That treasure capable of summoning wind and rain truly existed.
It was an unrefined Natural Treasure, not forged by some great powerholder, but born from the heavens and earth themselves.
There was a vast difference between the two.
Treasures that had been refined often came with numerous restrictions on use—for instance, requiring the user to reach a certain realm or meet specific racial requirements, and so on.
Natural Treasures, however, were different.
In most cases, they imposed no requirements on the user whatsoever. Even a mere mortal who came across one might be able to wield it.
Of course, in the hands of someone with greater power, its effects would be magnified even further.
Such qualities greatly amplified the treasure’s allure. Even a little sprite like the Radish Spirit, who possessed no offensive abilities to speak of, wanted to dash over and join the excitement.
With Innate Realm powerhouses, sprites, and people of unknown identities in the mix, this contest for the treasure was bound to stir up no small chaos.
“Where’s the Demon Subduing Division? Where is the Demon Subduing Division?”
The Little Snake Demon shouted.
If things were going to kick off on this scale, why wasn’t the Demon Subduing Division stepping in to handle it?
“Aren’t you the Demon Subduing Division?”
Xiao Luo asked, puzzled.
“Ah, I was just bluffing. That was only a fake recommendation letter…”
The Demon Subduing Division had no bandwidth to intervene.
The Great Zhou Kingdom spanned a vast territory, encompassing four prefectures to the southeast, northwest, and the Luo Royal Capital besides. How could the Demon Subduing Division possibly cover it all?
After all, the bare minimum to join as a formal member was to step into the Innate Realm and master the use of Qi.
Such talented individuals were few and far between.
Unless those fools were dumb enough to cause a ruckus right in the middle of Nine Li City, the Demon Subduing Division had little interest in cracking down on fights to the death in some remote corner.
“Natural Treasure…”
As Xiao Luo described it, Ren Tan’s expression grew even more resolute.
She had to claim this treasure!
Whether for her own sake, the merchant guild teetering on the brink of collapse, or the dying wish her father had entrusted to her—this opportunity could not be missed!
“Senior Xiao Luo,” she said, “please tell me where the treasure is. I already have a clear sense of the risks this journey entails.”
“Fine, if you’re dead set on risking your neck, that’s on you,” the Little Radish Spirit replied. “Word on the street is that the treasure’s aura was spotted around the Long River Mountains. Try your luck there.”
The Long River Mountains lay not far from Nine Li City, rugged terrain sculpted by a tributary known as the Long River through the handiwork of nature herself. The area teemed with natural resources, but travel there was notoriously inconvenient—a far cry from the bustling prosperity of this place.
All the same, it did seem like just the sort of spot where a treasure might be born.
“Thank you,” Ren Tan said with genuine sincerity. “If I manage to obtain the treasure, I’ll never forget Senior Xiao Luo’s great kindness!”
“That bracelet…”
“This one’s off-limits!”
“Alright, alright,” the Little Radish Spirit relented. “I don’t need any repayment. Just don’t rat me out to the Demon Subduing Division. I’m planning to stick around for two more months before heading out. The Great Zhou Kingdom may be a land of heroes and spiritual bounty, but it’s no paradise for sprites like us…”
Xiao Luo magnanimously shared the intelligence with them.
But the Little Snake Demon had no intention of letting her slip away so easily.
“Hiss hiss.” Yin Luan reached out with both hands, hoisting up the departing Xiao Luo. She licked her lips and said, “Don’t you think you’re taking this a bit too lightly…? You attacked me out of the blue earlier—surely that calls for some compensation?”
“I-I didn’t mean to!”
Xiao Luo stammered, mustering what courage she had to protest.
“And what about your attempt to snatch the bracelet? That was deliberate, wasn’t it?”
“Th-that didn’t actually work…”
Xiao Luo had slipped into the human city in the first place to see if she could track down any century-old herbs—or perhaps minerals infused with the essence of heaven and earth—that might boost her cultivation base.
Wandering aimlessly on her own, who knew how many years it might take? But striking a deal with humans could net her what she needed in a snap.
Ren Tan had initially lured her in with the promise of “ten stalks of century-old ginseng.” Yet after laying eyes on an Innate Treasure worth ten millennial ginsengs, she’d changed her tune.
With a treasure like that in her possession, she could roam the world without constantly fretting about ending up as someone’s snack…
“This is what they call an attempted crime,” Yin Luan said, swallowing hard once more. “I hear radishes grow fast…. Could you shift back to your true form and let me eat half?”
“I’m not a radish—I’m a Radish Spirit! Eating half of me would be the end!”
Xiao Luo immediately began to struggle.
Wuwuwu, the human world was too terrifying. From now on, she’d rather eat dirt than set foot in a city again…
“Then… just one bite?”
“One bite would still drain my vitality!” she cried out while struggling. “Let me go! I’m not ginseng, lingzhi, or snow lotus. Eating me won’t do you any good!”
“How will you know if you don’t try?”
Ren Tan watched helplessly as Yin Luan kept pressing closer to the little girl’s face, unsure how to talk her out of it. The very fact that she could converse with a sprite—and even enlist its help—was already beyond her wildest imagination.
After a chaotic tussle, the little snake demon finally released the drool-soaked radish spirit with a reluctant sigh. She flicked out her tongue and spoke up.
“Tell you what—you come with us to find that treasure. Once we have it, you’re free to go. Deal?”
“What? That’s…”
Xiao Luo hesitated.
Truth be told, she was intrigued by that wind-summoning rain-calling treasure herself. But as a radish spirit with such a shallow cultivation base, she knew full well that tagging along solo would probably be a death sentence.
Natural treasures often gathered vast amounts of heaven-and-earth essence. Sometimes, just lingering nearby and taking a few breaths could boost one’s cultivation base considerably.
She wanted to go… but she didn’t dare.
Gurgle.
Little Snake’s stomach let out a hungry rumble.
“This radish head looks awfully tasty…”
“I… I suppose I could,” Xiao Luo finally replied after a long moment of fearful hesitation. “But… I want to know just how strong you really are.”
“Haha!” Ren Tan burst out laughing at that. “Don’t worry—she’s plenty strong. Even three or five innate experts couldn’t lay a finger on her!”
“Exactly!” The little snake demon planted her hands on her hips, beaming with pride. “If I weren’t starving and it weren’t so damn cold, I’d be unstoppable! Watch this—I’ll show you my Snake Movement Technique!”
And so the two of them watched as the little snake demon twisted and writhed her waist for a full half hour…
In the end, the little radish spirit agreed to join their group.
Her time mingling with humans might have been brief, but she’d been a sprite far longer than this greenhorn snake demon.
She could keenly sense the enormous, almost inhuman surge of life force pulsing within Yin Luan.
The mightier the creature, the vaster its life force—that was the iron law of heaven and earth.
Yet this snake demon’s vitality… well, it left her utterly baffled.
It flowed endlessly like a mighty river or vast lake, yet felt as solid and unyielding as the broad earth itself. How could something so bizarre exist in the human world?
What on earth was she?
