Chapter 774: Coffin

Ignoring the Immortal Fairy's incessant chattering, Lu Yang focused entirely on carrying the coffin on his shoulder.

"Come to think of it, the quality of this coffin is exceptionally good. According to Fellow Daoist Xinghai, it can even shut out the divine sense of those in the Body Integration Stage."

Generally speaking, coffins in the cultivation world possessed the ability to isolate divine sense as a sign of respect for the deceased.

However, it was a rare feat indeed to refine a coffin to such an exquisite level.

"I can't help but feel like the style of this coffin looks rather familiar." Lu Yang knit his brows as a memory suddenly struck him.

"Isn't this the very coffin the First Elder frequently sleeps in?" Back when Lu Yang had just mastered the So Near Yet So Far technique and accidentally teleported to the cliff, he had the fortune of stumbling into the tomb chamber constructed by the First Elder; the style of the coffin therein bore a striking resemblance to the one Xiao Xinghai was currently resting in.

"The First Elder probably built tombs all over the East Sea, and Fellow Daoist Xinghai happened to chance upon one," Meng Jingzhou remarked, not the least bit surprised.

Many such legends circulated in the East Sea—of a certain peerless genius unwittingly breaking into a hidden tomb, enduring the trials left by predecessors to inherit legacies and dharma treasures, and soaring to greatness from then on.

It was just that the dharma treasure Xiao Xinghai obtained happened to be a coffin.

Lu Yang found Old Meng’s reasoning sound. After all, back in the day, hadn’t Immortal Ying Tian been buried as a funerary object before making his grand rise?

There was a historical precedent for this sort of thing.

"According to Fellow Daoist Xinghai, the Dragon Clan is wealthy and domineering, spending money like water. They wouldn't sell their blood merely for lack of funds. Most of the time, they sell blood because they require assistance with a task, and once that task is completed, they repay the favor with dragon blood."

"Because dragon blood cannot be bought for any amount of gold, the difficulty of these requested tasks is invariably immense."

"Moreover, some of these tasks involve the privacy of the Dragon Clan and are unfit for the public eye, which is why they are posted at secret liaison points."

"Is it really appropriate for us to be running around carrying a coffin like this?" Mangu inquired, clearly sensing the surrounding gazes converging upon them.

"While we wouldn't have to worry about someone stealing it if we left it by the roadside, it still creates a rather poor impression. Why don't we find a place to set it down, and bring the coffin over once we've secured the dragon blood?" Meng Jingzhou suggested. Since they had already arrived at the Maritime Market, there was no risk of the transport distance being too far or the dragon blood losing its freshness.

He sent a divine sense transmission to Xiao Xinghai: "Fellow Daoist Xinghai, what do you think?"

There was no response.

"Oh right, the coffin cuts off divine sense, so transmissions can't get through," Meng Jingzhou recalled. His voice could not penetrate the barrier unless they pried the coffin open.

"Then we shall decide on Fellow Daoist Xinghai's behalf and find a place to store it... Hmm, ahead lies the Drop-Coin Chamber of Commerce. To think they have a branch here as well."

Meng Jingzhou smiled. The business scope of the Drop-Coin Chamber of Commerce was remarkably vast to have extended all the way to the East Sea.

On this front, their Meng Family was by no means inferior; both the East Sea and the Demon Domain fell within their corporate domain.

"Perfect. Chambers of commerce always offer temporary storage services for bulky goods."

...

At the deepest recesses of the Maritime Market, within the Dragon Palace.

"Dammit! Have we still not found the supreme treasure?" a Dragon Clan elder roared in fury. Possessing a dragon's head and a human's body, his rage burned so fiercely that he wished nothing more than to tear the thief into ten thousand pieces!

"The plot was meticulous. This was a long-premeditated theft, executed at the very least by someone of the Body Integration Stage. I fear it will not be so easily uncovered," another Dragon Clan elder chimed in, equally enraged yet managing to maintain enough rationality to analyze the situation.

"Ancient Ancestor above, we pray for your divine protection, grant that we may locate the supreme treasure as swiftly as possible," a third Dragon Clan elder prayed, invoking the manifestation of their legendary progenitor.

