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Chapter 1264: Great Treasures
None of the cultivators were concerned with what had happened previously anymore. They all rushed toward the bronze gate to try and open it. Unfortunately, no matter what they did, the bronze gate didn’t budge an inch.
Thus, they all turned to look toward Zu An. After seeing him fight, they had all subconsciously begun to think of him as the leader.
Zu An walked forward and reached out a hand, pressing it against the bronze gate. Ki began to flow through him as he pushed. However, his ki seemed to be transferred somewhere else by the bronze gate and couldn't affect them at all. He quietly said, “This entrance doesn’t seem as if it can be opened with brute strength.”
The others looked disappointed when they heard that. Could it be that after all that had happened, they would only remain locked out of this treasure mountain without any gains?
Yan Xuehen walked up to the bronze gate as well. She gently caressed the designs on the door with her slender, jade-like fingers. Then, her gaze moved toward the various auspicious beasts and divine birds carved on its surface. She said, “There should be some mechanism up there.”
The others had all witnessed her abilities in the fog forest; after hearing that, someone shouted excitedly, “These sculptures seem as if they can be turned!”
Yan Xuehen muttered to herself, “They probably need to be turned to form a specific pattern. However, without any other clues, there is little we can do right now.”
There were several dozen sculptures present, which meant there was a vast number of possible combinations. Figuring out the exact answer by testing them out one by one seemed almost impossible.
“Let’s all search for some clues around here,” Jin Shi said loudly.
They were all elites from different clans, so they knew that the mechanisms in such places shouldn’t be randomly messed with. If they made some kind of mistake, something terrifying might happen. After all, judging from everything they had just experienced, the one who had set all of this up was definitely not a kind person. They all quickly began to search around, not even letting a single bush go unexamined.
After some time, the fatty Wu Liang walked over and offered while rubbing his hands, “Should I give it a try?”
Princess Changning said with a frown, “You had better not mess things up. If this thing has a limited amount of tries and blows up after an incorrect combination is given, all of our previous efforts will have been for nothing.”
Even though his performance earlier in the mist wasn’t too bad, this fellow was shifty-eyed and crafty-looking. It was hard for her to associate him with someone capable and respectful.
Zu An gave the fatty a meaningful look and said, “Let’s just let him have a go.” His words now carried much greater weight. Since he had spoken, the others obviously wouldn’t stop him.
Fatty Wu Liang’s body was surprisingly nimble. With a kick off the ground, he began to crawl up and down the tall bronze gate. Whenever he went, he turned the sculptures to specific positions. He didn’t show the slightest hesitation at all from start to finish.
Soon afterward, all of the sculptures were adjusted. When Wu Liang jumped down and landed on the ground again, the sculptures suddenly released waves of deep blue radiance. Then, all the lines on the gate began to glow blue. Letting out a mysterious noise, the gate slowly opened, revealing a serene and deep cave entrance.
The others’ gazes moved toward Wu Liang. Even the slowest person present realized that something was strange about this fatty.
Zu An remarked indifferently, “Daoist priest, are you not going to say anything?”
“Daoist priest?” The fiend race cultivators were stunned. This guy was in a mediocre getup. He didn’t look like a daoist priest at all! However, the skills he had shown in the fog forest did indeed seem to carry a daoist sect’s style.
Wu Liang chuckled and said, “Everyone, please do not misunderstand. I just happened to inadvertently obtain an ancient sketchbook that mentioned this bronze gate. I just tried it out according to what was recorded, and lo and behold, it actually opened!”
The others wanted to know what else was in that sketchbook, and what was inside the place, but Wu Liang smoothly and evasively said that there was nothing else. The others clearly knew that he was probably lying, but there was no way to prove it.
Some people couldn't hold themselves back anymore and rushed through the gate. After all, they were all apprehensive toward Zu An’s strength. If they could move earlier, they would get a bit of a head start. Who knew, they might even be able to find a treasure and slip away.
When the others saw them move, they couldn't be bothered to question Wu Liang anymore. They all rushed forth, striving to be the first.
Zu An reminded the three women around him, “We don’t know what might pop out inside, so stay near me. You absolutely can’t wander off.”
