Chapter Nineteen: Return (Second Update)

With his mind made up, Yang Xiao feigned sincerity as he spoke to Yao Yuan, “Senior Brother Yao Yuan, if you want us to hand over the treasured sword, it isn’t impossible…”

“Oh?” Yao Yuan had expected Yang Xiao to refuse outright, but instead Yang Xiao seemed as if he were about to agree, which caught him off guard. Smiling, he said, “Does Junior Brother Yang have some conditions in mind?”

Yang Xiao lowered his head and took two steps to the side, as if considering some terms. However, just as he reached the edge of the stone chamber, he acted swiftly, slapping the wall. Suddenly, a stone door appeared where the wall had seemed flawless, and it opened at once.

Seeing the stone door open, Yang Xiao immediately pulled He Ming along, and both slipped through the door into the chamber beyond. The stone door closed behind them, leaving Yao Yuan blocked outside.

All these changes happened so quickly that when Yao Yuan tried to intercept them, it was already too late.

“Damn it, there’s another secret room inside—I never even noticed!” Yao Yuan erupted in rage. But it wasn’t entirely his fault; the stone door was so well concealed, blending seamlessly with the wall, that it was nearly impossible to spot. And when it opened, Yang Xiao and He Ming were already close by, allowing them to slip through in an instant. By the time Yao Yuan reacted, the opportunity had vanished.

“How did Yang Xiao discover this stone door?” Yao Yuan was bewildered. Thinking back, he realized that Yang Xiao had led the way the entire time and seemed thoroughly familiar with the place. It now appeared that when they reached the fork earlier, Yang Xiao hadn’t chosen a path at random—he had known all along which way was safe and led to the treasure chamber. In light of this, Yao Yuan’s earlier act of turning hostile was a grave mistake. Regret began to gnaw at him.

But a greater regret soon befell Yao Yuan. The entrance to the stone chamber they had first entered suddenly sealed with another stone door, trapping him completely inside the treasure room. Escaping would now be exceedingly difficult.

Naturally, this was all part of Yang Xiao’s plan.

Upon entering the other stone chamber, Yang Xiao discovered several conspicuous levers on the wall. This chamber must have belonged to the original master of the cave, and the levers controlled various restrictions in the outer cave. Yang Xiao methodically activated them, sealing all the entrances and trapping Yao Yuan in the outer stone chamber.

“That was close! But seeing Senior Brother Yao Yuan reveal himself as such a hypocrite truly chills the heart,” He Ming said, clutching his chest in fright. Now that they were out of danger, he could only sigh in relief.

“The doors in this cave are made of famed yellow diamond. Now that I’ve closed the restriction levers, Yao Yuan won’t be able to get in here. Well, there may be treasures in this chamber—let’s have a look around,” Yang Xiao said, finally relaxing.

The two began to survey the stone room, but they didn’t need to search long. They quickly found the treasure’s location. The chamber wasn’t large, and in the center stood a stone bed upon which lay a skeleton. If any treasures were to be found, they would surely be in the storage pouch hanging at the skeleton’s waist.

Yang Xiao stepped forward and took the pouch, probing it with his spiritual sense. Sure enough, there were several items inside. First, there were dozens of spirit stones, a jade pendant, a jade slip, and a circular jade piece—though the last emitted little spiritual energy and its purpose was unclear.

After examining the contents, Yang Xiao took out over twenty spirit stones and handed them to He Ming. “Senior Brother He, there are about forty or fifty spirit stones in this pouch. Let’s split them evenly. Take these twenty or so and keep them.”

Yang Xiao did not intend to share the other items with He Ming, as they might be special treasures whose uses he had yet to discern. He planned to examine them carefully once they returned.

For He Ming, twenty spirit stones were already a fortune. He usually received only a handful from the sect each year, so this haul equaled more than a decade’s earnings. Still, he politely declined before finally accepting the stones. After all, it was thanks to Yang Xiao’s guidance that he benefited; otherwise, with his own cultivation, he could only hope to pick up leftovers. Moreover, in such a dangerous place, his life could have been extinguished at any moment.

He Ming expressed his gratitude to Yang Xiao, then his expression shifted. “Junior Brother, though we’ve gained much, how do we get out of here? All the exits are sealed. No matter how many treasures we have, they’re useless if we can’t get out.”

“If I could bring Senior Brother here, I naturally have a way out. Just follow me. But before we leave, we should bury this predecessor’s remains. Having benefited from him, we ought to show some respect.”

“You’re quite right, Junior Brother. Let’s get to it.”

Soon after, they buried the skeleton from the stone bed, letting it rest in peace, and then found another exit, successfully leaving the ancient cultivator’s cave.

On the way back, Yang Xiao pondered the identity of the ancient cultivator. He was likely a wandering cultivator. But whoever he was, however great in life, in death he was but a pile of bones.

At least the ancient cultivator’s remains found burial thanks to Yang Xiao and He Ming. Yang Xiao wondered who, when his own time came, would bury his bones.

The path of cultivation is a struggle against heaven itself, fraught with peril at every step. One misstep, and one could end up utterly destroyed—body and soul. Yet Yang Xiao had already faced death once; his resolve to pursue immortality would not waver.

“Junior Brother, do you think Senior Brother Yao Yuan will escape as we did? If so, he’ll return to the sect and cause us trouble,” He Ming said, worried.

“Don’t worry. I doubt he’ll be so lucky. The restrictions in that cave are formidable, and the sealed doors are made of diamond. Ordinary cultivators couldn’t possibly break them. Once we’re back, we can focus on training. In two months, the annual sect competition will be held. If our cultivation advances and we wield the power of the spirit sword, we’ll surely make a name for ourselves,” Yang Xiao replied, brimming with confidence.