Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Xilun blinked, and the red data stream gradually disappeared.

Immediately afterwards, he felt that some parts of his body seemed to begin to undergo strange changes.

An unbearable tingling sensation spread from the depths of my bones.

The next moment, he felt two strange protrusions on his broad back, below his shoulder blades, as if something was about to burst out of his body and grow wings.

But this feeling was quickly suppressed by reason.

Xilun reached out and touched his back; there was no actual foreign object growing there.

There was only a slight, strange itch on my back, and then the sensation subsided like the tide.

He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and his knuckles cracked like popping beans.

On the surface, there seemed to be no change, and his physique did not suddenly increase.

But when he closed his eyes and carefully felt it, he discovered that deep within his body there seemed to be an extremely hungry, instinctive feeling.

That feeling was frantically suggesting to him: as long as he kills living beings, he can use this body to directly absorb the dissipated blood and energy essence of the other party, thereby endlessly replenishing himself!

"What a terrifying talent..."

Xilun felt a chill run down his spine. He shook his head, relying on his absolutely unwavering willpower to forcibly remove this bloodthirsty thought from his mind, preventing it from filling his body and reason.

He warned himself inwardly: "This is the innate talent of this alien species. It is indeed extremely remarkable, even abnormal."

However, I must never let this talent backfire and develop into an uncontrollable, ruthless personality.

"I will not hesitate to kill enemies who deserve it; but I must never become a killing machine in order to plunder power, thus attracting the attention and trouble of those powerful people."

After regaining his composure, Xilun looked down at the Earth Blood Bat Dragon beneath his feet.

The enormous, lifeless body began to shrink in a bizarre manner.

The flesh and bones seemed to be forcibly squeezed by some force, and finally a dazzling white light slowly emerged from a certain part of the body.

Enveloped in that white light, the Blood Bat Dragon's body gradually shriveled and withered, as if it had undergone millions of years of weathering.

Finally, the entire massive body was completely reduced to ashes, with only its essence compressed to the extreme, condensing into three drops of blood essence that floated in mid-air, as dazzling as rubies.

"This is……"

Xilun blinked, sensing the terrifying, world-destroying energy contained in those three drops of blood essence.

Although he had not seen any detailed records of this strange species in ancient books, he knew even with his toes that it was an extremely rare treasure.

If combined with the absorption of his own medicinal bath, his physical strength could probably reach an even more terrifying level.

He immediately took out a high-grade jade bottle that originally contained the Blood Spirit Ointment from his bosom, carefully put the three drops of essence blood into it, and placed it close to his body.

Having done all this, Xilun showed no hesitation and hurriedly turned and left.

He walked and pondered.

Although the middle-aged man from the Shudalk family was held back by Rox, he would likely follow the trail of blood to find the Blood Bat Dragon's corpse once the battle ended.

To avoid unnecessary direct conflict, Xilun cautiously chose a roundabout route.

He avoided the wide mountain paths and specifically chose those narrow, steep slopes covered with thorns and even requiring climbing cliffs, taking a long detour.

When he finally managed to climb back up the snow-covered mountainside after expending a great deal of energy, he was back on the snow-capped mountain peak where the wind and snow were howling.

He saw that ancient bronze door again.

This time, however, it was extremely quiet outside the door.

The violent clash of qi and blood that had occurred earlier had long since vanished without a trace.

Xilun hid in the shadows, surveying the horrific traces of battle around him.

He discovered that in the ravaged snow pit, besides the pool of black blood left by the alien species, there was another extremely conspicuous fresh bloodstain.

The bloodstains circled around a boulder in front of the bronze gate, stumbling and falling as they fled down the mountain in another direction, finally disappearing into the depths of the snowstorm.

"No bodies..." Xiren stroked his chin thoughtfully.

It seems that Rox did eventually use some of his trump cards to save his life. Although he paid the price of serious injury, he successfully escaped.

The powerful middle-aged man clearly did not continue the pursuit.

He abandoned his plan to silence them and instead chose to continue exploring the world within the bronze door, since the treasure inside was the true purpose of his trip.

Xilun hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the semi-circular hole that had been drilled open by the air-breaking cone.

He took a deep breath, and the way his body circulated qi and blood subtly changed.

Far Listener, activate!

Xilun suppressed his breathing to a minimum, his figure moving like a falling leaf as he quietly approached the cave entrance.

He pressed his ear against the cold bronze door, and as his hearing reached its limit, a slow, hollow echo and the sound of conversation slowly emanated from deep within the bronze door.