Yun Jianyue said unhappily, “Even though I’m wounded, it’s not to the point that I need your protection.”
Yan Xuehen instead felt her heart skip a beat, because even though he had said it to all three of them, it was actually directed more at her. She knew her current condition well, so she didn’t refuse out of pride and instead nodded ever so slightly.
Yu Yanluo then said, “We need to be careful of this fat daoist. I just feel as if he’s a bit strange.”
Zu An nodded. He made sure to keep an eye on the fatty.
…
The group quickly entered. At first, they had thought that it would be a pitch-black cave, and none of them had expected it to be a world of its own. Even though it wasn’t that bright, they could see without any problems. They had no idea where the source of the light was either.
“Huh? There’s something drawn on this wall!” someone shouted, but immediately regretted it. Am I stupid? I should’ve taken a look at it first before saying anything! What if it’s a diagram of a secret method left behind by a profound senior?
There were clearly quite a few who shared those thoughts. They all rushed over as well. However, Zu An’s group had high cultivation, so they didn’t need to run up close to see the mural’s contents clearly.
The diagrams at the very beginning of the mural seemed to have been destroyed. The first of the remaining diagrams depicted a group of warriors crowded around a carriage, surrounded by many people in eunuch and maid outfits. From the looks of it, it seemed to depict the ruler of a country setting out on a trip.
The next one depicted the foot of a strange mountain. The mountain itself undulated up and down like a great snake, but there was an opening in the very center. At the foot of the mountain, there was also a large snake that had been chopped in half.
The third diagram depicted the ruler’s subordinates intending to kill the dying great snake. However, the ruler on the carriage stopped, and had his men save this snake.
The fourth diagram described something that happened many years later. The ruler’s party was on a ship in the middle of a stormy sea. Just as they were about to capsize, a great snake rushed out from the waters. In its mouth was a sparkling pearl that it gifted to the ruler.
The next few diagrams were mostly destroyed. The only remaining one depicted the ruler’s wedding. The pearl was embedded in the empress’ phoenix crown. The scenes after that were also missing.
The others saw that it wasn’t some kind of technique diagram and left one after another in disappointment. However, they all kept the sparkling, perfectly snow-white pearl in mind. The thing looked extraordinary even in the mural, so it was definitely a great treasure.
Zu An’s group was much more shocked. They all looked toward Yu Yanluo, asking, “Don’t tell me that thing the snake told you about that could help you make a breakthrough is this pearl?”
Yu Yanluo was a bit stunned. She replied, “I don’t know either. I felt a mysterious quiver when I first saw the pearl, and I can sense that something up ahead in the depths is calling out to me.”
“Do you think that big snake by the swamp is the snake in this mural?” Yan Xuehen voiced a possibility.
Zu An shook his head and said, “It shouldn’t be. Judging from how old this tomb is, those murals should be talking about the distant past. It’s not too likely for that snake to have lived for this long.”
Yun Jianyue chuckled and said, “It’s pointless to think about all of these things; we’ll find out once we take a look inside. If that big snake outside is the one in this painting, that’s for the best. Little Sister Yu can communicate with it amiably then.”
Just then, someone let out a cry of alarm and cried “This is the Pill Cauldron Ginseng, Silverthread Flower, Soul Splitting Herb… I was the one who found these, so don’t fight with me over them!” Right as the voice spoke, sounds of fighting broke out.
Mockery appeared on the corners of Yun Jianyue’s lips. She remarked, “Wealth moves the heart after all. Who would’ve thought that they would already start fighting among themselves this quickly?”
“What are those things?” Zu An asked. It was his first time hearing those names.
Yan Xuehen explained, “The Silverthread Flower and Soul Splitting Herb are top-quality ingredients for refining pills. They are extremely rare. That is especially so for the Soul Splitting Herb. Many master rank cultivators encounter danger while condensing their souls, leading to failure, or even damage to their soul. However, the Soul Splitting Herb can rejoin a damaged soul. It is a rare ingredient that many masters seek, but cannot find.
“The Pill Cauldron Ginseng can prolong one’s life, and depending on the grade, it can increase one’s lifespan anywhere between ten to a hundred years. Of course, such a thing is useless for immortals or higher-ranked individuals.”
Zu An was confused. “Why?”
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