Chapter 116: Inside the Great Tomb

Xiao Qi was speechless. Looking at the massive hole in the stone gate, he sighed, "So this is the way to enter a grand tomb?"

Song Yue felt equally incredulous, sensing that his Yuxu Heaven-Connecting Stele held far too many secrets.

After passing through the opening, both could not help but glance back. A miraculous scene unfolded before their eyes: the hole smashed into the stone gate by the Yuxu Heaven-Connecting Stele was slowly repairing itself.

Despite being a stone gate with no signs of life, energy intertwined within the damaged area, bit by bit, mending the breach.

It felt deeply unsettling.

It gave them both a sense of profound humbleness.

It was like a wounded beast silently licking its own injuries.

"This is not normal. It’s too abnormal. Everything here feels wrong," Xiao Qi sighed.

The two continued onward. The tunnel now led into a passage toward the burial chambers.

The passage was about two or three hundred meters long. When they reached the midpoint, three branching paths suddenly appeared.

Xiao Qi muttered, "The master of this place must be a maze enthusiast!"

He then looked at Song Yue. "What now?"

Song Yue shrugged. "Which path do you think leads to the main burial chamber?"

Xiao Qi gave a bitter smile. "Brother, this question is way beyond my pay grade. I’m completely lost."

Song Yue thought for a moment. "How about..."

Xiao Qi shook his head immediately. "No way! I’m sticking behind you! Don't worry, no matter what we find, I won't compete with you for it!"

If nothing else, he had been helpless against those terrifying and powerful puppets. If anything else appeared, he would certainly be at a total loss.

Song Yue glanced at him but said nothing further, heading directly into the middle tunnel.

As soon as they entered, a roar echoed from behind, and a massive stone gate slammed down.

Song Yue struck out with a blow!

*Hum!*

A vast array of runes lit up on the stone gate, blocking his attack.

"Another gate? Plus that self-repairing one from before... Damn, how are we supposed to get out?" Xiao Qi felt a genuine threat of death, fearing they might truly be trapped here.

Song Yue looked at him. "Do you want to wait here?"

Xiao Qi shook his head like a rattle, determined to stay behind Song Yue no matter what.

Just as they were about to reach the next stone gate, a magical array was suddenly activated all around them.

It happened so abruptly that they had no time to react.

Xiao Qi took a deep breath, about to call out to Song Yue, but realized Song Yue was gone!

Horrified, he dared not move and stayed rooted to the spot.

A second later, a stunningly beautiful woman with a graceful figure walked slowly toward him. Xiao Qi stared, wide-eyed and disbelieving.

She looked like a fairy from the nine heavens descending into the mortal world, dressed in palace attire, her hair styled high with a phoenix jade hairpin. The delicate ornaments on the pin jingled with every step, a sound that stirred the heart.

The woman’s brows were like paintings, her smile enchanting. Her slender waist swayed, and the small ornaments at her sash chimed melodiously as she moved. The sounds blended together like a beautiful symphony.

The most beautiful girl Xiao Qi had ever seen was Qian Qianxue, who was always by Song Yue’s side, but compared to this mature and glamorous woman, Qianxue seemed a bit green.

"I am Xu Huan. Greetings, young master."

The woman walked up to him and curtsied.

Xiao Qi took a deep breath. Every look and smile from her tugged at his heart, but he pinched his thigh hard, the sharp pain clearing his head.

*It must be an illusion! This cannot be real!*

*Song Yue and I must have been ambushed by a formation. Everything here is fake!* Xiao Qi warned himself. He couldn't afford to make a fool of himself.

"Young master, what’s wrong? Why are you pinching yourself?" The woman named Xu Huan looked at him with innocent surprise, as if she didn't understand his actions.

Xiao Qi looked at her sternly. "My lady, I already have someone I love. Please, show some self-respect!"

The woman giggled. "People in this world should enjoy the moment. Why care about so much?"

As she spoke, her clothes began to vanish one by one.

Xiao Qi’s eyes widened.

The scene before him shifted instantly, transforming into a lady’s boudoir.

The woman, who called herself Xu Huan, now wore only a vibrant red bodice. Her skin was fair and delicate, glowing with a captivating luster, her legs long and smooth. She gazed at him with eyes full of desire.

Xiao Qi didn't find the scene erotic; seeing that red bodice, he inexplicably thought of the "fairy energy" outside.

He shuddered, stepping back, and shouted sternly, "Vixen! Don't try to take advantage of me! Get out of here at once!!!"

The woman laughed, her eyes brimming with lust, her voice seductive. "Young master, a moment of intimacy is worth a thousand gold pieces..."

"Go to hell!"

Xiao Qi instantly unleashed the silver nail he had been holding. It turned into a streak of light, striking the woman mercilessly.

