C2 Someone Came to Steal My Tomb?

While Shen Jun was wholeheartedly embracing the spiritual energy's rejuvenation, the tomb-robbing team had already breached the outer city and come upon the first barrier of the inner city's defenses.

Old Zhang, a revered half-saint formation master, was meticulously dismantling the formation as the other four members of his team stayed back, observing from a safe distance.

Suddenly, the entire tomb trembled violently, with stones tumbling down from above!

Then, a fierce, nameless gale swept through, erasing the once plentiful spiritual energy in an instant.

"Old Zhang!" the elegantly dressed middle-aged man shouted, "What's going on?!"

Old Zhang, terrified, had collapsed to the ground and stuttered, "The formation... it's been unlocked?"

He could scarcely believe it himself.

The complexity of the formation far exceeded his expectations; after a full day of study, he hadn't even scratched the surface.

And now it was unlocked just like that?

"Hahaha, Old Zhang truly lives up to his reputation as the top formation master in Sky Feather City. His title is well-earned!"

The middle-aged man was ecstatic, rushing over to heap praise on him. "With a master like Old Zhang on our side, the treasures of Shen's Tomb are as good as ours! Hahaha."

Old Zhang was momentarily speechless.

He was acutely aware that the formation's disappearance had nothing to do with him; he hadn't even found a starting point all day.

The restriction vanished simply because the mysterious gale had stripped away all the spiritual energy. Without its power source, the formation was bound to collapse.

Despite his unease, the fact that the formation had been disabled was a stroke of luck. The priority now was to advance quickly.

If the formation regained its strength later, it could be lethal.

With this in mind, Old Zhang hurriedly got to his feet and led the team further into the depths.

Subsequently, the once complex and formidable formations and restrictions seemed almost illusory, easily dispelled with a mere gesture.

Within a single day, they stood before the grand golden palace at the heart of the Imperial City.

"Old Zhang, I would have never imagined we'd make it this quickly. Weren't we told it would take at least three to five months?" The middle-aged man gazed up at the resplendent doors, swallowing hard. "I'm truly in awe of you."

"Recently, I've just been in good form, that's all. You're too kind." Old Zhang was somewhat bashful at the moment.

Since the hurricane had passed, the protective spells and formations along the way had been laughably weak, as if a mere breath could scatter them.

How could Shen's Tomb have claimed the lives of so many formidable individuals?

The tales and rumors had made Old Zhang cautious. "I've thoroughly investigated; all the protective barriers and formations around the main hall have been dismantled. However, this place is still fraught with danger. You all would do well to proceed with caution."

The middle-aged man nodded vigorously, his eyes brimming with barely contained greed. "Rest easy, Old Zhang. You take it easy now. We four brothers will take it from here."

He wasn't alone in his anticipation; everyone was itching to discover the true face of this fabled treasure trove.

This was Shen's Tomb, the final resting place of a legendary Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord who lay in eternal repose here was shrouded in mystery.

No one knew the extent of his power, the origins of his mastery, or even his true identity.

And as for who built this imposing mausoleum, that too remained a secret.

But one thing was beyond doubt:

The treasures within this tomb were enough to drive even the greatest of sages into a frenzy!

Approaching the golden gate with a grave countenance, the middle-aged man took a deep breath, steadying his nerves and excitement before pressing his hands firmly against the door.

"Open!"

With a low shout from the man, the massive door, sealed for eight hundred years, began to creak open.

Upon glimpsing the interior of the hall, everyone was momentarily spellbound.

It wasn't that they were unaccustomed to grandeur.

It was simply that they had never witnessed opulence on this scale!

No royal palace on earth could boast such lavish adornments.

Priceless luminous pearls adorned every nook and cranny of the hall, which, despite being underground and eight centuries old, was still as brightly lit as if it were midday.

And the six colossal pillars that held up the hall, each forged from crimson gold, were enough to incite bloody battles among the mightiest—yet here, they served merely as building materials!

In addition to these, there were items like Mansha woven from ice cicada silk, wine cups carved from flawless gemstones, and racks crafted from Thunder Tribulation wood...

Old Zhang and the four others took a full seven minutes to snap out of their astonishment.

"Big... Big Brother," the youngest of the five Half Saints managed to say, his eyes gleaming with excitement, "We're going to be rich!"

"With all these Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, we brothers could reach the Great Sage rank within a decade!"

"And that coffin! My goodness, it's made of Kunlun Wood! The entire thing is Kunlun Wood!!"

The middle-aged man in fine clothing was breathing heavily. "Look, the spiritual energy of the entire hall is converging towards that coffin. I bet the real treasure is still unseen."

At his words, the others' eyes shone with renewed fervor.

Indeed, the most valuable treasures would be placed closest to the master's resting place.

Could it be the legacy of the Demon Lord? An unparalleled Divine Weapon? Perhaps a divine pill that grants immediate ascension?

For a moment, their throats went dry, and their eyes nearly blazed with desire.

"Gentlemen, allow me to scout ahead," Old Zhang declared, the quickest to take action. He formed a hand seal and stamped his foot with force.

"Black Dragon Formation!"

Instantly, more than a dozen thick, dragon-shaped tendrils of black mist spiraled out from Old Zhang, swirling around him.

True to his reputation as a semi-sage level formation master, he could create a formation with just a shout and a stomp.

"Damn, this old fox is thinking of hogging it all before we've even opened the coffin!" the middle-aged man thought bitterly, though he kept his composure.

"Old Zhang, opening the coffin is perilous; we should face the danger together," he said, leading the other four men forward.

At that moment, each person instinctively kept a certain distance from the others.

They were all seasoned veterans; when faced with such a momentous opportunity, pledges of loyalty and moral codes were as good as nonsense.

In such a scenario, the people nearby posed a greater threat than any magical barrier or formation.

"Mr. Zhang, shall you do the honors of opening the coffin?" the middle-aged man gestured politely.

"Then I'll dispense with the pleasantries!" Old Zhang, a man of great skill and courage, concentrated Spiritual Force in the center of his palm and struck the coffin with a powerful slap.

"Open!"

With his command, a dozen black Qi dragons roared away!

Thud!

The coffin lid was effortlessly flipped open by the force of the black dragons.

The five onlookers eagerly peered inside, curious to see what kind of treasure could generate such an immense vortex of Spiritual Force.

"Holy shit!"

Their exclamations erupted almost in unison, each person taken aback by the sight before them.

"What... What is this?!"

The well-dressed middle-aged man was both astonished and frightened.