77: Chapter 77 Cloud-Vast Heavenly Treasury Pavilion

The two phantom images were a man and a woman. The man wore a crimson blazing Daoist robe, his expression majestic and domineering, surrounded by towering flames. The woman was clad in a profound-colored Earth Flame Dharma robe; though her features were plain, her Aura was heavy and profound.

"External Phantom Incarnation!"

"It's the External Phantom Incarnations of Ancestor Tianhuo and Ancestor Diyan!"

Exclamations of shock erupted from the crowd.

Cultivators reaching the Soul Transformation Stage can Cultivate External Incarnations to enhance their combat power, while those at the Nascent Soul Stage can condense these External Phantom Incarnations. However, they possess no combat strength and can only convey will and deterrence.

In other words, these two phantom images were purely for intimidation.

The phantoms of Song Lushan and Wu Chunhua floated in the air, their gazes locked onto Ling Hao.

Song Lushan was the first to speak:

"Sect Master Ling, my son was ignorant and offended you. I ask that you show mercy! My Tianhuo Sect is willing to offer all resources from the Liuyun Temple's Hedong Region to the Moonshadow Sect as an apology!"

Wu Chunhua immediately added, her voice cold: "The Earth Flame Sect can additionally gift three small spirit mineral veins, plus a hundred catties of our Sect's secret Earth Fire Essence!"

Seeing that Ling Hao remained unmoved, Song Lushan gritted his teeth and increased the stakes: "If Sect Master Ling is willing to let Qingfeng go, my Tianhuo Sect is willing to gift a copy of the Liuyun Secret Scroll, a treasure of the Liuyun Temple, to the Moonshadow Sect!"

Every word and sentence treated Liuyun Temple like meat on a chopping block, to be sliced away at will!

"This Ancestor Tianhuo is truly shameless, directly treating Liuyun Temple as something already in his pocket."

"Be careful with your words! Be careful!"

Jing Hong and the Elders of Liuyun Temple turned ashen as they listened. The stifling indignation in their chests almost exploded, yet they didn't dare to utter a single word of rebuttal, only able to clench their fists tightly.

There was nothing they could do. Having lost their Old Ancestor, they were in no position to say anything. Speaking up would only bring further humiliation. They all turned their gazes toward Ling Hao, waiting to see what choice he would ultimately make.

Ling Hao's expression was indifferent as his gaze swept over the two phantoms:

"There's nothing to talk about. Today, he must die."

While indifferent on the surface, he was inwardly grumbling a bit.

Damn, talk about an eye-opener. You haven't even seen Liuyun Temple's core Legacy, yet you're already offering it up as an apology.

I have never seen such a brazenly shameless person!

By comparison, I'm simply asking for two-thirds of their resources.

Mm, I really am too kind.

Song Lushan looked down at the panicked Song Qingfeng, a flash of pain and helplessness appearing in his eyes.

Wu Chunhua's phantom suddenly distorted, her voice shrill and venomous:

"Fine! Very well! Your Moonshadow Sect is also a Rank Four Sect! At the Wending Assembly in a year's time, I will surely invite the Upper Country's envoy to witness the destruction of your Moonshadow Sect's lineage—not even the chickens or dogs shall be left alive!"

"Hmph!"

Ling Hao gave a cold snort, not bothered to listen further.

He casually flicked his sleeve, and an invisible, surging force swept through. Song Qingfeng's desperate scream came to an abrupt halt, and along with those two overbearing External Phantom Incarnations, he was instantly and completely annihilated.

"One year? Threatening me? No need to wait a year. Within half a year, I'll personally go and tear down your dens!"

---

Inside the banquet hall of Liuyun Temple, the atmosphere was oppressive and subtle.

Jing Hong and the group of Elders forced smiles, offering extreme flattery to Ling Hao at the head of the hall, their words filled with awe.

They also didn't dare to neglect Chi Shuying beside him, treating her with absolute respect.

This was a bona fide Nascent Soul True Lord! Currently, even if everyone in Liuyun Temple was tied together, they wouldn't be enough for her to beat.

Ling Hao sat in the main seat, turning a deaf ear to the constant flattery.

He tapped his finger on the tabletop; the crisp sound instantly silenced the hall.

"Spare me the compliments."

Ling Hao looked directly at Jing Hong. "The matter is settled. Take me to your treasury."

Jing Hong was stunned for a moment before reacting, quickly bowing. "Yes, yes! Sect Master Ling, please follow me."

Deep within Liuyun Temple.

A vortex of cloud Qi rotated silently, and a portal opened without a sound. Jing Hong stepped in first, and Ling Hao, with a calm expression, followed close behind.

Dense and pure Origin Qi rushed toward them.

Before them was a vast and magnificent cloud canopy, and beneath their feet were solid cloud steps radiating a warm jade light.

In the distance, the glow of rosy clouds reflected off a vibrant Spirit Medicine garden. Several shimmering Spirit Stone cloud peaks stood quietly, emitting intoxicating Spiritual Qi.

