Lin Feng shook his head. "Didn't see him. Probably escaped already." When that cultivator had fled past Lin Feng earlier, Lin Feng had been preoccupied with dealing with the Evil Cultivator and hadn't paid the fleeing man any attention. By the time the battle was over, the man was long gone, likely having fled far beyond their reach.
Wang Chen had only asked casually; this outcome wasn't unexpected. After a moment's thought, he said, "Never mind that guy. But we should definitely keep the Evil Cultivator incident a secret. Otherwise, we might invite trouble."
"Naturally." Lin Feng nodded in understanding. Who knew if the Evil Cultivator had a master, elders, or companions? If news spread that Lin Feng had killed him, it could easily bring down vengeful retaliation. Silence was prudent.
After exchanging a few more words, Wang Chen's enthusiasm bubbled over. "Alright, let's not waste any more time! Let's find that Ethereal Cloud Bloom!" He immediately turned his expectant gaze towards Xiao Qiu perched on Lin Feng's shoulder.
"Chiu!!" Xiao Qiu cooperated readily, lifting a paw decisively to point down a specific tunnel. Lin Feng and Wang Chen promptly headed in that direction.
...
Before long, Lin Feng distinctly caught the scent of a faint medicinal fragrance wafting through the air – refreshing and invigorating. The aroma drifted from the very end of the passage they were traversing.
Wang Chen, visibly more excited than Lin Feng, suddenly spotted a branching tunnel to their right. "Yes! This is it!" he exclaimed with delight. "I think I came from this way last time! The Ethereal Cloud Bloom should be just ahead!"
Unable to contain his eagerness, Wang Chen quickened his pace, breaking into a jog as he hurried deeper into the tunnel. Lin Feng followed close behind. Less than a hundred meters further, they emerged into a small, mist-hazed cavern. Nestled within soil of a deep, reddish hue, two plants about three inches tall swayed gently. Their blossoms resembled wisps of illusory white cloud – unmistakably the Ethereal Cloud Bloom!
Beside the two flowering plants lay a small, withered rootstalk – likely the remnant of the bloom the Loong-Tailed Crocodile had devoured earlier.
Though their primary objective was achieved, Wang Chen found himself thoroughly 'enjoying' this exploration guided by a spirit beast. It was easily the most effortless treasure hunt he'd ever experienced, making him reluctant to call it quits. Yet, the recent encounter with the Evil Cultivator gave him pause, prompting his hesitant question.
Lin Feng understood Wang Chen's meaning. He contemplated for several moments before replying, "I think... caution is the better course. Since we've found the Ethereal Cloud Bloom, let's head back now. We can always return another time if we're interested."
"Sounds good! I'll follow your lead!" Wang Chen grinned. "And remember what you said! You have to take me treasure hunting again when the chance comes!"
"Of course, no problem..." Lin Feng agreed. "Let's go."
...
By the time the duo arrived back at the teleportation plaza in Zhenhai City, a full day had passed. Navigating their way out of the subterranean maze was no simple feat. Even if one diligently left markers during exploration, they were easily lost or destroyed – whether by other explorers or lurking beasts. After spending the better part of a day winding through countless tunnels, they were fortunate to finally find their way back.
After parting ways with Wang Chen at the plaza, Lin Feng returned directly to his residence within the city. Securing the door, he finally relaxed, a wave of fatigue washing over him. This trip to Maze Island, though brief, had been fraught with unexpected peril – the encounter with the Evil Cultivator had been particularly dangerous. Thankfully, the rewards were substantial.
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Lin Feng took out the spatial ring holding the Ethereal Cloud Bloom. The two precious flowers, carefully preserved within a jade box, emanated a faint, soothing aura. Securing these meant the most crucial ingredient for the Golden Core Pill was now in hand. Once he gathered the remaining materials in the future, he wouldn't have to worry about sourcing a Nascent Soul Formation Pill. As for finding another alchemist to refine the pill, Lin Feng wasn't in a hurry. He was diligently studying alchemy himself; perhaps by the time he needed it, he'd be capable of crafting the Nascent Soul Pill personally.
Beyond the Ethereal Cloud Bloom, their haul included dozens of various grade-three spirit herbs, a significant quantity of grade-four and five forging materials, and over a dozen grade-three demon beast cores.
Only after meticulously sorting and categorizing all these gains did Lin Feng finally retrieve the Evil Cultivator's spatial ring and begin his inspection.
The sight that greeted his divine sense as it swept the ring's interior startled him profoundly. The sheer volume of items inside was staggering, easily surpassing the combined wealth he had acquired from the two Nascent Soul cultivators previously! It made grim sense. The Evil Cultivator had hunted an unknown number of cultivators within the maze. All their possessions had naturally fallen into his hands, unprocessed and unorganized, and were now Lin Feng's spoils.
Consider this: the collective personal wealth of nearly a hundred Golden Core cultivators, even if most were not particularly affluent wanderers, inevitably amounted to a fortune when pooled together.
Lin Feng had absolutely no inclination to play the 'honest finder' and return these items to the friends or families of their original owners. He immediately set about cataloging the trove with keen interest.
The results of his inventory left Lin Feng grinning from ear to ear. Just in mid-grade spirit stones, there were over three million! Added to that was a vast assortment of magic tools, cultivation arts, and spell techniques. The quantities of natural treasures and beast materials were even greater. It was truly an immense, windfall fortune.
The items plundered by the Evil Cultivator were all stored haphazardly in a separate section of the ring. From the items clearly belonging to the cultivator himself, Lin Feng also uncovered a few rather... peculiar things.