Chapter 83 The Ancient Tomb’s Treasure
Chapter 83 The Ancient Tomb’s Treasure
Chapter 83: Chapter 83 The Ancient Tomb’s Treasure
The rumble gradually faded.
Yet the 7 Lin Clan youngsters remained alert.
Lin Chen held the jade token in his hand, watching the 3 distant beams.
Lin Lian.
Lin Haochen.
Lin Zhen.
Their signals were still active.
That was reassuring, but the disturbance coming from their direction couldn’t be ignored.
Lin Chen looked toward the distant mountains.
"We’ll head toward them."
Lin Qing nodded.
"Agreed. There’s no reason to keep waiting here."
Lin Mo stretched his shoulders.
"Hopefully, they’ve found something worthwhile. We didn’t come all this way just to wander around."
Lin Yu glanced at him.
"You sound more interested in treasures than finding our missing family members."
Lin Mo smiled without embarrassment.
"Why can’t I be interested in both?"
Lin Yuexin laughed softly.
Lin Chen shook his head.
"Let’s move. Keep your tokens ready, and don’t rush ahead without checking the surroundings."
The others nodded.
The 7 followed the direction indicated by the jade tokens.
As they moved farther into the ruins, the scenery gradually changed.
The broken walls became less frequent, replaced by rugged slopes and enormous boulders. Ancient trees grew between the rocks, their roots spreading across the remains of structures that had stood there for countless years.
The spiritual energy in the air also became noticeably denser.
Lin Qing glanced around.
"The spiritual energy here is much richer than it was in the valley."
Lin Xuan nodded.
"Something nearby is probably gathering it."
Lin Chen examined the token.
The 3 beams were becoming increasingly concentrated.
Instead of pointing toward 3 entirely different directions, they now seemed to lead toward the same general area.
He raised his head.
"Whatever they’re doing, it looks like all 3 have ended up near the same place."
The group continued forward.
Before long, they discovered a narrow passage between 2 enormous rocks.
The passage was partially covered by thick vines. Beyond it, a faint spiritual fluctuation could be felt.
Lin Jue stopped beside the entrance.
"There’s something behind these rocks."
Lin Yu examined the vines.
"They’re growing unusually thick here."
Lin Chen looked at the narrow opening.
"Let’s check it out. Stay alert."
Lin Xuan moved the vines aside.
The 7 passed through the opening one after another.
On the other side lay a small valley surrounded by steep cliffs.
At first glance, it appeared ordinary.
Then Lin Yuexin noticed something.
"Look over there."
She pointed toward the cliff on the opposite side.
Partially concealed behind hanging vines was an enormous stone doorway.
Its surface was covered with faded carvings, and a thick layer of dust had accumulated along its edges.
The doorway was old.
Very old.
Yet the spiritual energy leaking from within was unmistakable.
Lin Qing’s eyes brightened.
"An ancient tomb?"
Lin Chen studied the entrance.
"It certainly looks like one."
He didn’t immediately rush inside.
Instead, he examined the surrounding ground.
There were several faint tracks leading toward the entrance. Some appeared relatively recent, suggesting that other cultivators might have passed through the valley.
However, none of the tracks looked like those of a large group.
Lin Chen looked at the token again.
All 3 beams pointed toward the doorway.
"Lin Lian, Lin Haochen, and Lin Zhen should be inside."
He stepped forward.
"Let’s go."
---
The stone doorway wasn’t completely closed.
A narrow opening remained between the 2 massive doors, just wide enough for a person to pass through.
Lin Chen entered first, followed by Lin Qing and the others.
The interior was dim.
Ancient stone lamps lined the walls, though none appeared to be burning.
Despite that, the corridor wasn’t entirely dark. A faint blue glow came from several crystals embedded in the ceiling.
The air smelled of old stone and damp earth.
Their footsteps echoed through the passage.
After walking for a short while, Lin Mo suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at him.
He pointed toward the wall.
Several shallow grooves had been carved into the stone. They formed a repeating pattern, with tiny spiritual fluctuations moving through them.
Lin Qing examined the markings.
"A formation?"
"Probably," Lin Mo replied.
Lin Chen looked at the floor ahead.
"Then don’t touch anything unnecessarily. We don’t know what it was designed to do."
They continued cautiously.
Fortunately, the formation didn’t activate.
A few minutes later, the corridor opened into a vast chamber.
The 7 stopped at the entrance.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The chamber was filled with spiritual herbs.
Some grew in stone planters arranged along the walls. Others spread across the floor, their roots embedded in thick patches of spiritual soil.
Small trees grew beside the pillars, bearing fruits that emitted faint glimmers of light.
There were red fruits, golden fruits, pale-blue fruits, and several varieties none of them immediately recognized.
A shallow pool occupied the center of the chamber.
Spiritual energy drifted above its surface like mist.
Even more herbs grew around the pool, nourished by the concentrated energy.
Lin Yuexin stared at the plants.
"This place..."
Lin Qing’s expression changed.
"There are so many resources."
Lin Mo’s earlier casual attitude disappeared.
He walked toward the nearest planter, then stopped himself before touching anything.
