Zhi Xuan narrowed his sapphire eyes, his Divine Sense immediately scanning the narrow corridor. The stone shelves were filled with jade boxes that had been sealed by time, and several ancient artifacts emitted faint spiritual fluctuations, indicating they were heavenly objects, though they did not reach the level of Heaven-Grade Artifacts.

  There were several abandoned Divine Herbs that still radiated a pure aura, worthy enough to become nourishment for Ruo Xianxue. There were also several weapon artifacts whose functions Zhi Xuan did not recognize. However, Zhao Xue, behind him, immediately dashed toward a long sword emitting a silvery glow, even brushing against Zhi Xuan's steel-hard shoulder in her haste.

  DUGH!

  Zhi Xuan did not budge, his body tempered by the Slaughter Seal as hard as Primordial steel, but Zhao Xue herself was a powerful Five Element cultivator, and her dashing movement was driven by a real spiritual surge, making the contact turn soft as silk hitting steel.

  "Watch your manners, Snow Blade Lady," Zhi Xuan hissed, his tone flat and indifferent, not even bothering to look back.

  Zhao Xue ignored the cold reprimand. Her cold eyes were now filled with genuine shock and joy. Before her, a long silvery sword floated above a stone shelf, radiating a True Ice Law so pure that it caused the surrounding air to crystallize. The sword, though covered in dust and worn by time, felt like an extension of her own Dao.

  "Thousand Winters Sword," Zhao Xue whispered, her usually cold voice trembling slightly, shocked to find a treasure that perfectly resonated with her Dao. "A Heaven-Grade Artifact lost from the Pure Ice Pavilion!"

  The sword, which was a Sideline Heritage of the Black Dragon Tomb and perhaps loot from an ancient battle, seemed to call to her. Zhao Xue immediately channeled her spiritual essence, and the silver blade responded instantly, releasing a cold aura that formed nine pure ice lotuses in the air.

  Zhi Xuan took a lazy breath. He did not comment further on Zhao Xue's impulsive behavior. He let his Spiritual Blood Thread, enveloped in Thunder Law, scan the shelves around him, ignoring the silver sword. His focus was on the most rare and valuable elixirs and artifacts, especially those that could aid the recovery and enhancement of the Devil Life Tree.

  "Divine Herbs," Zhi Xuan muttered to himself, nodding faintly with a subtle glow on his face. "Great Saint, choose. Do you not need these Divine Herbs to strengthen the runes of the Ancient Devil Monument and yourself?"

  Ruo Xianxue, within the Sea of Consciousness, snorted. Although she tried to maintain the image of a cold Primordial Devil, a slight tremor of enthusiasm accompanied her hiss. Among the herbs lying on the stone shelves, she saw several Divine Herbs that had been lost for thousands of years, items containing pure and dense essence of Heaven and Earth.

  "Star River Sand, Heavenly Blood Orchid, Divine Dew Pearl, Sky Jade Snail Slime, Blue Phoenix Tears," Ruo Xianxue commanded, her voice now sounding serious yet more like a young girl listing a herbal menu at a mortal market. "Purple Mist Dew Fruit, Dragon Life Holy Water, Soul Purifying Bamboo, Three-Flower Spirit Root. They are all useful for me and the little moth."

  Zhi Xuan winced. He clenched his slightly slack jaw, his sapphire eyes radiating a combination of disbelief and confusion. The names of the Divine Herbs Ruo Xianxue had just uttered felt like she was about to rob the entire tomb. The Divine Herbs she mentioned were elixirs whose value was immeasurable because they were Divine Herbs—treasures that would make even a Weaver Transformation cultivator fight to their last drop of blood.

  "You," Zhi Xuan hissed, channeling his voice into the Sea of Consciousness with a flat tone and a low growl. "You just mentioned Divine Herbs that would have me chased by Ancient Clans for the rest of my life. Do you plan to make a bowl of herbal soup out of all of them?"

