Chapter Two: The Tomb of the Earth Demon

Inside the tavern, Leng Tian drank fine wine alone, tossing a few peanuts into his mouth and downing them with a hearty swig. After Zhuang Zhuang had glutted himself on food and drink, he declared he was going for a stroll and vanished in an instant. "Have you heard? Not far from here in the Lianyun Mountains, someone discovered the burial site of an ancient powerhouse. Even the Canglan Empire’s royal family is taking it seriously—they’ve already sent a large number of experts to investigate!"

At a table near the door sat four martial artists. One burly man addressed his companions, recounting the recent momentous news. Leng Tian listened absently, paying it little heed as he continued nibbling peanuts and sipping wine.

"I’ve heard as much; it seems to be true," another chimed in.

"Then why don’t we join the fun, brothers?" The group exchanged a few words, paid their bill, and departed.

Watching them leave, Leng Tian couldn’t help but find it amusing. It seems that the lure of temptation outweighs the value of life, no matter where one goes. He had just sensed their cultivation—none of them exceeded the peak of Qi Gathering. Such martial artists were the lowest tier. With only that much skill, they still hoped to claim a share—should he call it bravery or ignorance? Shaking his head, he poured himself another drink.

Elsewhere, in an upper chamber, a beautiful young woman sat in a bath, gently washing her snow-white skin. From the beam overhead, Zhuang Zhuang gazed down with his bear eyes gleaming, utterly fixated on the bathing maiden. Drool, thick and sticky, dripped from his mouth, sliding more than a foot from the corner of his lips. Below, the girl leisurely massaged her chest, a look of enjoyment on her face.

Drip! Startled, the girl’s almond-shaped eyes snapped open. She wiped her face with a delicate hand and, glancing at her palm, found it covered in a glob of clear, sticky liquid. Puzzled, she looked up—and froze for several seconds at the sight. "Wow, it’s huge!" With a leap, Zhuang Zhuang landed before her, a bear paw kneading her chest.

A cry, both furious and shocked, echoed far from the chamber. Such scenes played out across the town.

"Wow, so round!"

"Wow, so perky!"

Angry shouts, indignant screams, and terrified calls for help erupted in every direction.

Leng Tian exited the tavern. Seeing no sign of Zhuang Zhuang, he was secretly delighted—may that nuisance never return! He quickened his pace toward the edge of town.

"With my current cultivation, I’m barely at the early stage of the Grand Heaven Rank. I wonder whether this is enough to survive, at least for now, in this unfamiliar world." From his conversation with Zhuang Zhuang, Leng Tian had learned that this place was called the Red Peak Continent.

The cultivation system here was nearly identical to that of the Tianyuan Continent. Sensing the pitiful amount of true energy within him, he forced a bitter smile. It seemed he would have to start from scratch once more.

Just then, a commotion of curses and shouts rose behind him. Turning around, he was left speechless. Zhuang Zhuang was dashing toward him at lightning speed, his chubby legs a blur, calling out as he ran, "Hey, wait up! Hahaha… I’ve seen every beauty in town—what a thrill!"

Behind him, over a hundred men and women brandished weapons, hot on his heels. "Don’t let it get away! Beat that shameless, lecherous bear to death!"

Amid the thunderous uproar, Leng Tian couldn’t help but think wickedly, What on earth did this creature do to arouse such public outrage? Did it actually have its way with all the women in town?

With a swoosh, Zhuang Zhuang leapt onto Leng Tian’s shoulder. "What are you gawking at? Run!" he shouted.

Casting Zhuang Zhuang a look of disdain, Leng Tian glanced at the murderous townsfolk and broke into a cold sweat. Without hesitation, he bolted, fleeing with Zhuang Zhuang like a pair of stray dogs.

In the woods beside the main road, Leng Tian sat on the ground, glaring at Zhuang Zhuang. "Please, next time you pull a stunt like that, leave me out of it," he pleaded.

"Heh heh, but we’re brothers, aren’t we? We share blessings and hardships! Next time, why don’t I bring you along?" Zhuang Zhuang suggested with a sly grin.

"Get lost! That’s not my taste!" Leng Tian snapped.

A piercing screech sounded overhead. The sky darkened as an enormous shadow swept swiftly across the ground.

"What is that?" Leng Tian exclaimed, looking up to see a massive bird soaring past. Its body was as large as a mountain, and with wings outstretched, it seemed to blot out the heavens.

