TheLazyDreamer
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38 Spiritual-Vein
🕑 Added 2025-04-19 06:56:01 +0000 UTC"Is there anyone else here besides you?" Su Kang asked calmly.
"Rest assured, there is no one else here," the beast replied with a weary sigh.
Once his suspicions were confirmed, Su Kang turned and left to find Bai Yunxi. When he arrived at the mountain cave, he found her seated quietly, worry clouding her features.
He made no effort to conceal his presence. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up with relief. She rushed into his arms, and he embraced her without hesitation.
"Haha, Xi'er. You really are my lucky charm," he said, kissing her forehead with a chuckle.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, he began walking, explaining the situation as they moved.
He enveloped her in his Qi before plunging into the river. Soon, Bai Yunxi spotted an enormous underwater tunnel.
They emerged in a vast underground chamber, illuminated by glowing stones and shimmering crystals embedded in the walls.
As Bai Yunxi marveled at their surroundings, Su Kang took out a token and took her with him.
She followed Su Kang and saw a giant butterfly with blue and silver wings. She could feel this beast was beautiful and dangerous as well.
Noticing her unease, Su Kang gently squeezed her hand before issuing an order. "Take us there."
The moonlight butterfly nodded and moved ahead. They followed closely through another tunnel, the passage sloping downward into the depths of the earth.
The air grew denser, saturated with spiritual energy so thick it seemed to swirl like mist.
Eventually, they reached a new chamber—and the sight before them took their breath away.
At the chamber's center lay a third-level spiritual vein, its energy swirling like a vortex.
Just standing in its presence revitalized both Su Kang and Bai Yunxi.
"This… this is incredible!" Bai Yunxi exclaimed, her emerald eyes wide with awe. The spiritual vein was a treasure beyond her imagination.
Even Su Kang was stunned. He had expected a second-level vein at most—this was far more than he'd hoped for. This was the jackpot the lizard beast had spoken of.
Looking around, he observed the carved architecture of the surrounding rock. The chamber was clearly man-made.
"Who is the person behind all this? Explain," Su Kang asked.
The entire area was covered by the array; such a feat couldn't have been accomplished by these two beasts.
The Moonlight Butterfly hesitated, then responded softly.
"This array and chamber were created by a human cultivator centuries ago. Back then, a poisonous green lizard ruled this place."
"That human found the spiritual vein and battled the lizard, damaging the vein slightly in the process. After defeating it, he constructed this array to hide the vein and left my mother here to watch over it."
"But he never returned. After my mother's death, I inherited the duty of watching over this place."
"Hundreds of years later, this vein was promoted again to third level. Before I could advance to the third level..." The butterfly trailed off.
Su Kang pieced the truth together. This Moonlight Butterfly was the descendant of that cultivator’s spiritual pet.
His earlier doubts were laid to rest. He had worried that a major sect or powerful family was involved, but this vein was truly ownerless—an unclaimed treasure.
Since the human cultivator could arrange a third-level array formation, he must have been either a Core Formation cultivator or at the peak of the Foundation Building realm.
A thought stirred in his mind, echoing an old legend Bai Yunxi had once mentioned.
"The tale of Rift Valley City…" she murmured, her eyes gleaming with realization.
According to the legend, Rift Valley City had been founded by two powerful cultivators. Eventually, a bitter conflict erupted between them. One died, while the other fled north.
Some versions claimed they discovered a treasure and fought over it. Others said one returned from the north but refused to share the secret map to the treasure.
Many cultivators later searched for the secret treasures in the northern regions, but none found anything.
Now, Su Kang understood why. The energy of this vein had been sealed, leaving no trace. Even if minor leaks occurred, the Qi would have dispersed into the river, hiding all signs.
Watching the excitement gleaming in Bai Yunxi’s emerald eyes, a strange bitterness welled up inside him.
He had risked his life many times to acquire rare items, yet this time, a third-level spiritual vein had practically fallen into his lap.
The lizard beast, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment threat, and the Moonlight Butterfly, at the peak of the second level—he could have killed them both with ease.
Still, the true value of what lay before him wasn’t something one could measure with strength alone.
A third-level spiritual vein… In all of Jiang State, even fourth-level spiritual veins were unheard of. This was already the highest tier available.
"Should we report this to the Su family?" Bai Yunxi asked softly, still captivated by the pulsing energy.
Su Kang didn’t respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the nearby Moonlight Butterfly.
"You’re right, Xi'er," he finally said.
"This spiritual vein could become a great asset to our clan. It could solidify our position."
But deep inside, he knew—declaring ownership of the vein would invite challenges.
Building a city around the vein would be a declaration of their possession, but they were not yet ready to face the challenges that would come with such a claim.
The Su family does not have enough members now. They have to collaborate with other families or sects to build a city around this place.
Spiritual veins could not be uprooted. Attempting to do so would damage the earth’s meridians, potentially harming nearby veins as well.
This could only be done by someone skilled in techniques related to Earth veins.
Such techniques were not found in the Jiang State, leaving him with no other option.
Just then, Fate's voice echoed in his mind.
"Can you give this spiritual vein to me?"
Su Kang immediately understood its intent.
Spiritual veins were the accumulation of blessings and fortune, birthed slowly by the world over countless years.
Even in war, no faction dared destroy them. To do so was taboo, inviting the wrath of the Heavenly Dao.
Destroying one could doom a cultivator’s path forever—barring breakthroughs or invoking calamities during tribulations.
If Fate consumed the vein, Su Kang feared the consequences. Even mortal enemies refrained from destroying such sacred ground.
But Su Kang wasn't willing to lose a spiritual vein.
With this treasure, his family could nurture several Core Formation cultivators in the future.
The road ahead was long, and a resource like this could shape the future of the Su family for generations.
This vein wasn't just valuable—it was essential.
"Fate, this spiritual vein is essential to my family," he said, voice firm and unyielding.
"You will get more opportunities related to your family in the future," Fate replied, its voice calm, almost indifferent.
"Right now, you should focus on gaining strength."
"If you are powerful enough, then your family is untouchable."
"Remember, spiritual items and resources are for your use; use them to get stronger."
"This world bows to the strong, and that should be your only aim."
Fate's words hung in the air, its weight pressing on him.
Su Kang remained silent, his fingers tightening into a fist as he processed them.
Fate believed this spiritual vein was replaceable—that in the grand scheme of things, there would be better treasures, better opportunities.
Su Kang had to choose—a more stable future for his family, or greater strength and power for himself in the present.
His mind flashed back to that tragic vision—the burning Su Manor, its halls consumed by fire, and the bloodcurdling screams that tore through the night.
He could still see the cruel smiles of the demon cultivators, their eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure as they tortured his family before his very eyes.
The suicide of his mother, her final act of defiance swallowed in silence. The slow, brutal butchering of his father. The utter humiliation of the Su clan.
Women forced to their knees, pleading in torn clothes for mercy that would never come.
Mothers made to beg for their children’s lives, only to be given a twisted choice: devour the raw flesh of their killed husbands or watch their sons and daughters be slaughtered before them.
Fate had told him that his soul hadn’t traveled back in time—that what he saw was merely a glimpse of a possible future.
But that didn’t make it any less real.
