Volume Two: Travels in Qi Chapter 82: Two Skeletons

As soon as they entered, a pungent stench assailed their senses, likely caused by the chamber having been sealed for countless years. Inhaling such fumes would surely have adverse effects on the body, so the six of them instinctively covered their noses.

After the odor dissipated, they began searching the burial chamber. There were several rows of wooden shelves, but after rummaging for a while, Zhang Heng realized that the items here were merely ordinary books and sundry useless objects—nothing out of the ordinary. The wooden shelves themselves, having withstood the passage of millennia, could be considered antiques; if sold, they would surely fetch a hefty sum in spirit stones.

A while later, the six gathered in the center of the chamber, all shaking their heads. It seemed prudent to keep moving onward; this was merely the outer section, unlikely to contain anything of real value.

Just as they were about to leave, a woman appeared at the entrance. She wore a white dress, her beauty unrivaled, marred only by her utter coldness. She did not spare Zhang Heng and his companions even a glance, but went straight to the shelves, sifting through the objects. Finding nothing of worth, she departed as swiftly as she had come.

Though she had not looked Zhang Heng’s way, his gaze remained fixed upon her—not merely for her looks or figure, but because of her cultivation level: Ninth Tier of the Core Formation Realm.

What was going on? Had geniuses become so common these days, wandering about everywhere? Qi Xuan was lauded as the greatest genius of the Qi Kingdom, having reached the Ninth Tier of the Core Formation Realm at age twenty-four, an impressive feat. Yet this girl’s strength matched his, and she appeared even younger.

“Well, Zhang Heng, has your heart been moved?” Wu Hong’s voice sounded beside him. Zhang Heng snapped out of his reverie to find the sly old man watching him with a mischievous glint.

Zhang Heng shook his head. He admitted the girl was attractive and her cultivation was impressive, but he had seen much of the world. The Holy Maiden Murong Qingxue was born with an innate spiritual body; Yan Xueqing, the Sword Saint’s apprentice, possessed the power of clairvoyance—how were they any less impressive?

He could appreciate her, perhaps, but to say his heart was truly moved? That was impossible.

“No need to hide it—young men are all the same. That girl is no ordinary person; there isn't a single young man in the Qi Kingdom who wouldn’t be taken with her,” Wu Hong said, clapping Zhang Heng on the shoulder with a hearty laugh.

Zhang Heng was about to retort when he noticed that Qi Xuan, the so-called greatest genius of the Qi Kingdom, was staring dazedly after the departing girl, utterly captivated.

How amusing, Zhang Heng thought with a wicked smile.

He turned to Wu Hong, eyes gleaming mischievously. “Old Wu, that girl just now was quite something. Do you know who she is?”

Wu Hong grinned, as if expecting the question, and patiently explained, “That girl is truly remarkable. Her name is Mu Wanqing, the last disciple of the Palace Master of Lingyu Palace. She’s only twenty, yet she’s already reached the Ninth Tier of the Core Formation Realm—the greatest genius Lingyu Palace has seen in centuries. Everyone in the sect regards her as their hope for the future.

“She’s blessed with extraordinary talent and an indomitable spirit. If nothing unexpected happens, she’ll surely ascend to the Heavenly Origin Realm, perhaps even to the Divine Transformation Realm. Should that happen, Lingyu Palace will join the ranks of the most prestigious sects thanks to her alone.”

Wu Hong smiled deeply, then added, “Zhang Heng, this girl is more than worthy of you. You’d best consider it carefully—miss this chance, and you may never find another woman so suited to you.”

In Wu Hong’s eyes, Zhang Heng was the future of the Dao of Alchemy. In a world so vast, there was no woman he could not win, only those he had not yet chosen.

“Don’t worry, Old Wu. I, Zhang Heng, am dashing, elegant, charming, and refined—I won’t let you down. I’ll win her over for sure,” Zhang Heng replied, narrowing his eyes with a grin.

The two burst out laughing, their laughter echoing through the chamber.

The other two Void Return experts seemed intent on maintaining a cool and aloof demeanor, saying nothing throughout. Yun Xiaotian, unable to join the conversation, simply stood by, grinning foolishly. Still, he firmly believed that no matter how exceptional the girl was, Zhang Heng was more than her equal.

Zhang Heng kept watching Qi Xuan, noticing that the Qi Kingdom’s prince wore a perpetual smile, his emotions unreadable. This, more than anything, made Zhang Heng wary: those who could bury their feelings so deeply were the most dangerous of all.

After this brief interlude, the group continued their treasure hunt. Unbeknownst to them, after they left, a horde of low-level cultivators swarmed into the chamber they’d just vacated, ransacking everything—even carrying away the shelves themselves.

Beyond that point, they entered parts of the tomb no one else had searched. Now silent and focused, the group moved with utmost caution; after all, this was someone else’s tomb, likely filled with traps and mechanisms to ward off intruders. Danger lurked everywhere, and they had to proceed carefully.

They entered several more burial chambers, but found nothing of worth. Occasionally, they came across a few cultivation manuals, but all were low-level, suited only for the most basic disciples—nothing that caught their interest.

Zhang Heng could not understand why a cultivator of the Divine Transformation Realm would bother collecting manuals suited for the Body Tempering or Purification Realms.

Convinced there was nothing valuable to be found, they stopped wasting time searching every chamber, and instead followed the map deeper into the tomb. After all, reason dictated that anything truly valuable would be hidden in the innermost depths.

They traversed a long corridor, walking for what seemed an age, with no more chambers along the way.

“Wait,” Zhang Heng called out from the rear of the group.

The others, though puzzled, halted at once.

“What is it, Zhang Heng?” Wu Hong asked, turning around.

“Is something wrong, Young Master Zhang?” Yun Xiaotian inquired as well.

(Zhang Heng had told Yun Xiaotian not to call him ‘Young Master,’ but Yun refused to listen, so Zhang Heng had given up trying to correct him.)

Both men knew Zhang Heng possessed secret treasures. If he suddenly called for a halt, he must have noticed something.

Qi Xuan, too, smiled, curious to see just what was so special about Zhang Heng that even Wu Hong, a fourth-tier alchemist, valued him so highly.

Zhang Heng pointed calmly ahead. “Look for yourselves.”

The group turned and stared down the corridor. To their shock, two skeletons that had lain motionless on the ground were now standing, exuding a sinister aura as they advanced toward them.

At once, everyone tensed, silently drawing on their spiritual power.

Cultivators, before death, would often set guardians within their tombs to ward off future interlopers. These two skeletons were clearly such guardians, set in place by the tomb’s owner during life.

If this truly was the tomb of a Divine Transformation Realm expert, then these guardians would possess formidable strength. Mishandling the situation could easily cost them their lives.

The skeletons drew ever nearer. The group had come seeking treasure and were unwilling to retreat, so they gathered their spiritual energy, preparing to fight for their very lives.