As the combined energy of the trio and the four ascendant realm cultivators poured into the shimmering barrier, a deep rumble echoed through the ruins. The translucent veil that had stood as an impenetrable wall between the cultivators and the secrets beyond began to ripple like the surface of a disturbed lake. Ancient runes flickered to life, each glowing with a golden hue, forming intricate patterns that seemed to weave through the air before being drawn into a single point at the center of the barrier.
Then, with a resounding boom, a space gap split open, revealing an ethereal passage of swirling blue and violet light. It was like the mouth of an abyss, endless and mysterious, exuding a powerful aura that sent shivers down the spines of the surrounding cultivators.
One of the ascendant realm cultivators, an elderly man with a solemn expression, stepped forward and addressed the crowd. "The space gate has been opened. Go inside and try your luck. Remember, you must return within seven days, for once the barrier reinstates itself, there will be no escape until the next cycle." His words carried a weight of authority, causing the restless cultivators to immediately spring into action.
A chaotic surge erupted as thousands of cultivators rushed toward the space gate, some moving in well-organized groups, others in solitary pursuit of fortune. Major sects, royal clans, rogue cultivators, and infamous wandering warriors—all were drawn toward the unknown, driven by greed, ambition, or destiny.
Tianyang, observing the commotion, glanced at Yuqing and subtly signaled for them to wait. "Let them go first," he murmured, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. "We can let them pave the way for us. Who knows what dangers lie beyond that gate?"
Yuqing, standing beside him, nodded in agreement, her fingers gently intertwined with his. "You're right. Besides, it will give us time to recover fully before entering. Who knows how much energy we'll need inside?"
Yao'er, perched on Tianyang's shoulder in his smaller form, watched with a bored expression. "Why do we always have to be so cautious? It's just a gate. Let's just go in and claim everything inside!"
Tianyang chuckled and flicked Yao'er's forehead playfully. "You're getting too greedy, little dragon. Even ancient beasts should know when to be patient."
Yao'er pouted but didn't argue further.
Once the last of the eager cultivators had disappeared into the space gate, the trio finally moved. As they stepped forward, an overwhelming pressure washed over them, as though an invisible force was examining their very essence. A golden light enveloped their bodies, scanning them, as if determining their eligibility to enter.
Then, in the blink of an eye, they were pulled into the abyss.
The sensation of being dragged through space lasted only a moment, yet it felt like eternity. Then, as suddenly as they had entered, they emerged on the other side—before an awe-inspiring sight.
A vast, ancient tomb lay ahead, stretching into the horizon like an immortal's divine palace, untouched by time. Towering stone walls carved with intricate inscriptions stood ominously, depicting fierce battles between celestial gods, abyssal demons, and legendary mythical beasts. The sheer scale of the carvings made them appear alive, their stories seemingly playing out before the trio's eyes.
"This…" Yuqing whispered, stepping forward as her gaze trailed across the endless murals. "These are scenes from the Antiquity War. The war where the gods, demons, and mythical beasts waged a three-way battle for supremacy."
Tianyang studied the ancient engravings, his eyes narrowing at the sheer detail. "And judging by the inscriptions… this tomb doesn't belong to an ordinary figure. It might be the resting place of someone who lived through that war."
Yao'er flapped his wings and hovered in front of one of the murals. "Tsk. These gods and demons were all crazy, fighting each other like this. But… I feel something strange. The energy here… it's old, but it's not dead."
Yuqing turned toward the massive gate at the tomb's entrance. Unlike a typical door, this one had no visible handles or mechanisms to open it. Instead, a gigantic formation was inscribed upon its surface, glowing faintly, as though awaiting challengers to break its seal.
"Looks like brute force won't work here," she said, glancing at Yao'er, who had already been preparing to ram into the gate with his small form. Seeing her stern expression, the dragon let out a disappointed sigh.
Tianyang, stepping closer to Yuqing, wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. "Then let's begin," he murmured, his breath teasing against her ear. His hands guided hers toward the formation, intertwining their fingers as they both directed their energy forward.
Yuqing blushed slightly at the sudden embrace but didn't resist. She focused on the formation, feeling the powerful ancient energy woven into its structure.
Their Yin & Yang contract flared to life, their energies merging and amplifying with the Transcendent Unity of Sun & Moon breathing technique.
A radiant glow burst forth from their hands, intertwining golden and silver streams of Qi weaving into the formation. The ancient inscriptions began shifting, reacting to their energy, lines of light tracing intricate patterns across the massive gate.
The tomb trembled. The formation cracked. A surge of light erupted from the gate, momentarily blinding them.
A loud thud echoed through the air.
As their vision cleared, the gate had opened. The path forward lay before them.
With a final glance at one another, they stepped inside.
---
As the trio stepped into the ancient tomb, an overwhelming silence engulfed them. The air inside was thick with an eerie stillness, untouched by the passage of time. Dimly glowing lamps lined the stone walls, casting flickering shadows that danced across the ground like restless spirits.
Before them, countless paths stretched in every direction, each leading to a massive closed door carved with esoteric runes. The architecture was unlike anything they had seen before—both grand and ominous, exuding an aura of suppression that weighed heavily upon their souls.
Yuqing extended her spiritual sense toward one of the doors, attempting to probe beyond its surface. But the moment her energy touched it, an invisible force repelled her consciousness, forcing her to take a step back.
