Chapter 333: Like a Cow Chewing Peonies

Chapter 333: The Ox Chews the Peach Blossom

Xu Qing's words had barely been spoken when the team leader turned around, spotting a series of dazzling treasures hanging on a clothes rack in the distance. His eyes widened instantly.

There were dozens of them, all neatly arranged, the fabric smooth without a single crease, each separated by a small gap.

From a detailed perspective, it was evident that the owner cherished these garments deeply.

Among them, the majority were skirts, particularly a verdant green smoke silk Jade Shadow skirt adorned with embroidered peach blossoms made of immortal jade, sprinkled with immortal gold. As it trailed along the ground, the hem resembled scattered pink narcissus petals, quite spectacular.

Moreover, a layer of golden-threaded thin smoke green silk was draped over it, giving the impression that even an ordinary woman wearing it would radiate elegance and grace.

Another exquisite piece was a jade green imperial robe with a dark green silk jacket, where purple-blue butterfly patterns seemed to flutter and transform, appearing alive and lifelike.

The scattered flower hem featured a green grass skirt with hundreds of folds, looking extraordinarily vibrant and shimmering. If crafted into form-fitting attire, it would undoubtedly be a stunning defensive treasure.

There was also a white robe in a simple hue, embroidered with peculiar and vigorous branches from an immortal tree, along with peculiar patterns resembling the veins of a strange plant, blooming plum blossoms in full bloom. While exuding a light and ethereal aura, faint images of mythical beasts could be glimpsed within the fabric.

In total, these dozen or so treasures each possessed unique materials, transcending the mortal realm in both value and the aura of pearls and flowers that accelerated cultivation.

These items not only made the team leader's eyes widen but also caught Yan Yan's gaze, who stared intently at them.

However, the team leader assessed their monetary value, while Yan Yan was simply captivated by their beauty.

"Worth it!" The team leader swallowed saliva, darting forward to snatch a piece, intending to store it in his storage bag. But it refused to enter.

These treasures were inherently peculiar, possessing extraordinary properties that defied storage.

"I had guessed it would be this way. Small Qing, you must handle the affairs of the Xuanxia Sect later—I did this to obtain a fang for our greater cause." The team leader waved his hand, and a fang as tall as a person materialized instantly.

A section of the fang was infused with golden light, penetrating deep into the tooth. Upon appearing, it emitted shocking fluctuations. Xu Qing scanned it and immediately recognized it as the fang of a demon serpent.

Yan Yan, unfamiliar with demon serpents, inhaled sharply, sensing the fang's extraordinary quality.

With the fang in hand, the team leader stood proud.

He clutched the fang and slashed it across the verdant green skirt, letting out a sharp "shui" sound. The once-pristine garment was torn apart.

As the tearing continued, the gem-like brilliance dimmed, and the exquisite clothing now bore a scar that made people's hearts shiver.

The team leader seemed quite pleased with the sound, slashing back and forth until the treasure was reduced to tatters.

But it didn't matter—the embroidered treasures and the fabric's value could still be harvested.

Seeing the fang's effectiveness, the team leader was overjoyed.

"When I saw the clothes of the ghostly spirit matriarch before, I wondered how I'd tear them open if I ever got the chance. Now, with this, any treasure I desire can be torn apart!" The team leader laughed heartily, lifting the fang. "Even if the Xuanxia Sect flays me alive, I don't care."

Xu Qing glanced at the team leader, slightly moved.

Seeing this scene, the team leader felt even more at ease. Xu Qing, seizing the opportunity, quickly moved closer and, together with the team leader, gathered the remnants into the storage bag. Without a word, they worked in perfect coordination.

Xu Qing took the clothes, spread them out to expose the valuable parts, while the team leader kept slashing with the fang.

Soon, the sound of slashing echoed around, while Yan Yan watched helplessly, moved to tears despite not owning the garments. She could imagine how enraged the ghostly spirit matriarch would be upon discovering her treasures destroyed.

Looking at the diligent duo, she muttered softly, "The ghostly spirit matriarch is truly at fault for hoarding treasures. If she finds out, she'll probably die of anger, tearing apart the clothes of a woman. You two are really despicable!"

The team leader sneered. "What's so despicable about this? My senior brother and I, our elder brother once had a fight with his wife. When she was angry, she angrily destroyed some of his beloved ancient books and jade tablets."

The team leader held the fang, continuing to speak casually, "Later, the elder brother calmly took out a pair of scissors and cut all the clothes his wife cherished, in front of her face!"

"When she saw this, she was stunned for a moment, then exploded in anger. Because of this, they didn't speak for three years."

Xu Qing glanced at the team leader, saying nothing. He focused on the phrase "the elder brother was still young back then."

The senior brother was already quite old now.

