"It seems I have to find the Seventh Prince of the Yan Dynasty, Yan Wushuang!"
Qin Wang's expression was somewhat grim.
Getting the items from Yu Liangcai's hands was already a challenge, but now that they were with Yan Wushuang, the Seventh Prince of the Yan Dynasty, who had Nascent Soul experts backing him, the difficulty of obtaining the mysterious fragments had increased significantly.
To deal with him, it must be a decisive strike done in secrecy!
Moreover, the fragments he held were crucial for his future path, so he absolutely had to get his hands on them!
Three days later.
In a swamp spanning several miles, lush green reeds flourished, and fierce blood spirit crocodiles occasionally poked their heads out.
A cute little white mouse, about a foot long, darted across the edge of the swamp like lightning, stopping soon after and raising its paws, looking up at Qin Wang with a pleased expression.
"Xiaobai, you're amazing!"
"Another Scarlet Heart Herb acquired!"
Qin Wang walked up, plucked the crimson, foot-high herb next to the little mouse, and put it into his storage pouch, then picked up the stealthy spirit-seeking mouse, rewarding it with a spiritual nut.
"Squeak squeak~~~"
The little white mouse squeaked happily and began gnawing on the nut.
With the spirit-seeking mouse's ability to sense spiritual herbs, Qin Wang's speed in finding these herbs in the Blessed Land of All Spirits had greatly increased, yielding significant results.
"According to the intel, the Seventh Prince Yan Wushuang will appear in this Blood Crocodile Swamp tomorrow, so I'll set up an ambush here first!"
Qin Wang put the spirit-seeking mouse back into the storage pouch, surveyed the surroundings, and thought to himself.
Intel:
"Yesterday, you touched a mysterious fragment and received information that the Seventh Prince Yan Wushuang, who holds three mysterious fragments, will be heading to the Blood Crocodile Swamp with Ji Yanner at noon tomorrow to seek opportunities."
"First, I'll set up the Thunder Sound Array, Yin-Yang Illusion Array, and Four Symbols Killing Array!"
Qin Wang assessed the terrain and started planning.
This place was rarely visited by people.
Setting up arrays in advance and hiding the Earth Dragon Beast King and Mu Hun Er, Yan Wushuang would have no escape.
At this moment.
A hundred miles from Qin Wang's location.
On a mountain peak, a young cultivator, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, dressed in brocade robes and quite handsome, stood on a large rock, looking into the distance with a thoughtful expression.
"Your Highness, we've just received news that Sima Rui might have already broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage!"
At this moment, an old man in gray robes, with sharp eyes, approached and reported respectfully.
"Sima Rui has broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage?"
"Is the news confirmed?"
Hearing the report from his attendant Yan Lin, Yan Wushuang's brows furrowed deeply.
Being on the Potential Dragon List with Sima Rui, and with Sima Rui's ranking higher than his, he already harbored a competitive spirit. Now, learning that Sima Rui had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage made the disparity even greater.
"Your Highness, it's not entirely confirmed. Gu Tianhao and Zhang Han, along with several other high-ranking individuals on the Potential Dragon List, went to that mountain. Many cultivators in the Blessed Land of All Spirits are looking for Sima Rui, but he has not been seen so far."
Yan Lin reported respectfully.
"There are only a few days left until the Blessed Land of All Spirits closes, let's leave it at that. We'll find a place to cultivate and wait to exit."
Yan Wushuang looked around and finally directed his gaze towards the distant swamp. "That place looks good, notify the others, we'll head there to wait for the Blessed Land to close!"
Recently, he had killed quite a few rogue cultivators and even the son of the Tianyao Merchant Guild, yielding good results, including obtaining a fragment that enhances divine sense.
With these three fragments combined, the enhancement to his divine sense would be even more significant, giving him confidence to advance further on the Potential Dragon List.
As for snatching Sima Rui's items?
It wasn't realistic. Even if Sima Rui hadn't reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he would still be a tough nut to crack.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Yan Lin responded respectfully.
