Wang Tengfei was overcome with intense excitement. Anyone witnessing this scene would surely be stunned, for such an expression had never been seen on Wang Tengfei's face before.
In others' eyes, Wang Tengfei was a favored son of heaven. His gentle gaze, friendly smile, and handsome face were all perfect.
But at this moment, Wang Tengfei couldn't help but feel agitated. Thinking of the many years he had prepared, the vast resources he had expended, and how today he was finally on the verge of obtaining his long-cherished desire – a supreme treasure destined to accompany him for life – his heart couldn't help but pound wildly.
Indeed, one of the two primary reasons he chose the Kao Shan Sect was precisely to acquire this object.
At this very moment, his speed had reached its absolute limit. The moment he entered the cave and saw the gigantic beast's corpse, Wang Tengfei couldn't help but burst into laughter, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He immediately dashed towards the tail end of the corpse, searching the area where the python would have shed its skin. But very quickly, a puzzled expression appeared on his face, his eyes wide with disbelief. A moment later, he had practically overturned the beast's corpse. In the end, he was utterly stunned.
"Why isn't it here!"
"This is impossible! That supreme treasure could only be smoothly retrieved after the python had completely shed its skin. And this place was only safe to enter at this specific time. How could it be missing? It *can't* be missing!"
Wang Tengfei's eyes blazed with furious light. His mind buzzed, frantically searching for answers, until he spotted the marks of a flying sword piercing the python's skin, clear evidence that someone had extracted something. Wang Tengfei's body trembled, an unprecedented rage erupting within him, coupled with an expression of utter disbelief. He let out a furious roar that echoed throughout Hei Shan.
When he saw the corpse's head had been forcefully split open and the demon core was gone, he didn't even spare the skeletal remains a glance in his intense emotional state.
Driven by rage, he surged forth with an unimaginable frenzy, bursting out of the cave. He even used the drop of blood on his arm to seek a connection, but for some unknown reason, the drop of blood yielded no sensation whatsoever, as if it had been completely erased!
He searched the entirety of Hei Shan, but found nothing!
Finally, he dazedly returned to the cave. Gazing at the beast's corpse, Wang Tengfei let out a desolate roar.
"I spent three years searching for ancient texts! For three whole years, I neglected my cultivation! For those texts, I spent over a hundred thousand spirit stones, only to finally find the clue to the ancient Ying Long here!"
Wang Tengfei trembled, his face twisted. At this moment, his perfect image had completely shattered, transforming him into a raving lunatic.
"I even spent another year searching throughout the entire Zhao Kingdom! Deep mountains and dense forests, there was no place I didn't traverse! I searched every inch of the region, relying on that drop of blood for guidance, only to finally locate this place!"
Wang Tengfei's eyes were bloodshot, his hands tightly clenched, his hair disheveled. Anyone seeing him in this state would surely be shocked.
"For this object, I was willing to humble myself and choose this damned Kao Shan Sect as the place for my spirit awakening! Damn it, I've endured three years in this place!"
Wang Tengfei’s heart bled. It felt as though an invisible sword had ripped open his chest and pierced his heart, shattering his pride. Even now, he could not bring himself to believe that he had failed.
“To set up that formation, I had to use every single one of my spirit stones and all my remaining treasures just to trap that python!”
“I even mobilized my clan’s influence to erase all traces of the Ying Dragon, ensuring no one else would ever find out. I refused any help from my clansmen and didn't even tell them the location, all because I considered that supreme treasure and inheritance to be mine alone—a personal trial for me, Wang Tengfei!”
“Who... Who stole my supreme treasure?!”
Wang Tengfei’s body trembled violently as his qi and blood surged chaotically within him. He had expended countless resources, only to pave the way for someone else. A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from his lips, staining his robes a shocking, brilliant crimson.
It was just like in the mortal world, where a man offers an extravagant bridal price, prepares a luxurious home, and finally wins the hand of a peerless beauty. He throws a grand celebration that stirs the entire city, inviting countless relatives and friends. Amidst everyone’s envy and his own triumphant anticipation, the wedding night finally arrives. He gazes at the red veil covering her face, knowing a bashful, beautiful countenance lies beneath... But just as he is about to rush forward, he suddenly discovers...
He has been shut out. Everything has been snatched away by some unknown thief, right before his eyes, completely and utterly stolen!
“Who stole my ancient sword?!”
Wang Tengfei let out a mournful shriek, spitting up another mouthful of fresh blood. He staggered back several steps, his face deathly pale, his eyes wild with madness. He was indignant—utterly, unspeakably indignant! Proud as he was, he had never known failure in his entire life. Yet at this moment, nothing remained in his heart but humiliation and towering rage.
“Who seized the supreme treasure that was meant to help me, Wang Tengfei, dominate the Cultivation World in the future?!”
The moment he thought of the exorbitant price he had paid, he coughed up yet another mouthful of blood. His robes already stained red, he stumbled back a few more steps.
“Not only did you take my supreme treasure, but you even took the demon core! Without it, and having spent all my wealth on this treasure, I won't be able to break through to the seventh level anytime soon... Who are you?!”
“Who stole the fortune that rightfully belonged to me?! That was my supreme treasure! My demon core! My inheritance!”
Wang Tengfei’s face was twisted in a frenzied mask of pure fury. He immediately intensified his search, but these were barren, desolate mountains; how could he possibly find anything?
The mournful shrieks drifted through the air, reaching the ears of the fleeing Meng Hao in the distance. It only made him more excited, and he ran even faster.
“I’m rich! This time, I’m really rich!”
Meng Hao’s heart pounded wildly, and his mouth went dry with excitement. Pushing his speed far beyond its usual limits, it wasn't long before he returned to his cave abode in Nan Feng.
He had somewhat guessed that the treasure he had just taken was extremely important to Wang Tengfei, and even if it were stolen, it couldn't be publicized. He thought to himself that it was fortunate he had run so fast. If he tried to hide this matter too much, it would only arouse more suspicion. It was simpler to act openly and honestly, creating a mix of truth and falsehood, first claiming the moral high ground. That way, he would be somewhat safe.
At this moment, Meng Hao licked his lips, his eyes gleaming. Although the cave abode jade slip was still with the fatty, Meng Hao had another jade slip from Senior Sister Xu, which could open the cave abode. Otherwise, Senior Sister Xu wouldn't have been able to open the cave abode door earlier while Meng Hao was counting spirit stones.
After returning to his cave dwelling, he didn't see the fatty. Remembering how simple-minded yet clever the fatty was, and knowing he wouldn't suffer any loss, Meng Hao didn't give it another thought. Meng Hao sat cross-legged in his cave dwelling, took a deep breath, and pulled out the golden storage bag. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. He eagerly opened it, and as soon as he peered inside, he murmured:
"What massive storage! It can actually hold... Oh!?"
Meng Hao hadn't even finished speaking when his body stiffened. After taking a deep breath, he stared into the storage bag, his mind blank, only a buzzing sound echoing around him.