Volume One: The Cloudy Immortal Palace Chapter Seventy-Two: The Turtle That Stirred Public Outrage

Chapter Seventy-Two: The Turtle That Incited Public Outrage

On one side, flames roared and surged; on the other, cold mist billowed. Two utterly contrasting pools—one hot, one cold—were divided by a winding path reminiscent of a dragon or serpent. Along this slightly wider road, a pure white crystal coffin lay quietly at its center, lidless, revealing a dazzling array of celestial treasures within, as well as a blue square box.

Around the crystal coffin, red flowers and grasses were planted, strikingly vivid, like works of art forged from blood crystals—translucent, fragrant, each stalk a priceless treasure. For they had been watered by the blood of the Dragon King, and if any present could obtain them, it would assuredly allow a breakthrough, enabling one to ascend to Golden Immortal!

Yet these dragon blood flowers now posed a thorny problem. Arranged as a barrier, they prevented anyone from approaching the coffin, becoming perilous in themselves. Only Golden Immortal experts could attempt to unravel the barrier; for others, venturing forth meant instant death, rebounded by its force.

“It seems it’s time to bring out our secret treasures!” The strongest disciple from the Fire Plain, Fire Yi, shook his head regretfully.

The top experts had deliberated for a long while, trying various methods to attack the barrier or find its weak points, but each attempt ended in disappointment. Thus, Fire Yi had no choice but to resort to this last option.

All four major factions had long prepared for such contingencies, instructing their disciples to carry secret treasures. Though powerful, these treasures could only be used once, reserved for the most desperate moments.

“This barrier is extraordinary. Even our combined strength cannot affect it in the slightest. Apart from using the secret treasures, I see no other way.” Wind He narrowed his eyes, casting one last glance at the dragon blood flowers with a sigh.

Truth be told, they were reluctant to use their secret treasures, for doing so meant they had exhausted all their tricks, their backs against the wall. Worse yet, they hadn’t even glimpsed the greatest treasure of the Crystal Palace’s vault before resorting to their trump cards—a waste, without doubt.

Everyone knew the trials ahead would only grow harder.

“Let us begin. Thunder Mountain will go first!” A man and a woman stepped forward—the two strongest disciples of Thunder Mountain, who had recently ascended the crystal throne. The man was named Lei Yan; the woman, Lei Shan.

With the surge of their celestial energy, a hammer the size of a human head appeared before the crowd, its body purple-gold, entwined with lightning, shaped like a pumpkin. It was Thunder Mountain’s secret treasure—the Purple Gold Gourd!

Lei Yan and Lei Shan, both prodigies in the way of thunder, now radiated purple lightning. The Purple Gold Gourd moved in accord with their gestures, building power for the strongest blow to break the barrier.

Boom!

At last, they unleashed their attack, pushing the gourd’s power to its limit. The hammer swept through the void, striking fiercely toward the crystal coffin, but met without surprise a blood-red barrier. The barrier sprang up suddenly, formed by the dragon blood flowers’ power, intended solely to prevent outsiders from approaching; normally, it was entirely dormant.

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The Purple Gold Gourd collided with the barrier, sparking dazzling arcs of electricity. The entire barrier shuddered violently, but then—nothing.

“Again!” Lei Yan clenched his fists and shouted, preparing a second assault.

This time, the gourd grew enormous, the size of a small mountain. The dull impact echoed, shaking everyone present. The barrier rippled with energy waves, yet remained unbroken.

“Let Rain Lake try!” At that moment, a blue-robed man stepped forward, holding a deep blue pearl.

“A replica of the Sea Suppressing Pearl!” Many disciples from the four major factions cried out in astonishment—the treasure was clearly renowned.

“Cough… Senior Sister, what’s the story with the Sea Suppressing Pearl?” Zhou Hao glanced around at the murmuring crowd, all focused on the blue pearl, yet he knew nothing. He quickly turned to Su Qing beside him for help.

Su Qing’s brow furrowed, her expression grave. “The Sea Suppressing Pearl is the treasure of the Sea Dragon King of the Sun-Moon Celestial Domain’s Heluo School Star Region. It’s said to possess unrivaled power, able to suppress starry sea eyes.”