*Snap!*

The woman reached out and caught the nail. She examined it in her palm and said, "Is this a secret silver nail used for sealing? But I am not an evil spirit, young master. Why don't you trust me? I wanted to enjoy your company, and you treat me so cruelly. You’ve broken my heart..."

Her expression was pitiful, her voice soft and sweet.

Xiao Qi felt goosebumps all over. Overcome with fear, he shouted, "Brother Yue, help!"

*Boom!*

A fierce, peerless blade light seemed to slash from another world, striking directly at the woman.

Her face changed, and she said coldly, "You ungrateful wretch..."

She flicked the silver nail into the air, colliding with the blade light. A violent explosion rocked the air.

The next moment, Xiao Qi’s vision finally returned to normal.

The woman had vanished without a trace.

He found himself standing exactly where he had been. The silver nail lay on the ground, snapped in two. Song Yue was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"What happened?" Song Yue asked.

"Who knows what you saw? You attacked me with this nail, so I cut you down," Song Yue said.

Xiao Qi examined Song Yue closely. The more he looked, the more Song Yue resembled that stunningly beautiful woman.

He took another deep breath. "Are you really Brother Yue?"

Song Yue replied huffily, "Of course it’s me! That formation was an illusion!"

Xiao Qi swallowed hard, still finding it hard to believe. "Where did we first meet? How did we meet?"

Song Yue said, "In the Kunlun Secret Realm. You were running a booth scamming people."

Xiao Qi: "..."

He was finally convinced it was Song Yue, though he wasn't happy with the answer. He muttered, "Couldn't you have said it was because of the Taiyi Body Tempering Scripture?"

He then asked curiously, "Since it was an illusion, why weren't you affected?"

Song Yue smiled. "My will is firm, my ambitions are high. How could such things affect me?"

Xiao Qi was speechless. He looked at the broken nail on the ground with heartache, picked it up, and tucked it away carefully. "This place is too terrifying. I knew it was an illusion, but everything was so real. She said her name was Xu Huan—damn, *Xu Huan* (Illusion)... that’s lazy! But I just couldn't break free."

Song Yue looked at him. "Do you still think you’ll never be able to cultivate?"

Xiao Qi was silent for a moment, then sighed. "The world of cultivation is too dangerous. I like exploring ancient tombs, but I only want to stay in the human world."

Who wouldn't want to stay in the human world? Even someone as brilliant as his master preferred to stay there. Unfortunately, fate was hard to escape. Whether it was Qian Qianxue, Wen Rou, or Xiao Qi himself—even Song Yue—who would have thought they would obtain the Heaven-Connecting Stele and become warriors?

They arrived at the stone gate at the end of the passage. They weren't sure if it led to the main burial chamber, as it was only one of three.

Song Yue took out the Yuxu Heaven-Connecting Stele, turned it into a giant pillar, and smashed it against the gate.

*Boom!*

Another massive hole appeared.

Xiao Qi was stunned! First by Song Yue’s violent demolition style, and second by that stele... it seemed truly magical!

He took out his own Heaven-Connecting Stele and studied it repeatedly, discovering it could also grow and shrink. He felt much better.

They entered, and the hole behind them began to repair itself.

Before them lay a massive burial chamber, large enough to hold a dozen standard football fields! In the center stood a huge coffin, and the surrounding area was like a giant plaza, filled with all kinds of... puppets!

All the puppets faced outward, arranged in a radial pattern.

Xiao Qi dared not breathe. Song Yue also felt his scalp tingle.

The tomb owner was likely a master who had attained enlightenment through carpentry, having made so many puppets to accompany him in death.

The scene was too eerie; both moved cautiously, afraid to disturb the puppets. One or two were manageable, but if all these puppets "came to life," they would have no choice but to run.

Fortunately, the puppets of various forms stood quietly in the plaza.

Song Yue observed carefully and found that the closer the puppets were to the central coffin, the higher their "grade." There were even puppets with three eyes! Outside those were the two-eyed ones, then the one-eyed ones; most, however, had no eyes at all.

None of the puppets had ears, noses, or mouths. Those with eyes had them closed.

Among the three-eyed puppets, the colors varied. The innermost circle was bright red—looking severe and enchanting. The second layer was black, the third white, and the fourth purple. The fifth layer transitioned to two-eyed puppets in the same four colors. The one-eyed puppets followed the same color scheme.

The black one-eyed puppets were identical to the one Song Yue had seen in the tunnel. Further out, the eye-less puppets were a dull gray.

"Brother... shall we go check somewhere else?" Xiao Qi whispered from behind Song Yue.

Song Yue frowned. "Are you sure there won't be any of these things in the other chambers?"

Xiao Qi was speechless. He wasn't sure.

Just then, he felt his Heaven-Connecting Stele vibrate faintly, as if guiding him. Xiao Qi didn't understand, so he looked at Song Yue. "Brother, my stele is signaling me!"