The first thing that came through was the young man Deeford's questioning voice.

"Father, since that fellow was already seriously injured, why didn't you press your advantage and instead let that rat escape? What if he goes out and spreads rumors?"

Immediately following was a series of heavy and labored breathing sounds.

Dean was clearly already quite weak.

First, he used the Qi-Breaking Cone, which consumed a lot of his energy. Then, he fought a life-or-death battle with the Earth Blood Bat Dragon, which injured his spirit. Finally, he fought a fierce battle with Rox, who was also at the second level. Even though he was made of iron, he was already somewhat exhausted.

Dean slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice tinged with weariness and coldness:

"Deeford, remember this: never corner a dog."

"This person is Rox of the Ocelli family, and he has some real skills."

In our previous exchange, although I was able to easily defeat him and even severely injure him, if he were determined to escape and I were to insist on killing him, he might detonate his second-tier origin energy, taking me down with him in a mutual destruction.

Dean coughed twice and continued:

"The price would be too high, and it would severely damage my health."

We've come all this way through hardships, and we still have to explore this place fraught with danger.

The most important thing right now is to preserve our strength and avoid any unforeseen complications.

If my injuries are too severe, and I encounter some unknown and terrifying trap within this bronze door, unpredictable accidents may occur.

"I see, Father is wise." Deford suddenly realized.

As Dean's voice rang out again, deep in thought, as the two walked slowly through the empty passageway.

"The roar that the Earth Blood Bat Dragon let out in its desperate struggle just now actually had a terrifying effect of directly intimidating the spiritual body."

Now that I think about it carefully, this beast doesn't actually possess the talent for mental attacks.

Dean's tone became more excited: "I suspect that this beast was imprisoned in this bronze door for too long. In his extreme hunger, he chewed on many extraordinary plants with mental enhancement effects. Over time, by chance, he figured out this way to save his life."

He paused, his voice growing increasingly fervent.

"Considering the dilapidated murals and ancient artifacts we see on both sides of the corridor... I'm pretty sure it's true!"

This place must have been a private garden used by some great figure in ancient times to keep living beings!

"That Earth Blood Bat Dragon with the bloodline of a true dragon was probably just a pet he casually tossed in to guard his house back then!"

And in the core area inside this bronze gate, he must have planted many unimaginably rare materials.

Dean took a deep breath: "If we could acquire some of these well-preserved ones, the benefits to our Shudalk family would be immeasurable!"

Outside.

Xilun clung to the wall like a gecko, listening quietly to the conversation inside, and had already grasped the gist of it.

"No wonder that strange creature is called the Earth Blood Bat Dragon, it even has the word 'dragon' in its name..."

"If even the pets that powerful ancient beings casually tossed aside could be this strong, it seems the situation here is far more complex than I imagined."

Xilun's eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not back down out of fear.

He continued to listen intently, refusing to step inside rashly, lest Dean, a second-tier extraordinary being, sense his heartbeat and killing intent. For a hunter, patience is paramount.

Inside the bronze gate, the empty and deathly silent passage seemed to have no end.

The dull sound of footsteps echoed between the stone walls as Dean and his son Deeford cautiously advanced, one in front of the other, carrying the fluorite that emitted a cold light.

Although Dean's speculation about the treasure had been thrilling, his years of experience as the head of the family and his harsh realities quickly brought him back to his senses.

As Dean walked, he said in a low voice, "Deeford, stop being so impatient. We need to prepare for the worst."

"The worst-case scenario?" Young Defford paused, then asked doubtfully, "Father, what do you mean?"

"That is, we risked our lives to come in, and in the end, we may not gain anything." Dean's voice sounded somewhat ruthless in the empty corridor.

Upon hearing this, Deeford's smile froze instantly, and he said unwillingly:

"Father, surely not? Such a vast place, filled with seals, that bronze door alone is priceless. How could we have gained nothing?"

Dean raised the fluorite in his hand, illuminating several huge, empty stone troughs on either side of the passage, and sighed:

"Look around. We've been walking along this main road for almost ten minutes, and apart from those rotten stones, we've found nothing. Doesn't that prove anything?"

He calmly analyzed:

"You should know that a very, very long time has passed since this ancient mysterious scholar established this place, perhaps hundreds or even thousands of years."

Even if this bronze gate once housed a vast medicinal garden, those precious and extraordinary plants would have either been devoured by the blood-bat dragon due to extreme hunger, or they would have naturally withered and turned to ashes long ago because the array's energy had dried up and could no longer sustain their habitat.

