Start with everyday skills and grind your way to immortality.

Chen Qian is certainly not a pushover.

He reminded Lei Zhen that he had his own plans.

With the three forces now united, the group of brave but straightforward martial artists from the martial arts school are a crucial link in maintaining the delicate balance, and also a "blunt blade" that may be won over in the future.

If they are wiped out too early, Chen Qian and the Zhao family will have to face the Wang family and other forces that may follow them alone.

In this world, going it alone is a sure path to death.

If there are enough benefits, even someone like Wang Datou might be willing to cooperate temporarily.

Thank you.

Lei Zhen clasped his hands in a fist salute to Chen Qian, his tone filled with gratitude.

He was a rough man, but he was no fool to have risen to prominence in a place filled with martial arts schools along the river.

Through this experience, he also realized that in this great tomb, mere physical strength and bravery were far from enough.

The Wang family has the eerie and mysterious Ghost Hand Li, and the Zhao family has the Mysterious Yin Master and this Mr. Chen with amazing eyesight; they are all capable people who understand geomancy and feng shui.

Their martial arts alliance was unique in that they were all skilled at chopping people and breaking bones, but they lacked one pair of eyes.

If they continue this reckless behavior, these twenty-odd men will die sooner or later without even knowing how.

Chen Qian nodded slightly.

"Brother Zhao, Master Lei, we need to hurry."

Chen Qian's gaze swept over the dark cave entrances around him, his voice low and deep:

"The oil in the raging fire is almost gone; the corpse beetles are only temporarily intimidated by the flames and yang energy. Moreover..."

He pointed to the cave entrance and said:

"There are many things crawling out of these holes. A lot of them."

"Shhh..."

As if to confirm his words, a dense grinding sound came from the surrounding rock walls, as if countless sharp claws were scratching at the rocks.

The sound grew closer and louder, sending chills down one's spine.

"Damn it! These bastards are never going to stop!"

Wang Meng cursed and gripped his broadsword tightly.

"Stop talking nonsense! Let's find the way!"

Zhao Feng shouted sharply, turning abruptly to Chen Qian and Daoist Master Xuanyin, his tone urgent, "Brother, Daoist Master, it's up to you!"

On the other side, Wang Tong also looked anxiously at Ghost Hand Li: "Old Li?"

In a life-or-death situation, everyone displays their unique abilities!

Ghost Hand Li was the first to move.

His withered, bird-claw-like hand emerged from beneath his black robe, cradling a small, shiny black porcelain bottle in his palm.

Pulling out the stopper, a very faint fishy smell wafted out.

Immediately afterwards, several blood-red shadows the size of mung beans flapped their wings and flew out.

After hovering briefly in the air and emitting a barely audible buzzing sound, it did not hesitate to burrow into an inconspicuous low hole on the right.

"Over here." Ghost Hand Li's voice was dry and hoarse.

Wang Tong's spirits lifted, and he immediately looked at Zhao Feng and Lei Zhen, forcing a smile: "Young Master Zhao, Master Lei, Elder Li's skills in geomancy and route finding are also quite remarkable. Given the current critical situation, why don't we go together..."

Zhao Feng didn't try to stop him, and just sneered.

"No need for you to trouble yourself, Second Master Wang! We have different paths, so we cannot work together. I wish you a safe journey!"

Although Lei Zhen did not speak, he remained motionless, demonstrating his stance through his actions.

Rather than following the unpredictable Wang family, it's better to go with Chen Qian and the Zhao family, who have warned me before; at least on the surface, things will appear more open and aboveboard.

"Hmph! Let's go!"

Wang Tong's face darkened, and he said no more.

With a wave of his hand, he led the remaining members of the Wang family into the right-hand cave entrance.

"Mr. Chen, Young Master Zhao, which way should we go?" Lei Zhen turned around and asked, directly throwing out the question.

Zhao Feng also looked at Chen Qian.

Chen Qian didn't speak, but took out a compass from his pocket and held it horizontally in front of his chest.

The pointer trembled, but finally pointed firmly to the stone wall to the left front.

Trusting Wang Shouyi is far more reliable than trusting any living person in this place.

