Chapter 4057: A True Clue To the Vault

’They might have cost the sect far more talented people than anyone realizes.’ Lin Mu understood.

Of course, he could not condemn every member of the Hopeful Star Pavilion. The Grand Elder had already explained that the organization contained different factions, and some of its members had opposed the actions that eventually led to its downfall.

Still, the organization had clearly been a mixed bag.

There had been talented cultivators who genuinely wished to advance the sect’s interests, along with ambitious individuals who were willing to sacrifice their fellow disciples for wealth and power.

And those ambitions had ultimately resulted in the death of a future Patriarch.

Lin Mu could only wonder how many other promising cultivators had been lost along the way.

’I’ll have to investigate Zhenyu’s disappearance more carefully later,’ he decided.

For now, however, he had another matter to focus on. The Grand Elder had just revealed that the Heavenly Stream Immortal had entrusted the remaining members of the Hopeful Star Pavilion with preserving certain dangerous things.

That was far too important to ignore so Zhenyu stroked his long white beard before speaking. "Preserve certain things, you say?"

The Grand Elder nodded. "Indeed, Senior."

"What things?"

This time, the old man answered without much hesitation. "They were primarily belongings left behind by ancient experts. Some were weapons, while others were cultivation treasures, artifacts, inheritance records, and various objects whose origins were difficult to determine."

Zhenyu’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Belongings of ancient experts?"

"Yes." The Grand Elder continued, "During its existence, the Hopeful Star Pavilion gathered a considerable number of such objects. Some were obtained through expeditions outside the sect, while others were discovered within the sect’s own territories and ancient facilities."

Lin Mu listened carefully.

"Several members of the Pavilion were particularly interested in ancient inheritances," the Grand Elder explained. "They believed that studying the belongings of powerful cultivators from previous eras would allow them to uncover lost cultivation methods and advance beyond the limitations of their existing techniques."

Zhenyu gave a slow nod. "That’s hardly unusual."

"Indeed. However, some of the objects they gathered were exceptionally dangerous. There were treasures containing remnants of powerful wills, weapons that had developed unusual spirits, and artifacts whose effects could not be properly controlled." The Grand Elder added.

Lin Mu’s attention sharpened. ’That sounds familiar.’

He immediately recalled the Justice Crushing Cestus.

The strange gauntlet had been sealed behind twelve barriers within the Forbidden Relic Section of the Wild Peak’s vault. Its interior contained an amalgamation of soul fragments, and merely removing its restrictions had caused it to unleash a terrifying spiritual assault.

Such an artifact certainly qualified as something dangerous from the past.

The Grand Elder continued, "Some of these objects were also used by members of the Hopeful Star Pavilion. Certain individuals attempted to refine them, while others studied their properties or employed them during missions."

"And I suppose that went wonderfully," Zhenyu remarked dryly.

The Grand Elder gave a bitter smile. "There were several incidents."

"Of course there were."

The Clarity Peak Head frowned slightly at Zhenyu’s tone, though she remained silent.

"Eventually," the Grand Elder continued, "the Great Ancestor intervened. He gathered the objects that remained in the Pavilion’s possession and ordered them to be sealed away."

Zhenyu raised an eyebrow. "All of them?"

"Most of them," the Grand Elder corrected. "Some had already been lost, destroyed, or taken away by members who had departed the sect. The Great Ancestor recovered what he could."

"And what did he do with them?" Zhenyu asked.

"He declared that such things should no longer be freely circulated. Many carried dangers left behind by cultivators from ancient eras, and their continued use could lead to further disasters." The Grand Elder’s expression became solemn.

"The Great Ancestor ordered them to be hidden within the Heavenly Stream Guardian Sect and sealed away. He believed that certain things from the past were better left undisturbed until someone capable of handling them appeared."

Lin Mu felt his thoughts moving rapidly. ’This is getting closer and closer.’

The description matched what he had been searching for.

The Virtuous Calamity Daoist had been an extraordinarily powerful cultivator whose history was deeply intertwined with the sect’s ancient secrets. His eventual downfall and supposed betrayal of the hardliner faction had left behind numerous unanswered questions.

If the Hopeful Star Pavilion had gathered dangerous ancient objects, and the Heavenly Stream Immortal had subsequently sealed them away, there was a very real possibility that the hidden collection included belongings associated with the Virtuous Calamity Daoist.

’Could this be the vault I’ve been looking for?’ Lin Mu had originally suspected that the Virtuous Calamity Daoist’s inheritance might be hidden somewhere within the Mad Demon Depths.

Yet the more he investigated, the more the trail seemed to lead toward the sect’s internal vaults and forgotten repositories. The Justice Crushing Cestus had already strengthened that suspicion.

Now the Grand Elder was describing an entire collection of dangerous artifacts sealed away under the direct orders of the Heavenly Stream Immortal.

’If this is connected to the Virtuous Calamity Daoist, then I’ve finally found a proper lead.’ Of course, he could not reveal his excitement.

Zhenyu merely gave a thoughtful grunt. "So Deng Siqi gathered all those troublesome treasures and hid them away."

"That is correct."

"Sounds like something that little brat would do." Zhenyu chuckled.

The Grand Elder’s eyebrow twitched. The Clarity Peak Head looked as though she wanted to object, but eventually decided against it.

Zhenyu continued, "I suppose he must have arranged for someone to look after them. Dangerous artifacts don’t simply remain safe because someone puts a seal on them."

"Indeed, Senior." The Grand Elder nodded.

"Then where did he put them?" Zhenyu asked nonchalantly.

The Grand Elder hesitated which Lin Mu noticed immediately.

Zhenyu gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don’t tell me you’re going to start acting mysterious again. I’m asking a simple question."

"The exact location is restricted information," the Grand Elder answered.

Zhenyu snorted. "Of course it is." He paused briefly before continuing in a more casual tone. "Well, I suppose it must be some kind of vault. The sect has always enjoyed building those things."

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