Chapter 430: Escape from the Secret Cave

Li Yan was not the only one startled.

The terracotta warriors in the cave stood in formation, spears and halberds gleaming, their colors still vivid despite whatever method had preserved them.

They looked lifelike, armor bright, radiating murderous intent—as if a squad of fierce Qin soldiers guarded this place, watching them with cold eyes.

"Damn it…"

Sha Lifei felt a tightness in his chest and cursed: "Why so many stone figures? It's creepy as hell."

"These aren't stone figures."

Li Yan shook his head. "These are the Emperor's terracotta warriors."

Sha Lifei not recognizing them was normal.

In this world, the ancient Daoist lineage known as the Lishan Sect dwelled around the Emperor's tomb, tasked with guarding it.

Thus, the terracotta warriors remained unknown to the outside world.

"The Emperor's terracotta warriors?"

Sha Lifei froze, turning to look at Li Yan.

"I heard about them once," Li Yan brushed off, frowning ahead. "These only belong in the Emperor's tomb. This is Wushan—who placed them here?"

Wang Daoxuan mused: "If these are tomb artifacts, they're burial figurines. Though Zhou overthrew Shang and Duke Zhou instituted rites opposing human sacrifice, replacing it with straw and clay effigies, the custom persisted until the Warring States era."

"Such a massive number of clay figures must have been crafted in advance—this scale suggests they were made during the First Emperor's reign…"

Sha Lifei scratched his head. "Master Daoist, just tell us already—we don't get any of this."

Li Yan glanced over. "Listen to the Daoist."

Something here was strange. If they didn't figure out why, trouble would come.

Wang Daoxuan nodded and continued: "This land was once the state of Kuizi, destroyed by Chu under the pretext that they neglected ancestral worship of the Fire God Zhu Rong."

Later, Qin sent its Shu governor Zhang Ruo to attack Chu, then ordered Bai Qi to ambush the Chu capital Ying, burning Yiling—this place changed hands thereafter."

Bai Wan interjected: "That's right. The Goddess Palace was destroyed in that war; its lineage once broke entirely, until someone dreamed of entering it and revived it."

Li Yan suddenly recalled what had happened earlier and realized: "The Qin ancestors were Shaohao, the White Emperor; in Chu, they were called Li Shen, masters of disease and calamity…"

"No wonder I couldn't dream into the Goddess Palace."

Wang Daoxuan, hearing this, mused: "So the Goddess Palace was destroyed, its followers hiding here—but the First Emperor discovered them, wiped them out, and altered something."

"The Blood Jade Cong must have been hidden here too."

As he spoke, he gazed ahead, forming the Yang Seal with his fingers, faint light glimmering in his eyes as he studied the terracotta warriors.

"These things are definitely flawed!"

He stopped and said solemnly: "This place is a vast spiritual chasm where primordial gang qi accumulates—but these terracotta figures block it. Though the gang qi has vanished, a hidden killing intent still lingers…"

As he spoke, he scanned left and right, then picked up a stone and hurled it toward the warrior formation.

What happened next terrified them all.

The moment the stone neared, it shattered instantly—as if invisible blades kept slicing it, reducing it to powder upon impact.

"Holy hell, what kind of trap is this?"

Sha Lifei sucked in a sharp breath.

Wu Ba, beside him, flinched and pulled his neck back.

They'd almost touched it—luckily Wang Daoxuan stopped them.

Li Yan, however, stared with surprise.

He smelled a familiar scent—sharp, blazing, identical to the White Emperor's blessing he'd once encountered.

Rustle-rustle!

At that moment, stones tumbled from the passage behind them.

The demonic "Water Tigers" were nearly indestructible; even intact stone walls wouldn't hold them long, let alone a pile of rubble.

"Let me try…"

Li Yan, deep in thought, slowly extended his hand, focusing his spirit to sense the primordial Geng Metal qi within his Shenque Palace.

Ding!

The moment he neared, a crisp sound echoed around his fingers.

As if two invisible blades had clashed and vanished together.

"So that's how it works…"

Li Yan instantly understood the array's mechanism.

Somehow, this place manipulated Geng Metal qi.

Primordial gang sha qi was originally only divided into yin and yang—but with Geng Metal qi guiding it, the entire mass could be activated.

Like an army under a commander, the vast primordial gang qi of Wushan would strike in perfect unison.

Not even tangible objects could survive—let alone intangible spirits, which would be severed into oblivion.

Simultaneously, as the Geng Metal qi erupted, Li Yan faintly heard shouts echoing from within the terracotta warriors.

Faint, distant—as if soldiers were fighting desperately.

These terracotta warriors were the source of the primordial Geng Metal qi; each contained only a small amount, but together, their combined power was formidable.

"Wait here!"

Seeing the passage behind them shake violently with falling stones, Li Yan had no time to explain—he stepped forward and grabbed one of the statues.

He pulled hard—and his heart leapt in surprise.

Inside each statue lay metal objects; they were heavier than solid blue stone of the same volume.

