Chapter 116: News of the Treasure Vault—Sky-Swaying Mountain

Chu Han was caught off guard, taking a direct hit to the shoulder. His body was sent flying backward as he spat out a mouthful of blood, staring at Liu Qingli in utter disbelief.

After that single palm strike, Liu Qingli did not linger. She flew up to the rooftop and stood beside the faceless figure, her expression indifferent, as if she were a puppet devoid of all consciousness.

The crowd was shocked by Chu Han’s injury and rushed to help him up. Enraged, Chu Han pushed them aside, ready to charge back into the fray, but the enemy clearly had no intention of engaging him further.

"Heh, Chu Han, is it? The Wolf Tribe has miscalculated this time. I never expected someone like you to emerge in the Eastern Wasteland. Not bad. However, our tribe is far from being wiped out. We will meet again, and when that day comes, it will be your end."

The figure let out a mocking laugh, fixed a piercing gaze on Chu Han, and then turned to leave. Liu Qingli followed closely behind, moving with such speed that they vanished in the blink of an eye.

Once they were gone, Chu Han could no longer sense their presence. They had clearly used some secret technique to escape, making pursuit virtually impossible.

Chu Han clenched his fists and slammed one into a nearby wall with a thunderous boom, causing the structure to collapse. He had been so close to helping Liu Qingli regain her memories, yet everything had fallen apart at the final step.

As for the faceless man, Chu Han suspected he was the leader of the Wolf Tribe. This individual was no ordinary foe; by thwarting the tribe's plans to invade the Eastern Wasteland, Chu Han had now entered into a life-or-death struggle against them.

Even if the Wolf Tribe did not come for him, he would not stop hunting them. Liu Qingli was still in their hands, and he would stop at nothing to rescue her.

With the Wolf Tribe gone, the remaining enemies posed little threat. The various noble families joined forces to finish the job. Though the Eastern Wasteland had suffered heavy losses, the victory was secured, and the people were jubilant. Only Chu Han remained downcast.

Meanwhile, Xue Ren approached him. "Chu Han, come back to the palace with me. The Emperor wishes to see you."

Chu Han nodded grimly. After a brief word with Zhang Fang and the others, he mounted his horse and followed Xue Ren back to the imperial capital. He wondered why the Emperor had summoned him—could it be that he already knew the Saintess Sect had not been destroyed?

That was certainly possible. After meeting the Emperor, Chu Han had learned the true meaning of cunning; compared to the monarch, he was merely a novice. He decided that if asked, he would tell the truth. After all, the Saintess Sect would no longer be recruiting followers, and he hoped the Emperor would not be so ruthless as to exterminate them completely.

Upon their arrival, Chu Han was led to the same chamber as before. The Emperor sat alone, waiting for him.

The two talked for over three hours. No one knew what was said, but the day after Chu Han emerged, the Emperor declared that for his merit in suppressing the rebellion in the Eastern Wasteland, Chu Han would be sent to the Taiyi Sect for further training. Upon his successful return, he would be conferred the title of Marquis of Heavenly Thunder.

The capital was stunned by the news. If this held true, Chu Han would become the youngest noble in the history of the Great Chu Empire. Even the sects that had previously been at odds with him grew fearful, terrified that he might come for them.

In the days that followed, Chu Han enjoyed a rare period of peace. He spent his time cultivating and helping Tang Hao forge armor, living a life of leisure. But this lasted only four days; on the fifth, Duanmu Meng'er came looking for him.

"What? A treasury? What is that? Do such things even exist in this world?"

Chu Han was taken aback by Duanmu Meng'er's account. It turned out that several major cultivation sects had discovered an ancient treasury—a massive vault rumored to contain countless treasures that would offer immeasurable benefits to whoever claimed them.

Chu Han, however, was not interested in this so-called treasury. With so many sects involved, there would inevitably be bloodshed over the spoils. Rather than taking such risks, he preferred to stay and hone his cultivation.

"There is a particular treasure within that vault. If you obtain it, you will have the chance to enter the 'Yin-Yang Realm' of the Taiyi Sect. It only opens once every thousand years, and this is the year it reopens. I don't think I need to elaborate on the benefits of the Yin-Yang Realm."

Duanmu Meng'er knew his mind well. After spending so much time together, she had long since deciphered his temperament. She leaned in, speaking with a mysterious air.

Chu Han was even more shocked. The Yin-Yang Realm was the ultimate secret of the Taiyi Sect. No one knew exactly what it was, but those who emerged from it were said to transcend the boundaries of life and death, becoming peerless masters.

The secret technique Duanmu Meng'er had previously mentioned—the one for mastering the Yin-Yang realm to its pinnacle—must have been related to this place. If that were the case, he had no choice but to go.

"When does the treasury open?"

Chu Han smiled faintly. He was determined to enter the Yin-Yang Realm, and if the key to that lay in the treasury, he would secure it at all costs.

"Tomorrow. If you've made up your mind, we should leave immediately. All the major sects are already there, waiting for the vault to open. To my knowledge, the Fire Dragon Valley, the Sound Sect, and the Hundred Flowers Gate are all present."

Duanmu Meng'er nodded happily and shared the intelligence.

Hearing these names, Chu Han paused. These three were super-sects, second only to the Taiyi Sect itself. It was likely that the three major sects of the Eastern Wasteland combined were no match for even one of these giants. The situation was proving to be tricky; he had never fought against such factions and did not know the extent of their power.

Yet, given their reputation, their strength was undoubtedly formidable. A confrontation would certainly be no simple affair.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The stronger the opponent, the more excited he became. He was already restless, eager to test his strength against these sects.

Seeing his nod, Duanmu Meng'er pulled him out the door. The two mounted their horses and galloped toward the location of the treasury. There was no point in bringing others; when it came to a true clash of power, the outcome rested on the masters, while disciples were merely bystanders.

Chu Han learned that the treasury was located on Mount Tiandang, far from the capital. According to ancient texts, Mount Tiandang had been a battlefield during the war of the Heavenly Sovereigns—a conflict so devastating that it caused most of them to perish, leading to the current age where the appearance of even a single Heavenly Sovereign was a miraculous event.

Mount Tiandang was a long journey, typically two days by horse, but Duanmu Meng'er claimed to know a shortcut.

Mount Tiandang was also the stronghold of the Fire Dragon Valley. Fighting on their home turf would likely grant them a significant advantage.

After traveling through a series of winding paths, they reached Mount Tiandang by nightfall. "Be careful," Duanmu Meng'er whispered. "They are all hiding in the surroundings, waiting for the treasury to open. We must stay concealed so they don't discover us."

Chu Han nodded in agreement. Suppressing their presence, they crept up the mountain.

Reaching the summit, they hid behind a massive boulder. Chu Han saw a great iron gate adorned with a strip of paper. He could tell it was forged from no ordinary metal. This was clearly the entrance to the treasury.