Chapter 007: Devouring Treasures, Stone Beast Warning

In his previous life, Wu Luo had experienced numerous storms and trials, yet he maintained a calm demeanor in the present moment. He effortlessly closed the jade box and handed it to Li Qingyu. Li Qingyu cast his spiritual essence to seal the jade box and returned it to Wu Luo

Li Qingyu is quite perceptive; during the journey, he listened to the discussions among the clans and roughly deduced that Qiao Hu was about to be promoted. Therefore, he immediately called out "Team Leader Qiao" to win Qiao Hu's favor

He sat there for an unknown duration, and when he suddenly awoke, the sun had already set, plunging the entire world into darkness. In the distance, the mountain wind howled, resembling the cries of ghosts

The jailers behind Qiao Hu couldn't help but laugh: "This fool, how could he be 'as cunning as a ghost'? Hahaha, Master Li, how low must your intelligence be to think that a fool could be 'as cunning as a ghost'? Hahaha!"

He lost his spoon, patted his belly, and turned around with satisfaction, looking every bit the fool, which caused those around him to burst into laughter

Behind the large gate lies a stone corridor three zhang wide. Within the prison, daylight is never seen, and dark green moss covers both sides of the stone path. Wu Luo led Li Qingyu for about one hundred zhang, and there was a branch path on one side of the stone avenue. Wu Luo took Li Qingyu up this path. The main road leads to the true prison where the demons are held, while this branch path leads to some righteous individuals, like Li Wo, who have made mistakes by chance.

Wu Luo was taken aback, and upon raising his eyes, he saw the cunning glint hidden behind Li Qingyu's expression of suffering. A chill ran through Wu Luo's heart, yet he said nothing further, merely gazing steadily at Li Qingyu

Prison guard Qiao Hu can be considered one of the more simple-minded among the guards. Although he is not particularly close to Wu Luo, he rarely makes fun of him like others do every few days. This is why Wu Luo treats him with courtesy.

Mu Yibinglang was enjoying the flattery of his followers, squinting his eyes as he gazed at Wuluo in the distance, feeling quite content, as if he had truly grasped Wuluo's neck with his own hands and snapped it with a crisp crack.

One person hurriedly flattered, "What if he can begin cultivating? He is still a fool. Without innate talent, even if heaven were to favor him, he could not achieve anything. In cultivation, one must rely on someone like Young Master Mu Yi, who possesses innate talent."

Wu Luo then smiled faintly: "It's just a trivial spell that preserves sound and images. I played with it a century ago, showing off in front of experts, humph."

When he opened the jade box, Wu Luo initially intended to retrieve the hairpin chain. However, upon seeing Li Qingyu place the goldfish sword into the storage space, he changed his mind.

According to the standards of the cultivation world, each piece of jade essence is only the size of a finger joint. If the prison guards in Lu Yu are considered to have a lucrative position, not only do they have many ways to earn money on a daily basis, but their salaries are also generous, amounting to thirty pieces of jade essence each month. For cultivators of the prison guard's level, it takes three days to exhaust the spiritual energy from a single piece of jade essence, making their salary more than sufficient to sustain their cultivation.

Moreover, Wu Luo has an additional layer of optimal protection, which Li Qingyu is unaware of

Wu Luo rested at ease, taking out the precious jade essence he had dedicated to Li Qingyu. Embracing the unity of the universe, he placed his hands together, with four fingers interlocked and the tips of his thumbs touching. The jade essence was positioned between his hands.

Upon arriving here, the number of prison guards increased. Wu Luo, accompanied by Li Qingyu, approached the guard in charge of the Zhengdao prison and cupped his hands in greeting: "Brother Qiao, we are here to visit Li Wo. Please take him over."

The others around him repeatedly praised Mu Yibinglang's spiritual jade and wisdom root, and Mu Yibinglang smiled with satisfaction, lowering his voice to say: "Just wait, I feel that in the next few days I will be able to break through and enter the Nine Palace realm! At that time, I will definitely be able to firmly suppress Tuoba Taotian and eliminate this annoying brat; it will be nothing more than a matter of raising my hand and making a move!"

