Chapter 129: The Rarity of Spiritual Treasures

That night, dark clouds veiled the moon, leaving only a few scattered stars faintly glowing in the night sky.

On Muyu Island, all was silent—a typical, uneventful night. Yet, at this very moment, a hazy azure light suddenly blossomed from the island’s depths, outlining the silhouette of a mysterious tree and streaming forth waves of spiritual radiance.

Such a phenomenon was strikingly conspicuous in the still darkness, instantly drawing the attention of many.

But in the next instant, a figure appeared midair, waving their sleeve and unleashing an invisible force that concealed the entire spectacle. As the strange phenomenon was shrouded, the spiritual radiance dissipated, and Muyu Island returned to its tranquil state.

Of course, only the outward anomaly was quelled; curiosity and speculation filled the hearts of those who witnessed it. Many guessed that it must be some kind of rare celestial treasure.

Meanwhile, within the Quiet Heart Pavilion, Jiang Chen silently observed the entire island.

“Rather than guarding against thieves for a thousand days, it’s better to lure the serpent out of its den.”

Through the profound darkness, Jiang Chen sensed the undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

The so-called phenomenon was naturally a disguise created using Tao Yao’s abilities, designed to draw out the mastermind behind this plot. Though they had already sensed something was amiss, the opponent’s methods were indeed cunning, and ordinary means could not identify those who had been bought off.

If left unchecked, Muyu Island would inevitably face trouble sooner or later. Rather than waiting passively, it was better to take the initiative and draw the adversary out. Since they sought a spiritual object on the island, Jiang Chen would present them with one.

Though this tactic was not especially brilliant, it hinged on exploiting an information gap. As long as the enemy remained unaware that their spy had been uncovered, they might fall into the trap.

“From the intelligence gathered so far, the enemy does not know exactly what kind of spiritual object is on Muyu Island—only that such an object exists, confirmed through some means.”

“Still, I’m quite curious what kind of treasure on Muyu Island could attract someone with such strange methods to spy.”

Under the cloak of night, thoughts clashed within Jiang Chen’s mind.

The Taiping Sect lacked deep foundations; the island held few spiritual treasures. The most valuable was the Fish-Dragon Pearl, but it had long since been swallowed by the Illusory Mist Serpent. Aside from that, there were no notable treasures on Muyu Island, with the most valuable seeming to be the Wolf Poison Vine.

Although the Wolf Poison Vine held some worth, it was hardly valuable enough to warrant such elaborate scheming.

“Could it be that the enemy learned from somewhere that the Fish-Dragon Pearl might exist on Muyu Island and thus is going to great lengths to find it?”

“Or perhaps it’s that Blue Lotus?”

Recalling all the treasures of the Taiping Sect, Jiang Chen first suspected the Fish-Dragon Pearl, then thought of the Blue Lotus that the White Crane had delivered.

He was well aware of the treasures on the island; nothing particularly impressive existed except for that Blue Lotus. If the enemy was not drawn by the Fish-Dragon Pearl, then this Blue Lotus was the likeliest target.

After all, though its effects were uncertain, it was undoubtedly a first-grade spiritual item.

“It seems necessary to study that Blue Lotus thoroughly.”

With a shift in thought, Jiang Chen devised a plan.

“Hopefully, the enemy will step into the trap; otherwise, things will become troublesome.”

Retracting his gaze, he grasped the peachwood branch and stood beneath the peachwood tree, gradually merging his spirit with the wood.

In that instant, his powerful perception spread outward along the roots of Tao Yao, gradually enveloping much of Muyu Island.

Though the Taiping Sect lacked a formal protective formation, the spread of Tao Yao’s roots naturally formed a simple array—devoid of offensive or defensive power but quite effective for sensing the surroundings.

The following day, a message was transmitted from Muyu Island.

At the county magistrate’s office in Qinghe, Liao Yonghuai’s small eyes gleamed sharply upon receiving the news from Muyu Island.

“Finally, some results? Even sooner than expected.”

Reading the message, Liao was filled with delight. He had anticipated waiting longer but was surprised by this early development. In his original estimation, it would take at least one or two months to infiltrate the Taiping Sect before reaping any true gains.

“Peachwood phenomenon... Could it be that the spiritual treasure on Muyu Island is a peachwood tree? And it resides within the Quiet Heart Pavilion of the Taiping Daoist?”

Various thoughts collided as Liao Yonghuai paced back and forth in his room.

“The ability to manifest a phenomenon proves the treasure’s extraordinary nature. Though currently only a first-grade spiritual item, it is by no means ordinary. It might, by chance, evolve into a second-grade spiritual treasure in the future, aligning with previous assessments. If that’s the case, then...”

The idea ignited a fierce blaze in his heart.

Ordinary spiritual items, even first-grade or second-grade, do not manifest phenomena. Only a rare few special types emit such signs, a mark of abundant spiritual essence. A first-grade item that exhibits a phenomenon has some chance to become a second-grade spiritual treasure.

Though this possibility was slim, it existed—and the greatest function of a second-grade treasure was to assist cultivators in forging their Dao foundation.

To advance from Qi Refinement to Dao Foundation, cultivators require spiritual items to anchor their spiritual apertures, solidifying what is originally a state between reality and illusion and becoming the genuine bridge between cultivator and cosmos—the cornerstone of the Dao foundation. Ordinary spiritual items cannot stabilize these apertures; only treasures rich in spiritual essence can.

“Though the current environment is ever-shifting, spiritual treasures remain exceedingly rare. Because of this scarcity, there are few Dao Foundation cultivators in the entire Southern Jing Kingdom. Without spiritual treasures, no matter how talented the cultivator, they cannot condense their Dao foundation.”

“Previously, a suspected spiritual treasure was born within Five Immortal Mountain, sparking a civil war among the five great demon clans and plunging the entire mountain into chaos. Now, such a peachwood with potential to become a spiritual treasure appears before me. I must not let it slip away.”

Understanding the rarity of spiritual treasures, Liao Yonghuai was determined to seize the peachwood treasure on Muyu Island.

His cultivation method was special; if willing to invest, he could possibly cultivate that peachwood into a second-grade spiritual treasure. As for it being a trap, such thoughts never entered his mind—peachwood-based spiritual items were common in the cultivation world, many of which were precious varieties.

Besides, he was confident in his own magic.

“That peachwood is mine. It must be mine.”

Flames burning in his eyes, he gazed toward the direction of Muyu Island, his greed now unstoppable.