Mortal: Starting by looting Han Laomo's entire herb garden

A talisman flew out of the storage bag. It was entirely silver with ancient and intricate patterns, and it emitted a hazy silver light as soon as it came into contact with the air.

The Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman.

Lu Yan was overjoyed and couldn't wait to infuse the talisman with spiritual power.

The talisman immediately emitted a bright silver light, forming six layers of light shield around its body.

He remembered that there should be the legacy of an ancient cultivator nearby. Just as he was about to continue deeper, he heard the sound of wind breaking behind him.

Xiang Zhili rushed in.

The old man stood at the door, his old eyes fixed on the six layers of silver light shield on Lu Yan's body. His pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly put on a smile again.

"Oh my, fellow Daoist, you're so quick." He rubbed his hands together as he stepped forward, his tone somewhat ingratiating. "I've been trying to figure out how to get in for ages, but I never expected you to have a way to open the barrier. You really can't judge a book by its cover."

Lu Yan frowned slightly and quietly retreated into the tower.

Xiang Zhili wasn't embarrassed at all. He took two steps closer and looked back and forth between Lu Yan and the skeleton, clicking his tongue in amazement: "Fellow Daoist, you've gained quite a lot on this trip. I've heard of this Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman before, and seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "Fellow Daoist, I have a suggestion. There should be more than this in this tower. Look at the storage ring on that skeleton, and there might be even better treasures deeper inside the tower. How about we explore together and split the spoils fifty-fifty?"

As Lu Yan retreated, he asked, "Was that round-faced Yellow Maple Valley disciple outside also working with you in this way?"

Xiang Zhili's smile froze.

Lu Yan continued, "He's lying outside now, and you're already thinking of cooperating with me?"

Xiang Zhili's smile froze for a moment, then he quickly put on a helpless expression and waved his hands repeatedly: "Misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding!"

"That kid insisted on showing off, and I couldn't stop him! This forbidden area is dangerous, and it's normal for someone to die. He was killed by the restriction because he wasn't skilled enough."

He took another step forward, his tone sincere: "I only cooperate with the strong! Fellow Daoist, you were able to obtain the token to open the restrictions here, and you managed to get here alive, which is enough to show that you are a capable person!"

Lu Yan sneered inwardly. That round-faced guy was clearly tricked into coming here by you. This person is truly shameless!

Lu Yan's tone carried a hint of distance: "This tower is fraught with danger, and my cultivation is too shallow to risk my life. I am already satisfied with obtaining this Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman; the rest is up to you, fellow Daoist."

Xiang Zhili's smile froze again. He stared at Lu Yan for a few moments, then smiled with a hint of amusement.

"interesting."

He straightened up, and his originally hunched figure gradually became upright.

A faint but powerful aura emanated from him.

Lu Yan felt a chill run down his spine and took another step back.

"I originally intended to speak with you properly," Xiang Zhili said, his voice no longer lewd but carrying a faint air of authority: "I didn't expect you to be such a smart person, not easily fooled."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the six layers of silver light shield surrounding Lu Yan, his eyes burning with fervor: "I am Xiang Zhili from Xiling Mountain, one of the four Nascent Soul cultivators of the Great Jin Dynasty. I entered this forbidden area today to investigate a spatial node, and meeting you is quite an unexpected delight."

He paused, his tone calm yet undeniably authoritative: "This Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman is of great use to me. For a junior like you in the Qi Refining stage to possess it is a waste. Give it to me, and I'll do you a favor."

Lu Yan remained silent.

Seeing this, Xiang Zhili remained unmoved and held up three fingers: "How about this, you give me the talisman, and I'll give you three top-tier magic treasures, plus three million spirit stones, how about it?"

Lu Yan remained silent, only retreating.

Xiang Zhili frowned, then held up five fingers: "Five magic treasures, five million spirit stones, and I'll even guarantee your Nascent Soul stage. This is my greatest sincerity."

Lu Yan remained silent, only retreating.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Xiang Zhili's tone was somewhat impatient: "Young man, I'm only being polite by speaking to you. Do you really think the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman can protect you? This talisman is indeed powerful, but it's not invincible!"

"Although this talisman is incredibly wondrous, it can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to repair itself even if it is damaged. However, if I set up a Spirit-Severing Array to isolate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, I can wear you down to death with my Nascent Soul cultivation."

"Moreover, the forbidden area will close in a little over a day. I will guard this entrance. Once the forbidden area closes and you are trapped here to death, the talisman will still be mine."

Lu Yan retreated continuously until he entered the depths of the tower, where a skeletal skeleton sitting cross-legged came into view. It was the true owner of this ruin.

A glint flashed in his eyes, and his tone was firm: "What you say is absolutely right, senior. I, Su Huanzhen of the Qingxu Sect, am merely a Qi Refining cultivator and am naturally no match for you. However, this talisman is extremely important to me, so I am afraid I cannot comply."

If you insist on taking it, senior, then I can only… offend you!

Lu Yan took out a wooden box, opened the lid, and a bead lay inside, emanating a chilling aura of destruction.

Xiang Zhili's gaze fell on the bead, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the composure on his face shattered instantly.

He was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, leaping three zhang away in an instant.

"The Annihilation... Annihilation Pearl!?"

Xiang Zhili leaned against the tower wall, his face full of utter disbelief. Although the appearance of this Immortal-Slaying Pearl was slightly different from what he remembered, the energy fluctuations it contained were the same.

You have the Immortal-Slaying Pearl? You should have said so earlier!

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lu Yan waved his hand and put the entire skeleton sitting cross-legged into his storage bag.

Xiang Zhili's eyes widened: "You!"

Lu Yan turned back and continued, "Senior is knowledgeable and experienced, so you will naturally recognize this item. My cultivation is low, and I dare not be your enemy, but this talisman is truly not to be given up. If you insist on taking it, I will have no choice but to fight to the death."

Once this Immortal-Slaying Pearl is activated, no one in this tower can escape. Senior, are you sure you want to perish together with me here?

Seeing this, Xiang Zhili pretended to be calm: "You think you can scare me with a single Immortal-Slaying Pearl? At most, an Immortal-Slaying Pearl will consume a little of my lifespan. I can afford that price."

Lu Yan remained calm upon hearing this: "I learned by chance that there is a treasure in the Spirit Realm called Lei Zhenzi. Tens of thousands of years ago, when the Demon Realm invaded, cultivators from the Spirit Realm brought it down to the mortal realm, where it was called the Immortal-Slaying Pearl by the people of the human realm."

"However, because the refining techniques of those cultivators from the Spirit Realm were crude, they could only unleash one-tenth or one-twelfth of the power of the genuine Lei Zhenzi."

"But what I have is different. This is the genuine Lei Zhenzi, which is five or six times more powerful than the Immortal-Slaying Pearl you've seen before."

Xiang Zhili's expression changed. He stared at the bead, his eyes filled with apprehension.

The kid's words didn't seem fake. If it really was true, I really wouldn't be able to resist him.

He gave Lu Yan a deep look. This kid has the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman for defense and the Immortal Extinction Pearl for offense. Are the Qi Refining stage cultivators this outrageous now? Who are these people who came in?