“So that’s it! No wonder the pearl draws such amazement.” Zhou Hao nodded in understanding, then suddenly recalled something.

“Heluo School? Sea Dragon King? Could it be the famed Sea Dragon King of Luo?”

He had studied celestial texts for decades; though ignorant in many matters, he knew his star region was at the southernmost edge of the Heluo School. Mentioning Heluo conjured images of the two strongest Celestial Kings: the Han River King and the Sea Dragon King of Luo!

The Han River King was human; the Sea Dragon King, a sacred celestial spirit. Together, they governed the vast Heluo Star Region, and the so-called sixteen celestial halls were ultimately in service to them.

“Indeed. But it’s strange—why would Rain Lake possess a replica of the Sea Suppressing Pearl? Even replicas of a peerless king’s treasure shouldn’t appear among the four factions. There’s…” Su Qing was puzzled, but had no time to contemplate further—the blue pearl was flung out.

This time, excitement erupted, for the result was almost too smooth. The pearl barely brushed the blood-red barrier, and instantly the latter melted away like snow, vanishing without the slightest tension or suspense.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

No time to hesitate; everyone rushed forward. With the barrier broken, the Dragon King’s coffin and its treasures would soon return to the world.

“Wakaka! Xiao Hao, hurry up—grab them! You fool, faster—never mind, I’ll do it. So many dragon blood flowers and grasses, I can ascend directly to immortal, haha!” As Zhou Hao reached the dragon blood flower thicket, the turtle immediately poked its head out, so urgently that it was obvious: this creature had been feigning death, waiting to reap the rewards!

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The turtle hopped about among the flowers and grass, its face plastered with a smile that, from any angle, reeked of mischievous cunning. Zhou Hao instinctively moved to snatch it away, for he realized something bad—

But he was too late. The turtle’s little maw swallowed an exquisitely blooming dragon blood flower whole, root and all… Then, it proceeded to demonstrate to everyone present what “a beast gnawing on peonies” truly meant—or rather, a turtle gnawing on peonies.

The four factions’ disciples, who had been picking dragon blood flowers, stared in stupefied amazement. A pitch-black turtle was desecrating these celestial treasures! It was a veritable plundering—within the blink of an eye, the turtle had devoured a dozen dragon blood flowers.

Soon, the ring of dragon blood flowers that once encircled the crystal coffin, like a verdant belt, was ruined beyond recognition. Those pulled up by the roots were the lucky ones—some blossoms were half-chewed, saliva still clinging; others bitten off, tooth marks clear; the unluckiest, flattened under the turtle’s rear.

All this, courtesy of the turtle, whose appetite rivaled ten bandits. Wherever it went, devastation followed, a scene of utter chaos.

Now it sat amid the trampled grass, occasionally burping, clearly stuffed. Beside it, Zhou Hao was on the verge of tears—he’d managed to pick only two dragon blood flowers and four stalks of dragon blood grass. The turtle’s speed was unmatched; no one could keep up. Worse, it was disgustingly petty—some flowers, it merely mouthed, coating them in saliva, rendering them unfit for others. Its shamelessness was infuriating!

“Where did this turtle come from? Damn it, I only managed three dragon blood flowers, and it’s eaten itself full?!”

“I’ll skin it alive! This is outrageous—so many dragon blood flowers and grasses, all wasted on this turtle.”

“Ahhhh, I’m furious! I’ll kill it—this vile turtle, not only eating flowers and grass, but contaminating them with saliva so we dare not touch them. Shameless, despicable creature—I’ll see it dead!”

Not only Zhou Hao, but everyone seethed with public indignation, voices raised in fury, threatening to slaughter the turtle for its audacious feast. The disciples of the four factions were not bluffing—their weapons were already drawn, sharpening their blades for the turtle.

“Ah, turtle-killing! Help! Damn!”

Next moment, cries of slaughter rang out. Weapons of every kind were brandished as the crowd surged toward the turtle, eyes ablaze with anger and resentment. For the first time, everyone was united in their resolve to destroy this wasteful beast. Terrified, the turtle shrank its head, tail, and limbs into its shell, trembling for its life.