Chapter 97: Ambushed

***

Tang Ailian sighed, "There's no other way. Your dwelling happened to be in the logistics base of this newly built large factory. If we don't clear this place, how can the workers move in? Why don't you vacate this place and find somewhere else to rest?"

Inside the sealed room, there was silence once again. Just as Zhao Lu suggested forcibly opening the door, Tang Ailian stepped forward and, with one hand, pushed the door open slightly. In her hand, she held ten pills, and as soon as the door cracked open a gap, she hurled those pills inside the tomb chamber before swiftly closing the stone door.

Those were ten resurrection pills. When they exploded, even the most malevolent entities inside should have been annihilated, right?

There were a series of explosions from inside the tomb chamber, and it seemed like something was screaming. It also sounded like a fierce wind and something colliding. After a while, it gradually calmed down.

The ghostly presence within didn't anticipate that its display of weakness wouldn't deter the so-called "powerful cultivator" from taking action. The pure Yang energy within those ten resurrection pills had completely dispersed the Yin energy it had painstakingly gathered.

It was infuriated; it had to seek revenge! Even if it meant losing its own existence, it would exact vengeance.

When Tang Ailian pushed the door open again, a blast of cold wind rushed out from within the room, heading straight for the group. This was the ghostly entity's last-ditch effort.

However, the group had protective talismans on them. As soon as they encountered malevolent entities, a faint golden light enveloped each of them, blocking the invading sensations. They also launched a counterattack. Unearthly, eerie sounds filled the air, and the sensations gradually faded away, disappearing completely.

The last remnants of the ghostly entity's power had vanished, and it had been weakened by the talismans. It couldn't gather itself anymore, and its soul finally dispersed.

Tang Ailian felt a bit guilty about the situation. After all, the entity had been residing here peacefully, not bothering anyone, while humans repeatedly invaded and disturbed it, preventing it from peacefully cultivating.

However, the box and the pearl inside were obviously precious items. Moreover, the pearl had a compelling effect on her. It might be related to her ancient past as a witch doctor. She desperately wanted it. What should she do?

Although the door was now open, the group hesitated to enter and remained vigilant.

What puzzled Zhao Lu and the others was that there was no thick, oppressive Yin energy inside as they had remembered. The last time they came, opening the door had released a substantial, chilling aura.

Little did they know that the ghostly entity had been vanquished, and the chilling energy had been consumed by the resurrection pills Tang Ailian had thrown inside.

Even with flashlights, the cold and damp atmosphere in this place made their light ineffective.

Tang Ailian decided to use a fireball talisman. She activated it, tossing it inside. A hovering fireball illuminated everything clearly.

This sight amazed the group. Tang Ailian could even conjure a fireball like this. It was like a supernatural ability. Their admiration for her reached new heights.

Inside the room, there was no one present except for a central stone table. The table contained exactly what Tang Ailian had seen before: a small box, about thirty centimeters in length and width, with its lid open, revealing a fist-sized, completely unremarkable pearl.

But this pearl was no ordinary gem. In fact, it lacked any luster.

Seeing the pearl, Tang Ailian's sense of being called to it grew stronger. Her intuition told her that this pearl was crucial to her, and she needed to obtain it. However, she also sensed that touching the pearl might be dangerous.

While Tang Ailian and the group ventured into the main tomb chamber, another group was still dealing with the traps and mechanisms on the tomb passage.

As they advanced, they suddenly heard a clicking sound coming from the tomb passage walls.

"What's that sound?" shouted Maoshan's female Taoist, Hai Ying.

Everyone paused, but they couldn't hear any sound, making thief Wu Laoqi taunt Maoshan's Hai Ying, "Women are so timid. They get scared by the slightest noise—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a gust of wind blew, and he felt a sudden chill in his chest. When he looked down, he saw an arrow piercing through his chest.

"It's... a trap... arrow..." He fell.

Immediately afterward, a barrage of arrows shot out from the walls.

The group had been on high alert thanks to Hai Ying's warning. They quickly retreated. Amidst a miserable scream, they fell back to a safe distance.

