Clang! Clang!
The clash of swords and sabers against first-rank beasts rang endlessly through the tomb. The three young men were covered in wounds, their blood spilling like rivers. Among them, Zhang Yangrui suffered the most—he was the weakest, and his body could no longer withstand the strain.
"Is this really the treasure chamber?" Huang Yikong frowned deeply.
They had entered a vast hall, nearly two hundred meters wide, empty and echoing. According to Yangrui's compass, this was supposed to be where the treasure lay. But the chamber was barren.
Had someone arrived first? No—it was unlikely. They should have been the first group to reach this place.
"You tricked me into coming here, didn't you?" the Black Dragon Empire youth snarled. "All the way, you weakened me, planning to kill me once I dropped my guard!" His eyes blazed with fury as he swung his saber at Yikong.
Startled, Yikong raised his blade to parry, striking back with equal force.
Though the Black Dragon youth was the strongest of the three, he was heavily wounded from fighting Taoist priests and beasts along the way. His strength had dwindled to less than a tenth of its peak. Against Yikong, the balance began to tip against him.
"Damn you! Do you really dare kill me? Are you not afraid the Black Dragon Empire will hunt you down?!" he shouted, desperation sharpening his voice.
The Black Dragon Empire was indeed powerful, but Yikong laughed coldly. "Here, inside the tomb, who would ever know? Kill you now, and no one will be left to speak. The dead cannot testify."
The youth spat blood, his vision blurring, yet he slashed wildly in return. Yikong felt the fight spiraling toward mutual destruction.
"Yangrui!" he roared. "Are you just going to stand there like a coward? Kill him, and we can claim the treasure!"
Grinding his teeth, Zhang Yangrui finally rushed forward to join the battle.
Unseen by any of them, hidden in a shadowed corner, a pair of eyes watched.
It was Lang Lin.
His body was frail, his face ordinary, his legs crippled. He had arrived through the dimensional gate only moments earlier, stumbling upon this slaughter. Fear gripped him so tightly his legs trembled.
If they find me, I'll die instantly, he thought, chest heaving. He was just a cripple who had stumbled upon a ring of destiny. Against warriors like these, he was nothing.
So he stayed still, trembling, while the clash of steel shook the air. He thought of martial arts dramas he had once seen on television—it all seemed unreal, until now. If the gate had dropped him in the middle of their battle, his head would already be rolling on the ground.
But fate was cruel. The earth beneath his hiding place gave way.
"Ahhh!" Lang Lin cried out as he fell, his voice thin and shrill.
Pain exploded across his back as he struck the ground. He could hardly breathe. He lay there groaning, terrified that the warriors above had heard. But the sounds of their battle continued unabated; they were too consumed to notice.
"Damn it…" Lang Lin gasped, struggling to his feet. His crippled legs made even standing an agony. Sweat drenched his face, his skin turning ashen as he fought to remain upright.
Taking out his phone, he flicked on the flashlight. The chamber around him glowed dimly—dustless, lined with runes he could not understand.
He moved closer, but the symbols made his head ache. Shaking it off, he swept the light around.
Then he saw it.
A stone shelf. Upon it lay only two items: a thin book and a black jar that looked like a liquor vessel.
Heart pounding, Lang Lin reached for them.
"Ding!" A message appeared before his eyes.
Breathing Technique for Water Immersion – Low LevelEnables the cultivator to gather qi and strengthens the body.Experience gained: 500Experience required to learn: 1000
Ancient Giant's Blood – Low GradeOver ten thousand years old.Details: Unknown.Experience gained: 1000
Lang Lin's entire body shook with excitement. A technique! A method to gather qi and strengthen his crippled frame. Perhaps… perhaps even his twisted legs could be healed!
He wanted nothing more than to return immediately, to fuse this treasure into himself. He didn't know exactly how, but the experience points told him the ring would handle the rest.
And he wanted to escape—because this place was too dangerous. Every second here was a gamble with death.
"Hand over what you're holding!"
The chilling voice came from behind him. Heavy breathing followed, sending shivers down his spine.
Lang Lin froze. Was this the end of his luck?
"Didn't you hear me?" the voice thundered again. "Hand it over, or die!"
Lang Lin turned slowly, forcing himself to look. The figure before him was Zhang Yangrui—his body carved with deep wounds, white bone visible beneath torn flesh.
Yangrui's eyes burned with greed. He had always been the one who hung back, letting others fight and die. And now, with only him left alive, he intended to take everything.
"Easy, brother," Lang Lin stammered, trying to stall. "What about your companions? Where are they?"
"Companions?" Yangrui sneered. "Fools, nothing more. Tools to be used and discarded. As for that arrogant Black Dragon pup—he was just another idiot who didn't know his place."
Yangrui never had friends, only stepping stones. Now, with treasure in sight, he was ready to claim it all.
"If you won't hand it over… then die!"
He lunged forward, saber flashing in a vicious arc toward Lang Lin.