Elder Zhi's residence, a sprawling complex built into a natural cave formation, was a wealth of spiritual energy. Lin Wei found the meditation chamber easily. The powerful, steady rhythm of Elder Zhi's breathing indicated he was deep in seclusion, refining pills.
Lin Wei ignored the mat and the poison. He moved instead to the Elder's private resource storage closet, a heavy stone chamber sealed with an intricate, high-level Metal-Lock Inscription.
This seal was far more complex than Elder Sun's simple ward. It would take a master arrayist days to unpick.
Lin Wei pressed his hand to the cold stone. The Void Eye Edict flared to life within him.
"Advanced Locking Array. Earth and Metal elements. Energy required for Devouring: Substantial."
Lin Wei had a choice: drain the surrounding atmospheric Qi, which was risky, or drain some of his own stored Qi. He didn't hesitate. He poured a significant chunk of his Sixth Level energy into the Edict.
The Edict didn't just counter the lock's energy; it consumed it. A faint, silent hum vibrated through the stone, and the entire Metal-Lock Inscription evaporated into Lin Wei's core. His own Qi was replenished, having completed the process. The stone door swung open.
The sight inside made Lin Wei gasp, not out of greed, but out of sheer spiritual delight.
The room was filled with hundreds of High-Grade Spiritual Stones, glowing with a blinding white light. Alongside them were jars containing Grade 3 and 4 Spirit Herbs, and stacked boxes of gleaming, flawless Refinement Pills.
This was the treasure house of a wealthy, high-level cultivator.
Lin Wei wasted no time. He moved like a starving ghost, grabbing:
Twenty High-Grade Spiritual Stones. (Enough to power his cultivation for months).
Two bottles of discarded, but still potent, waste pill powder. (The residue of the Elder's successful refinements).
A single, dark-red Spirit Herb forgotten on a counter, emitting a powerful heat.
He devoured the two bottles of pill powder instantly. The Void Eye processed the refined waste—it was like drinking nectar compared to Elder Sun's trash.
Qi Condensation, Mid-Sixth Level.
He tucked the Spiritual Stones and the herb into his robes. He then, as a final, subtle act, took the Black Frost Toxin vial, opened it, and poured a few drops onto Elder Zhi's prized, high-grade spiritual sword resting on a stand. Not enough to ruin the weapon, but enough to subtly taint the Elder's Qi during his next combat use—a perfect sabotage that would deflect suspicion away from the theft.
He then melted out of the residence, relocking the stone door perfectly behind him.