The group of four pressed forward, and after some distance, they noticed massive footprints on the path.
Each footprint was five or six metres long and two or three metres wide, suggesting a fearsome monster.
Ling Xiao crouched to examine the prints and analysed, “It’s a Giant Stone Monster, a low-tier ninth-level beast with astonishing defence. Those few people before likely died by its hand.”
“You can tell all that?”
Leng Hao asked in surprise.
“Brother Leng, you’re making a fuss. Brother Ling’s abilities go far beyond this. The more you know him, the more terrifying he seems,” Zhao Zhi said with a smile.
Leng Hao nodded, not arguing.
He’d had little contact with Ling Xiao before, but from the quota contest, he’d already seen it.
Ling Xiao was simply astounding!
Perhaps, as Zhao Zhi said, he had many more unknown talents.
“Brother Ling, do we keep going? Won’t we run into that Giant Stone Monster?” Zhao Zhi asked.
“No worries. The Giant Stone Monster pauses for a quarter-hour after each kill. Those few died just minutes ago. If we hurry, we’ll be fine.”
Ling Xiao stood and sped forward.
Leng Hao, Dai Yuling, and Zhao Zhi followed.
Zhao Zhi noticed that after inheriting the Black-Winged Great Roc martial soul, his movement speed had improved significantly, nearly surpassing Dai Yuling.
After three or four minutes, they indeed saw a massive Giant Stone Monster standing in the middle of the path.
Ling Xiao tested an attack and laughed, “As I thought, when it’s inactive, it’s nearly invincible. We can’t defeat it. Let’s move on.”
Passing under the Giant Stone Monster’s legs, the four suddenly saw a crowd gathered ahead, seemingly observing something.
They stopped and peered through the crowd. It was a coffin, an open bronze sarcophagus!
The sarcophagus was large, over ten metres long, but empty of any body, containing only a few items.
About a hundred top-grade spirit stones, extremely precious.
There was also a cauldron, which those with keen eyes could tell was likely an immortal-grade treasure.
The cauldron was for alchemy, immensely useful to Ling Xiao.
Beside the bronze cauldron were several gourds, from which a few pills had spilled.
Top-grade True Essence Pills!
Those were yellow-grade low-tier pills!
Next to the gourds was a tattered book, possibly jade-grade martial arts!
Without seeing the contents, it was hard to confirm.
The sarcophagus lay open, just over ten metres from the crowd, every eye gleaming with greed.
Yet no one moved.
Because two or three metres away was a corpse, a participant of the tower-climbing ceremony.
Though the martial artist had been teleported out, their body remained here, an intriguing detail.
This martial artist’s strength was around the fourth level of the Mortal Realm, not weak, but according to others, he’d died suddenly after stepping two or three metres forward.
No one saw how he died.
“If there was no danger, getting those items would surpass the opportunities gained by Sect Leader Chang Yueying or Demon Flame Heavenly Lord!”
“Fool, if it were that easy, how could such powerful people like the Sect Leader and Demon Flame Heavenly Lord have gained only what they did?”
“But those items in the sarcophagus could be top-tier gold-grade or even jade-grade martial arts! And that bronze cauldron, it’s no ordinary thing, at least an immortal-grade treasure.”
Amid the chatter, Tantai Lingzi, Ming Tian, and Shen Tianlin were tempted.
For them, acquiring such treasures could mean the tower-climbing ceremony was a success.
Even if they gained nothing else, they’d be satisfied.
Ling Xiao’s judgement aligned with theirs.
Dangerous, but full of opportunity.
“Brother Ling, if I go and die, can you spot the flaw or loophole and take those items?” Zhao Zhi asked Ling Xiao via transmission.
“No problem, but are you really going to do this?” Ling Xiao asked, surprised.
“I’ve already gained the Black-Winged Great Roc martial soul and need to focus on cultivation to not miss the best training window. If I’m to die, it should mean something,” Zhao Zhi said with a smile.
“Alright then, we’ll split the spoils evenly!” Ling Xiao transmitted.
Zhao Zhi didn’t dwell on it. He could refuse the spoils later. Arguing now risked the Giant Stone Monster waking.
“Fine, I’m going.”
Zhao Zhi took a deep breath, pushed through the crowd, and walked forward. A faint black shadow formed behind him.
It was a black great roc, its aura terrifying.
Suddenly.
Zhao Zhi’s figure flickered, charging toward the sarcophagus at his fastest speed.
To make his death meaningful, he had to reach the sarcophagus.
Though his flight-class martial soul didn’t let him fly, it greatly boosted his speed.
He poured all his true essence into his movement, ignoring everything else, reaching his absolute limit.
Yet, after crossing six metres, he collapsed.
“Brother Ling, I’ll go first!”
A white light shot from his body, likely his real self being teleported out. The body left in the Moonlight Pagoda was probably conjured by some illusion.
“Thirty-two survivors!”
The cold voice rang out again.
“That kid’s a lunatic!” Leng Hao said with a wry smile.
“Not just a lunatic, a fool!” Shen Tianlin sneered.
“A fool? Heh, who’s the real fool?”
Ling Xiao glanced at Shen Tianlin and suddenly leapt toward the sarcophagus.
No one expected Ling Xiao to dare this after watching Zhao Zhi die.
“This Ling Xiao is the real lunatic. Has he lost his mind?” Bai Feifei found it unbelievable.
Ming Tian’s eyes widened.
His junior brother always acted unpredictably.
But this was too shocking.
“He’s fine?”
Ling Xiao stood steadily on the sarcophagus, unscathed.
“Hahaha, I get it! When Zhao Zhi went, he must’ve disabled the dangerous mechanism. This Ling Xiao is cunning!”
As someone spoke, two figures dashed forward, trying to seize the treasures.
However.
“Thirty survivors!”
The two reckless fools died inexplicably after two metres.
“What’s going on? Ling Xiao, how did you do it?” Bai Feifei demanded.
“Ridiculous. My good brother Zhao Zhi risked his trial’s failure to pave the way for me. You think you can piggyback?”
Ling Xiao sneered, “Bai Feifei, don’t think I don’t know your plan to reap the rewards without effort. Dream on!”