"Search! One cannot utilize spatial movement while carrying the supreme treasure, so they definitely haven't fled far. Even if we must turn the East Sea upside down, we shall find them!"

"Especially the Maritime Market—that is where the thieves are most likely to hide!"

"Why don't we sweep the entire Maritime Market with our divine senses?"

"Foolish! A divine sense sweep across the entire Maritime Market would cause an immense commotion. Are you eager to let the outside clans know we have lost our supreme treasure? Take your subordinates, split up, and conduct small-scale scans!"

"Remember, do not let outsiders catch wind of what we are doing!"

...

"Big brother, we actually succeeded." A rat-faced Body Integration Perfected Lord exclaimed with excitement. Even with the mental fortitude typical of the Body Integration Stage, he could not suppress his mounting agitation.

Though the other two Body Integration Perfected Lords remained silent, the excitement and joy in their eyes were plain to see.

A supreme treasure of the Dragon Clan! They would never have to worry about cultivation resources for the rest of their lives, and they even stood a chance at ascending to the Tribulation Transmutation Stage!

"Calm down. We have only succeeded halfway. Do not forget that the Maritime Market we are currently in is also under the jurisdiction of the Dragon Clan. Only when we carry the supreme treasure out of the Maritime Market can we truly call it a success." The Body Integration Perfected Lord addressed as big brother was likewise thrilled, but as the leader, his temperament surpassed his subordinates'. He knew the matter was far from over and it was no time to celebrate.

"But big brother, this supreme treasure belongs to the Dragon Clan and cannot be placed inside a storage ring. How are we supposed to smuggle it out of the Maritime Market?" another subordinate asked anxiously.

Without placing it inside a storage ring, it was hard to guarantee it wouldn't be detected by the Dragon Clan's divine senses.

"No matter, I have already devised a plan." The big brother drew a dharma treasure from his storage ring.

"Look at what this is!"

"A coffin?" the three subordinates gasped in unison.

The big brother's expression grew solemn, looking visibly shaken as he recalled the event. Lowering his voice, he recounted the origin of his fortune to his subordinates: "Indeed. Years ago, when I was still a grave robber, I infiltrated an ancient tomb. After surviving a harrowing ordeal, I finally breached the deepest sanctum. Regrettably, there were no funerary objects in the chamber, and even the coffin itself was entirely empty. I suspect the master of the tomb had already shed his mortal coil and ascended to immortality!"

"A thief never leaves empty-handed, so I took this coffin with me!"

"This coffin is a magnificent treasure; even with our divine senses at the Body Integration Stage, we cannot peer into its depths!"

The three subordinates tested it themselves and found that it was exactly as he said.

"So we place the supreme treasure inside the coffin, and then smuggle it out by openly transporting the coffin?" The subordinate felt that his big brother truly deserved his title, having thought of everything so thoroughly. No matter how overbearing the Dragon Clan might be, they would not commit such a grave disrespect to the deceased as to pry open a coffin for inspection. Such an outrageous act would inevitably make others suspect that the Dragon Clan had lost something of vital importance.

The Dragon Clan valued their reputation too highly to engage in such conduct.

"Yes, but it is not that simple. Carrying a coffin through the Maritime Market is too conspicuous; it will draw the Dragon Clan's attention."

"Then what do you mean, big brother?"

"I have an acquaintance within the Drop-Coin Chamber of Commerce and have already arranged everything in advance. We shall register the coffin at the chamber of commerce, and once the heat dies down, we will retrieve it."

"Furthermore, we must disguise ourselves." The big brother produced four medicinal pills from his robes.

"These are pills I purchased from the Grand Xia black market, crafted by a master alchemist of the Daoist Inquiry Sect. It is said that taking just one can temporarily lower one's cultivation realm. The four of us are all in the Body Integration Stage. If the Dragon Clan conducts an investigation, they will undoubtedly suspect those at our level first, which would be perilous. By lowering our realms, the Dragon Clan will never suspect us!"

"Big brother is truly wise!" The three subordinates were ecstatic. Their leader's calculations were flawless, his plan seamless, having accounted for every possible variable.

...

"Excuse me, could you tell us if we can store a coffin here?" Lu Yang and his three companions inquired politely as they carried the coffin into the Drop-Coin Chamber of Commerce.