Treasure Vault

Some time later, within one of the most luxurious private chambers of the Red Feng Sect, Luo Yang sat in quiet comfort.

The room was filled with calming incense, and soft red curtains swayed gently from the breeze entering through carved spirit wood windows. Delicate formations hummed quietly in the walls, maintaining perfect temperature and balance of spiritual energy.

Luo Yang raised a porcelain cup to his lips, sipping his first tea in this new world.

The taste was sharp yet mellow, a blend of flameleaf petals and frost-root herbs—rare ingredients that carried faint spiritual properties. The warmth lingered in his throat, cooling in his meridians like a ripple through calm water.

Across from him stood Jiu You.

Though she was the Sect Leader of Red Feng Sect, she didn't sit—nor did she speak first. Instead, she stood with one hand resting against her hip, the other gently clasped near her waist. Her long crimson robe hugged her curves like it had been tailored by a craftsman with impure thoughts. A faint smile curved her lips, but her gaze remained watchful.

Inside, her thoughts raced.

"Luo Yang… The name of the sole heir of the Blood Dragon Saint. Why is he here, in a small city like this? Training? Testing someone? Or simply wandering for amusement?"

Her eyes lingered on his calm face. So young—barely into his twenties. And yet, already at early Core Spirit Realm, with the manner and poise of a dragon born to rule.

She kept her voice gentle. "Does Young Master Luo require anything from our humble sect?"

Luo Yang placed the cup down gently, his gaze steady. "Not particularly. I heard of Red Feng Sect's reputation… and yours, Sect Master Jiu You. Thought I'd see it for myself."

Her smile didn't fade, but her eyes sharpened.

"So it was only curiosity?"

"I suppose so," Luo Yang replied lazily. "Though I did hear something interesting… about a certain treasure your sect recently acquired from the Dragon Burial Mountain. Something... unusual."

Jiu You's fingers twitched slightly at his words.

"That?" she said lightly. "Just a rumor. It's of unknown origin and likely not worth much."

Luo Yang leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering just a bit.

"Whether it's worth something or not... shouldn't I be the one to judge that?"

His tone wasn't rude, but it held the casual confidence of someone used to authority. It sent a shiver down her spine.

Jiu You laughed softly—polite, controlled, yet with a hint of tension behind it. "Of course. Since Young Master asks, I wouldn't dare hide anything."

She paused, then added, "But… the item is currently kept in the sect's treasure vault."

Luo Yang stood without hesitation. "Then let's take a look."

She blinked once, then smiled again—though this time, the corners of her mouth were a little tighter.

Most guests weren't allowed near the sect's vault, but she reminded herself: this wasn't a normal guest. Someone from the Great Luo Dynasty wouldn't even glance at their minor treasures. Still, having such a man walk those halls felt like inviting a dragon into a den of foxes.

She gestured smoothly. "This way, please."

As they walked down the inner corridor, Luo Yang's gaze occasionally drifted.

Her high-slit robes revealed more than just leg. Each step she took gave brief flashes of thigh, her toned muscles flexing under soft silk. The thin belt around her waist only made her hourglass figure more prominent, and the exposed skin at her midriff glowed softly under the hallway's lantern light.

She knew he was looking.

She didn't say anything—but she felt the heat of his gaze like a touch on her skin.

For a moment, the only sounds were the soft echo of footsteps and the quiet hum of defensive arrays on the walls.

...

As Luo Yang and Jiu You walked deeper into the sect, the atmosphere shifted with every step.

They passed towering crimson pillars inlaid with ancient scripts, spiritual lanterns glowing softly from the walls. The deeper they moved into the sect's heart, the more refined the formations became—this was no longer a place for disciples or even inner elders.

A few elders glimpsed them from the upper balconies. Their eyes narrowed, some whispering through sound-transmission talismans. But none dared step forward. Just Jiu You's presence escorting this man personally, and her body language—soft but formal—was explanation enough.

"Sect Master would never act this way unless this guest is someone we can't afford to offend," an elder muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, Luo Yang walked silently, his mind focused… and slightly distracted.

He had spent nearly ten minutes beside a woman who could turn an entire city's population into infatuated fools. And with each movement, her curves whispered of forbidden pleasures and dangerous ambition.

But Luo Yang, though heated, didn't lose composure. Still, he couldn't deny his body's response. He kept his eyes straight ahead—mostly.

They finally reached the innermost part of the Red Feng Sect. The corridor ended at a majestic wall made entirely of smooth, greenish stone that shimmered faintly in the lamplight. No doors, no guards—just a seamless wall, seemingly unbreakable.

Luo Yang stopped.

His eyes narrowed as he examined the material. Then, a glint of recognition flickered across his gaze.

"Jade Spirit Rock," he muttered, running a finger along the surface. "Even a Core Spirit cultivator couldn't scratch this. Your Red Feng Sect certainly lives up to its name."

Jiu You gave a slight smile and replied modestly, "We were fortunate. A few veins of jade spirit rock were discovered decades ago. We used it to build only this vault."

She reached into her robes and took out a crimson-gold token, its surface etched with phoenix fire patterns. With a gentle touch against the jade, the entire wall began to pulse.

A low hum echoed around them.

Then, with a faint click, the jade wall slowly split down the middle and parted—revealing a passageway bathed in dim green light.

Inside, the treasure vault awaited.