Mo Yanyu's voice broke the silence, hushed with reverence. "This is unreal," she murmured, her fingers hovering over a jade token from Sea God's Temple. "The Red Cloud Sect would kill for even a glimpse of these."
Di Yalan, her pragmatic nature tempered by awe, hefted a small shield etched with runes. "These aren't just treasures," she said, her tone heavy. "They're symbols. Each one carries a sect's pride."
Mu Yu Die, clutching her zither, shivered as she gazed at a dagger from Falling Blossom Palace. "My father told stories of the Godly Thief," she whispered. "I thought they were just tales to scare children."
Yang Kai, unfamiliar with the sects, turned to them. "You said this thief stole these to humiliate them?" he asked, piecing together their earlier tale.
Mo Yanyu nodded, her eyes sharp. "Three hundred years ago, a man with no talent begged to join every great sect—Supreme Solitary, Ancient Cloud Island, all of them. They rejected him, mocked him, some even beat him. He swore revenge, and thirty years later, he struck. He stole their hallowed treasures, one by one, slipping past every ward. The sects called him the Godly Thief."
Di Yalan continued, her voice steady. "They lost face. The Supreme Solitary Sect's seal, Ancient Cloud Island's scroll—each theft was a slap. They banded together, even their old monsters emerged from seclusion. They tracked him down, fought him across the islands. The battle was cataclysmic—entire islands were shattered."
Mu Yu Die's voice trembled. "No one knows if he died. Some say he was killed, others that he escaped, wounded. The treasures were never found… until now."
Yang Kai's brow furrowed.
"I thought it was just gossip," he admitted. "Exaggerated, like most rumors. But this…" He gestured to the shelves. "This proves it happened."
Mo Yanyu's lips curved into a wry smile. "Not all rumors are lies. This cave is his vault, and that tortoise shell led us straight to it."
Di Yalan's eyes gleamed with calculation. "If these treasures surfaced, the Endless Sea Islands would erupt. Every sect would hunt us down to reclaim them."
Yang Kai nodded, his mind racing. The artifacts were powerful, but dangerous. "Some of these could boost our strength," he said, picking up a ring that pulsed with Yuan Qi. "But if they're recognized, we're in trouble."
Mu Yu Die hesitated, her fingers brushing a jade pendant. "This is Sea God's Temple's sacred key," she said, her voice soft. "It's priceless, but… it feels wrong to take it."
Mo Yanyu snorted, gripping a Spirit Blade. "Wrong or not, we're here. This dagger I'm not leaving it behind."
Di Yalan chuckled, her shield still in hand. "Practical as always, Yanyu. I like this shield—it could block a serious strike. Yang Kai, what do you think?"
He glanced at them, noting their resolve. "Take what's useful, but be smart. We can't carry everything, and we don't need every sect chasing us."
They moved through the shelves, selecting carefully. Mo Yanyu kept the Spirit Blade, its hum resonating with her Yuan Qi. Mu Yu Die took the jade pendant, her expression conflicted but determined. Di Yalan claimed the shield, testing its weight with a satisfied nod. Yang Kai chose the Yuan Qi ring and a scroll detailing a movement skill, its techniques compatible with his True Yang Secret Art.
As they worked, Mo Yanyu's gaze flickered to Yang Kai, Mu Yu Die, catching the look, pouted slightly, her fingers tightening on her zither—a subtle flare of jealousy that didn't escape Di Yalan's notice. The older woman smirked, shaking her head but saying nothing, her focus on the treasures.
The air grew richer, thick with World Energy, as they ventured deeper. A faint glow beckoned from a side chamber, and Yang Kai's pace quickened, the women close behind. Rounding a corner, they entered a smaller space—a living area, sparse but functional. A stone bed sat against one wall, a table nearby, and in the center, a washbasin-sized lotus flower floated, radiating a five-colored brilliance.
The lotus was encased in a shimmering curtain, like water yet not, its presence stirring an inexplicable fear. Yang Kai's soul trembled, as if the artifact could unravel his very being.
"Soul Warming Lotus!" he exclaimed, the name surfacing from the old Demon's memories. His voice echoed, drawing gasps from the women.
"It's actually a Soul Warming Lotus! My god, a Soul Warming Lotus appeared here, and it's a Five Coloured one!" Yang Kai's voice rang out, brimming with unrestrained joy. He leapt to his feet, his heart pounding as he spun in the glowing chamber, the luminescent crystals casting kaleidoscopic light across his face. His excitement was infectious, and he bounded toward Mo Yanyu, seizing her in a sudden, fierce embrace. Before she could react, he pressed a bold kiss to her lips, his dominance unmistakable.
