Jiang Fan took a step forward, ready to leave.
Gong Caiyi, however, clutched his arm tightly.
Her face streaked with tears, she said, "You must come back."
"I... I’ve already lost too much."
"I don’t want to lose you too."
A sharp pain lanced through Jiang Fan’s heart.
He wiped away her tears, cupped her face, and bent down for a kiss.
This time, Gong Caiyi did not resist.
She lifted her face, bravely meeting his kiss.
"You must come back," she repeated.
She reluctantly let go of his hand.
Jiang Fan nodded and quickly headed toward the direction of the sound.
At the mountainside, at the end of a muddy path marked with Beast Claw prints—
A massive tunnel slanted deep into the earth.
The stone walls inside the tunnel were smooth.
Eroded over countless years by the massive bodies of Spirit Beasts rubbing against them.
Deep in this tunnel was the location where the Spirit Beasts collected Earth Phoenix Grass Juice.
It was also very likely the burial site of the Earth Phoenix Great Sage.
Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue, upon seeing Jiang Fan arrive, wasted no time sticking a Dustless Talisman to themselves before diving into the tunnel.
Jiang Fan also decisively took out a talisman and placed it on himself.
After some thought, he unsheathed the Purple Sword.
Riding the sword in flight, he left no footprints.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea—
He descended an indeterminate depth into the tunnel.
Far below the earth, the air was devoid of any rotten or damp smells. Instead, the fragrance of fresh greenery grew stronger and stronger.
The scent stirred a vague sense of familiarity in Jiang Fan.
It was undoubtedly reminiscent of the Earth Phoenix Grass Juice he had once drank.
It seemed, they were close.
"Just as the tomb is about to be opened, they send us up to scout the situation."
"With five Ninth Layer Perfection Core Formation beasts up there, do they think that bunch of decrepit elders can escape alive?"
"Clearly, they don’t trust us because we’re not their inner circle and fear we might pocket the tomb treasures. So, they sent us away."
"Damn it! When there’s hard labor to do, we’re considered one of them. But when it comes time to split the spoils, we’re treated as outsiders!"
"Keep your voice down. Trouble comes from loose lips."
Two young men wrapped in long robes with only their eyes visible walked toward him, whispering.
They moved using a movement technique.
Like nimble cats, they lightly tapped along the hardened stone walls on either side, leaping and dodging.
Leaving no trace of human presence.
The more silent of the two robed youths tensed, his gaze sharpening as he spotted a trail of muddy footprints ahead.
Outside, it was pouring rain, leaving everything caked in mud.
It would have been nearly impossible for Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue to avoid the mud.
"Someone’s here!" the robed youth exclaimed, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
At the same time, his figure swiftly retreated.
Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue, who had been hidden, both paled.
Immediately, they drew their swords, prepared to pursue and silence him.
Just as the robed youth moved back, a Purple Sword stabbed through his throat from behind.
Ensuring he could no longer cry out.
His companion, the other robed youth who had been grumbling moments earlier, opened his mouth to scream.
The space around his neck suddenly distorted, and in the next instant, his head tumbled to the ground.
Wu Manyue’s icy voice rang out:
"Looks like our little wager can continue."
Jiang Fan removed his Dustless Talisman and decapitated the youth.
"You two, show yourselves."
He activated the Mute Zen Bead.
The moment the two revealed themselves and made eye contact with him, a telepathic bond instantly formed between their minds.
"Don’t speak out loud going forward, or the people inside might hear us."
"With this magical treasure activated, we can communicate through our thoughts. Whatever you’re thinking, we’ll all hear it..."
As soon as Jiang Fan finished his thought—
A wisp of mental intent came through.
"This little bastard actually has such a treasure?"
Soon after, two more strands of intent surfaced in their shared consciousness.
"Looks like it’s true."
The first was from Jiang Fan.
The latter, Ren Guhong’s.
"What? Does this mean I can’t badmouth Jiang Fan behind his back anymore?"
"Ah, uh, I mean... hitting is affection, scolding is love."
"This is Senior Sister’s unique way of caring for you."
Wu Manyue’s face turned bright red with embarrassment.
Jiang Fan’s expression darkened. "I don’t want that kind of love."
He reapplied his Dustless Talisman and continued his descent.
A faint murmuring voice drifted through again.
"What’s he acting all high and mighty for? If I take my clothes off, I guarantee he’ll be head over heels..."
"Ah, no, who’s flooding my thoughts with nonsense? How annoying."
Jiang Fan stumbled slightly mid-step.
He turned back and glared fiercely at thin air.
In his mind, he commanded: "Focus!"
