Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 499 - The location in the second treasure map, Essence of Emperor's Qi

Wasn’t this the location shown in the second treasure map?

Qing Shui felt that this place that the Silver Wolf Queen brought him to must be related to the place in the second treasure map. Since they were here, he expected that they must be reaching their final destination soon.

The Silver Wolf Queen brought Qing Shui directly to that mountain covered with a myriad of ‘flames.’ They traversed through a ravine, passed three large creeks and then entered the ‘fire mountain.’

The dense Fire Maple forest surrounded them, but the colors were now even brighter. They traveled through the sea of red Fire Maple Trees, through a few canyons until they finally reached a ravine in the deepest area of the mountain.

Qing Shui spotted a few One Horned Silver Wolves in a distance, there were large and small sized wolves.

When they saw Qing Shui, they glared at him with alert in their eyes!

Woof woof!

The Silver Wolf Queen casually barked for them to calm down.

“Is this the den of the Silver Wolf Queen?”

Qing Shui subsequently shook his head, eliminating that thought. Wolves were cunning by nature, there was no way that it would actually bring him to its den.

On the way, they saw a few small groups of One Horned Silver Wolves but the Silver Wolf Queen did not stop. It just sprinted towards the depths of the ravine.

There were a number of One Horned Silver Wolves here, not much less than the amount outside. More importantly, those that were here were far more powerful than the ones outside.

Qing Shui now knew how powerful the Silver Wolf Queen was. He reckoned that within Flowerfruit Mountain, there were not many creatures that could overshadow the Silver Wolf Queen. She was a queen with over 10,000 ‘citizens’ and more importantly she was a demonic beast that had the perfect stats of 10 countries in every stat. Her future was boundless.

The sceneries of mountains and forests disappeared behind them as they sprinted directly into the depths of the ravine.

Suddenly, the Silver Wolf Queen stopped!

Qing Shui had already stopped because he saw a large shrine in front of him. The shrine glittered with a faint silver light, as if it belonged to a dream or a fantasy.

The shrine was 10 meters tall, 100 meters in length and 100 meters in width. Its size was typical of such shrines. However, the sacred and stately aura it had made it feel even taller than the huge mountain beside it.

The interior body of the shrine glimmered with a silvery shine. It was gentle yet pressurizing. At the front of the shrine, there was a carved image of a silver wolf howling to the skies. It looked quite similar to the Silver Wolf Queen who had stopped in front of him.

Qing Shui knew why the Silver Wolf Queen stopped.

It was because the silver white shrine also possessed the same sort of repelling force just like the nameless cave where he saw the deity statue.

The only difference was that the resisting force was much less and the distance was also shorter!

Bark Bark!

The Silver Wolf Queen barked twice at Qing Shui after it moved forward about 10 meters.

Qing Shui was shocked. After he saw the wolf carving on the wall, he could not help but let his thoughts run wild. Could it be that this was the shrine that the Silver Wolf Queen was guarding? Why did it bring him here?

Qing Shui could not find the answers to the multiple questions in his mind. Qing Shui did not think that he had any sort of ‘Aura of a tyrant’ but since he was here, he decided to take a look.

Bark Bark!

Qing Shui looked as the Silver Wolf Queen stopped, it gave a low growl to Qing Shui and looked at the glimmering silver shrine.

The effects of the Great Revitalizing Pellet was almost gone. He did not think too much, resisting that massive amount of pressure, Qing Shui slowly headed into the shrine that seemed to only exist in fantasy.

The pressure mounted up. Luckily, Qing Shui’s strength was now so perversely high he could withstand this pressure. But Qing Shui was a bit worried.

He was worried that he will not be able to get out of the shrine alive. Qing Shui could feel the pressure increase with each step.

The doors of the shrine were now only 5 meters away but Qing Shui felt that he could no longer take a step forward.

Craacck!

There was a resounding noise of bone cracking.

On the contrary, Qing Shui smiled faintly. He did not expect that under such a pressure he could once again bring his body to another level, he could feel the strength in his body increase.

Qing Shui gritted his teeth.

Diamond Qi!

Nature Energy!

……

Qing Shui pushed all his support techniques to the peak. Once again, he activated his Heavenly Talisman, Godly Force Talisman, Divine Shield Talisman, Gale Talisman and whatever he had to boost his strength.

Even so, Qing Shui could not take even one step further. Even though the shrine door was just an arm's length away. He could not do it no matter what. The effect of the Great Revitalizing Pellet will only last for another five minutes!

The distance of only one step was akin to the distance between heaven and earth!

Qing Shui’s body was already covered in perspiration. Despite that, he just could not enter. Under the vast amount of pressure, he racked his brains. He was sure that there was something good in the shrine, and it was likely that this was the location shown on his second treasure map.