Mo Yanyu's cheeks flared crimson, her breath catching as she stiffened in his arms. Her eyes widened, a mix of shock and something softer flickering within them. She pushed weakly against his chest, but Yang Kai's grip was firm, a silent claim that echoed their past encounters. He pulled back, his grin unapologetic, fully aware she was his—bound by passion and his unyielding will.
"Yang Kai!" Mo Yanyu sputtered, her blush deepening as she swatted his arm, though her protest lacked conviction. Her gaze darted to the others, embarrassment warring with a reluctant warmth.
Mu Yu Die, clutching her zither, pouted, her delicate features tightening with a flash of jealousy. "Must you be so… shameless?" she muttered, her voice sharp but tinged with envy. Her fingers plucked a discordant note, betraying her flustered state.
Di Yalan, leaning against a stone shelf with her newly claimed shield, smirked. "Let him have his moment," she said, her tone amused but steady. "He's earned it, finding this place." Her eyes, however, lingered on Mo Yanyu, noting the subtle shift in her demeanor—a softening that hadn't been there before.
Yang Kai laughed, undeterred, his gaze sweeping over the women. "This lotus is worth more than everything else here combined," he declared, gesturing to the floating, five-colored flower. It hovered within a shimmering curtain, its brilliance casting an ethereal glow across the cavern.
"Is this valuable?" Di Yalan asked, stepping closer, her pragmatic curiosity piqued. The shield rested against her hip, its runes glinting faintly.
Yang Kai's eyes gleamed, his voice dropping with reverence. "Valuable? It's a Soul Cultivating Treasure, the kind every cultivator dreams of. No matter your strength, no matter your realm, this lotus is a priceless boon." He paused, catching Di Yalan's skeptical look. "You don't understand, do you? If you knew what this can do, you'd be jumping too."
Di Yalan's brow arched, her lips twitching. "Enlighten us, then," she said, crossing her arms. "Why's it got you so undignified? You're acting like a child who found a shiny trinket."
Mo Yanyu stifled a laugh, her earlier embarrassment easing as she leaned against a shelf, the Spirit Blade she'd claimed glinting at her side. "She's right," she teased, her voice regaining its edge. "You've got all these treasures—artifacts, scrolls, enough to rival a sect. Why's this lotus making you lose your composure?"
Mu Yu Die nodded, her jealousy momentarily set aside. "Tell us, Yang Kai," she said, her tone softer, almost pleading. "What makes it so special?"
Yang Kai's grin widened, though he inwardly sighed at their ignorance. Fearless, oblivious girls, he thought, recalling the old Demon's memories that had revealed the lotus's nature. To them, it was just a pretty flower, but to him, it was a miracle. He took a deep breath, his voice steadying as he began to explain.
"The Soul Warming Lotus, as the name suggests, nourishes your soul with tender warmth," he said, his gaze locking onto the floating artifact. "Your soul is the core of your being—your perception, your will. It's what fuels Divine Sense, an extension of your senses. Right now, at the Separation and Reunion Boundary, I can't cultivate my soul yet. That starts at the Immortal Ascension Boundary. But the stronger your soul, the greater your advantage. In a fight between equals, the one with the mightier soul wins every time."
Mo Yanyu's eyes narrowed, her Red Cloud Sect training kicking in. "Divine Sense? I've heard elders mention it—scanning surroundings, sensing danger. But you're saying this lotus strengthens that?"
"Exactly," Yang Kai said, nodding. "And more."
Di Yalan frowned, her tone impatient. "Get to the point, Yang Kai. We're not children who need a lecture on souls."
Mu Yu Die giggled, covering her mouth. "He does sound like he's teaching toddlers," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "But I want to know—how does it work?"
Yang Kai shot them a mock glare, though his lips twitched with amusement.
"Fine," he said, his voice firm. "Cultivating your soul is harder than boosting your cultivation or physical strength—many times harder. Few treasures can enhance it, but the Soul Warming Lotus is the supreme one, unmatched under heaven and earth. It's indestructible, unrefinable. You don't absorb it; it chooses you. Once it bonds with your Knowledge Sea, it resides there, nourishing your soul endlessly. No effort needed—just constant growth, forever."
Mo Yanyu's breath hitched, her hand tightening on the Spirit Blade. "Forever?" she whispered, her earlier teasing replaced by awe. "It never stops?"
"Never," Yang Kai confirmed, his voice resolute. "No one's soul can refine it—not even peak cultivators. It's a treasure that stays with you from the moment it connects until you die, strengthening your soul every second. Compared to it, all these artifacts—" he gestured to the shelves—"are dirt."
Di Yalan's eyes widened, her shield lowering slightly. "That's… insane," she said, her usual pragmatism faltering. "A treasure that grows with you, no matter your realm?"
Yang Kai nodded, his gaze returning to the lotus. "This is a Five Coloured one—the rarest kind. Its power is unmatched. If I claim it…" His voice trailed off, his mind racing with possibilities.