Anthony's eyes went to a huge pillar at the other side of the pool. The dropping sounds seemed to be coming from there. He levitated into the air and crossed to the other side of the pool, just beside the mighty pillar. The pillar seemed to be carved from stone, and was very wide with a shape that looked like a semi circle from behind.

"This should be it. This pillar is so strange." Anthony muttered, reaching out to touch it.

The stone pillar was warm, and there were faint traces of energy on it. Anthony tried to investigate further. However, he immediately met a blockade which prevented him from using his energy to probe the pillar.

"So powerful." Anthony whispered and walked around the pillar, searching for the source.

He walked around the huge pillar and came to the other side. Anthony immediately gasped. A wave of sweet, life energy hit him in the face the moment he came to that area. However, there seemed to be a spiritual barrier around the majestic stone pillar which prevented the rich energy from seeping into the surrounding, unlike that of the pool which freely permeated every part of the cave.

He instinctively went closer to the pillar, caressing it as he inspected the surroundings. He heard the drop again and quickly turned to the direction. There was a bowl shaped area formed from the rocks, apparently a part of the pillar.

Anthony moved closer to the bowl shaped area, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"Such a powerful life energy." He muttered, touching the bowl.

He took a deep breath and his eyes flew open in shock. Anthony quickly peered into the bowl and gasped.

"This is…"

He was totally speechless. Before him was the same liquid he had cultivated with. However, this one was twenty times richer and stronger than the one in the pool which he used. In appearance, it was milky, and had golden light rippling through it.

"This is the condensed form, the main essence. The one I cultivated in was the waste one, gotten after the main essence was collected in the bowl. Amazing! To think that I almost missed such a good item."

An idea suddenly occurred to him, making his eyes brighten with joy.

"That's right. Kaiser can finally benefit."

He wanted to take it away and give it to his brother. Whereas the one in the pool was too big to be taken away with his current strength, the one in the bowl was condensed into a smaller, purer form. This was way more potent than the pool and a little quantity could help Kaiser's cultivation.

He quickly brought out twenty jade bottles, grinning like a cat. He opened one of the bottles and used his energy to guide the nine treasures elixir into the bottles. Soon, the twenty bottles were exhausted, but there was more liquid remaining.

Anthony brought out ten more bottles. However, only six were refilled before it was exhausted. He brought out a wooden crate from his storage ring and arranged the bottles in it, after carefully sealing them. He looked at the bowl again in contemplation, as if trying to figure out something. At the base of the bowl was a very thick golden cream, thicker than the rest which he collected.

"This should be the sediment. But it has a strong energy too. I better collect it."

What Anthony didn't know was that the so-called sediment was the best and most miraculous. The pool could be said to be grade C, the liquid grade B, and the thick cream at the base grade A—the best and the highest of them all, carrying the essence of heaven and earth. It could purify blood and physique. It could also improve one's natural conditions and heal stubborn diseases due to the powerful life energy hiding in it.

However, it was inconspicuous because it was not giving off a strong wave of energy like the other two. This was because the energy is concentrated inside, tightly packed together inside of it, reducing the amount of stray energy escaping to the surrounding.

Anthony tried to guide the golden cream into a jade bottle, but it wouldn't budge. His energy couldn't even stir it. Left with no other option, he brought out a little strange cup used for storing special medicinal materials so that they won't lose their potency, alongside a wooden spoon. What he didn't know was that the jade bottle would have exploded if he had succeeded in moving the golden cream into it, due to the fact that the treasure's energy would be too overwhelming for the jade.

The antique cup was indeed the best method of preservation, which would not only ensure it remains in the same condition, it could even improve it over time. It could be said that it was heaven's own way of preventing him from incurring loss.

Anthony began to gently scoop the thick cream into the mysterious cup. After a while, it was done, and Anthony covered the cup and also added it to the wooden crate, before storing them in his storage ring.

After he was done, there were tiny particles of the cream still in the stone bowl. Anthony used his fingers to gather them, and licked everything clean.

He was immediately surprised, the energy concentration was too much and he had to quickly cultivate to process it.

"Wow! Just a little from my fingers is so amazing and sweet, very delicious. Imagine what taking a spoon or bottle of it would do."

However, he knew that giving in to his greed would be the worst thing to do. His energy might run riot and force him to the saint realm while he's not yet ready, which might make his cultivation stagnate. Besides, he still hasn't given his brother the good stuff.

"That's right, forget it. It now belongs to Kaiser." He muttered and continued searching around for signs of where the liquid was condensed from.

"Found it!" He shouted in excitement and levitated upwards till he came to a part of the stone pillar which looked like a platform. There was an unknown dwarf tree brimming with life energy, with green and golden lights flowing through its leaves. A little channel was formed from its root which transports the liquid produced by its nectar, which in turn brings it to the bowl, and finally the watery essence moves to the pool.

Anthony touched it and smiled.

"Don't worry, little fellow. I won't try to take you away. You did a good job, and should be commended. In the future, I hope another youngster will meet the pool and also benefit from your goodness." Anthony whispered and landed gently on his feet.

The moment he saw the source of the life energy, the eternal tree, all intentions of taking it away disappeared. He had robbed the egg, taking away the hen would be a criminal act. He should also leave a chance for other juniors to benefit like the old man did for him.

"Although I don't know what tree you are, I'm sure you're ranked high on the list of heavenly treasures. So, I won't take you away. Just don't get stolen by someone evil. I hope more juniors would benefit from you like I did. Thank you." He whispered and cupped his fist before the stone pillar.

Treasures of that level normally have consciousness, so acknowledging them was important.

Anthony made his way back to the man's room. He first moved the bed into his storage ring, and went to the platforms to inspect the treasures on it.

He had just opened two boxes when he began to grin like a cat.

"All these are good stuff. Short sword, hammer with innate spiritual energy, and two defense robes." He muttered as he stowed the weapons away.

He opened the table's inbuilt cabinet and arranged its contents in a wooden box, not bothering to check them. Whenever he had the time, he would go back to them.

On the table were four boxes, one contained shurikens, the other jewels, the third contained some old maps which looked like they would fall apart anytime. As he inspected them, he equally stored them away. When he got to the fourth box, he frowned a bit. Glowing white stones rich in spiritual energy were sealed in the box, and they had different sizes and levels of purity. He bit his lips, thinking hard on it.

"Ah! Spirit stones!" He suddenly shouted, as if he just remembered a distant memory.

He could swear he had never touched a spirit stone all his life, but he somehow remembered what it was called.

"I think it's the globally accepted currency in the cultivation world, alongside their various legal tenders. It can be absorbed to increase cultivation, and also used to set up some formations." He rattled out, before he could understand what he was saying.

He quickly cleared out the platform and turned to leave, grinning. As he was about to walk past the shelf containing the herbs and jade bottles, he stopped and smirked at them.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget you guys." He said with a wide grin and swept everything away, ready to continue his journey.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.