Chapter 153: Taking Nothing for Granted

In the back courtyard of the Home Inn, an elderly servant was sweeping the ground when suddenly a surge of clouds boiled over his head, and three people materialized out of thin air before him: a girl in red holding an earth-yellow bead, a middle-aged man with a goatee, and a young man who flashed a tiny, cute canine tooth whenever he smiled.

Right now, that very canine tooth was being flashed at the old man. The direct consequence of this smile was that the old man simply slumped over and fell fast asleep, guaranteed upon waking to have zero recollection of these three individuals. After Lei Xiang erased the old man's brief memory, his attention shifted back to the bead in Tian Rui's hand. This trinket was utterly miraculous; in mere seconds, it had transported them out of that peril-ridden, death-trap zone and brought them straight back here.

With a flip of her palm, Tian Rui made the earth-yellow bead vanish, then glared at Lei Xiang as if warning him not to harbor any improper thoughts. Looking completely unfazed, Lei Xiang sidled up to her and asked, "What's the name of that bead of yours? Bring it out and let me take a look. Don't be so stingy; I'm not going to rob you."

Seeing that Tian Rui completely ignored him, he rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "I accompanied you on this run, and you now know the exact location of that item, so I haven't broken my word either. I don't want your broken bead anymore, so we are even on both accounts—people and wealth settled, we owe each other nothing."

Hearing Lei Xiang's words, Tian Rui looked rather helpless. Having witnessed the might of the modified Immortal-Shooting Gun, she had gained a whole new perspective on Lei Xiang. She began to realize that the ordinary mortal before her possessed many extraordinary qualities; perhaps a myriad of years from now, he might well achieve the Great Dao and ascend to immortality, in which case, could he possibly...

"Fine, Lei Xiang, you win. I'll tell you about the bead. Be a good person to the end and continue helping me acquire that item, and I'll grant you numerous benefits."

Lei Xiang grinned and said, "This is hardly the place for a discussion. Let's return to our guest room to talk. Once I hear about these benefits, I'll make my decision." To be honest, ever since the beginning Tian Rui had promised rewards, but up until now he didn't even know what the item actually was. Deep down, Lei Xiang was extremely eager to understand these mysteries.

The guest room was the exact same as before. After Lei Xiang and Tian Rui each cast a restrictive barrier, Tian Rui once again produced the earth-yellow bead. "Look at this bead, Lei Xiang. Unassuming as it looks, it is wildly famous in the Immortal Realm. Mention the 'Passing-Memory-Without-Forgetfulness Bead,' and almost everyone has heard of it. It is one of the three great searching-type immortal treasures of the Immortal Realm. Its primary function is pathfinding, and its greatest characteristic is the ability to enable a rapid return. No matter what path you take, as long as you carry it, it automatically memorizes the route and allows you to return instantly. Of course, if you travel by water or flight through the air, its utility is minimal."

Lei Xiang listened with wide eyes. Even with all those restrictive conditions, this bead could still be considered a priceless treasure. He therefore tentatively asked, "If I help you obtain that item, will you gift it to me?"

"No!" Tian Rui replied with a firm tone. "However, I can offer you other benefits that will contribute immensely to the forging of your Immortal-Shooting Gun, and this is also related to that item. Well, are you tempted? In other words, me obtaining that item will benefit you as well."

Of course he was tempted by anything that could greatly aid in forging the Immortal-Shooting Gun. His ultimate goal was to design an unparalleled immortal gun of unmatched caliber throughout the world—the premier firearm capable of running amok across the Immortal Realm, making him the founding ancestor of all firearm masters in history. Naturally, he pressed for details on what these benefits were.

"You are currently at the Core Formation stage, so when forging the Immortal-Shooting Gun, you must be using core fire, right? While applicable, this fire cannot completely refine the materials. Even the infant fire of the Nascent Soul stage that you might form in the future won't be the absolute best. If you help me acquire this item, I can lend you the Primordial Fire. It is countless times superior to your core fire. Wouldn't the magical treasure you forge with that become invincible in this realm?"

