Instantly, Zhou Yan's expression lit up with joy.
He knew that although he possessed the ability to devour divine souls, it still required immense resources for him to absorb and cultivate.
These medicinal herbs were precisely what he needed.
With a rustle, Zhou Yan stretched out his arm and effortlessly weaved through the pile of herbs, like a nimble fish darting through a sea of flora, transporting them all into his Qiankun Bag.
The quantity of these medicinal herbs was a staggering five hundred stalks. If sold, they would be enough to fetch Zhou Yan five hundred Spirit Coins.
"Hahaha..."
After finishing, Zhou Yan couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh heartily.
Five hundred Spirit Coins was, without a doubt, a colossal sum for him at this moment.
"Huh? There's actually a Profound Weapon here."
Suddenly, Zhou Yan's pupils constricted as he spotted a broken sword.
This broken sword was utterly dilapidated, its surface mottled with rust, as if it had endured the baptism of ages. Yet, a dense sword intent emanated from its blade, chilling Zhou Yan to the bone.
In the next moment, Zhou Yan's figure flickered, and a streak of sword energy sliced through the air, striking the broken sword.
Instantly, a piercing metallic clang reverberated. The broken sword trembled violently, emitting a humming resonance. A fierce sword intent erupted, forcing Zhou Yan back.
Zhou Yan retreated several feet, steadying himself, his gaze filled with shock as he stared at the broken sword in his hand.
He hadn't channeled any spiritual energy in that attack.
Yet, this tattered, broken sword had deflected his sword qi and, with its recoil, had sent him flying back, nearly injuring him.
The power of this broken sword was simply terrifying!
"Hiss! What a sharp broken sword, could it be a King-grade Spiritual Artifact?!"
Zhou Yan's eyes widened, his heart pounding.
In the Great Desolate World, King-grade Spiritual Artifacts were exceedingly precious.
Even a Grandmaster of the Innate Realm could barely forge one such artifact in their lifetime.
This clearly demonstrated the extraordinary nature of this broken sword.
"Kid, forget about it, run!"
At this very moment, a frantic roar from the Golden Lion echoed in his mind, causing Zhou Yan's expression to change.
"Move!"
Without a word, Zhou Yan's figure flickered, and he swiftly dashed out of the treasury.
A cold glint shot out, fiercely striking the mountain wall beside Zhou Yan. Instantly, the hard, unyielding rock face cracked, forming a deep pit, and dust billowed everywhere.
"Holy crap, what in the world is that?"
Seeing this, Zhou Yan was utterly terrified. His movements froze, and he stood rooted to the spot, not daring to take another step forward.
That surprise attack earlier was too horrifying. Had he been even a fraction of a second slower, his entire body would have been torn to shreds.
Suddenly, a strange sound came from the front, like something collapsing.
Zhou Yan looked up and saw a burst of flames erupting, transforming into a towering inferno that swept in all directions, engulfing the treasury.
"This... this is..."
Zhou Yan's pupils contracted as he stared at the scene in utter astonishment.
He saw a platform rising from the center of the treasury, with a flag planted atop it, fluttering in the wind.
In the next moment, figures in black clothing surged into the treasury's main entrance. Their killing intent was fierce, like wolves and tigers, their gazes vicious, striking fear into the heart.
"Damn it!"
Seeing this situation, Zhou Yan's expression changed drastically.
These black-clothed individuals clearly had malicious intent and were not mere treasure hunters.
"Kid, hurry and go."
At this point, the Golden Lion's voice rang out again, its tone grave.
"Mm."
Zhou Yan hesitated no longer. He stomped his foot, unleashing his Phantom Step technique, and charged towards the outer perimeter.
Soon, the black-clothed figures closed in, brandishing their swords and sabers, blocking Zhou Yan's path and weaving a dense net of blades, leaving him no escape.
"Scram!"
With a furious roar, Zhou Yan unleashed both fists, which bloomed like two suns, radiating intense heat that instantly tore through the blade net, allowing him to break free.
In an instant, over a dozen more individuals were sent crashing to the ground, blood flowing freely, and they fell unconscious.
Phew!
Finally escaping, Zhou Yan let out a sigh of relief. He turned to look back, and his eyelids twitched.
Inside the treasury, the stench of blood was thick, and corpses lay scattered haphazardly.
"Damn it, these guys are truly insane."
Looking at the bodies strewn on the ground, Zhou Yan couldn't help but click his tongue.
These people had actually engaged in a brutal struggle for the treasures within the treasury, resulting in heavy casualties.
Such events unfolded daily in the Martial Saints' Holy Lands.
"Kid, now's the time, quickly search and find out where those treasures are hidden! Hurry, hurry, don't delay, otherwise, once someone comes looking for them, we'll be in trouble."
Abruptly, the Golden Lion's furious roar sounded in his mind once more.
"Hmph, you think I don't know that?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yan's expression darkened. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "You don't need to remind me, I've already been searching."
"Apart from these corpses, there isn't even a ghost in sight!"
At this moment, Zhou Yan's face was grim, and his heart burned with anger. He had searched the treasury for a long time, examining almost every corner meticulously, yet found nothing.
He couldn't fathom how such a vast treasury could be devoid of any treasures.
This outcome was simply unbelievable.
"What's going on?!"
Zhou Yan's brows furrowed, and he sank into thought, murmuring to himself, "Logically, the items in the treasury should have been taken by them!"
The treasury was protected by three layers of mechanisms: poison, arrows, and hidden crossbows, forming a tight defense. Even a warrior of the Innate Realm would find it impossible to break in.
Furthermore, as far as he knew, only one of these mechanisms had a way to be bypassed, and that was with a key.
However, the key was in the possession of Zhou Yunlan, who was now dead. It was impossible for the key to have remained here.
"Not good!"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan seemed to realize something, his eyes narrowed, and his expression changed drastically.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, he immediately dashed out of the treasury.
Outside the treasury, a group of black-clothed figures stood guard.
These individuals wore uniform clothing, had long swords at their waists, stern faces, and icy gazes. They were fully alert, guarding the perimeter.
Zhou Yan scanned his surroundings. The area was quiet, with no apparent anomalies.
"Strange! Did I guess wrong?"
Zhou Yan's expression was one of suspicion. He lowered his head in thought, then shook it.
"Never mind, since I can't find anything, it's best to retreat for now."
After pondering, Zhou Yan decided not to act rashly and to avoid these people for the time being.
After all, these individuals wielded incredibly sharp steel sabers. Approaching them would undoubtedly put him in danger.
"Huh?"
However, suddenly, Zhou Yan's eyes flashed as he noticed faint traces of blood on the ground.
The bloodstain was a dark red hue, clearly indicating that fresh blood had recently dripped there.
"Could it be..."
Zhou Yan's heart leaped. He followed the bloodstains, cautiously moving forward.
Soon, he stopped before a stone chamber.
This stone chamber was ancient and sturdy, its surface built with layers of blue bricks. The walls were carved with various patterns, giving it an antiquated appearance.