Chapter 47

After a long while, the Twin Dragons finally calmed down and began to take stock. The treasure chamber contained four stone rooms, one of which was filled to the brim with gold, while the other three housed weapons. There were bows, crossbows, armor, and various types of weapons such as swords, spears, and halberds, all numbering in the tens of thousands.

All of this was enough to equip thirty to forty thousand soldiers. For the Young Marshal's army, which was suffering from a lack of weapons and could not equip the troops even after recruiting them, this was like sending charcoal in the snow.

Xiao Sheng was not interested in the treasure or the weapons. He carefully examined the stone table in front of him, then grabbed the edge with both hands and pulled it upward. The table immediately rose two inches with a light sound. Xiao Sheng then used more force to rotate it to the left. A section of the floor beside the stone table immediately sank, revealing a narrow underground cave.

The Twin Dragons, hearing the commotion, immediately came out of the treasure chamber and curiously peered into the cave. Xu Ziling said, "There's a bronze jar down there. Hey, Senior, could this be the Evil Emperor's Relic?"

Xiao Sheng smiled and said, "We'll know if we take it out and look, won't we?"

Kou Zhong, driven by curiosity, called out, "I'll do it!" He knelt down, reached out, and lifted the bronze jar. He exclaimed, "It doesn't look impressive, but it's really heavy, at least a hundred pounds. And this thing is quite sinister. As soon as I touched the handle of the bronze jar, my mind was suddenly filled with terrifying scenes of bloodshed, and I could hear the fierce cries of countless vengeful spirits. It took a while for them to fade away."

"Hmm, if such a situation occurs, it means it is indeed the Evil Emperor's Relic," Xiao Sheng sighed with relief. He knew that the Evil Emperor's Relic was of great importance, related to the safety of his half-sibling, Ling Ziling. Although he could "foresee" things, he still had a faint sense of unease until he actually obtained the relic.

Now, with the bronze jar in front of him, it was clear that no further changes would occur. Xiao Sheng was completely at ease. He lifted the bronze jar onto the table and twisted the lid open. The moment his fingers touched the jar, his body suddenly trembled, and his mind was filled with countless illusions, as if millions of fierce ghosts were crawling out of a blood pool, trying to drag him in.

Indeed, this was the effect. With Xiao Sheng's mental cultivation, he was not afraid of the illusions. After a slight tremor, he thoroughly expelled the invading evil energy. However, the jar was filled with mercury, which could not be touched with bare hands.

Xiao Sheng thought for a moment and asked Kou Zhong to help by fetching a wooden box from the treasure chamber and emptying the antiques and treasures inside. He then tilted the jar and poured out the mercury.

In a short while, the mercury was completely drained. Xiao Sheng lifted the jar and turned it upside down onto the stone table. A fist-sized yellow crystal fell onto the table, and the entire stone chamber was immediately enveloped in a dark yellow glow.

Xiao Sheng carefully examined the yellow crystal. It appeared both hard and soft, with a semi-transparent interior that slowly flowed with blood-red patterns, making it both eerie and beautiful.

The Twin Dragons also curiously came over to look. Kou Zhong exclaimed, "My goodness, this is the Evil Emperor's Relic? I didn't expect it to be so beautiful. But apart from emitting light and causing illusions, it doesn't seem to have anything special. I can't understand why the members of the Cult of Evil are willing to risk their lives to get it."

Xiao Sheng smiled and said, "Of course, it doesn't seem special just by looking at it. But if you, Kou Zhong, use your true energy to grab the relic, something interesting will happen. How about giving it a try?"

Kou Zhong shivered and instinctively took three steps back. He called out, "Senior, we respect you so much, don't trick us, please."

"How could I trick you? Think about it, if the relic didn't bring real benefits, would the members of the Cult of Evil be so eager to obtain it?"

Xiao Sheng paused and said solemnly, "According to legend, the first Evil Emperor of the Cult of Evil discovered this yellow crystal in an ancient tomb. After careful study, he found that this yellow crystal had the strange ability to absorb and store human essence and true energy.

In Daoism, the three elements are the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, water, fire, and earth on the ground, and essence, energy, and spirit in humans. Among the three, essence is the foundation. As long as the essence is strong and the origin is solid, it is obvious that cultivation will lead to extraordinary achievements.

The first Evil Emperor was very pleased. He then developed a method to inject essence into the yellow crystal and used himself as the first test subject. He also instructed his successors to find a way to extract the essence from the crystal. From then on, this thing was called the Evil Emperor's Relic.

