Chapter 127: The Mechanical Tomb Chamber

I quickly ordered everyone to search for similar grooves scattered throughout the graveyard. Everyone gave me face by eagerly volunteering to look.

With so many hands searching, before long we found seven or eight of them in quick succession.

When I had inserted all the waist badges into the grooves, one remained empty. It seemed one was missing, and its badge must still lie among these small tombs.

“One waist badge is still missing—who will come with me to find it?”

The moment I finished speaking, no one volunteered except Chu Yao, Li Zijian, and Chen Chen.

“Then Chen Chen it shall be. The rest of you wait here for a while, stay alert, and wait for our return.”

With that said, I took Chen Chen and rushed into the pouring rain. He ran beside me, panting and muttering, “These people are truly heartless.”

“Enough. They owe us nothing. Having someone listen to me is already more than we deserve.”

Chen Chen had nothing left to say and could only trail behind me.

I made a quick estimation and split the entire tomb cluster in half. The western side had already been exhausted by Chen Chen and me, leaving only the eastern half untouched.

With that decided, Chen Chen and I sprinted toward the east.

Heavy rain poured down, and the moment I pulled out my flashlight it was instantly drenched. We had no choice but to grope our way forward in the downpour.

This graveyard was already eerie at night; now the relentless rain only made my heart grow colder.

Chen Chen and I kept a careful distance, neither too far nor too close. The rain reduced visibility to almost nothing, forcing us to hunch over just to see anything at all.

Suddenly there came a deafening boom from the sky! I jerked my head up in alarm, only to realize it was thunder. The irony was almost laughable—I had scared myself.

I silently chanted “Buddha, protect me,” a meaningless prayer that nonetheless soothed my wounded heart.

The air was so cold I had to circulate spiritual energy around my body to stay warm, and Chen Chen shivered just as violently.

At that moment I spotted a figure slowly approaching from the distance. I quickly called Chen Chen over to look.

I could only make out a vague shadow moving toward us in the darkness. I had no idea who it was.

This environment was already terrifying enough; the sudden appearance of another person pulled the atmosphere back into the freezing point.

The figure moved with deliberate slowness. Chen Chen and I hid behind a tomb mound. I had long since drawn my Snow Blade.

A second thunderclap cracked overhead as the stranger finally reached close enough for us to see him clearly.

I stared in open-mouthed shock. I had never expected this creature to look so horrifying.

It had a rat-like face but a body more than two meters tall, gripping two broad blades in its hands and clad in a tattered shroud.

Fortunately, its cultivation level was low—only third grade of the Spirit Flower realm.

A moment later, more figures of the same appearance emerged from all directions, each brandishing identical weapons.

I noticed something else: they seemed to be emerging from the various tombs. The one that must have contained the missing box was among them.

The realization struck me at once. “Hurry and find the box! I’ll hold them off. Once you get it, bring everyone inside!”

Chen Chen looked ready to fight beside me, but I could not allow him to risk himself. He was not weak, yet staying here would do nothing but invite danger.

“Trust me, brother! Go now!”

I shoved him forward and slowly rose to face the ten grotesque creatures.

The Snow Blade flashed out of its sheath in an instant. I did not hesitate; I raised my blade and slashed.

The front creature reacted quickly. It dodged my first strike but could not escape my Thunder Decree.

They were all yin spirits, and their cultivation was far lower than mine. The decree struck them with lethal force.

The moment one was slain, the remaining nine closed in, surrounding me.

I gave a faint smile. The time had come. I leaped upward and hurled another Thunder Decree.

The strike missed, but I had broken the encirclement. Never allow oneself to fall into a passive position; otherwise the battle would be lost.

I shifted into the Wing Shadow Sword Art, yet a chill suddenly brushed my back.

I twisted to evade while my blade kept swinging. One of the creatures had tried to sneak an attack from behind. I kicked it away, then hurled another Thunder Decree into the group.

I would have to stay alert behind me at all times; these filthy things would strike from the rear if I relaxed.

At that moment a voice called out from behind.

“Lin Yao, I’ve found it!”

Chen Chen had successfully located the final waist badge. It was time for us to withdraw.

“You go back first. I’ll be right there!”

I had just opened my mouth in reply when my left calf was suddenly kicked with tremendous force. I heard the sharp crack of bone. The pain was excruciating, yet I refused to cry out. Instead I remained half-kneeling on the ground.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself upright with my right leg. With a single downward slash, I concealed a Thunder Decree in my other hand.

A thunderous boom rang out. Several yin spirits were instantly blasted apart, souls flying and bodies disintegrating. Only a few remained.

Though my leg was broken, I was still in the fight. Defeating these creatures was child’s play.

When the last yin spirit fell, I could only lean on the Snow Blade and slowly make my way back.

The few hundred meters felt like several kilometers.

“Chen Chen!”

I shouted with all my strength, then collapsed to my knees, utterly spent.

Chen Chen arrived moments later, carrying a long spear. Seeing that I had slain all the yin spirits, he wore a look of joy.

“What happened?”

Chen Chen saw me kneeling and immediately supported me. “Your leg seems broken.”

After a quick explanation of the situation, he lifted me onto his back and started walking. He told me that the gate had not yet opened and that the others were waiting for me to return. The fact that my classmates still had some conscience warmed my frozen heart.

Chen Chen moved quickly. Before long he had carried me to the vicinity of the large tomb.

“Insert the last waist badge,” I said.

Chen Chen did as instructed.

The moment the final badge was pushed home, a deafening rumble echoed. The tomb in front of me suddenly split open, revealing a stone door that slowly began to rise.

Everyone else was just as astonished as I was. No one had expected a hidden chamber, no, not a chamber—a mausoleum—to lie beneath this ground.

When the door was fully open, I saw the interior clearly. Exactly ten lanterns stood inside, each corresponding to one of the waist badges outside.

The mausoleum was semi-subterranean, so the space was relatively spacious.

At the center sat a coffin that matched the plain walls of the room—no decorations whatsoever.

I entered first, Snow Blade at the ready, limping. Only after confirming the interior was safe did I beckon the others to follow.

Everyone had been busy all afternoon. Although they would be staying inside the mausoleum, they were still satisfied. Each chose a spot and sat down.

The floor was tiled stone and surprisingly clean, so I simply sat in a corner.

Once all had entered, the once-dreary mausoleum became lively. Those who had brought food shared it with everyone else, and the atmosphere grew warm and peaceful.