Song Yue: "..."

Since entering this chamber, his own Yuxu Heaven-Connecting Stele had been vibrating, but much more faintly than before; whatever it wanted wasn't here. He looked at Xiao Qi. "It’s probably telling you there’s treasure inside."

Xiao Qi looked constipated. "Even if there is... how am I supposed to get it?"

Song Yue glanced at him. "Who’s the professional here?"

Xiao Qi was speechless. He hesitated for a long time before following the stele’s guidance, inching toward the puppet group. "If they attack me, you have to save me!"

One step, two steps, three steps... Xiao Qi moved slowly. The puppets remained silent.

In the blink of an eye, he was deep inside, near the center. Xiao Qi’s forehead was drenched in sweat; the pressure was immense!

Song Yue carefully activated his Spirit Eye to probe a blank-faced puppet. He wanted to know how these things worked—how they could be like intelligent life?

In the spiritual realm, the puppets were normal. They were just wooden carvings without souls.

Song Yue turned his focus to a one-eyed puppet. The moment his spiritual energy touched it, the purple one-eyed puppet suddenly opened its eyes and looked at Song Yue!

Its gaze was remarkably human!

The next moment, it leaped up and struck at Song Yue.

Xiao Qi, standing nearby, was frozen in fear.

Song Yue swung his blade. A brilliant light flashed, and the purple puppet was cleaved in two, scattering before him.

Purple blood flowed from the shattered pieces. A purple phantom emerged, regenerating from the blood—just like in the tunnel!

Song Yue had poked a hornet's nest. A multitude of one-eyed puppets opened their eyes and looked at him. Ignoring Xiao Qi, they leaped toward Song Yue.

*Damn!*

Watching hundreds of puppets charge, Song Yue was taken aback. *What is this mechanism? Does one pull trigger them all?*

He shouted to Xiao Qi, "Be careful!" and was then swallowed by the surging puppets.

Song Yue fought his way out! His Dragon-Patterned Immortal-Slaying Blade unleashed fierce blade lights, shattering the puppets. He used the Thunder Fist and the Eight Wilderness Scripture, while the Taiyi Body Tempering Scripture operated on its own.

When the shattered puppets formed entities capable of spiritual attacks, the "squatter" in Song Yue’s spiritual consciousness—that bright green blade of grass—suddenly sprang to life. It swayed, absorbing the mysterious energy like autumn leaves sweeping away.

In the process, Song Yue felt his own spiritual power begin to grow!

He was excited. The grass was sharing the benefits!

Song Yue went on a "wood-chopping" spree. The one-eyed puppets were strong and possessed an eerie "spirituality." They weren't stiff, especially the red ones, which had the strength of Great Grandmasters.

They unleashed powerful physical attacks that could shatter boulders. But to Song Yue, this level of attack was manageable. Despite their numbers, the puppets lacked coordination and often bumped into each other.

Xiao Qi, seeing Song Yue was fine, marveled at his strength while inching toward the coffin. He had come this far; he wouldn't be satisfied without seeing what was inside.

Fortunately, the two-eyed and three-eyed puppets remained motionless, eyes closed.

Finally, he reached the coffin. He didn't rush, circling it twice. It was huge, made of bronze, smooth and heavy.

Xiao Qi climbed the steps; the coffin was over two meters high.

"How do I open this thing?" Xiao Qi worried. He remembered how Song Yue used his stele to smash gates and got an idea. He took out his own stele, enlarged it, and smashed it against the lid from a distance.

*Bang!*

A heavy, ringing sound echoed through the chamber.

The next moment, all the two-eyed and three-eyed puppets opened their eyes and glared coldly at Xiao Qi.

"Oh, my mom!" Xiao Qi was terrified, nearly running away.

Strangely, while they stared, none of them moved to attack.

Xiao Qi tried smashing the lid again. *Clang!* Another loud sound. He noticed the three-eyed puppets looking furious, but they still didn't move!

*Hahaha!* Xiao Qi felt confident. *These puppets can't get near the coffin!*

*Clang, clang, clang!* He struck the lid repeatedly.

Even Song Yue was surprised from afar. *Xiao Qi is quite fierce.*

After dozens of strikes, the heavy lid finally flew open, smashing into a two-eyed puppet in the distance.

Suddenly, a blue puppet with eyes, nose, mouth, and ears jumped out and struck at Xiao Qi.

*Damn!* Xiao Qi subconsciously blocked with his stele. *Boom!* The blow knocked the stele away and sent Xiao Qi spitting blood, nearly falling off the steps.

A red three-eyed puppet stepped forward, ready to attack. Xiao Qi steadied himself. The red puppet stopped, but the blue one kept advancing.

