Master Dongming

The plump cultivator gave a wry smile. "Whether you fellow Daoists believe it or not, I truly failed to obtain any useful treasures. "That cave dwelling's terrain is rather peculiar. It lies inside an unnamed underground cavern on an island, carved out by that senior using immense magical power. The reason this hide from a Transformation stage demon beast decayed so easily is largely due to that cavern. "Within the cavern is an unknown, bizarre cold mist. Not only is it intensely freezing and yin, but it also carries terrifying corrosive power. "The cave dwelling is divided into three tiers. Because the restrictions protecting the dwelling were constantly battered by the cold mist, the first two tiers were severely weakened, which is how I was able to breach them. Yet for the very same reason, the cold mist seeped inside, corroding almost every treasure stored within to ruin. "Only the third tier's restriction appears completely intact. The treasures inside might well have been spared." To make his words more convincing, the plump cultivator brought out a medicinal pill and a talisman one after the other. Both, like the beast hide, were thoroughly decayed. The pill had lost all spiritual nature, reduced to a deformed clump of dregs, unrecognizable as to what kind of spirit pill it had once been. The talisman was even more fragile. As it was passed around for everyone to inspect, one female cultivator applied slightly too much force and accidentally tore off a corner; the next instant, the talisman crumbled into countless fragments. The female cultivator hurried to apologize, but the plump cultivator waved his hand dismissively. "When even a spirit talisman like this cannot escape such a fate, can you fellow Daoists think of any treasure that could withstand that erosion?" "That was a Guanyang Talisman!" The fragments drifted down into the sea like snowflakes, swept away and swallowed up by the surging waves. The green-robed scholar stared blankly at the scene, speaking with deep regret. "I was fortunate enough to see one once at an auction in the Inner Sea. Those competing for it were all Nascent Soul Patriarchs, and in the end it sold for an astronomical price. Yet here this Guanyang Talisman lay in obscurity within an unknown cave dwelling, its power drained away, corroded into worthless scrap... What a pity..." Seeing the beast hide, the medicinal pill, and the Guanyang Talisman, the crowd now believed the plump cultivator's words a little more. Unless one had found the cave dwelling of a Nascent Soul Patriarch, it would be impossible to obtain so many supreme treasures, let alone all of them in such a state of decay. At this moment, the gaunt elder, who had been lost in thought, suddenly spoke up: "I recall that a former island master of Huntian Island went by the moniker Master Dongming. His mastery over ice divine abilities was astonishing. If the cold mist Fellow Daoist Fan spoke of is real, I fear only Master Dongming would have dared carve out a cave dwelling in such a place..." Qin Sang was unfamiliar with the history of Huntian Island. The others, having hunted demons around Huntian Island, all knew something of it. Upon hearing the name Master Dongming, shock appeared on their faces. Someone asked the plump cultivator with urgent curiosity, "Is it truly that Master's cave dwelling?" The plump cultivator shook his head. "When even the beast hide and Guanyang Talisman ended up like this, what do you think could have survived? I did see remnants of jade slips and the like inside the dwelling, but without exception, they were all rotted beyond recognition. I searched the entire cave dwelling and could not find a single thing to prove that senior's identity." "If it was indeed Master Dongming, then Fellow Daoist Fan's words carry considerable credibility." The gaunt elder seemed swayed. His expression softened noticeably, no longer as aggressive as before. "Master Dongming was widely renowned; all of you must have heard of him. However, he occupied Huntian Island for the shortest period of all its masters, and no one knows where he eventually went. Furthermore, he was said to be the most detached from worldly affairs, which left Huntian Island in a state of chaos back then comparable to what we see today. Perhaps Master Dongming was purely focused on cultivation, which was why he carved out his cave dwelling in such an obscure location..." Midway through his words, the gaunt elder seemed to recall something, and a sudden jolt of alarm went through him. "Master Dongming left so many treasures in the cave dwelling, and from Fellow Daoist's description, he clearly ran into something unexpected and had no time to take them away. Could that place... be where Master Dongming entered final meditation?" "That is quite unlikely." The plump cultivator disagreed with the gaunt elder's speculation. "However, there are bound to be treasures inside no less valuable than the beast hide and the Guanyang Talisman! I have said this much; have you fellow Daoists made up your minds? Are you coming or not?" The crowd looked at one another, neither agreeing rashly nor refusing. Yet Qin Sang could tell that every one of them was tempted. He himself was no exception. A Nascent Soul cave dwelling was exceedingly rare. With so many treasures inside, its value would be in no way inferior to an ancient secret realm in the Lesser Cold Domain, to say nothing of the possibility of a Nascent Soul cultivator's mortal remains. However, the information the plump cultivator had revealed was still too little to dispel everyone's misgivings. Amid the expectant glances of the group, the gaunt elder stepped forward without hesitation and asked, "Fellow Daoist Fan invited us to come along, but once the restriction is broken, surely you don't intend to keep all the treasures for yourself?" The plump cultivator sneered. "What? I, Fan, discovered the cave dwelling, and I racked my brains to find the method to break the restrictions. Moreover, I already promised to pay you your remuneration; all you need to do is follow my directions and join forces to break the final restriction. Do you expect to claim a share of my treasures without lifting a finger?" Among those invited by the plump cultivator were two female cultivators. One of them, elaborately made up, gave a charming laugh. "Compared to the legacy treasures of a Nascent Soul expert, I could easily forgo a mere black lizard beast horn. Besides, Fellow Daoist Fan described that cold mist as being so eerie and bizarre; entering to help you break the restriction surely entails great risk, does it not? For Fellow Daoist Fan to assemble people in such a hurry, and to handpick the few of us to come, there must be a reason." The plump cultivator's expression shifted erratically before he let out a cold snort. "I knew I couldn't hide it from your sharp eyes... The restriction left by that senior served two purposes: first, to protect the cave dwelling, and second, to seal away the cold mist and prevent it from spilling out. In my ignorance, I failed to notice in time after breaking the restrictions, causing the cold mist to churn violently; it is about to surge out of the cavern. If we wait any longer, the cold mist will inevitably alert the surrounding demon beasts. "I was left with no choice. Otherwise, by the time my friends could leave the island, the treasures would already have fallen into the hands of the demon race. "As for your safety inside the cavern, you need not worry. With your strength, you should be able to resist the cold mist until the restriction is broken. Aside from that, there are no other dangers inside; the dwelling's restriction is purely defensive. "Furthermore, I never intended—nor do I have the strength—to monopolize the treasures. I have no desire to forfeit my life over worldly possessions. But let us have an understanding beforehand: if you want a share of the treasures, you can no longer ask me to honor the prior terms. Moreover, after breaking the restriction, I must have the first pick of one item, after which the rest will be divided equally." Seeing that the plump cultivator was being so sensible, the others could hardly say anything more. The green-robed scholar asked, "What if there is only a single treasure in the cave dwelling? Does Fellow Daoist Fan intend to keep it entirely for yourself?" "Indeed!" The plump cultivator replied resolutely, "I went through untold hardships, while you are enjoying the fruits of my labor. If you cannot even agree to this condition, I would rather let it fall into the hands of the demon race. The likelihood of there being only one treasure is extremely slim. In the unlikely event that happens, I can compensate you as I see fit."