Fifteen energy grid line chains should be more than enough.
But this was just based on Lin Fan’s rough estimate. He couldn’t be too sure either. After all, this was his first time using this.
In order to make sure nothing went wrong, he had to take a thousand and one precautions.
"Brother Feng, where’s the sect’s treasure vault? Bring me there right now. It’s very important!" Lin Fan asked immediately.
Even though Xinfeng did not know why Lin Fan wanted to look for the treasure vault, he trusted his brother. Without a second word, he led Lin Fan towards the treasure vault. Pa.s.sing by the corpses of his fellow junior brothers along the way, Xinfeng clenched his fists tightly.
"Junior brothers, your Senior Brother has something urgent to attend to right now. Once I return, I shall prepare a proper burial for you guys."
"Brother Lin, this is the location of the treasure vault. However, from here on, only the Grandmaster has access to this place. The doors were forged by magnet.i.te from another world, and no one can break the-"
Before Xinfeng could finish, he stared at the scene before him dumbstricken.
Crack.
Signs of cracks began to appear on both the doors as they enlarged. Finally giving way, this magnet.i.te forged door crumbled into pieces and crumbled onto the ground.
"Huh? You were saying something earlier on?" Lin Fan turned around and asked, puzzled. He did not hear Xinfeng clearly just now.
"Nothing." Xinfeng shook his head, trying to shake off the dumb feeling from a moment ago.
The moment Lin Fan entered the vault, he could sense the aura of precious gems and jewels. This was the foundation of Jiuxiao Sect built over the past few thousand years. This aura of these treasures had long materialized into a physical state: a guardian spirit of the treasures.
Shaped like an old man, the guardian spirit looked frail, as though he had been through some heavy damage or something.
Even though Lin Fan had not come across an actual treasure guardian spirit for himself, they were inscribed back in Glory Sect’s records.
Every sect which had a deep background would have a treasure guardian spirit forming within their vaults. These guardian spirits were formed from the culmination of the aura from various precious treasures. And they only had one task: to maintain a watch over the treasures.
Sweeping his gaze around the vault, Lin Fan’s expression changed slightly. This place seemed to have been swiped empty.
The only things left were some weapons and lesser graded treasures.
"Who are you?" The frail guardian spirit asked.
"You’re the sect’s treasure guardian spirit?" Xinfeng looked at the spirit floating in the air and asked in surprise. "What happened to your aura?"
"I can sense the auras of the other Senior Elders on you, young man." The guardian spirit continued, "I was injured by the current Grandmaster. He has taken away most of the treasures. I could sense his aura being possessed by something impure…"
Lin Fan did not really care much for the treasures. However, now that the vault had been robbed clean, what should he use for tributes?
The treasure guardian spirit then circled around Lin Fan slowly. "I’m a treasure guardian spirit. I was made up from the aura of these treasures and can see through everything in this world. I can sense that you require these treasures not of your own accord, but to sacrifice them. Here you go…"
Floating up higher into the air, the old guardian spirit opened his mouth and treasures started coming out one by one.
"This is all I have left. The rest have been s.n.a.t.c.hed away." Watching the various treasures being spat out by the old guardian spirit, Lin Fan’s disappointment received some form of relief.
"I’ll be heading back to rest. I wish for your success. Without treasures, the treasure guardian spirit shall disappear with time as well…" The old guardian spirit replied desolately as he prostrated quietly in a corner.
Lin Fan looked at the treasure guardian spirit, not knowing how to react right now. Eventually, he sighed, "Hold on to me, Brother Feng."
"Yes." Xinfeng nodded his head. "Wait for our return, Senior guardian spirit…"
Standing in front of the main hall, Lin Fan looked at these treasures. Each of them was priceless with no match. Any martial artist would give up their lives to possess even one of them.
The Jiuxiao Sect disciples huddled nearby, looking at Senior Brother Lin while wondering what he was up to.
Xinfeng was confused as well. What was Brother Lin going to sacrifice them to or for?
He knew what it meant to tribute something. It was a secret art used to obtain something else in equivalence.
Standing in the center of the crowd, Lin Fan finally spoke.
‘Tribute.’
‘Roc’s Descent, I wish for the Roc’s physical body!’
Lin Fan roared out. His aura erupted rapidly as the True Energy of Heaven and Earth around him rumbled.
’15 energy grid line chains... Tribute!’
Lin Fan tossed out all 15 energy grid line chains. Each of these chains glimmered and shone brightly, possessing boundless amount of power within.
