100: Devouring frantically!

Li Qing extended its thick front claws, gently 'digging' into the foundation.

To call it digging was more like 'scooping'.

The softened rock and earth, like clumps of mud, were easily scooped out.

Then, using the power of [Mystic Water Manipulation], it was swiftly transferred to the tunnel behind, piling up.

The entire process was terrifyingly quiet.

Not even a speck of dust was stirred up.

Li Qing was wholly focused on controlling everything.

His Mental Energy was highly concentrated, not daring the slightest lapse.

He could clearly 'hear' the footsteps of the patrol Guards walking above his head.

He could 'feel' the subtle energy fluctuations emanating from the defensive Formation at the treasury's main entrance.

He was like a dancer performing on the edge of a blade, each step filled with deadly peril.

The slightest misstep would lead to utter ruin.

Time passed, second by second.

One meter.

Two meters.

Five meters... The rock layer overhead was being slowly chiseled through.

Fine beads of sweat had already broken out on Li Qing's forehead.

This kind of minute, precise control consumed a massive amount of Mental Energy.

Fortunately, he had broken through to the Condensing Essence Realm, and his Mental Energy had surged accordingly; otherwise, he might not have been able to hold on.

Finally.

'Crack...'

An extremely faint, almost imperceptible cracking sound came from overhead.

It was the last layer of the treasury's floor tiles!

Li Qing's heart tightened, and he immediately halted all movement.

He held his breath, carefully 'listening' to the sounds above.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

No alarm sounds, no shouts from the Guards.

Clearly, this insignificant sound hadn't attracted anyone's attention.

Li Qing let out a long sigh of relief.

Success!

The most critical step was complete!

He wasn't in a hurry to enlarge the hole.

Instead, using its sharp claw tip like an embroidery needle, it carefully traced a perfect circle along the edge of the floor tile.

Then, it gently pushed upward.

A complete circular floor tile was silently lifted and then slowly moved aside.

A hole, just large enough for the turtle's head to pass through, appeared in the treasury floor.

A rich aroma, mingling Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and various Heaven And Earth Treasures, leaked out from the hole.

Li Qing's spirits lifted!

That ferocious, enormous head slowly, slowly extended out from the hole.

The cold, dim interior of the treasury welcomed an uninvited guest for the first time.

In the darkness, a pair of huge eyes glowing with golden light slowly opened.

Li Qing surveyed this new world.

A world piled high with 'food'.

Li Qing's consciousness, through these eyes, saw the shelves filled with a dazzling array of items, saw those tightly locked treasure chests.

An indescribable excitement surged in his heart.

City Lord, ah, City Lord, you'd never dream that the treasury you built to Guard against thieves would be breached from within in such a manner!

He didn't act immediately.

Instead, he controlled the Clone to carefully, perfectly, reseal the removed circular floor tile.

From the outside, the floor appeared intact, showing no sign of abnormality.

Having done all this, Li Qing finally relaxed completely.

Now, this treasury was his personal all-you-can-eat buffet!

The Profound Water Overlord's massive head slowly turned towards the deepest part of the treasury in the darkness.

There, [Earth Vein Sensing] told him, lay the items with the most concentrated energy in the entire treasury.

Spirit Stones!

A massive quantity of Spirit Stones!

Darkness enveloped the entire treasury.

The Profound Water Overlord's enormous body silently emerged completely from the underground passage.

It was like a leviathan lurking in the deep sea, descending upon a Mortal's palace.

Through the Clone's eyes, Li Qing greedily scanned his surroundings.

The air was thick with the scent of money and power.

The shelves on the left were filled with various jade boxes.

Some of the jade boxes even had labels.

'Century-Old Snow Ginseng', 'Crimson Flame Fruit', 'Three-Century-Old Polygonum Multiflorum'

...these were all Spirit Medicines that ordinary Martial Artists could only dream of.

On the weapon racks to the right, sabers, spears, swords, and halberds gleamed coldly, each emanating an impressive aura, clearly all being Sharp Weapons forged from refined steel.

Further inside, there were rows of bookshelves holding various Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals.

If an ordinary person could obtain any one of these, it would be enough to change their life's destiny.

But these were not Li Qing's target.

His gaze was fixed dead on the massive treasure chest in the very center of the treasury, forged from black iron and as tall as a man.

The energy fluctuations from within were the most intense!

Li Qing took heavy steps, slowly walking over.

'Crunch!'

He extended his sharp claws, not even bothering with the complex lock on the chest.

Using brute force, he tore off the thick black iron lid.

'Clatter!'

Dazzling spiritual light instantly burst forth from the chest, illuminating the entire dark treasury!

Li Qing's breath caught in that moment.

Inside the huge chest, piled to the brim, were all sparkling, translucent stones emitting a soft glow!

Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

Even at the very bottom of the chest, he saw a few stones with even more terrifying energy fluctuations, almost on the verge of liquefying!

Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!

'Struck it rich... This time, I've really struck it rich!'

Li Qing's heart pounded wildly.

He roughly estimated there were probably hundreds of Low-Grade Spirit Stones alone!

The Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, though only three!

But the energy contained in just one was enough to match a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

This City Lord truly lived up to being a figure in charge of a city; his wealth was simply too abundant!

'Time to eat!'

Li Qing could no longer contain his excitement and immediately sprang into action.

His enormous mouth aimed at the Spirit Stones in the chest and gave a powerful inhale!

'Whoosh!'

The Spirit Stones in the chest instantly transformed into a torrent of light points, madly surging into the Profound Water Overlord's mouth.

[Devoured Low-Grade Spirit Stone, evolution value +100]

[evolution value: 29510/50000 (Evolution can be initiated when value is full)]

[Devoured Low-Grade Spirit Stone, evolution value +100]

[evolution value: 29610/50000 (Evolution can be initiated when value is full)]

...A continuous stream of System notifications, like the most beautiful symphony, flooded Li Qing's mind!

On the panel, the number representing the evolution value began to soar at an unprecedented, frenzied speed!

29910/50000!

31010/50000!

35010/50000!

40010/50000!