Free Web NovelChapter 381: Chapter 381: Sumeru Bag
Strands of Ten Extremes True Qi slithered like venomous snakes into Chen Jiuchuan’s vitals. They annihilated the True Essence within him at an exponential rate, immediately stirring up a monstrous wave inside his body.
Wherever the True Qi passed, his meridians felt as if they were being pierced by a thousand needles, and his bones emitted an overwhelmed CRACKING sound.
Chen Jiuchuan’s face twisted instantly, but he couldn’t even let out a scream, as Xu Yunfan’s other hand was already clamped around his throat.
With a subtle shift in intent, Xu Yunfan’s fingertips trembled slightly, and his Ten Extremes True Qi spread throughout Chen Jiuchuan’s body like a spiderweb.
He quieted his mind and focused his senses, carefully perceiving the radically different energy system inside this Primordial Sect disciple.
Chen Jiuchuan’s meridians were like intricate, jade-like conduits. Each one shimmered with the unique, dark cyan luster produced by the True Scripture cultivated on Hundred Peaks Mount.
The True Qi, now worn down to almost nothing, still circulated in an orderly fashion. It surged from his Dantian, completed a full Circulation through the Twelve Main Meridians, and finally settled in the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. Even more wondrously, the faint image of a miniature mountain suppressed his Qi Sea Acupoint. This had to be the secret technique of Hundred Peaks Mount, the "Hundred Peaks Demon Suppression Seal."
This was worlds apart from how Xu Yunfan’s own True Qi operated.
His Ten Extremes True Qi didn’t require meridians at all; instead, it permeated every inch of his flesh and blood directly.
His True Qi surged like a river through his muscle fibers and flowed like magma in the crevices of his bones. It could even resonate with the world outside through his very pores.
Although this Cultivation System could push one’s physique to the absolute limit, mortal power was ultimately finite. To seek Longevity, one had to look for power beyond oneself.
’So that’s how it is...’
Xu Yunfan thought, a wave of understanding washing over him.
The reason these Primordial Sect disciples could contain Exotic True Essence was precisely because of this sophisticated meridian system, which filtered and harmonized it.
As for himself, though he was unbound by meridians and could absorb all types of energy, he had to endure the backlash from the conflicting True Qi. If his physique weren’t so powerful, the vast True Qi within him would have already ground him to dust.
After a long moment, Xu Yunfan slowly withdrew his Ten Extremes True Qi, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
He sized up the deathly pale Chen Jiuchuan, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Well, this is a surprise. You actually managed to restrain yourself?"
Chen Jiuchuan managed to force a smile, but it looked more pained than if he were crying.
’Just moments ago, when Xu Yunfan had his eyes closed to probe me, his guard was completely down. Several of his vital points were wide open. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How could I not have been tempted?’
As a disciple of the Primordial Sect’s Hundred Peaks Mount, killing for treasure was practically etched into his very bones.
In the past, a simple sneak attack was nothing; even annihilating an entire clan would have been as easy as snapping his fingers.
But standing beside this monster, his tightly clenched fists were drenched in cold sweat, and he couldn’t bring himself to make a move.
Chen Jiuchuan squeezed out another smile. "Senior, how could I possibly dare to make a move? To have caught your eye is my greatest honor!"
"A strong will to live. I’ll let the past slide for now. But if you dare lie to me again, I’ll kill you. And if you die here in the Divine Martial Realm, you’ll enter Reincarnation with no hope of ever rising again."
A chill shot through Chen Jiuchuan’s heart. He nodded frantically, swearing oaths left and right.
’These Primordial Demon Sect disciples are really something else,’ Xu Yunfan thought, inwardly impressed. ’From Nether Spring to this Chen Jiuchuan, they all know how to read a situation. They can be tough when they need to be and yield when they have to, switching from arrogant to sycophantic in a heartbeat.’
’To survive in the Primordial Sect, you have to know your place. If you piss off a disciple favored by a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master, you won’t even know what hit you.’
Chen Jiuchuan said, "I’m not sure what Senior wishes to know, but I swear I will tell you everything and hide nothing!"
"Start with your Hundred Peaks Mount’s Hundred Peaks Demon Suppression Scripture."
Xu Yunfan said casually as he began to slowly clean up the battlefield.
