yī yè de shí jiān jiù zhè yàng guò qù le 。
一夜的时间就这样过去了。
A night passed by in a blink.
dì èr tiān zǎo chén ， tài yáng chū shēng ， shān jiān ， hái mí màn zhe nóng nóng de bái wù 。
第二天早晨，太阳初升，山间，还弥漫着浓浓的白雾。
The next morning, as the sun rose over the mountain, thick white fog still lingered. Suddenly, two bright points appeared on the horizon. Initially distant, they quickly sharpened into dazzling streaks of light, speeding towards them.
tū rán ， tiān biān chū xiàn le liǎng gè guāng diǎn ， kāi shǐ shàng yuǎn ， hěn kuài ， què qīng xī le qǐ lái ， shì liǎng dào yào yǎn cì mù de jīng hóng ， zhèng fēng chí diàn chè ， fēi xiàng zhè biān le 。
突然，天边出现了两个光点，开始尚远，很快，却清晰了起来，是两道耀眼刺目的惊虹，正风驰电掣，飞向这边了。
After several breaths, the streaks approached the valley that had turned to ruins. They flickered slightly, and soon two figures became clearer.
shí jǐ xī hòu ， jīng hóng yǐ jiē jìn le huà wèi yī piàn fèi xū de shān gǔ ， lüè yī shǎn shuò ， guāng yùn sàn kāi ， liǎng gè rén yǐng zhú jiàn qīng xī qǐ lái 。
十几息后，惊虹已接近了化为一片废墟的山谷，略一闪烁，光晕散开，两个人影逐渐清晰起来。
They were two elderly men, but their appearances differed greatly. The one on the left was youthful with long white hair, his face smooth except for the lines of experience around his eyes, indicating a seasoned cultivator who had weathered many storms.
shì liǎng míng wǔ shí yú suì de lǎo zhě ， rán ér fā sè què shì jié rán bù tóng 。
是两名五十余岁的老者，然而发sè却是截然不同。
The man on the right, however, had full silver hair and beard, his face lined like bark, showing that he had no anti-aging effects from his cultivation method.
zuǒ biān yí gè ， tóng yán hè fà ， liǎn shàng yī sī zhòu wén yě wú ， wéi yǒu yǎn jiǎo de cāng sāng zhī sè， tòu lù zhè shì yī míng jīng lì guò dà fēng dà yǔ de xiū xiān zhě 。
左边一个，童颜鹤发，脸上一丝皱纹也无，唯有眼角的沧桑之sè，透lù这是一名经历过大风大雨的修仙者。
This was not uncommon; many male cultivators did not care about their appearance. The two men hovered above the valley, its scene laid bare before them. They could not help but gasp in surprise as they looked around.
zhì yú yòu biān de lǎo zhě ， zé mǎn tóu yín fā ， méi máo hú xū yě quán bái le ， liǎn shàng de zhòu wén yǒu rú shù pí ， xiǎn rán tā suǒ xiū liàn de gōng fǎ ， shì fēn háo yě méi yǒu fù dài zhù yán xiào guǒ dì 。
至于右边的老者，则满头银发，眉毛胡须也全白了，脸上的皱纹有如树皮，显然他所修炼的功法，是分毫也没有附带驻颜效果地。
"Brother Cumei, you said that Old Fiery Cloud was going through a tribulation? Is this true?" The man with black hair asked hesitantly. After all, Old Fiery Cloud was notorious for his viciousness and unpredictable nature. If they dared to intrude on his territory without permission, they might suffer dire consequences.
zhè bù xī qí ， bì jìng hěn duō nán xiū shì ， shì gēn běn bù zài hū róng yán biàn huà de 。
这不稀奇，毕竟很多男修士，是根本不在乎容颜变化的。
"Don't worry, Brother Situ," the silver-haired man said, rubbing his forehead excitedly. "I heard of this by chance, but it's real. We won't find anything else around here. Come, let's quickly search for any treasures left behind by Old Fiery Cloud. He is known to be rich, and we might even reach the Daoist realm if we can find something."
cǐ shí liǎng rén lái dào shān gǔ shàng kōng ， xià miàn de jǐng xiàng yī lǎn wú yú ， liǎng rén mù guāng suǒ jí ， dōu bù yóu de zhí xī le yī kǒu liáng qì 。
此时两人来到山谷上空，下面的景象一览无余，两人目光所及，都不由得侄吸了一口凉气。
"But why must you work with me?" The black-haired man asked sharply.
