Memories of the old Technique Paviolon appeared in her mind as she looked around the room - there were shelves everywhere, the dark wood slightly bent by the weight of scrolls books and bamboo-slips that were placed on top. Well, should've placed, many were missing leaving marks on the wood where they had stood for seemingly decades, the shelves that surely were filled to the brim at some point were now rather lacking, just a few books remained.

"What a strange place..." Just as those words left her mouth, Qi started to condense, quickly she went on guard her eyes gaining a blue glow as she was getting ready to fight. But all that appeared was a somewhat see-through person. An old wise looking man with a long white beard wearing wide robes. "Look at that, another little burglar, here to steal things?" His voice seemed weak and pained. "Just after Master's death so many people came and took everything, the worst of which was that despicable fox woman! Taking with two hands and not leaving much behind! So hateful, so vile!"

He lamented his fate while floating mid-air. Kou stared at him rubbing her eyes a few times before her ears tilted downwards. "Who are you supposed to be! I'm a thief, not a burglar! There is a difference!" she was not quite sure what the difference was but burglar sounded quite vulgar and she did not like it!

This might be the first time someone had proudly declared openly towards the person they wanted to steal from that they were, in fact, a thief, and Kou seemed very proud too - it was so surreal that the ghostly elder was floating there with his mouth wide open for a moment. That shamelessness! The gall!

Kou was very proud about making that old ghost speechless! One might ask her the reason for being so daring! It was quite simple, even Kou could see that the amount of Qi that formed this old ghost was not enough to actually affect anything in a meaningful way, he could at most clean some dust, and not stop her at all! Finally, the old one had got his wits back, starring at Kou for a moment. "You seem familiar... well, anyway, if you promise to not ransack the place I will make this easy for you and myself, follow me." He was weirdly accommodating for someone that had just called her a burglar... so she carefully followed behind, hands-on her weapons.

"Oh, I'm Ling Luo, I'm the Master's Majordomo, and the vault keeper, Master has actually set this place up in a very specific way before he left, sadly all those that left empty-handed tend to steal books and things in their rage...I dearly hope you will not follow that example, it gets quite boring if all the books you have are stolen.."

He kept up that nonchalant attitude, so unbefitting of his "Wise elder" personality, he seemed very ...defeated as he lead her down a wide corridor. "If you are compatible with one of the treasures inside of the vault it will automatically come to you - it all depends on your very own luck - if the heavens are behind you you can leave these walls with quite the haul, but if you are unlucky, like many others you may leave with nothing at all.

Nothing at all? That just meant she had to be worthy, right? She did not really trust that old ghost, he could very well just lead her into a trap, but it was a risk she was willing to take if it meant the possibility of treasures that had once belonged to a Master that was able to rise an Island from the ocean floor! The power that needed, Kou could barely comprehend. "How does that work? Do I have to do some kind of test? Will there be a trial? Or what exactly will happen?"

"Ah, you will see." The old ghost just waved. "It is not a trial in that sense, it is very special, and will unravel the very depths of your soul, and only if that is compatible with one of the treasures will it come to you, here we are. You go inside this..." The old ghost pointed at a large silver door. The first thing in Kou's mind was the sound of coins, that door probably was worth a lot of money! Wondering where the hinges might be she moved up and inspected it with glowing eyes leaving the old ghost speechless for a moment!

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"What gall! Move inside you silly girl!" He roared but only managed to produce a gentle breeze that ruffled Kou's hair, but... it was enough to get her wits back and she let out a slight cough before shoving open the door with her head held high... "Well.. that was embarrassing.." rubbing the back of her head she looked around, the room was dark, and there was just a...scetchy looking chair here, nothing else, and the damn door closed behind her! Was that really a trap? Kou curled her nose and inched closer towards the chair before poking it with her left foot.

"Seems ..good, am I supposed to sit down now?" Kou was still Kou so she waited for a bit, took a look of each and every corner of the tiny room before she carefully sat down on the chair.

The moment she sat darkness was suddenly surrounding her, she could not see anymore at all, everything was dark, and it seemed like she was unable to move! Suddenly countless tiny stars appeared in front of her, it was almost as if she had left the world and had gone all the way to the sea of stars above, it was a magical sight and her golden eyes were wide open as an archaic voice rung out in her head.

"My name is Shangguan Chen. Hailing from a remote country I reached the highest point of mortal cultivation. But in front of the heavenly tribulation, I was powerless, many years have I searched and often have I tried but I always was left just short of death having to flee, time and time again." His words were carrying the sadness of unmeet aspirations with it.

"Over may many thousands of years I have amassed many things, and now that my time slowly runs out, now that no pill and no technique to prolong my life any longer left I have lost the greed that has filled me all my life, all the treasures I possess seem meaningless now that I'm about to step into the void, and so I have left them behind, I've gathered things even cultivators far more powerful than I would want, but in their arrogance and unwillingness to help me ascend they never saw that for them I was just a fly - a plaything. " For a moment the voice stopped and let out a sigh.

"Your potential will be uncovered and the treasures I have gathered over all my years will choose you and not the other way around, it all depends on your luck, talent - willpower and determination, you can't reach the highest heights without either of them, after all." Suddenly Kou felt how her whole body was numb, how ... something was looking at her, she was not able to hide anything, the feeling was awful! It was as if someone could see into her deepest thoughts and learn all her secrets with just a glimpse, but soon it was over and a golden light was shining in front of her.

"Your potential is good, aside from those items that choose you I will give you something else to carry..." The lights surrounding her were dimming one after another until just 3 of them were left, 2 of them came closer slowly while the last one neared quickly. "While not all that powerful your bloodline is quite unique, so you may be able to make use of this..." The Voice this time seemed different less of a recording and more sentient, but it was barely a mumble, a long-forgotten bit of consciousness still remaining behind.

It was excruciating pain that came next, Kou howled loudly as something was burned on her left arm, she felt how ... something was forced into her through the burn, something she could not even comprehend, the pain was so bad that she almost lost her consciousness, but she gritted her teeth through it and when he pain was finally gone her body felt like it was made out of leed, her eyelids were heavy and she really just wanted to go to sleep right here and now, the numbing feeling of pain still lingering in her left arm.

"You may take your treasure and leave, this is what your talent amounts to." These words again seemed automatic and a strong force picked Kou and the two items that were left behind up and threw her out of the room. Kou did not even have any strength to actually look at them, she just collapsed next to her items, not able to keep her eyes up any longer...

"This seems to be some worrisome trend..." Was the last thing that crossed her mind