Chapter 97: Opening the Treasure! (Seeking Recommendations, Favorites, and Rewards!)

"Hulao Pass does not welcome you. Please leave!"
Marquis Tianjun's expression was cold and severe, showing not the slightest respect for King Tiancheng as he spoke in an icy tone.
"King Tiancheng is a distinguished guest invited by me. Who dares to say he is unwelcome?"
A resonant voice rolled in from afar. A man clad in a dragon-scaled robe, wielding a Heaven-Severing Halberd, rode atop a massive ferocious flying beast.
"A Tiger-Headed Eagle."
Marquis Tianjun saw the ferocious flying beast, his expression drastically changing as he let out a startled cry.
A Tiger-Headed Eagle was a ferocious beast with a tiger's head and an eagle's body. Upon reaching adulthood, its combat power could rival that of a Human King.
In fact, to be precise, even a Human King of the same rank would not be a match for a Tiger-Headed Eagle.
The Tiger-Headed Eagle held the advantage of the skies, capable of both striking and retreating. In the wilderness, a single Tiger-Headed Eagle could exhaust a Human King to death.

Qin Feng gazed at the colossal ferocious beast, his expression shifting slightly. He was not familiar with Tiger-Headed Eagles, but he could feel the imposing aura radiating from it, no weaker than that of a Human King.
"King Bei Wu, I had an agreement with you beforehand—only you alone were permitted to go to the treasure site of the Mystic Heaven Sect."
Marquis Tianjun glared furiously at King Bei Wu, his voice filled with anger.
"Had you not brought this up, I would have let it rest. But since you mention it, let me ask you—how did His Majesty come to know of this matter? And what are the ten Town Generals behind you doing here?"
King Bei Wu cast a contemptuous glance at Marquis Tianjun and gave a cold snort.
"This..."
Marquis Tianjun's expression changed, and he fell silent.
This matter was indeed his fault to begin with.
"Hmph!"
King Bei Wu let out another cold snort and strode toward the Wangtong Pavilion.
"Heh heh."
King Tiancheng shot Marquis Tianjun and Qin Feng a cold, sneering smile, then followed King Bei Wu with large strides toward the Wangtong Pavilion.
"Qin Feng, something has gone awry. If anything unusual happens later, we must leave immediately."
Marquis Tianjun walked to Qin Feng's side and spoke in a low voice.
"Mm."
Qin Feng nodded.
Knowing that it was not the right time to act rashly, he had no intention of forcing things. He was well aware of his own abilities.
"This is the Black Cloud Mountain Range."
When Qin Feng, Marquis Tianjun, and the others all entered the Wangtong Pavilion, they each took out their maps and pieced them together.
Marquis Tianjun studied the complete map, being the first to recognize the marked location.
A dim, obscure glint flashed through his eyes, yet he did not speak it out loud, harboring his own calculations.
"I imagine Marquis Tianjun has already recognized what place this is."

King Tiancheng often targeted Marquis Tianjun and was quite familiar with the Hulao Pass region, so he was the second to recognize the location.
He cast a meaningful glance at Marquis Tianjun.
If even he could recognize it, how could Marquis Tianjun, the master of the Hulao Pass territories, fail to do so?
"Marquis Tianjun, I hope you do not resort to petty tricks, or else I will overturn this table."
King Bei Wu caught the implication in King Tiancheng's words, his expression turning grim as he stared coldly at Marquis Tianjun.
Qin Feng, along with the ten late-stage Town General martial cultivators dispatched by the imperial court—Yin Pobai, Hou Baizhun, and the others—all turned their gazes toward Marquis Tianjun.
"The Black Cloud Mountain Range, ten li outside Hulao Pass."
A trace of viciousness flashed through Marquis Tianjun's eyes as he spoke in a deep voice.
"Excellent!"
"Without further delay, let us set out for the Black Cloud Mountain Range at once."
Hearing the location Marquis Tianjun gave, King Bei Wu immediately understood where the treasure lay. He could hardly wait to rush there and break open the treasure.
Marquis Tianjun, King Tiancheng, Qin Feng, Yin Pobai, Hou Baizhun—none voiced any objection, and they hurriedly made their way toward the Black Cloud Mountain Range.
"ROAR!"
The Tiger-Headed Eagle let out a tiger's roar. Its wings spread out to a span of over thirty meters, blotting out the sky like a shroud, as it carried King Bei Wu aloft into the air.
"Go!"
Marquis Tianjun eyed the retreating figure of King Bei Wu with deep wariness, then explosive power surged from his legs as he rushed swiftly toward the Black Cloud Mountain Range.
"SWISH!"
King Tiancheng quickly followed behind.
Martial cultivators who had reached the Human King realm could fly short distances, but flying consumed too much true qi.
Even though Marquis Tianjun and King Tiancheng had both reached the Human King realm, they still traveled at low altitudes to conserve their strength.
"Go!"
Qin Feng slowly mobilized the power within his body. The surging, overwhelming force tore through his skin and flesh, blood streaming out.
"Hiss!"
Qin Feng felt the searing pain radiating from within, the corner of his mouth twitching. Then, with a burst of force from his legs, he dashed toward the Black Cloud Mountain Range.
"Go!"
"SWISH!"
"SWISH!"
Yin Pobai, Hou Baizhun, and the other ten late-stage Town General martial cultivators pushed their power to the limit, barely managing to keep up, just catching glimpses of Qin Feng, King Tiancheng, and Marquis Tianjun's backs—enough not to fall behind.

