Hei Qin walked toward the treasury, playing with the permission token in his hand. Other disciples were walking around the buildings as if it were any other day. His steps headed toward the large main building, where a few guards stood watch.
'It seems the other second-rank disciples are in their respective caves. I must act quickly before they return.'
Among the five second-rank disciples in this branch, the first was Gui Ling, while the last was Hei Qin himself. The other three members were still somewhere within the branch. If they noticed anything unusual, it would be difficult for his plan to come to fruition.
"Wait!"
One of the guards stopped Hei Qin. Unlike the other disciples dressed in simple brown robes, these guards wore darker robes tinged with red. Light armor covered their bodies, and long spears rested firmly in their hands.
"Second-ranked disciple Hei Qin. I have the permission token." Hei Qin cupped his hands and bowed slightly. The token in his hand flew forward and landed in the guard's grasp.
The guard checked the token several times before handing it to another guard standing nearby. "Here. Take him to the stage-four treasury."
"Your token only permits access to the stage-four treasury. You are not allowed to take anything from the other treasury stages. Do you understand?"
The guard warned Hei Qin.
"I understand."
Hei Qin nodded and obediently followed the other guard toward the stage-four treasury.
The moment Hei Qin stepped inside, a vast hall opened before him. The interior was far larger than the outside suggested. A long red carpet stretched across the stone floor, leading deeper into the treasury like a silent path welcoming its visitors.
Tall pillars lined both sides of the hall. Each pillar was carved with creeping statues, twisted figures with hollow eyes and long limbs that clung to the stone as if they were trying to crawl out. Under the dim light, their shadows flickered, making them look disturbingly alive.
A strange smell filled the air. It was cold, like melting ice, yet mixed with another scent that Hei Qin could not describe. It was neither rotten nor fragrant, but something in between, a scent that carried a faint chill deep into one's bones.
Hei Qin slowly raised his head and looked upward.
At the center of the hall, a massive spiral staircase rose toward the higher floors. It twisted upward like a coiling serpent, climbing higher and higher into the darkness above. From below, the upper levels looked incredibly small, almost like distant dots to the naked eye. Yet Hei Qin knew this was only an illusion caused by the enormous height of the treasury.
The guard walked in front while Hei Qin followed behind. Both of them climbed the spiral stairs slowly. The staircase strangely glowed with a faint red light in the dark steps, making the surroundings look eerie and silent.
As they walked upward, they passed three large doors built into the wall of the tower. Each door looked heavy and firmly sealed.
Finally, they stopped in front of the fourth door.
The guard took out a talisman from his robe and placed it near the door. The door immediately reacted and scanned the signature qi of the talisman. After a moment, the heavy door slowly began to open with a deep rumbling sound.
Behind the door was a narrow passage where only one person could walk at a time. The space was tight and silent. Many traps were hidden along the walls and floor, but none of them were activated at the moment as Hei Qin walked through. After all, he was not a thief. He had permission.
As he continued forward, the narrow passage slowly began to expand. Soon it revealed a large and spacious room. Three sides of the room were covered with wooden walls filled with countless drawers. Each drawer was neatly arranged, containing various treasures stored inside the treasury.
"Quickly choose the treasure. And remind your mind you can only choose one." The guard urged Hei Qin. His face was filled with annoyance, like he didn't want to be here at all. Even though he knew Hei Qin was a second-ranked disciple, he did not care. It seems these guards have special privileges in the sect.
"Alright, alright. I will choose quickly. After all, I don't have much time either." Hei Qin said with a smiling face.
Without wasting any time, he checked the drawers one after another. He discovered all kinds of treasures within the stage-four treasury—swords, spears, shields, armor, rare metals, alchemy furnaces, and medicinal plants. There were also some indescribable items like bones and blood vessels.
And finally, his hands stopped at one of the drawers. He looked at the artifact like it was love at first sight. And he knew what this treasure was and what it could do.
The artifact was a lantern. Inside it was like a small room, where a happy family was enjoying themselves. The lantern's flame was blue in color. It gave the lantern a feeling of peace within oneself.