"Treasure-hunting rat? Is this thing even useful?" Qin Yang examined the motionless white rodent in his hand with curiosity. He considered whether to convert this creature into his own points.
"Useful? Of course it's useful! This treasure-hunting rat is an extremely rare mythical beast. It can sense every spirit medicine within a hundred-mile radius. No treasure can escape its tracking!"
Jin Wanshan's eyes widened in disbelief. How could such a precious treasure have fallen into Qin Yang's hands so easily?
"Then let's give it a try," Qin Yang said with a smile.
Qin Yang continued his conversation as if no one else were present. Gongsun Ming didn't dare to interject even a single word.
"Boss, you need to teach them a lesson right now!" Li Mingyang blurted out.
Gongsun Ming shot Li Mingyang a fierce glare. "You're always causing trouble for me!" he snapped. Without even bothering to retrieve the treasure-hunting rat, he turned and walked away.
What else could he do? Li Mingyang thought. He can't beat Qin Yang anyway.
Li Mingyang stared in shock. He never expected his boss to flee from Qin Yang like a coward. The treasure-hunting rat had been stolen right under their noses, and they couldn't even muster the courage to protest.
Lou Qinru's face burned with resentment, but she was powerless to act. She glared at Gongsun Ming as if he were the biggest failure she'd ever seen.
Is the boss getting scared, or is Qin Yang just that strong? Li Mingyang pondered, leaning toward the former. Maybe the boss is saving his strength for hunting mythical beasts?
Though Gongsun Ming had left, he hadn't gone far.
Seeing Lou Qinru and Li Mingyang's dejected expressions, Gongsun Ming sneered, "What's this? You think I'm afraid of Qin Yang?"
Lou Qinru remained silent. Isn't that exactly what it looks like?
Li Mingyang wanted to speak but held back. From this situation, it was clear Gongsun Ming was the one intimidated.
Gongsun Ming took a deep breath. "The treasure rat is in Qin Yang's hands. This is actually good for us!"
"Good?" Lou Qinru asked, confused.
Gongsun Ming explained, "The Qinling Mountains have remnants of the Qin Family's legacy, but most treasures there have been depleted. But why did the Qin Family settle in the Qinling Mountains in the first place?"
Li Mingyang couldn't follow the conversation, let alone contribute. This was clearly a matter involving the Eight Divine Clans. Still, being privy to such discussions thrilled him - more material for future bragging.
Gongsun Ming said, "As we all know, the Eight Divine Clans all live within secret realms. But the Qin Family was the exception, and that's precisely why they were wiped out. The Qin Family didn't live in a secret realm. Was it because they didn't have one?"
Gongsun Ming smiled. "They did! And it's right here in the Qinling Mountains! A thousand years have passed, and without the continuous maintenance of a Divine Clan, this secret realm must be on the verge of collapse. If it still exists, it's likely degraded to a Zongshi-level realm at best."
Li Mingyang's eyes lit up. "So you're saying, Boss, that we should have Qin Yang scout the way for us?"
Gongsun Ming nodded. "Exactly. Even a Zongshi-level realm would be too dangerous for us. Even a Zongshi Realm cultivator entering such a realm wouldn't be certain of making it out alive."
"As for the treasure rat..." Gongsun Ming clenched his teeth, his voice thick with anger. "That treasure rat can not only find treasures, but also avoid calamity. With it, we wouldn't just find treasures—we'd have a guarantee of safety..."
"Then why don't we just take back the treasure rat and search for the secret realm ourselves?" Li Mingyang asked.
The atmosphere turned tense with silence. Gongsun Ming's expression darkened as he persisted, "I've already said it—the secret realm is no trivial matter! It's fraught with peril! Even with the treasure-hunting rat, does that guarantee our safety?"
Lou Qinru snorted, "But the treasure-hunting rat is in Qin Yang's hands. If they find the secret realm and the treasure, what use is it for us to follow behind? If we can't even reclaim the rat, how can we compete for the treasure?"
Gongsun Ming spoke up, "We can't match Qin Yang alone, but... we could recruit more people to join forces! He'll find out eventually anyway. Why not make the information public now?"
Lou Qinru's eyes lit up. "Exactly! We might not outdo Qin Yang, but we can certainly outdo others! By forming alliances, who would dare challenge the Eight Divine Clans? In the end, they'd just be working for us for free!"
After discussing their plan, Li Mingyang went to contact others while Gongsun Ming and Lou Qinru trailed Qin Yang from a distance, leaving markers along the way.
Meanwhile, Qin Yang had already established dominance over the Treasure Rat. With the Dragon Jade in his possession, the little creature didn't dare resist.
When Qin Yang tossed the Treasure Rat onto the ground, the white rodent immediately scurried away, occasionally glancing back to check if Qin Yang was following.
"How amusing," Qin Yang chuckled, unable to suppress his laughter.
The Treasure Rat lived up to its reputation. Within moments, it had already located several spirit medicines.
However, each of these treasures was guarded by mythical beasts. Fortunately, the creatures' levels were low, and they ultimately became part of Qin Yang's group's score.
"Is there something wrong with this Treasure Rat?" Qin Yang frowned. "Why is it only finding treasures guarded by mythical beasts? Is it trying to get us killed?"
In the distance, a third-tier spirit medicine emitted an alluring fragrance, but two bruising bears lay resting nearby.
Lou Mengyu pondered for a moment before suggesting, "Treasure Rats seek fortune and avoid calamity, but their judgment depends on their master's strength. Perhaps it knows you're powerful enough that these mythical beasts pose no real threat?"
Jin Wanshan nodded in agreement.
Qin Yang was half-convinced. "Really?" He couldn't shake off a lingering sense of unease.
Does the Treasure Rat know my true strength? But did it account for the Dragon Jade? If it did...
To the Treasure Rat, the Dragon Jade might as well belong to a different universe. If it had factored in the jade's power, given its terror of the artifact, it might think itself invincible across the realm.
The crux of the matter was that the Dragon Jade's only practical use lay in its dragon-like aura...
As Lou Mengyu and Jin Wanshan advanced in cultivation, they seized the opportunity to hone their skills against two raging bears. After a grueling battle, they successfully eliminated the high-level demonic beasts.
The Treasure Rat resumed its journey, venturing deeper into the Qinling Mountains.
Night began to fall, but none of the trio wanted to rest, pressing onward instead. Soon, they spotted an eerie glow ahead, emitting a pale, bluish-white radiance.
"Could this be a heaven-defying treasure?" Jin Wanshan exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he hurried forward. But his enthusiasm quickly faded into bewilderment.
"What's wrong? What kind of treasure is it?" Qin Yang rushed over, only to find himself facing... a luminous portal?
The so-called light gate appeared to be a spatial rift, leading to what seemed like another world beyond it.
"A secret realm!" Lou Mengyu exclaimed. "After the Qin Family's destruction, the entrance's formation was no longer maintained. It's been drifting unpredictably ever since, difficult to locate. I never thought the Treasure Rat could find the secret realm!"
"A secret realm?" Qin Yang paused, recalling Dragon Jade's words from before.
The Celestial Continent is boundless, with thousands of secret realms...
Above the secret realms lies the Divine Realm...
"What's inside the secret realm?" Qin Yang asked.
Jin Wanshan and Lou Mengyu exchanged glances. After a long moment, Jin Wanshan's voice betrayed his excitement as he said, "Everything!"