Chen Qian said in a deep voice, "The gate of life is in this direction. But the exact location of the entrance will require your discerning eye, Daoist."

Xuan Yin Dao was pleased to hear this.

This was Chen Qian giving him a way out, and also an opportunity to use his methods to establish his position.

He dared not delay and quickly stepped forward.

He muttered incantations while taking out three specially made antique copper coins from his sleeve and flicking them toward the rock face.

Listen carefully to the sound of the copper coin rolling as it hits the ground, and squint to observe the subtle changes in the texture, color, and airflow of the rock wall.

A moment later, he suddenly raised the peach wood sword in his hand.

He pointed directly to a corner half-hidden by several weathered pebbles at the bottom of the rock face: "Here! The soil has a faint bluish tinge, the arrangement of the pebbles subtly corresponds to the Xun position, and a very faint airflow seeps out from within—this is the sign of a 'secret path leading to a hidden place'! The way out is here!"

"Walk!"

Zhao Feng made a quick decision and gave the order, and everyone immediately rushed towards that corner.

The group entered in turn, following the order of the two groups.

The cave was narrower and cramped than I had imagined, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

One must constantly duck to avoid the hanging stalactites and the unknown white mycelial network.

The air was extremely polluted.

The torchlight illuminated the area, revealing that the slippery ground was covered with a dense layer of black spiders, each the size of a fist!

Their carapaces were glossy, and their eight legs were long and slender, though not as terrifying as the previous human-faced ghost spider.

But their sheer number is like a constantly surging black tide, capable of instantly submerging ankles.

"Get out of here!"

Wang Meng roared, and his broadsword transformed into a fan-shaped flash of cold light. Wherever it passed, the spider's carapace shattered and its juices flew everywhere.

Lei Zhen was not to be outdone; his machete was powerful and heavy, clearing away a section with each strike.

Chen Qian also drew his machete from his waist, his eyes cold, and his strike precise.

With each stroke of the blade, spiders attempting to climb up were slashed down. Although the swordsmanship was not as fierce and domineering as Wang Meng's, it was simple and effective.

As they fought, the group struggled to advance deeper into the cave.

However, the deeper they went, the more bizarre and strange the surrounding scenery became.

The rough, primitive rock face gradually became smooth, revealing traces of artificial polishing, and large areas of dark-colored, archaic murals began to emerge on it.

The murals depicted not auspicious omens or celestial beings, but rather chilling scenes of human sacrifice.

A naked person was hung upside down from a dead tree.

Some people were thrown into the giant cauldron, their faces contorted.

A black-robed priest holding a hideous mask...

The scene is filled with a primitive and brutal sense of ritual.

"This...this is human sacrifice?" Zhao Feng asked solemnly, holding up a torch.

"Don't look at those paintings!"

Chen Qian suddenly shouted, his voice echoing in the narrow passageway, carrying a cold clarity that pierced through the mist.

"Those paintings...something's not right!"

Everyone was startled and forced themselves to concentrate on the examination while suppressing their discomfort.

Amidst the flickering firelight and the interplay of light and shadow.

The eyes of the victims in the mural seem to move extremely slowly as the people move.

Even the frozen expression of pain seemed to undergo a subtle change.

His gaze seemed to pierce through time, locking onto this group of uninvited guests.

Faintly, one could hear mournful wails and eerie, low chanting.

The faint, thread-like sound seeped into my ears, making it impossible to tell whether it was a hallucination or reality.

"whee"

A clear, childish yet utterly hollow laugh suddenly rang out in the cramped space.

"Who?"

A martial arts student walking behind screamed in terror.

Everyone turned around abruptly.

But all that could be seen was that the disciple's eyes were fixed straight ahead, and his pupils were unfocused.

His face wore an expression that was neither a smile nor a cry.

The knife in his hand was not pointed at the enemy, but held to his own neck!

"don't want!"

Lei Zhen's roar hadn't finished yet.

"Pfft!"

With a flick of his wrist, the disciple swiftly slit open the disciple's throat with the sharp blade.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering onto the mural beside him.