"These aren’t ordinary medicinal herbs."
The Lin Clan youngsters had received extensive instruction about cultivation resources. They could recognize that several plants were considerably more valuable than the ordinary herbs found along the paths outside.
Lin Xuan crouched beside a small golden plant.
"This one is still alive. Its roots haven’t dried out."
Lin Jue examined another planter.
"And the spiritual soil is still nourishing the plants. That’s probably why they survived for so long."
Lin Chen looked around the chamber.
The tomb’s owner had clearly taken great care in preserving these resources.
Some plants were fully mature.
Others were still growing.
A few had already produced fruits.
It was an astonishing discovery.
Lin Chen smiled.
"Let’s collect them carefully. Don’t damage the roots, and don’t harvest fruits that haven’t matured."
The others immediately began working.
Lin Qing and Lin Yuexin examined the herbs before harvesting them.
Lin Xuan and Lin Jue focused on the plants growing along the walls.
Lin Yu began collecting the mature fruits.
Lin Mo inspected the stone planters, searching for any hidden compartments.
Lin Chen, meanwhile, checked the corners of the chamber for anything unusual.
They had no intention of leaving valuable resources behind, but neither did they want to destroy the garden through careless harvesting.
As they worked, the jade tokens began glowing more brightly.
Lin Chen turned around.
3 figures were standing at the far end of the chamber.
Lin Lian.
Lin Haochen.
Lin Zhen.
All 3 looked surprised to see the others.
Then their expressions brightened.
"Lin Chen!"
Lin Lian was the first to approach.
Lin Haochen followed, while Lin Zhen glanced around the chamber.
"You found us!"
Lin Chen smiled.
"We followed the tokens. Are you all right?"
Lin Lian nodded.
"We’re fine. We heard the rumbling too, and we were about to follow it when we saw your tokens light up."
Lin Chen looked at the 3.
"What happened before you found this place?"
Lin Lian explained that she had followed a thin trail of spiritual energy through the ancient forest until it led her to the valley and the hidden doorway.
Lin Haochen added that the stone pillar region had been guarded by a formation. After he broke it, a faint path of leaking energy had pulled him in the same direction, and he had met Lin Lian at the entrance.
Lin Zhen scratched his head.
"I’m the one who followed the sound. The strange noise I heard beneath the field of broken weapons got fainter the closer I came to the tomb. By the time I reached the doorway, I couldn’t hear it at all."
He glanced toward the deeper corridor.
"The 3 of us were still inspecting the garden when the rumbling began. We hadn’t found its cause."
Lin Chen listened carefully.
"Then we should finish collecting these resources before investigating anything else."
Lin Mo grinned.
"That’s exactly what I was thinking."
With all 10 members reunited, the work became much faster.
They checked the remaining planters, collected the mature fruits, and carefully stored the medicinal herbs.
Lin Yu even discovered a small cluster of spiritual fruits growing behind one of the stone pillars.
"Found more!"
Lin Yuexin walked over to examine them.
"Those are mature. Collect them carefully."
Lin Yu nodded.
Within a short time, they had gathered a considerable amount of resources.
The spatial storage treasures carried by the youngsters gradually filled with herbs and fruits.
Even so, they didn’t strip the chamber completely bare.
They left the immature plants undisturbed and preserved the spiritual soil around their roots.
After all, a living garden could continue producing resources long after a single harvest.
Lin Chen looked around the chamber one last time.
"All right. I think we’ve collected everything that’s ready."
Lin Qing nodded.
"But what about the deeper chambers?"
Lin Chen glanced toward the corridor at the opposite end.
"We can investigate after checking whether this place is safe."
He had barely finished speaking when—
RUMBLE!
The ground trembled.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Several of the ancient lamps rattled against their supports.
The 10 youngsters immediately stopped what they were doing.
Lin Zhen turned toward the deeper corridor.
"That came from over there."
Another rumble followed.
This time, it was accompanied by a heavy impact.
BOOM!
The spiritual energy inside the chamber suddenly became turbulent.
Lin Chen’s expression sharpened.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves."
A low growl emerged from the darkness beyond the corridor.
Something was approaching.
The sound of heavy footsteps followed.
Each step shook the floor.
Then a massive beast emerged from the passage.
Its body was covered in dark scales, and its thick limbs were powerful enough to crack the stone beneath its feet.
A pair of curved horns extended from its head.
Its eyes glowed a deep amber.
The beast stared at the intruders who had entered its territory.
A terrifying aura spread throughout the chamber.
Lin Qing’s expression became serious.
"Body Integration Realm!"
Lin Haochen immediately stepped back into a defensive position.
Lin Jue narrowed his eyes.
"So this is what was guarding the tomb."
The beast roared.
The sound shook the entire chamber.
Several loose stones fell from the walls.
Even Lin Yu’s expression became solemn.
A Body Integration Realm beast was no ordinary opponent.
But the 10 youngsters weren’t ordinary cultivators either.
They had cultivated with the Lin Clan’s resources, trained in the Battle Tower, and received foundations that ordinary cultivators could scarcely imagine.
Their combat strength was far beyond what their apparent cultivation suggested.
