Chapter 2011: Greed
Yun Che did not deliberately suppress his speed. Under normal circumstances, the eastern region of the Lin Divine Realm was an area that the four major forces forbade approaching, and no one would set foot there. Even if someone was truly attracted by the anomaly, his goal had already been achieved, so it wasn't much of a concern—he could handle it casually.
But then, a large cluster of powerful auras at the Half-step Divine Destruction Realm violently crashed into his spiritual perception.
There were a full eleven of them, clearly encompassing all the Half-step Divine Destruction experts who had entered the Lin Divine Realm.
Yun Che's body came to an abrupt halt... The direction indicated by these eleven terrifying auras was precisely the direction he was in. Moreover, each of these auras was surging and frenzied to the extreme, as if facing an irreconcilable mortal enemy.
His heart sank suddenly... What's going on? Did I expose something?
For a brief moment, he even wondered if the sound of his conversation with the Lin God had been twisted by this collapsing space and transmitted to other areas... Could these people have learned that he carried the legacy of a Creation God?
Otherwise, what could drive them to such a near-manic state?
But immediately, another aura, also fully activated, rushed in from the south.
It was Long Jiang's aura.
Whether at the Lin God Assembly or after entering the Lin Divine Realm, Long Jiang had been doing her utmost to conceal her aura, obviously using some kind of concealment profound artifact. Yet now, she was releasing her power completely. And this aura... those with little contact with the Dragon God Clan might find it hard to distinguish, but Yun Che confirmed in an instant—it was the supreme aura of the Dragon God Clan, the Dragon God's aura!
In other words, the "Ancestral Dragon" that Mo Beichen had mentioned.
At that time, Mo Beichen had said that Yun Che's "composition" of the Dragon God was "not much worse" than that of the Ancestral Dragon. In other words, the Ancestral Dragon of the Abyss possessed a very high concentration of Dragon God bloodline.
And as for this Long Jiang, although she concealed it very well, Yun Che possessed the most primordial Dragon God's blood. At the Lin God Assembly, the moment he came into contact with her, he had already recognized it.
And he vaguely sensed that her "composition" of the Dragon God was likely even higher than his own.
This corresponded to what Mo Beichen had said about the "Ancestral Dragon."
He hadn't been entirely sure before, so he had probed a few times. But now, there was no longer any need for doubt.
Immediately after, he noticed that Long Jiang's aura was not directed at him, but slightly to the west.
The intersection of her aura with those eleven Half-step Divine Destruction auras... happened to be exactly where that yellow light emitting an unusual spiritual energy was located.
Yun Che's heartstrings suddenly relaxed.
Scared me!
That which could be born and nurtured within the Lin Divine Realm could only be an earth-type spiritual treasure. And for the strongest of the four major forces to be this excited, the yellow light indicated an earth-type spiritual treasure of a very high level.
In the Lin Divine Realm, whoever obtained a spiritual treasure first owned it, so they naturally had to use all their strength to seize it.
But Long Jiang...
As the strongest Dragon God of the Dragon God Clan, and not cultivating earth-type profound energy, why was she also putting up a full-force fight for it?
In these brief few breaths, Yun Che's aura had naturally already been exposed to their spiritual perception.
Yun Che had originally planned to take a detour, thinking that these people were all focused on that spiritual treasure and would have no time for him.
But after thinking it over, he ultimately did not change direction and continued forward.
Indeed, they all sensed Yun Che's aura... but not a single person directed even a wisp of their aura toward Yun Che.
This made Yun Che several times more surprised and curious. After all, he was flying from the direction of the Lin God, which should have shocked and alerted them.
What the hell was that yellow light!?
Everyone was getting closer and closer to that yellow light. Gradually, its true appearance came into everyone's view.
It was a blooming spirit flower. Its roots and stems emitted a flowing yellow light, about three feet long, with four petals blooming, each as crystalline as glazed jade. It floated there quietly, surrounded by at least a thousand earth spirits of various sizes. The dust and mist of the vast space seemed to have forgotten to dance, and the flowing sand below moved with such care, as if afraid to disturb this spirit flower that was like the emperor of this realm.
"Ah... that is... is..."
A choked, trembling voice escaped Ku Xian's throat.
"Sure enough, it's the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid, it really is the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid!" Zhai Kexie roared loudly. The records of the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid—who in the Linyuan Realm didn't know of them!
"Why... is it so big?" Helian Jue's eye sockets were almost torn apart by his constantly bulging eyeballs.
