273: Ancient charm is hidden in the Treasure Pavilion, and countless stars reflect in the void.

The First Treasure Pavilion, the important treasure storage of The First Family.

This place treasures a large number of long-standing rare treasures.

Every item is an extremely rare collectible, with very few remaining in the world.

Some collections are even unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.

The conditions for The First Family to list an item as a collectible and admit it into the Treasure Pavilion are extremely harsh.

One of the following conditions must be met.

First, historical value: it must have significant historical meaning and be able to reflect the characteristics, culture, or social outlook of a certain historical period—for example, items related to major historical events or important historical figures.

Second, artistic value: especially those works representing specific artistic styles or techniques.

Third, research value: items that make important contributions to researching specific fields.

Fourth, rarity: items with a long history that are unique or extremely rare.

If one of the four conditions is met, an item is qualified to be included in the First Treasure Pavilion. In terms of treasure collection, only five families can stand shoulder to shoulder with the First Treasure Pavilion, and one of them is the Python Sparrow Imperial Family.

The First Family, the Fang Family, the Gong Family, the Murong Family, and the Yuwen Family.

The Five Great Families reside in the first tier of the Python Sparrow Empire. These five families are also divided into the Top Three and the Bottom Two. Originally, The First Family was among the Top Three, but for well-known reasons, it fell to the Bottom Two.

But a ten-thousand-year Legacy is a ten-thousand-year Legacy, with a deep foundation; some old monsters are still alive. No matter how useless the descendants in power are, even if they've struggled until only the main city of Sword Tower remains, they still stand within the Empire's first tier and still possess a full say in the Empire's decision-making level.

"Disciple, ahead is the First Treasure Pavilion." Qiu Chengde personally brought his Disciple to The First Family's important treasure storage, instructing him as they walked: "Speak less later, and no matter what you see, do not tell outsiders."

Zhou Qingfeng's heart tightened, and he followed closely, answering: "Disciple understands."

Qiu Chengde led Zhou Qingfeng through a sea of flowers, and the Master and Disciple stopped before a cliff. Zhou Qingfeng looked down the cliff to see it was bottomless; looking across, only a simple and elegant red pavilion stood on the opposite side.

Qiu Chengde said calmly: "The crack surrounding the Treasure Pavilion is called the Spacetime Forbidden Zone. Neither time nor space exists there; all matter and non-matter cease to move. Furthermore, one's life level will continuously drop until it becomes a speck of dust. Unless you reach the ranks of the absolute peak, it is impossible to forcibly cross the Spacetime Forbidden Zone."

Zhou Qingfeng was terrified as he looked at the ordinary-looking crack, finding it hard to believe.

Qiu Chengde glanced sideways and shook his head with a light laugh: "Master will let you broaden your horizons today."

After speaking, Qiu Chengde raised his hand and summoned mana. The blue mana gathered into a world-destroying sword light that he casually slashed toward the opposite side. The sword light entered the Spacetime Forbidden Zone and instantly stopped all motion, as if time itself had frozen.

Then, the world-destroying sword light seemed to be suppressed by a supreme power, quickly collapsing and shrinking, gradually becoming flat, then turning into a line, and finally vanishing as a small blue dot.

"Disciple, did you see clearly? The Spacetime Forbidden Zone—none but the absolute peak can cross it."

Hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng swallowed secretly and said with surface-level composure: "Clear, I understand."

Qiu Chengde nodded with a smile and snapped his fingers. The surrounding flowers trembled as petals fell one by one, spiraling and spinning in the air until they gathered to form a flower bridge stretching to the opposite cliff: "Let's go. This is the only passage to safely enter and exit the Spacetime Forbidden Zone. As long as you stand on the flower bridge, you won't be affected by it."

Zhou Qingfeng followed closely behind Qiu Chengde onto the flower bridge, slowly crossing the Spacetime Forbidden Zone to reach the opposite side. The land there was like a small island floating within the Spacetime Forbidden Zone; it wasn't large, containing only an elegant and simple red pavilion, with flowers, trees, and singing birds in front of it.

