Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Return to Cyan Mountain City

After leaving the cliff, Luo Xiaowen and the others returned to the Ancient Tomb. With the map Shen Haoran had given them, they navigated its passages and finally made it back to the surface.

Seeing people emerge from the Ancient Tomb, the crowd waiting outside immediately swarmed forward.

"How did it go? Did you get anything?" someone asked impatiently.

However, in response to the crowd’s questions, these Martial Artists said nothing. They simply shook their heads and stood in neat formation behind Luo Xiaowen, awaiting her command.

"Xiaowen, what’s going on? What happened?" Luo Wenqing asked, frowning at the strange scene.

"Wu Mengqi triggered a mechanism in the Spirit Emperor’s Tomb. We suffered heavy losses, and most of our people perished inside!" Luo Xiaowen recounted everything that happened in the Ancient Tomb, but she completely omitted any mention of Shen Haoran.

"What about Younger Brother Shen?" Luo Wenqing asked.

"When we came out, he was still trapped inside. We don’t know if he’s alive or dead!" Luo Xiaowen said, feigning a sorrowful expression.

But Luo Wenqing was incredibly astute. He read something in Luo Xiaowen’s subtle expression, but instead of exposing her lie, he played along, also putting on a look of someone lamenting a genius struck down by fate.

"Miss Luo, why don’t we see Mengqi and Yu’er?" While Luo Xiaowen and her uncle were "grieving" for Shen Haoran, Yang Zhen and Second Master Wu stepped forward to ask. They hadn’t been able to find any trace of Wu Mengqi or Yang Yu in the crowd.

"Uncle Wu, Uncle Yang, you might want to prepare yourselves, because..." Luo Xiaowen said, looking at the two men with a sorrowful expression.

Seeing Luo Xiaowen’s expression, Yang Zhen and Second Master Wu felt something was wrong. "What on earth happened?" they asked urgently.

"Someone, help Miss Wu up here!" Luo Xiaowen called to the Martial Artists behind her after a moment’s hesitation.

At Luo Xiaowen’s command, a few people helped a limp, dazed-looking Wu Mengqi forward. Seeing Wu Mengqi’s miserable state, Second Master Wu’s face changed. He rushed forward to hold her and check her condition.

"What in the world happened? And where is my Yu’er?" Seeing Wu Mengqi’s state, a sense of unease washed over Yang Zhen.

"Wu Mengqi recklessly triggered a mechanism in the Spirit Emperor’s Tomb, and we suffered a devastating blow. Wu Mengqi’s Spiritual Thought Origin was damaged, and Brother Yang sacrificed himself heroically to save us! SOB... SOB..." At this, Luo Xiaowen burst into tears, which made Luo Wenqing roll his eyes.

"D-Dead!" Hearing Luo Xiaowen’s words, Yang Zhen looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his eyes growing vacant.

"No... that’s impossible! Someone must have sabotaged this! Yes, someone must have maliciously attacked Yu’er!" Yang Zhen’s eyes turned bloodshot as he roared in a low voice.

"Where’s Shen Haoran? Why isn’t he here? It must have been him! He’s the one who attacked Mengqi and Yang Yu!" Second Master Wu also roared furiously.

"Hmph, are you suspecting Little Brother Shen? If it weren’t for him saving everyone at the critical moment, we all would have died in there! We wouldn’t have even been able to bring Wu Mengqi out!" Luo Xiaowen snorted coldly.

"Little Brother Shen’s fate is unknown. For all we know, he might have perished in the tomb just like Yang Yu. If I hear one more disrespectful word about my savior, don’t blame me for what happens next!"

Hearing Luo Xiaowen’s words, Second Master Wu and Yang Zhen were choked speechless. The Celestial Martial Auction House was far too powerful for their two small families to provoke.

"Hmph, we’re leaving!" Second Master Wu picked up Wu Mengqi and headed toward the city with his subordinates, leaving Yang Zhen no choice but to follow. The two families had sent their respective geniuses, thinking the inheritance from the Spirit Emperor’s Tomb would surely fall into their hands. In the end, not only did they fail to get the inheritance, but they also lost their young talents. Now they had to figure out how to report this back home.

After the Wu and Yang Families left, the disappointed onlookers also departed, leaving only Luo Xiaowen, her uncle, and the Martial Artists behind them in the woods.

"Xiaowen, be honest with me. What really happened in the tomb?" Luo Wenqing asked sternly.

"Second Uncle, everything I said was true!" Luo Xiaowen said with a sincere expression.