Ku Xian said somewhat absentmindedly: "The Lin Bone Spirit Orchid obtained by the ancestor Great Emperor was half a foot. But this one... is actually three feet!"
A single sentence amplified everyone's excitement and desire like a violently erupting calamity volcano, soaring countless times in an instant.
Back then, Helian Kunlun, with a half-foot Lin Bone Spirit Orchid, broke through a bottleneck that had stumped him for who knows how many years in a single morning, achieving Demigod status and creating the Helian golden age of that year.
It also turned the four words "Lin Bone Spirit Orchid" into the highest aspiration among all profound practitioners in the Linyuan Realm, regarded as a myth.
A half-foot orchid was already like that, so this three-foot orchid...
No one spoke anymore. They concentrated all their power on speed, their clothes billowing high, their teeth nearly ground to pieces.
They had no time to care about Yun Che's aura or Long Jiang's aura. But what made them suddenly alert was that Long Jiang's aura was clearly also heading straight for the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid.
And the distance seemed to be slightly closer than theirs.
The distance was closing rapidly. The glazed divine light released by the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid struck their profound veins like solid matter, making the circulation of profound energy noticeably smoother and even speeding up the flow of their blood by a few points.
Just the overflowing spiritual energy from such a distance was already like this. If they refined it... then the Demigod realm they dreamed of would be within easy reach!
The most beautiful dream in the world was right at their fingertips... But at that moment, a hand wrapped in coarse gray-white cloth reached into the dream.
In their sight, there was no longer just the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid, but also Long Jiang. Between them, only a hundred feet remained.
The eleven were all greatly alarmed and roared simultaneously: "Stop!!" The overlapping roars of eleven Half-step Divine Destruction profound practitioners even shook the space, but they failed to delay Long Jiang by even a moment. Her figure churned with a sky-obscuring sandstorm, like a gray-white lightning bolt that shot to the side of the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid, her hand reaching straight for it.
Collecting such a natural spiritual treasure undoubtedly required extreme care; any leakage or damage, even the slightest bit, would be a huge loss. But Long Jiang had clearly come prepared. A strange profound artifact appeared between her fingers. As she approached the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid, a translucent barrier enveloped it perfectly, and then she instantly stored it away.
The yellow light and spiritual energy completely disappeared. Where the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid had been a moment ago, now only Long Jiang's figure remained.
Ximen Borong, Zhai Liancheng, Wan Wei, Helian Jue... their eleven figures halted, with sand flying behind them and light scattering, but it could not compare to the gloom and uncertainty on their faces.
To the east, Yun Che flew over unhurriedly, taking everything in.
"Ah? Brother Yun? Why are you here?"
Mo Cangying, brought here by Ku Xian from behind, spotted Yun Che at a glance and called out subconsciously... but the strange, solidified atmosphere around them showed no signs of relaxing because of his shout.
Yun Che said: "Don't laugh at me, Brother Mo. I was heading north all the way, but I lost my way in the sand mist. Realizing that the east was where the Lin God was, I hurriedly turned back. Why are you, the Nation Lord, and the various sect masters here?"
Mo Cangying shifted his gaze and gave Yun Che a wink: "Brother Yun, come over to my side first. I'll explain in detail later."
Yun Che nodded, and unhurriedly passed by Long Jiang's side to stand next to Mo Cangying and Ku Xian.
Throughout, no one's gaze or aura lingered on him; they were all locked tightly on Long Jiang.
"It's the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid," Mo Cangying's voice transmission sounded in Yun Che's ear.
Yun Che was suddenly enlightened.
He had heard the name "Lin Bone Spirit Orchid" before, when he had indirectly asked Helian Lingzhu about the secretly guarding ancestor. She had mentioned that the guarding ancestor had achieved Demigod status precisely because he obtained the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid.
Although Yun Che had no interest in it, for Linyuan Realm profound practitioners who cultivated earth-type profound energy, it was a divine object of faith.
Mo Cangying continued to transmit: "Back then, the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid obtained by Great Emperor Kunlun was only half a foot, yet it helped him achieve Demigod status overnight. And this one is fully three feet, at least ten times that of Great Emperor Kunlun's."
"...!" Yun Che's brow furrowed. He silently swept his gaze over everyone present, finally landing on Long Jiang.
He now fully understood why these peak existences of the Linyuan Realm were all acting like madmen.
He understood even more... Long Jiang was in danger.
No matter who she was, no matter her background!
