Fang Chen melded into the shadows and returned to the vicinity of the Immortal Tomb. Countless people were staring fixedly at the tomb's gate, not daring to let their guard down. Chai Shun was no exception; he hadn't even noticed Fang Chen's brief disappearance.
The four Nascent Soul Realm cultivators exchanged excited looks.
The elderly woman among them was the one to speak up. "To gain the immortal fate, sacrifices must be made. Let those two hundred disciples of the Qi Refining Realm come out."
The crowd was momentarily stunned for a moment before their faces showed realization. This meant that the two hundred Qi Refining Realm cultivators would be the ones to push open the gates, acting as scouts.
Everyone understood the elderly woman's intentions, but because they didn't want to give up such an opportunity, they didn't refuse.
Soon, the two hundred chosen Qi Refining Realm cultivators stood not far from the Immortal Tomb's gate, their expressions a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Under the guidance of the four Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, they slowly approached and pushed open the gates of the Immortal Tomb.
With a rumbling sound, the gates slowly opened. Perhaps having not seen the light of day for too long, a decayed smell immediately permeated the air as the gates swung open.
Fearing that this strange odor might be harmful, everyone held their breaths, not daring to breath it in.
"Oh? You’ve studied history?" Fang Chen asked, somewhat surprised.
Chai Shun smiled awkwardly. "I used to dream that one day I’d obtain the fortunes bestowed by ancient masters, so I studied for a while. Senior, look at those figures' clothes. These ancient robes date back to at least a thousand years ago. Back then, Daoists favored wearing robes engraved with the symbols of the Three Divine Beasts."
He pointed at one of the pillars, on which a Daoist was carved. He was engaged in alchemy, and his robe was adorned with the peculiar images of three beasts.
"What do these Three Divine Beasts signify?" asked Fang Chen casually.
Chai Shun became animated, explaining, "Senior, according to ancient records, the sects flourished in this realm tens of thousands of years ago due to their belief in the Three Divine Beasts. These beasts are the Azure Lightning Beast 'Cang', the Solar Beast 'Mu', and the Lunar Beast 'Ye.’
“It is said that practitioners who believed in those three beasts could easily overcome the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, and even grasp powers beyond the Five Elements.
"From what it seems now, the owner of this tomb might have been an immortal from ten thousand years ago."
Fang Chen's gaze flickered slightly. "The Three Divine Beasts?"
Standing not far away, the Chai Family ancestor looked intrigued. Chai Shun was clearly a descendant of their clan. Despite this, he couldn't help but feel surprised at Chai Shun's depth of knowledge, realizing he had never truly known this family member of his.
"Young one, are you suggesting that the previous owner of this tomb was a Dao Sect member?"
The question came from one of the four Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, causing a slight stir among the crowd.
Chai Shun hadn't anticipated that his words would reach their ears, let alone draw their attention. Nervous, he replied, "Elder, I dare not be certain. These are just things I've read in ancient texts..."
The four Nascent Soul Realm cultivators exchanged looks before resuming their conversation, paying no further attention to Chai Shun.
"The techniques of Dao sects are myriad and versatile. Since the owner of this tomb arranged it for himself, there should be some countermeasures left behind to prevent outsiders from entering. I think... we should inform some seniors about this and let them take charge?"
"No. If a cultivator at the Middle Three Realms intervenes, we four may not get much. Since we've broken through the formation, it suggests that some of the tomb's countermeasures should also have malfunctioned. It has been too long after all. Even if they are the methods of a true immortal, they might not last ten thousand years."
"Yes, indeed. No matter what kind of measures they set up, they would undoubtedly require the use of spirit stones. Even mid-grade or high-grade spirit stones can't last for more than ten thousand years without erosion."
After some discussion, the four Nascent Soul Realm cultivators decided to walk deeper into the tomb. With such a large tomb, they were unwilling to leave without finding anything valuable.
However, to be cautious, they arranged for the Qi Refining Realm cultivators to go ahead, followed closely by the Foundation Building Realm cultivators, then the Golden Core cultivators, and finally themselves.
Many harbored complaints about this arrangement but dared not oppose it. Fang Chen, however, paid little attention. His focus remained on the Qi Refining Realm and Foundation Building Realm cultivators nearby.
The Heavenly Evil Fruit could potentially be with either group. According to the two Blood Spirit Sect disciples, the fruit only worked on Qi Refining Realm and Foundation Building Realm cultivators. Yet, even after entering the tomb, no one had attempted to consume any spiritual fruits. Perhaps someone was waiting for a specific response.
No one knew how long it had been, but eventually, the group emerged from the deep and dark corridor to behold an ancient and quaint palace. Engraved on the central plaque of the palace were three large characters. "Skinning Hall."
The group was slightly startled, showing a hint of solemnity. "Skinning Hall?"
This name clearly hinted at something sinister. This palace might hold danger.
"Dad, I don't want to die!"