After prying open the spot where Bao Zhu was lying, the arrogance on Chu Haozhou's face had long since vanished.

Bao Zhu's exceptional performance had severely dented his confidence; he dared not mention the formation diagrams again. He had spent half an hour tracing patterns above, finally calculating the entrance to the formation, only to find that Bao Zhu had located it instantly and had been sleeping there for quite a while. The gap in ability was so vast that even with Chu Haozhou's thick skin, he felt a distinct, awkward embarrassment.

However, upon finding the entrance to the treasure vault, He Yiming and the others held a great deal of admiration for Lin Yiwu. When hiding treasures, others typically chose the most concealed locations, fearing discovery. But Lin Yiwu and his group had done the opposite; they had placed their hoard right in the middle of a great hall through which countless people passed. If nothing else, this sheer boldness alone was rare among ten thousand.

The opening revealed a straight tunnel, its edges studded with hundreds of iron bars. Gazing into the shadowy passage, a flicker of vague curiosity crossed everyone’s eyes. Chu Haozhou jumped down without a word. With his current martial might, he naturally paid no mind to any potential mechanisms here. Unless the attack was at the Venerable level, he wouldn't even bat an eyelid. He Yiming reached out and gathered Bao Zhu into his arms, then followed immediately. Bai Lingba’s gem-like eyes glanced at Bai Ma, a subtle, fleeting hint of amusement flashing through them before she too leaped down. Startled by Bai Lingba’s look, Bai Ma Thunder reared its head, thinking for a moment before finally ignoring her. However, when it prepared to follow, it abruptly realized the opening wasn't wide at all. It was fine for humans to descend, but given its frame, there was no way it could fit. Furious, it lifted its bowl-sized hooves and kicked the air a few times, but afraid of collapsing the ground and endangering He Yiming and the others, it reluctantly withdrew them, waiting outside in frustration. Yet, the intelligent Thunder soon recalled the look Bai Lingba had given it just before leaving, and a feeling settled in its heart that perhaps Bai Lingba had been mocking it. ※※※※ This shaft plunged deep, nearly ten meters. But precisely because of this depth, unless the entrance was found, no one would ever suspect a hidden mechanism lay beneath the ground. Below the ten-meter mark, everyone came to a stop. The three of them had descended without touching the iron bars beside the opening. A vertical drop of ten meters could likely only be achieved by powerful experts like themselves. As their feet touched the ground, their bodies were enveloped in a soft, azure radiance. He Yiming drew a deep breath and murmured softly, “What beautiful pearls.” Looking up, they saw a pathway ahead, with a massive pearl embedded every few steps along the corridor. The light illuminating them was emitted by these very pearls. With He Yiming’s experience, a mere glance told him these pearls were at least a thousand years old, and using so many millennia-old gems merely for tunnel lighting was an act of extreme extravagance. Following the passage, the three walked on for nearly thirty meters before reaching a cavernous space. As soon as they entered this large chamber, He Yiming’s eyes narrowed instantly. He saw a mountain of gold. This was no illusion, but a literal mountain constructed from countless gold bricks. Staring at what seemed like an endless supply of gold bricks, He Yiming felt a distinct dryness in his throat.

Chu Haozhou frowned slightly. "Brother He, while this mountain of gold might shock ordinary people—even make them risk their lives for it—it serves little practical use for us." He Yiming was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood his meaning, silently chastising himself. For Venerables, such gold indeed held little value. Venerables with at least a century of experience would certainly not be tempted by it. But He Yiming had not yet reached that age, which was why his heart had fluttered upon seeing this massive hoard capable of commanding influence in the mortal realm. Chu Haozhou continued forward, and after bypassing the gold mountain, even he couldn't help letting out a soft gasp of amazement. He Yiming followed, his gaze sweeping around the area, and instantly grasped the reason for the exclamation. This area was a vast room where over a hundred types of objects were laid out in meticulous order. Having reviewed the Record of Worldly Treasures, He Yiming’s perspective had broadened. Although he couldn't identify every item here, he recognized sixty to seventy percent of the contents. Even based on what he knew, these items were undoubtedly priceless beyond measure. Only by relying on the might of an entire sect could such a vast collection of rare goods be assembled; an individual, even given a lifetime, might not acquire one-tenth of it.

Chu Haozhou moved closer to examine the items, but after completing a full circuit, his expression grew markedly disappointed. He Yiming’s heart stirred. "Old Brother Chu, did you specifically come in here looking for something?" Chu Haozhou nodded slightly. "Indeed. Within the treasure vault of our Immortal Spirit Mountain lineage, there is one particular treasure, an object of truly incalculable worth. But regrettably, it is not here." His voice carried unconcealed disappointment, and even his enthusiasm for speaking seemed to have waned considerably.

