Chapter 294: Chapter 236: The True Master of the Cave (2)
According to this manuscript from the early Ancient Era, the rightful owner of this space, an Alchemy Master named Vasel, had excavated this cavern and several other rooms. However, he had also fallen into the very same room that Ling Xiao and the others had.
Although he was an Alchemy Master, his own strength was not weak. The manuscript recorded that he possessed the power of a Saint-tier Great Mage at the time.
Of course, Ling Xiao and the others had no concept of what the power of a Saint-tier Great Mage entailed. By the late Ancient Era, Mages only appeared in legends, let alone in the current age of Martial Artists.
After Vasel fell, he discovered a deep pool below. A tremendous suction force emanated from the pool, rendering him almost unable to use his power. However, Vasel’s strength was formidable. He didn’t fall into the pool but stopped several hundred meters above the water’s surface. He then used a Luminous Pearl he carried to illuminate the area, revealing a powerful Magical Beast in the pool’s depths. But the beast seemed to know how strong Vasel was and didn’t dare to emerge. Vasel, for his part, had no interest in tangling with an unknown monster. He used his Magical Power and flew back up.
Since this room had already been created, Vasel considered that someone might come here in the future and fall in accidentally. Thus, he set up a Magic Array on the floor of the room.
This Magic Array had a peculiar feature: it would lose its effect after operating for ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine years. In other words, a hundred thousand years.
For it to remain effective for a full one hundred thousand years spoke volumes of the Alchemy Master’s power. He probably never imagined that a hundred thousand years later, someone would be able to set foot here and follow in his footsteps.
After the Magic Array lost its effect, if someone were to fall through, the array would absorb light to repair itself... This was precisely why, after Ling Xiao and Song Mingyue fell, even Tiger Sword Emperor, using his strongest attack, couldn’t damage the floor in the slightest!
From this, it was clear that the Alchemy Master, who was also a Holy-tier Great Mage, was far more powerful than Tiger.
As for why Ling Xiao was able to cut through from below with the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword, the reason was even simpler. The Magic Array was only effective from above. No one had ever considered that someone might try to break through from below! After all, the Holy-tier Great Mage had only set it up to prevent people from falling in.
"So... that Alchemy Master was an ancestor from a hundred thousand years ago! Heavens." Song Mingyue clicked her tongue in amazement. "This is incredible! So the Alchemist who was here before must have found this place by accident too! But... I think he must have read this manuscript. Otherwise, how did he avoid falling in?"
"Perhaps he got curious and tested it, but the Magic Array was still effective back then!" Ling Su said softly.
The group glanced back at the hole, so deep that not a speck of light could be seen. Still shaken, Song Mingyue said, "Ling Xiao, is there any way you can seal this up? I’m afraid... if someone finds this place in the future and treats it like a treasure trove, it’ll be a disaster. There might still be another one of those monsters down there!"
Ling Xiao smiled and nodded. Song Mingyue was very kind and considerate. Whether there were other powerful things in that deep pool, and where the pool led, were both mysteries. So, sealing it was a good idea.
With that thought, Ling Xiao took out a few low-tier Magic Beast Crystal Cores from his Space Ring and casually pressed them into the edge of the doorway. Then he uttered a single word: "Seal!"
The group was hit by a dizzying sensation. The Stone Gate that Tiger had destroyed vanished before their eyes! In its place was a wall that looked identical to its surroundings.
That special, durable Stone Gate was one Tiger had personally smashed to pieces, so he stared with wide eyes. He reached out, touching the new surface while clucking his tongue in amazement. "Huh, it’s really gone. How did it disappear? This is amazing!"
Ling Su and Song Mingyue also went over to touch it out of curiosity. All they felt was a cold wall. Looks of astonishment filled their eyes. When Song Mingyue looked at Ling Xiao, her gaze was filled with adoration.
’No matter how mysterious Ling Xiao is, he’s my man!’
Ling Su’s face paled a little as the two recounted their story about the monster in the deep pool below. Of course, they didn’t mention the Dual Cultivation. How could they possibly tell anyone about something so private?
Ling Su shook her head and said, "Even though we didn’t get any sword techniques or Cultivation Techniques, what we’ve gained here is much greater! I bet the Zhe Family is desperately searching for us right now, and they definitely won’t let these Ancient Ruins go! So, we should take everything of value and leave this place as soon as possible!"
Song Mingyue suddenly said, "Ah, if I’d known, we should have just left the room unsealed and let them go treasure hunting down there!" As she spoke, she recalled the passionate scene between the two of them below. Her face flushed, and she thought, ’That’s where we were together for the first time. It shouldn’t be disturbed by those scumbags!’ So she added, "But... to prevent anyone else from coming in later, it’s better that it’s sealed. Hmph, we’re letting those scumbags from the Zhe Family off easy!" Saying this, she subtly glanced at Ling Xiao, who happened to be looking at her too. They exchanged a smile, a warm, unspoken understanding passing between them.
The most valuable things in the cavern were, without a doubt, the Spatial Container Ling Xiao had taken and the countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures inside it. After that were the precious books and manuscripts.
Ling Su didn’t have a Space Ring, so Song Mingyue rummaged through her own ring and gave Ling Su a Space Ring of a dozen or so cubic meters. Ling Su refused for quite a while, as everyone knew the value of a Space Ring. For someone like Song Mingyue, who had little concept of money, this was a rare opportunity to get on the good side of Ling Xiao’s sister, and she pulled out all the stops.
So, after arguing for a long time, Ling Su reluctantly accepted it. She understood Song Mingyue’s motive for befriending her, but she quite liked the girl. After all, she was the first woman she had seen by her younger brother’s side.
Regarding whether to take the Luminous Pearls on the cavern ceiling, the group was in complete agreement. If they could guarantee the people from the Zhe Family wouldn’t find this place, they would be reluctant to vandalize the cavern. But the Demon Swordsmen had already revealed some of its secrets, so it was only a matter of time before the Zhe Family found these ruins. It was better to take the pearls than to leave them for those people.
So, Tiger acted as the manual labor, flying up to pry out all the Luminous Pearls and putting them into a Space Ring. Once the last Luminous Pearl was removed, the entire cavern was plunged into absolute darkness.
They took everything of value. Ling Su didn’t even spare the ancient cookware, because she planned to study it after returning to the Imperial Academy to deduce what life was generally like in the Ancient Era.
In the darkness, Song Mingyue and Ling Xiao walked at the very back. Ling Xiao held Song Mingyue’s small hand in his, and her heart was filled with sweetness.
Tiger was walking at the front. Halfway out, he suddenly stopped and said softly, "There are a lot of people outside!"
Ling Xiao’s eyes turned cold as new and old grudges surged in his heart. On the night of the bloody carnival, many of the private soldiers his brother Ling Wu had entrusted to him were killed or wounded! Although the main culprits had been executed, the Zhe Family behind those five thousand Mercenaries had then kidnapped his sister and tried to get their hands on his sword techniques, Cultivation Techniques, and... his Alchemy Secret Manuals!
’And the Zhe Family’s only son died at my hands. It seems this has become a personal vendetta!’
’In that case, there’s no need to show any mercy.’ Ling Xiao felt the abundant Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi coursing through his body and said grimly, "We’ll go out and kill."
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