“Sir, where exactly are we? And why is it just you here?” Jared asked while eating. “Where are you heading?” the elderly man asked in return.
“We’re on a quest to find the treasure of Archaic Body cultivators. But after entering the entrance to the treasure, we somehow ended up here. Is this the far north? The surroundings here are utterly different from the far north!” Jared said candidly.
“You’re searching for the treasure of Archaic Body cultivators?” The elderly man smiled subtly and extended his hand. “All right, hand over the item.”
“Item? What item?” Jared asked, his face filled with confusion.
“I’m referring to the treasure key, of course. Without the authentic treasure key, you couldn’t have ended up here,” the elderly man replied, his smile unwavering.
Jared was taken aback, his face marked with disbelief as he gazed at the elderly man before him. Nervousness and unease churned within him as he asked, “Sir, who exactly are you?”
He found himself perplexed, not grasping the meaning behind the elderly man’s words. What bewildered him even more was how the elderly man seemed to know about his possession of the treasure key.
“Hahaha! You come seeking my treasure, and yet you ask who I am. It’s truly quite amusing!” The elderly man chuckled heartily.
“Are you… perhaps the elder of Archaic Body cultivators?” Jared asked in astonishment, his gaze fixed on the elderly man. The elderly man neither confirmed nor denied: it. He simply extended his hand and said, “Hand over the key to me…”
Jared looked at the elderly man, then proceeded to take out the treasure key and handed it over. The latter held the emerald badge, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“All these shelves contain the techniques of Archaic Body Cultivation, along with some treasures. Help yourself to whatever you need,” the elderly man said, pointing at the shelves.
“Uh…” Jared hadn’t expected that obtaining the treasures of Archaic Body cultivators would be this easy. Isn’t this a bit too straightforward?
“What’s the matter? Don’t you want them?” the elderly man asked, “No, that’s not it. Please don’t misunderstand, Sir. I just didn’t expect to obtain the techniques and treasures so easily,” Jared clarified. “Shouldn’t there be an Ice Soul Pill as well? My main purpose this time was to obtain it.”
In truth, Jared wasn’t particularly interested in the techniques and treasures of Archaic Body cultivators. His main focus was acquiring the Ice Soul Pill.
“The Ice Soul Pill isn’t here. Take these techniques and treasures and depart swiftly. Remember, do not be greedy, and continue on your journey. I hope you’ll keep my advice in mind…” The elderly man’s emerald badge suddenly radiated golden rays of light, and he gradually faded away.
“Sir? Sir!” Jared called out loudly, but the elderly man never appeared again. Bewildered, he could only gather the techniques and treasures. However, as he stepped out of the thatched hut, the landscape before him underwent a sudden transformation.
The thatched hut had vanished, and in its place, a magnificent palace materialized right before his eyes.
Jared was completely baffled at this point. It was a simple thatched hut just moments ago…. How the hell did it transform into a magnificent palace in the blink of an eye?
Nonetheless, he proceeded toward the palace and pushed open the imposing palace doors. Inside, he discovered an assortment of techniques and treasures, much like before.
However, the moment he stepped into the palace, his brows furrowed slightly, and his expression turned grim.
“Who dares to trespass into my residence? Do you have a death wish?” a weathered voice boomed in Jared’s ears before an elderly man appeared before him.
When Jared laid eyes on the elderly man, he was immediately dumbfounded, for the latter. looked identical to the elderly man he had encountered in the thatched hut.
The only difference between the two was their attire. The elderly man he met in the hut wore simple plain clothes, while the one in the palace was draped in opulent silk and satin, giving the appearance of a wealthy landlord.
Jared stared intently at the elderly man before him, saying nothing.
“How dare you intrude into my residence and gaze at me so defiantly? It seems your audacity knows no bounds. Do you even know who I am?” the elderly man, infuriated by Jared’s unwavering stare, exclaimed.
