked,— "Was the demon beast defeated?"
— "It's dead. Thank goodness you're alive, Brother Wang!" Chu He's eyes glistened with tears. Wang Hao shivered as he remembered Chu He's intense gaze that day. Wrenching himself out of Chu He's embrace, he managed,— "I'm all right—just need some rest. But you three should still explore the deeper cave to guard against any other threats!"
— "You're right," Chu He said, steadying himself. "Chen and I will scout around. Li Derong, please stay and watch over Brother Wang!" With that, he took his magical tool and, together with Chen Qing, began a careful sweep of the cavern's far reaches.
Li Derong, also gravely wounded, swallowed two pills herself and sat beside Wang Hao to protect him.
After about half an hour, Chu He and Chen Qing returned, smiling to see Wang Hao sitting up.— "Brother Wang, this was perilous—but the haul was enormous. We found a clutch of second-order python eggs in the deepest chamber, plus countless spirit herbs. Between the corpses of these two demon beasts, we can easily sell everything for at least six thousand spirit stones!"
Chu He produced a yellow-earth-colored stone and said,— "Brother, you mentioned needing Earth-attribute spirit materials—this is a Wu Earth Essence Stone, a lower-grade second-order spirit material. Your treasure seal is damaged; this should give you enough to reforging it!"
The stone was as large as two melons. Properly refined, it could yield enough material to create two spirit weapons. On the open market, such a spirit material would fetch at least five hundred spirit stones.
Wang Hao took the Wu Earth Essence Stone and examined it. His Sky-Turning Seal had only its outer shell shattered and still retained its inner core—something he didn't yet fully understand. He tucked it into his storage pouch for later study, then said,— "This spirit stone will be very useful—thank you. Please deduct five hundred spirit stones from my share when we divide the spoils."
— "No—you earned this," Chu He interjected, glancing to the others. "Chen Qing and Li Derong, any objections?"
Chen Qing shook her head firmly:— "Of course not. If Brother Wang hadn't dashed himself into harm's way, we never would have secured so many treasures so easily."
Li Derong also nodded:— "Please accept it. If you refuse, we'll only feel more ashamed of ourselves for taking everything else!"
Seeing their genuine expressions, Wang Hao gratefully accepted. He knew too well how quarrels over loot could ruin alliances. In his weakened state, he simply needed to rest and would test the stone later.
The swamp teemed with demon beasts. Though they'd felled two high-level pythons, they feared more dangerous creatures might be drawn by the commotion. So, the four rested only briefly before hastening from the swamp.
After two days' rest, they readied themselves to explore the "relic chamber."
Chu He explained that he had discovered it while still at the seventh Refinement of Qi level but had been blocked by a formation he could not break. This time, the formation was weaker, and the four of them should be able to shatter it.
They arrived at a small hill marking the boundary of the Broken Origin Mountains, where the dense spiritual energy hinted at at least a second-order vein nearby.
— "We'll descend here," Chu He said, pointing to a patch of ground. "Use your Earth-escape techniques to drop down!"
Cautiously, the four surveyed the immediate area; seeing no signs of beasts or other people, they began their descent.
After a dozen paces, a faint green barrier shimmered into view.
— "This is it. Let's go!" Chu He exclaimed, drawing a magical pick and striking the barrier with force.
Wang Hao and Li Derong exchanged glances and joined in. True enough, the formation had no offensive power—it merely resisted entry.
They hammered at it together for half a day, and finally the green curtain cracked and shattered.
With no more support, Wang Hao's footing gave way. He tumbled forward, crashing into the ground. Before he could react, Li Derong's body fell atop his. Instinctively, he reached to push her away—but then realized something was amiss and withdrew his hand at the last moment.
Li Derong's face flushed crimson. She scrambled to her feet in embarrassment. Chu He and Chen Qing were still peering into the newly revealed chamber and had not noticed the scene.
Inside lay a large, man-made cavern. Scratches and tool marks on the walls betrayed its artificial creation.
Wang Hao sensed no immediate danger but guessed the rewards might be modest.
As expected, the four quickly came upon a skeleton in the center of the chamber. Its clothing had long since decayed, and it had lain there for centuries.
A storage pouch still hung from its waist.
Chu He gingerly removed the pouch, shook it to ensure it was safe, then poured its contents onto the floor. A glow flared, revealing a pile of treasure: about four thousand spirit stones, three second-order magic tools (including a small red alchemy furnace), several jade flasks, jade scrolls, and a formation plate.
Wang Hao opened one jade flask and found it once held pills—too old now, they crumbled to dust at the slightest touch.
— "What a shame," Wang Hao murmured. "That was a second-order pill worth over three hundred spirit stones!"
— "This fellow must have been an Establishment-of-Foundation cultivator," Li Derong observed. "Looks like he was gravely wounded and retreated here to heal… and died instead."
Chu He nodded, pointing to the hurried tool marks on the walls.— "Clearly he tried to escape and perished in haste."
— "Let's check the jade scrolls," Chen Qing suggested softly. "Perhaps he left a message."