Demonic Treasure Harvest: Wang Hao Divides the Spoils Publicly, Sparking Internal Competition

The Black Water Demon Lair collapsed.

It collapsed completely.

This evil lair, which had occupied the Western Regions for a thousand years, was overturned from its roots by the Great Zhou allied forces overnight.

Before dawn, billowing black smoke still soared into the sky over the Black Water Wasteland.

From the earth vein cracks deep in the demon lair, gray-white mist purified by lightning continuously spewed out.

In that mist, one could occasionally see faces of remnant souls.

They were no longer resentful.

Nor were they wailing.

They just looked blankly at the daylight for a moment, then turned into specks of light and dissipated.

Qin Hongye stood at the edge of the ruins, her spear thrust into the ground, her armor corroded with pits.

She said softly, "After so many years, someone finally wiped this place out."

Xiao Chen held his sword and was silent for a moment.

"But the dead cannot come back."

Next to them, the New Emperor Sword turned into a black-robed boy, lying on a rock and burping.

He said weakly, "Don't be so sentimental. The dead can't come back, but the living can still divide the spoils."

Everyone: "..."

Wanyan Gu grimaced as he supported his injured arm.

"Why does this sword of yours speak so unpleasantly?"

The New Emperor Sword glanced at him.

"Your arm is almost broken into three pieces, and you can still hear the unpleasantness. It shows you're recovering well."

Wanyan Gu: "..."

He took a deep breath.

"I'll chop you up sooner or later."

The New Emperor Sword said faintly, "You should reattach your arm first, the extra-thick version."

Wanyan Gu instantly broke down.

Just as everyone was so exhausted they could barely stand, a high-pitched but excited voice came from afar.

"Your Majesty!"

"We struck it rich!"

Wei Zhongxian led a squad of Eastern Depot guards rushing out from the half-collapsed underground palace entrance.

The old eunuch, usually effeminate and steady, now had a glowing red face, as if he had just married his eighteenth concubine.

Behind him, a few young eunuchs carried a black iron chest.

The chest was opened.

Inside were not human heads.

But a chest full of supreme-grade spirit stones.

The light of the spirit stones burst out of the chest, making the eyes of the heavily injured cultivators around them glaze over.

Patriarch Ren was originally circulating his energy to heal his wounds. Seeing that chest of spirit stones, he almost choked his breath into his lungs.

"Supreme-grade spirit stones?"

"A whole chest?"

Wei Zhongxian grinned and said, "This is just the first chest."

Everyone's breathing hitched.

"The first chest?"

Wei Zhongxian flicked his whisk and said in a shrill voice, "In the Black Water Demon Lair, we found a total of seven treasure vaults, thirteen hidden vaults, twenty-nine underground spirit granaries, three cultivation technique underground palaces, one spirit herb garden, and nine live sacrifice prisons."

At this point, even he paused for a moment.

As if afraid of scaring people to death.

"In addition, we also found spirit weapons, pills, talisman treasures, ore materials, slave contracts, and land deeds that the Black Water Demon Cult extorted from various cities in the Western Regions and robbed by massacring sects and clans over the years..."

The Great Elder of Illusion Sea Immortal Sect still had bloodstains in his seven orifices. Hearing this, he suddenly stopped feeling dizzy.

He supported his broken folding fan and asked in a trembling voice, "Are there any ancient mirror-type treasures?"

Wei Zhongxian smiled and said, "There are three."

The Great Elder of Illusion Sea Immortal Sect's eyes instantly lit up.

"What grade?"

Wei Zhongxian said, "One heaven-tier high-grade spirit weapon, two heaven-tier low-grade."

The Great Elder of Illusion Sea Immortal Sect instantly straightened his back.

"This old man can still fight!"

Wang Hao walked out from the ruins.

His face was still a bit pale.

The backlash from forcibly striking out the ninth palm of the Heaven-Imprisoning Earth-Overturning Palm had not completely faded.

But even so, as he walked over, everyone still subconsciously made way for him.

An emperor at the peak of the Astral Qi Realm.

Yet in the Black Water Demon Lair, he suppressed and beat Sky-Soaring Realm experts, half-step Martial Gods, and rank-nine anomalies all the way.

This was no longer just absurd.

It was absurdly absurd.

Wang Hao glanced in the direction of the treasure vault.

"Where are the captives and the people who were caught?"

Wei Zhongxian immediately put away his smile.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, we have rescued over thirty-seven thousand mortals and over five thousand low-level cultivators. Most have had their blood drawn and their divine souls severely damaged."

Wang Hao's eyes turned slightly cold.

"Give them medicine first."

"Register the birthplaces of the mortals. Those willing to return home will be escorted by the Great Zhou. Those without homes will be incorporated into the Western Regions resettlement camps."

"Cultivators willing to join the Demon Suppression Alliance will be given basic cultivation techniques and healing pills. Those unwilling will be given travel expenses."

Wei Zhongxian bowed his head.

"Yes."