"Nine peaks as the backdrop, one peak commanding the world's vistas!"
When King Bei Wu, King Tiancheng, Marquis Tianjun, Qin Feng, Yin Pobai, and the others arrived at the Black Cloud Mountain Range one after another, they once again took out their respective maps and pieced them together.
King Bei Wu, King Tiancheng, Marquis Tianjun, Qin Feng, and the others searched for the scenery depicted on the map, casting their gazes in every direction.

The records on the map had been set down over a thousand years ago. The terrain could not possibly remain exactly the same—it had undergone some changes.
"It seems to be around here."
About three hours later, Yin Pobai stood atop one of the peaks, surveying the distance. The scene before him felt similar to what was depicted on the map.
"It should be here."
"Close enough."
"These are the locations of the original nine peaks; now only six remain."
King Bei Wu, King Tiancheng, Marquis Tianjun, and Qin Feng hurried over, casting their gazes across the surroundings. The landscape closely matched the map.
"You, dig it open."
King Bei Wu issued an authoritative command, ordering Yin Pobai, Hou Baizhun, and the other ten late-stage Town General martial cultivators to start excavating the mountain peak.
"As you command."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Yin Pobai, Hou Baizhun, and the ten late-stage Town General martial cultivators, despite their reluctance, dared not openly defy King Bei Wu's orders, and swiftly began digging.
King Bei Wu sat cross-legged atop the Tiger-Headed Eagle, consumed a spiritual herb, and rapidly cycled his cultivation technique to replenish the true qi he had expended.
King Tiancheng and Marquis Tianjun also moved aside, sitting cross-legged, swallowing medicinal pills, and circulating their techniques in cultivation.
Before closing his eyes to cultivate, King Tiancheng glanced at King Bei Wu. He did not understand why King Bei Wu had not yet made a move.
With their faction currently holding the advantage, they could wipe out Marquis Tianjun, Qin Feng, and the imperial court's ten Town Generals in one fell swoop.
Qin Feng sat cross-legged about two meters from Marquis Tianjun and swallowed an eight-hundred-year-old medicinal herb to restore the true qi he had consumed.
"Reporting to Your Highness, my lord—we have unearthed a stone door."
Yin Pobai, covered in black dirt, hurried over, cupping his fists as he reported in a loud voice.
"Go!"
"SWISH!"
"SWISH!"
King Bei Wu, King Tiancheng, Marquis Tianjun, and Qin Feng's eyes snapped open, their bodies leaping up as they sped toward the mountain peak.
"Future disciples of the Mystic Heaven Sect may enter bearing the Sect Master's ring, and shall obtain the sect's heritage to restore its former glory."
"Should any trespasser enter, any with treacherous intent, any who are not disciples of the Mystic Heaven Sect—death!"
When King Bei Wu, Qin Feng, and the others arrived, they happened to see two lines of inscriptions carved upon the stone door. The words were steeped in a profound artistic conception—
Especially the final character "death," which bore an added layer of intent, sending a chill through the bones of anyone who laid eyes upon it.