Wu Manyue’s face was written with mortification.
"What kind of cursed object is this? It’s going to ruin me!"
"Fine, fine, I’ll stop thinking. I’ll stop thinking about anything at all."
"Amitabha, Amitabha, Amitabha..."
Ren Guhong nearly burst out laughing.
The Mute Zen Bead was nothing short of a disaster for anyone who was two-faced.
They reached the very bottom of the tunnel.
This was a space about a hundred feet wide, and the ground was covered in tiny, flame-colored grasses.
From a distance, it looked like a layer of burning flames, stunningly beautiful.
"This must be the Earth Phoenix Grass," Jiang Fan said.
Plucking one, he popped it into his mouth.
The familiar flavor confirmed it—it was indeed Earth Phoenix Grass.
"There’s a spot on the stone wall over there that’s been broken through recently," Ren Guhong said.
All three turned to look.
This space, which was supposed to be the tunnel’s final endpoint, had a section of the stone wall blasted open.
Behind the wall, another hidden area revealed itself!
From within came faint voices and the sounds of objects being moved.
"It’s the Earth Phoenix’s tomb!"
"The Divine Movement Sect got the location right."
"To think that the Earth Phoenix’s tomb was separated from the Spirit Beast Sect’s Earth Phoenix Grass harvesting site by just one wall."
"What a missed opportunity for the Spirit Beast Sect."
Ren Guhong was in awe.
Jiang Fan, however, shook his head slightly. "Do you really think the founder of the Spirit Beast Sect was unaware of this place?"
"The naming origins of Earth Phoenix Grass don’t strike you as curious?"
The other two suddenly realized.
If the Spirit Beast Sect’s founder had no knowledge of the Earth Phoenix Great Sage buried here—
Why name the grass grown here Earth Phoenix Grass?
Jiang Fan continued, "Which is why I suspect..."
"That tomb must be exceedingly dangerous. Ordinary people wouldn’t stand a chance of retrieving its treasures."
Wu Manyue couldn’t help but scoff internally:
"Hah! Putting on airs again..."
"Er, what I mean is, Junior Brother Jiang is indeed brilliant and insightful, extraordinary as always."
"Impressive, very impressive."
Jiang Fan shot her a sidelong glance.
Just how much trash talk had this woman done behind his back?
Shaking his head, he decided not to engage further.
Pulling out a bronze Array Plate, he surveyed the surroundings and said:
"I’m going to set up an ambush at this choke point."
"If they try to escape later, they’ll trigger it."
He chose a spot somewhat closer to the center of the space.
Wu Manyue frowned at the disturbed soil and asked, "Why are you positioning it in such an open area?"
"That broken wall over there has narrow terrain."
"If you buried it there, anyone coming through would step right on it."
"Here in this open space, it’s far too easy to avoid."
Ren Guhong also felt Jiang Fan’s choice of ambush site was questionable.
Jiang Fan responded internally: "How cautious do you think this group is?"
Ren Guhong replied, "Extremely cautious, to the point of leaving no footprints."
"After all, they’re excavating a tomb that holds the future of their entire sect, so they wouldn’t dare be careless."
Jiang Fan nodded. "Then do you think they wouldn’t anticipate an ambush?"
"If you think it’s ideal to set up in that narrow terrain, they’ll think so too."
Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue froze, stunned.
Ren Guhong finally said, "That’s... surprisingly reasonable!"
Wu Manyue muttered under her breath:
"No wonder I always suffer losses when dealing with this little rascal."
"He’s just too cunning, isn’t he?"
"I’m complimenting your cleverness, cough, cough."
Of course, it wasn’t solely careful planning on Jiang Fan’s part.
It was that he’d once made this exact mistake while ambushing a Double-headed Hellhound.
Back then, he smugly buried the bronze Array Plate in a narrow mountain trail.
Confident he’d catch his adversary off-guard.
Only for it to be seen through at a glance.
This time, he wouldn’t repeat the same error.
"Alright, hopefully this Array Plate gives them a big surprise!"
Having buried the Array Plate, Jiang Fan quietly slipped through the chamber’s entryway.
What came into view was a vast cavernous mountain, its end lost to darkness.
The far distance was an inky black void, impossible to discern details.
Only the central area, illuminated by numerous torches—
Had a small earthen mound.
In front of the mound stood a half-rotted plank of wood, remarkably intact.
Scrawled crudely on the surface were a few words:
Jiang Fan froze in place.
That legendary True Spirit of Heaven and Earth?
Was this... its resting place?
And who erected this tombstone?
Who dared to refer to it as Xiao Feng?