"Tianyang, something is strange," she said, her voice carrying a note of concern. "These doors… they block all attempts to peer inside. Even my spiritual sense is completely cut off."
Tianyang placed a hand on one of the doors, feeling the ancient power embedded within it. "That means the treasures and inheritances inside won't be chosen by strength alone," he mused. "It's all dependent on luck."
"Luck?" Yao'er scoffed, crossing his arms. "Hah! Who needs luck when you have a dragon?"
Tianyang turned to him with a knowing smile. "Exactly. Dragons are naturally attuned to spiritual scents, especially those of rare treasures. Yao'er, can you pick up anything?"
Yao'er's eyes gleamed with pride as he flapped his small wings and took a deep breath. He focused his spiritual energy into his nose, enhancing his ability to detect lingering traces of powerful artifacts.
A moment passed. Then another.
Suddenly, his ears perked up. His tail flicked.
"Masters! This way!" Yao'er exclaimed, darting toward one of the distant doors. His small body zipped through the dimly lit corridor, leaving streaks of golden light in his wake.
Tianyang and Yuqing exchanged a glance before swiftly following him. Their footsteps echoed against the cold stone as they traversed the winding paths of the tomb, passing by dozens of unopened doors. The atmosphere grew denser the further they went, the energy in the air carrying an inexplicable sense of anticipation.
Finally, Yao'er came to a halt before an ancient-looking door covered in inscriptions that pulsed with a faint golden hue.
"This is the one!" he declared, his tail wagging in excitement.
The moment they stepped closer—
Whoosh!
A powerful suction force erupted from the door, pulling all three of them inside before they could react.
The world spun around them, space itself twisting and distorting.
Then, just as quickly as it had started, the sensation ceased.
They landed on solid ground inside an enormous chamber.
The chamber was vast, its ceiling stretching high above like the vault of an ancient cathedral. Faint golden lamps flickered along the walls, casting an ethereal glow upon the surroundings. At the far end of the chamber, three massive statues loomed over them, each depicting a different ancient god.
Each god held a jade box in their stone hands, their expressions solemn, as if guarding the treasures with their very will.
Tianyang and Yuqing approached the statues, their eyes immediately drawn to the sealing formations encasing the jade boxes. The intricate symbols pulsated with restrained power, warding off any attempt at tampering.
Yuqing furrowed her brows. "These formations… they are layered with divine-tier complexity. If we try to break one, the others will react instantly."
Tianyang's gaze deepened as he traced his fingers along the inscriptions. "Not only that," he murmured, "but if we forcefully separate the boxes from the statues, their contents will be destroyed. This is a test of precision, not brute strength."
Yao'er flapped beside them, looking from one statue to the next. "So we can only open one?" he asked, frowning.
"Not necessarily," Tianyang replied. His mind was already racing with possibilities. "The inscriptions state that three distinct energies are required to unlock the seals. If we open one box, the others vanish. If we try to open two at once, the third will still disappear."
Yuqing's eyes sparkled with understanding. "But we have a way around that," she said softly. "We can use our Yin & Yang contract. If we synchronize our energies perfectly, we can generate a third force—one that the statues might accept as distinct."
Tianyang nodded. "That's our only chance."
They moved into position.
Tianyang placed his left hand upon the formation of the left statue, while Yuqing mirrored him on the right statue. Then, their free hands clasped together, channeling their merged Yin & Yang energy toward the central statue.
The chamber trembled as their energies flowed into the formations.
Ancient symbols ignited one by one, reacting to the infusion of power.
Seconds passed. Then minutes.
Sweat beaded on their foreheads as they carefully maintained the perfect balance of energies. Any mistake would collapse the synchronization, causing the formations to reinforce themselves.
Then—
Crack!
A fissure ran through the first formation.
Crack!
The second seal fractured.
Crack!
The central formation shattered.
A radiant golden light burst forth from all three jade boxes.
The left and right boxes opened first. From within, two shimmering pills floated into the air, exuding an overwhelming medicinal fragrance.
Tianyang's eyes gleamed. "Low-immortal-grade breakthrough pills. Each containing opposite energies, meant for daoist companions to break through to the ascendant realm."
Then, from the middle jade box, a glowing scroll emerged. Yuqing caught it, her hands trembling slightly as she unfurled the ancient scripture.
Her breath hitched.
"This is…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "A lightning dual body refining method. It's a complete low-immortal tier technique, not just a fragment."
Tianyang's expression turned serious as he read over her shoulder.
"This technique…" he murmured. "It harnesses tribulation energy to temper the body, refining it into a vessel strong enough to withstand divine punishment itself. But because tribulation lightning is inherently chaotic, it requires two cultivators in perfect synchronization—both in mind and body—to regulate the energy."
Yuqing's entire body flushed. "In other words… it requires physical dual cultivation," she whispered.
Tianyang met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "And since tribulation energy carries the essence of divine punishment, only those with the purest bond and perfect harmonization can endure it together."
Silence fell between them.
Then Yuqing turned away, her face a deep shade of red.
Yao'er, oblivious to the tension, grinned mischievously. "Oh? Looks like my masters have some intense training ahead!"
Tianyang chuckled. "Let's recover first. Then we'll decide our next move."
With their newfound treasures in hand, the trio prepared themselves for the trials ahead.