"No need to be surprised," Zhuang Zhuang informed him in a tone of elder wisdom. "That’s just a grade-six spirit beast—a Spirit Kite. Gentle by nature, not particularly aggressive. An adult Spirit Kite is about as strong as a martial artist at the peak of the Grand Heaven Rank. Because of their size, they’re usually used as flying mounts."

Leng Tian recovered from his shock and asked eagerly, "Where can I catch one? I’d like to have one myself!"

Now it was Zhuang Zhuang’s turn to look at him with scorn. "With your current cultivation? Forget catching one—you’d be lucky to survive an encounter!"

Embarrassed, Leng Tian scratched his head. "Uh… forget I asked." Still, he longed for such a mount.

"My Heaven-Shaking Force has already dropped to the second tier," he mused. "My strength has fallen back to the Undying Golden Body stage of the Heaven-Shaking Force. And my Sky-Peering Sutra for cultivating true essence has also dropped to the second tier. I need to improve my cultivation quickly. This world is clearly not as simple as I imagined."

At that moment, several horses galloped down the main road, their riders all dressed in sturdy attire, their expressions tense as if something urgent awaited them ahead.

Leng Tian recalled what he’d overheard in the tavern about the burial site and became curious. "Let’s go and see what all the fuss is about—maybe an ancient inheritance is about to emerge!"

Zhuang Zhuang, as if he had long been expecting this, somehow ended up perched on Leng Tian’s shoulder, eyeing the direction the riders had gone. "Let’s follow," he said.

Man and bear left the woods, following the martial artists deeper into the mountains.

Deep within the Lianyun Mountains, a crystal-clear lake lay beside a vast, flat meadow. At this moment, the meadow was crowded with martial artists of all types, their gazes fixed on the tranquil lake. At the very center of the lake stood a stone tablet, upon which four large, weathered characters were carved: "Tomb of the Earth Demon."

With a cry, a colossal bird descended from the sky, stirring a gale with its great wings that set the martial artists’ robes aflutter. Several elders among them frowned deeply as a group of richly dressed young men and women alighted from the bird’s back.

Surveying the assembled martial artists, one noble-looking youth asked, "Has it not begun yet?"

A brocade-clad elder stepped forward respectfully. "Your Highness, the tomb can only be accessed at dusk, when the world’s righteous energy is at its weakest. Then, demonic energy will surge, parting the lake waters to reveal the entrance below."

"I see," the prince replied with a wave. "You may step down."

"Yes, Your Highness," the elder retreated into the crowd.

The prince gazed at the calm lake, then led his entourage into the shade to await the setting sun.

Leng Tian and Zhuang Zhuang arrived with the throng but did not go forward. Instead, Leng Tian leapt into a tree to observe the martial artists below. Sensing the crowd, he realized that a few among them possessed a truly terrifying aura, enough to make him feel a tinge of danger.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhuang had produced an enormous watermelon from somewhere, quickly slicing it up and handing a piece to Leng Tian. "Have some watermelon, boy! On a fine day like this, enjoying watermelon in the shade and admiring beautiful women—what a delight for a bear!" He gobbled his slice, his eyes roving hungrily over the crowd.

Leng Tian, by now accustomed to Zhuang Zhuang’s antics, ignored him, content to eat his watermelon and enjoy the scenery.

Suddenly, a cold killing intent swept over him. Leng Tian looked up to see the prince glaring at him and Zhuang Zhuang, eyes flashing with murderous light.

"Mind your spirit beast, boy," the prince warned. "Next time, I won’t hesitate to discipline it myself."

Turning to Zhuang Zhuang, who continued to munch watermelon without a care, Leng Tian seethed with frustration but dared not hand him over. His instincts told him that Zhuang Zhuang’s strength was unmatched here.

Looking again at the prince, Leng Tian noticed a lovely, delicate girl behind him, fixing Zhuang Zhuang with a gaze full of shame and anger. Leng Tian immediately understood and offered an awkward smile. "Please forgive my spirit beast’s mischief, brother. If he’s offended you, I hope you’ll overlook it."

"Hmph," the prince snorted, losing interest. Leng Tian gave the girl an apologetic look, then turned to Zhuang Zhuang and hissed, "With so many martial artists around, are you trying to get me killed? Next time you get up to mischief, stay far away from me."

Resigned, Leng Tian leaned against the tree and closed his eyes to rest, letting ignorance be bliss.

Time ticked by, the sun edging westward. As dusk fell, ripples began to spread across the lake, and the waters started to bubble and seethe. As the sun sank lower, the turbulence increased. Before long, a swirling vortex formed at the center of the lake.

[End of Chapter Two: Tomb of the Earth Demon]