Fortunately, his body was wrapped in circular force—he possessed divine strength—and he set it down steadily.

Ding-ding-ding!

Metallic clinks rang around him—he ignored them.

One, two, three…

His hands and feet moved without pause, quickly carving a path.

"Quick, go through!"

Li Yan called out; everyone hurried past the warrior formation.

Then Li Yan returned and repositioned each statue.

Boom!

The moment the last warrior was placed, the blocked passage exploded—swarms of demons poured in.

Splash!

The first "Water Tigers" to enter the formation were instantly torn apart midair—their scales, flesh, and bones liquefied into sludge.

But these creatures seemed utterly mindless.

The scent of Li Yan and the others drew them like moths to flame, relentlessly hurling themselves at the warrior array.

A continuous barrage of explosions erupted.

Soon, all the "Water Tigers" were shredded.

Yet under the influence of the demonic qi, the sludge that fell within the array writhed, attempting to reassemble.

But before it could form, it was shattered again.

The two forces now locked in stalemate.

Flesh churned beneath the terracotta warriors, like a hellish scene.

The sight sent chills down their spines.

"Let's go—find the exit!"

Li Yan's face was grim as he led them forward.

He sensed the demonic qi and primordial Geng Metal qi were eroding each other.

"Water Tigers" were naturally born demons, numerous and rich in demonic qi.

The terracotta warriors' primordial Geng Metal qi, though more potent, was artificially gathered—limited in quantity, and would eventually be worn away.

They had to find the exit quickly.

Beyond the terracotta warriors, they passed through a hundred-meter cave, then ahead appeared a stone grotto.

The grotto was small, with a circular stone platform at its center, inscribed with dense talismans painted in blood-ink mixed with cinnabar.

Ancient and weathered, it bore deep cracks.

Upon the platform sat a withered skeleton, its robes long rotted, covered in thick dust.

"Damn—it's a dead end!"

Long Yan frowned, glancing back and gritting her teeth: "We'll have to fight our way back."

"First, see what's going on…"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes at the skeleton on the stone, speaking gravely: "Master Daoist, what do you see?"

Wang Daoxuan formed a spell seal, studied it for a moment, then shook his head: "This array seems to suppress whatever lies below. As long as we don't touch it, we'll be fine—the skeleton has lost all spiritual essence."

Li Yan nodded, then suddenly stepped forward, leaping over the platform and yanking the skeleton down.

Rustle-rustle!

Bones scattered across the floor, along with several black clay pill bottles and a bamboo slip.

Li Yan picked them up, glanced briefly, then handed them to Wang Daoxuan: "Master Daoist, I can't read this."

Wang Daoxuan took them, reading as he spoke: "This is large seal script. After the First Emperor unified the realm, he ordered Li Si to create small seal script…"

He spoke a few words, then his eyes widened in shock.

Seeing his expression, the others grew even more curious. But Wang Daoxuan seemed lost in it, only snapping out of it after finishing the entire reading, his gaze complex as he looked at the scattered bones on the ground.

"Master Dao, what did you find?"

Li Yan hurriedly asked.

"Nothing."

Wang Daoxuan rolled up the bamboo slips and said in a low voice: "The Goddess Palace, like the Cloud Lord's Divine Palace, is a unique entity. What's above is merely a decoy; this below is the true Goddess Palace."

"The stone disc ahead is the seal. Once shattered, the Goddess Palace will vanish like the Cloud Lord's Divine Palace, and beneath it lies a waterway leading straight to the Yangtze River."

Long Yan'er frowned. "What about the life tablet?"

Sha Lifei glared. "We've walked into a trap—we're barely holding onto our lives, and you're still worrying about that?"

Bai Wan, staring at her two unconscious granddaughters, though filled with sorrow, nodded. "We've already alarmed them. With their methods, we'll never find them. Let's leave first…"

Li Yan silently glanced at Wang Daoxuan.

!.

The Daoist must be hiding something—after all, outsiders are present.

But for Wang Daoxuan, he trusted him unconditionally.

"Let's move!"

Without hesitation, Li Yan stepped forward, formed the hand seals, and instantly, lightning crackled around his right fist.

Even the finest weapon needs maintenance.

Chiseling stone is wasteful; the Thunderbolt Exorcism Hammer is better.

BOOM!

As his fist slammed down, cracks appeared on the stone disc.

It seemed the seal had already reached its limit—Sha Lifei and Wu Ba had been about to assist, but with a series of cracking sounds, the stone disc shattered and collapsed.

Below lay a dark, yawning cavern.

Once all the stones had fallen, a furious wind howled upward, carrying mist and spray.

Inside the cavern, a storm erupted instantly.

Rain mist and gales, as if endowed with sentience, swirled violently, blinding everyone, throwing them off balance.

At the same time, strange phenomena appeared atop Goddess Peak.

The storm had just ceased, yet within moments, dark clouds gathered again, thick and unyielding; rain and wind swayed, yet remained confined solely to the peak.

