Chapter 54: The Source of the Treasure Light Inspires Speculation

An exceptional movement technique or martial arts form is by no means simply a way to increase speed. Swiftness in a combat style grants a practitioner numerous advantages. However, the baseline speed of most cultivators does not exhibit an overwhelming gap. Moreover, once speed reaches a certain threshold, attempting to improve it even slightly requires an investment that may exceed previous efforts a hundredfold. If a practitioner is only marginally superior in movement speed, the tactical advantage gained is negligible.

It is precisely in such situations that the unique traits of a movement technique truly begin to shine. Lu Xiao was currently utilizing the "Spiritual Wind Stride" to elevate his martial prowess. An exceptional movement technique does much more than merely accelerate one's physical displacement. Much like at this very moment, aided by several wisps of spiritual wind, even when unleashing a fierce and powerful momentum, he remained capable of adjusting his posture mid-action. He could even intentionally skew his trajectory slightly, misleading opponents into thinking he could no longer recover from his momentum, only to use the spiritual wind to alter his stance and launch a sudden counterattack.

Amidst the mountain forest, the sound of tearing air echoed for quite some time. The wild beasts lurking within probably mistook it for nothing more than the howling of the night wind. After practicing for over an hour, Lu Xiao felt he had grown reasonably proficient in harnessing the spiritual wind. When executing his gale punches, he could even borrow the force of the wind to abruptly reverse the momentum of the strike.

Of course, the "Gale Core Formula" remained fundamentally a foundational cultivation technique. Tempering the physical body through punching was not the same as attacking enemies directly with gale punches. Even after refinement, the actual combat capability of the "Gale Core Formula" remained somewhat underwhelming. Lu Xiao was uncertain whether refining it to the fourth tier or even higher would induce any qualitative changes. For now, the gale punches were merely at a stage where they could barely be applied against opponents.

Yet, this did not render the night's practice meaningless. Having grasped the subtle utility of the "Spiritual Wind Stride," he could intentionally lean toward heavy and powerful techniques when selecting future martial skills and arts. A ferocious and violent momentum was notoriously difficult for others to control, but in his hands, it manifested entirely differently. Yet, where might one go to find such a technique?

Having practiced for over an hour, Lu Xiao returned to the small cabin he had constructed. Being out in the wilds, one must never exhaust their energy and physical stamina completely. To cope with potential dangers, he always needed to reserve a safety margin for himself. He could not afford to behave as he did back at the Marquis's estate, where he frequently exhausted every ounce of his strength before finally resting.

Night passed. Lu Xiao felt he had rested reasonably well. Having undergone refinement, the cabin offered superb wind-proofing and remained completely devoid of cold. Upon waking early, he washed down a piece of the flatbread he had brought along with some water.

He still possessed a considerable supply; consuming just one piece a day would leave him with more than enough to last a month. He also carried a modest amount of silver, meaning that if he grew tired of the flatbread, he could simply purchase other provisions to vary his diet.

With everything properly prepared, Lu Xiao set off toward Flowing Stream Slope. Flowing Stream Slope was situated in close proximity to the location where the anomalous phenomenon had manifested, serving as a lodging place for numerous treasure seekers. Over recent times, Flowing Stream Slope had transformed into a central hub for gathering and disseminating related intelligence. Lu Xiao had already perceived this when Erniu mentioned it previously. The fact that even tavern runners and inn attendants were privy to considerable information indicated that matters concerning the supreme treasure were subjects of intense discussion here. Most likely, taverns, inns, and certain teahouses deliberately fostered such talk to attract patrons and diners. After all, mere dining and tea-drinking could be quite tedious; listening to hidden gossip and hearing tales for amusement was far more entertaining.

When Lu Xiao arrived at Flowing Stream Slope, it was just reaching the hour of Si. Although it was still early, the teahouses along the streets were already nearly filled to capacity. As a small town, the current flow of visitors in Flowing Stream Slope rivaled that of Yonglin City. Furthermore, one could easily discern at a glance that a great many individuals hailed from prominent aristocratic families; their attire openly flaunted their wealth to everyone around them. A significant number of these people had been dispatched specifically on missions—to scout for information and report back to their respective masters. Gathered together thus, the population of Flowing Stream Slope swelled even further.

Lu Xiao glanced at the posted prices for tea at these establishments. The intention to sit down instantly vanished, causing him to rise back to his feet. Swallowing his pride, he simply stood at a short distance, listening to the conversations of others.

"If you wish to drink tea, take a seat. If not, I must ask you to stand further away and stop blocking our business. My thanks for your consideration, patron."

The speaker was a teahouse waiter. Recently, the merchants of Flowing Stream Slope had seen their revenues multiply several times over. From proprietors down to errand boys, everyone seemed a bit light-headed with success. The warmth previously extended to customers had partially morphed into arrogance, and their speech lacked its former courtesy. In the past, onlookers standing around teahouses to listen to gossip were a common sight, and patrons sipping tea generally did not mind bystanders loitering nearby. In fact, having people stand and listen only served to heighten their own sense of elevated status—after all, while they sat, the others could only stand. Presently, however, lingering near a teahouse for even a brief moment was enough to draw summary eviction.

Lu Xiao cast a glance across the entire teahouse; indeed, virtually no empty tables remained. Many individuals hailing from wealthy households occupied tables meant for groups yet ordered only four cups of tea for two people, an obvious tactic to prevent others from sharing their tables simply because they could afford the luxury. Standing where he was did not genuinely disrupt the waiter's business anyway, as the teahouse possessed no vacant tables to offer other guests to begin with.

Choosing not to argue with the waiter, Lu Xiao simply relocated to a different spot and sought out a modest tea stall instead. Such stalls merely occupied a flat patch of ground set up with a dozen or so tables. While the environment was considerably cruder, the tea charges were correspondingly much cheaper. Most importantly, what caught Lu Xiao's interest was that this particular tea stall had explicitly hired two men whose sole task was to continuously recount tales regarding the supreme treasure. Whenever someone posed a question, the two responded; when no one asked, they simply repeated the details they currently possessed over and over again.

Having paid his tea fee, Lu Xiao produced his remaining flatbread, consuming it alongside a cup of light tea. As he ate, he listened intently to the accounts provided by the two men. The details related by Erniu previously aligned remarkably well with what these two were currently broadcasting.

The treasure had been provoking these celestial anomalies for a full two months now. From the younger generation all the way up to seasoned adult cultivators, even elders from major sects had made their appearance by now. Acquiring the treasure had proven vastly more difficult than anyone had initially anticipated. These facts were already known to Lu Xiao through Erniu; what he sought now was novel intelligence he had not yet heard.

Scarcely had he swallowed a few sips of tea when Lu Xiao caught wind of something new.

"The day before yesterday, several venerable masters of the Xuanheng Sect publicly declared their collective assessment. There are three possibilities regarding the supreme treasure that triggered this anomaly."

Lu Xiao slightly slowed the movement of his hands, his expression growing notably more focused. The nearby tea patrons who had not yet heard this news similarly peroused a heightened attention, awaiting the continuation of the tale.

"It has now been verified that this place is none other than the former ruins left behind by the celestial Immortal Tianlin. The three possibilities are, respectively: the immortal weapon known as the Langya Ring; the immortal's protective heart mirror, the Xinxin Mirror; and lastly—and deemed the most likely possibility of all—the Flowing Mountains and Rivers Boots."

The speaker delivered these assertions with absolute conviction and a firm tone. Although the treasure had yet to reveal itself, he harbored unwavering faith in these three hypotheses.