From this, it was clear that the team leader's resurrection must have happened many times.

Yan Yan paid attention to the emotional tone of the story, as women tend to focus more on feelings than logic.

Thus, she easily related to the mother's frustration.

"Truly despicable..." Yan Yan was silent but quickly joined the work, helping to collect the items.

Soon, all the dozen or so treasures were torn apart.

However, the garments' materials were incredibly remarkable, containing potent immortal auras. Due to the ghostly spirit matriarch's towering figure, the clothes were extremely heavy, and any pile of them resembled a small mountain.

They couldn't take everything, so they only cut the best parts.

In the end, every garment was in tatters—some became curtains, others riddled with holes, looking like rags.

At the same time, the roar outside grew more intense, the earth trembling violently.

Seeing this, Xu Qing spoke immediately.

"We must leave. If we stay any longer, danger will come!" Xu Qing severed his attachment to the place, his body ready to depart. Yan Yan hesitated briefly before quickly retreating.

The team leader, who had been reluctant, considered searching more or taking some jade bricks from the ground. But upon seeing Xu Qing and Yan Yan leaving, he suddenly recalled a similar scene in the Haishi Clan, where he had been the scapegoat.

With a deep breath and clenched teeth, he followed Xu Qing and Yan Yan in a swift retreat.

"Let's stop here. Let's stop here. I need to improve my habit of being too greedy. This time, I won't be greedy!" The team leader muttered to himself as he left.

Soon, they rushed out of the cave through the entrance, each going their separate ways into seclusion, galloping down the mountain.

Not long after their departure, a red-clad figure soared toward the cave.

A woman in a red robe, her face veiled by a white mask, her shoulders laden with a pitch-black demon god scythe taller than a person, radiating eerie fluctuations.

She moved lightly, arriving in an instant. After glancing around, she laughed softly.

"The elders within the sect always say the ghostly spirit matriarch hoards treasures. Now, I've taken the opportunity to investigate. Let's see what she has."

She stepped into the cave, her masked eyes surveying the surroundings.

Her gaze first fell on the clean ground.

"Though there was a great battle outside, the mountain collapsed, yet this place is strangely spotless." She murmured, but upon lifting her head to observe the walls, she froze.

Many areas of the walls had indentations, as if holding pearls.

She hesitated, quickly moving through the cave, checking the rooms. The colors gradually dimmed.

She found even the furniture was emptied.

Until she reached the scattered tattered clothes, she inhaled sharply.

"Someone beat me to it. Perhaps that person turned into a mouse and became something else, or maybe there's a deep grudge with the ghostly spirit matriarch, destroying her treasures like this." She quickly turned back, fleeing with caution in her heart.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing and the others hid themselves near the third mountain's base, hastily heading downhill to escape the area.

Now fully loaded, Xu Qing instinctively urged departure, especially since the treasures in the storage bag made him want to leave as quickly as possible, avoiding incidents like the Haishi Clan.

But the captain was full of regret, feeling this time was not satisfying.

"Xiao Qing, this time isn't stimulating at all." The captain spoke in a low voice.

Xu Qing sensed the familiarity in those words and immediately became alert, pulling Yan Yan to accelerate wildly.

The captain behind him sighed repeatedly, occasionally glancing toward the distant Second Mountain, licking his lips.

"What if we go to the Second Mountain to take a look?"

Xu Qing was about to respond, when suddenly a sky-rending roar echoed, followed by piercing howls that resounded far and wide.

The sound was so intense that even though the three were not particularly close, they were still affected, their bodies jerking violently. Xu Qing spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and Yan Yan's body shattered dozens of jade slip, each spewing fresh blood.

The captain also convulsed, his body trembling as he spat blood, and the three stared upward in shock.

What they saw was that the heavens had split into three clones, now locked in combat with the three sword masters above. One of the clones was being stabbed through the heart by an opponent's blade, while another's abdomen was shattered by a punch, and a third had its large immortal sigil dissipate into terrifying aura, spreading endlessly through the void.

In an instant, the wounded clone's abdomen and chest burst open, emitting piercing screams as the immortal sigil's aura slammed into its body.

The sigil's appearance was clearly premeditated and targeted; though the strike was not fatal, it severed the connection between the immortal's true form and its clones.

With a sudden movement, the gravely wounded clone plummeted from the sky, crashing into the ground between the Third and Second Mountains. The earth erupted in thunderous vibrations as the clone lost consciousness, motionless.

Where its wounds exposed was not blood and flesh, but dazzling immortal sharpness and dense immortal aura, so overpowering that even a single whiff invigorated the spirit.

The dust soared, the waves were intense, as if a celestial dragon had stirred, the violent shaking causing the three to exchange varying expressions. Yan Yan was terrified and trembling, but the captain's eyes suddenly went mad.