Hearing his father's cruel yet rational analysis, Defford deflated like a punctured balloon and hung his head in frustration.

"Then...then all that effort we put into driving Rox away, only to have him sneak in again, wasn't it all for nothing, like we got nothing at all?"

Seeing his son's pathetic state, Dean frowned, softened his tone, and said, "But it's not necessarily a hopeless situation."

"Some rare and precious things in nature have extremely strong vitality and do not require too many harsh environments. No matter how they are placed, their medicinal effects will only increase with the passage of time, and they will never wither and die."

A glimmer of hope rekindled in Dean's eyes as he gave an example: "Like the legendary 'Golden Snow Lotus'!"

He licked his chapped lips and said in a trembling voice:

"The Golden Snow Lotus is a rare treasure that has a deadly allure and terrifying effect even on fourth-tier extraordinary individuals!"

As long as this miraculous plant is not forcibly removed or its roots damaged, it can continuously absorb the energy of heaven and earth over a long period of time, increasing its medicinal efficacy.

"And most importantly..." Dean sneered, "This level of domineering wonder would never be consumed by that weakened Bloodbat Dragon."

Deeford's eyes lit up: "Why?"

"Because in its severely injured and malnourished state, once it swallows the Golden Snow Lotus, it will not only be unable to digest that enormous and extraordinary energy, but its blood vessels will burst from the force, causing it to die suddenly!"

Bloodbat Dragons are beings with extremely high intelligence; their instinct is to seek advantage and avoid harm, and they would never commit such a suicidal act.

The two talked as they rounded a huge bronze corner.

Just as they stepped into a spacious indoor stone hall, the father and son stopped talking abruptly, as if they had been frozen in place, and suddenly froze.

Their gazes pierced through the dim light, fixed on a high platform in the center of the stone hall.

As if they had seen something incredible, the father and son's chests began to heave violently, and their breathing instantly became heavy and rapid.

Outside the bronze gate.

Xiren, who had been eavesdropping using his ability to hear far and wide, caught the sudden, disordered breathing of the two.

"They've found something."

Xilun frowned. In order to hear more clearly and be ready to launch an attack at any time, he moved his feet very cautiously, silently moving along the broken semi-circular hole into a dark shadow inside the bronze door.

As soon as I stepped inside, the sounds of heavy breathing and ecstatic exclamations became clear again.

"Father...Father, look! That...that's it!"

Deeford's voice trembled with extreme excitement. He pointed at the platform, his fingers shaking uncontrollably. "It's a snow lotus! The legendary Tranquil Snow Lotus that nourishes the spirit! And... it has nine lotus leaves that look like white jade!"

"This is the finest Nine-Leaf Tranquil Snow Lotus! Judging by its color and radiance, it has grown for at least three hundred years!"

The two were breathing rapidly, as if they had seen a priceless treasure.

Hidden in the shadows, Xiren's dark pupils suddenly contracted the moment he heard the words "Tranquil Snow Lotus," and his heart pounded uncontrollably.

"The Tranquil Snow Lotus... has been found!"

This was the only mission that the crow lady had given him when he risked his life to enter the snowy wonderland!

Dean's weathered face was now filled with undisguised ecstasy and greed.

His gaze was fixed on the plant, and he said in a trembling voice:

"Not only that...look closely, there are two Tranquil Snow Lotuses! They are twins growing side by side!"

"We're rich! Father, our Shudalk family is about to turn our fortunes around completely!"

Blinded by greed, Deeford was about to take a step and rush madly toward the platform.

"Wait! Get out of my way!"

Dean, who was lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality. He grabbed Deeford by the back of his collar and yanked him backward.

Caught off guard, Deeford fell to the ground with a thud. Just as he was about to complain, his father's stern gaze stopped him.

Dean and his son Deeford finally managed to tear their gaze away from the crystal-clear, nine-petaled, two-stemmed, tranquil snow lotus.

Dean's face was so solemn it was almost dripping with tears. He pointed to the seemingly ordinary muddy ground below the platform, surrounded by the tranquil snow lotus.

"Look here, look at these faint, dark silver patterns in the soil."

Dean took a deep breath and said, word by word, "This is a 'field'."

Upon hearing the word "field," Deeford, who had been dominated by greed, shuddered as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water, and instantly calmed down.

In this extraordinary world, anything that can be linked to a "field" represents the terrifying methods of ancient mystics, a deadly trap capable of instantly annihilating them.