Chapter 133: The City Beneath the Earth

"This ghost qi is so powerful, if we were inside it, we'd probably turn to dry bones in the blink of an eye, our flesh becoming rotten mud!"

"Is this really a secret treasure realm? Why do I feel that below is a place of great misfortune? If we truly entered it, we might have more bad luck than good!"

Anyone who saw the scene before them could not endure it at all and felt the urge to retreat.

Xiulan frowned, her mouth slightly curled, and disdainfully said, "You bunch of useless trash, if you're scared just get out quickly; no one invited you to join the fun!"

When those words were spoken, Yang Sheng and the others' faces turned irritated, yet deep down they were also a bit frightened, unable to utter any tough talk; the atmosphere was very awkward.

"This is corpse‑shadow ghost qi, accumulated for at least a thousand years. It can naturally strip life from all things; corroding these trees is nothing. However, it won't last long and will dissipate soon, so you needn't worry!"

Lu Fan turned slowly, his face gentle as he gave Yang Sheng and the others a quick glance, patiently explaining. His expression was calm, his gaze soft, fixing on everyone's eyes; inexplicably, they felt a strange power, and the panic in their hearts faded like a shadow under blazing sun.

"So that's it!" Yang Sheng's expression brightened, completely forgetting his earlier cowardice, and turned to those beside him, saying, "Everyone, pull yourselves together. Brother Lu brought us here to seek treasure; don't even get through the treasure's gate and scare yourselves into wetting your pants. That would disgrace us Heaven‑Dragon disciples; how can we later travel the world with Brother Lu, Dragon Proud of the Nine Heavens?"

Everyone hearing this burst into hearty laughter, finding their earlier words and actions somewhat ridiculous, yet they didn't dwell on it, feeling no self‑pity, and instead looked to the future.

Xiulan's gaze hardened as she looked at Lu Fan, once again growing heavy. In just a few words, she could disperse Yang Sheng's group's negative emotions; such ability is indeed remarkable.

This has nothing to do with cultivation talent; it's a governing talent, a natural kingly bearing. Pointing to rivers and mountains, commanding with vigor, influencing those around invisibly; one can lead a nation's army below, or command a sect's strongest above, looking down on the world, achieving the great kingly undertaking.

Lu Fan saw Qiu Sheng and the others return to normal, gave a slight nod, then turned, glanced at Xiulan, and finally lowered his gaze to her slender jade hand.

"This bone ring wasn't forged by you, was it? It's rather mysterious, able to manipulate corpse‑shadow ghost qi, giving you quite a few benefits!"

Everyone, upon hearing this, instinctively looked at the bone ring. They saw white light flashing on it, and faintly, streams of clear qi from the mountain void entered the ring, eventually spiraling around Xiulan's jade arm.

Xiulan's face froze, and she couldn't help shaking her head. Her gaze at Lu Fan was slightly puzzled, but mostly shocked. The bone ring was indeed absorbing corpse‑shadow ghost qi, yet unlike before it gave her few benefits; instead it transmitted a divine thought, exactly the random appraisal of Lu Fan that was in her mind.

This bone ring has a mind!

That thought rose in her heart, and she instinctively slipped her hand into her vine‑sleeve. To Yang Sheng and the others, it seemed only that the enchantress was nervous about the bone ring, fearing they might develop covetous thoughts.

"Fine! Since I brought you here, I won't stop you from using Yin Sha Evil Object to boost your Ghost Dao cultivation; I, Lu Fan, still have some credibility!" Lu Fan waved his hand, smiling lightly. Before the words finished, he twisted, his body suddenly bent down, and a palm struck the ground before him.

In an instant, streaks of yellow haze burst out, clinging to the ground, forming out of thin air into yellow runes that fanned toward the crystal furnace.

"Clang—clank!"

Each rune seemed to carry considerable force, hammering the crystal furnace, sounding like bells and cauldrons, giving a sense of weight.

At the same time, the crystal furnace quivered; though embedded in soil, it began to rotate. The glowing haze swirled, releasing subtle waves that flowed like water along the path of the Fire Snake Seal Technique.

When these waves entered the Fire Snake Seal Technique, they instantly sparked a mysterious transformation; what was only a handful of seals surged, becoming a giant flame a yard tall, the Fire Sha Flame pouring out, rolling across the sand ridge.

The corpse‑shadow ghost qi, upon contacting the Fire Sha Flame, instantly emitted a "shhh" explosive sound; the two opposing forces clashed, reverberating and annihilating, appearing evenly matched.

However, the Fire Sha Flame kept generating endlessly, like an infinite stream; in the time it takes to sip tea, it gained the upper hand, sweeping the corpse‑shadow ghost qi away like autumn wind scattering leaves, the thick black qi gradually dissipating.

Xiulan's hand, hidden in her vine‑sleeve, trembled lightly; strands of pale bone‑blue light pierced her layers of robes, radiating outward. She felt cool breezes coursing through her body, very refreshing. Even the hidden restriction Lu Fan placed inside her was sensed and silently removed.

Li Yongwang looked at Xiulan with a strange expression, no longer the previous disgust or fear, his face gentle, "Why has your face returned to normal?"

The others, startled by his words, all turned to Xiulan, each with a shocked expression.

"That little girl without the dead face looks rather pretty!"

"Tsk tsk! Looks like this enchantress has good roots! If she abandons darkness for light and becomes a wife, that would be a wonderful life event; I'd gladly lose ten years of life for it!"

