Chapter 167: Mount Changbai, The Immortal's Tomb

Under the other party's skeptical gaze, Ye Tian did not offer much explanation. Instead, he simply whistled and walked down the mountain.

He had spoken the absolute truth; whether they believed it or not was up to them.

"What kind of person is he!"

Rolling her eyes in disdain, the secretary had no choice but to follow him back down the mountain.

An hour or so ago, the courtyard had been packed to capacity, but now only two people remained, sitting opposite each other and drinking tea at a stone table.

Seeing Ye Tian return, both Li Qingfeng and Yang Zhen looked somewhat surprised.

"Back so soon?"

"Junior Brother, quickly tell me, what kind of martial skill did you learn?" Li Qingfeng stepped forward with anticipation written all over her face, circling around to inspect Ye Tian.

"Is it Mysterious tier or Earth tier?"

"Given his natural talent, it should be at least Mysterious tier to start. I think there's a higher chance it's an Earth-tier martial skill," Yang Zhen analyzed quite earnestly.

Although they hadn't known each other for long, he held a very high opinion of Ye Tian's potential.

A late-stage Beidou realm cultivator at the age of twenty-five was a once-in-a-century phenomenon across the entire Dragon Country. With such aptitude, unlocking an Earth-tier martial skill was entirely possible.

"Oh, I unlocked a Heaven-tier one," Ye Tian said indifferently.

Yang Zhen fell silent.

When did this kid pick up the habit of bragging, throwing out a Heaven-tier martial skill right off the bat?

Did he not know that even the leader of the Dragon Group—hailed as the guardian of the Dragon Country with unfathomable cultivation—was far from reaching the threshold of a Heaven-tier martial skill and had to settle for less?

Not just Yang Zhen, but even Li Qingfeng, who had been smiling all along, looked somewhat speechless.

"Junior Brother, don't make such meaningless jokes," Li Qingfeng frowned and said. "Since ancient times, not a single person has ever unlocked a Heaven-tier martial skill."

"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do," Ye Tian waved his hand and turned to leave the courtyard.

He had bought his return train ticket long ago, and he didn't need Yang Zhen to see him off. There was still a mess of trivial matters waiting to be dealt with at the old family residence; he had no time to waste here.

"This guy..."

Yang Zhen furrowed his brow deeply.

"Senior Sister Li, isn't your junior brother a bit too arrogant while lacking real ability? Martial skills are things one can only encounter by chance, not by force. Even if he had merely awakened a Yellow-tier martial skill, nobody would look down on him."

"But claiming to have learned a Heaven-tier martial skill? That's even less reliable than him claiming to be Emperor Qin Shi Huang!"

"Stop talking," Li Qingfeng said with a calm expression. "Although I find it hard to believe either, I have never doubted our masters' discernment."

"Junior Brother is definitely not the type to make baseless claims. Since he wasn't joking, it must be true."

"Senior Sister, have you lost your mind?!" Yang Zhen's eyes widened.

"Get lost."

...

In Jilin Province, within the Changbai Mountain scenic area, deep among the rolling, layered forests.

Countless figures were gathered, among whom many possessed powerful auras. In this sunless primeval jungle, the atmosphere was fraught with tension and ready to snap at any moment.

An elderly man with white hair rested the tip of his foot delicately on a tender leaf. His body swayed slightly, yet he remained steadily balanced, resembling a master detached from the mortal world.

"Lin Qingqing, you old fogey, do you really intend to show me no respect at all?"

From above the canopy came an aged roar.

"White-haired turtle, always putting on airs. I'll only be satisfied when the heavens finally strike you down with lightning."

Yet replying to the old man was a youthful female voice: "This lady gives respect to whoever she pleases; since when is it your turn to stand here barking madly?"

"And try calling me an old fogey one more time, see if I don't peel off your turtle shell right now to make tortoise jelly paste!!"

The voice belonged to a petite girl wearing an oversized shirt. Her features were exquisite, and her eyes were as deep blue as the ocean. Although her voice was childish, her tone was heavy with a profound sense of antiquity.

"You two, stop arguing for a moment. Why don't we join forces to enter the tomb first and investigate?"

A middle-income man in a shirt played the peacemaker, stepping forward to mediate.

"Shut your mouth, Little Tang, you have no right to speak here."

Came the rebuke from the elder above.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man surnamed Tang offered an awkward smile. Far from being annoyed, he continued using a flattering tone in an attempt to ease the tense atmosphere between the two.

Good heavens, cooperation hadn't even begun yet, why were these two supreme powerhouses already bickering!

With such a crucial matter at hand, couldn't the two of you put aside your personal grievances for now?

Why on earth did his damn father send him to lead this expedition? What a wretched fate!

It all started three days ago.

A band of tomb raiders of unknown origin, equipped with specialized gear, bypassed the warning lines and came to Changbai Mountain to prospect for dragon veins and locate tombs. Ultimately, stumbling through luck and persistence, they broke through the labyrinth set up by predecessors and pried open the gates of the ancient burial ground.

Shortly after, a pale green liquid flowed out from the tomb. Wherever it went, the flowers, birds, fish, and insects in the mountain mutated, turning into deformed monsters!

At the same time, these mutated living creatures possessed extreme aggression, causing the deaths of many nearby residents.

When the authorities around Changbai Mountain received the news, they immediately launched an investigation, tracing the source back to this very spot.

The pale green liquid was still continuously gushing out of the tomb, but after artificial diversion and the excavation of a retention lake, the situation had been brought under initial control.

Because of the heavy civilian casualties and the severity of the incident's impact, high-ranking Martial King powerhouses rushed to the scene and finally uncovered the clue.

The tomb before them was none other than the legendary Immortal's Tomb!

A thousand years ago, Changbai Mountain was rich in spiritual energy, inhabited by countless cultivators. Cultivators at the Integration Realm were as numerous as hairs on a beast, and there were even nine supreme immortals who supposedly surpassed the Integration Realm to achieve True Immortality.

However, as rivers and mountains shifted and time passed, these immortals, who were rumored to be indestructible and immortal, began to vanish from the world one by one, until in modern times, no immortals remained in the mortal realm.

Consequently, two main rumors spread:

First, once immortals reached a certain realm, they would uncontrollably undergo ascension and depart for the upper realms.

Second, immortals were not truly immortal and everlasting; their lifespans also had an end. In reality, they had already died, but they hid their tombs very deeply and set up illusions to prevent mortals from accidentally stumbling upon them.

And as of today, the veil of mystery surrounding the immortals was finally being torn open just a corner.

"Where the pine needles gently rustle, lies the tomb of the North Mountain Immortal Lord."

The colossal mausoleum before them was the tomb of the North Mountain Immortal Lord!

Upon receiving this explosive piece of news, masters from various major families and factions throughout the Dragon Country rushed over overnight, and the authorities arrived at the earliest possible moment.

To avoid complications, they even dispatched personnel to seal off the entire scenic area, prohibiting any idlers below the Martial King rank from entering and courting death.

As one of the peak powerhouses of the Dragon Country, the leader of the Dragon Group naturally joined the fray as well.

"Everyone, we should head in earlier. Otherwise, once that bunch from overseas arrives, things will get much more complicated."

"What is there to fear? With me here, are you afraid of those foreign thugs?" the white-haired old man shouted.

"Huang Daozhong, with just you trying to hold down the fort, don't make yourself a laughingstock!" laughed the loli-like girl mockingly.

"Lin Qingqing, if you're really looking for a death wish, I'll send you to see King Yama right now!"

Huang Daozhong's face turned livid, and without another word, he prepared to strike.