Besides that, there was a scruffy old man covered in patches wielding a two-handed sword with slow movements. The old man was balding on top, but his beard was exceptionally long and white, making him look like a common street citizen.

Qiu Chengde walked up to the scruffy old man and bowed with cupped hands: "Chengde greets Elder Tianxin."

"Oh, Little Dezi is here."

"Yes."

"Is something the matter?"

"Chengde specifically brought someone to collect a treasure. This person is the fourth foster son taken in by the Madam, Zhou Qingfeng, and he is also Chengde's close Disciple. The Madam said to let him pick any treasure he likes from the Treasure Pavilion."

"Oh?" The scruffy old man stopped his sword movements, sheathed the blade, and stood still. Then, his gaze bypassed Qiu Chengde to look at Zhou Qingfeng standing nearby, and he beckoned with his hand with interest: "Grandson, come here, let Grandpa look at you."

Zhou Qingfeng stepped forward quickly and cupped his hands: "Qingfeng greets Elder Tianxin."

The scruffy old man waved his hand: "What Elder? That dead-ghost father of yours you never met would have to call me Yao Uncle. By seniority, you have to call me Yao Grandpa, you know that, Grandson?"

Zhou Qingfeng immediately changed his address and bowed again: "Qingfeng greets Yao Grandpa."

"Heh, good boy, Grandson." Yao Grandpa chuckled and patted Zhou Qingfeng's face, then circled him a few times, feeling Zhou Qingfeng's innate talent. He licked his lips and said: "Not bad, not bad. You're top-grade Human Pill Materials. If we raise you for another century or two, you'll be ready to eat."

Hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng's hair stood on end, and he stared at this cheap Yao Grandpa with wide eyes: "???"

Qiu Chengde had a speechless look on his face and said: "Disciple, Elder Tianxin is just teasing you. Don't be afraid; he's just becoming more like a child as he lives longer, acting however he pleases without any proper form."

Zhou Qingfeng: "..."

Yao Grandpa looked displeased and said to Qiu Chengde: "Little Dezi, you're looking for a beating, aren't you?"

Qiu Chengde said with a smile: "Elder Tianxin, if you cause trouble again, I'll have to tell the Madam. Don't blame me if she adds a few hundred more years to your sentence."

Yao Grandpa cried out and pointed at Qiu Chengde, rebuking him: "Shameless! How old are you, and you're still secretly tattling?"

Qiu Chengde smiled slightly: "I'm not secretly tattling; I'm reporting openly and honestly."

Hearing this, Yao Grandpa was momentarily speechless. He gave a thumbs up and said: "You're something else, you're something else. I won't argue with you."

Then, Yao Grandpa hooked his arm around Zhou Qingfeng's shoulder and said with a chuckle: "Grandson, let's go. Yao Grandpa will take you around the Treasure Pavilion. Our Family's foundation is solid; taking just one is too stingy. Yao Grandpa will make the decision to give you a hundred—take whatever you want!"

Qiu Chengde pressed his forehead and sighed, then quickly followed them into the red pavilion. He couldn't feel at ease leaving his precious Disciple alone with the unreliable Elder Tianxin, or there was no telling what trouble might be stirred up.

Stepping through the doors of the red pavilion, the scene that met his eyes made Zhou Qingfeng tremble all over. He was standing in an endless Void Realm, with a burning sun before him and countless stars twinkling in the distant Void Realm.

Yao Grandpa stood beside him and said: "Grandson, this is the treasure ground of our First Family. Every star hides a rare treasure. If you have the ability, take whatever you want. But I must tell you, treasures possess spirits and will choose their own Masters. If you cannot find a single treasure, it proves that all the treasures here have no fate with you."

Qiu Chengde also appeared by Zhou Qingfeng's side, his hands behind his back.

Zhou Qingfeng cupped his hands: "Master, what should I do?"

Qiu Chengde smiled slightly: "Follow your heart and destiny. Treasures are obtained by those destined for them. You only need to shatter a star, and the treasure will appear. But whether you can get your hands on it depends on yourself."