Chapter 110: Entering the Grave

Before Liang Yan could even begin to ponder the situation, a sudden and terrifying change erupted in the chamber!

The three offering pedestals from which the spiritual artifacts had been removed began to rotate slowly with a rhythmic clicking sound. Though quiet, the noise fell clearly upon everyone’s ears. Instantly, all eyes turned toward the pedestals, and an unsettling atmosphere began to spread.

Click! Click!

The pedestals stopped turning as if a mechanism had been triggered. Suddenly, a ring of black water walls rose silently from the edges of the clearing, enclosing everyone within the blink of an eye.

"Blast! There is a restriction here!" Li Zheng cried out. He quickly drew a folding fan from his storage ring and slashed it through the air, sending a blue arc of light toward the water wall.

The blue arc collided with the water, but instead of the expected thunderous impact, it produced only a sizzling sound. The group watched in horror as the blue light began to emit wisps of green smoke; it was being corroded by the black water, dissolving into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

Everyone gasped. If this black water could corrode spiritual energy itself, what would happen if a living being were to touch it? They would surely be reduced to ash in an instant.

"Fellow Daoists, let us set aside the matter of the artifacts for now," the Smiling Monk suggested. "Our priority is to find a way to survive. We cannot afford to lose our lives here for the sake of mere trinkets."

The Crane Lady huffed in cold agreement, her silence signaling her assent. With life and death hanging in the balance, the masters of the six sects had no choice but to join forces. Qin Yuan pondered for a moment, then withdrew a small black blade from his storage ring and drove it into his own left arm.

A sinister, crimson glow suffused the blade as blood flowed against gravity, traveling up the steel and into the hilt. The blade’s aura surged as if it were drinking greedily, emitting a joyous, sharp cry. After allowing the blade to feed for a moment, Qin Yuan pulled it free, sealed the wound on his arm with a hand gesture, and flicked his right hand. The blade transformed into a streak of black light, shooting toward the water wall.

Simultaneously, the other five masters unleashed their own unique techniques. A brilliant convergence of spiritual light and artifacts struck a single point on the water wall. Although the barrier suppressed their movement arts, it did not restrict their offensive spells. Under the pressure of impending death, the six sect masters poured their full strength into the strike, hoping to shatter their confinement.

However, although the water wall distorted and warped, it merely rippled with dark light before returning to its original form, completely unscathed.

The group was stunned. Even the Smiling Monk lost his composure. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, another change occurred. The black water wall emitted a low, rumbling groan and began to contract inward. Though it moved slowly, the space was small to begin with, and within moments, it had shrunk to less than half its original size.

This sequence of events, though lengthy to describe, took only a few breaths. Caught in the middle, Liang Yan felt infinitesimal and helpless. His gaze swept over the nameless tombstone, and he thought to himself, "Could the master of this place intend for us to be wiped out here and buried alongside him?"

A sudden idea sparked in his mind. He pressed his index and middle fingers together, channeling lightning energy to his fingertips, and pointed them directly at the nameless tombstone. A thick bolt of blue lightning struck the stone. Instead of shattering like ordinary rock, the tombstone began to rotate slowly in place.

Hearing the strange noise, the others turned and saw the result with delight. Qin Yuan was the first to react, waving his wide sleeve to send a pillar of black light into the tombstone. Struck by this power, the stone’s rotation accelerated, and a faint sound of grinding mechanisms emanated from beneath their feet. The other sect masters quickly followed suit, casting their own spells at the tombstone.

Despite being assaulted by the combined power of the six masters, the stone did not break; instead, it spun faster and faster, eventually whipping up a small, localized vortex.

Boom!

As the black water wall closed in to within two yards, the tombstone abruptly stopped. A thunderous sound shook the floor, and a deep, dark tunnel opened beneath the tombstone, leading into the earth.

"Go!" Qin Yuan roared, diving into the passage first. The others followed suit, and just as the last person crossed the threshold, the corrosive black water wall finished its collapse into the center.

Boom!

With another deafening crash, the entrance to the tunnel sealed shut, locking the terrifying black water outside.

The group, hearts pounding, cast spells to illuminate their surroundings. They stood in a marble-paved passage, barely two yards wide, stretching downward into an unseen depth. The suddenness and danger of their escape left them in a heavy, contemplative silence.

After a while, Yun Xuzi coughed and spoke up. "We have reached this point; there is no turning back. Though this place is treacherous, there may yet be great opportunities ahead. I suggest we set aside our grievances and explore."

"Indeed, the monk agrees," the Smiling Monk chimed in. The others exchanged glances and nodded, silently agreeing to a temporary alliance.

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Liang Yan, Ji Lai, and the blue-clad girl brought by the scholar would lead the way. As they had no affiliation with the Foundation Establishment cultivators present, they were naturally treated as cannon fodder. The younger disciples—the little monk, Murong Xuewei, and the girl in pink—remained protected behind their respective elders, receiving vastly different treatment.

Liang Yan had anticipated this; once the gate was passed, their utility had diminished, and it was only logical that they would be used as scouts. He felt no resentment, walking side-by-side with Ji Lai while remaining vigilant for any further dangers.

The others followed closely behind, moving slowly into the depths of the earth. Liang Yan had begun to wonder if the tunnel was endless when a faint light appeared ahead. Their spirits lifted, and they quickened their pace. Soon, some of the masters pushed past Liang Yan, eager to reach the exit first. Realizing they were desperate not to be outdone in the search for treasure, Liang Yan and Ji Lai exchanged a weary smile and slowed their pace, falling to the back of the group.