Li Qingyu fled in a panic, while the guards behind him burst into loud laughter. Only Wu Luo stood there, still looking foolish and dazed. No one noticed that a hint of cunning flashed in Wu Luo's somewhat vacant eyes.

The Li family of Qinghe Mountain paid a heavy price for this fifth-grade magical treasure, suffering significant losses: two elders and eleven core disciples were lost, which accounted for nearly one-third of the entire Li family's strength. Li Qingyu had previously believed that these sacrifices were worthwhile, as with this fifth-grade magical treasure, he was confident that he could double the power of the Qinghe Mountain Li family

As Wu Luo exited the cafeteria and stepped onto the stone path in the center of Ruolu Prison, he saw Qiao Huzheng leading Li Qingyu out from a distance. Upon seeing him, Li Qingyu immediately shouted, "Captain Qiao, I want to report this gatekeeper for extortion!"

Flying out over a hundred miles, Li Qingyu slowly relaxed his clenched right hand, revealing a faint halo in his palm. He exhaled, dispelled the incantation, and the halo gradually dissipated.

Who says that this foolish boy, once he cultivates, will definitely gain spiritual intelligence? Just look at him; who would dare to say he is not a fool

The demonic path has always been about playing with schemes and striking from the shadows. In his previous life, Wu Luo was a prominent figure in the demonic path. To employ tricks in front of Wu Luo is nothing short of seeking one's own demise

This jade essence, measuring a full six finger joints in length and two fingers in width, has a conversion rate of one jade essence to one hundred jade units. Thus, this jade essence is valued at one thousand two hundred jade units—no wonder Li Qingyu felt a pang of pain.

As he stepped out of the gates of the Ruolu Prison, Li Qingyu let out a cold laugh: "Well, well! I never expected that I, Li Qingyu of Qinghe Mountain, would actually fall into the hands of someone as insignificant as you!"

Taking advantage of this opportunity, he leaned close to Wu Luo's ear and whispered ominously, "Kid, are you trying to play tricks with me? I've eaten more salt in my lifetime than you have rice; just watch how I bring you down!"

This precious artifact of the fifth rank has not been in his possession for long, yet he enjoys taking it out to play with whenever it comes to mind

"Master Li, are you saying that Wu Luo is extorting you under the pretense of a visit?" Qiao Hu inquired in an official manner.

As soon as the storage bracelet was opened, a barely perceptible breath flashed and vanished. Li Qingyu's expression changed, and he struck the sky with his palm. With a muffled sound of "buzz," a massive pressure funnel formed within a ten-mile radius, allowing things from the outside to enter, but preventing anything from the inside from escaping

One person hurriedly offered flattery again: "That is a person of great stature. Young Master Mu Yi is indeed the possessor of the spiritual jade wisdom root. That scoundrel Tuo Ba Tao Tian has merely been fortunate, relying on the assistance of the True Spirit Bee to achieve his current success; he will surely lack the strength for what lies ahead. As long as Young Master Mu Yi can break through the Nine Palaces realm, his spiritual essence will be far more substantial than Tuo Ba Tao Tian's, and Tuo Ba Tao Tian will undoubtedly not be your match"

He did not know how many fellow cultivators of the same realm he had harmed with his schemes and tricks. However, this time he encountered Wu Luo, a mere young boy, who repeatedly caused him to suffer setbacks. Li Qingyu felt an intense hatred for Wu Luo, but more than that, he was filled with dread: this young lad was already so formidable at such a young age; how powerful would he become when he grew up

Wu Luo returned to his small room, tucked the black wooden box from the table into his bosom, and then headed straight to the cafeteria, disregarding others, and snatched the last bucket of rice. Practitioners at the Baoshan realm must eat. The Baoshan realm primarily focuses on self-cultivation, and food is indispensable.