Thirty-six Primordial Sect disciples had entered the Divine Martial Realm this time. He had killed seven of them, so it was only natural to collect the spoils.
True to the Primordial Sect’s nature, these disciples carried practically all of their worldly possessions with them.
Hearing this, Chen Jiuchuan quickly cupped his fists. "Senior, to be clear, my Hundred Peaks Mount’s *Hundred Peaks Demon Suppression Scripture* is divided into nine layers. It is based on the principle of ’gathering the Essence Qi of a hundred peaks to forge True Essence, and borrowing the power of Earth Veins to nourish the Divine Soul’..."
As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of Xu Yunfan bending down to pick up a broken Snake-shaped Short Sword from the corner of his eye.
The ashen-gray blade was still stained with its former owner’s blood.
Xu Yunfan flicked the blade with a fingertip and shook his head slightly. The weapon had lost all its Spiritual essence; it was now just a piece of scrap metal. He tossed it aside.
He then turned and walked toward another body, listening to Chen Jiuchuan’s explanation all the while.
"The first layer requires one to visualize the Five Peaks True Form Map and form the phantom of a mountain in their Qi Sea..."
CLANG. He kicked a corpse’s hand aside and picked up an ancient Bronze mirror that had been split in two.
The battlefield was a scene of utter devastation.
All sorts of destroyed Magical Artifacts lay scattered around the seven corpses.
There were Black Jade Prayer Beads shattered by the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace and Talismans corroded into sieves by his Ten Extremes True Qi... In the end, the only things of value he found were the dusty brocade pouches at each person’s waist.
Judging by their design, they had to be the standard-issue Sumeru Bags from the Primordial Sect.
"...the seventh layer allows one to use the True Intent of the mountains to suppress one’s Heart Demon, and the Eighth Layer..."
Chen Jiuchuan’s voice suddenly grew taut. At some point, Xu Yunfan had appeared right in front of him, the seven Sumeru Bags clinking in his palm.
Chen Jiuchuan forced himself to continue, pushing the words out one by one. When he finally finished, he stared at Xu Yunfan with pleading eyes.
Meeting the man’s nervous gaze, Xu Yunfan asked coolly, "Is that everything?"
"Not a single word of it was false!"
Chen Jiuchuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. "This Scripture is considered a top-tier Cultivation Technique even in the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm! It’s what Daoist Master Hundred Peaks of our Primordial Sect used to achieve Foundation Establishment, metaphorically lifting thousands of mountains to build his Dao Foundation. How could this junior possibly dare to lie..."
Xu Yunfan glanced at a notification that had just appeared in his vision.
’You are learning the Hundred Peaks Demon Suppression Scripture. You seem to be gaining some faint insight...’
’Interesting.’
Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but scoff internally. ’They’re called the Primordial Demon Sect, but their Cultivation Technique is named the *Hundred Peaks Demon Suppression Scripture*. How ironic.’
He raised his hand, shaking the Sumeru Bags. "How do I open these?"
Chen Jiuchuan swallowed hard, his eyes filled with envy.
He was certainly no stranger to the adage that crime pays, but getting seven Storage Bags in one go was enough to be considered an overnight fortune.
"You just need to channel your True Qi, concentrate your mind, and focus your intent. You’ll then be able to sense the items inside the Sumeru Bag."
Chen Jiuchuan glanced at the mangled corpses on the ground and added, "Since they’re all dead, the ownership marks on their Storage Bags have vanished. There are no bindings left."
Following Chen Jiuchuan’s instructions, Xu Yunfan focused his mind. He channeled a continuous stream of Ten Extremes True Qi, and faint wisps of crimson light began to glow at his fingertips.
Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow, subconsciously glancing toward the body of the female Primordial Sect disciple nearby.
True Qi flowed from Xu Yunfan’s fingertips, and a faint Spiritual Light shimmered at the opening of the Sumeru Bag.
After sensing the items stored inside, he raised an eyebrow. They were clearly the personal effects of the female Primordial Sect disciple. Besides a few chemises embroidered with protective talisman patterns, the bag also contained three neatly arranged bottles of "Jade Marrow Heart Nourishing Pills."
The space inside this Sumeru Bag was neither large nor small, about ten feet square. By infusing it with True Qi and grasping an object with his mind, he could retrieve it with a simple sweep of his hand. The process was surprisingly fast.