Occasionally, translucent cloud crane spiritual bodies glided elegantly through the thin mist, bringing a hint of coolness.

Jing Hong's steps were heavy as he stopped at the central cloud platform. Here, Spiritual Qi swirled in a dense mist, and several treasure-containing cloud vortices turned slowly, with Magic Treasures shimmering inside.

Medicinal bottles shrouded in rosy light flowed with treasure-light, and the fragrance from the Spirit Medicine garden was refreshing. Every inch of this place was the result of the painstaking efforts of countless generations of Liuyun Temple.

He took a deep breath and turned to face Ling Hao, forcing a smile onto his face:

"Sect Master Ling,"

"This place is the very Foundation of my Liuyun Temple, the Cloud-Misty Sky Hidden Pavilion. According to our agreement..."

He paused, his fingers curling slightly inside his sleeve. "...Two-thirds of the treasury belongs to you."

Jing Hong raised his hand, and a jade command Seal covered in complex cloud patterns floated in his palm. With a trembling tap of his finger, the Seal suddenly lit up, and a beam of clear light shot toward the flowing sea of rosy clouds at the ceiling.

The entire treasury shook slightly as invisible power was triggered. In an instant, the rosy light shrouding the pills, the thin Restrictions surrounding the spiritual materials, and the obscure runes guarding the areas dimmed, retracted, and vanished like melting snow.

Only the cloud vortex leading to the deepest secret treasures remained profound, its sealing runes flickering.

"Please."

Jing Hong withdrew the command Seal, his voice dry. He stepped aside, avoiding the flickering treasure-lights, and pointed somewhat stiffly toward the vast treasury space.

"Take what you need... two-thirds."

Ling Hao smiled faintly. "In that case, I shall accept it without further ceremony."

Ling Hao lightly flicked his sleeve. An invisible force enveloped the entire treasury.

Jade bottles of pills shrouded in light, Magic Treasures radiating spiritual light, and mountains of spiritual materials and minerals... all were drawn by an invisible giant hand, turning into torrents of light that poured continuously into his sleeve.

Ling Hao collected them at an extremely fast speed. At the same time, some pure Spirit Stones and special spiritual materials containing Dao rule fragments were quietly moved by him, silently cast into the Grotto-Heaven within his body.

"Ding! Grotto-Heaven nurtured to [Early Stage Perfection]. Reward: Three hours of Void Refinement Stage Dao Trace Resonance!"

"Ding! Grotto-Heaven has reached Early Stage Perfection and is currently evolving. Once the evolution is complete, the Grotto-Heaven will reach the Middle Stage."

Below the progress bar, a percentage appeared, the numbers jumping constantly: 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%—

The notification ringing in his mind made the corners of Ling Hao's mouth turn up slightly.

Void Refinement Stage Dao Trace Resonance! Secured!

As a large amount of resources was collected, the cloud platform that was originally overflowing with treasure-light became visibly empty.

Ling Hao's gaze finally landed on the areas deep within the treasury still shrouded by profound cloud vortices—there lay the true core secret treasures and the Sect-guarding treasures of Liuyun Temple.

He withdrew his gaze and turned to the pale-faced Jing Hong beside him, a meaningful smile appearing on his face:

"Temple Master Jing, since these deepest secret treasures are also within the treasury, according to our agreement, they naturally belong to that two-thirds as well, right?"

Jing Hong's body trembled violently, his face turning from ashen to deathly pale in an instant, his lips quivering.

Those secret treasures were the very root of Liuyun Temple's Legacy, a Foundation a hundred or a thousand times more precious than those ordinary resources!

A battle raged within him. After struggling for a long while, he ultimately suppressed his extreme reluctance and, thickening his skin, bargained with a dry voice:

"Ling... Sect Master Ling... those... those are the true Legacy Foundations of my temple... Could you... could you perhaps only take one-third? As for the remaining two-thirds, we will have no objections..."

Ling Hao didn't speak, he just quietly looked at Jing Hong. The smile on his face remained, and his eyes were as calm as still water, yet they carried an invisible pressure.

Under that calm gaze, Jing Hong felt as if a thousand-ton boulder was pressing down on his head, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

He closed his eyes as if resigned to fate. When he opened them again, only deep exhaustion and powerlessness remained.

"...Fine... Fine... Everything shall be as Sect Master Ling says..."

"Open them. I don't want those legacies; I only want the spiritual items and rare treasures."

Jing Hong snapped his head around, joy flashing in his eyes.

"Are Sect Master Ling's words true?"

As long as he didn't want Liuyun Temple's Legacy, everything else was negotiable.

Ling Hao nodded.

Any random book from his Sect's Scripture Pavilion was better than what was here. Why would he want them? He'd even look down on using them to prop up a table.

"Good, good, good! I'll open them immediately!"

Jing Hong manipulated the command Seal in his hand. The cloud vortices and runes guarding the secret treasures slowly dispersed, revealing the stored spiritual items, rare treasures, and ancient Legacy Jade Slips within...