“Back then,” Wenjun Long continued onward, seemingly ignoring Yao Shen’s question. “There wasn’t just one artifact sequestered within the lowest level of the Serenity Mountainhold, no. And indeed, it was the second artifact that the former Elder was after.”

“A dwarven treasure?” Yao Shen immediately caught on, as his expression deepened into a frown.

“Thankfully, the Elder in question wasn’t privy to that secret. But from that alone, you can imagine its value.”

“What was it?” Yao Shen finally asked as his curiosity got the best of him. There were very few artifacts that could trigger a Soul Emperor’s intrigue and a true dwarven artifact definitely qualified to be one of them.

“A ring,” Wenjun Long answered with a regretful sigh. “It has been so long, yet I remember the day the Elder betrayed our Divine Mountain Sect with such vivid detail. An explosion so loud, it felt as if the very heavens were collapsing. The panicked cries of disciples and the frantic calls for reinforcements called out by Guardians and Elders alike. And the destruction left in the demon’s wake, his methods so strange and bizarre that I, the cultivator who would go on to become Patriarch of the Sect, trembled in my boots.”

A heavy silence befell the hall as both Yao Shen and Kang Long reflected on the former Patriarch’s words. Fear was no stranger to one that walked the path of a cultivator but for one who had, in the past, carried the responsibility of the entire Divine Mountain Sect on his back— for him to admit that he was afraid of another cultivator was almost taboo.

“Uncle, you hadn’t even reached the rank of Nascent Soul back then-”

“No,” Wenjun Long unhesitatingly cut off Kang Long’s almost instinctive attempt to defend his prestige. “Perhaps you,” his gaze shifted to Yao Shen, “will understand the nature of the demon’s unnatural power, if you ever have the misfortune of encountering a true demonic path cultivator. The power they gain by sacrificing their own humanity.”

Yao Shen understood the subtleties of Wenjun Long’s comment, his allusion to the Modern Sect’s ideals clashing with the Demonic Path’s.

“If such a day arrives, righteousness shall prevail,” Yao Shen simply replied, his words devoid of the slightest hint of fear.

Wenjun Long nodded in response, neither of them seeing merit in debating hypotheticals any further.

“The ring artifact was a very closely guarded secret of the Divine Mountain Sect, but ultimately one that couldn’t be hidden from the gazes of our upper echelon, the Elders, if they cared enough to look closely. The existence of spies within our own ranks and the competition between the three hegemons tied our hands, but even then, it was simply too much of a coincidence for valuable ores to be miraculously discovered each time we were running worrying low on them.”

“But the other hegemonic sects would simply attribute your ability to geo-locate valuable ores as mastery of the Major Dao of Earth,” Yao Shen added, not bothering to conceal the astonishment in his words.

Wenjun Long let a knowing chuckle escape at Yao Shen’s words, before continuing, “Perhaps it was the Heaven’s idea of a jest, but it was truly ironic for the Divine Mountain Sect to possess an artifact that could locate precious ores in a given range while being situated in the resource scarce Azlak Plains.”

“Why not try and explore other regions?” Yao Shen asked.

Wistfully shaking his head, Wenjun Long replied, “It was not as if we did not want to. But would the powerful Elder we send out to prospect ores return with the promised quarry? Or would they flee when they realize the true value of the Dwarven Ring? Even the most loyal of cultivators would be swayed in front of such overwhelming, seemingly limitless wealth. Perhaps if the three hegemonic sects were united then….”

“Then there would have been a chance that the Azlak Plains could have held onto such a precious artifact,” Yao Shen concluded, though his focus remained upon the sealed cauldron.

“But even the ring,” Wenjun Long followed the direction of Yao Shen’s gaze, his tone somber as he spoke, “holds but a fraction of the potential of the artifact that is stored here.”

Yao Shen was moved by Wenjun Long’s words, but it only served to make him more cautious of the cauldron that supposedly housed such a treasure.

“And the reason why it is still in our possession is because… the demonic cultivator simply wasn’t capable of seizing it by force. Even he was afraid,” Wenjun Long somberly stated. “Knowing that, do you still wish to proceed?”

Yao Shen had expected a story behind the Dwarven Artifact, but even he had to admit that the revelations he had received were a bit beyond what he had bargained for. He had simply expected a Soul Emperor level artifact, in which case it made sense that even peak Nascent Soul Cultivators weren’t able to control the weapon.

“Considering that you are willing to unseal it, the threat shouldn’t be immediate in nature,” Yao Shen answered after carefully considering the situation.

“The threat is directed only to those that try to exert their own dominion over the artifact. As long as you do not approach it with intent to subdue it, no harm will come to you,” Kang Long explained, though his gaze remained wary as he gazed at the cauldron.

Yao Shen also understood why this explanation was so generously being offered to him. Both Wenjun Long and Kang Long recognized the threat posed by the artifact, but they weren’t certain if it had the ability to outright kill him.

If he survived, then they would have to deal with the onslaught of an enraged Soul Emperor in the center of their own sect. Regardless of the victor, the casualties would be immense.

“I see. Unseal it and then I will make my decision,” Yao Shen confirmed, his expression hardening as he braced himself to use his Human Dao Domain at a moment’s notice.

“Very well,” Wenjun Long assented and then both he and Kang Long moved towards the cauldron with almost wary steps.

A drop of blood trickled down Kang Long’s index finger and landed upon the cauldron’s surface, causing a loud sizzle to sound out as the intricate greater runescript running across the cauldron’s surface slowly began to dim.

A few long minutes later, both Wenjun Long and Kang Long stood on opposite ends of the cauldron, lifting it’s lid with a mighty effort.

Yao Shen had been prepared for an attack to come flying out of the cauldron and equally ready for an explosion but…

For his Human Sight to trigger on its own was beyond even his expectations.