Lurking

Li Juntang arrived in front of the treasury. He quickly knocked on the door a few times with both hands. With a loud rumble, the heavy doors of the vault slowly opened.

Inside, the treasures were dazzling and countless --- jade pendants exuding celestial energy, bronze tripods carved with mysterious patterns, and elixirs glowing with a strange light.

At the very center, inside a protective cover made of bulletproof glass, lay a jade box.

Li Juntang stepped forward, entered a code, opened the protective cover, and then lifted the jade box. Inside, a second stream of Dragon Origin Qi was revealed.

This Dragon Origin Qi appeared as a pearl the size of a chicken egg, with a dragon-shaped airflow constantly swirling within it.

“What a treasure!”

Li Juntang placed the Dragon Origin Qi offered by Dustin beside it, his face showing joy.

Dragon Origin Qi could defy fate and bring great fortune.

He had gone through great efforts to acquire the first stream, and now he had obtained the second so quickly --- it seemed his luck was indeed on the rise.

Once he gathered three streams of Dragon Origin Qi, he could set up a formation to absorb them. At that point, he would become the person with the strongest fortune in the entire Dragon Kingdom.

Ascending to the throne would be a natural outcome.

After safely placing the two Dragon Origin Qi pearls, Li Juntang admired them for a while before reluctantly closing the box and sealing the protective cover.

Finally, he left the treasury and reset everything to its original state.

The entire chamber, including the vault, was meticulously built by him. Not only were there expert guards stationed, but a variety of traps and mechanisms had also been installed.

Anyone who tried to enter besides him would face certain death.

After shutting the chamber doors and leaving the room, Li Juntang gave strict instructions to several guards to maintain high alert, with no room for negligence.

Once he confirmed everything was secure, he hummed a tune, clasped his hands behind his back, and returned to his private courtyard.

…

By midnight, the vast residence had fallen silent.

Aside from a few patrol squads making rounds, most of the residents were already asleep.

At that moment, in a secluded courtyard ---

Dustin suddenly sat up from bed, his eyes clear and alert, with no trace of sleepiness.

He reached into his clothing and pulled out a delicate compass, infusing it with a trace of true energy.

Very soon, the needle on the compass lit up, glowing faintly.

After a few spins, the needle suddenly pointed southwest and stopped moving.

Dustin tried turning the compass to change direction, but the needle still pointed southwest.

"It really works!"

Seeing this, Dustin was overjoyed.

Margaret had placed a tracking seal within the Dragon Origin Qi --- undetectable to most. But now, with this compass, Dustin could locate its exact position.

“It’s almost time.”

After glancing at the sky, Dustin changed into dark clothes, put on a mask, and silently left.

Before departing, he placed a detection formation in his room --- if anyone entered, he would immediately sense it.

Just in case.

Dustin moved like a shadow through the residence.

Sometimes leaping onto rooftops, sometimes vanishing into the darkness.

Thanks to his prior study of the building layout and his knowledge of the patrol patterns and hidden sentries, he was able to avoid danger zones and moved without alerting anyone.

After a careful search, Dustin finally found the remote courtyard.

He observed the surroundings --- heavily guarded, with every entrance monitored, leaving no blind spots.

It was clearly impossible to get inside the chamber unnoticed.

There was only one option: incapacitate the guards and sneak in.

Prepared, Dustin took out a stick of sleeping incense and lit it at the corner of a wall.

As the blue smoke rose, he waved his hand gently, sending a breeze that carried the smoke toward the two guards at the entrance.

The moment they inhaled the scent, they collapsed before they could react.

“This stuff really works,” Dustin thought, slightly amazed.

This incense was a gift from Margaret --- said to knock out anyone below Grandmaster level upon inhaling. Clearly, its reputation was well deserved.

Dustin nimbly flipped over the courtyard wall like a cat and entered the yard. Using the same method, he knocked out the remaining guards inside.

These guards were actually quite strong but had relaxed their vigilance, making them easy targets.

After all, none of them ever imagined someone would dare to intrude here ---

Let alone an Ultimate Grandmaster far more powerful than any of them.

Once the guards were dealt with, Dustin took out the compass again and carefully followed its guidance.

Eventually, it led him to the building containing the secret chamber.

He held his breath and listened intently. Hearing no unusual sounds, he slowly pushed open the door.

Just a few steps inside, the floor beneath his feet emitted a light click.

Immediately, a barrage of poison darts shot from the walls.

Dustin moved in a blur, dodging like a phantom and striking down the darts with finger techniques as if wielding a sword.

This level of trap posed no real threat to him.

“This room looks ordinary, but it's hiding something.”

Holding the compass in one hand, he circled the room several times before finally stopping in front of a wall.

After careful examination, he found the mechanism and gently twisted it twice.

Rumble --- the wall slowly opened, revealing a stone staircase leading down.

Dustin’s eyes lit up.

He found it! - Ton