However, Li Qingyu was unaware that the "painful lesson" brought to him by Wu Luo was far from over

However, the food of cultivators is naturally different from that of ordinary people. For instance, in the records of Lu Yu and Tu Shu, Wu Luo clutched a bucket of rice in his arms, its color a vibrant green, resembling tiny jade beads. This is the renowned "Shuiyu Rice." Although it is not considered expensive in the cultivation world, when converted into the gold and silver of the secular world, just this bucket that Wu Luo holds could bankrupt the wealthiest family in an entire county

After sending off Li Qingyu, Wu Luo turned and headed straight for the cafeteria, fearing that there would be nothing left of the leftovers. However, he did not notice that as soon as he turned around, Li Qingyu was watching his back, revealing a faint, sinister smile.

Li Qingyu's storage bracelet severed the connection between him and the Goldfish Sword. The hair chain swirled around the Goldfish Sword, and Wu Luo smiled slightly, sending a wave of mental energy across the distance

The fifth-grade goldfish sword has already become a pile of scrap iron, with all its precious components, such as the Nine Seas Sunken Gold Sand, the Northern Land Celestial Mica, and the Earth Fire Gold Tendons, having been lost

Indulging in feasting and drinking at Wuluo Mountain, why concern oneself with how those around perceive it

Regardless of the treatment, the conditions of detention, or the level of supervision, these prisoners in Zhengdao are significantly better off. For instance, Li Qingyu is able to visit his son frequently and encourage him in his studies.

This detail is generally not understood by most people, as the benefits only become apparent when one reaches the level of a "great practitioner." Moreover, a typical great practitioner would never easily offer guidance to others, because once they do, it establishes an informal master-disciple relationship between the two parties, which entails future responsibilities for each other's safety and various other interconnected factors. Behind every great practitioner lies a complex web of cultivation relationships, and they are cautious about taking on disciples.

Wu Luo, feeling extremely hungry, hurriedly packed up the Jade Essence and prepared to return in search of something to eat

Wu Luo placed the jade box under the table again. This is a marvelous space, connected to the alarm system within the Ruolu Prison. If someone without the Ruolu Prison identity jade token attempts to retrieve the jade box, it will inevitably trigger the alarm.

Mu Yibinglang sat in a corner accompanied by several followers. He looked disdainfully at Wuluo, who was greedily devouring food from a wooden bucket, and sneered, "This fool, the heavens are blind, allowing such a useless person to begin cultivating."

Without the Golden Fish Sword, the Li family, having lost one-third of its power, faces surrounding hostile forces... Just the thought of this makes Li Qingyu's scalp tingle. The Li family is not an ancient lineage; it does not possess such profound heritage. Near Qinghe Mountain, it cannot even claim absolute superiority to suppress everyone. This time returning home, whether they can preserve the Li family is likely to be a question.

However, Wu Luo has absolutely no fondness for the righteous path and shows no mercy when it comes to extortion

Wu Luo was forcibly dragged in front of Qiao Hu, standing there with an innocent expression.

A vortex of radiant light erupted from between his eyebrows, swallowing his life-bound magical treasure. Li Qingyu raised his left hand and shouted, "Rise!"

Qiao Hu understood very well that the regulations of the Zhengdao Prison were mostly for show, and the rule of visiting once every thirty years was merely a piece of paper with no real substance. Therefore, he did not ask much, nodded slightly, and then cupped his hands towards Li Qingyu, saying: "Please follow me"

The spiritual energy contained within the Jade Essence is quite substantial, and indeed, Wu Luo's realm is rather low. After absorbing it for such a long time, the Jade Essence has hardly changed. Nevertheless, it has allowed him to advance from the mid-stage of Qi Perception to the peak of Qi Perception, just a step away from the Enlightenment realm

Li Qingyu asked seemingly casually while packing his things

In fact, the prison guards are very courteous to visitors and do not engage in extortion. After all, those who are incarcerated here are individuals of notable status, and if such actions were to occur, it would lead to significant trouble if pursued.

