Chapter 249: Worlds Apart, A Perfect Collection
When Shen Xian stepped into the Wood Attribute Region, Elder Xuanji had already been scouring the area for the better part of a day.
The acclaimed “Number One Refining Master of Maple Leaf City” stood before a towering ancient tree, his brow furrowed in frustration as he stared at the bronze compass in his hand.
Floating before him were three wood-attribute materials, each glowing with spiritual light: a segment of Millennium Spirit Wood, a Green Jade Spirit Fruit, and a chunk of Wood Core Essence. All were High-grade treasures.
“Strange,” Elder Xuanji muttered, tapping the compass. “The needle insists a supreme treasure is here, yet all I find are these? Is the Supreme-grade material hidden even deeper?”
For this competition, Xuanji had prepared meticulously. He had used secret techniques to divine the approximate location of the region’s crown jewel. Yet, despite his best efforts, the prize remained elusive.
Just then, he sensed an aura approaching. Turning, he saw Shen Xian descending from the sky, robes fluttering.
“This youngster came to the Wood Domain as well?” A flicker of concern crossed Xuanji’s eyes.
He was unaware that Shen Xian had already secured two Supreme-grade materials. He assumed the young man was merely here to scavenge for High-grade scraps.
Outside the realm, the spectators watched the screen intently.
“Master Wang is in the Wood Domain now.”
“Elder Xuanji has been there for hours with nothing to show for it.”
“Supreme-grade materials are elusive. If even Xuanji can’t find it with his compass, the boy is wasting his time.”
Elder Mo, however, leaned forward on his throne. “The Supreme-grade material of this domain is the Yi Wood Azure Dragon Vine. It is notoriously elusive. Even the Jin family ancestor failed to locate it centuries ago. Is the boy looking for it? Or is he settling for lesser materials to finish quickly?”
Inside the realm, Shen Xian ignored Elder Xuanji completely. His gaze locked onto the massive ancient tree.
His Soul Formation Divine Sense exploded outward, analyzing the structure of the tree with the precision of a Fifth-Rank Refiner.
“So that’s how it is…” The corner of Shen Xian’s mouth hooked upward. “The tree itself is a decoy. A parasite. The real treasure is beneath the roots, feeding directly from the earth vein. No wonder the old man is blind to it.”
Seeing Shen Xian staring blankly at the tree, Elder Xuanji scoffed.
“Young man, save your energy. This old man has already swept this area. There is nothing left worth taking.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “If you want High-grade materials, go further east.”
His voice carried the arrogance of experience. He wanted Shen Xian gone, fearful that the boy might accidentally stumble upon the Supreme treasure he was hunting.
Shen Xian didn’t even glance at him. He walked slowly toward the ancient tree, his hand reaching out to touch the rough bark.
“Interesting…” Shen Xian murmured.
To the naked eye, the bark was natural. To Shen Xian, the grain was a complex weave of biological runes.
He pressed his palm against the trunk.
Pulse.
His Divine Sense flooded the organism, bypassing the wood and diving deep into the earth. There, hidden amidst the tangled root system, he “saw” it.
A winding, emerald-green vine, pulsing with the heartbeat of a dragon.
“Yi Wood Azure Dragon Vine. Found you.”
On the viewing platform, confusion rippled through the crowd.
“What is he doing? Hugging the tree?”
“Is he praying?”
Chi Xiaozi’s disciples sneered. “Just posturing. He knows he’s beaten.”
Back in the realm, Elder Xuanji frowned deeply. “I told you, don’t waste your effort. My Heavenly Secret Compass couldn’t even—”
Shen Xian’s eyes snapped open. Golden light erupted from his pupils.
“Rise!”
A burst of blinding cyan light exploded from his palm.
CRACK!
The towering ancient tree groaned. The bark didn’t just peel; it shattered like porcelain, revealing a blinding network of cyan runes beneath.
“A Wood-element Decoy Formation!” A Soul Formation Venerable in the audience jumped to his feet. “By the heavens, I missed it entirely!”
As the illusion crumbled, a complex formation revealed itself at the base of the tree. In the center of the array, a translucent green vine writhed like a trapped serpent, radiating an overwhelming aura of life force.
“The Yi Wood Azure Dragon Vine! It’s real!”
The crowd roared.
Elder Xuanji staggered back, his face draining of color. “Impossible… I searched… I checked every inch…”
Shen Xian ignored the shock radiating from the old man. His attention was focused entirely on the formation.
His fingers danced in the air, tapping invisible nodes.
Ping. Ping. Ping.
Each touch destabilized the ancient array. His movements were fluid, practiced—the result of absorbing the Heavenly Works Array Explanation and honing his skills in the Godfiend Battlefield.
With the aid of the Nine Orifices Exquisite Needle, the formation didn’t stand a chance.
Shatter.
The array collapsed into motes of light. The emerald vine shot into the air, twisting like a miniature azure dragon.
Shen Xian waved his sleeve. The vine obediently curled into his palm, its dragon-scale texture cool against his skin.
Silence.
Absolute silence descended on the venue.
Clatter.
Elder Xuanji’s compass fell from his numb fingers and hit the rocky ground. His lips trembled, but no sound came out.
How? How did he see what I could not?
High above, Elder Mo stared at the screen, his heart pounding against his ribs like a war drum.
“His vision… it surpasses the Fourth Rank. It surpasses experience. That vine eluded the Jin family ancestor. It eluded me.”
“Is he… is he already seeing the world through the eyes of a Fifth-Rank Grandmaster?”
Mo didn’t know the truth—that Shen Xian’s system-granted knowledge covered the entirety of Fifth-Rank refining theory. Unless the material was Sixth-Rank or higher, it could not hide from him.
The skeptics in the audience were now flushed red with shame.
“Three Supreme-grade materials…” someone whispered, shaking their head. “There is no competition anymore. He is racing against history.”
And Shen Xian wasn’t done.
He didn’t stop to gloat. He turned and vanished into the distance.
Over the next few days, the audience watched in a trance as Shen Xian moved with terrifying efficiency.
Fourth Target: Metal Domain. Acquired.
Fifth Target: Water Domain. Acquired.
When Shen Xian finally stood still, five distinct auras of power swirled around him. Red, Green, Yellow, White, Blue.
Five Supreme-grade materials. The perfect set.
On the judges’ platform, Elder Mo’s hands shook as he gripped the railing. His voice was hoarse with awe.
“Five Elements Perfection… This child… has just rewritten history.”
Inside the realm, Shen Xian stood with hands clasped behind his back, bathed in the five-colored divine light of his harvest.
He vanished from the spot.
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