"Cut it out. You know what I’m asking. Where is Younger Brother Shen, really?" Luo Wenqing said, giving Luo Xiaowen a sidelong glance.

"Hehe, I can’t hide anything from you, Second Uncle. You’re right, Little Brother Shen isn’t dead. He should have left the Ancient Tomb by now too!" Luo Xiaowen chuckled.

"I knew it. Younger Brother Shen’s background is anything but simple. How could he possibly perish so easily!" Luo Wenqing said, letting out a long breath.

"Second Uncle, I have to admit, your judgment is wickedly sharp! Little Brother Shen is no ordinary person!" Luo Xiaowen’s heart pounded as she recalled how powerful Shen Haoran had looked at the bottom of the cliff.

"Second Uncle, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going back to the Imperial City, back to my father!" Luo Xiaowen said with a serious expression.

Hearing her words, Luo Wenqing’s face lit up. "Have you really decided?" he asked.

"Mhm, this trip to the Ancient Tomb made me realize how weak I am. I don’t want to be left in the dust the next time I meet Little Brother Shen!" Luo Xiaowen said, raising a fist and shaking it.

"Haha, excellent! I’ll inform your father right away!" Luo Wenqing laughed heartily and led the remaining people toward the Celestial Martial Auction House...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan emerged from a cave.

"Haaah... We’re finally out!" Shen Haoran greedily breathed in the fresh air.

"How do you feel?" At that moment, Elder Yan appeared before Shen Haoran, asking with a grin.

"I’ve never felt anything like this! I feel like I can control all the Fire Attribute Spiritual Power around me!" Shen Haoran’s face was filled with delight. Down at the bottom of the cliff, there was no Spiritual Power, so I couldn’t feel any change after the Refinement of the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian. But now that I’m on the surface, I can clearly sense it all around my body. It’s like it’s my own child, dancing around me!

Shen Haoran lightly clenched his fists. The surrounding Fire Attribute Spiritual Power gathered on his knuckles as if summoned. Soon, his fists turned completely red. Suddenly, a black flame erupted from them, flickering in the wind.

’This fist must be incredibly powerful!’ Shen Haoran thought, gazing at the black flames swirling around it. He suddenly wanted to find a Spirit Beast to test its power on.

"Of course it is. Right now, you can only wield a tenth of the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian’s power. When you grow stronger and can fully master it, you will know just how terrifying a true Elemental Spirit can be!" Elder Yan said casually, looking at the Black Flame.

"Is that so? I will definitely master it!" Shen Haoran’s eyes burned with fervor, his heart filled with a craving for the power that could incinerate heaven and earth.

"Alright, put it away. Using the Hei Yao consumes a lot of Spiritual Power. Now, let’s plan where we’re going next," Elder Yan said.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran retracted the Black Flame in his hand. After a moment of thought, he said, "There’s only half a year left of the two-year agreement. Let’s head back to Cyan Mountain City first. I want to go back and see the Shen Family."

"Mm, alright. You’ll still need to continue your Cultivation along the way. Zuo Chuan might have already broken through to the Spirit General realm. With your current strength, you might not be his match," Elder Yan said with a frown.

The moment Elder Yan mentioned Zuo Chuan, Shen Haoran’s heart sank. ’Two years ago, he was already a Tier Two Spirit Pupil. As a genius disciple of the Spirit Crane Sect, he might have already broken through to the Spirit General realm by now! If I want to defeat him... there’s only one way!’

"Elder Yan, take a look at this Secret Skill Scroll!" Shen Haoran said, taking a scroll from his Storage Ring and handing it to Elder Yan.

"A Secret Skill?" Elder Yan took the scroll, a little skeptical. When he unrolled it, he was startled and cried out, "Heaven-Dominating Tribulation!"

"That’s right. I found it in Yang Yu’s Storage Ring."

Looking at the Secret Skill scroll, Elder Yan’s brow furrowed. "These kinds of Secret Techniques usually require a sacrifice of Essence Blood. I’m afraid it would damage your foundation!"

Hearing this, Shen Haoran gave a bitter smile. "I have no choice. I don’t know how strong Zuo Chuan is, so I have to be fully prepared. This is a battle I absolutely cannot lose!"

Seeing Shen Haoran’s determined expression, Elder Yan could only shake his head helplessly. "Don’t worry," he said. "I’ll do everything I can to help you."

"Elder Yan, I trust you! Let’s go! Back to Cyan Mountain City! Zuo Chuan, just you wait for me!" Shen Haoran laughed loudly and headed off in the direction of Cyan Mountain City...