Elsewhere, no rain fell.

From afar, Goddess Peak appeared shrouded in gauze, the mountain faint and blurred, as if a goddess stood atop the clouds.

On the Yangtze River, many boats still sailed.

"Look! Look!"

"The Goddess has manifested!"

The people on the boats all rushed to the bow to burn incense and pray.

One large boat, loaded with cargo and seemingly an ordinary merchant vessel, held inside the disguised "Fast Boat Zhang" and others.

Watching the spectacle above, "Fast Boat Zhang" wore a grave expression.

Much time had passed since their agreed-upon deadline, yet no signal had come from shore—yet strange phenomena now appeared on the mountain.

Could something have gone wrong…?

"Master!"

A disciple's face was anxious.

Ahead on the river, government patrol boats were already stopping and inspecting vessels.

This wasn't unusual.

Live off the mountains, live off the rivers.

Along the docks, local yamen boats often intercepted vessels to collect taxes—claiming it was for dock maintenance, but in truth, it was toll money.

When they spotted a fat target, the constables would extort extra.

But beside the government boats sat two salt gang cargo ships—indicating they had other intentions.

"Don't rush. Wait."

"Fast Boat Zhang" remained calm, scanning his crew, then said firmly: "Remember, what makes a 'Fast Boat' isn't just speed—it's trust. Years on the rivers, this reputation has never been broken!"

…

On Mount Wushan, many others noticed the commotion.

"That's… the Goddess manifesting!"

The Three Sisters of the Si Ming Society, stationed outside, immediately sensed it.

Their faces alight with fervor, they stared upward and bowed repeatedly.

"Quick! Blow open the passage!"

The bewildered Lu Jiu was dragged over.

Seeing their frenzied state, he felt a chill and dared not defy them—he quickly led his two remaining men up the waterfall to plant explosives.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion sent rocks flying.

Lu Jiu and his two men said nothing, turned, and ran.

They hadn't forgotten the terrifying monsters still inside.

But the Three Sisters of the Si Ming Society paid no heed, charging into the cavern.

Their bodies were nearly decayed, little different from living corpses, yet their cultivation had not yet declined.

The three used their spirit-darting technique—just one step forward, and thick mist enveloped them; with the howling wind, they instantly appeared inside the cavern.

The explosives had opened a passage, but some rubble still blocked the way.

They used hands and feet to smash aside the boulders, rushing in swiftly—and soon discovered the hole Li Yan and the others had broken open.

"Why is there a hidden cavern here?"

"Quick, go inside and see!"

The Goddess's manifestation and the hidden cavern threw them into disarray—they rushed in and immediately saw the Terracotta Warriors entangled with the Yaosheng.

Far away, the storm and mist had ceased.

One person, desperate, leapt upward.

"Ahh!"

A scream rang out—her decaying body instantly turned to bloody flesh fragments, while a wisp of black smoke emerged and was shredded.

The life tablet of Chaoyun Xingyu was also shredded.

This blow seemed to have fully depleted the Geng Metal energy within the Terracotta Warriors—the ground's bloody sludge and black mist churned again, writhing.

BOOM!

Instantly, black mist surged forth, engulfing them.

This race of "Water Tigers" had been exterminated, yet the Yaosheng energy did not vanish—it broke free and poured entirely into the remaining two women.

"Aaah—!"

They shrieked in agony, their stench growing stronger, their bodies crumbling—plop, plop—they collapsed to the ground, utterly lifeless.

Plop! Plop!

Not long after, two wet footprints appeared on the ground, reeking of decay, moving toward the cave entrance where Li Yan and the others had departed…

…………

On the water near the shore beneath Wushan.

One by one, heads surfaced—it was Sha Lifei and the others, scrambling ashore with hands and feet, gasping for breath.

The waterway was extremely long; without Li Yan using the Dark Water Spirit-Darting technique to pull them back and forth, they could never have swum out.

A water trail shot toward "Fast Boat Zhang"'s vessel, then broke the surface, landing on deck.

"Fast Boat Zhang" and the others were startled—but looked up to see Li Yan, soaked through.

"Go! Pick up the others, leave this place!"

With a command, the large ship set sail, reached shore, picked up Sha Lifei and the others, hid them in a secret compartment in the cargo hold, and headed toward Shu.

Behind them, on Goddess Peak, the storm raged on without end; the people along the river, seeing it, all burned incense and made offerings…

Second update, afternoon

Also recommending: "The Martial Saint Agent: Starting from the Seventy-Two Supreme Skills"

Synopsis: From agent to Martial Saint.

Chen Sanxing, a young man from Earth, dies in a car accident and reincarnates into the troubled Republic of Liang, becoming a "Special Affairs Bureau" agent.

"I never even watched many spy movies in my past life—now I'm made a spy and captured by the devils?"

"Oh!"

"Got a system?"

"Then no problem!"

"Deep Blue! Add points!"

…

(End of Chapter)