Chapter 139 - 89: Shangqing Maoshan Sect
BOOM!
The words had barely left Chen Zhenguo’s mouth.
The carriage instantly erupted into chaos!
"What?! A new tomb in Wangwu Mountain?!"
Luo Qian was the first to leap to his feet in excitement.
His face flushed red with excitement.
"Oh my God! A brand-new ancient tomb of a Pre-Qin Qi Cultivator?! This... this is practically a gold mine! We’ve struck it rich! We’ve struck it rich!"
He rubbed his hands together excitedly, as if he could already see the endless treasures within the tomb.
He wasn’t the only one.
Several other teachers on the bus couldn’t help but gasp, their eyes burning with a fervent glow.
What did an unexplored great tomb from the Pre-Qin era signify?
It meant the possibility of ancient Cultivation Techniques, lost Pill formulas, immensely powerful Spiritual Weapons, and even Heavenly and Earthly Treasures that could help someone break through their bottlenecks!
This was the kind of massive opportunity every Martial Artist dreamed of!
However, not everyone was swept away by the excitement.
A serious-looking, middle-aged teacher wearing glasses pushed them up the bridge of his nose, his brow furrowed. He spoke in a grave tone:
"Principal Chen! A new tomb might be a gold mine, but it’s also a death trap! Ancient Pre-Qin tombs are inherently treacherous—traps, poisonous miasma, malevolent yin energy, maybe even tomb-guarding beasts or evil spirits... to say nothing of a completely unexplored site like this! We know nothing about what’s inside, which multiplies the risk factor!"
His tone was grave, filled with deep concern:
"With our current team, even with you and a few other Fourth Grade teachers leading, our strength is considerable. But against a completely unknown tomb, one that could be hiding lethal dangers, I’m afraid our numbers are... far from enough! I recommend we report this intelligence to the authorities at once and request support from more professional archaeological and armed forces. That would be the prudent course of action!"
"Yes! Teacher Li is right!"
"That’s right, Principal. A new tomb is too dangerous!"
"It’s better to be safe!"
These words immediately struck a chord with many of the more cautious teachers in the carriage.
They all voiced their agreement.
Behind the immense temptation of profit lay an even greater unknown risk.
If this were one of the two tombs controlled by the government, where the outer perimeters have already been thoroughly scouted, a team from Yang City No. 1 High School would face no danger at all in exploring them.
But this was a new tomb...
Everything inside was a mystery!
The first team to enter would bear the responsibility of being the pioneers, and the danger would increase exponentially!
A team from Yang City No. 1 High School simply wasn’t strong enough to take on a pioneering mission!
The atmosphere in the carriage instantly turned frigid.
Just then.
"Don’t worry, everyone."
Chen Zhenguo spoke, calming the group’s emotions.
"I know what you’re all worried about—exploring an unknown tomb of a Pre-Qin Qi Cultivator is fraught with unpredictable dangers and can be fatal. It’s perfectly normal to be concerned."
He paused for a moment, a confident smile touching the corners of his mouth.
"But I ask you all to rest assured. Since I, Chen Zhenguo, dared to lead this expedition, I am obviously not acting rashly. More importantly, I would never joke with your lives!"
"Our target this time is not the tomb of a Pre-Qin Qi Cultivator, but rather—a Tang Dynasty tomb!"
"A Tang Dynasty tomb?"
The unexpected answer instantly silenced the carriage.
A moment later, a wave of low, incredulous murmurs broke out.
Several experienced teachers were stunned, their brows furrowed. They were clearly surprised by this answer—and even somewhat disappointed.
Luo Qian, who was next to Lin Yi, had an even stronger reaction.
He lowered his voice, thick with disappointment and confusion, and grumbled to Lin Yi:
"A Tang Dynasty tomb? Lin, what... what are we going to dig up there? At best, it’ll be some gold bowls, silver basins, and Tang Sancai pottery, right? Sure, that stuff is valuable, but what damn good is it for our Cultivation? The pickings are way too slim!"
He couldn’t resist slapping his thigh, looking utterly heartbroken.
"The school made such a huge fuss, sent out all its top people, and for what? To dig up some rich landlord’s grave? What a total waste of resources!"
A similar sense of confusion filled the carriage.
After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi on Blue Star had receded like the tide, rapidly drying up until the world fully entered the End of Dharma Era.
Although the Tang Dynasty was a thousand years ago, making it veritably ancient, by that time Blue Star was no longer nourished by even a wisp of Spiritual Qi. It was simply impossible for true Cultivators to be born!
This was common knowledge in the world of Cultivation.
In everyone’s established understanding,
the value of a Tang Dynasty tomb was indeed limited to exquisite historical artifacts and treasures of gold and silver. When it came to advancing one’s strength or exploring the mysteries of the Martial Dao, they were considered utterly worthless.
"Principal Chen!" one teacher couldn’t help but speak up, his voice filled with bewilderment and a hint of doubt. "We went to all this trouble, mobilizing so many of the school’s resources, just to excavate a Tang Dynasty tomb? Isn’t that... making a mountain out of a molehill? Forgive me for being blunt, but no matter how precious the artifacts from a Tang Dynasty tomb are, they only have historical value. What great worth could they possibly have for the development of our Martial Dao?"
Faced with the crowd’s skepticism,
Chen Zhenguo didn’t offer a direct rebuttal.
Instead, he calmly turned his body, his gaze falling upon Wang Yiming, who was seated diagonally behind him.
He raised a hand, gesturing as he said:
"Yiming, why don’t you explain the deeper significance of this matter to everyone."
Wang Yiming immediately rose to his feet, his voice clear and powerful, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.
"Esteemed teachers! That’s right. Our target this time is, indeed, just a Tang Dynasty tomb. Its master was not one of the Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators who possessed the power to move mountains and fill seas."
Then, his tone shifted.
"However! This absolutely does not mean the tomb is worthless! Quite the contrary—its value far exceeds your imagination! It may even be related to the very future of the Martial Dao on Blue Star!"