Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation
Chapter 358 - 7: Celestial Venerable Destroys the World (Part 2)
Wu Weixiong and Gao Yang’s group of five attacked from a distance using magic techniques.
However, the material of the puppet was extraordinary; besides being invisible, it was extremely resilient. The fierce attacks of the Earth-Split Bear fell on it without obstruction, only causing it to retreat slightly, but did not inflict any damage.
"Don’t be discouraged, no need to fight hard. We can deplete its energy!" Qin Henian, with more experience, thought of the puppet’s energy source upon realizing it couldn’t be harmed.
Then Wu Weixiong followed his instructions and called the Earth-Split Bear out.
Only Qin Henian remained to face its attacks directly, while the others forced it from a distance to activate the aura around it.
When Qin Henian was nearly exhausted, the Earth-Split Bear re-entered the medicinal garden to take over from Qin Henian.
This cycle continued, keeping the puppet in a state of great consumption constantly.
Seven days later, everyone noticed the puppet’s might noticeably slowed.
Half a month later, the puppet’s movements became rigid, and the protective aura was gone, unable to even break through the shield of the early Foundation Establishment member in Gao Yang’s team with a powerful strike.
However, despite being sent flying countless times, it still got up and attacked anyone entering the medicinal garden area.
But Qin Henian and the others had lost interest in wasting time with it.
Wu Weixiong instructed the Earth-Split Bear to tightly bind it, rendering it completely immobile, while the six cautiously entered the medicinal garden.
"Sss~"
As soon as they entered the medicinal garden, the six were instantly amazed by the soil of the spirit field within.
Unsurprisingly, there were numerous dead branches inside, surely high-tier spirit plants, all withered.
However, the spirit field’s soil here still emitted strands of spiritual mechanism.
"At least Third Grade Spirit Field!" Qin Henian sensed carefully, his face filled with joy.
The Qin Family’s Purple Bamboo Forest only barely counted as Fifth Grade Spirit Field.
"There’s more than enough spirit soil here, so it’s each to their own skills." As Qin Henian spoke, a square earthy-yellow box had already flown from his hand.
In an instant, five sections of spirit soil were absorbed into it.
"Great!" The other five were also quick, each taking out a storage pouch.
However, including Wu Weixiong, they all had only Middle Level storage pouches, with five sections of space being the limit, and they already stored a lot of items inside, so not much could be extracted.
Ultimately, Qin Henian used that earthy-yellow box magical artifact to take five sections of soil and used a high-level storage pouch to take another five sections, while the other five averaged one section each.
After all, for the other five, they basically lived a wandering life, without a long-term Dao field, having no intention to plant spirit plants in their own spirit fields, and only planning to sell them to others.
But there were at least twenty sections left in the medicinal garden here.
"Let’s go. This is just the second-to-last tomb chamber, usually only where the medicinal garden is. There must be better treasures ahead!" Wu Weixiong reminded, seeing Qin Henian still a bit reluctant to leave the spirit soil.
"Master Niu, this place is secretive. If you can leave completely intact this time, perhaps you can come back to take more spirit soil." Gao Yang also persuaded.
Qin Henian nodded, temporarily giving up the remaining spirit soil.
"What about the puppet?" The group then looked at the puppet tightly bound by the Earth-Split Bear.
"Tier Three Puppet, priceless treasure!" A person behind Gao Yang said excitedly.
"Indeed, but... who can you sell it to? The only one who can control Tier Three puppets in this domain is Thousand Crane True Man of the Ten Thousand Laws Palace... who dares trade with him?" Wu Weixiong frowned at the group.
"Besides, this puppet must be more than Tier Three!"
"Without the Puppet Control Technique, without surpassing Tier Three or even possessing Tier Four Divine Sense, this puppet is decoration."
"..."
"Why not leave it here for now, and decide after exploring the tomb chambers ahead?" Wu Weixiong suggested.
"Alright!" Everyone was eager for the upcoming tomb chamber, unwilling to spend much effort on this priceless but tricky asset.
In reality, every person wanted to take it for themselves but was uncertain about utilizing it, unsure what treasures to give up in exchange.
Then, Qin Henian once again led everyone onward.
However, after the death of a teammate during this venture, everyone was more cautious, and Qin Henian advanced with the protection of a superb shield.
Simultaneously, the Earth-Split Bear released the invisible puppet, but Wu Weixiong deliberately coated it with a layer of powder that could make it visible.
Once released, the puppet returned to guard the medicinal garden.
Until it watched Qin Henian’s group disappear into the deep tomb tunnel again, Li Ji’an didn’t hesitate and immediately ordered Gugu to emerge from the ground, swallowing the invisible puppet into its dry universe with one bite.
