Chapter 130: The Dagger Revealed

Xiang Tianya was well aware of the Five-Colored Spirit Being’s strength; otherwise, he would not have been tortured so mercilessly by it. Within the level 30 to 40 range, the Five-Colored Spirit Being was a formidable existence, especially with a Dragon Tooth Blade in its possession. Though Xiang Tianya found it hard to believe, how else could one explain Qin Chuan entering unscathed? In the end, he was forced to accept the reality.

"If I had the Ancient Vine Black Dragon Sword in my hand, why would I fear a mere orange-grade spirit weapon?" he thought. "It is hateful that my own red-grade spirit weapon has gone missing, and I have lost all connection to it. Now, without a spirit weapon to contend with, relying solely on spirit energy for protection, I fear I have little chance of victory. However, I still possess the Spirit Restraint Technique and the Soul Obliteration Technique, so perhaps all is not lost. I see that his blade is incomparably sharp; perhaps it could even sever these cursed clavicle chains."

In that moment, Xiang Tianya’s mind raced with various thoughts, even contemplating an opportunity to enslave Qin Chuan. In truth, when a person wields a spirit weapon, they can imbue it with spirit energy to greatly increase its sharpness and durability. They can also use the weapon to project sharp bursts of energy or channel spells through it. The Five-Colored Spirit Being’s use of the Dragon Tooth Blade was an entirely different matter. While it could hack away with the blade, it could not unleash the weapon's true potential. That was merely superficial, and in some situations, it was less effective than fighting bare-handed. The fundamental reason was that the Spirit Being and the spirit weapon could not achieve the unity of master and blade. This was a qualitative difference, and it was a factor in its defeat by Qin Chuan.

"Exactly right. You are next. Since you refuse to say anything, I will send you on your way," Qin Chuan said bluntly, making it clear that he intended to execute him.

At that moment, Qin Chuan noticed a slot behind Xiang Tianya. The shape of this slot was identical to the Order of the Spirit Realm; it meant that Xiang Tianya was blocking his path, and he had no choice but to eliminate him. Just as Qin Chuan prepared to strike, Xiang Tianya lost his nerve. Trembling, he stammered, "No, no, don't do it! I'll tell you everything you want to know."

This sudden reversal surprised Qin Chuan, who thought to himself, "Damn, this guy is cunning; he’s likely plotting something. But since he’s willing to talk, I’ll see what kind of game he’s playing."

Qin Chuan asked, "Fine, speak. Why did the Five-Colored Spirit Being tie you here?"

Xiang Tianya sighed helplessly. "He tied me here to guard the tomb of the former Lord of the Spirit Realm."

"What? You mean the tomb behind you is that of the Lord of the Spirit Realm?" Qin Chuan was stunned. He had assumed it was a mineral deposit; he never imagined it would be the tomb of the Lord of the Spirit Realm.

Xiang Tianya’s aged eyes flashed with a strange glint as he toyed with his hands, whether intentionally or not. "Indeed. The Lord of the Spirit Realm has been dead for countless years, and I have spent half my life guarding this place. If you are interested, I can tell you about the history of the Spirit Realm and the deeds of its Lord."

Having arrived in the Nine-Star Region, Qin Chuan had many questions, so he was happy to listen. Qin Chuan smiled mockingly and said, "Alright, speak. If you tell a good story, I might just spare you."

Hearing this, Xiang Tianya was deeply annoyed. He thought viciously, "Hmph, I’ll let you be smug for a moment; soon, you won’t be able to smile at all!"

Xiang Tianya feigned breathlessness. "Could you come a bit closer? I am at the end of my rope and don't have the strength to speak loudly."

"Fine." Qin Chuan complied readily, walking to within five meters of Xiang Tianya.

Xiang Tianya thought to himself, "Heh, I’ve lived for so long—you think you can outsmart me?"

He proceeded to recount the history of the Spirit Realm from the perspective of the Lord of the Spirit Realm, speaking with great emotion. He even railed against those from the higher planes, acting as if he were a beacon of righteousness, even shedding a few tears at the most moving parts.

"Damn, is this guy an actor? This is way too dramatic," Qin Chuan mused.

After a while, Qin Chuan had learned what he needed, and Xiang Tianya felt the time was right. He had been hiding his hands behind his back throughout the story. His left hand was forming the Spirit Restraint Technique, while his right hand pinched the Soul Obliteration Technique—a two-pronged approach, cunning to the core.

Xiang Tianya said with feigned excitement, "I swear to the heavens, I have never..." As he spoke, he thrust out his left hand, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes. "Spirit Restraint Technique!"

The Spirit Restraint Technique was a method for controlling spiritual entities; once the spirit core was seized, one’s life and death lay in the hands of the caster. A bolt of white light flew toward Qin Chuan, intended to seize his spirit core. Seeing the light about to strike, Xiang Tianya wore a triumphant smile.

But the next moment, his smile froze, and a sharp pain erupted in his chest. The Dragon-Pattern Cold Jade Sword had pierced straight through him.

"You... how did you see through me?"

"I’ve long grown tired of such exaggerated acting. If I hadn't wanted to know certain things, you would have been gone long ago."

"You! I won't let you go even in death! Soul Obliteration Technique!" Xiang Tianya was truly ruthless, wanting to drag someone down with him even as he died. A bolt of black light descended and struck the Dragon-Pattern Cold Jade Sword, but it had no effect whatsoever.

"This... this... impossible!" With those final words, Xiang Tianya’s eyes widened, and he breathed his last, ending his agonizing life as a tomb guardian.

"Ding! Killed level 35 Phantom. Obtained 1.5 million experience points. Bonus 100% experience for cross-level kill. Congratulations, Host has gained 3 million experience points."

"Ding! Merit system activated. Calculation method: 30x3, 40x4, 50x5, and so on."

"Ding! Obtained 105 merit points. Each merit point can be exchanged for 1 million experience."

"Damn, this is unexpected!" Qin Chuan never imagined killing someone from a higher plane would yield such benefits. "I wonder if this guy has a Source? Might as well try. One must have dreams; what if they come true?"

Qin Chuan attempted to use Devour.

"Ding! Devour successful. Obtained 35 Vitality."

"Ding! Activated Pulse Chakra Talent upgrade function."

The successive surprises left Qin Chuan dazed. He quickly checked his attribute panel, which now displayed his merit points, and a string of numbers next to his Pulse Chakra Talent: Vitality 35/1000.

"Holy crap, so that’s how it works. I was worried about the experience needed for leveling, but this makes things much easier." Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief; the prospect of needing tens of billions of experience points had been a real headache.

As a bandit with high ideals and a bright future, Qin Chuan habitually looted the body, but only found a black token engraved with a crescent moon. "Likely a token of identity, similar to the jade tablet of the Purple Spirit Mansion."

Zizi and the Sleepy Bug watched in astonishment. One moment, Qin Chuan and Xiang Tianya had been chatting warmly, and the next, daggers were drawn—it was truly bizarre.

A moment later, Qin Chuan had the Sleepy Bug take out the Order of the Spirit Realm and place it into the slot. "Click!" A sound of grinding stone followed, and a portal was revealed in the ground.

"Big Brother, are we going grave robbing this time?"

"Well, after being a bandit for so long, a little side job is acceptable."

"It’s so dark and gloomy... it’s kind of scary!"

After a few more words, the three bandits entered the tomb of the Lord of the Spirit Realm without hesitation.