Chapter 394: Chapter 223: Numerous Treasures

"Have the other items been sorted?"

Cheng Zongyang suppressed his excitement and handed the booklet back to Luo Dingran.

’Expanding my inventory isn’t a priority. I need to get a clear understanding of this batch of items first.’

He also didn’t believe the Huangfu Family had left only this little.

At this, Luo Dingran’s smile faded. He said, "Sir, please come up to the third floor. The items you found on the skeleton have been sorted, and we’ve certainly made some discoveries."

As he spoke, he handed the booklet and pen to the Soul Slave who was weighing the items. "Record what’s left," he instructed.

"Yes, Steward." The Soul Slave accepted them and complied.

Luo Dingran and Cheng Zongyang then went up to the third floor of the Preservation Warehouse.

Cheng Zongyang wondered what they could be.

Third floor.

Luo Dingran brought a tray over and placed it on the table.

On the tray was a long, flat Jade Box, two Beast Hide Scrolls, a Metal Key broken in two, a stone slab, and a dozen or so porcelain bottles.

"Sir, these porcelain bottles all contain Elixirs. They’ve been identified as Grass Essence Pills, Qi Blood Pills, Acupoint-Breaking Pills, and the like, meant for treating Internal Injuries, aiding Martial Arts Cultivation, and more. They cover everything from the Lower Three Grades to the Upper Three Grades."

"However, after so many years, these Elixirs have lost their efficacy. I plan to give them to Zhang Jinquan to see if he can recreate them."

Cheng Zongyang nodded without speaking, simply listening.

"This key is made of Refined Gold and was likely used to open some great gate. Judging by the cut, it was probably severed by one of those Entry Grade Weapons. It should be repairable, but we don’t know what it opens."

Cheng Zongyang nodded again, saying nothing. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’It probably opens that stone gate. My full-power strike didn’t even budge it, which says enough.’

’Breaking the key was probably to crush any hope of getting out.’

Luo Dingran then picked up the first of the two Beast Hide Scrolls, his expression turning serious. He said:

"Sir, this Beast Hide Scroll is a map—the one you found on the skeleton. It’s made from Exotic Beast Hide processed with a special technique, which is why it hasn’t decayed over the years. I am not sure of the location it depicts, but I suspect it’s somewhere in Tianduan Mountain. Furthermore, this scroll isn’t complete; it has been cut."

This piqued Cheng Zongyang’s interest. He took the hide and began to examine it.

It was indeed a route map. As Cheng Zongyang studied it, his eyes narrowed slightly.

’Don’t tell me this is a map to that mountain?’

He looked at the route and the mountain topography. Although it was rather general, he had some knowledge of Treasure Mountain’s terrain. The markings for a nearby river and an entrance location were more or less accurate.

"It seems the Huangfu Family had a complete map of all of Tianduan Mountain. They marked all the treasure sites on it, then later split into groups, divided the map, and went to their respective Treasure Caves. Those few people followed the route directly into the Inner Mountain, delivered the treasure, and then took their own lives inside the Treasure Cave."

Cheng Zongyang had immediately deduced the general situation from the information he had.

Listening to Cheng Zongyang’s explanation, Luo Dingran nodded as well. "That must be how it was."

Cheng Zongyang set the hide aside, and Luo Dingran picked up the second Beast Hide Scroll.

"This is the one you saw while sorting through the chests. It records a secret formula for a medicine called the Blood Burst Pill, which allows the user to unleash three times their normal Power for one hour. After it wears off, they will suffer from a complete drain of qi and blood, collapsing from exhaustion. If their qi and blood aren’t replenished in time, their very foundation will be damaged."

"A useful item for a battle to the death," Cheng Zongyang noted with a slight nod. "We can have Zhang Jinquan try to produce some later. There will always be someone who needs it."

"Yes," Luo Dingran agreed with a nod.

Next was a square stone slab. Luo Dingran continued his explanation:

"I can’t read the script engraved on this stone slab, but after appraisal, the only hint is that it’s a type of ancient writing. There are a total of five hundred characters."

Cheng Zongyang took it for a look. The heavy slab was indeed covered in densely packed characters, each the size of a green bean, which he couldn’t read either. He immediately appraised it.

——

[Stone Slab]

Description: An ordinary stone slab engraved with some kind of script from the Ancient Era. Unfortunately, it is incomplete.

Value: 500 Points

——

’What the hell?’

’This stone slab is worth five hundred Points?!’

Cheng Zongyang was stunned for a moment. But then he understood—it wasn’t the slab that was valuable, but the text written on it.

"Let’s hold onto it for now. I’ll look for someone who can understand this script later. To think it’s from the Ancient Era... that’s unimaginably long ago."

"Yes, Sir," Luo Dingran replied.

Cheng Zongyang then turned his attention to the last item.

Without waiting for Luo Dingran to hand it to him, Cheng Zongyang picked it up himself to inspect it.

Luo Dingran said nothing, merely standing aside and waiting. But as he looked at the Jade Box, his expression was somewhat complex.

The quality of the jade was ordinary, perhaps due to the passage of time. But when he opened it, he found a creamy white object inside.

Puzzled, Cheng Zongyang picked it up.

It was no more than four or five centimeters long, with a luster like fine white jade. As he examined it, Cheng Zongyang seemed to recognize what it was, and his expression changed in an instant.

He looked at Luo Dingran. "I don’t need to appraise this to know it’s a Finger Bone, right?"

Luo Dingran nodded. "Yes, but you’ll still be surprised after you appraise it."

Cheng Zongyang immediately cast an appraisal on the object in his hand.

——

[Demon Beast Claw Bone]

Description: A small finger bone from a certain Demon Beast.

Grade: Purple

Function: Aura of Intimidation. Though only a piece of a finger bone, the aura it contains can still intimidate the vast majority of living creatures.

Value: 10,000 Points

——

"Holy shit!" Cheng Zongyang sucked in a sharp breath.