The Heaven-Swallowing ability in Gugu’s mouth is the bloodline talent of the Heaven-Swallowing Vermilion Toad. Its inner space is as vast as thirty square meters and forms a realm of its own, isolated from external influence.
The boundary of the Heaven-Swallowing realm matches Gugu’s realm. As long as it’s impossible to break Gugu’s body protection, one can’t break the realm’s boundary.
Once the puppet is swallowed into the Heaven-Swallowing, it freezes from its defensive posture.
As if it lost its target, it becomes a lifeless object.
Its mission was to guard the medicinal garden. Once it loses its defensive target, the mission fails simultaneously.
Afterward, Li Ji’an glanced at the medicinal field that was within reach but ultimately decided to forgo it for now. He instructed Gugu to continue pursuing Qin Henian and his group.
This cautious journey continued until they reached the third chamber a day later.
"How could this be possible!"
Upon entering the third chamber, the four members of Gao Yang’s team showed expressions of astonishment.
"What is it?" Wu Weixiong asked in confusion.
Gao Yang carefully studied the murals, overlooking the front, and spoke with a slightly trembling voice, "This place is still not the main burial chamber!"
"Still not? Didn’t you say that a three-layered tomb would already be a Saint Child-level tomb specification?" Qin Henian’s face also turned grave.
"That’s right, non-Saint Child-level tombs cannot exceed three layers. Only Saint Master level and Immortal Dynasty’s Immortal Emperors are eligible for a six-layered tomb!" Gao Yang explained.
"So you mean... this is an ancient Saint Master-level tomb?" Wu Weixiong’s expression immediately changed.
Ancient books unearthed from the post-ancient era recorded that ancient Saint Masters were great figures who had just begun mastering laws, akin to the refining void Daoist Monarchs.
"Gulp~" Qin Henian subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
In this realm where Nascent Soul True Monarchs are revered and Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarchs remain unknown, coming from the cultivation realm to today, he never thought about matters above Nascent Soul, and even less about a mere Fake Pill True Man like him having the opportunity to encounter such secrets.
This completely exceeded his expectations.
An ancient Nascent Soul tomb, for him, was a great opportunity. Due to the erosion of endless ages, even if there were countermeasures in the tomb, losing the supply of spirit veins would not pose a significant threat to him.
A Divinity Transformation tomb posed some risk, but with caution, there was still hope of withdrawing unscathed.
As for a Void Refining tomb... it wasn’t just risky; it was immensely perilous. Even if thousands of years had passed, the residual countermeasures, even weakened by ninety percent, could still obliterate him.
"There should be no mistake!" Gao Yang’s expression was solemn, with the previous anticipation in his eyes turning into fear.
The tomb’s deadly mechanisms are concentrated in the first three layers.
Now having reached the third last layer, if this tomb is a six-layered tomb, then only this chamber would be slightly safe for them.
If they proceed further to the next chamber, the deadly traps within could endanger even a Foundation Establishment late period Ascendant.
"According to your analysis, what is the function of this chamber?" Wu Weixiong, naturally understanding the crisis of advancing to the next chamber, could only pin his hopes on this chamber at the moment.
Loose cultivators risk their lives in cultivation, but going on when knowing it’s certain death isn’t a risk; it’s a surrender.
At the same time, everyone pinned their hopes on this chamber.
The center of this chamber was shrouded in a circle of grey mist, which even Qin Henian’s divine sense couldn’t penetrate.
"To my shame, although we’ve excavated many ancient tombs, we’ve never truly experienced a three-layered tomb. Many things we know are from ancient books.
This place far exceeds our expectations, and further confirmation is needed. I ask Master Niu to protect us," Gao Yang collected his thoughts, explained with some embarrassment, and proceeded to inspect the entrance murals and carvings.
Qin Henian did not speak further, obediently guarding behind him.
Gao Yang studied the murals very seriously; apart from some strange runes, there were countless small carved images.
An entire hour passed, with Gao Yang still meticulously researching the murals, his expression changing repeatedly.
"What is depicted here?"
Startled by Qin Henian’s voice, Gao Yang suddenly snapped back to his senses.
"This... I... this depicts the catastrophe of world destruction in ancient times!"
"The ancient calamity of world destruction? What do you mean?" Qin Henian and the others were all shocked.
In the over six thousand years since the post-ancient era, there have been many theories about what happened in ancient times.
Though countless ancient tombs and ruins have been rediscovered, detailed mentions of the world-destroying calamity are scarce, mostly consisting of brief and vague references.
Most guesses point to the demon race, given the relatively frequent mentions of the terms human and demon.
"The Celestial Venerable’s world destruction!" Gao Yang said with trembling lips.