Chapter Eighteen: The Ancient Tomb

“Since ancient times, there have been those who devoted their lives to alchemy, leaving behind family and fortune, all in pursuit of immortality—to ascend and transform, to attain a golden immortal body, and to exist in harmony with heaven and earth, with the sun and moon. I always thought these were mere legends, but to encounter a creature that has truly cultivated a core—no wonder it was so difficult to defeat.” The fragrance from the centipede’s inner core lingered in the air, and Chen Yulou’s face was filled with emotion, his expression complex.

“That’s right. This centipede, born with six wings, is an anomaly of heaven and earth. With the medicinal strength accumulated beneath Bottle Mountain over the years, it was barely able to forge its inner core. We were fortunate to have Daoist Li’s help this time; otherwise, relying on ourselves alone, we might never have escaped alive.” At that moment, Brother Partridge Whistle and his sister approached, gazing at the massive six-winged centipede, their eyes wary.

Half an hour later, as man and beast absorbed and refined the core, its grape-sized form gradually shrank to the size of a soybean, becoming a round, radiant orb with a thin layer of golden-red light on its surface. Judging by its appearance, it already resembled a fledgling golden core.

“Whew…”

With a deep exhale, Li Yang opened his eyes, a gentle, lustrous light flashing briefly within his gaze, and a faint blush rose on his cheeks.

“Croak! Croak!”

“Cluck! Cluck!”

The golden toad had clearly benefited as well—not only were the coin-like markings on its skin more defined, but its hide was smoother, and its croaking was full and robust.

The Angry Sunny Chicken half-opened its eyes, the crest atop its head regaining some color. Though it still looked listless, it no longer stumbled as before.

“Hiss, hiss…”

Swallowing the core whole, the six-winged golden centipede let out a sharp cry and soared skyward, agile as a swimming dragon despite its size. Its shell, covered in golden spots, made it appear all the more majestic.

“Brother Li, congratulations!” Seeing Li Yang’s breathing exercise complete, the others crowded around, gazing enviously at the golden centipede darting through the air.

“This success is thanks to all of your assistance. Without it, not only would I not have tamed this six-winged golden centipede, but surviving would have been the best outcome,” Li Yang replied, his spirits high and his gratitude genuine as he glanced at his companions.

“We’ve scoured every corner of the alchemy hall’s rear chamber, and stripped it of everything valuable, but still haven’t found the legendary tomb beneath Bottle Mountain. Perhaps the rumors were mistaken.” Chen Yulou stepped forward, a hint of inquiry in his tone.

It seemed they hadn’t discovered the underground alchemy well either. But aside from the corpse of the Mountain Guardian, there was little of value there, so it was just as well—they’d avoid unnecessary complications.

Upon hearing Chen Yulou’s account, Li Yang considered for a moment and said, “Bottle Mountain is shaped like a bottle. Where we stand now is the bottom. I’ve heard of the great tomb of Bottle Mountain myself. If it truly exists, it should be at the neck.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Old Luo, unable to contain himself after hearing Li Yang’s words, waved to his men. “Brothers, grab your gear and follow me!”

Seeing Old Luo’s enthusiasm, Li Yang and the others exchanged glances and followed.

As they passed through the front chamber of the alchemy hall, Li Yang eyed the central furnace with regret. “What a fine artifact. Pity it’s too large to carry away—those who come after us will surely profit from it.”

“Brother Li, you don’t even glance at the hoards of gold and silver, yet you lament that iron lump?” Old Luo was baffled by Li Yang’s attitude.

“Don’t underestimate that iron lump, Commander Luo. Of everything in the alchemy hall, it’s the most valuable. It was forged from the essence of five metals—just look at its size, imagine how much gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin it took.”

“What! You say there’s gold and silver in that iron lump? My goodness, I nearly missed such a treasure.” No sooner had Li Yang finished explaining than Old Luo’s disdain turned to greedy longing.

“Why don’t we smash it to pieces and carry it out chunk by chunk? What do you say, Chief, Brother Li?” Old Luo scratched his head after circling the furnace for some time.

“Judging by its size, it must weigh at least ten tons. Hauling it through these narrow crevices is sheer fantasy,” Chen Yulou said, touching the still-warm furnace and shaking his head in regret.

“I could try blasting it apart with explosives and then carry it out piece by piece.”

At Old Luo’s harebrained suggestion, Chen Yulou rolled his eyes and strode toward the exit. “If you really use explosives, I’m not sure the furnace will break, but we’d certainly be buried alive by Bottle Mountain.”

“Ah… what a shame to leave such a treasure.” Watching Chen Yulou and the others depart, Old Luo could only follow reluctantly, glancing back every few steps.

In less than half an hour, they hauled their spoils from the alchemy hall through the crevices to the mountaintop. With the sun shining brightly overhead, the oppressive feeling in their hearts vanished.

“Brother Li, it’s still early—why not set off now and seek the great tomb of Bottle Mountain?” Chen Yulou suggested, glancing at the dazzling sky.

“That’s a good idea. Let me and Commander Chen and Daoist Partridge Whistle scout ahead. The rest can stay here and wait; once we confirm the location, we’ll call everyone over,” Li Yang agreed.

After a brief discussion, the three greeted the others and headed for the neck of Bottle Mountain.

Although Li Yang only knew vaguely about the great tomb from memories of his previous life, Chen Yulou and Partridge Whistle were master tomb raiders. With this information to guide them, they soon discovered the tomb of the Yuan General within the mountain’s neck.

“No one would have guessed the Yuan tomb was built atop the alchemy hall. What ingenious design,” Chen Yulou exclaimed as he stared at the tomb entrance.

“Everyone, watch for traps…” Partridge Whistle, unable to find any sign of the Dust Pearl in the alchemy hall, was heavy-hearted as he searched the stone gate.

“Here it is—everyone, step back…” In a moment, Partridge Whistle’s eyes lit up as he found a handle beneath the stone gate and warned them.

“Hold on, Partridge Whistle—be careful with the mechanism…” Chen Yulou barely finished his caution.

Rumbling echoed as the stone gate’s mechanism was triggered.

At once, Bottle Mountain shook violently, boulders tumbled, and the mountaintop bottle mouth collapsed.

“Seize!”

Seeing disaster unfold, Li Yang shouted. From his sleeve burst a centipede with golden spots and six translucent wings, which soared aloft, transforming into a massive creature three yards long, its hundred legs sweeping through the air to catch the three as they lost their footing.

Standing atop the six-winged golden centipede, watching the dust clouds and the half-collapsed Bottle Mountain, the three couldn’t help but swallow nervously.