Chapter 264

The old monk's face had turned utterly grim, and seeing Gong Yue's actions, his pupils shrank sharply as he gritted his teeth and spoke:

"Even if everything you say is true, do you now intend to kill me?"

Though I am not the true reincarnation of Jialan Shangren, as you said, my soul does contain a trace of his primordial essence—I am, in a sense, your half-master.

If you strike, you risk backlash from the Mirror of Refining Moon, causing this sliver of sentience to vanish from the cosmos."

"Why would I kill you?"

Jialan's only instruction to me was to observe this reincarnation trial.

What you did during the process, who you became, even whether you succeeded in reincarnation—none of it mattered to him. He only wanted a correct or incorrect outcome."

Gong Yue replied calmly, then retracted the silver glow in his hand; the ancient silver mirror vanished into his body without a trace.

The next instant, his previously semi-transparent form solidified, becoming as real as flesh and blood, bathed in flowing silver light.

Wang Yu, seeing this, glanced twice at Gong Yue's now-solid body—but found no difference from an ordinary human.

"Then why are you here now? To stop me from opening the treasure vault and taking its contents?" The old monk, reassured by Gong Yue's reply, turned his gaze again to the massive copper door now open.

He did not know what seals lay beyond the door; from outside, the vault appeared utterly black, and even his spiritual sense could not penetrate a single inch.

For a man who had lived six or seven hundred years, whether he was Jialan Shangren's reincarnation no longer mattered much.

All he cared about now was obtaining the Nascent Soul cultivator's treasures, to acquire more longevity elixirs, perhaps even break through to a higher realm and extend his life once more.

"I nearly forgot—you don't know that behind this copper door, there is nothing at all. The treasures in your memory were false impressions deliberately implanted by Jialan into that primordial essence." Gong Yue, seeing the old monk's burning gaze toward the vault, suddenly remembered something and shook his sleeve backward.

With a loud "crack," something shattered behind the copper door, and countless white runes drifted out from the stone hall, dissolving instantly before everyone's eyes.

The interior of the stone hall became instantly clear—rows of empty iron shelves were fully exposed to the old monk's sight.

"Impossible."

The old monk refused to believe his eyes. He unleashed his spiritual sense, scanning the hall repeatedly, his face filled with despair. He hurled the circular bell to the ground, collapsed half-dead, as if all will to live had vanished.

Wang Yu showed no expression on his face, but inside, he exhaled a quiet sigh of relief.

At this moment, Gong Yue glanced at the blood-soaked Yuan Tong on the ground and said:

"This little one also carries a fragment of Jialan's primordial essence. He cannot die here—I must save him."

As soon as he spoke, he gestured toward the ground far away.

The severed arm immediately rose into the air and landed precisely on Yuan Tong's mangled shoulder.

Then, brilliant silver light burst forth from Gong Yue's front; the Mirror of Refining Moon slowly coalesced, and after a single flick toward the young monk, a pale green beam shot out, enveloping him completely.

An unbelievable sight appeared!

Within the green light, countless blood filaments surged from Yuan Tong's chest and shoulder wounds, weaving rapidly into flesh buds visible to the naked eye.

Within mere breaths, the young monk's chest wound vanished entirely, and his severed arm was fully reattached, healed as if never broken.

As a few strands of black vapor rose from Yuan Tong's skin under the green light, his previously fading vitality surged back—he rose instantly from the ground and bowed deeply to Gong Yue, speaking respectfully:

"Thank you, Master Gong, for saving me. I am eternally grateful."

Clearly, Yuan Tong was not unaware of what had just transpired.

"I saved you for my own reasons.

Following Jialan's orders, I may now fulfill one feasible request from each of you reincarnations—as his compensation to you." Gong Yue waved his hand, and after the silver mirror vanished back into his body, he spoke casually to all present.

Yuan Tong and Wang Yu both froze in surprise.

The old monk, moments ago resigned to death and indifferent to all, suddenly leapt to his feet and shouted at Gong Yue in a hoarse voice:

"One request? I demand a high-grade longevity elixir that extends life by over a hundred years. You cannot refuse— I know such a pill means nothing to Jialan, a Nascent Soul cultivator."

At this moment, the old monk clung to this as his final lifeline.

"My request," Yuan Tong said after a brief pause, "is a relic pearl born from the Fanshenfugu."

Wang Yu could only sigh inwardly, his face showing envy.

A promise from a fourth-rank Nascent Soul cultivator was a tremendous opportunity—but it seemed to have nothing to do with him, an outsider. Perhaps he should just find a chance to slip away quietly.

"A longevity elixir and a relic pearl—no problem. Both are within my capability." Gong Yue accepted both requests immediately.

He turned toward the massive Fanshen still bound by crimson rune-chains, formed a hand seal, murmured incantations, then pointed at it from afar.

A sharp "crack" echoed from within the Fanshen, which then suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a golden crystal the size of a thumb, which floated gently into Gong Yue's palm.

This was the relic pearl!

Wang Yu widened his eyes, staring at the object several times.

The young monk's gaze never left the golden crystal—it was the key to his future Foundation Establishment, even Golden Core formation. How could he not be stirred?

At this moment, Gong Yue plunged one hand into his own chest, withdrew a vermilion wooden box, and said calmly to the old monk:

"Inside is a third-rank 'Celestial Fate Snow Lotus Pill' collected by Jialan—top-grade quality. A single dose will extend your life by roughly a hundred years."

"Yes, I want it." The old monk stared fixedly at the vermilion box, his voice trembling.

"I have retrieved both items, but I can give only one to either of you." Gong Yue's face suddenly twisted with a strange expression.

"Master Gong, what do you mean?" Yuan Tong's heart lurched.

The old monk's face also changed drastically.

"It's simple: Jialan's command to me was to fulfill only one request. Now you are two people, each demanding something different—that's two requests.

Only one of you may receive what you want. Decide now—who will withdraw?" Gong Yue said slowly.