"Uncle Qin, is there any need to be so excited about seeing me?" Lin Qian asked with a laugh, noticing Qin Wushuang's anxious expression.
Qin Wushuang quickly rushed over to Lin Qian, irritated by his nonchalant attitude. "You brat, what on earth were you thinking? Do you have any idea how dangerous it was to go to the death zone?"
"What's so bad about the death zone? At least I made a huge profit there. If you don't believe me, ask Lei Qian and the others how much loot we gathered from the relic inside the death zone." Lin Qian shrugged, clearly unconcerned.
Hearing this, Qin Wushuang turned to look at Lei Qian and his companions.
Seeing Qin Wushuang's gaze, Lei Qian and the others awkwardly chuckled.
"You rascals, you acted so disappointed about not getting any rewards, but it turns out you were hoarding all the spoils!" Qin Wushuang gave them a stern look before turning back to Lin Qian. "But never mind them—I'm more concerned about you. What exactly happened?"
At the same time, Mei Yuexia rushed forward, anxiously asking Lin Qian, "Why did only you come out? Where is Ye Xin?"
"Xin'er is still in seclusion, Master Mei. There's no need to worry," Lin Qian reassured her before turning back to Qin Wushuang. "As for what Uncle Qin asked, it's simple—the ancient relic can no longer be reopened."
"What did you just say?" Qin Wushuang, Mei Yuexia, and Haixiao Yun all exclaimed in unison, shock evident on their faces. The young disciples like Lei Qian also looked at Lin Qian in disbelief.
"What happened inside?" Lin Qian's tone made it clear he wasn't willing to elaborate further, which left Qin Wushuang and the others with mixed emotions.
The ancient relic had been a training ground for Nirvana Realm disciples from the three sects and five clans since its discovery, and the rewards from passing its trials had always been highly valuable.
Now, Lin Qian was telling them that the relic would never open again?
"Master Hai, thank you for standing with our Wanxiang Sect earlier. Here's a token of my appreciation." As everyone was lost in thought, Lin Qian suddenly spoke up, offering a ring to Haixiao Yun.
Seeing Lin Qian hand him the ring, Haixiao Yun was momentarily stunned before his eyes widened in realization. "A storage ring!"
A storage ring, like a spatial pouch, had an internal space for storing items and was considered a type of soul tool.
Even the lowest-grade storage ring was ranked at Middle-Earth (Zhong Yi).
The entire Near Sea Sect only had two storage rings, and they were both crude Middle-Earth grade.
Haixiao Yun himself wore one of these storage rings on his finger.
However, the storage ring on Haixiao Yun's hand looked dull and plain, like an iron ring embedded with a tiny space crystal.
In contrast, the ring Lin Qian handed him was crafted from brilliant blue iron, with intricate wave patterns engraved on it, and the entire ring was coated with a layer of space crystal.
Compared to the one Haixiao Yun wore, the difference was like night and day.
"Master Hai, I chose this design specifically for you. Do you like it?" Lin Qian asked with a smile, noticing Haixiao Yun was still stunned.
"Ah?" Haixiao Yun snapped out of his daze, quickly nodding. "I love it! This storage ring must be of a high grade, right?"
"Master Hai has sharp eyes. This is indeed a Middle-Upper grade (Zhong Jia) storage ring," Lin Qian confirmed with a smile.
As Haixiao Yun marveled at the ring, he sent his consciousness into it, quickly discovering what was inside.
When he saw the contents, Haixiao Yun's white beard trembled, and his hand slipped, causing the storage ring to fall.
Lin Qian swiftly caught the ring, chuckling as he handed it back to Haixiao Yun. "Master Hai, this is a small token of appreciation for the Near Sea Sect. After all, the lack of rewards in the relic this time is partially my fault. No need to be so shocked."
Haixiao Yun, his hands trembling, accepted the ring from Lin Qian. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Young Emperor, such a valuable gift... I don't know how to express my gratitude. But rest assured, the Near Sea Sect will stand firmly alongside the Wanxiang Sect."
"With Master Hai's assurance, I am at ease. I believe your sect will benefit even more in the future," Lin Qian replied, cupping his hands in respect. "Farewell for now."
Haixiao Yun understood Lin Qian's intent and expressed his gratitude several more times before leaving with his disciples, ignoring their puzzled expressions.
As Haixiao Yun and his disciples disappeared from view, Qin Wushuang and Mei Yuexia still hadn't fully processed what had just happened.
They couldn't comprehend why Haixiao Yun, a proud sect master, would humble himself so much before Lin Qian, even calling him "Young Emperor."
"Lin Qian, what exactly did you do to make Master Hai so eager to thank you?" Qin Wushuang asked, his curiosity piqued.
Lin Qian smiled and replied, "Uncle Qin, imagine you're the sect master of the Near Sea Sect, and I give you a storage ring filled with items worth more than the entire sect. How would you react?"
"More than the entire Near Sea Sect?" Qin Wushuang exclaimed in disbelief. "You're saying the contents of that storage ring are worth more than the entire sect?"
"Impossible!" Mei Yuexia also stood in stunned silence, unable to find words to express her disbelief.
Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, Lin Qian chuckled and pulled out two more storage rings. "Uncle Qin, to avoid you accusing me of favoring outsiders, here's something for you. And Master Mei, since Xin'er is my fiancée, I consider myself connected to the Divine Sword Sect, so this is for you."
Qin Wushuang and Mei Yuexia each took the rings from Lin Qian and immediately probed them with their consciousness.
After seeing the contents, they exchanged glances, both of them astonished and speechless.
Now, they fully understood why Haixiao Yun had reacted the way he did.
Mei Yuexia even began to think that with the wealth in this storage ring, it wouldn't take long for the Divine Sword Sect to surpass the Shengtian Sect.
"Lin Qian, although the Divine Sword Sect owes you a great debt for this gift, my senior sister won't be moved by it. You killed her only grandson, and she will undoubtedly seek your life," Mei Yuexia said, her face filled with concern.
Lin Qian, of course, knew that Mei Yuexia was referring to Fu Heng's grandmother, the Divine Sword Sect's Grand Elder.
"If she wants to court death, she's welcome to come after me," Lin Qian replied nonchalantly, dismissing her worries.
With his master, Wei Wushuang, backing him, Lin Qian had no fear of the Divine Sword Sect's Grand Elder causing him any trouble.