Supreme Emptiness

Hua Xin said:

"Many years ago, a Bronze Array Plate belonging to a Nascent Soul expert who perished here."

"Once activated, it can instantly unleash an entrapping array."

"I observed it being used to trap a Nascent Soul-level hell creature."

"And it was slowly ground to death."

She wiped away the dust and damp copper rust on the plate.

Gazing at the now dimmed Array Plate, she continued:

"But, after such a long time..."

"The power of this Magic Artifact should have greatly diminished."

"It can no longer trap a Nascent Soul-level expert for long."

"Still, it can barely be considered a treasure."

Jiang Fan's pupils slightly contracted.

This Magical Treasure... capable of trapping a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator?

At present, Jiang Fan could only run when faced with a Nascent Soul Realm opponent.

And escaping was usually a daunting challenge.

If he had this treasure, even delaying a Nascent Soul for just a while could increase his odds of survival.

Thinking about the Demon Emperor, who had taken a deadly interest in him...

The practical value of the item was beyond doubt.

"Well?"

Hua Xin asked, "I'll let you go, and give you this entrapping treasure."

"And in return, you will hand over the Mountain River Tripod."

"If you still refuse, then I'll have no choice but to use force—"

"Deal! Of course, deal!"

To Hua Xin's surprise, Jiang Fan cheerfully pulled the Mountain River Tripod out from his embrace.

She glanced at Jiang Fan's entirely flat chest.

Convinced further of her speculation.

This seemingly young guy surely possessed a Space Storage Device.

Thankfully, she hadn't tried to forcibly seize it. Without the activation spell, a storage artifact would be useless to her anyway.

"You first!" Jiang Fan's eyes blazed with excitement.

After a slight hesitation, Hua Xin tossed the Bronze Array Plate over to him.

After all, she held the Yin Marrow Talisman firmly in her hand. Jiang Fan would find fleeing difficult – there was no fear of him reneging on the deal.

Jiang Fan caught it in one swift motion.

Hua Xin then nonchalantly blocked the center of the palace hall,

clutching her Yin Marrow Talisman tightly, ready to prevent Jiang Fan's escape if he tried anything.

"Here you go!"

Jiang Fan readily threw over the Mountain River Tripod.

Hua Xin extended a stream of Yin Qi through the air to catch it.

After confirming there were no traps on the artifact, she held it in her hands for a close inspection.

Its appearance and size were identical to the Mountain River Tripod Jiang Fan had just used.

Unable to suppress a smile, she remarked, "Didn't think you'd be this trustworthy."

Based on Jiang Fan's earlier behavior,

there was a ninety-nine percent chance he'd break the deal.

Unexpectedly, he honored his promise so straightforwardly.

She surmised he must have feared the Yin Marrow Talisman.

That's what she told herself.

Jiang Fan gave her a sidelong glance, saying, "You sneaky approach to me—did you think I wouldn't be cautious?"

"If you'd negotiated this openly from the start, this all could've been avoided."

Hua Xin felt momentarily guilty.

She replied, "Fine, the transaction is complete. You may leave now."

Jiang Fan, however, glanced inquisitively at a pile of items on the ground and said:

"Since you've just left them here to rot, why not let me take a look and pick something?"

Hua Xin rolled her eyes at him:

A moment ago, he was crying out about not taking trash items.

Thinking of how readily Jiang Fan had handed over the Mountain River Tripod,

she decided it wasn't a big deal.

She had little use for those things anyway.

"Do as you please."

Jiang Fan immediately dug through the pile.

Soon, he unearthed a fairly new bundle, likely added just recently.

"This is from not long ago?"

Hua Xin nodded, "Yes, a month ago, a Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion disciple perished."

"His belongings ended up nearby, and I retrieved them."

"Take them if you want."

Oh.

So it was related to the deceased senior disciple who, by dying, had caused changes in the team-building rules?

Jiang Fan opened the bundle.

The contents were sparse, consisting solely of basic exploration necessities.

Healing Spirit Pills, speed-enhancing talismans, Yang-aligned Magic Artifacts to counter Yin-afflicting objects, and so forth.

Suddenly.