  "Of course," Ruo Xianxue replied with a completely innocent yet arrogant Primordial Devil tone, as Xiao Die circled her body as if the two figures were working together. "The Heavenly Moth and I have been treated like slaves by you without reward; now it is your turn to provide. These are all herbs that will allow me to possess a Spiritual Body, without needing to wait for your slow cultivation. And the Heavenly Moth will also gain the chance to transform into human form to accelerate its cultivation."

  Zhi Xuan took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to scream in his own Sea of Consciousness. He felt his jaw muscles tighten until they almost cracked. On one hand, Ruo Xianxue was a Primordial Devil, and she was an extremely valuable will; robbing treasures was her and his basic nature. On the other hand, the list just mentioned was no longer robbing; it was taking the entire wealth foundation of a Kingdom-level faction.

  He looked at the shelf Ruo Xianxue pointed out, and sure enough, there was Star River Sand radiating a trapped galactic glow, the Heavenly Blood Orchid pulsing as if it had a heart, and Sky Jade Snail Slime looking like pure water gel emitting a life essence aura. Each of these artifacts possessed inestimable value.

  Zhi Xuan could only clench his jaw, the muscles in his cheeks tightening. He did not know whether to laugh, scream, or just stare blankly at the corridor wall. The pain in his Sea of Consciousness that had not fully healed felt overwhelmed by a new wave of mental shock.

  "Damn you, Old Devil!" Zhi Xuan hissed, channeling his voice with the most vicious tone he could muster, though only Ruo Xianxue heard him. "At least leave some for me! I am the one who risked my Sea of Consciousness to kill ten Consciousness Transformation cultivators!"

  "You were the one who decided to be greedy and harvest their souls," Ruo Xianxue replied with a cold and indifferent tone. "That is a destiny you created yourself. I am only collecting a proper reward for lending my essence and calming the Kun Peng Fetus that almost rebelled due to your madness. Quickly take those herbs before the Snow Daoist over there decides to claim them too."

  Zhi Xuan sighed, ignoring the urge to throw his Heavenly Cauldron against the wall. He knew that arguing with a Primordial Devil who now had the support of the fortieth-ranked Heavenly Insect was foolish. He let a small smirk appear at the corner of his lips—a smirk filled with indifference and acceptance of his fate to be sucked dry by the Devil he carried.

  Zhi Xuan, with a wave of his hand that felt weak and unenthusiastic, brought out the Heavenly Cauldron which whirred and spun above his palm. It drifted toward the herbs indicated by Ruo Xianxue; his face was grumpy but he did not stop his hand from taking the Divine Herbs.

  On the other side of the corridor, Zhao Xue finally succeeded in releasing the Thousand Winters Sword from the Ancient Seal holding it. The sword clinked softly in her hand, emitting a soothing pure ice aura. Her shock and joy were still clearly visible. She turned, intending to speak, but the sight she saw made her instantly freeze.

  Zhi Xuan, the Black-Haired Devil who had just destroyed a Peak Soul Transformation Formation, was now standing in front of the ancient herbal shelf with the most ridiculous expression she had ever seen. His arrogant and vicious face was now pouting like a child who had just been robbed of their candy. He stared at the row of Divine Herbs radiating heavenly aura with a pitiful gaze, as if he were being forced to eat something bitter.

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  She saw how Zhi Xuan grumbled softly—a hiss too fast for her to catch—and then with very careful movements, Zhi Xuan summoned his Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron, which was usually used for burning and harvesting, now being used to pluck flowers like an exhausted herbalist.

  WHUSHH!

  The Heavenly Cauldron drifted to the shelf. Zhi Xuan, who was already desperate, did not bother using his hands. He only channeled a very fine essence, wrapping each Divine Herb mentioned by Ruo Xianxue with a layer of soft harvesting essence.

  the Star River Sand, shimmering like a galaxy, was lifted carefully. The Heavenly Blood Orchid, whose pulse felt like a heart, was pulled from its stone. The Sky Jade Snail Slime, which looked like liquid jewels, was sucked in carefully.