Like sleeping dragons, these chains coiled and swam up into the skies.
‘AWK…!’
The sound of a wild beast rang through the skies.
The faces of these Jiuxiao Sect disciples were grim. The aura emanating from that crack in the void was simply too fearsome. It was as though something fearful was about to descend from it.
And just then, a gigantic head began to take shape, coming down from the crack high above Lin Fan.
Just what was that bird?
Everyone was shocked right now. Just that beak alone was almost a thousand feet long. That single head covered the skies, as though it could take over the entire Jiuxiao Sect.
This was Lin Fan’s first time looking at the real Roc, and he was stumped by the sight as well.
But now was not the time to be admiring it. This was only 1/3rd of the Roc’s body. Evidently, the tributes were far from enough.
‘All the treasures, tribute!’
All the treasures laid out on the ground began to fly up into the crack as well. Lin Fan could feel the connection with this mythical being getting more intense.
"That’s the Star Rock!"
One of the sharp-eyed disciples exclaimed upon noticing one of the treasures with huge shock. The Star Rock was rumored to be a star in the galaxy that had crashed down to become a rock. It possessed an indefinite amount of the galaxy’s powers within it!
‘That’s the Celestial Fruit! Formed once every 300 years… One can immediately turn into a lesser celestial just by consuming it!’
All these treasures that were beyond their imaginations flew and disappeared into that void.
Even though these disciples were heartbroken at the loss of these treasures, they knew that the beast about to be summoned by Senior Brother Lin must have a great impact on what was about to happen. Thus, they could only keep the agony deep in their hearts.
The Roc’s voice was getting stronger and crisper.
FLAP!
Heaven and Earth seemed to be torn apart as a pair of pitch black wings spread and emerged from within the void.
The Jiuxiao Sect disciples were completed flabbergasted by now. These wings were so wide that they could not even see their end, as the entire skies were covered right now completely.
"How could it be…!" Lin Fan started to panic. To think that this was still not enough to summon the Roc completely!
What could he do now!
If this were to carry on, the first two parts of the Roc’s body would eventually return to where they came from due to the time constraint!
Standing nearby, Xinfeng was feeling worried for Lin Fan as well. He then shouted over.
"Brother Lin, I’ve got six more energy grid line chains!" Xinfeng’s body shuddered as 6 energy grid line chains flew out towards Lin Fan. These were the last remaining memories of his Senior Elders.
"Brother Lin, these 6 chains were transferred to me by my Elders. These don’t belong to me after all. Hence, I should not keep them for future development. You can use them as tribute."
Lin Fan looked at Xinfeng and nodded his head in grat.i.tude.
"Six energy grid line chains. Tribute!"
The Roc’s body extended even further out from the void.
Soon…soon!
Suddenly, a loud cry rang through the skies. The Roc’s body was about to come out entirely, but there was just this last bit that was still stuck in the gaps!
"How can that be…?" Staring at the voids, Xinfeng was unnerved as well. How could the Roc not be summoned fully even after all those sacrifices?
Lin Fan was numb and speechless as well. Whoever the f*ck was hosting the tribute requirements would surely be given a tight slap by Yours Truly.
And just when everyone was at a loss for actions, Lin Fan gritted his teeth. ‘F*ck it.’
"Left arm, tribute!"
Splat.
Instantly, Lin Fan’s left arm ripped apart from his body and flew towards the void, leaving only blood in its trail.
‘You wanna see who’s gutsier?’ Lin Fan swore that n.o.body in this world could possibly be as gutsy as him!
"Brother Lin…!" Xinfeng was totally stunned by now. He had not expected his Brother Lin to sacrifice his own body like this. This…this…!
All the other Jiuxiao Sect disciples were the exact same.
BOOM!
Finally, this boundless and gargantuan Roc appeared completely.
This majestic beast floated gently in the skies.
"Brother Feng, let’s go!" Lin Fan shouted as he flew towards the Roc’s back.
Just to get on the bird, Lin Fan had to fly up around 90,000 miles.
‘Rebirth through appendages.’
Lin Fan connected to the Mythical Parasol Tree within himself and prepared to regrow his arm. But his eyelids twitched suddenly. Wait a minute. He had better hold this off.
Since he was so ruthless to himself, he would be letting himself down if he didn’t allow Glory Sect to properly compensate him for this arm.
Who else could compete with him when it came to acting pitiful. Hehehe...