“Wait, the treasure map?”

Qing Shui immediately took out his second treasure map. At the very moment that he took it out, an aura of energy surrounded his body, the treasure map glowed for a brief moment and it gradually disappeared!

As the treasure map disappeared, the doors of the shrine slowly opened. Qing Shui was stupefied! He somehow managed to make his way into the shrine and once he entered the shrine, the pressure dissipated. At that very instant, the effect of the Great Revitalizing Pellet ended. Qing Shui could feel a physiological change and his whole body started to ache.

This was the strength of an average normal person. Qing Shui had not felt like this in ages!

Qing Shui took this time to observe the interior of the shrine. It was a shrine for worship, the hall was spacious and the interior was also a glimmery silver. 18 huge silver pillars were distributed evenly across the room.

A painting was hung on the north wall. It was a painting of a large Silver Wolf, the wolf was howling towards the skies. It exuded a very strong presence even though it was just a painting. Even Qing Shui could feel it. The Silver Wolf Queen could not compare to the Silver Wolf within the painting.

Wild, untamed, heaven-defying!

This was what Qing Shui felt as he gazed at the painting. It was just a painting but Qing Shui was already awe-struck. Clearly, the Silver Wolf in the painting was at least at the Martial Saint level.

The interior was very clean. How can it be this clean? Qing Shui’s eyes scanned the hall looking for something special. After all, Qing Shui had already ascertained that this was indeed the location in his second treasure map.

The treasure map had also disappeared, which strenghted his conjecture. Not only did the treasure map record the location of the treasure, it was also a pass to the location of the treasure.

Qing Shui suddenly noticed a platform a short distance from the painting. It glimmered with a silver light. Previously, it had been blocked from his sight as it was behind a pillar. As he walked closer, it was now revealed to Qing Shui.

“There’s something?”

When QIng Shui spotted that there were some things on the platform, he walked excitedly towards it. In the entire large shrine, he only saw that few items that were on the platform.

“Good items are valued by the quality and not quantity. If it is powerful, even one item is enough!”

Qing Shui consoled himself as he got closer and closer to the platform.

Moonstone!

Qing Shui first saw a huge piece of moonstone! Qing Shui thought that this was not bad at all. But his vision drifted passed it, it was not really that attractive to Qing Shui at the moment.

Beside the moonstone, there was a Golden Extract Essence that was the size of a human head.

“How extravagant, the cost of this piece must be astronomically high…” Even though it was not something that Qing Shui needed at the moment, his heart still pounded quickly.

Qing Shui realized that he had a very good affinity with golden things, he loved the color gold!

As Qing Shui observed the items on the platform, he tried not to look at everything at once, but to slowly look at them one by one from the right. There were not many items on the platform. Even with just these two items, Qing Shui would not consider that the items in the shrine were of a poor quality.

These two large pieces of Moonstone and Golden Extract Essence are things that many people in the Central Continent longed to have! Even though the Golden Extract Essence was only the size of a human head, it was more than sufficient for forging or any other use. It was very useful and the quality seemed good. Qing Shui felt that this large moonstone and Golden Extract Essence were definitely more valuable than his Golden needles and Moonstone Ink Slab.

The third item was a pair of earrings. They were silver white and shaped in a crescent. They were exquisitely crafted. There was a silver wolf carved on each of them, a wolf just like the one in the painting.

Qing Shui could feel the energy that emanated. He could sense that the earrings were made from moonstones. He could also feel that the item was very powerful as he could feel strong waves spiritual energy from it. He used his Heavenly Vision Technique.

Silver Moon Wolf Earrings: This is a legendary pair of earrings which belong to the owner of the Silver Wolf Queen. Wearing this pair of earring will increase one’s overall stats by 10 percent. The wearer can gain the protection from all of the wolves in the Silver Wolf Ravine.

“It was a very powerful earring! It can increase all stats by 10 percent!” Qing Shui looked at the earrings in his hand in awe. He almost wanted to cry. Even though there were men in the Central Continent that did wear earrings, this pair of crescent earrings were obviously not made for men. Furthermore, there was no way that Qing Shui would ever wear earrings!

Not knowing what else to do about that, Qing Shui placed the moonstone, the Golden Essence Extract and the pair of earrings into his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal.

Qing Shui had high expectations for the four items left. , Next, it was a very small, primitive looking porcelain bottle.

A concoction?

Qing Shui saw a piece of beast skin paper underneath the bottle. He immediately took it.

“Essence of Emperor's Qi”

Qing Shui did not understand. He continued reading. 3000 years ago, the Silver Wolf Queen was surrounded by the attacks of the Dark Nightmare Phoenix and it received a lethal injury. The Moon Queen created an ‘Essence Pellet’ made of the Silver Wolf Queen. She stored it for a fated person to retrieve. This sort of essence pellet was filled with the powerful energy of the Essence of Emperor's Qi.