He uncovered a stack of talismans meticulously preserved in a jade box at the bottom of the bundle.

Taking a closer look, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Dustless Talismans?"

Jiang Fan had personally experienced the wonders of Dustless Talismans before.

They could even conceal fluctuations in spiritual power—a remarkable ability.

There were ten talismans in total in the jade box before him!

A sudden windfall!

Excitement coursed through him as he opened the jade container and carefully counted them out.

Upon inspecting the final talisman at the bottom,

he noticed the runes were more intricate, and the spiritual pressure was clearly stronger.

After observing it for moments, a bright glint of joy returned to his eyes.

"Could this be a Mid Grade Dustless Talisman?"

Startled by the remark, Hua Xin glanced over and exclaimed:

"It truly is a Mid Grade Dustless Talisman!"

"Among all these Low Grade Dustless Talismans, there's actually a Mid Grade one."

"I hadn't examined everything closely before—seems I've let you luck out."

"This talisman, once activated, can even deceive Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivators."

"Its value is dozens of times that of the Low Grade Dustless Talismans."

Jiang Fan beamed with uncontrollable glee.

He immediately stored it within the Heavenly Thunder Stone.

Then he diligently resumed searching through the pile.

Hua Xin witnessed this and lowered her guard.

She tucked the Yin Marrow Talisman and the Mountain River Tripod into her sleeve. If Jiang Fan dared make any problematic moves, she could retrieve them at a moment's notice.

She retreated to a distance, silently waiting for Jiang Fan to wrap up his scavenging.

Completely oblivious to the subtle fact that...

Jiang Fan, with his back to her, was quietly moving his lips.

The Mountain River Tripod hidden in her sleeve began to slowly disintegrate into a heap of silver sand.

The sand adhered to the Yin Marrow Talisman.

Moments later, it detached and reshaped into a replica of the Yin Marrow Talisman.

Having almost finished his search, Jiang Fan sighed helplessly: "The rest is nothing but junk."

"Thanks, lady ghost sister."

Sister?

Hua Xin was briefly stunned, a bit unprepared for the unexpected form of address.

Earlier, he referred to her as a Yin-afflicted creature.

Later, as depraved ghostly girl.

Now it was lady ghost sister?

What a pragmatic person!

Whatever.

They wouldn't cross paths ever again anyway.

"Done? Then kindly leave."

"You're not getting a send-off."

This hidden space was her old domain.

Shang Shiqiu's group stumbling upon this location was merely her baiting them out with a piece of Yin Marrow.

Now that Jiang Fan had chosen his items, it was time to see the guest out.

She wanted to carefully examine the mysterious little tripod.

Her instincts told her this tripod was extraordinary.

Definitely not an ordinary Spiritual Artifact.

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose, nonchalantly stepping toward Hua Xin, and said:

"Lady ghost sister, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Hua Xin noticed Jiang Fan's movements.

Her black eyes narrowed as her hand cautiously slipped into her sleeve,

gripping the Yin Marrow Talisman.

Suddenly.

The Yin Marrow Talisman flew into her palm automatically.

She froze momentarily.

How had the Yin Marrow Talisman moved on its own?

But her focus remained fixed on Jiang Fan, leaving little time for questions.

She coldly asked: "What do you want to discuss?"

Jiang Fan grinned and said, "Relax."

"I just want to ask if lady ghost sister could return the Mountain River Tripod to me?"

Ha!

Of course this guy wouldn't play honestly!

After getting the Bronze Array Plate and Dustless Talismans, now he wanted the tripod back?

Her expression turned frosty: "What do you think?"

Jiang Fan sighed helplessly: "Since lady ghost sister won't return it..."

"Then I'll just have to take it by force!"

The words had barely left his lips.

In a flash, his figure transformed into a bolt of human-shaped lightning, arriving instantly.

His palm gathered with the power of the Five Thunder True Heaven Palm, striking straight toward her head.

Hua Xin chuckled in anger:

"What speed!"

"I knew you still had tricks up your sleeve!"

"But to think a sneak attack would secure you victory, how deluded!"

She abruptly drew out the Yin Marrow Talisman.

And fiercely swung it toward Jiang Fan.