Chapter 229 - 225: Treasure Entrance
Chapter 229: Chapter 225: Treasure Entrance
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
In the dead of night, the wind rustled through the leaves.
Bright moonlight spilled down, hazy and indistinct, leaving mottled shadows throughout the forest.
A party of seven followed the route indicated on the Treasure Map. After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they arrived at a point halfway up Biluo Mountain.
The area was thick with green trees. Before them stood a cliff face overgrown with moss and weeds, a verdant expanse. A gentle breeze swept by, making the grass sway endlessly.
"This should be the place! Strange, didn’t the map say there was a Stone Gate here? Why can’t I see one?"
"Push aside the undergrowth and look!"
"Everyone, pick up the pace! We need to get our hands on this treasure before dawn!"
"Right, the longer this takes, the more likely something will go wrong. Find it, now!"
Upon reaching the mountainside, the group immediately began to search the area. They were all incredibly serious and meticulous, wanting to find the treasure’s entrance as quickly as possible and claim their prize. After all, countless eyes from the outside world were watching. If word got out that they had a complete Treasure Map, numerous powers would likely swarm the place.
Until now, the outside world hadn’t made a move while the Cao and Liu Families searched Biluo Mountain together. This was because their Treasure Map was incomplete. Searching Biluo Mountain with a partial map was not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but there was also no guarantee of finding the treasure. Furthermore, the Cao and Liu Families were prominent clans in Red Sun Province. Trying to snatch an incomplete Treasure Map from them just wasn’t worth the risk. A fragmented map wasn’t valuable enough to spill blood over. However, a complete Treasure Map was an entirely different story. Many powers would likely be eager to make a move, and it could even lead to a massive, bloody conflict.
After searching carefully for a while, the party of seven still hadn’t found the entrance. Cao Bohao and the others couldn’t help but grow anxious, and Liu Liqun was just as frantic. A secret like this was bound to get out. Although they had suppressed the news of the complete Treasure Map and even snuck out at night to hunt for it, someone would inevitably notice something was amiss if they took too long. The more they delayed, the worse their situation would become. Conversely, if they could obtain the treasure within a day or two, they would have plenty of time for a cover-up. They could simply have their family members continue to feign a search on Biluo Mountain to pull off the deception.
"Nothing over here!"
"I haven’t found anything either!"
"What’s going on? Could the Treasure Map be a fake?"
"That’s impossible. The Treasure Map can’t be a fake!"
"Wait, we haven’t dug into the cliff face! Let’s try digging it open!"
The seven of them immediately and impatiently began to dig into the cliff. Since they were pressed for time, they each channeled their True Qi and began excavating the earth and rock.
Among the seven, apart from Ye Xing who was at the Martial Arts Sixth Realm, the other six were all High-level Qi Condensation Stage Martial Artists at the Martial Arts Eighth and Ninth Realms. Among them, Cao Bohao, Liu Liqun, and Gao Zhisong were top-tier experts ranked on the Wind and Cloud List, capable of protecting themselves even against an Innate Realm master. Their True Qi was naturally immense, and their digging speed was simply off the charts.
As they continued to dig into the cliff, piles of earth and rock accumulated on the grass below.
Ye Xing was, of course, part of the digging team. However, with his Cultivation only at the Martial Arts Sixth Realm, a slow digging speed was excusable. So, the rascal naturally started to slack off. While the others were working themselves to the bone in a flurry of activity, he was just feigning effort with his shovel.
’Dig away, dig away. With Cultivations as profound as yours, you could all use the exercise. As for my own meager Cultivation, I’d better conserve some True Qi.’ Ye Xing, wearing his MP3 player, listened to music and swung his shovel in time with the rhythm of the song. He wasn’t letting work get in the way of his entertainment.
Of course, even though Ye Xing was slacking, he still maintained a digging speed appropriate for the Martial Arts Sixth Realm. Otherwise, if he went all out, his digging speed, supported by the powerful regenerative abilities of the Thunder Heart Spring Wood, probably wouldn’t be much slower than that of a Martial Arts Ninth Layer expert.
If they wanted to be fast, they could have used a more forceful method, like planting a pack of explosives. That would have definitely blown this place to smithereens. But of course, the commotion from explosives would be far too great, making it unsuitable for use here for a number of reasons.
"Huh? Why is it hollow in here?"
As Ye Xing was daydreaming and digging, he suddenly felt his shovel lose purchase and sink straight into the cliff face as if it were hollow inside. Caught off guard, he stumbled and nearly fell over.
"This cliff face is hollow!"
Ye Xing’s eyes lit up. He quickly dug a few more times, and sure enough, once he broke through the rock wall, the pitch-black opening of a cave was revealed.
"Patriarch Cao, Patriarch Liu, everyone, come quick! I’ve dug into a cave over here!"
Hearing this, Cao Bohao, Liu Liqun, and the others rushed over.
"The treasure entrance must be here!"
The group was incredibly excited. They grabbed their iron shovels and began digging furiously. Soon, the cave opening was widened enough for one person to pass through, and they all scrambled to be the first to rush inside.
"Hahaha, I see the Stone Gate! The Daluo Sect’s treasure really is here!"
A moment later, the sound of the group’s irrepressible excitement echoed from within the cave.
At the mouth of the cave, a glint appeared in Ye Xing’s eyes. He didn’t immediately follow the others inside. Instead, he took out his Qiankun Bag, and from it, he produced a wireless surveillance camera and several timed explosives.
Only after setting up the wireless camera and the timed explosives did Ye Xing finally enter the cave.
It was very dark inside the cave. Even with a Martial Artist’s eyesight, one could only make out vague outlines.
Ye Xing flicked his lighter, and a small flame flared to life, its dim yellow light faintly illuminating the surroundings. After walking about twenty paces down the tunnel, Ye Xing also arrived before the Stone Gate.
The Stone Gate was made entirely of Cyan Steel Stone, making it incredibly hard and heavy. Its surface was engraved with ancient patterns. On either side of the gate were several mechanism dials. Only by turning these dials could the Stone Gate be opened. Fortunately, the method for opening it was described in detail on the Treasure Map. In other words, even if someone found this place, they wouldn’t be able to open the Stone Gate without the map’s instructions.
At that moment, Cao Bohao and Liu Liqun were turning the mechanism dials on the side of the Stone Gate, while Cao Weifang, Liu Lihong, and the others lit their flint and steel to illuminate the gate with the flames.
"Hey, kid, what is that thing in your hand? How can the flame keep burning like that?" Liu Family Grand Elder Liu Lihong asked curiously.
Everyone in front of the Stone Gate couldn’t help but look at Ye Xing. They had all noticed that the object in his hand had been burning for a long time without going out. Meanwhile, the flint and steel in their hands were a huge hassle, as they had to be replaced one by one after burning out.