Cloud was seething with anger, his body trembling as he stared coldly at Jared. Through gritted teeth, he threatened, “Kid, just you wait. Once you leave Jipsdale, I’ll take your life.”
“I look forward to that,” Jared responded with a faint smile before turning and entering the living hall. Others followed suit. Many now cast curious glances at Jared. They wondered about his identity and why Hester would openly favor him.
After all, Jared was just a cultivator at Second Level Body Fusion Realm. He was not really that powerful. They wondered if he could be related to Hester in some way as well.
“Hello there, I’m Beau Yule. Are you here to buy a treasure map too?” A burly man with a large sword strapped to his back approached Jared. Jared nodded. “Indeed.”
“I’m not sure whether the treasure map is real or fake, but I’ve heard that the Archaic Body cultivators do possess a treasure. If you’re planning to seek the treasure, perhaps we can team up,” Beau proposed. “You see, the far north is sparsely populated, with harsh conditions and frequent demon beast sightings. Moreover, many Demonic Cultivators hide out in those remote areas. With your current cultivation level, even if you find the treasure, it’ll be difficult for you to defend them.”
Beau actively sought an alliance with Jared. Jared understood that Beau’s intention to ally with him was likely influenced by Hester’s attitude toward himself.
Otherwise, why would a cultivator at Fifth Level Body Fusion Realm seek an alliance with cultivators of lower levels? It would only be burdensome.
However, Jared wasn’t keen on forming alliances with anyone. In Ethereal Realm, he couldn’t easily trust strangers, as anyone could succumb to the allure of personal gain.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t decided to search for the treasure yet. I’m just here to take a look,” Jared said with a casual smile.
“Oh, I see. In that case, never mind,” Beau replied in disappointment and returned to his seat. At this moment, a tall figure entered the room, wearing a mask. With a bow, the figure addressed the group, saying, “Apologies for keeping you all waiting!”
Jared gave the man a quick once-over before shrouding him with his spiritual sense. The man seemed to be suppressing his aura on purpose, as Jared’s spiritual sense couldn’t discern anything.
Jared strengthened his spiritual sense, this time detecting a trace of the aura of an Archaic Body cultivator emanating from the man. This confirmed that Vasker was indeed an Archaic Body cultivator and was not lying about his identity.
Vasker sensed someone probing him and turned his gaze toward the people in the living hall. Realizing this, Jared swiftly withdrew his spiritual sense and feigned a calm look.
After glancing around, Vasker could not identify who had probed him and decided to let it go. He began, “I believe you all have come here for the treasure map. Since it’s our first meeting, let me introduce myself. I’m Vasker from the far north, and I’m a member of the Archaic Body Cultivation clan. Many of you might have heard that our predecessors buried a treasure long ago. After all these years, its location has faded from memory. However, I possess the treasure map for this treasure. Due to its age, the map is incomplete, but it still shows the general direction.”
He added, “My treasure map is priced at one hundred million spirit coins per piece. Whether you can find the treasure using the map or not depends on your luck. Don’t ask me about the authenticity of the map. If you believe in me, pay for the map. Otherwise, just leave. I won’t force anyone to believe me and buy it.”
Vasker sounded arrogant even though his face was hidden by a mask. He acted as if his treasure map was in no danger of going unsold.
