Chapter 713: The Earth Sovereign's Treasure
"Alright, Xiao Ze's strength has increased, which is a great benefit to the Great Luo Heavenly Domain," Mandala said, her tone carrying a mix of surprise and approval. She stood before Xiao Ze, still marveling at his rapid growth.
"With his power, he'll play a pivotal role in the rest of the Fallen Battlefield," she added before her expression turned serious. "But we're likely to encounter other top tier forces soon. To avoid any unexpected incidents, it's better for us to stick together from now on."
Mandala's suggestion was met with nods of agreement from the Three Kings.
If it hadn't been for Xiao Ze eliminating Blood Tiger, one of the Blood Spirit Sect's elders, the group might have continued their strategy of splitting up to search for the Earth Sovereign's treasure.
But Blood Tiger's death served as a reminder of the dangers lurking in the battlefield. Unlike the Great Luo Heavenly Domain, some other factions might have chosen to stick together, which could pose a severe threat if a lone member from their group encountered such a party.
From that point forward, the Great Luo Heavenly Domain's group maintained a tighter formation, never straying farther than a few hundred miles from each other.
This change in strategy, however, came at the cost of efficiency.
The Fallen Battlefield was vast, and the treasures left behind by Earth Sovereigns were hidden deep within its treacherous terrain, further obscured by the natural formations of the battlefield. Even after eons, many Earth Sovereign treasures remained undiscovered, waiting for their lucky finders.
That said, even top tier forces often left the battlefield empty handed. Finding an Earth Sovereign's treasure was a rare stroke of luck. More commonly, such treasures became the center of fierce disputes between rival factions.
The kind of large scale contention seen in the case of the Fourth Hall Master of the Ancient Heavenly Palace, which had drawn seven top tier forces together, was exceedingly rare.
For most expeditions, even without uncovering an Earth Sovereign's treasure, gathering Fallen Source Pills was considered a satisfactory outcome.
These pills, apart from their role in unlocking Earth Sovereign treasures, contained potent spiritual energy and served as excellent cultivation resources. Though incomparable to the treasures of an Earth Sovereign, they ensured that expeditions weren't entirely in vain.
For the next ten days, the Great Luo Heavenly Domain's party scoured thousands of miles of the battlefield without encountering any other top tier factions.
Xiao Ze's earlier encounter with Blood Tiger had been a coincidence, prompted by the sweeping spiritual energy storm that had forced the Blood Spirit Sect elder to seek refuge in the same black mountain.
During their continued exploration, the group uncovered several ancient relics, preventing their journey from being completely fruitless.
Xiao Ze's Rapid Advancement
At one of their rare resting points, deep within a cave in the black mountain, Xiao Ze seized the opportunity to process his accumulated gains.
Using a spiritual energy barrier, Xiao Ze isolated himself in a corner of the cave, where he began refining the essence of the soul sources he had collected.
Golden flames danced around him, burning away the impurities and negative emotions from the soul sources until only the purest essence remained, which Xiao Ze absorbed into himself.
Simultaneously, he used Supreme Spirit Liquid to cultivate new roots of the Source Tree, expanding his Golden Army.
Nearly two months had passed since the group entered the depths of the Fallen Battlefield, and Xiao Ze's progress had been remarkable.
Despite channeling a significant portion of his resources into creating golden warriors, Xiao Ze did not neglect his spiritual cultivation. Encounters with ancient relics had occasionally provided him with unique opportunities, allowing his cultivation to break through to the Ninth Grade Sovereign level.
While his progress might seem slow compared to his earlier pace, the gap between each level in the later stages of Sovereign cultivation was immense, requiring both tremendous resources and extraordinary talent.
This challenge explained why so many sought out fortuitous opportunities in places like the Fallen Battlefield. For most cultivators, progressing through sheer effort alone was almost impossible at higher levels.
Even those backed by the unparalleled resources of the Five Divine Clans or other supreme forces would eventually face bottlenecks.
When Xiao Ze finally absorbed the last wisp of soul essence, his eyes opened. They glowed with a profound light, and gazing into them was like staring into a vortex capable of devouring one's soul.
"My soul strength has grown again. This battlefield truly is a treasure trove for me," Xiao Ze mused.
"Ordinary late stage Sovereigns couldn't leave behind soul sources of this quality. It's likely that these wraiths are the amalgamations of multiple powerful souls, drawn together by the unique environment of the Fallen Battlefield."
As Xiao Ze pondered, he waved his sleeve, summoning dozens of golden lights before him. These lights absorbed the energy of the purified soul sources, gradually transforming into golden warriors clad in battle armor and wielding weapons, brimming with battle intent.
"Finally, I've reached five thousand warriors," Xiao Ze murmured with satisfaction as he surveyed his strengthened army.
His thoughts were interrupted by a message from Mandala.
"Are you finished? Hurry over! We've found the Earth Sovereign's treasure!"
Xiao Ze's eyes lit up with surprise. He immediately dispelled his protective barrier, packed away his belongings, and prepared to leave.
At the edge of the cave, Spirit Eye King paced restlessly. Spotting Xiao Ze, he sighed in relief and approached.
"You received the Domain Lord's message, didn't you?"
Xiao Ze nodded. "Yes. I apologize for troubling you to stand guard while I cultivated."
"It's no trouble. But let's not waste time. The Domain Lord and the others have already gone ahead to investigate."
Xiao Ze quickly deduced the situation. His prolonged seclusion must have prompted Mandala to take Slumber King and Sky Vulture King to explore a promising lead. Their efforts had apparently borne fruit, finally revealing the location of an Earth Sovereign's treasure after nearly two months of relentless searching.
With no time to waste, Xiao Ze and Spirit Eye King followed the spiritual markers left behind, heading toward Mandala's position.
(End of Chapter )
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