Upon the vast, gray-brown earth, a faint energy mist drifted slowly with the gentle breeze. The hazy world gave an especially mysterious feeling. In such a desolate world, it seemed as if time had lost all meaning. Somewhere on this land, several figures sat cross-legged around a fire, their faces illuminated by the flames. It was none other than Xiao Yan and Xuner’s group, but they now appeared more profound and reserved than before.
“If I’m not mistaken, we should be in the depths of the third layer now. If we are to continue our journey tomorrow, we must be cautious. The depths of the third layer are the most dangerous part of the Heavenly Tomb,” Gu Qingyang lifted his head, glanced at the dark depths, and smiled.
“For the past three months, we haven’t encountered anyone else. It seems that they have all chosen quiet places to cultivate,” Xuner said softly.
Xiao Yan slowly nodded. From the day they entered the third layer until now, almost three months had passed. During this time, they had headed straight for the depths of the Heavenly Tomb. Along the way, they faced formidable energy bodies, making their journey difficult. Fortunately, with the combined efforts of the group, they managed to advance.
“Ah, the Heavenly Tomb is indeed not as simple as we imagined. Last time, we nearly lost our lives,” Gu Hua casually threw a branch into the fire, sighing helplessly. A scar on his face was a reminder of the fierce battle they had fought against a group of energy bodies with average strength of eight-star level. The fight had been far more intense than they expected, but thankfully, although some were injured, no one died.
“The interior will be even more troublesome than what we encountered before, so everyone must prepare themselves mentally,” Gu Zhen said with a faint smile.
“Perhaps I should go ahead from here,” Xiao Yan hesitated and then spoke. Even with the six of them working together, the journey was extremely difficult. He could not imagine the kind of trouble they would face in the deeper part. Over these days, he had developed a certain fondness for Gu Qingyang and his companions and did not want them to suffer any mishap because of him.
“You should say that to Xuner,” Gu Qingyang chuckled.
“We’ve come this far; let’s not speak of such disheartening words. As long as we are careful, we shouldn’t encounter any major problems,” Xuner gazed at Xiao Yan with soft eyes.
“I hope so!” Seeing this, Xiao Yan could only nod with a bitter smile. Then, he raised his gaze toward the distant, gloomy expanse. In that far-off end lay his destination. Vaguely, he felt his blood flowing faster in his veins.
“Northwest direction, there are signs of four energy bodies; three are around the eight-star Dou Zun level, and one is at the nine-star level,” behind a large rock, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes and whispered to the others. They had truly entered the depths of the Heavenly Tomb. At this point, even with six people, they had to be extremely cautious. Moving forward, they proceeded carefully, always considering the strength of the energy bodies they met. After all, the energy bodies here were too powerful. No one knew if starting a fight might attract even more, which would result in being surrounded again, and the cost would be more than just injuries.
“Gu Hua and Gu Zhen have gone to scout. They should be back soon,” Gu Qingyang nodded and said.
*Whoosh!*
As Gu Qingyang’s voice faded, two black shadows glided across the ground, using the shadow of the large rock and trees to quickly reappear beside Xiao Yan and the others. They were the scouting Gu Hua and Gu Zhen.
“South and west have numerous activities of energy bodies, and we also sensed some extremely strong pressure. Those two paths are definitely out of the question,” Gu Zhen and Gu Hua sighed in relief and then reported.
“Then, we can only go northwest…” Xiao Yan frowned.
“Northwest also has a very strong presence. This pressure surpasses a usual nine-star level but is still below the Dou Sheng level,” Xuner suddenly spoke softly.
Hearing her, Xiao Yan and the others fell silent. Stronger than a nine-star Dou Zun but weaker than a Dou Sheng, it likely meant they were facing a semi-saint. These were extremely formidable.
However, they knew that a semi-saint would have multiple energy bodies guarding them. The four energy bodies they encountered were already quite few.
“What should we do? All three directions are tough to penetrate, but northwest is relatively easier. There are fewer energy bodies there, and it’s less likely to attract more if we engage in combat. If we choose the other directions, we might be surrounded once a fight breaks out,” Gu Hua said.
Xiao Yan’s expression turned thoughtful. Exchanging a glance with Gu Qingyang, he then turned his eyes to the northwest. For now, they had no choice but to take that path.
“Let’s go, be as careful as possible. Don’t alert the semi-saint energy body. Although its energy core is tempting, it’s not worth our lives,” Gu Qingyang sighed softly.
“Alright!” Xiao Yan nodded slowly, then exchanged a look with Xuner. His figure moved, turning into a blur, cautiously heading toward the depths of the Heavenly Tomb. Behind him, Gu Qingyang and the others followed closely, treading carefully and looking somewhat comical.
They quietly navigated through the energy fog for a hundred meters before finally stopping. Not far ahead, four energy bodies sat cross-legged on a boulder. At the center was a particularly strong figure, the nine-star energy body.
Xiao Yan squinted at the four energy bodies and then turned to Gu Qingyang and the others, giving a few subtle gestures. Over the months, they had developed some unspoken understanding.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s signals, the group nodded slightly, and their figures slowly dispersed.
“Go!” Seeing everyone ready, Xiao Yan waved his hand. Simultaneously, he dashed forward, appearing in front of an eight-star energy body in a flash. A fist enveloped in dense purple-brown flames punched through the energy body, instantly turning it into nothingness.
*Bang!*
While Xiao Yan killed the eight-star energy body, the other two exploded. Though they were rated as eight-star, their actual strength was lower, which was why they were so easily taken down.
*Roar!*
Sensing the demise of the other three, the nine-star energy body opened its eyes angrily. Just as it let out a furious roar, four figures appeared around it in a triangular formation. Their vast Dou Qi surged, transforming into lightning and striking the nine-star energy body fiercely.
*Whizz!*
Faced with the combined attack, the nine-star energy body roared, then vanished in a burst, leaving behind a shining energy core that Xuner swiftly caught.
Seeing the ambush succeed, the group exchanged smiles. Under Xiao Yan’s signal, they lowered their voices and quickly moved away.
After eliminating the four energy bodies, the path became smoother, but this didn’t last long. Xiao Yan and the others grew increasingly serious as they began to sense a slight pressure emanating from the distance.
Feeling this pressure, the group’s expressions tightened, and their pace slowed. They knew that if they couldn’t pass this barrier, the tomb of Xiao Xuan would be out of reach.
“Everyone, be careful,” Xiao Yan whispered, moving forward a bit and hiding in the shadow of a large rock. He peered ahead, where a light energy fog obscured the view. A gentle breeze dissipated the mist, revealing a massive stone peak towering hundreds of feet high.
As the stone peak appeared, Xiao Yan and his group focused on the top. There, a large stone seat bore a formidable figure sitting proudly, a dark red ghost-headed saber in front of him. A thick, bloody scent emanated from the blade, like fog, swirling around the peak.
“Such a domineering aura,” Xiao Yan and the others’ expressions darkened, sensing the overpowering aura. This was a semi-saint energy body, indeed, incredibly strong.
As they grew serious, the figure on the stone peak rose, the bloody aura intensifying.
“Found us, no use hiding. Be careful, everyone,” seeing this, Xiao Yan exhaled. Instead of fear, a fervor rose in his heart. This was his first time facing a semi-saint.
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