576: Chapter 575: Quicksand Treasure Hunt 2 576: Chapter 575: Quicksand Treasure Hunt 2 The seventh floor, the highest level of Wangjiang Tower.
With panoramic views stretching far into the horizon, one could feel their spirits lifted upon arriving.
There were no attendants serving here, for in Wangjiang Tower, the levels were divided by status.
For example, those below Tongxuan and mortal dignitaries could only dine on the lower three floors, those of the Tongtian Realm could drink on the upper three floors, and the top seventh floor was exclusively for Golden Core Upper Cultivators.
Hou Niao was qualified to linger on the sixth floor, so climbing one more level didn’t seem too excessive, right?
The space on the seventh floor was not large, with only four private rooms named Wind, Cloud, Heaven, and Earth.
Before he even approached the room marked “Wind,” Divine Sense was transmitted from inside,
Hou Niao entered decorously, lifting the curtain to see a Daoist with a clear and distinguished face, quietly watching him.
“A sword cultivator from Shan Sect?
Did Yu Zhengxing send you?”
Hou Niao nodded, “Hou Niao from Shan Sect, greetings to Senior Lin.”
Lin Xiashi smiled, “No hurry, tell me about the Protective Forest in Ancient Lop first.”
Hou Niao was well-prepared and took out a Viewing Stone, which contained an overview of the forest belt specially recorded by Yu Zhengxing.
From the viewpoint of flying low through the sky, the thousand-li Protective Forest was a magnificent sight, hard to imagine it was something they cultivators had planted from scratch in just over a year.
Lin Xiashi watched intently, muttering, “…Yu Daoist really did it.
A forest belt over a thousand li long, that must have used up so many resources, not to mention future maintenance.
Come on, tell me about him.”
Hou Niao recounted everything precisely, neither exaggerating nor hiding anything, including their current predicament, the major battle with the Undead Army, and their concerns for the future.
“…that’s roughly the situation.
Right now, the planting of the forest belt in Ancient Lop has halted; we can’t continue because the underground array is like a bottomless pit.
Relying solely on us has reached its limit; we need support, whether it be Spirit Stones or manpower.”
Lin Xiashi, engrossed in the nascent greenery sprawling across the scene, seemed to fall into nostalgia,
“…I’m very familiar with this place because I was born here… The wish of a native was fulfilled by outsiders, and it shames me!
I didn’t contribute to the Protective Forest but put my energy into internal strife over a so-called treasure!
The Water Spirit Pearl affects the changes between heaven and earth, but what does that have to do with me?
I only wish to see my homeland return to the splendor it held a thousand years ago!
I feel guilt in my heart, a betrayal to my ancestors.
This path of cultivation has gone astray.”
Hou Niao said softly, “Uncle-Master Yu said you have d all your family wealth and also initiated fundraising within Qin Sect.
You have already done quite a lot.”
Lin Xiashi shook his head, smiling bitterly in self-reproach, “It’s not a lot, not enough, far from it!
I should be guarding the forest belt, for years, for decades, until the forest permanently takes shape, no longer fearing erosion by wind and sand, restoring its grandeur from a millennium ago!”
Taking a deep breath, his eyes became clear and resolute, “Once matters here are settled, I will rush over, regardless of whether my sect agrees or not; so, young man, what brings you here to see me?”
Hou Niao didn’t have time to judge whether the thoughts of this Golden Core Great Cultivator were genuine or not.
He trusted the discernment of the old fox Yu Zhengxing, who clearly understood Senior Lin,
So he spoke bluntly, “Disciple came here for the Water Spirit Pearl to steal it amidst the surrounded cultivators, and then to place the Water Spirit Pearl into the underground Dark River of the Protective Forest; by doing so, not only in the direction of Ancient Lop, but also in other directions where the Snow River Dark River flows, there will be a more powerful surge of Water Element Power.
If one day everyone starts to plant trees and forests, it won’t be just two or three thousand li of forest belts, but tens of thousands of li.
I came to seek your help, to help me blend into the Flowing Sand River.”
Lin Xiashi stared at him blankly, never having imagined that a mere Tongtian Realm junior would dare to speak of stealing the pearl right in front of him, and to do so confidently and righteously.
But his goal was so irresistible, the envisioned future was exactly what he had secretly longed for countless times.
Indeed, Sword Cultivators are all madmen!
“In Flowing Sand River, there will be hundreds of Natural Realm cultivators from both Qin Sect and Yue Sect, as well as countless Water Demons and river monsters.
What makes you so sure you can get it?”
Hou Niao lowered his gaze modestly, but his voice was firm, “This is a matter for disciple alone, so senior need not worry; disciple has invested all his possessions in the Protective Forest and certainly does not wish this venture to be in vain.”
Lin Xiashi was speechless, “You’re mad, Yu Zhengxing is mad too!
Do I also have to go mad with you?”
Hou Niao smiled, “Without madness, there’s no life.”
Lin Xiashi’s mind raced through countless thoughts, weighing between the sects and the Protective Forest, and finally, he made a decision.
“I can turn a blind eye to help you enter the Flowing Sand River, and I can even give you a Yue Sect Token so that you will not be treated as an external spy, but as for how to find the Water Spirit Pearl, how to succeed amidst a circle of enemies, and how to escape afterward, I can’t help you with these.
After all, I am only one of the Golden Core hosts here, there are other senior brothers, and there are the Golden Core Cultivators of the Yue Sect, people I cannot control.”
Hou Niao nodded, “That’s sufficient!
But what I want to know is, for a cultivation like senior’s, what is your sensing limit to the Water Spirit Pearl?”
Lin Xiashi understood the meaning behind his question very well, “This is why I think your idea is so fanciful.
The Water Spirit Pearl is a marvel of the world, and where it exists, cultivators naturally sense it.
The thought of escaping with the pearl is entirely impossible!
But if the Water Spirit Pearl were in a river, it would naturally conceal its presence.
To us Golden Core Cultivators, if it is hidden in the Flowing Sand River, we will not be able to determine its exact location.
We can only estimate within a thousand li, unable to pinpoint it.
But for Nascent Transformation ancestors, they can narrow this estimate to a range of a hundred li, which is the current stretch of river around Sand Island.
So I want to know, even if you are fortunate enough to defeat everyone and find it, how will you take it and leave?
As soon as the Water Spirit Pearl emerges from the water, you will become the target of countless cultivators from both Qin Sect and Yue Sect, including us Golden Cores.
You won’t be able to escape.”
Hou Niao also felt troubled, “As for matters too far ahead, the disciple cannot comprehend them clearly.
Let’s take it one step at a time, first secure the Water Spirit Pearl before anything else?”
Lin Xiashi sighed inwardly, typical of the Demon Sect Sword Cultivator style: act first, think later.
Remarkable initiative, but as for being meticulous, that’s utterly out of the question.
He didn’t want to dampen Yu Zhengxing’s enthusiasm, even though he was not optimistic about this mission.
But seeing the thousands of li of actual Protective Forest, it was worth offering his help.
“I have only one condition: you cannot reveal your Sword Cultivator identity underwater, nor can you indiscriminately slaughter my Qin Sect disciples.
Hou Niao hesitated for a moment, knowing this was a red line.
Lin Xiashi could be open-minded, but he would never disregard the lives of his sect’s disciples,
There may be battles, but disciple will not act excessively.”