After consumption, the user will gain an Essence of Emperor's Qi. It can be used on any sort of living being. It will reduce the opponent’s strength by 20 percent and increase one’s own overall base stats by 20 percent. This effect is permanent and the item cannot be leveled.

Qing Shui could not believe it. He read the paper multiple times to make sure that he did not make any errors. His eyes locked on the primitive looking bottle with a few small flower carvings.

“Such a good item actually exists? Even though it cannot be leveled, it can forever only reduce the opponent strength by 20 percent and increase one’s overall stats by 20 percent, this was already heaven-defying!”

Qing Shui previously admired the King’s Aura that the Silver Wolf Queen had. Who would have known that there is such a heaven-defying concoction?

3000 years ago?

When did they start counting the 3000 years?

Could it be that someone had actually gathered all the items from the Moon Queen in this shrine, then created a treasure map?

Qing Shui massaged his temples and laughed at himself. “ You already have your fill, why do you have to think that much. I am just here to find treasures, not to hurt my brain.”

“So many years have passed, could the concoction have turned bad?” He laughed at his own foolish thinking. Since the description had stated that it can be kept for 3000 years, that naturally there should not be a problem.

He kept it!

When Qing Shui held the small bottle, he could feel his hand trembling a little. Qing Shui was originally upset by the earrings but now it was as if all the clouds had faded away.

Next, he saw another two pieces of metal which were each about a meter in length. One was black and the other was blue. Qing Shui did not know what sort of metal they were but he could feel the massive spiritual energy they possessed.

Using his Heavenly Vision Technique, he still could not see any effects. Qing Shui just kept them in his realm. His gaze shifted to another item.

It was a brocade box.

Qing Shui opened it slowly. He discovered a red peach shape ‘claw’ which was about the size of a fingernail. It was small but he could feel a strong flow of energy within it, which was like little burning embers. It was much stronger than the two metals.

Qing Shui was quite surprised to feel such a strong wave of energy flow.

Unfortunately, there was no description. He used his Heavenly Vision Technique and only got one word. The Heavenly Vision Technique was not a technique that could unravel the mystery of everything.

Seed!

This was the word he saw using his Heavenly Vision Technique. Qing Shui closed the box and immediately stored it in his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal.

As he looked at the now empty platform, it was as if he was in a dream.

Suddenly, the shrine trembled!

“Huh. What is the matter?”

Qing Shui was shocked. He raced out of the shrine. He was now only a normal person!

When Qing Shui ran out of the shrine, he found that the pressure had become very light. More importantly, the color of the shrine was fading and its glow was dimming.

At the end, Qing Shui found out that the shrine did not crumble. It merely lost its luster. It looked like a simple ancient large shrine now. It was totally incomparable to how it was previously.

Was it because he had taken the items from the shrine?

Qing Shui could not help but think that. He finally decided that it was a possibility. Another possibility was that once a person entered the shrine, the repelling force would dissipate...

Qing Shui found out that the sky was quickly getting dark!

“How did time pass so fast?”

Qing Shui felt that he was only in the shrine for a short while...

When he came out, he found the Silver Wolf Queen standing outside. Qing Shui did not know if the Silver Wolf Queen can evolve till the state of the wolf in the painting. After all, that wolf was attacked by a high level creature like the Dark Nightmare Phoenix, it must be powerful.

When the Silver Wolf Queen saw Qing Shui, it ran happily towards him. Qing Shui could feel that the Silver Wolf Queen was now more affectionate towards him … was it due to the pair of earrings?

Despite that, Qing Shui was still a little worried. After all, he was now merely like an average man. Not caring about the Silver Wolf Queen, he quickly slipped in the Realm of Violet Jade Immortal.

Through the realm, Qing Shui could see the Silver Wolf Queen was bewildered by Qing Shui suddenly disappearance. Qing Shui could not care less. He had to regain his strength. One month of weakness here was only one day in the outside world. To be precise, it was only six hours.

Qing Shui could not do anything now. He could try to remember what happened or maybe just walk around.

He thought about his battle and the Great Revitalizing Pellet. He could not help but smile. After he consumed the pellet, his Mighty Elephant Stomp could reach the strength of 17 countries, though as the effect of the pellet was now gone, it only had the strength of eight countries and a little more.

Qing Shui felt that his body seemed dehydrated. Qing Shui knew that his Cloudmist Steps had already broken through to the Obscure Realm. Qing Shui did not know about anything else, except that that his body totally changed when he ate that pellet. It was now back to its original state and his dantian was now as empty as can be.

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