As soon as these words came out, many sect experts were slightly taken aback.

They thought Wang Hao would incorporate these people as slaves.

After all, the captives caught by demons were mostly helpless and without support.

In the Western Regions, such people had always been the favorite "consumables" of various factions.

But Wang Hao did not.

He was greedy.

Shameless.

Stingy.

Liked to scam people.

But he never treated innocent commoners as consumables.

Xiao Chen glanced at Wang Hao, his heart complex.

What kind of tyrant was this?

To say he was cruel, he could hang people on the city gate without changing his expression.

To say he was merciful, he could scatter the ashes of his enemies further than the wind.

To say he was shameless...

This was actually true.

Wang Hao walked to the door of the treasure vault.

The main treasure vault of the Black Water Demon Lair had already been opened by the Eastern Depot.

Inside, spiritual light shot into the sky.

Mountains of spirit stones were piled on the ground, spirit herbs were sealed in jade boxes, spirit weapons hung all over the walls, and cultivation technique manuals were piled into small mountains.

In the deepest part, there were even a few sealed jade cabinets emitting a faint, eerie aura.

Those were anomalous remnants that the Black Water Demon Cult had imprisoned, refined, and hadn't had time to use over the years.

The New Emperor Sword was originally lying sickly.

Smelling the scent, he suddenly sat up.

"Mealtime?"

Wang Hao said indifferently, "You just swallowed a rank-nine desire seed core. If you eat more, you'll explode."

The New Emperor Sword thought seriously for a moment.

"Explode into two swords?"

Wang Hao: "Explode into a chamber pot."

The New Emperor Sword silently lay back down.

"I'm suddenly not hungry."

The corners of everyone's mouths twitched.

Wang Hao raised his hand.

Everyone quieted down.

According to the regulations of the Demon Suppression Alliance, the spoils of this battle should be uniformly handed over to the alliance and distributed by the alliance according to contribution points.

Everyone knew the rules.

And they all knew that the Great Zhou Emperor was stingy.

So many sect experts were already mentally prepared.

If they could get ten percent this time, it would be considered Wang Hao finding his conscience.

If they could get twenty percent, they could burn high incense for him.

If they could get thirty percent...

That would probably mean smoke was rising from their ancestral graves.

Wang Hao looked around and suddenly spoke.

"In breaking through the Black Water Demon Lair this time, you all have the merit of bloody battle."

"Logically, all spoils should enter the alliance's main vault and then be slowly calculated according to contribution points."

Everyone's hearts sank.

Sure enough.

Here it comes.

Xiao Chen whispered, "I bet he's going to swallow it all."

Ye Guyun said, "Not to that extent."

Wanyan Gu said, "I bet he swallows ninety-five percent."

Qin Hongye frowned: "Don't talk nonsense. His Majesty isn't that dark. His Majesty is the best emperor of the Great Zhou."

The few of them looked at her simultaneously.

Qin Hongye was silent for a moment.

"...Probably."

Wang Hao, however, suddenly changed his tone.

"But today, I am changing the rules."

"Of all the spoils, the Great Zhou will only take thirty percent as military expenses."

"The remaining seventy percent will all be distributed to the sects, aristocratic families, and individuals who participated in this operation."

The entire ruin instantly became dead silent.

The wind blew past the mountains of spirit stones.

Everyone's eyes went straight.

Seventy percent?

Seventy percent!

This was the thousand-year accumulation of the Black Water Demon Lair!

Not a small mountain gate.

Not the storage bags of a few unlucky demonic cultivators.

This was the lair of a giant demonic faction in the Western Regions!

What was the concept of seventy percent?

Enough to make a medium-sized sect take off directly.

Enough for an aristocratic family to cultivate over a dozen Astral Qi Realm experts.

It was enough to make some rogue cultivator patriarchs, who were so poor they were about to sell their pants, acknowledge Wang Hao as their biological father on the spot.

Patriarch Ren was the first to react.

Just a moment ago, this old man was so weak he needed someone to support him.

The next moment, he shot into the treasury with a whoosh.

His speed was unlike that of an Imperial Sky Realm patriarch, but rather like a stray dog that had been starving for three days seeing a meat bun.

Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng!

This old man saw it first!

An elder of the Purple Heaven Sect roared, Old Ghost Ren, have you no shame? You just said you were heavily injured and at death's door!

Patriarch Ren did not even turn his head.

Can't it be terminal lucidity?

The Valley Master of the Fire Cloud Valley transformed into a streak of fire and rushed in.

That Crimson Flame Demon-Slaying Saber belongs to my Fire Cloud Valley!

The Great Elder of Illusion Sea Immortal Sect clutched his chest, yet he dashed faster than anyone else.

The mirror! The mirror! Whoever dares to snatch this old man's mirror, I will drag them into a nightmare until they die!

A ripple of emotion also appeared on the cold and glamorous face of the Vice Palace Master of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace.

She walked slowly into the treasury.