Lin Mo slowly stepped forward.
"Let me handle this one."
Lin Chen turned toward him.
"Are you sure?"
Lin Mo nodded.
"I want to see how much stronger I’ve actually become."
He looked toward the beast.
"We’ve been training inside the clan for so long. It’s time to find out what that training means in a real battle."
Lin Chen studied him for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"All right. We’ll let you handle it."
His expression became serious.
"But don’t become careless. If the situation turns dangerous, we’ll intervene."
Lin Mo grinned.
"Understood."
He turned toward the beast.
The creature immediately lowered its head and charged.
BOOM!
Its enormous body surged forward, smashing through a stone pillar in its path.
Lin Mo moved sideways.
The beast’s claws swept past him, striking the ground hard enough to leave deep gouges in the stone.
Lin Mo’s eyes narrowed.
Its speed was greater than he had expected.
He counterattacked with a powerful strike aimed at its flank.
BANG!
The impact shook the beast’s body.
Yet the creature barely staggered.
It turned and swung its massive tail toward him.
Lin Mo raised his arms to block.
BOOM!
He was forced several steps backward.
His boots scraped across the stone floor.
The other 9 watched closely.
Lin Mo lowered his arms and flexed his fingers.
"That actually hurts a little."
Lin Yu stared at him.
"You’re still joking?"
Lin Mo laughed.
"I’m perfectly serious."
The beast roared and charged again.
This time, Lin Mo didn’t retreat immediately.
He watched the creature’s movements.
Its attacks were powerful, but they were also direct. Whenever it committed to a charge, its weight shifted heavily toward its front limbs.
There was a brief opening whenever it changed direction.
Lin Mo waited.
The beast lunged.
At the last moment, he shifted to the side and struck the creature’s exposed shoulder.
BANG!
The beast stumbled.
Before it could recover, Lin Mo followed with another strike.
This time, the force drove the creature several steps backward.
The chamber fell quiet for a moment.
Lin Mo stared at his own hand.
He hadn’t used a complicated technique.
He hadn’t relied on a treasure.
He had simply observed the beast and struck at the right moment.
Yet the result was far better than he had expected.
The beast’s amber eyes grew furious.
It released another roar, and its spiritual energy surged.
The air around its body became heavy.
Lin Qing’s expression changed.
"It’s gathering power!"
Lin Chen nodded.
"Lin Mo, don’t let it complete the attack!"
Lin Mo moved immediately.
He rushed forward, evading the beast’s claws and striking the same weakened shoulder.
The beast’s body tilted.
Lin Mo seized the opening and delivered a final, concentrated blow to its chest.
BOOM!
The impact echoed throughout the tomb.
The enormous beast was thrown backward.
Its body crashed onto the stone floor, creating a web of cracks beneath it.
It struggled briefly.
Then it stopped moving.
Silence filled the chamber.
Lin Mo stood before the defeated beast, breathing steadily.
He looked at it.
Then at his hand.
Finally, he turned toward the others.
"...Did I really just defeat a Body Integration Realm beast?"
Lin Yu stared at him.
"You were there. We all saw it."
Lin Mo shook his head slowly.
"I know, but... I thought it would be much harder."
Lin Qing approached.
"That doesn’t mean it was weak. You had to dodge its attacks, find an opening, and strike before it could unleash its strongest move."
Lin Chen nodded.
"She’s right. You won because you observed its movements and used your advantages properly."
Lin Jue looked toward the defeated beast.
"Our training inside the clan has always placed us against opponents suited to our progress. But real opponents don’t follow the same rules."
Lin Xuan folded his arms.
"And our physiques and foundations give us advantages that ordinary cultivators might not possess."
Lin Haochen looked thoughtful.
"We know our cultivation realms, but we may not fully understand how much they differ from those of other cultivators."
Lin Chen glanced around at the 9 members of his family.
They had all experienced extraordinary training inside the Lin Clan.
Yet until now, most of that experience had come from controlled battles and cultivation sessions.
This was different.
They had faced a genuine Body Integration Realm beast inside an ancient ruin.
And Lin Mo had defeated it.
Lin Chen finally smiled.
"It seems we still have a lot to learn about ourselves."
Lin Mo laughed.
"Then I suppose we’ll have plenty of opportunities to find out."
Lin Qing shook her head with a smile.
"Just don’t become overconfident because of one victory."
"Of course."
Lin Chen turned toward the deeper corridor.
"We should rest briefly, then investigate the remaining chambers. But stay alert. If this beast was guarding the tomb, there may be other dangers deeper inside."
The others nodded.
Behind them lay a chamber filled with spiritual herbs and fruits.
Before them stretched the unexplored depths of an ancient tomb.
Then Lin Zhen suddenly froze.
"Wait."
Everyone turned toward him.
His face had turned serious.
"That sound."
Lin Chen frowned.
"What sound?"
Lin Zhen slowly pointed toward the deeper corridor.
"The one I heard beneath the field of broken weapons. It’s back."
Silence filled the chamber.
Then, faintly, from somewhere deep beneath the tomb, a low and hollow echo rolled through the darkness.
And at the far end of the corridor, a pale light began to glow.