There are only the two of us here, what else do you have to worry about? A true man dares to take responsibility for his actions. You and the library have played a trick on me, and you don't even dare to admit it? Li Qingyu looked at him with disdain, while Wu Luo remained confused: "I really don't understand what you mean"

Li Qingyu glared at him resentfully; having exhausted all his means, this kid still refused to take the bait, leaving him with no options.

This tactic is indeed effective for most people, but Lu Yu is an unusual place. Qiao Hu, by nature, is simple and traditional. Before his promotion was even confirmed, someone, an outsider no less, called out like that, which made him feel quite uncomfortable. His thick eyebrows furrowed, resembling a black silkworm curling up.

Most importantly, Wu Luo discovered a peculiar skill of the Hair Locking Chain, which is actually the ability to devour the essence of magical treasures

"What kind of joke are you making? This kid is as cunning as a ghost; how could he be a fool..." As soon as Li Qingyu spoke, he realized it was a mistake. Sure enough, Qiao Hu's expression changed: "Could it be that Qiao would dare to deceive the head of the Li family?"

Li Qingyu was puzzled about what was happening, but it was clear that Wu Luo was a simpleton. In Ruolu's view, this was a consensus; going to see the warden would only lead to self-humiliation, and he might even be accused of "defamation". He awkwardly cupped his hands towards Li Qingyu and said, "Forget it, it was my misunderstanding, I apologize for the disturbance, farewell..."

Qiao Hu was somewhat displeased: "Master Li, you repeatedly claim that Wu Luo is extorting you, but do you not know that Wu Luo is a simpleton?"

Li Qingyu calculated that his son had reached a very important juncture after ten years, which is why he did not hesitate to bow to Wu Luo, this humble gatekeeper, in order to come in and see his son

Li Qingyu raised his left hand and pressed it, causing a surge of spiritual energy to enter it, and the jade box silently opened.

The hair strand chain has absorbed the essence of a fifth-grade mid-level magical treasure, and the runes surrounding it have become increasingly refined. At first glance, it may seem inferior to before, but upon closer inspection, one can sense that the power of the hair strand chain has become more restrained and profound. Wu Luo nodded in satisfaction; the hair strand chain, originally a sixth-grade lower-level talisman, has successfully advanced to a sixth-grade mid-level.

Li Qingyu muttered to himself: "This kid is extremely cunning, leaving no room for error." The Li family of Qinghe Mountain rose to prominence under Li Qingyu's leadership. Apart from the exceptionally sharp fifth-grade flying sword at Li Qingyu's feet, his meticulous scheming is also a significant reason for the Li family's ability to dominate the Qinghe Mountain area spanning thousands of miles.

Although the Goldfish Sword is not large, the hair chain is even more astonishingly small. Each iron ring is smaller than an ant. Yet, this group of "ants" is incredibly fierce; after pouncing on the Goldfish Sword, countless shimmering golden runes surged from within, flying through the air and rushing into the body of the Goldfish Sword

... ...

Li Qingyu immediately shouted loudly: "Exactly! He saw that I care deeply for my son, so he deliberately made things difficult for me, using this as an opportunity to extort a jade essence from me!" Li Qingyu then rushed over and grabbed Wu Luo: "Don't leave, come here and clarify things with Captain Qiao!"

The strands of hair were incredibly fine, adhering to the back of the goldfish sword as they entered the storage space together. Li Qingyu, completely focused on enticing Wu Luo to speak the truth, remained oblivious to it.

No need to say more. Qiao Hu said: "What kind of person Wu Luo is, everyone in the Ruo Lu prison knows. If you do not trust me, Qiao, I can take you to meet the warden."

