Chapter 150 - 92: Offering Incense
Qingxu Valley.
They stepped into the valley.
A cool, crisp air washed over them.
From within the group, a slightly nervous teacher whispered:
"We’re finally here! Quick, let’s get into the tomb and finish the mission! I heard high-grade Demon Beasts have taken over the depths of Taihang Mountain. We’re deep in their territory now. If we run into one of those behemoths, we’ll be in big trouble!"
Hearing this, another teacher nearby clapped him on the shoulder, his tone reassuring:
"Relax! High-grade experts from the military are stationed outside the mountain! Besides, the launch coordinates for the intercontinental missiles are permanently locked onto the core region of Taihang Mountain! Those high-grade Demon Beasts that have gained intelligence value their lives more than anyone. They wouldn’t dare show their faces and provoke us!"
Chen Zhenguo’s gaze swept across the valley.
His eyes finally landed on Wang Yiming.
He said in a deep voice,
"Yiming, we’ve arrived at Qingxu Valley. You know this place best. Lead the way. Find the burial place of the master of Wangwu Mountain as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Principal!"
Wang Yiming nodded solemnly and turned to the others.
"Teachers, please follow me!"
He confidently took the lead, his steps steady and swift as he headed deeper into the valley.
Everyone’s Spirit lifted, and they quickly followed.
Wang Yiming had clearly done his homework; he knew the terrain of Wangwu Mountain like the back of his hand.
He expertly navigated around several natural stone formations and streams.
Soon, he led the group to a hidden cliff face.
However, the sight before them made everyone freeze on the spot.
The Dragon-Breaking Stone, which should have been an immense, solid slab sealing the tomb entrance, was now nothing but a pile of rubble. The largest pieces were no bigger than a fist, scattered in a radial pattern around the opening. Some fragments were even embedded deep into the opposing cliff face!
The ancient tomb’s entrance, once sealed by the Dragon-Breaking Stone, now gaped open like the dark, devouring maw of a beast, completely exposed!
The confidence on Wang Yiming’s face froze instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Chen Zhenguo’s brow furrowed, his expression turning incredibly grave.
The other teachers were all dumbfounded, staring at each other in shock and confusion.
"This... This is the ancient tomb of the master of Wangwu Mountain?"
"How was the tomb entrance blown open? Could... could someone have beaten us to it?!"
An indescribable sense of frustration and anger welled up inside them.
They had traveled a thousand miles and ventured deep into this dangerous land, all for the inheritance of the tomb’s master.
And now this. The tomb was wide open, the Dragon-Breaking Stone shattered to pieces. It was obvious someone had already swooped in and reaped the rewards!
It felt like a cooked duck had flown away. How could any of them accept this?
"Everyone, calm down!"
Chen Zhenguo’s sharp command instantly quelled the commotion and murmuring in the group.
His gaze swept over the shattered entrance, and pointing to the marks on the rubble, he said in a low voice,
"Look closely at the trajectory of these fragments!"
At his reminder, the others focused their attention and looked closer.
Sure enough, the fractured surfaces and scattered paths of the various-sized stone fragments clearly indicated they had exploded outward from within!
"These marks... It doesn’t look like it was blown apart by an external force!"
"It’s more like... something incredibly terrifying from inside the tomb blasted the Dragon-Breaking Stone to pieces from within!"
Chen Zhenguo’s expression was grim. He paced a few steps at the tomb entrance, his nostrils flaring slightly and his brow furrowing even deeper.
"Do you... do you feel it? The aura coming from this entrance is... off. It’s bone-chillingly cold, with a hint of decay..."
"Corpse qi! It’s dense corpse qi!"
Someone in the group cried out in alarm.
Chen Zhenguo took a deep breath, his voice graver than ever before:
"It seems the situation is worse than we expected! Not only has a zombie been born in this tomb, but judging by the power needed to shatter the Dragon-Breaking Stone from the inside, and this impenetrably dense corpse qi... the thing inside is likely far stronger than we could have imagined! At least a Fourth Grade, maybe even... a Fifth Grade!"
"Principal, there’s no need to hesitate! We’ve already come this far. Who cares if it’s a zombie? Let’s just do it!"
A hot-tempered teacher immediately volunteered for battle.
They had already prepared for the worst on this trip; the possibility of a tomb producing a zombie was within their expectations.
Compared to returning empty-handed, the presence of a guardian zombie actually suggested that the tomb’s treasures might still be inside!
"Good!"
A glint of determination flashed in Chen Zhenguo’s eyes.
He then whipped his head around, his gaze falling on Lin Yi and Luo Qian at the back of the group.
"Lin Yi, Luo Qian! I originally thought that with your strength, accompanying us to a Tang Dynasty tomb for experience would be fine. But the situation has changed unexpectedly. The zombie in the tomb is unfathomably powerful, far beyond our predictions. You two will stop here! Stay on the surface and monitor the situation. If you notice anything wrong, retreat immediately! Do you understand?"
Lin Yi and Luo Qian’s hearts tightened. Understanding the gravity of the situation, they quickly nodded in agreement.
Lin Yi, in particular, felt a lingering fear. He had personally experienced the terror of that tomb-guarding Corpse General. A Fifth Grade zombie was no joke. With his current strength, going down there would be suicide, so he naturally wouldn’t try to act tough.
"In that case, we’ll follow the old rules. First, the ritual offering!"
Chen Zhenguo ordered decisively.
He then looked at the director of the political and educational affairs office.
"Li, you will read the sacrificial text!"
𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
The next moment,
Chen Zhenguo walked solemnly to the front of the group and carefully took out three sticks of special Soul-Calming Incense from his tactical backpack, holding them in both hands before his chest.
The other teachers quickly formed ranks, their expressions solemn, and each took out three incense sticks of their own, holding them ready.
Lin Yi and Luo Qian also hurried to the back of the line.
"I knew you wouldn’t have brought any!"
Luo Qian muttered under his breath as he deftly pulled three incense sticks from his own overstuffed bag and shoved them into Lin Yi’s hands.
Lin Yi took them.