Duan Rong carried a large chest, trekking through the mountains and forests. With such a heavy chest on his shoulders, performing the Cloud Serpent Step became quite laborious.
Duan Rong simply started striding along, just as he had done that day with Shen Ping when they entered the mountains, crossing ridges and peaks.
By the time dusk fell, Duan Rong finally reached the cliff above the cave's stronghold.
At this moment, the sunset glow was like a vast red veil, covering the valley before him, giving the mountains, rivers, and streams a hazy yet beautiful allure.
Duan Rong removed the heavy chest from his shoulder and wiped the fine sweat off his forehead.
Only then did Duan Rong open the chest and, in the twilight, tally the contents inside.
The lower half of the chest was filled with neatly stacked gold ingots—eighty ingots in total, each weighing twenty taels.
On top of the gold ingots were piled numerous jewels, corals, tortoiseshells, clams, agates, and similar items.