Seemingly elegant.

In reality, frost spread beneath her feet, directly freezing three sect elders who were preparing to snatch the Cold Jade Spirit Marrow in place.

This item has an affinity with my palace.

A frozen elder said angrily, Vice Palace Master, this is daylight robbery!

The Vice Palace Master of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace said indifferently, You misunderstood.

This is elegant daylight robbery.

The treasury instantly exploded into chaos.

A group of Imperial Sky Realm patriarchs, who were usually transcendent and highly respected, had all torn away their dignity at this moment.

Some fought fiercely over supreme-grade spirit stones.

Some almost drew their swords over a bottle of Realm-Breaking Pills.

Some hugged a pile of cultivation manuals and hid in a corner, muttering, I saw these first.

Others had already started bidding.

This stalk of Nine-Leaf Profound Lingzhi belongs to me, I will compensate you with three thousand high-grade spirit stones!

Scram! Are you trying to dismiss beggars with three thousand high-grade spirit stones?

Then five thousand!

Scram further away, the beggars have raised their prices!

Xiao Chen watched this scene, feeling completely numb.

These are the seniors of the righteous path?

Ye Guyun said, Very realistic.

Wanyan Gu looked serious, I suddenly feel that we Northern Barbarians are quite civilized.

Qin Hongye remained silent.

She really wanted to refute it.

But inside, a white-bearded patriarch, unable to outcompete others, was hugging someone's leg and biting it.

She simply could not bring herself to voice any refutation.

Wang Hao stood at the entrance of the treasury with his hands behind his back.

A gentle smile was on his face.

Wei Zhongxian stood by his side and asked in a low voice, Master, are we really giving them seventy percent?

Wang Hao said, Give it to them.

Wei Zhongxian's eyelids twitched slightly.

This is unlike you.

Wang Hao glanced at him.

Am I the kind of person in your heart who only takes and never gives?

Wei Zhongxian fell silent for a moment.

This servant dares not say.

Wang Hao said, That means you dare to think it.

Wei Zhongxian decisively lowered his head.

Wang Hao looked at the group of powerhouses fighting until their faces were red in the treasury and said indifferently, Wealth kept in the national treasury is just wealth.

Only when it is distributed does it become a fishhook.

Wei Zhongxian was startled.

Wang Hao continued, Why did these sects follow me to the Western Regions? Because of the weird threats? Because good and evil cannot coexist? Because of the heavenly might of the Great Zhou?

He chuckled lightly.

None of the above.

They came because they know that following me means there is meat to eat.

Now I have laid out the meat, letting them snatch it, letting them fight over it, and letting them owe me a share of wealth.

Today, they looted the treasures of the Black Water Demon Lair.

Tomorrow, they will be thinking about the storehouses of the Crimson Moon Demon Cult.

The day after tomorrow, they will set their sights on the granaries of the Western Region Righteous Path Alliance.

Once the floodgates of greed are opened, they can never be closed again.

Realization dawned on Wei Zhongxian.

Master wants them to push the war chariot forward themselves.

Wang Hao nodded.

Exactly.

Drawing the heroes of the world into my snare does not rely on benevolence, righteousness, or morality.

It relies on dividing the spoils.

Wei Zhongxian thought for a moment and said sincerely, Master is wise.

Wang Hao corrected him, Do not say wise.

Say professional.

Wei Zhongxian: ...

In the corner of the treasury.

Xiao Chen did not frantically fight over things like those patriarchs.

He was used to being poor.

Poor people have their own ways of picking up bargains.

While others stared at mountains of spirit stones, walls of spirit weapons, and Realm-Breaking Pills.

He squatted in a pile of ransacked sundries, looking through them one by one.

A broken heart-protecting mirror, cracked.

A handyman token of the Black Water Demon Cult, useless.

Half a beast bone, its spiritual energy has dissipated.

What is this thing?

Xiao Chen picked out a black iron fragment from a pile of scrap metal.

The iron fragment was the size of a palm, with irregular edges, looking like a corner that had chipped off from some massive artifact.

There was no spiritual energy on its surface.

Nor was there any weird energy.

It was completely ordinary.

But when Xiao Chen held it, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

It was as if an extremely ancient voice was whispering in his ear.

He frowned.

This thing...

In the distance, a system prompt suddenly sounded in Wang Hao's mind.

Detected that the Heaven's Chosen Xiao Chen has obtained a special item: God-Burying Fragment (1/9).

God-Burying Fragment: One of the key items for the ultimate mission Mystery of the Buried Gods. Suspected to be related to the ancient Godfall Battlefield and the severance of destiny in the Nine Provinces.

It is recommended that the host pay close attention.

Wang Hao's eyes flickered.

God-Burying Fragment?

Ultimate mission?

He looked at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen seemed to sense something and abruptly raised his head.

Their gazes met.

Xiao Chen instantly became alert and shoved the iron fragment into his robes.

The proficiency of that action was so practiced that it made one's heart ache for him.