Unfortunately, subsequent Evil Emperors of the Cult of Evil, despite their best efforts, could not find a way to extract the essence smoothly. They only injected their own essence into the relic before their deaths. As a result, the relic continuously absorbed more harmful dead energy and impurities. The reason we experienced illusions when we touched the bronze jar was due to the invasion of these dead energies and impurities."

Xu Ziling frowned and said, "It's clear that these dead energies and impurities are very powerful. If they invade, one might easily go into a state of mental derangement. So why did you...?"

"Wait, let me explain," Xiao Sheng waved his hand and continued, "There are two ways to extract the essence from the relic. The first is to practice the Cult of Evil's 'Daoxin Zhongmo Dafa.' It is said that the previous Evil Emperor, Xiang Yutian, used this method to absorb part of the essence, thereby becoming the best martial artist in the world. Of course, no one here knows this technique, so I won't elaborate.

The second method is for you two, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, to use the true energy from 'Changsheng Jue,' which has the same origin but different qualities, to establish a connection with the relic. This will create a yin-yang vortex within the relic, stimulating the dormant essence and infusing it into your bodies. At that time, you two will undergo a transformation and achieve a leap in your cultivation. How about giving it a try?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other. For a moment, they were both moved.

The Twin Dragons knew that their weakness was starting martial arts too late, resulting in a weak foundation and limited potential. Previously, they had fortuitously obtained the He Shi Bi and absorbed its energy, expanding their meridians. But if they could follow Xiao Sheng's guidance and absorb the essence from the Evil Emperor's Relic, they could solidify their foundation and enhance their potential. The benefits were obvious.

However, in a moment, the Twin Dragons had already made up their minds. They shook their heads and said in unison, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior. But no, thank you. We already agreed that the treasure goes to us, and the relic goes to you. If we now greedily want the essence of the relic, wouldn't we become untrustworthy and despicable people? So, we appreciate your offer, but please put the relic away."

Xiao Sheng laughed heartily and said, "Good, good! I didn't misjudge you. To be honest, I do need the essence in the relic, but I need the impurities and dead energies even more. So, I'm afraid I have to trouble you once more."

He then put the Evil Emperor's Relic back into the bronze jar, poured in the mercury, and closed the lid, placing it aside. He asked seriously, "Now that the treasure has been found, how do you plan to transport it, Kou Zhong?"

Kou Zhong confidently said, "I already have a complete plan. Well, Senior, it goes like this..." He then explained his plan in detail.

Xiao Sheng didn't pay much attention. After Kou Zhong finished, he smiled and said, "Recruiting soldiers and expanding your influence can wait. The most important thing is that now that you have the treasure, you truly have the qualifications to compete for the throne. According to your agreement with the head of the Song family in Lingnan, he will marry Yu Zhi to you, right? Congratulations, congratulations."

Kou Zhong was a bit puzzled. He thought to himself that Senior Xiao was indeed a good person, but he didn't understand why he liked to play matchmaker everywhere, which was quite a strange habit. He casually replied, "Thank you, but not so soon."

Xiao Sheng smiled and said, "One must have a family to establish a career. The sooner you get married, the sooner you can bring the Song family over to your side. This will be very beneficial for your quest for the throne. When you lead your army into Guanzhong, you can bring Li Xiuning and Chai Shao, who are now prisoners, to see. They once looked down on you as a nobody, but now you can control their lives and deaths. Isn't that satisfying?"

Kou Zhong's body trembled, and his expression became extremely complex. He said, "Prisoners?"

Xiao Sheng said casually, "Of course. There can only be one sun in the sky and one ruler among the people. Since the Li family has declared themselves emperors, they are your mortal enemies. After you enter Guanzhong, Li Xiuning and Chai Shao will either die in battle or become prisoners. This is the law of the victor and the vanquished."

"That's true, and I understand the logic. But... but... sigh," Kou Zhong's expression showed various signs of reluctance, and he finally let out a long sigh.

Xiao Sheng said calmly, "Being loyal and righteous is a good thing. But being overly merciful is a fatal weakness for someone who wants to rule the world. You must understand that while you may be merciful to them, they will not be merciful to you. Li Shimin, Li Xiuning, Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and even Li Yuan himself would not hesitate to kill you if they had the chance."

After a pause, Xiao Sheng shook his head and smiled, "But that's not a problem. With me here, your weaknesses will no longer be weaknesses. Let's not talk about this anymore. Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling, go contact your subordinates and prepare to move the Yang Gong Treasure Chamber. I will stay here for a while to study the Evil Emperor's Relic."

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other, both feeling a great sense of relief. They bowed to Xiao Sheng and left together.