The earthquake was violent enough to nearly cause Feiyun’s cave to collapse. The heavenly laws in the sky became chaotic.
He woke up from his meditation and rushed out to look at the treasury in the distance. Even though it was very far away, he could still see faint outlines using his phoenix gaze.
However, he looked away after a split second, aware that a top master had just flown out of there and nearly spotted his gaze.
“The sun and moon have returned to the underground treasury while the masters are rus.h.i.+ng out. I wonder if they got it?”
After another three days, a cultivator visited this area - a half-step Giant. He was an elder from a mining clan. Because of the sudden changes in Bronze Cauldron, everyone ran for their lives so he was separated from his clan.
Cheng Sicheng was 400 years old, the lord of a region.
Alas, Feiyun had captured him right now.
“Feng… Feng Feiyun!” He stared in astonishment. This guy who had been hunted by so many experts was completely alive and well.
Feiyun played around with his essence, turning it into various weapons with a smile on his face: “I ask, you answer.”
“Keke! You’ll kill me either way!” Sicheng was naturally smart enough to see that he was dead for sure after seeing Feng Feiyun.
Feiyun shook his head.
“Why should I answer you in that case?” Sicheng snorted.
“So that your family can live well. I won’t sell your daughters and granddaughters to brothels.” Feiyun smiled.
“You!” Sicheng gritted his teeth and glared at Feng Feiyun before calming down: “Fine, ask.”
“Smart man. What happened deeper in Bronze Cauldron?” Feiyun smirked.
“I’m not too sure, others said that the treasury has closed and returned to the earth. Even top masters like the heretical king and palace lord couldn’t find it again.” Sicheng honestly answered.
“Did anyone get good treasures from there?” Feiyun grimaced.
“No, only the top masters know.”
“How many people are still in Bronze Cauldron?” Feiyun nodded.
“Not… not that many, some are lost but the majority have left Bronze Cauldron now. I heard the spirit beasts have been pushed back by the top masters so everyone is leaving.”
“Yeah, they’re waiting for me outside.” Feiyun snorted.
“Feng Feiyun, you think you can survive this? Those who want to capture you are more numerous than you can imagine. You can stay here forever because the day you set one foot out will be your last.”
Feiyun pondered for a moment before smiling: “Not necessarily.”
Feiyun pressed his palm down on Sicheng’s head and forced the guy on his knees. Rays shot out of Feiyun’s palm and drilled into Sicheng’s head, stealing his memories.
Sicheng’s face became twisted in agony and tried to struggle to no avail. The steel-like palm fully immobilized him.
He eventually bled from all seven orifices and fell to the ground.
Feiyun pulled back and said: “The Cheng from Myriad Mines Prefecture, an elder and the uncle of the current clan master. Not bad.”
His appearance, aura, and even his eyes started to change into Cheng Sicheng. His back wasn’t as straight as before; his face covered in wrinkles. He stripped Sicheng’s clothes and put it on then gathered his stuff.
“Brother Cheng, I owe you one this time.” Feiyun put on the large robe and stroked his beard. His voice became elderly.
“Poof!” He incinerated the corpse into ashes before running towards the entrance.
He no longer wanted to use his Buddhist vagabond persona. Buddhism was too sensitive right now so it was better to become Cheng Sicheng.
He just needed to get out of Bronze Cauldron Mountain to be free. They would never find him again.
***
He finally found the remaining members of his clan.
The Cheng was a mining powerhouse with dozens of mines, as rich as can be. They had plenty of experts.
The leader this time was an ancestor, Sicheng’s older brother and the previous clan master.
“Oh, everyone, look, it’s Ninth Uncle! We’re over here, Ninth Uncle!” A middle-aged man pointed forward.
This was no longer the internal region of Bronze Cauldron. It wasn’t far from the entrance.
Feiyun looked as sad as can be with numerous wounds. His gray hair was a mess and he looked extremely tired.
He heard the call and ran over with excitement on his fatigued face: “First Brother, I finally found you guys!”
There were seven big shots here, all above the fifth level. Two of them were Giants. One was Cheng Side, the previous clan master. [1]
Cheng Side said: “It’s good that you’re back, let’s leave this d.a.m.ned place. We had eighteen masters at the start, only eight will be leaving, sigh…”
“I heard this place will turn into a lifeless h.e.l.l hole soon, ten times more dangerous than now. We need to leave as fast as possible.”
Feiyun mingled with the group and chatted along the way, very familiar with them since he stole Sicheng’s memories.
The next area was scorched earth - signs of a great battle not long ago. The spirit beasts blocking the entrance have been pushed back.
There were mountains of beast corpses everywhere, most likely tens of thousands of them.
Some were ma.s.sive spirit beasts with powerful aura and treasure blood.
Their corpses could be made into medicines. The skin and bones were even more precious, used for blacksmithing and alchemy.
The corpses of spirit beasts were even better. All parts including the hair were treasures and could be sold at a high price.
Many powerful sects were competing for these corpses right now.
The entrance was heavily guarded with three palaces above. They had a terrible aura inside, clearly stemming from monstrous cultivators.
Feiyun was glad that he didn’t try to run through using his invisible cloak. These masters would have been able to spot him anyway with their divine intent.
It looked like they were aware of his cloak so they needed to stay here in person, just in case.
“Who are you?” An old man in black coldly said.
Not even a fly could sneak past the entrance undetected. Everyone wanting to come out was heavily scrutinized.
Cheng Side cupped his fist and said: “First Protector, you’re here in person? There’s no way Feng Feiyun can ever get out then.”
“Oh, it’s you, Brother Cheng.” This old man recognized Cheng Side and started chatting.
Feiyun stood among the crowd and listened to these two.
The Cheng was a va.s.sal clan beneath Senluo Temple. They offered tributes consisting of spirit stones and materials each year.
Feiyu thought that it was wise to join this clan. The guards were lax in comparison.
Side snuck a pouch of spirit stones to the first protector. The guy smiled and tapped his shoulder: “Brother Cheng, just let me know if you ever need anything. Opposing the Cheng is the same as opposing our Senluo Temple.”
“Of course!” Side laughed as well.
The protector put away the pouch and put on a serious expression: “Feng Feiyun is cunning, he might be sneaking among your group?”
Side became serious as well: “Everyone, prepare a drop of blood for First Protector!”
Blood checking? Feiyun became slightly tense. He would be exposed right away. His appearance was changed but not his blood.
The protector’s eyes flashed as he glanced through the experts of the Cheng for a moment. He then laughed and said: “How can I not trust you, Brother Cheng? No need for you all to hurt yourself because you’re Senluo’s friends! Haha!”
He especially raised his voice towards the end so that everyone could hear. He was selling face to Side on top of telling the rest about the pros of being friends with Senluo Temple. On the other hand, being their enemies would result in death.
1. Si De