"A toad wants to eat swan meat—do you think you're worthy? This young enchantress, though youthful, has cultivation stronger than ours; it's absurd she'd look at you!"

The group giggled, pointing at Xiulan and teasing wildly. Yet Xiulan at this moment paid no mind, cupping her face with both hands; the icy, bone‑chilling aura was gone. Though she couldn't see herself, she felt she had truly recovered.

"This is only the beginning; the bone ring merely absorbed corpse‑shadow ghost qi, boosting your cultivation a bit. The real danger remains unresolved—if your practice later stalls, ghost qi will keep corroding your flesh. It's still too early to rejoice!"

Lu Fan shifted his demeanor, looking lightly at Xiulan, yet his words poured cold water on her. Still, Xiulan couldn't muster any anger; she looked pitifully at Lu Fan and asked brightly:

"Then what should we do?"

"Since you've entered Ghost Dao cultivation, you must give it your all. As long as your cultivation progresses quickly enough, the side effects of Ghost Dao techniques shouldn't affect you!"

Lu Fan smiled calmly, leapt into the air and punched toward the nearby ridge. "Boom—rumble—rumble" roared, and the surrounding Fire Sha Flames surged together, empowering the fist; it blasted through the ridge's surface, plunging straight into the deep underground, forming a pitch‑black tunnel.

"Roar!"

A chilling howl echoed from deep within the tunnel; the scorching air seemed instantly dispelled, and everyone felt an icy chill deep in their bodies, as if falling into an ice cellar.

"Let's go in together! This treasure realm is so hidden; surely its interior won't disappoint!"

Lu Fan flicked his sleeve, his hand floating, pulling the alchemical crystal furnace back into his sleeve, then strode swiftly, diving into the tunnel.

Xiulan followed closely, a sharp gleam lighting her eyes. Even the surrounding corpse‑shadow ghost qi restored her appearance; she imagined the hidden depths below would further aid her cultivation.

Yang Sheng and the others exchanged glances, without much thought, and stepped into the tunnel one after another.

The tunnel was about a yard wide, allowing only one person at a time. The surrounding walls still held a trace of scorching aura, seemingly dispelling the group's fear.

"Pat—pat—!"

Everyone tiptoed, guiding their true qi, careful not to make a sound. Yet Lu Fan, unrestrained, stepped on the soft earth as if on solid stone, producing crisp noises.

All around was pitch black; whether from tension or other reasons, no one lit torches. Perhaps everyone trusted Lu Fan to lead, believing even the deepest abyss held no danger.

After an unknown time, Xiulan grew impatient, quietly extending her spiritual force; in that instant her expression changed dramatically. No one saw her face in the darkness, but panicked words rang out.

"Lu Fan, what's happening ahead? Is this tomb truly this vast?"

Lu Fan gave no answer, his steps suddenly quickened, his form leapt, a wailing sound rose, like a fierce ghost's howl.

Xiulan and the others shivered together, their heartbeats racing, their steps seemingly infected, also sprinting rapidly.

Suddenly, a sliver of fire appeared ahead, light wavering, revealing a vast underground space before them.

Xiulan's face startled, she quickened further, burst from the tunnel, only to face a deep chasm, about to slip in.

"Why so reckless? Your Ghost Dao sigil mastery spirit power is decent; why didn't you scout ahead first?"

Lu Fan shook his head slightly, grabbed Xiulan's shoulder, lifted her mid‑air, pulling her close. Xiulan wavered, almost slipping into his arms.

"Is this really a tomb? Why does it feel like a city?" Yang Sheng could not accept the scene; the secret treasure realm he had imagined countless times turned out so bizarre.

The group gazed far ahead; perhaps due to dim light, the end was invisible. Amid faint shadows, an underground city emerged before them.

Its length and width spanned a dozen miles, not particularly astounding, yet faintly it exuded a chilling aura that tightened hearts at a glance, making one involuntarily turn away, unwilling to stare.

The firelight gradually dimmed, the underground space seemed about to sink into dark silence. Yet the city's center emitted faint glows, like flowing water, rolling over the whole city, tranquil and serene, yet oddly strange.

"What a grand spectacle! A tomb surrounded by an entire city—this must be an imperial mausoleum; otherwise, who could craft such grandeur to enjoy after death?"

Tsk tsk! The Imperial Mausoleum—just the accompanying burial items must be worth a massive sum; we're getting rich now!

Ha ha! This time truly wasn't in vain; at this scale the treasures inside could probably equal the wealth of an entire city and county, and we'll have no worries about cultivation in the future!

The crowd was excited, discussing endlessly. Coming to this secret realm for trials, besides the Dragon Tower inheritance, the most precious are the various treasure sites. This underground city before us clearly shows no predecessor has been here; as the first batch of guests, the haul is truly unimaginable.

Hmph! Dreaming in daylight! This city has endured countless years, yet you see, it doesn't look abandoned at all; surely a formation is protecting it. From its appearance, such a formation must be bizarrely extraordinary—do you, a few useless ones, even think you can glimpse its inner treasure? How overconfident!

Xiulan snorted coldly, speaking without any courtesy; her pearl eyes flickered, with a faint hint of excitement.

Yang Sheng and a few others, already familiar with her temperament, pretended not to hear, ignored her, and instead looked at Lu Fan with hopeful faces.

Hmm!

Lu Fan nodded, casually launched a few punches around, and fireballs shot out in clusters, lighting the surroundings again.