  Zhi Xuan's movements felt very much at odds with his Primordial Devil aura. He looked like a successful treasure thief who was being forced to hand over all his loot to a demanding partner.

  Zhao Xue almost slipped on the basalt floor. She had to suppress a laugh that wanted to explode in her throat. The sight of the Black-Haired Devil, who was so vicious, now acting like a submissive servant just because of Divine Herbs was truly beyond any cultivation logic.

  "That is the Divine Dew Pearl," Zhi Xuan muttered in the Sea of Consciousness, pointing to a crystal pearl glowing softly. He moved the pearl carefully into the Heavenly Cauldron. "Great Saint, make sure you use it for something useful. If you use it to make a poison soup, I will lock you in the Monument for ten thousand years."

  "Nonsense," Ruo Xianxue replied coldly. "The Divine Dew Pearl is pure Pure Yin essence, very good for balancing the Spiritual Body. Little Moth, this is for you."

  Zhi Xuan snorted, ignoring the internal conversation between Ruo Xianxue and Xiao Die, whom he now felt as two treasure-hungry burdens. He finished harvesting the Star River Sand and the Heavenly Blood Orchid; both herbs drifted into the vortex of the Heavenly Cauldron, which now functioned more as a Heaven-Grade Storage Warehouse than a combustion artifact.

  In the Sea of Consciousness, he felt Xiao Die, the Heavenly Moth, release soft rainbow powder, welcoming the Divine Dew Pearl with spiritual joy. He could imagine the little moth now hopping happily around the Ancient Devil Monument. The harvesting of Divine Herbs was complete, and none remained for Zhi Xuan.

  Zhi Xuan turned around, his face still showing a hidden pout. He did not want to look at Zhao Xue, who he was certain was holding back a laugh, or at least a cold smile. He focused on the other shelves containing weapon artifacts. He needed something more stable for close combat, something that did not burden his Sea of Consciousness.

  "There is a formation using the Thunder Law," Zhi Xuan murmured; he could feel a very strong Thunder Law fluctuation not from an artifact, but from the other side of the corridor where a formation existed. "If I can absorb it and understand the Thunder Law, I can step forward into the Five Element realm with this Law."

  Zhi Xuan ignored Zhao Xue; he stepped forward toward the end of the corridor which radiated an energy fluctuation that felt dry and sharp. The fluctuation did not come from an artifact but from a hidden formation woven into the basalt stone wall. The formation emitted a strong Lightning aura, an essence very precious for a cultivator about to step into the Five Element realm.

  Behind him, Zhao Xue had managed to calm herself. She had seen enough drama for the day. She sheathed her Thousand Winters Sword with a satisfying click and followed him, maintaining a polite distance. She saw how Zhi Xuan focused his Divine Sense on the wall, where there was an almost invisible lightning pattern—a perfectly hidden formation.

  "You wish to step into the Five Element realm?" Zhao Xue eventually interrupted; she immediately knew the man before her wanted to start the Five Element stage with the Thunder Law, whereas the average cultivator would usually start with the Fire Law. "The Thunder Law is more difficult than other laws; even as a Five Element cultivator with five stable elements, the Thunder Law was the hardest for me to master at that time."

  Zhi Xuan stopped his steps; he did not turn around, only snorting coldly. He did not want to argue about cultivation paths. The Thunder Law was one of the Laws of Nature, and Zhu Qinglan's Dao guidance had explained that the Thunder Law was the peak of the Thunder Law he used, as they shared the same essence. It was easy for him to absorb because he had previously used the Thunder Law.

  "Thunder Law," Zhi Xuan muttered; he had to quickly find the formation fluctuation holding that lightning to absorb it and obtain the Thunder Law to be built into his Divine Wheel. "I will search for it; you stay and watch over Ao Sheng while I meditate."