“ mù róng xiōng ， nǐ shuō nà huǒ yún lǎo guài zài dù jié ， cǐ shì kě shì zhēn dì ？” nà hēi fà lǎo zhě de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， liǎn shàng dài zhe jǐ fēn tǎn tè ， bì jìng huǒ yún zūn zhě kě shì è míng yuǎn bō ， zhè lǎo guài wù xìng gé gǔ guài yǐ jí ， gǎn shàn chuǎng tā de lǐng dì ， yí gè bù hǎo ， jiù huì bèi chōu jīn bā pí 。
“慕容兄，你说那火云老怪在渡劫，此事可是真地？”那黑发老者的声音传入耳朵，脸上带着几分忐忑，毕竟火云尊者可是恶名远播，这老怪物xìng格古怪以极，敢擅闯他的领地，一个不好，就会被抽筋扒皮。
"Ah...," the silver-haired man hesitated.
“ sī tú xiōng jǐn guǎn fàng xīn jiù shì ， zhè jiàn shì qíng ， wǒ suī shì jī yuán qiǎo hé tīng shuō ， dàn jué duì kě xìn zhēn è shí ， hé kuàng nǐ kàn yǎn qián de yí mù ， lián huǒ yún gǔ dōu huà wèi le yī piàn fèi xū ， chú le tiān jié ， hái yǒu shén me dōng xī huì yǒu rú cǐ wēi lì ， wǒ kàn nà lǎo guài wù duō bàn yǔn luò zài le tiān jié lǐ 。” yín fā lǎo zhě yǐ shǒu fǔ é ， liǎn shàng dài zhe jǐ fēn xīng fèn zhī sè。
“司徒兄尽管放心就是，这件事情，我虽是机缘巧合听说，但绝对可信真垩实，何况你看眼前的一幕，连火云谷都化为了一片废墟，除了天劫，还有什么东西会有如此威力，我看那老怪物多半陨落在了天劫里。”银发老者以手抚额，脸上带着几分兴奋之sè。
"If you don't tell me, I'll have to leave then."
“ kě nǐ bù jué dé zhè yuán qì zhī jié de wēi lì ， yǒu xiē guò dà le me ？” hēi fà lǎo zhě què yǒu zhe xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn de xìng gé ， mù guāng zài xià miàn sǎo guò ， mǎn liǎn hú yí de kāi kǒu le 。
“可你不觉得这元气之劫的威力，有些过大了么？”黑发老者却有着小心谨慎的xìng格，目光在下面扫过，满脸狐疑的开口了。
"Friend, please stay. This isn't a problem at all. Old Fiery Cloud was both vicious and stingy. He placed special restrictions on his treasures to prevent others from stealing them."
tā de huái yí ， nà yě shì yǒu gēn jù ， yǐ jīng yī yè guò qù kě dì miàn ， yī jiù shì róng róng xiū ， tā men xuán fú zài bàn kōng zhōng ， yī jiù kě yǐ gǎn jué dào nà jǐng miàn ér lái de rè lì 。
他的怀疑，那也是有根据，已经一夜过去可地面，依旧是熔融休，他们悬浮在半空中，依旧可以感觉到那井面而来的热力。
"What kind of restrictions?"
yóu qí shì zhèng qián fāng de nà ge dà dòng ， shēn bú jiàn dǐ 。
尤其是正前方的那个大洞，深不见底。
"They are incredibly powerful but the most troublesome part is that they can't be broken by brute force. If you break it, the array inside will activate and destroy the treasure."
