Xiao Ye quickened his pace toward the glowing light ahead. The tunnel carved into the mountain wall led downward, its end illuminated by the boiling lava at the cavern's heart.
As he approached, a wave of scorching heat hit him, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Magma… This light source is actually molten rock!
Then, his eyes narrowed. Piercing the fiery haze, he spotted a weathered blade half-embedded in the lava. Its ancient carvings glinted with a cold, lethal aura. A fine weapon! Even with his limited knowledge, Xiao Ye sensed its extraordinary quality.
Stepping carefully over jagged rocks, he eyed the blade but hesitated. Where's the bear? The cavern was eerily quiet—no growls, no footprints. Instead, a skeletal figure draped in tattered robes leaned against the wall.
Could this be the fallen Heaven Realm expert? Xiao Ye approached, studying the bones. A stone slab at its feet caught his gaze, etched with faded yet powerful characters:
"At ten, I began martial training. At fifteen, I became a Heaven Realm cultivator—unshakable, unbeatable. Yet my master scoffed, saying true power lay beyond Heaven Realm: the Xuanwu Realm. To reach it, one must grasp Martial Dao True Intent."
Xiao Ye's breath caught. Martial Dao True Intent… The words pulsed with a tragic weight. The skeleton's owner had spent twenty years chasing this unattainable ideal, only to die in vain.
"Heaven Realm above, Xuanwu beyond…" Xiao Ye trembled. In Qingyang Town, even Heaven Realm cultivators were myths. This slab revealed a world far beyond his wildest dreams.
His eyes drifted to the blade. This must be an Xuanwu-tier weapon, imbued with true intent. If he could claim it…
He checked the skeleton's robe pockets. Two porcelain jars and two scrolls tumbled out.
Vein-Replenishing Pill!
The label stopped Xiao Ye cold. His mind flashed to Xiao Yang—his broken father, humiliated by Wu Meier's scorn. This pill could restore Xiao Yang's strength…
He uncorked the jar, plucking a marble-sized pill. Its golden hue radiated vitality. Next to it lay a Qi-Restoring Pill—black and unassuming. A single whiff made Xiao Ye's Qi surge. Heavenly medicine for Heaven Realm cultivators… He pocketed both, resisting the urge to consume them immediately.
The second scroll, Tianluo Skill, detailed a Posterior Heaven technique utilizing twelve meridians. Twelve! His current Nine-Meridian Harmony Origin Skill paled in comparison. With this, he could amplify his Qi further, perhaps even layering it five times—unthinkable with his current cultivation.
This is a windfall, he thought, tucking the scrolls away. But the blade… Wait!
A thunderous roar shook the cavern.
"Grrrr!"
A hulking golden-furred bear lunged from the shadows—no ordinary beast, but a Golden Bear, a Posterior Heaven apex predator. Its eyes blazed with feral fury.
The guide lied! It's not a regular bear—it's a Golden Bear! Xiao Ye cursed inwardly. The scroll in his hands suddenly felt heavier.
The beast charged. Xiao Ye's Qi surged fourfold, Great Splitting Palm erupting—
BOOM!
His palms struck stone. The shockwave numbed his hands as the Golden Bear hurled him into the wall. Stars exploded in his vision.
Impossible! He'd held his own against a Posterior Heaven Silver Wolf, but this beast…
Clutching the scrolls and pills, Xiao Ye retreated into the tunnel. Behind him, the Golden Bear's snarls echoed, frustrated by the narrow passage.
Outside the Cave
Dawn's light stung Xiao Ye's eyes as he emerged, the cavern entrance camouflaged with moss.
Let it rot, he thought, striding toward Qingyang Town. When I return, I'll claim that blade—and make Xiao Yang whole again.
In his satchel, the Vein-Replenishing Pill glowed like a promise.