After being done with the looting, Wu Tian asked if anything was worth keeping. Guizou nodded. "Here." Taking out a fist sized blue bead seemingly made out of water, he presented it to Wu Tian. He was amazed at the deep blue color shining from within. It was a truly beautiful piece.

"This is a Cleansing Water Bead. You can store it however you want, though the box that came with it works better. Just keep it there for now." Putting the bead back in, not questioned about the blue color, Guizou's palm now held a very small grey cube. Its mat finish let not much light reflect. "This is a small piece of Cuboid Granite Ore. Very useful for hammers and such. Anything that needs to keep a flat surface will benefit from this ore. But you also need the appropriate amount and skill to refine it."

Putting it back once again, he this time frowned before holding an orange bead. It was a bit bigger than the Cleansing Water Bead, clear as well, shining warm colors. "Why... I wasn't paying much attention, but why is there a Triple Dragon Bead in here? Especially of such grade." Wu Tian was none the wiser. "What does it do?"

"It explodes." Wu Tian immediately took a large step back. "Explodes... a lot?" Guizou nodded. "A lot."

"You just inject Qi inside and it will blow up with quite the power. I'd say, with enough Qi injected fast enough that it does not explode before, you can destroy... let's say a mountain. But that would require someone of my level to use it at my peak. It's strong, certainly, but... wait. In the Mortal Land, a mountain is not the same..." Shrugging after some thought, he activated the ring.

"I wouldn't worry anyway, keep it just in case."

About to continue, Guizou saw Wu Tian crouched as he clenched his heart. He looked in pain, but how much, he did not know.

Nor did he care.

Finally taking some effect, I almost thought these pills to be defective. I wonder how much he'll gain? It's... ten percent of the maximum lifespan... and that ten percent extracted loses ten percent of itself each consecutive use.

If one would be able to live for a hundred years, the Life Prolonging Pill would increase that amount by ten years the first time, and nine years the second. The third one would give eight years, the fourth one seven years, and so on. When one consumed a total of ten across their life, the following pills would not give anything. No matter whether they waited a hundred years or a million, the pill would lose its effects.

However, this effect was only valid for the same pill. Another one made with different ingredients or a different method yielding different results could work. Guizou himself knew the reason. It all came down to the origin of the effect. What did the pill actually do? Increase one's lifespan externally, or internally?

Taking out a scabbard, Wu Tian saw it to be a longsword. His master pursed his lips. "A bit too high grade... You can try, but this longsword is on the heavy side of things." Agreeing for the test, Wu Tian held out his hand, taking hold of it. He immediately felt the weight, nearly lowering his arm. "Why is it so damn heavy? How do you use a sword like this?" Guizou almost laughed aloud. "Because it's meant for high level Warriors. Maybe it will feel light when you breakthrough to the fourth level. But judging by the arrays engraved on it, with Qi, only someone at least in the seventh level should be able to comfortably wield it."

"In short, not for now." Wu Tian put it away before another weapon was drawn. It was a dagger merely long enough for the blade to cover his hand. The blade was curved at three places.

The weight was just right, light enough to be used regardless of position and momentum. Guizou explained a bit more. "This should be a middle grade Warrior Weapon, it has a couple arrays, one near the top and one under the pommel. An array link is connecting them both. From the inconsistent engravings, the arrays and link are fortunately and unfortunately engraved inside for the most part. This will help with their resilience, except when it breaks, making the repair process nearly impossible without an adequate cultivation base and skillset."

"On the other hand, it's sharp, a bit short, but with good arrays. The one underneath the pommel is a bit more exposed, so you can see quite a bit. It is the core array, responsible for everything to work properly. Without it, the link and other array are almost pointless. It can... I believe boost the dagger's weight using Qi. Not too bad, especially with the four small nodes around it serving as batteries. With it, the weight can be kept on the heavier side without necessarily having it in hand. Probably meant for throwing scenarios. As for the other one, it is a good old Qi edge. Infuse Qi, turn it into a sharp coating over the blade and have fun chopping things with ease. Very efficient against Qi shields and the likes."

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About to ask whether the dagger was better than his current longsword, Wu Tian remembered the cracks. "Should I use it as my main weapon?" Guizou nodded. "This is the best I could find from this treasury. Not incredible, pretty lame in fact, but still decent enough."

Armed with a new blade, Wu Tian looked for clothes next. Guizou knew about this, having carefully prepared the best.

