Xiao Tian had not expected to find three rank-7 magic cores sitting on a single shelf. Cores of this level were equivalent to human Dou Zong powerhouses—and magical beasts at that rank were typically far stronger than their human counterparts. He had mobilized the entire Heaven Punishing Auction House to search for even one, and for a long time, they had come up empty. Yet here, three of them lay before him: gold, poison, and water attributes.
He stowed them without hesitation. The poison-attributed core was clearly unsuited for alchemy, but it could be given to Xiao Yi Xian. He could sense the toxicity radiating from it—exceptionally potent. Whatever magical beast it had come from was no ordinary creature. He didn't dwell on it. It was in his hands now, and that was all that mattered.
After sweeping the rest of the vault, he still found no trace of the Bodhi Transformation Saliva or the magical beast mummy. He didn't even catch the faint stench of decay.
"Could it be they haven't acquired those items yet? That doesn't make sense. I remember they studied them for a long time before finally putting them up for auction, having failed to unlock their secrets."
"And I haven't seen the Black Emperor Sect's inherited cultivation technique either. That's even stranger. Mo Tianxing's storage ring didn't hold it." He had already gone through everything in Mo Tianxing's ring after killing him. Plenty of valuable items, but no sign of the sect's core techniques.
Xiao Tian stood still, head bowed in thought. Xiao Yi Xian noticed and asked softly, "Xiao Tian, what's wrong?"
He looked up at the two women before him. "Xian'er, scan this entire storeroom. See if there are any hidden chambers or secret spaces."
Xiao Yi Xian immediately released her powerful perception, sweeping through every inch of the chamber, not even sparing the ground beneath their feet.
Medusa, seeing that Xiao Tian hadn't asked for her help, grew instantly displeased. She began scanning the walls herself, her expression practically shouting, *You look down on me? Watch me slap your face.*
But as the minutes stretched on, she eventually gave up, her face full of defeat.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Tian quickly pulled her into his arms and comforted her gently.
What Xiao Tian didn't see was the triumphant smile that curved Medusa's lips as she buried her face against his chest. *The books were right after all,* she thought to herself. *The most fortunate women are the ones who know how to act spoiled.*
If Xiao Tian had known Medusa's true thoughts—actions that completely overturned her arrogant queenly persona—he might have been tempted to splash black dog blood and glutinous rice over her, shouting, *I don't care who you are, get out of Medusa's body right now.*
"I found a hidden space."
Xiao Yi Xian opened her eyes. Medusa immediately broke free from Xiao Tian's embrace. But fast as she was, she couldn't outpace a Dou Zun.
"Cai Li, you're clever. Secretly flirting here while I was busy working."
"Secretly? I was doing it openly." Medusa lifted her chin with pride.
"That space is right there. Just smash through." Xiao Yi Xian drove her fist into a massive bookshelf. The wall behind it shattered, revealing a gaping hole. Then she teleported straight toward Medusa.
Medusa reacted quickly and teleported away into the distance. But how could she escape Xiao Yi Xian? Soon, the entire chamber echoed with the sound of playful slaps.
Xiao Tian ignored their antics and walked directly into the passage. After about two minutes, two whooshing sounds came from behind him. Xiao Yi Xian and Medusa had caught up—though Medusa was clutching her backside as she walked.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Tian couldn't help but smile.
"You're still smiling? Your wife is being bullied by your other wife!" Medusa rolled her eyes at him, her phrasing tangled in indignation.
"Would you like me to rub it for you? I'm a professional. Guaranteed cure." Xiao Tian's tone was pure teasing.
"Go away, go away! If you want to take advantage, just say so! Hmph. I won't give you the chance." Medusa knew exactly what wicked intentions lurked behind his offer. Last time, he had told her he'd give her a massage, and the massage had quickly become something else entirely—his hands growing bolder with every passing moment.
"Such a pity. Very few people ever get to experience my techniques."
Hearing the word "techniques" in Xiao Tian's voice, both their faces inexplicably flushed crimson.
"You two aren't thinking something inappropriate, are you?" Xiao Tian looked at their expressions with open suspicion.
"No… no. Weren't you looking for something? Hurry up. I need to get back to hug Ling'er and Meng'er." Medusa's expression snapped back to seriousness, her voice suddenly urgent.
Xiao Tian studied them both. Finding nothing outwardly amiss, he turned and continued deeper inside. The two women exchanged a glance, nodded at each other, and followed.
At the end of the passage, a small chamber opened before them—no more than twenty square meters. Several pillar-like platforms stood within, and atop them, only three boxes rested.
"Such a large hidden vault… and only three items? Guarded so heavily. These must all be incredibly important." Xiao Yi Xian studied the faint protective barriers shimmering over each box.
"We'll know once we look." Xiao Tian raised his hand. The restrictions shattered. The lids lifted, revealing their contents.
The first box held something resembling a fruit, three jade-like patterns tracing across its surface.
"What is this?" Medusa leaned closer, examining the deceptively appetizing fruit.
"It's called a Jade Ring Fruit. It strengthens the physique. If used when breaking through to Dou Zong, it eases the process." Xiao Tian held it in his palm. Mo Tianxing must have prepared this for his son.
"So it's similar to the Break-Sect Pill?" Xiao Yi Xian reached out and touched the patterns. They were smooth and warm, like real jade.
"It can't compare to the Break-Sect Pill. Its main purpose is still physique enhancement—it only raises the probability slightly. But for peak Dou Huang experts, it's still a highly sought-after treasure."
The Jade Ring Fruit was also valuable to Xiao Tian himself. It was the main ingredient for a rank-7 pill recipe he possessed.
Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian nodded in understanding. The fruit was useless to them—and to Qing Lin, Han Yue, and the others as well. They all possessed special physiques, so breaking through to Dou Zong was never the challenge. As long as they accumulated enough energy, the breakthrough would come naturally.
Xiao Tian picked up the item in the second box, glanced at it, and lost interest immediately. He put it away without ceremony. Inside was the Black Emperor Sect's foundational cultivation technique—a mid-tier Earth-grade method with matching Dou Techniques. Xiao Tian had no use for it. Mid-tier Earth-grade could only be considered upper-middle tier within Heaven Punishing Divine Palace.
He moved to the final box.