Chapter 43: Eight-Petaled Golden Lotus

Xiao Lin summoned the Immortal Extermination sword and rode it through the air.

Though fully capable of flight on his own, he generally reserved that for active combat, preferring to travel by weapon when covering long distances. Moreover, this was a time when conserving mental energy and physical strength was of the utmost importance.

Xiao Lin retrieved several Qi-Replenishing Pills from the cosmic bracelet Tang Qianxue had given him, tossed them into his mouth, chewed them casually, and immediately channeled his spiritual power to rapidly refine the medicinal potency.

He considered Hong Mao to be a special case. Yet, no one could guarantee that Huo Yuanzhou was truly an admirable villain. In the face of supreme treasures, human hearts were unfathomably complex.

More importantly, a fallen sword immortal was still lurking in the shadows. Even Li Changhe had been quietly bewitched; how much more so others? Therefore, preparing for the worst was the only foolproof strategy.

At last, guided by the fleeting image of the sacred artifact imprinted in his mind, Xiao Lin located the lake.

Huo Yuanzhou was standing distinctly on the shore, though whether he was waiting for Xiao Lin or for the sacred artifact to manifest remained unknown.

Xiao Lin narrowed his eyes and drifted gently downward.

"Brother Xiao," Huo Yuanzhou turned to look at him. "Is this form of address acceptable to you, fellow daoist?"

Xiao Lin offered a salute. "What is Brother Huo saying? I wouldn't have it any other way."

Huo Yuanzhou returned the salute.

The two men exchanged a smile. Their relationship not only appeared as amiable as before, but the change in address had even brought them a fraction closer—at least on the surface.

Before long, the lake began to churn violently, as if boiling, threatening to evaporate the entire body of water. The water level dropped at a rate visible to the naked eye. In an instant, mists rose from the water, swirling and ethereal, resembling a fairy realm.

Naturally, such minor obstructions could not block the sight of Foundation Establishment cultivators. Through the rising vapor, the two men saw a golden lotus slowly revealing its true form at the center of the lake. However, it lacked the full nine petals, missing one entirely.

Xiao Lin paused slightly. He frowned and asked, "Is the sacred artifact veiling itself, or is it simply not yet mature?"

"It is not yet mature," Huo Yuanzhou replied, being a disciple of the Desire-Devouring Sect and thus widely knowledgeable. "From the time a sacred artifact manifests to its full maturity, a considerable period usually passes. During this interval, anyone passing by will have its true form reflected in their mind."

A great realization dawned on Xiao Lin. That explained why sacred artifacts were so exceptionally rare. Even if an ordinary person possessed heaven-defying fortune and stumbled upon one by sheer luck, they would most likely feel incapable of guarding it and harvest it prematurely, reducing its status from a sacred spiritual treasure to a merely superior one. After all, what difference was there between doing that and broadcasting "please bully me" across the entire realm? It required not only immense destiny but also the strength to protect that destiny.

Xiao Lin's expression grew complex. He had been wondering if he had obtained this sacred artifact far too easily; so this was the catch waiting for him here... No wonder Shen Wuhai had only managed to find two over the span of several centuries.

Xiao Lin's thoughts raced. If that was the case, why was the fallen sword immortal searching for this item?

"Is there a method to make the sacred artifact mature prematurely?"

Now it was Huo Yuanzhou's turn to frown. "I have never heard of such a rumor. One either acquires it prematurely or waits quietly for maturity; there is no third option."

Xiao Lin nodded slightly. That made sense. How precious was a sacred artifact? Once encountered, who would be foolish enough to attempt forced ripening? Not only was it prone to ruining the treasure, but it would also waste resources.

"Let's harvest it prematurely then. We cannot guard it."

Perhaps the fallen sword immortal truly possessed a ripening technique, but if he did, could Xiao Lin not possess one as well?

With that, Xiao Lin gazed deeply at Huo Yuanzhou, observing his reaction.

The latter's gaze did not waver at all; he merely offered a slight smile. "Brother Xiao should simply go ahead and harvest it. Leaving aside the fact that it currently has only eight petals, even if all nine matured to form a true sacred treasure, it should still belong to Brother Xiao. After all, if Brother Xiao had not shown mercy earlier, I would have long since perished as a ghost beneath his sword. If I were to harbor any thoughts of seizing a treasure from the one who spared my life... I fear the path of cultivation I have finally managed to see clearly would blur once more."