Upon examination, Wu Laoqi was dead, and one person was wounded—Shen Zhongchao, a Taoist from Laoshan. He had injured his arm, and Hai Ying promptly applied a healing ointment and bandaged it.

At that moment, Hai Ying remembered the young physician, Tang Ailian. She realized that Jiang Changlong's decision to have them bring Tang Ailian along was indeed the right one. Unfortunately, they had separated from her earlier. Thankfully, she had brought extra medical supplies.

However, the traps they encountered afterward constantly reminded them of Tang Ailian.

"Stop!" The group had just avoided the arrow trap, and they were starting to relax. But then, Chairman Zeng suddenly raised his hand and halted everyone.

"Chairman Zeng, is there another trap ahead?" someone asked.

"Listen carefully," Chairman Zeng said.

The group fell silent, and they heard a distant rumbling sound.

"It's rolling rocks! Everyone, run back!" Another tomb raider, Zhong Changsheng, yelled as he turned and sprinted.

Shen Zhongchao, with his injured arm, couldn't run fast. As he was being overtaken by others, he tried to hold onto someone's clothing, but they shook him off. He felt a rush of anger but was powerless to stop them.

Daoist Zhang, who was among the group, ran past Shen Zhongchao and reached the entrance of the tomb passage. He could see the outer chamber, but then he was pushed down by someone, falling onto the floor. Others stepped on him as they ran past.

Shen Zhongchao was pushed down too.

Helpless, he watched as the rolling rocks reached his feet. He closed his eyes, thinking, "Is today the day I die here?" Then, something strange happened—the large stone that had reached his feet stopped moving, leaving his legs unharmed.

Shen Zhongchao quickly got up and looked around. His high-powered flashlight was nowhere to be found, so he pulled out a spare one from his backpack and attached it to his hat. Then, he surveyed the others who had run ahead.

"Just a moment ago, as the rolling rocks approached, who pushed me down? And more importantly, did none of you have any conscience? You saw me fall, and not a single person helped me up. Instead, you trampled over my body to run forward."

Chapter 97: Ambushed

Tang Ailian sighed, "There's no other way. Your dwelling happened to be in the logistics base of this newly built large factory. If we don't clear this place, how can the workers move in? Why don't you vacate this place and find somewhere else to rest?"

Inside the sealed room, there was silence once again. Just as Zhao Lu suggested forcibly opening the door, Tang Ailian stepped forward and, with one hand, pushed the door open slightly. In her hand, she held ten pills, and as soon as the door cracked open a gap, she hurled those pills inside the tomb chamber before swiftly closing the stone door.

Those were ten resurrection pills. When they exploded, even the most malevolent entities inside should have been annihilated, right?

There were a series of explosions from inside the tomb chamber, and it seemed like something was screaming. It also sounded like a fierce wind and something colliding. After a while, it gradually calmed down.

The ghostly presence within didn't anticipate that its display of weakness wouldn't deter the so-called "powerful cultivator" from taking action. The pure Yang energy within those ten resurrection pills had completely dispersed the Yin energy it had painstakingly gathered.

It was infuriated; it had to seek revenge! Even if it meant losing its own existence, it would exact vengeance.

When Tang Ailian pushed the door open again, a blast of cold wind rushed out from within the room, heading straight for the group. This was the ghostly entity's last-ditch effort.

However, the group had protective talismans on them. As soon as they encountered malevolent entities, a faint golden light enveloped each of them, blocking the invading sensations. They also launched a counterattack. Unearthly, eerie sounds filled the air, and the sensations gradually faded away, disappearing completely.

The last remnants of the ghostly entity's power had vanished, and it had been weakened by the talismans. It couldn't gather itself anymore, and its soul finally dispersed.

Tang Ailian felt a bit guilty about the situation. After all, the entity had been residing here peacefully, not bothering anyone, while humans repeatedly invaded and disturbed it, preventing it from peacefully cultivating.

However, the box and the pearl inside were obviously precious items. Moreover, the pearl had a compelling effect on her. It might be related to her ancient past as a witch doctor. She desperately wanted it. What should she do?

