“Heh, aren’t you afraid I’ll grab the stuff and slip away?”
Ling Xiao had already anticipated this fellow would act this way.
Exquisite Fairy and Cold-faced Warrior were both cautious and meticulous. Even though the item was within arm’s reach, neither dared to be careless.
After all, the ancient warrior’s corpse was too well-preserved, giving the eerie feeling it might suddenly attack.
Thus, Ling Xiao reminded them that the storage ring hadn’t been checked yet.
He knew, in the end, they would still rely on him to retrieve it.
He had carefully observed the surroundings earlier, confirming no danger in removing the storage ring.
This senior had died suddenly during healing, with no time to set up traps, only the outer formation and dragon-severing stone prepared in advance.
What a pair of cowards!
Ling Xiao smirked coldly, “Though I seriously doubt your integrity, since I can’t escape, seeing what this senior left behind before dying is enough for me. But you two, stand far back, at least seven steps away.”
Exquisite Fairy and Cold-faced Warrior exchanged a glance, then moved toward the entrance, guarding it. Even if Ling Xiao tried to flee with the item, they could easily stop him.
Ling Xiao glanced at them disdainfully before approaching the ice bed.
Just as he was about to remove the storage ring, he noticed faint inscriptions inside the ice bed.
They were carved by hand. Ling Xiao guessed this senior, in his final moments, had done this to pass down his techniques, a desperate act since even sudden death shouldn’t leave one without heirs.
He couldn’t read the other words clearly, but the last sentence was unmistakable, carved deeply and larger than the rest, “May the fated one preserve my body, do not destroy it!”
Though unsure why this person wanted their corpse preserved, complying temporarily posed no harm.
Since a soulless corpse wasn’t a living thing, it could be stored in the Mountains and Rivers World, where glaciers would keep it from decaying.
With that thought, he collected both the ice bed and corpse.
Then he picked up the storage ring for inspection.
“This storage ring has a formation too, probably take some time to open. You lot keep an eye on the time, don’t let us all get trapped here.”
Ling Xiao planned to quietly transfer the ring’s contents to the Mountains and Rivers World, then use the ring to distract Exquisite Fairy and Cold-faced Warrior, seizing a chance to escape.
So, he had to check the ring.
“You’d best not play tricks, or we’ll make you wish for death, suffering every torment imaginable!” Cold-faced Warrior warned.
Ling Xiao smiled faintly, ignoring him, and began examining the storage ring.
He hadn’t lied, the ring was indeed protected by a complex formation. Cracking it would take at least seven days.
Of course, that was without the ancient warrior’s corpse.
This warrior was formidable, integrating his true essence with the formation. Only by using his true essence and knowing the formation’s key could the ring be opened quickly.
Though the corpse’s true essence was nearly depleted, as long as a trace remained, Ling Xiao could use it to unlock the ring.
Upon opening it, he first saw a set of bamboo slip books.
After close inspection, he found it was an ancient scroll on herb cultivation, named *Herb Nurturing Manual*.
He had no use for it, but Dai Yuling would.
Dai Yuling loved cultivating herbs. Bringing this back for her to grow extinct or rare herbs would benefit him greatly.
Good stuff, taken!
With swift finesse, Ling Xiao stored it away, unnoticed by the two at the entrance.
The second item was a jade token, exciting him, as it was a flying secret technique!
In the Mysterious Realm, even Celestial Realm warriors could only glide long distances.
Ling Xiao’s Cloud Dragon Divine Walk was unique, mimicking gliding like Celestial Realm experts.
But neither allowed true flight.
Only Cave Heaven Realm experts or those with out-of-body flight martial souls could fly.
Yet, flight martial souls consumed too much true essence and soul power, and short out-of-body durations limited their use, making flight techniques invaluable.
“Dragon Wings: Flight Technique, Top-tier Gold Martial Art. At mastery, true essence wings form, enabling true flight like a bird. Though costly, it consumes far less than flight martial souls.”
Reading this, Ling Xiao nearly laughed aloud.
If he mastered Dragon Wings, he could fly away from unbeatable foes, who could catch him?
He continued reading.
“Requirement: Mortal Realm Seventh Layer or above to cultivate.”
This requirement meant nothing to him. At Mortal Realm First Layer, he had already cultivated top-tier gold martial arts meant for Seventh Layer.
His physical strength met the criteria, and his true essence was robust.
Most crucially, his Mountains and Rivers Martial Soul bypassed many cultivation issues, finding optimal solutions.
Thus, troubles others faced due to insufficient cultivation didn’t apply to him.
Taken!
Beyond the self-preservation flight offered, the thrill alone was enough to excite him.
Leave it for others? No way, it was his.
“What are you up to, kid?”
Just as he was about to check more treasures, Cold-faced Warrior roared and lunged.
Ling Xiao decided to act decisively, transferring everything, trash or treasure, to his Mountains and Rivers World for later inspection once safe.
Now, he needed to prepare his escape.
Facing two Mortal Realm Fifth Layer and two peak Fourth Layer warriors, unless he used his Primordial Golden Dragon form, it would be tough.
But that was his trump card, not to be used lightly unless absolutely necessary.
Over-reliance on such forms wouldn’t help his own combat growth.