In the Blood Crocodile Swamp, at the base of a thousand-foot-high mountain peak resembling a beast crouching on the ground.
The spiritual energy here was exceptionally abundant.
Qin Wang and Zhang Fujian sat cross-legged on a large stone platform at the mountain base, with three arrays already set up behind them.
The Earth Dragon Beast King and Mu Hun Er were hidden nearby.
"Hm?"
"Someone's coming!"
Suddenly, Qin Wang's divine sense scanned a distance of ten miles, spotting a handsome young cultivator accompanied by a green-clad woman and five mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
In an instant, the group seemed to have noticed Qin Wang and the leading two cultivators swiftly approached.
Soon.
The two cultivators arrived within ten feet of Qin Wang, and upon seeing he was only at the tenth level of Qi Refining, they exchanged glances. One of the black-clad cultivators stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist, we wish to rest here while waiting for the Blessed Land of All Spirits to close. Would that be convenient?"
"Sure."
Qin Wang nodded.
With three arrays set up behind him, he was just waiting for Yan Wushuang to walk into his trap.
"Swoosh!"
Suddenly, a white shadow flashed as the spirit-seeking mouse darted back from a distance, carrying three stalks of Illusion Heart Grass in its mouth.
It joyfully placed the three stalks of Illusion Heart Grass before Qin Wang.
"Wow? This little mouse is quite extraordinary! It can find spiritual herbs?"
"Hiss!! These are main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills, Illusion Heart Grass!"
Seeing the little mouse return with a herb essential for making Foundation Establishment Pills, the two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were shocked.
A spirit-seeking beast capable of finding herbs on its own was exceedingly rare.
Moreover.
Illusion Heart Grass was a main ingredient for Foundation Establishment Pills!
And this little mouse had found three stalks in one go!
The black-clad cultivator's eyes gleamed as he cupped his hands towards Qin Wang and asked, "Fellow Daoist, which sect or faction do you belong to?"
"I am a rogue cultivator with no sect."
Qin Wang glanced at the two and then continued to wait for Yan Wushuang, putting the spirit-seeking mouse back into its beast bag.
As he lowered his head, a faint smile appeared on Qin Wang's lips.
It seemed these two cultivators were eyeing his spirit-seeking mouse, trying to find out his background. If they knew he was a sect disciple, they might hesitate, but learning he was a rogue cultivator, they would likely act immediately. This played right into Qin Wang's hands.
Upon hearing Qin Wang was a rogue cultivator, the two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators exchanged glances, and the black-clad cultivator asked, "Fellow Daoist, your little mouse is quite remarkable. Would you consider selling it? I'll offer 50 spirit stones."
"Sorry, it's not for sale."
Qin Wang's mouth twitched at the offer. Even 10,000 spirit stones wouldn't be enough.
According to intel.
This spirit-seeking mouse had the potential to revert to its ancestral form, so selling it was out of the question.
Seeing that Qin Wang refused to sell, the two cultivators remained silent, standing on the platform, waiting for Yan Wushuang to arrive.
Soon.
The handsome Yan Wushuang, accompanied by Ji Yanner and three mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, arrived at the platform. Yan Wushuang glanced at the rock where Qin Wang sat, remained silent, and found a spot thirty feet away, laying out a mat and sitting cross-legged to cultivate.
"Your Highness!"
"That person has a spirit-seeking mouse, which brought back three stalks of Illusion Heart Grass on its own! It looks like the spirit-seeking mouse recorded in ancient texts!"
As Yan Wushuang closed his eyes to meditate, he heard a transmission from his old guard, Yan Lin.
"Hmm?"
"A spirit-seeking mouse?"
Yan Wushuang's interest was piqued. He knew that spirit-seeking mice, a rare type among spirit-seeking beasts, could sense the location of spiritual herbs and bring them back on their own!
If he could get his hands on it, it would be greatly beneficial to him!