Although the door was now open, the group hesitated to enter and remained vigilant.

What puzzled Zhao Lu and the others was that there was no thick, oppressive Yin energy inside as they had remembered. The last time they came, opening the door had released a substantial, chilling aura.

Little did they know that the ghostly entity had been vanquished, and the chilling energy had been consumed by the resurrection pills Tang Ailian had thrown inside.

Even with flashlights, the cold and damp atmosphere in this place made their light ineffective.

Tang Ailian decided to use a fireball talisman. She activated it, tossing it inside. A hovering fireball illuminated everything clearly.

This sight amazed the group. Tang Ailian could even conjure a fireball like this. It was like a supernatural ability. Their admiration for her reached new heights.

Inside the room, there was no one present except for a central stone table. The table contained exactly what Tang Ailian had seen before: a small box, about thirty centimeters in length and width, with its lid open, revealing a fist-sized, completely unremarkable pearl.

But this pearl was no ordinary gem. In fact, it lacked any luster.

Seeing the pearl, Tang Ailian's sense of being called to it grew stronger. Her intuition told her that this pearl was crucial to her, and she needed to obtain it. However, she also sensed that touching the pearl might be dangerous.

While Tang Ailian and the group ventured into the main tomb chamber, another group was still dealing with the traps and mechanisms on the tomb passage.

As they advanced, they suddenly heard a clicking sound coming from the tomb passage walls.

"What's that sound?" shouted Maoshan's female Taoist, Hai Ying.

Everyone paused, but they couldn't hear any sound, making thief Wu Laoqi taunt Maoshan's Hai Ying, "Women are so timid. They get scared by the slightest noise—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a gust of wind blew, and he felt a sudden chill in his chest. When he looked down, he saw an arrow piercing through his chest.

"It's... a trap... arrow..." He fell.

Immediately afterward, a barrage of arrows shot out from the walls.

The group had been on high alert thanks to Hai Ying's warning. They quickly retreated. Amidst a miserable scream, they fell back to a safe distance.

Upon examination, Wu Laoqi was dead, and one person was wounded—Shen Zhongchao, a Taoist from Laoshan. He had injured his arm, and Hai Ying promptly applied a healing ointment and bandaged it.

At that moment, Hai Ying remembered the young physician, Tang Ailian. She realized that Jiang Changlong's decision to have them bring Tang Ailian along was indeed the right one. Unfortunately, they had separated from her earlier. Thankfully, she had brought extra medical supplies.

However, the traps they encountered afterward constantly reminded them of Tang Ailian.

"Stop!" The group had just avoided the arrow trap, and they were starting to relax. But then, Chairman Zeng suddenly raised his hand and halted everyone.

"Chairman Zeng, is there another trap ahead?" someone asked.

"Listen carefully," Chairman Zeng said.

The group fell silent, and they heard a distant rumbling sound.

"It's rolling rocks! Everyone, run back!" Another tomb raider, Zhong Changsheng, yelled as he turned and sprinted.

Shen Zhongchao, with his injured arm, couldn't run fast. As he was being overtaken by others, he tried to hold onto someone's clothing, but they shook him off. He felt a rush of anger but was powerless to stop them.

Daoist Zhang, who was among the group, ran past Shen Zhongchao and reached the entrance of the tomb passage. He could see the outer chamber, but then he was pushed down by someone, falling onto the floor. Others stepped on him as they ran past.

Shen Zhongchao was pushed down too.

Helpless, he watched as the rolling rocks reached his feet. He closed his eyes, thinking, "Is today the day I die here?" Then, something strange happened—the large stone that had reached his feet stopped moving, leaving his legs unharmed.

Shen Zhongchao quickly got up and looked around. His high-powered flashlight was nowhere to be found, so he pulled out a spare one from his backpack and attached it to his hat. Then, he surveyed the others who had run ahead.

"Just a moment ago, as the rolling rocks approached, who pushed me down? And more importantly, did none of you have any conscience? You saw me fall, and not a single person helped me up. Instead, you trampled over my body to run forward."

(End of the chapter)