Hearing those final words, Xiao Lin instinctively swept his spiritual sense over Huo Yuanzhou. Yet, there was no sign of a breakthrough. Could it not be an advancement in cultivation, but rather an insight into his state of mind or cultivation technique?

"Then I congratulate Brother Huo," Xiao Lin said with a polite cupping of hands, before adding, "I won't stand on ceremony then."

Huo Yuanzhou smiled without answering, gesturing with an open hand to invite him forward.

Xiao Lin was never overly polite when it came to items he needed. He walked the path of righteousness, not charity.

He leaped into the air, skimming across the water like a dragonfly touching the surface, and drifted toward the eight-petaled golden lotus, gently resting his fingers upon its petals. Just as it felt, it was seemingly soft yet bitingly sharp, its edge entirely restrained. If refined into a weapon and its razor-sharp edge unleashed, his sword techniques would likely surpass his current use of the Immortal Extermination sword by several fold.

And that was just a single sacred artifact. What kind of magnificent spectacle would it be if five sacred artifacts were united, resonating and reflecting one another?

Most importantly...

[Superior Spiritual Treasure: Eight-Petaled Golden Lotus (Pending Maturity)]
[Effect: Soft on the outside yet unyielding within, possessing an edge difficult to conceal. Can be used to forge weapons and artifacts, indestructible, serving as the core for thousands of offensive implements.]
[Available for Recycling: 5,000 Popularity Points]

[Available for Forced Ripening: 100,000 Popularity Points]

Xiao Lin struggled to suppress the corners of his mouth. In truth, the system had always possessed a recycling function, but he had actively kept it disabled. After all, the recycling value was only a tenth of the selling price, and he would have to be an idiot to recycle anything.

This ripening function could be considered a newly discovered feature. He wondered why it had never popped up for any of the spiritual treasures he had acquired in the past—could it be that only sacred artifacts were eligible for forced ripening?

Xiao Lin was about to claim the lotus and tuck it away, planning to deal with it once he returned to Sword Mountain. Just then, he paused slightly.

A barrage of live comments suddenly scrolled in from the right. This indicated that the camera angle had switched away from Tang Qianxue, Qu Ziyao, and the others, cutting directly to him.

And that meant...

A sudden transformation had occurred!

Xiao Lin moved to pluck the eight-petaled golden lotus instantly, but danger arrived even faster. Beneath his feet, the lake water suddenly surged upward, freezing solid inch by inch in the process and transforming into a sharp spike of ice that thrust directly toward his outstretched hand.

Simultaneously, the sky above darkened abruptly as the rubble from the shore rapidly coalesced, forming a small mountain that descended upon Xiao Lin with crushing force.

Boom!

The lake exploded violently, kicking up waves dozens of feet high. The water level, which had just been lowered by the lotus, rushed back up, spilling over onto the shores. In the blink of an eye, a small mountain stood like an island right in the middle of the lake.

Two middle-aged men hovered above the water; it was clearly they who had made their move.

"Hey," a crisp, youthful voice rang out.

A young man rode a small skiff through the air, possessing red lips and white teeth, his beauty so striking it was difficult to distinguish his gender. At this moment, his tone was filled with extreme displeasure. "I told you to be careful! What would you have done if you had accidentally destroyed the sacred artifact?"

"Young Master," one of the protectors said with a hint of helplessness, "unless the sacred artifact is plucked, it is immune to all spells and weapons. A single mountain cannot crush it."

"That's more like it." The youth snorted, then looked toward Huo Yuanzhou on the shore. "You, the freeloader on the bank—this nine-petaled golden lotus belongs to this young master now. If you know what's good for you, get out of the way immediately, or else your fate will be just like this fellow..."

His words cut off abruptly.

For standing atop the small mountain was a figure clad in a somewhat ethereal suit of armor, save for the pair of crimson eyes that seemed to emanate an unprecedented, bloodthirsty intent.

The youth suddenly felt a chill run through his entire body, as if he had been locked dead in the sights of a ferocious tiger!