The blue puppet, fixed in a smiling expression, looked at him with mockery, like a cat cornering its prey.

Xiao Qi roared, throwing various artifacts at the blue puppet. It glowed with blue light, blocking them all.

Song Yue saw the danger, shattered a red puppet, and leaped over. But dozens of multi-eyed puppets blocked his path.

The situation was critical. Xiao Qi had nowhere to run.

He took a risk and charged into the open coffin. *Boom!* He took a hit from the blue puppet, a rib cracking, but he successfully jumped inside.

The bronze coffin held a smaller, vermilion wooden one. Xiao Qi, ignoring the pain, pried the lid open.

Inside was no body, but a page of scripture glowing with pale blue light.

He grabbed it.

The blue puppet stopped, its eyes filled with endless rage, but upon seeing the scripture, its expression miraculously calmed. It stood motionless!

Xiao Qi, blood dripping from his mouth, laughed. "Trying to play rough with your Seventh Master? Come on, keep going!"

He had gambled, and he had won.

Song Yue’s voice came from afar: "How is it?"

Xiao Qi coughed. "I’m alive. I found the thing that controls these puppets!"

He crawled out, battered. The smiling blue puppet stood still. All other puppets had stopped.

Song Yue approached and looked at the scripture. "Congratulations!"

Xiao Qi handed it to him without hesitation. "Brother, we risked our lives for this. My comprehension isn't great—you look at it first, then tell me."

Song Yue took it, feeling its weight. It was like a special metal.

He studied the scripture. The script was unfamiliar—likely from a civilization outside human history. He calmed his mind and used the Heavenly Venerate Spiritual Technique to interpret it.

Xiao Qi tended to his wounds.

The scripture, Song Yue realized, allowed cultivators to greatly boost their realm in a short time. He returned it to Xiao Qi.

Xiao Qi chuckled bitterly. "My spiritual energy... no way. I’m not cut out for this..."

He stopped, stunned. He realized he *could* understand the meaning!

After a while, he looked at Song Yue with a complex expression. "Brother, I’m sorry. I was bragging earlier."

Song Yue: ?

Xiao Qi sighed. "Looks like I’ll be a warrior after all! In this short time, I’ve broken through several small realms—I’m already at the late stage of Foundation Building."

Song Yue: "..."

*Are you showing off to your brother?*

"This is truly a peerless scripture!" Xiao Qi marveled. "I never thought there was a way to improve realms like this."

Song Yue patted his shoulder. "Don't be dramatic. Many people would kill for this."

Xiao Qi shook the scripture. "When I memorize it, you take it for your sisters-in-law to study."

*Sisters-in-law?* Song Yue looked at him.

Xiao Qi patted his chest. "Good brothers share. This doesn't just belong to me. Without you, I’d never have gotten it!"

Song Yue asked, "I'm not talking about that. I'm asking, where did you get these 'sisters-in-law'?"

Xiao Qi counted on his fingers: "Goddess Qian, little sister Wen Rou, sister Lin Huan... aren't they your girlfriends?" He looked at Song Yue. "Don't try to fool me. Don't think I don't know how you returned from Tianyue Star. That starship parked near the sun—don't tell me it wasn't a gift from the Lin family!"

Song Yue was too lazy to explain.

He waved his hand and led Xiao Qi through the frozen puppets. Xiao Qi shook the scripture at them. "Back to your posts!"

The puppets returned to their places.

Song Yue suggested, "Why not summon them into your stele space?"

Xiao Qi’s eyes lit up. He opened his stele space. "Line up, get in there!"

The blue puppet entered. Xiao Qi stopped it. "Turn a somersault for me."

The puppet hesitated, then flipped.

Xiao Qi enjoyed this. "Another one!"

The puppet flipped again.

"One more!"

"Are you done yet?" A furious spiritual fluctuation came from the blue puppet.

Xiao Qi: "..." Song Yue: "..."

They looked at each other. Xiao Qi looked guilty. "Fine, go in."

After all the puppets were stored, Xiao Qi wiped his cold sweat. "Brother, do these puppets have their own minds and tempers?"

Song Yue had felt the same. He decided to investigate if such a civilization existed. *And to think, such a tomb is on Earth!*

They tidied the area and restored the coffin. Song Yue smashed the self-repairing gate, and they left.

They explored the left tunnel, where Xiao Qi easily controlled the puppets with the scripture. This chamber was even larger.

After clearing the puppets, they reached the coffin—three meters high, carved with strange ancient beasts.

Song Yue opened the lid. There was no puppet, just a red wooden coffin. He climbed in and pried it open to find a smaller, exquisite vermilion box inside.

"Are we playing with nesting dolls?" Xiao Qi muttered.

Song Yue was solemn. The Yuxu Heaven-Connecting Stele was vibrating violently. Whatever was inside was intensely attractive to it!