At the bottom level of the mountain, where the entrance of it stood, four cultivators were in a brawl. Corpses of different robed disciples laid here, already dried and empty.

Sun Xieren was still in her pristine white and blue robes, her pale hair fluttering above. She stood on the large stairs leading to the level above. Closer to the entrance, under the two platforms where corpses laid since long ago, Luzhen Jie arrogantly waited. His fiery gaze was directed at her, the old man to his right silently looking at another old man near Sun Xieren.

Two Sect Masters, two Grand Elders.

One Star versus Two Stars.

Peak Warrior versus peak Warrior.

A spark emerging between them, the four appeared to blur like a fading illusion. Luzhen Jie and Sun Xieren had their figures fade in near the ceiling. The brown robed Luzhen Jie punched with his left fist covered in purple and pale red Qi. This fist clashed with Sun Xieren's own left fist, however covered with icy blue and deep purple Qi.

Their clash echoed into the eardrums of the Grand Elders, making them frown. They were currently a few meters away, careful.

No words were exchanged, Luzhen Jie narrowing his eyes mid-air as Sun Xieren's left leg was clad in blue and fiery red Qi. A phoenix seemed to form behind her, while his left fist was still retreating. Is this my limit? Is this the difference in cultivation?!

Hit on the chest, he was sent flying back where he came from, his heavy body cracking the orange stone all around. Dust flew around him, be it brown, grey or orange. He stayed still, laying on the ground with a solemn outlook.

The Grand Elder of his Earthen Prism Sect, Zhuveng Tellios, was managing to hold on without too much difficulty. The two Grand Elders were evenly matched as of now.

Slowly raising his torso, Luzhen Jie was now seated, gloomy all over. His brown robe was torn in the middle, at the chest area. But no critical injury could be seen. In fact, only a small bruise remained. Pale red and deep purple Qi were revolving into a thin armor. But compared to his left arm, the purple Qi was much thinner.

"Luzhen Jie!" Sun Xieren spoke, slowly falling from above. She landed without a hitch, graceful as ever. "Do you now realize the difference between us? You only have one, while I have two!" He perfectly understood her meaning. And unfortunately for him, he could only agree in silence.

It only took another moment for Zhuveng Tellios to shout in pain and be thrown near him. With a Two Stars added, he stood no chance either. "Today marks the end of your Earthen Prism Sect! I must say that I never expected your long standing sect to end like this... It only took your pathetic anger and boundless misconception to doom your heritage." Sun Xieren was truthful in her words. The Sky Sovereign Sect and Earthen Prism Sect had been ancient giants in the region since centuries at the very least.

To think their clash would come so strangely, but more importantly, so abruptly, was deafening to her worldview.

Luzhen Jie merely smirked, deflated and defeated in a single exchange. It did not matter whether or not he only had a bruise. The truth of the matter was straightforward. He could not win.

"You wench! This is my defeat! But not my sect's!" Before she could ask what he meant, his smirk widened as a loud sound resonated from above. It sounded like a war horn.

"What did you do?" Her unnerved frown could be heard in her tone. But he only sparred her a glance.

A few seconds later, as if nothing would happen, almost easing her nerves, she saw him raise his head to the distant orange ceiling.

"LONG LIVE THE EARTHEN PRISM SECT!!!!" His deafening shout passed through the layers and floors, surpassing the clouds. He coughed blood at the sudden outburst, roaring in laughter as he grabbed Zhuveng Tellios and ran away. Sun Xieren and her Grand Elder Tian Yawen were too shocked to pursue them at first.

And as they realized their disappearance, and prepared to follow, a shake of their visions distorted their minds.

A powerful shockwave shook the entire mountain along the organs of most present. Including Wu Tian.

Then, as silence only resumed near the bottom, the chaos of above reached them all.

A mighty rumble made everyone stumble onto the ground, orange dust flying everywhere. Many were curious at the situation, but only within the mountain.

Rushing outside, Sun Xieren and Tian Yawen looked above. With wide eyes and an agape mouth, they merely stood motionless. Speechless.

Far above, where the clouds cleaved the mountain from all sides, an ominous shadow began to grow. Beyond said clouds, where a hall formerly resided, littered in dismembered remains, two metallic pillars and their frames were snapped in half.

Before long, the clouds were parted from this shadow, a truly gigantic mountain peak sliding down like a meteor.

"What the... fuck?" Her ladylike elegance did not match her words this time around.