“This is a treasure map,” said Wen Qing with a sudden smile. Her smile wasn’t a happy one, instead it was full of sarcasm. “This treasure map had caused so many to lose their lives over so many fights over it. My mother was the personal bodyguard of a young master belonging to a big family clan. Because of this treasure map, that big family clan was surrounded and attacked by a few other big family clans. Although my mother managed to protect the young master and break him out of the ambush successfully, she was very badly injured. Later on, she and the young master lived out their lives quietly in seclusion and had me.”
Ling Chuxi was stunned. ‘This was Wen Qing’s origins? The young master of that big family clan was Wen Qing’s father?’
“Indeed, my father was the young master of that big family clan. He was also a stubborn person. Originally, he and my mother were living here in seclusion and they were happy, but he could not let go of what lay at the end of this treasure map and wanted to see for himself exactly what it was. Therefore, he begged my mother to bring him there…” explained Wen Qing. As she went on, her voice got colder and sadder.
“The two of them went, but only my father returned with barely any breath left in him. He said that he regretted his decision and that he should not have gone in search of something that did not belong to him. In the end, not only did my mother die, but even her corpse was also missing just to protect him.” Wen Qing took a deep breath as she tried to adjust her emotions before continuing. After a beat, she slowly said, “In the end, my father concluded that a treasure that could not be controlled was not a treasure. Instead, it was a disaster, a calamity. Then, he warned me never to try and touch things that I could not control.”
“Now, I am giving you this treasure map, not because I am trying to bring harm to you. My father had told me that the treasure at the end of this map was out of the ordinary and was not something any ordinary person could obtain. Even my mother’s corpse was gone due to it. This means that whatever it was, was too powerful. My mother’s Battle Qi had already surpassed Level 9, but in the end, she still lost her life.” Wen Qing gently caressed the piece of goatskin. There was a sense of nostalgia and even sorrow, but there wasn’t any reluctance in giving it up. “Chuxi, promise me that before you obtain an absolute level of cultivation and the ability to encounter such power, don’t seek this treasure even just to check it out.”
Ling Chuxi looked at the piece of goatskin in Wen Qing’s hands and she felt a little shudder in her heart. Exactly what kind of treasure did this map lead to that it would cause a few big family clans to surround and attack another for possession of it? Wen Qing’s mother’s Battle Qi had already reached Level 9, but in the end, she still lost her life in pursuit of this treasure! What exactly was this treasure map hiding?
Wen Qing smiled slightly and pressed the piece of goatskin into Ling Chuxi’s hand. “This is a thank you gift for you, Chuxi. It is yours to handle by yourself. If one day you feel that you have the ability, then go give it a try. If you are really able to succeed, then the treasure this leads to will definitely let you become like a tiger who gained wings.”
“This…” began Ling Chuxi as she looked at the piece of goatskin, naturally understanding in her heart how heavy this light piece of skin actually was.
“Don’t reject it. There is no use of me holding on to it anyway,” said Wen Qing. She giggled, “I also don’t have any other things to give to you and only have this to offer in return for all you’ve done for me. In the future, even if you don’t use this as a map, you can use it as a weapon. Give this to whomever you don’t find pleasing to the eye,” said Wen Qing with a mischievous chuckle. “You can describe how hard-won this treasure map is to them. It is the treasure map that caused the destruction of the Wen family more than 20 years ago.”
The Wen family? So, Wen Qing’s father’s clan was the Wen family that was known to be so rich that their riches could compete against that of a country’s! The Wen family was incredibly well known in Nan Xia Country. They had much wealth and power, yet in a single night, all the hundreds of people residing in their family manor were annihilated. Hearsay, it was because the Wen family had offended a strong force, or that they had obtained a treasure sought by others. But as to the details of the reason for the massacre, no one knew. Ling Chuxi never thought that something so crucial would end up in her hands. Just thinking about it, how great of a temptation a treasure map was!