Naturally it would be invincible! With such a fantastic opportunity on the table, how could Lei Xiang possibly refuse? "Tian Rui, can you lend me the Primordial Fire beforehand? I need to enhance the tensile strength of the gun barrel so it can withstand greater impact and explosive force. That way, the power of my Immortal-Shooting Gun will increase severalfold. If its power increases, our chances of securing that item will be even greater. It's a win-win outcome for both of us. Besides, on my personal honor, I promise I won't run off without helping you after I finish forging it."

Tian Rui shook her head and smiled bitterly. "To be completely honest with you, I don't currently possess this Primordial Fire; it can only be generated by that object itself. As for what that object actually is, you'd better not ask. I'll tell you only after we obtain it. If this leaks out in advance, I'm afraid a storm of blood and slaughter will be inevitable, and it is very likely to cause massive turmoil throughout the cultivation world."

Lei Xiang blinked rapidly, chewing over the implications of Tian Rui's words. Could this treasure also be an artifact of the immortals, descending alongside some meteor shower, or perhaps even a primordial object? Lei Xiang dared not let his thoughts run any further. Until things were certain, he had better honestly focus on researching his Ninety-Nine Immortal-Shooting Gun.

Following Lei Xiang's proposal, the three of them set off for Fire-Pincer Mountain, located five hundred miles away. Fire-Pincer Mountain was an active volcano named after its resemblance to a giant pair of blacksmith's tongs. Scorched by intense heat year-round with craters visible everywhere, it was sparsely populated and made an ideal place for cultivation. Lei Xiang planned to first use the spiritual stones obtained from the Floating Sky Island for his cultivation, seeing if he could break through to the Nascent Soul stage in the short term. Once he formed a Nascent Soul, it would be infinitely beneficial whether he was forging the Immortal-Shooting Gun or helping Tian Rui hunt for treasure.

Lei Xiang was well aware of the freakish celestial phenomena that accompanied his breakthroughs and level-ups. If he were to break through inside the Home Inn, not only would the inn and the small town be reduced to powder, but everything within a radius of a hundred miles would be disturbed. Wouldn't that essentially broadcast his whereabouts to the Smiling Fang? That was why he suggested coming to this deserted volcano.

As soon as they arrived at Fire-Pincer Mountain, the three of them parted ways. Lei Xiang searched out a recently cooled volcanic crater by himself, pulled out the Ninety-Nine Immortal-Shooting Gun, and blasted a massive cavern with a single shot—spanning a full two hundred and eighty square meters. Stepping right inside, he deployed the flying swords of the Boundless Sword Formation, and within a quarter of an hour, he had chiseled out a simple dwelling. Then, taking out a stack of formation flags and disks from another storage bag, he set up an illusionary array and a defensive grand array outside the simple cave's entrance. Finally, he released the crystal-jade puppet, handing it the Immortal-Shooting Gun to stand guard at the door, before safely walking inside to begin his seclusion and cultivation.

Sitting cross-legged on the stone bed within the simple dwelling, Lei Xiang raised his hand, and seven or eight storage bags flew into mid-air. Tipping their openings downward, a sheet of white light cascaded onto the floor, revealing seven small, mountain-like piles of gleaming spiritual stones. The smallest two piles consisted of top-grade spiritual stones, while the remaining massive piles were composed of middle-grade and lower-grade ones. If Niu Jin were to see Lei Xiang acquiring so many spiritual stones, he would have been so excited his very pox marks would glow.

Lei Xiang's expression remained entirely calm and detached. With a flick of his large sleeve, a beam of white light shot forth, and the spiritual stones of the first pile of lower-grade stones instantly dissolved into dust with soft pops. The interior space of the cave became saturated with a majestic surge of spiritual energy. Taking a deep breath, Lei Xiang circulated the sixth level of the *Divine Refining Precious Canon* divine technique, beginning his assault on the Nascent Soul barrier.

Time ticked away drop by drop. The sky above Fire-Pincer Mountain remained clear and cloudless without a breath of wind, while the volcano below erupted tirelessly, showing no anomalies whatsoever—not even the slightest trace of shifting celestial phenomena. Lei Xiang had been cultivating inside the cave for three full months, yet there was still not the slightest sign of an impending breakthrough.