“Kunlun Divine Palace?”
The group was stunned.
They were no ordinary people. From these four words and the bronze gate before them, they could sense they had arrived at an extraordinary place.
“I never imagined the legend was true, haha…” Master Longbrow laughed heartily, throwing his head back.
“What legend?” Ye Qiu asked.
Master Longbrow stopped laughing and said, “According to the ancient records of Dragon Tiger Mountain, there’s a legend that deep within Kunlun Mountain lies a divine palace filled with countless treasures. Whoever obtains them can rule the world.”
“Our predecessors from Dragon Tiger Mountain came to Kunlun Mountain searching for this legendary palace.”
“But not one of them found it.”
“I always thought it was a myth, but today, I’ve actually found it.”
“Haha, I’m going to be rich, I’m going to be rich…”
Master Longbrow danced with excitement, then, noticing everyone staring, chuckled, “I misspoke. It’s not just me getting rich, it’s all of us getting rich.”
Priest Chongxu scoffed, “You greedy dog, you’re a sect leader, yet all you think about is wealth. I’m ashamed to be associated with you.”
“Ashamed to be associated with me? Ox-nose, what’s that supposed to mean? You don’t want to get rich?” Master Longbrow laughed. “Fine, get lost then.”
“With one less person to split the treasure, we’ll each get a bigger share.”
“Suits me just fine.”
Priest Chongxu snorted twice but didn’t move.
Master Longbrow mocked, “Ox-nose, look at you. You say you’re ashamed to be associated with me, but when I tell you to leave, you don’t budge. What does that prove? Your body’s more honest than your mouth…”
“Enough, old man, cut it out,” Ye Qiu interrupted Master Longbrow and said, “This bronze gate doesn’t look simple. Hurry up and figure out how to get in.”
“Just a door, leave it to me,” Master Longbrow said, striding up to the bronze gate.
He looked left and right, pacing back and forth.
Three minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
“Can you actually open this door?” Fairy Baihua asked impatiently.
She was worried about wasting time and missing the Dragon Vein.
Priest Chongxu said, “Fairy, don’t trust this greedy dog. I know his capabilities well. With his skills, opening this bronze gate would take until the year of the monkey…”
Before he could finish, Master Longbrow suddenly leaped up, swiftly striking the four seal characters of Kunlun Divine Palace with his palm.
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
Four strikes landed, and the next second, with a “boom,” the bronze gate slowly opened.
“Ox-nose, does your face hurt?”
Master Longbrow landed back on the ground, turning to Priest Chongxu with a smug expression.
Priest Chongxu had just mocked him, saying it would take forever to open the gate, only to be proven wrong so quickly.
But he didn’t back down verbally.
“You greedy dog, has anyone told you that when you smile, you look just like a lapdog?”
Master Longbrow was furious.
“Damn you, calling me a dog? That’s low! I’ll let it slide for now, but when we get back, if I don’t beat you to a pulp, I’ll write my name backwards.”
Priest Chongxu smirked, as if to say, “Who’s afraid of who?”
As the bronze gate opened, instead of the musty smell of something long sealed, a thick scent of blood filled the air.
“Strange, why such a strong smell of blood?”
“It seems there’s danger inside!”
Realising this, Master Longbrow’s eyes darted around, then he said, “Ox-nose, didn’t you want to prove you’re not a coward? Here’s your chance. Lead the way and check it out.”
Priest Chongxu’s nose twitched with anger as he cursed, “You think I’m a pig? Knowing there’s danger inside and you want me to go first? Are you only happy if I die?”
Master Longbrow laughed, “If you die, of course I’d be happy. Then I’d be the leader of all the Daoist sects.”
Swish!
While they bickered, Fairy Baihua stepped through the bronze gate.
“Not good, she’s after the Dragon Vein!”
Master Longbrow immediately sensed Fairy Baihua’s intentions, glared at Priest Chongxu, and said, “You’ve got less guts than a woman. I despise you.”
With that, Master Longbrow darted through the bronze gate with a “whoosh.”
“Let’s go in too!” Ye Qiu said, leading the group through the bronze gate.
As soon as they entered, Ye Qiu realised they were in another cave.
Unlike the previous one, this cave showed no signs of human excavation; it was naturally formed.
Soon, Ye Qiu spotted the corpse of a grey wolf.
He crouched to inspect it and found its abdomen torn open, intestines and organs spilling out, a gruesome death.
He also sensed a familiar aura from the wolf’s body.
“Boss, it looks like this wolf was attacked by some ferocious beast,” Xiao Zhan said.
“Not a beast, the Dragon Vein,” Ye Qiu said, standing up and walking deeper into the cave.
Soon, another grey wolf appeared in his line of sight.
Then a second, a third, a fourth…
Along the way, they saw dozens of grey wolf corpses.
Xiao Zhan said, “Many of that wolf pack died jumping into the canyon, some died in the cave, and others likely perished crossing the iron chain bridge. Then there were the dozens frozen into snow sculptures, and now these dead here. The pack must be nearly wiped out.”
Priest Chongxu said, “All living beings have their fate.”
As they walked, Ye Qiu suddenly paused, turning to look at the cave’s stone wall.
The others followed his gaze.
Instantly, they saw a large white flower growing on the wall five metres away, its petals glistening and translucent, emitting a faint fragrance.
“What a beautiful flower!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed in wonder.
Ye Qiu said, “That’s a hundred-year snow lotus.”
“Hundred-year snow lotus?” Xiao Zhan’s eyes lit up. “Boss, that’s a treasure. Should we pick it?”
“Let’s go,” Ye Qiu said without hesitation, walking on while saying to Xiao Zhan, “The old man came through here before us and must have seen this snow lotus. With his personality, he wouldn’t pass up something valuable. Why do you think he didn’t take it?”
Xiao Zhan laughed, “Master Longbrow must be after the Dragon Vein.”
Ye Qiu nodded, “You’re right. The old man’s gone for the Dragon Vein.”
“Compared to the Dragon Vein, a hundred-year snow lotus is utter rubbish.”
“So, the Dragon Vein is the priority.”
Along the way, they encountered over a dozen more hundred-year snow lotuses but didn’t pick any.
Suddenly, a deafening roar came from ahead: “Awoo—”
“The white wolf is up ahead. Hurry!” Ye Qiu said, his body shooting forward like an arrow.
His instincts told him the Dragon Vein was close!
