Chen Qingyu’s eyes carried a trace of doubt, but he still followed the direction indicated by Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingmeng. Truthfully, he had felt something strange the moment he descended. Soon, he too saw the faintly glowing red plants ahead, as well as the countless white bones scattered across the ground.
As an Innate Realm martial artist, he had long since adapted to darkness and could see without difficulty. Yet when he peered further into the distance, he realized the far end of the cavern was veiled by a hazy black mist, obscuring his vision.
His brows knitted together, but he wasted no time. Drawing on his qi and blood, he raised his right palm, and a bright white radiance burst forth.
Bright Moon Like Frost.
The combat technique was meant for killing, yet at this moment he used it as a torch. The effect was remarkable.
The sudden brilliance made Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingmeng flinch, their eyes squeezing shut after so long in darkness. Even so, in that brief instant they managed to glimpse a fragment of the scene beyond. But the light faded quickly, plunging them back into blackness.
Before the younger two could speak, Chen Qingyu cut them off. “Enough. We’re leaving first. We’ll discuss this later.”
“Mm.” They agreed at once, eager to be free of the oppressive place.
When the three emerged back onto the surface, they found the ground already crowded with clansmen and Green Wolves. It was thanks to the wolves’ keen sense of smell, combined with the systematic search of the clansmen across the area where Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingmeng had last been seen, that they finally discovered the hole and rescued them.
Relieved to see them safe, the searching clansmen let out long-held breaths.
…
“Clan Leader, he has confessed.”
The voice belonged to Chen Tianlu, returning from an interrogation. “His name is Liu Yingxian. He is of the same broader lineage as Liu Zishan, but belongs to another branch of the Liu family. That branch’s leader is Liu Ziqi.”
He continued his report in the main hall. “According to him, when the Liu family lost a battle against rival clans, they split into three groups and fled. Liu Zishan’s faction settled in Chaotic Burial Mountain, while Liu Ziqi’s group went into hiding in a village not far from Yong’an City. As for the third branch, it seems they were wiped out completely.”
Chen Xingzhen nodded slightly at the explanation. “Do we know what their purpose was in coming here?”
“They intended to unite with Liu Zishan’s faction, rebuild their family, and regain its former strength,” said Chen Tianlu gravely. “But when they arrived, they discovered that Liu Zishan’s faction had already been destroyed by us.”
Chen Xingzhen’s brows furrowed. “And their strength? How do they compare to Liu Zishan’s branch?”
“This man claims they still have three Innate Realm martial artists, dozens at the Blood Coagulation Realm, and several hundred Body Tempering cultivators. Among them, two are said to be mid-stage Innate Realm experts.”
He paused, then added with conviction, “But I believe he’s lying. If they truly had such power, they wouldn’t be hiding in some obscure village. And if they were serious about scouting, they wouldn’t have sent a mere Body Tempering cultivator.”
“Mm.” Chen Xingzhen sank into thought. The existence of another Liu family branch was unexpected. Though the factions were separate, they were still of one blood. Now that they knew their kin had been destroyed by the Chen clan, vengeance was likely. In other words, the Chen family had just gained another potential enemy.
As for the details about the clan’s current strength, they remained unverified. It was tempting to send scouts to investigate, but the village was some distance from Chaotic Burial Mountain, and the Chen family knew little of that area. Sending people there recklessly would be unwise.
After a moment of silence, Chen Xingzhen gave his decision. “For now, the clan will not move. Instead, strengthen the defenses around Chaotic Burial Mountain. If any of the Liu family come again to gather information, capture them immediately. And this man—his words are riddled with falsehoods. Interrogate him further.”
“Yes, Clan Leader.” Chen Tianlu rubbed his palms together with a grim smile and strode away quickly. He had known the boy was hiding something. This time, he would make sure the prisoner paid for it.
…
Not long after Chen Tianlu left, Chen Qingyu returned. “Clan Leader, I found Qinghe and Qingmeng. And while I was down there, I made a new discovery.”
Relief softened Chen Xingzhen’s expression. But at the mention of a “discovery,” his curiosity stirred. For Chen Qingyu to raise the matter at all meant it was no small thing.
“Speak.”
“Yes.” Chen Qingyu recounted everything that had happened in the depths. When he finished, he hesitated a moment before adding, “I used Bright Moon Like Frost to probe further. I saw many ruins, as well as some strange and unfamiliar objects. I suspect the place may be the remains of an ancient clan. And it gave me a strong sense of danger.”
Chen Xingzhen’s expression shifted. His features grew solemn. An ancient clan ruin… he had once heard his father speak of such things.
The clan system had existed since ancient times, though in those days they were called tribes. Through the ages, countless families were lost to calamity or swallowed by shifting mountains and rivers, buried deep beneath the earth. As lands changed and newer clans expanded their territories, fragments of those buried families would sometimes resurface—these were the ruins of the ancients.
Even after endless years, such ruins often preserved remnants of their clans: rare treasures, peculiar artifacts that retained their potency, and cultivation methods or combat techniques unlike anything practiced today. Though old and sometimes ill-suited to modern needs, they still contained insights worth learning, allowing present-day clans to adapt and strengthen themselves.
Every valuable ancient ruin, once revealed, inevitably attracted the attention of countless families eager to claim its secrets. After all, the resources above ground had long been divided among the great clans. These untouched relics, capable of greatly enhancing a family’s power, were irresistible.
Chen Xingzhen was both surprised and troubled. Who would have thought Chaotic Burial Mountain hid such a place? The Chen family had been rooted here for over twenty years, yet they had never known. Then again, they had never sent people to explore so deep, nor encouraged wandering far through the mountain. In that light, their ignorance was not unexpected.
“How many people know of this?” he asked at last.
“Only I went down,” replied Chen Qingyu. “Aside from me, only Qinghe and Qingmeng have seen it.”
“Good. Make sure they don’t speak a word of it. If anyone asks, just say the cave was unusually deep.”
Chen Qingyu still felt puzzled, but he didn’t press further. He simply nodded in agreement.
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