For ordinary interests, they would weigh the risks.
But when the temptation was great enough—ten times the power to achieve Demigod status overnight—it would make desire overcome reason.
And when the temptation was great enough to ignite all reason and madness, they would trample any risk.
Moreover, this was the isolated Lin Divine Realm! A perfect place for an ambush and murder, for silencing witnesses, and for blaming everything on the realm's calamities, minimizing the risk.
"Little Venerable Long," Ximen Borong spoke first. "What you just took is the unique supreme treasure of this Lin Divine Realm, the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid. It is of great help to those who cultivate earth-type profound energy, but to the Dragon God Clan, it is almost the same as an ordinary spiritual herb."
His posture was still slightly respectful as before, and his words were very polite, but his aura was tightly entangled with Long Jiang's body. If she made the slightest move, he would strike like thunder.
"So, I ask Little Venerable Long to show favor and yield this treasure. If you grant this request, my Worship Qilin Alliance's profound artifacts and spiritual treasures will be yours for the taking, any you choose."
If it were just facing Ximen Borong alone, Long Jiang could refuse. But now, she was being watched hungrily by eleven Half-step Divine Destruction experts. To leave safely with the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid was utterly delusional.
Therefore, handing over the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid before things completely fell apart was the most rational and only choice.
But Long Jiang's reaction was completely beyond Yun Che's expectations.
"Spiritual treasures in a secret realm belong to whoever obtains them! This is a basic rule known even to three-year-old children. I have no interest in trading with you. Get out of my way!"
Seeking death... Yun Che muttered lowly. This woman, with such a background, such astonishing talent and aura, how could her brain be so unresponsive?
Could she be like that Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden, who was clearly as innocent as a blank sheet of paper, and this was her first time entering the world?
Ximen Borong raised his hand, his tone noticeably heavier: "Little Venerable Long, you'd better hand it over. Don't make this Alliance Leader difficult."
"Oh?" Long Jiang's voice was even lower than Ximen Borong's: "Something of my Dragon God Clan—you dare to snatch it?"
Hopeless, utterly hopeless... Yun Che sighed inwardly. The deterrent power of the words "Dragon God Clan" was, of course, immense. But in this situation, in this place, "Dragon God Clan" would not frighten them; on the contrary, it would force them to leave no room for retreat.
Zhai Kexie, Ximen Borong, Wan Wei, Helian Jue—the four of them exchanged glances in the same instant, their eyes meeting.
Zhai Kexie spoke flatly: "Split into four parts, no more, no less for anyone."
"Good," Wan Wei nodded.
"Are you sure no one gets less?" Helian Jue was clearly lacking in confidence.
"Of course," Ximen Borong's face no longer showed any gentleness. "After today, we'll all be tied to the same rope. If anyone leaks this after leaving the Lin Divine Realm, we'll all be punished by the Dragon God Clan. Naturally, none of us would dare to slight any party."
Helian Jue was instantly reassured.
Even if divided into four parts, what each obtained would still surpass what Helian Kunlun had gotten back then.
The Demigod realm, the Demigod realm!
"You want to kill me?" Long Jiang's voice turned infinitely cold. "A mere Lin Divine Realm, and you have the nerve to offend my Dragon God Clan?"
"Hehehe!" Ximen Borong chuckled lowly: "Outside the Lin Divine Realm, naturally we wouldn't dare. But here... if you die, no one will know. All they will know is that you perished in the calamitous sandstorm of this realm. Even if the Dragon God Clan were to punish us... this realm was created by Yuan Huang. No matter how strong your Dragon God Clan is, can they dare to punish Yuan Huang?"
"Moreover," he laughed even more sinisterly, "there will be Abyss Knights to testify for us. Everyone in the Lin Divine Realm can bear witness."
"..." Long Jiang clenched her hands, and the spatial profound artifact that had collected the Lin Bone Spirit Orchid was put away.
This action surprised Yun Che and also made him frown deeply.
Even at this moment, she still showed no intention of handing it over at all.
It was as if that Lin Bone Spirit Orchid was more important to her than her own life.
In other words, her purpose in entering the Lin Divine Realm this time was truly for this Lin Bone Spirit Orchid?
"Brother Yun, let's retreat," Mo Cangying tugged Yun Che and slowly moved back.
But this low murmur from Mo Cangying suddenly reminded everyone present.
One by one, gazes and auras abruptly fell upon Yun Che.
Because besides Long Jiang, there was another outsider here. Yun Che!