Once entering the storage space, the connection between the goldfish sword and Li Qingyu was severed. However, the hair chain was quite peculiar, still linked to the bloodline with Wuluo, continuing to thrive endlessly

It seems that cultivating in the realm of Qi using Jade Essence is indeed a waste, as the amount of spiritual essence that can be absorbed is fixed. Ordinary Jade Essence is already sufficient to meet the requirements. However, the spiritual energy in Jade Essence is more refined and pure. During the foundational stage, the more refined the spiritual essence absorbed into the body, the more beneficial it will be for future development

Having dealt with these matters, Wu Luo took out the jade tablet and entered the Ruolu Prison with Li Qingyu

Qiao Hu gave Wu Luo a slap: "Hurry up and follow him, he can't leave on his own, and you also need to help him retrieve the stored magical treasures"

Li Qingyu's face turned pale and then flushed, disregarding the mocking laughter of the guards, he hurriedly explained to Qiao Hu: "Captain Qiao, I didn't mean it that way, you..."

After he finished speaking, he urged the flying sword, and a faint yellow light shot straight into the sky, disappearing in an instant

Wuluo responded with an acknowledgment and turned to run away

The instigator, Wu Luo Zhengmei, was contentedly examining his gains in the small black room outside the gate of Ruolu Prison

In the contest between the two, Wu Luo consistently gained the upper hand. Li Qingyu recalled the events and felt an overwhelming sense of frustration, as if a heavy stone were pressing down on his chest, causing him great discomfort. Although he did not yet feel "fear" towards Wu Luo, the thought of facing him made his heart tighten. Looking back at the magnificent and grand Ruolu Prison, which he was gradually distancing himself from, he exhaled and began to relax.

This jade box is also a treasure. As long as it is closed and the seal of Li Qingyu is inscribed, it can only be opened when both Wu Luo and Li Qingyu are present; it cannot be opened by either one alone

It is indeed pointed out that this is also highly confidential and will not be easily disclosed by anyone

Not far ahead, a row of low stone houses appeared in the distance. Each stone house was bound by three thick iron chains horizontally and vertically—this was a profound sealing spell. In addition to this, the stone houses themselves held some secrets, making it difficult for even those at the level of the nine great heavenly gate masters to break free.

Wu Luo still looked bewildered and shook his head, saying: "What are you saying? I don't understand..."

Qiao Hu is a first-class prison guard in Ruolu Prison, the highest among the third-class guards. Besides his inherently simple nature, he has the potential to become the next team leader, which is why he pays considerable attention to his reputation. Naturally, he has little interest in activities such as teasing fools for amusement

Wu Luo understood that Li Qingyu would most likely guess that it was he who did it, but he feared that even Li Qingyu would find it hard to believe, given the disparity in their realms. Moreover, even if Li Qingyu could be certain that it was he who acted, what could he do about it? With the Li family of Qinghe Mountain backing him, would he dare to come to Ruolu Prison and take action?

Wu Luo looked bewildered, smiled foolishly at Li Qingyu, entered the stone house, took out the jade box from under the table, and placed his own jade token on it: "It's your turn."

The hair chain received permission from Wu Luo, and immediately golden light burst forth, scattering the three hundred and sixty iron rings around its body, all rushing towards the Golden Fish Sword.

He was about to leave the stone house when he suddenly saw the stone sculpture of the mythical beast on the left side of the dark door of the Ruolu prison winking at him

The treasure of the fifth rank, in the face of the hair chain of only the sixth rank, surprisingly had no power to resist. Wu Luo felt "gratitude" towards Li Qingyu, while simultaneously harboring an unrealistic hope that another foolish righteous person would come knocking, offering one or two exceptional treasures to feed the hair chain.

Young man, let me die with clarity. How did you deceive so many people into believing that you are a fool? And why did you choose to do this?

A sense of foreboding rose in Li Qingyu's heart. He hurriedly opened his storage bracelet, and immediately a scream akin to that of a slaughtered pig echoed through the skies: "My goldfish sword, my fifth-grade magical artifact! That scoundrel who dared to plot against your family’s Li Ye, let me find him, I will kill your entire family..."

