Chapter Twenty-Three: Entering the Cave

Huff...

After a relentless journey, everyone finally arrived at their destination. The group breathed a collective sigh of relief. Since encountering the Frost-Purple-Eyed Python, they hadn’t run into any other second-tier beasts; otherwise, more lives might have been lost.

“Kid, are you telling me this is the place marked on the treasure map? Are you playing games with me?” Iron Mad glanced around at the sheer rock walls rising more than ten meters high. There were no trees, only bare stone—hardly the site of any legacy.

Iron Mad felt certain Lu Han was deceiving him.

“The map records it just like this. I don’t know anything about Cloud Crystal Mountain, so how could I trick you? Besides, you’ve studied the map yourself. You should have a general idea of the location, right?” Lu Han looked helplessly at Iron Mad, who was fuming.

Lu Han had originally planned to pick an arbitrary spot to fool them, but unfortunately, he knew nothing about Cloud Crystal Mountain. Even finding a place to mislead them was impossible; he had no choice but to bring them here according to the map’s directions.

Li Hu stood nearby, deep in thought.

“Everyone, search the area. See if you find anything,” Li Hu instructed, sending the others out to explore the surroundings.

“These are all stone walls. There’s nothing here,” someone complained.

“Exactly, could we have made a mistake?” another echoed.

“Forget it, I’ll rest for a bit,” a mercenary said, slumping against the stone wall. They’d searched so long with no results; exhaustion was setting in.

Suddenly, the rock behind his back gave way and sank inward.

Rumble...

The stone wall shifted, revealing a narrow entrance barely wide enough for two or three people. The darkness within gave off an air of mystery.

“We’ve finally found it!” Iron Mad and Li Hu led the group to the mouth of the cave.

Iron Mad was about to step inside but paused, recalling the warning left on the treasure map. He withdrew his foot.

“Iron Brother, since this treasure map was originally yours, you should go in first. What do you think?” Li Hu, noticing Iron Mad’s hesitation, spoke up.

“Hmph! Li Hu, don’t try to twist words. I know there might be danger. You want me to be the guinea pig? I’m not that foolish!” Iron Mad had planned to find this place, then kill Lu Han to avenge his son. But suddenly, another idea came to him.

“How about this…”

“How about this…” Iron Mad and Li Hu spoke in unison. They exchanged looks, each reading the other's intentions.

“Iron Brother, this entrance is rather narrow. Why don’t just the three of us go in?” Li Hu smiled. With such a small passage, there was no way to bring in all the members of their groups—any side trying to bring more would meet resistance.

“You all wait outside. No one is to enter or leave. Disobey, and you’ll pay with your life!”

“Yes!” came the reply.

“Three?” Lu Han was puzzled, unable to guess what the two were plotting.

“Kid, you lead the way,” Li Hu said with a chilly smile. To Lu Han, it felt as if even the smile held a hint of coldness.

Both Iron Mad and Li Hu feared hidden dangers in the cave. Neither wanted to risk themselves or their own men, and since Lu Han belonged to neither side, they forced him to go first.

Clang!

Iron Mad drew his greatsword and pointed it at Lu Han. “What are you waiting for? Get in!”

Lu Han sensed a murderous intent. If he refused, he believed Iron Mad would swing that sword at him without hesitation.

Lu Han took the fire striker Li Hu handed him and walked ahead, with Iron Mad and Li Hu following ten meters behind.

Both men were confident they would obtain the legacy. As for Lu Han, they dismissed him—how much trouble could a seventh-level Post-Heaven cultivator cause?

Lu Han examined the cave entrance, noting marks as if left by blades. He guessed the cave was dug by the Sky-Robe King.

Walking through the dim, silent tunnel, a chill crept along every step. The footsteps behind him only added to the tension.

Lu Han moved slowly, fearful of triggering some trap. He remembered elders from the Lu family telling tales of explorers who had found ancient caves, only to be slaughtered by hidden weapons. Though only rumors, caution lasted a thousand years.

In that eerie atmosphere, they walked for over ten minutes. Sweat soaked through Lu Han’s clothes. The oppressive silence, coupled with the uncertainty of what dangers might lurk ahead, made every step feel like torment.

Suddenly, a faint light appeared up ahead. Lu Han quickened his pace; the two behind followed suit.

Inside, the cave was truly extraordinary.

It was a vast stone chamber, its walls embedded with glowing pearls—hundreds, it seemed, explaining the brightness. At the back of the chamber stood a vertical curtain of white light.

Gold coins and medicinal herbs lined the sides of the room. Li Hu’s face lit up as he hurried forward, but he soon sensed something was wrong.

Why weren’t the others interested in these treasures?

Li Hu only knew of the treasure map, not its details. Iron Mad and Lu Han were different; they had both seen the map.

“Now that we’re here, you two should tell me what the real treasure is. Iron Brother, surely these hundreds of thousands of gold coins and herbs aren’t enough for you to set aside your vendetta against your son’s killer?” Li Hu grew more suspicious. With Iron Mad’s temperament, even such wealth wouldn’t stop him from killing Lu Han on the spot.

What could make Iron Mad temporarily set aside his hatred?

“Li Hu, no need to guess. Telling you is no matter. This is the legacy left by the Earth King, whom my ancestors served. According to records, a legacy remains here, but it carries great danger. That’s why my ancestors always warned not to come,” Iron Mad said, half-truthfully. In reality, the Sky-Robe King wanted Iron Mad’s ancestor to help find a successor.

“Earth… Earth King?” Li Hu was shocked. In Greenstone Town, not even a Mysterious Lord had ever appeared, let alone an Earth King. This legendary figure had never been so close—Li Hu broke into a cold sweat. Without Lu Han’s intervention, if Iron Mad gained the legacy, his Flying Tiger mercenaries would be annihilated. This was the inheritance of an Earth King!

“But then, what about this?” Li Hu realized that aside from coins and herbs, there was nothing else.

Iron Mad, hands behind his back, gazed at the white curtain. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s in there.”

Li Hu looked at Iron Mad. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll steal the legacy now that you’ve told me?”

“Hmph! Li Hu, if not for your deputy acting as a scapegoat back then, you’d be dead already. You’re not my match! Besides, this legacy was left for the Iron family by the Earth King.”

“Cough, cough…” Lu Han could hardly listen any longer.

Iron Mad, for all his burly appearance, could lie without the slightest blush.

Iron Mad knew Lu Han had seen the treasure map and understood the truth. When Lu Han coughed, Iron Mad’s face showed a trace of embarrassment.

“Kid, now’s your chance. Go into that light curtain and claim the legacy,” Iron Mad demanded, sword pointed at Lu Han.

“Me? I’d rather not. You two go in and fight for the legacy. I’ll stand guard,” Lu Han’s face stiffened. Was this a joke? The map clearly warned that the legacy could bury one permanently underground. He wasn’t about to risk it.

“Hey, hey, hey… ah!”

At some point, Li Hu had come up beside Lu Han, grabbed his sleeve, and tossed him into the light.

“Let the kid test for danger. Why is there still no movement?”

“It’s been half an hour. The boy hasn’t come out. Did he die in there?” Li Hu murmured.

Iron Mad hesitated. Lu Han had been inside so long; perhaps he’d run into trouble.

Iron Mad clenched his fists, as if making up his mind.

“You stay here. I can’t wait any longer! If that boy doesn’t come out, are we to wait forever?” Iron Mad had dreamed of this day, and now that it was before him, he could not give up.

Seeing Iron Mad vanish through the light curtain, Li Hu gritted his teeth and followed.

If Iron Mad obtained the legacy, Li Hu would never again be able to contend with him. He had to go in.

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