  Zhi Xuan immediately stepped forward, his hand touching the cold basalt wall. His Divine Sense, strengthened by the stable Ancient Devil Monument, immediately pierced through the Illusion Formation and the covering layers, finding the core of that hidden Lightning Formation. Zhi Xuan's eyes brightened, and he immediately sat right on the floor in front of the basalt wall.

  Zhao Xue stood silently, the Thousand Winters Sword sheathed on her back, radiating a soothing pure ice aura. She sighed, seeing how this Black-Haired Devil never wasted time. From slaughtering and harvesting treasures to now meditating to break through his realm, everything was done without pause.

  She glanced back at the corridor where the precious Divine Herbs had once lain; the shelves were now empty. She shook her head slightly; the curiosity about what made Zhi Xuan pout and grumble while harvesting those heavenly treasures still lingered in her mind. She would never ask, of course, but the interaction she had witnessed felt so inconsistent with Zhi Xuan's Primordial Devil aura.

  Zhao Xue focused her Divine Sense backward, through the spatial rift, toward the Core Room. Ao Sheng was still bathed in golden light, his bloodline transition proceeding smoothly under the invisible protection of the tomb itself. The Core Stone Gate remained tightly closed. With her composure returned, Zhao Xue stood as a guardian.

  Zhi Xuan closed his eyes. He channeled his spiritual essence, enveloped in subtle Thunder Law, piercing the core of the Lightning Formation in the wall. As soon as his essence touched the core, strong and primal lightning vibrations immediately surged into him. This formation was designed to store and condense the essence of Pure Thunder Law, not just ordinary thunder. The power of this Thunder Law felt wild and uncontrollable, an essence capable of destroying the cultivation foundation of an ordinary Consciousness Transformation cultivator.

  WHIRLL! ZZZT!

  Inside Zhi Xuan's meridians, that wild Lightning essence churned. However, Zhi Xuan possessed an unrivaled foundation. The Thunder Law he had practiced all this time immediately acted as a bridge. The Devil Life Tree in his Sea of Consciousness emitted a strong green light, binding and purifying the incoming Lightning essence, transforming it into something he could control.

  In his Divine Wheel, which previously only rotated with the Laws of Thunder, Blood, and Spirit, resonance began to occur. Zhi Xuan took a deep breath, exhaled heavily, and focused all his will. He allowed himself to be churned by the Lightning that caused his body to be shrouded in fierce flashes of lightning.

  "Five Element Cauldron," Zhi Xuan hissed; he felt the Heaven Samsara Wheel now vibrating violently as it was to become the catalyst for the Thunder Law trying to cause damage. He directed his Divine Wheel to spin and provide fluctuations of the Four Seasons Law to hold the foundation, not to block the lightning. "Thunder Law. The Supreme Judgment and terrible Destruction."

  Five Element is the realm that allows a cultivator to absorb one of the Laws of Nature in the process; they must meditate while being purely surrounded by the Law they wish to master. For the Water Law, a cultivator would seek a place where the Water Law felt piercing and pure.

  Zhao Xue, as a cultivator who upheld the Pure Ice Element, was a cultivator who started the Five Element realm with the Water Law. This made the Water Law the superior element, not the inferior one. Other laws mastered, such as Fire, Earth, Wind, and Lightning, served to support the primary Law. Five Element cultivators condensed these five elements into one, providing a significant increase in combat power.

  Zhi Xuan allowed the wild Thunder Law to tear and heal his meridians simultaneously. This process felt painful, as if thousands of lightning blades were piercing his flesh, but he knew this was the only way to forge his path toward the Five Element realm. He ignored the pain, concentrating on condensing the Lightning essence purified by the Devil Life Tree into his Divine Wheel.

  In the Divine Wheel, the Thunder Law he already mastered became a stable foundation, and he would blend the Thunder Law into the higher Thunder Law. The Pure Lightning energy that had just seeped into the Wheel spun around the core of the Thunder, Blood, and Spirit Laws. Zhi Xuan felt his Divine Wheel expand, vibrating violently, trying to accommodate this new destructive power.