He Yiming glanced down at Bao Zhu. When the little creature first entered, it seemed somewhat interested, but after truly surveying the contents of the room, it became listless. This indicated that nothing in this chamber had caught Bao Zhu's fancy. "Old Brother Chu, what exactly is your sect's treasure?"

Chu Haozhou hesitated, then sighed. "Since things have come to this, there's no point in keeping secrets. The most precious item in our sect is a Divine Artifact." He Yiming gasped, his eyes filled with shock. Others might not know the might of a Divine Artifact, but he had experienced it firsthand. In the Outer Sea, they had encountered a colossal sea monster. By a stroke of fortune, He Yiming had managed to channel the raging fire from the Nine Dragon Furnace. A mere burst of flame instantly incinerated that terrifying monster, and he had even retrieved one of its tentacles from the sea surface. The power of a Divine Artifact, if fully unleashed, possessed the might to shatter heaven and earth.

Noticing the expression on He Yiming's face, Chu Haozhou offered a wry smile. "I know you find that hard to believe." He Yiming collected his thoughts. "I do believe you, Little Brother. But what exactly is this Divine Artifact?" Since even he could trade a single gold bar for the Divine Artifact, the Nine Dragon Furnace, from an old man completely devoid of martial arts, what was impossible in this world? Chu Haozhou regarded him with surprise before becoming serious. "Actually, this object is merely a component of a larger Divine Artifact; it cannot be compared to the true item. But an artifact is an artifact, and the power it possesses is far beyond what we can resist." He Yiming's curiosity was fully piqued, and he urged him on. "What Divine Artifact is it?" "This object is called the Thunder Shaker (Lei Zhen Zi), one of the components of the famous set of Divine Artifacts, the Twenty-Four Thunderbolts (Er Shi Si Pi Li Tian)," Chu Haozhou announced clearly. He Yiming's expression shifted slightly, his mind rapidly recalling descriptions of this artifact. In the Hall of Supreme Clarity, he had once perused records of famous divine weapons from millennia past. Only the weapons from the Age of Gods could truly be called Divine Armaments. The divine weapons used by those at the peak of the Triple Pillar realm were mere refuse compared to a genuine Divine Artifact. The Thunderbolt artifacts were a rare complete set among Divine Artifacts, composed of twenty-four Thunder Shakers. Each Thunder Shaker was a treasure of heaven and earth; the power of a single piece was already extraordinary. When combined into the complete Twenty-Four Thunderbolts, forming the full Thunderbolt Heaven, legend claimed it possessed the ability to truly destroy the world. For the Immortal Spirit Mountain lineage to possess even one Thunder Shaker was plausible.

Chu Haozhou shook his head, disappointment evident. "Brother He, you found an excellent disciple for this old brother, so I intended to find this object to gift to you. But regrettably, alas…" He Yiming quickly waved his hand. "Old Brother Chu, you are too kind; I absolutely cannot accept such a profound treasure." Chu Haozhou let out a knowing chuckle. "Younger Brother He, although the Thunder Shaker possesses immense power, it is difficult for ordinary hands to utilize its subtleties. However, if this item were in your hands, it would be its best possible destination." He Yiming paused. "What do you mean by that, Old Brother?" Chu Haozhou explained regretfully, "In truth, the power of the Thunder Shaker can only be used once. After each use, it requires a massive input of power for replenishment. Before the Thunder Shaker fully absorbs energy, it is effectively useless and cannot be deployed again." He Yiming hesitated. "What kind of power does the Thunder Shaker need to replenish itself?" He had instantly grasped the most crucial element. A smile appeared on Chu Haozhou's face. "Lightning." He Yiming’s eyes lifted. "Bai Ma?" Chu Haozhou nodded. "Precisely. In the past, after using the Thunder Shaker, we would place it in the area on the island with the most concentrated lightning. Every time lightning flashed in the sky, the Thunder Shaker would absorb a bit, slowly charging it up. But the problem is that the rate is far too slow; it would take at least one or two years before the Thunder Shaker could be used again." A realization dawned in He Yiming's eyes. "Bai Ma possesses the power of lightning. If the Thunder Shaker were in my possession, Bai Ma could replenish its energy." Chu Haozhou sighed. "Little Brother speaks truly. That is why this Divine Artifact can only display its greatest power when held by you. But alas, who knows where Lin Yiwu concealed it." He Yiming also shook his head with regret, sweeping his gaze across the displayed items before abruptly asking, "Brother Chu, what are your plans for these items?"