But now, everything has become empty

In his previous life, he was a person who acted according to his own whims, and in this life, he has become even more extreme and relentless. Wu Luo pondered to himself, if I don't consume it, how can the depleted essence and blood be replenished? If I were to obtain another top-tier treasure that requires a blood sacrifice, wouldn't that cost me half my life?

Since the hair chain stealthily entered the jade box, Wu Luo has been striving to suppress it. The hair chain has an extremely strong desire to devour the goldfish sword, making Wu Luo's efforts quite arduous; however, he has managed to achieve a degree of success. The hair chain swims restlessly around the goldfish sword within the jade box.

Li Qingyu was taken aback, "A fool?" He looked at Wu Luo in disbelief. This brat was cunning as a fox at the door, not at all resembling a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy; instead, he appeared to be a shrewd and crafty villain. How could such a person possibly be a fool?

The first pure essence of spiritual energy was absorbed into his body, and it seemed as if all the meridians in Wu Luo's body were comfortably moaning. After completing a full cycle of the Great Zhou, Wu Luo clearly felt that his realm had improved.

Li Qingyu has endured until now before finally erupting, as he was concerned that revealing too early would delay his visitation with his son. Now that the visitation has concluded, and having suffered grievances at Wu Luo's place, Li Qingyu has decided to take a proper revenge on him.

Li Qingyu put the goldfish sword into his storage bracelet. He had already shown it off when he arrived, so there was no need to continue using it in front of Wu Luo. Moreover, he was not in the mood for that now

Li Qingyu hurried along the road for a while, then stopped to rest for a moment at a solitary and majestic cliff. After some thought, he happily opened his storage bracelet, preparing to take another look at his goldfish sword.

Wuluo wielded a large spoon used by chefs for cooking, scraping the last few grains of rice from the wooden barrel and stuffing them into his mouth—this scene was truly spectacular. Wuluo's robust physique was evident as one leg rested on the ground while the other was propped on a chair. The enormous wooden barrel sat on the table, and Wuluo, with his arms wide open, swung the large spoon, relishing the delicious food.

The talisman of destiny lifted him high. Li Qingyu looked down at Wu Luo and resentfully said, "Kid, whether you admit it or not, we both understand this matter. If you have the guts, stay in Ruolu Prison for the rest of your life. The moment you come out, hmph, you will experience the strength of the Li family from Qinghe Mountain!"

Cultivation is heavily reliant on guidance. The story of an individual who, through solitary study of a secret manual, becomes the world's greatest is one that exists only in the realm of popular chivalric novels. Cultivation emphasizes personal insight and understanding, with the first priority being one's innate wisdom, followed closely by the crucial guidance and assistance from one's school or mentor

However, that aura was exceedingly strange; with a gentle twist, even Li Qingyu could not discern what method it had employed, and it effortlessly slipped out of Li Qingyu's confinement, floating away.

The prison guards were actually eating quite similarly, and when Wu Luo stormed in with an imposing presence, heading straight for the food, no one paid attention to him snatching the last portion. Instead, there was a burst of laughter, with a clear undertone of mockery.

Wuluo carefully closed the box, and at that moment, the hair chain silently slipped into the jade box while he was unprepared. Wuluo wanted to stop it, but it was already too late. If he were to reach into the jade box in front of Li Qingyu, it would surely lead to some misunderstanding.

If others were to see that Wu Luo was merely at the Qi Sense realm yet insisted on using the Jade Essence to cultivate, they would undoubtedly scold him for wasting precious resources. However, Wu Luo, with his extensive cultivation experience from his previous life, possesses unique insights in many intricate details that far exceed those of ordinary individuals

Wuluo, following the methods outlined in the Daoist Canon, immersed his mind and spirit between his hands, within that sphere of emptiness. A soft, warm glow emerged, and the jade essence he summoned began to emit wisps of spiritual energy, gradually permeating Wuluo's body through the acupoints in his palms

Upon retreating into the stone house, Wu Luo immediately sat cross-legged and promptly controlled the hair chains with his mind.