Cao Jin's Storage Ring truly contained quite a few treasures. Beyond the Ocean-Overwhelming Sword and Moon-Breaking Awl—two Emperor-grade spiritual artifacts—there were also many other valuable items. Martial arts manuals, all manner of pills, and quite a few talismans. There was even a single Heaven Grade Spiritual Medicine and several Earth Grade ones.
As for the martial arts manuals, Jiang Chen wasn't particularly enthusiastic about them. After all, his memories from his previous life came with the Myriad Heavens Martial Arts System, so whatever martial technique he wished to cultivate, he could design it himself from scratch.
The pills, while undeniably excellent for a first-tier sect's products, weren't quite enough to make Jiang Chen drool the moment he laid eyes on them.
It was the Heaven Grade and Earth Grade Spiritual Medicines that gave him a pleasant surprise.
Of course, what Jiang Chen liked most were the dozen or so talismans.
These talismans varied in type—offensive talismans, movement talismans, defensive talismans. While none were as absurdly powerful as the World-Destroying Yin Thunder Talisman, their tier was still nothing to scoff at.
Jiang Chen naturally showed no reluctance, taking everything without exception.
These talismans would undoubtedly become a crucial part of his arsenal against enemies.
As for the fat man's Storage Ring, it left Jiang Chen thoroughly annoyed. The fat man had clearly come prepared—the ring was practically empty, with almost nothing of value inside.
After examining it, Jiang Chen was so irritated he nearly tossed it away on the spot.
The Second-Rank Alchemist King he'd killed first had apparently thought the same way as the fat man. Worried about unexpected developments, he had also left his Storage Ring nearly bare.
Aside from a Second-Rank Alchemist King identity token, all he had were some Spiritual Medicines he'd gathered after entering Illusory Wave Mountain.
"These two fellows must have been wary of that Cao character as well—they didn't bring any of their good stuff with them." Jiang Chen analyzed the situation and arrived at a rough understanding of the problem.
Having eliminated the three Nine Suns Heavenly Sect disciples who had invaded, Jiang Chen didn't feel particularly elated.
Things wouldn't end with the fall of these three. If anything, the situation could only grow worse.
From the moment the Three Star Sect leaked the information, the Myriad Phenomena Territory would never know peace again.
And killing these three might very well make matters worse—adding frost to snow.
But Jiang Chen had no choice. If he didn't kill these three, they would kill him. He couldn't very well disregard his own safety for the sake of the Myriad Phenomena Territory's greater situation.
Moreover, even if he spared these three, the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect's plans for the Myriad Phenomena Territory wouldn't contract one bit because of it.
"Three Nine Suns Heavenly Sect disciples, and they managed to breach this ancient medicinal garden forbidden zone. It seems the Danxiao Ancient Sect's outer formations have truly lost more than nine-tenths of their power since ancient times. Otherwise, even the outer formations alone—even for an Emperor Stage powerhouse—forcing open a gap would be nearly impossible."
According to the records in the Danxiao Ancient Sect's notes, the outer formations had been designed to defend against at minimum a Titled Great Emperor level. Only a Heavenly Stage powerhouse might have been able to break through.
Now it was clear that after so many ages, the spirit veins beneath the formations had become clogged, depriving the formation system of optimal operation. Its power had inevitably suffered.
Before Jiang Chen had read those notes, he had assumed the formations were as immutable as ever.
With these three Nine Suns Heavenly Sect disciples as his test case, Jiang Chen now understood that the Danxiao Ancient Sect's outer formations had fallen to less than a tenth of their peak capability—perhaps not even a twentieth.
Of course, all of this was not beyond repair.
As long as the spirit veins beneath the formations were cleared and the damaged portions of the formation system were restored, the whole thing could be brought back to its peak state.
But that would absolutely not be a task accomplished overnight.
Jiang Chen certainly didn't have the time for that right now.
Besides, these three could only manage to break into the ancient medicinal garden. That was their limit. And for the Danxiao Ancient Sect ruins as a whole, the ancient medicinal garden was merely the outer portion.
Behind the altar's teleportation formation lay the true essence of the Danxiao Ancient Sect.
That section—forget these three young Nine Suns Heavenly Sect disciples—even a Titled Great Emperor would have virtually no hope of breaking in.
Jiang Chen decided to leave Illusory Wave Mountain first and head back to Danqian Palace to assess the situation.
He had been away for over two years. The feeling of longing for home was truly setting in.
…
A mysterious location within the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect.
This place enshrined tens of thousands of Life Soul Lamps.
These Life Soul Lamps belonged to important figures of the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect. The highest-ranked among them naturally belonged to the sect's great powers—the Sect Master, the Elders, the various hall masters, senior inspectors, and the leaders of major branch divisions.
The right side held the Life Soul Lamps of the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect's young prodigies.
By comparison, the young prodigies' Life Soul Lamps glowed red, while those of the elder powers glowed blue-green.
This place was one of the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect's forbidden zones. Without a special token, entry was impossible.
Those tasked with guarding this place were all stewards of relatively high rank within the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect.
On this day, the steward watching over the Life Soul Lamps suddenly heard a sharp crack—one of the red Life Soul Lamps had shattered.
Such an ominous sound, once heard, meant that someone within the Nine Suns Heavenly Sect had fallen.
Those whose Life Soul Lamps were placed within the sect's forbidden zone were all figures of note. They were either sect powers or sect prodigies, representing the present and future of the sect.
Therefore, every single lamp enshrined here was of paramount importance.