“ zhè …… huò xǔ ba bù guò wǒ men liǎ ， dōu jǐn jǐn yuán yīng hòu qī dòng xuán qī yuán qì zhī jié de wēi lì jiū jìng shì zěn yàng dì ， yě bù céng qīn yǎn mù dǔ ， jǐn jǐn shì kàn guò yī xiē diǎn jí shàng de miáo shù ， yě xǔ nà xiē bù guò shì yǐ é chuán é ， dòng xuán qī de yuán qì zhī jié ， jiù zhēn yǒu zhè yàng de wēi lì 。”
“这……或许吧不过我们俩，都仅仅元婴后期洞玄期元气之劫的威力究竟是怎样地，也不曾亲眼目睹，仅仅是看过一些典籍上的描述，也许那些不过是以讹传讹，洞玄期的元气之劫，就真有这样的威力。”
"Better to shatter than survive in pieces. What a cruel old man," the black-haired man growled.
zhè fān jiě shì ， yě bù suàn qiǎng cí duó lǐ ， kě hēi fà lǎo zhě xīn zhōng de yí huò， yī jiù méi néng sàn qù ：“ kě jiù suàn rú cǐ ， huǒ yún lǎo mó de tú zi tú kǒng dào nǎ lǐ qù le nán bù céng lǎo mó dù jié ， tā men yí gè èr gè ， yě dōu sǐ yú tiān jié xià le 。”
这番解释，也不算强词夺理，可黑发老者心中的疑huò，依旧没能散去：“可就算如此，火云老魔的徒子徒孔到哪里去了难不曾老魔渡劫，他们一个二个，也都死于天劫下了。”
"But these arrays can still be broken. Anyone with the same bloodline as Old Fiery Cloud can enter and deactivate them. Your background is well known to me, so you're part of his family's younger generation."
“ zhè dāng rán shì bù kě néng de ， zhè tiān wú shān jiū jìng fā shēng le shén me wǒ men yě bù xiǎo de ， yě xǔ lǎo mó dù jié yǔn luò ， tā men jiù shù zhí hú sūn sàn le 。”
“这当然是不可能的，这天吴山究竟发生了什么我们也不晓得，也许老魔渡劫陨落，他们就树侄猢狲散了。”
"Ah, I see. Is your information reliable?"
“ kě ……”
“可……”
"I assure you it is. How about we split the treasure fifty-fifty?" The silver-haired man said eagerly.
“ xíng le ， sī tú xiōng ， sú huà shuō ， bù rù hǔ xué yān dé hǔ zi ， fǎn zhèng lǎo mó yǔn luò shì shí dǎ shí ， hé kuàng wǒ men yě méi yǒu zài zhè fù jìn fā xiàn bié de xiū xiān zhě hái bù kuài gǎn jǐn qù xún zhǎo lǎo mó yí liú xià lái de bǎo wù ， zhè huǒ lǎo mó ， zǒu chū le míng de shēn jiā fēng hòu ， rú guǒ néng zhǎo dào tā yí liú xià lái de dōng xī nǐ wǒ bié shuō lí hé ， jiù suàn zǒu jìn jiē dòng xuán yě dà yǒu kě néng de yǐ hòu xiū liàn jiù néng yī qiè wú yōu le 。” yín fā lǎo zhě shuō dào zhè lǐ ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì xīng fèn zhī sè。
“行了，司徒兄，俗话说，不入虎xué焉得虎子，反正老魔陨落是实打实，何况我们也没有在这附近发现别的修仙者还不快赶紧去寻找老魔遗留下来的宝物，这火老魔，走出了名的身家丰厚，如果能找到他遗留下来的东西你我别说离合，就算走进阶洞玄也大有可能的以后修炼就能一切无忧了。”银发老者说到这里，脸上满是兴奋之sè。
The black-haired man was not swayed by the offer and instead looked towards the distance with a contemplative expression. After some time, he sighed: "Alright, I'll work with you. But..."
“ huà shì méi cuò ， bù guò mù róng xiōng wèi shén me yí dìng yào zhǎo wǒ hé zuò ？” hēi fà lǎo zhě yǎn zhōng jīng máng yī shǎn de shuō 。
“话是没错，不过慕容兄为什么一定要找我合作？”黑发老者眼中精芒一闪的说。
"How?"
“ zhè ………” yín fā lǎo zhě tīng le zhè ge wèn tí ， liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn chí yí 。
“这………”银发老者听了这个问题，脸上lù出几分迟疑。
"Once we get the treasures as agreed, two plus one makes five," the black-haired man said coolly.
“ sī tú xiōng ruò shì bù shuō ， qǐng shù zài xià bù néng fèng péi le 。”
“司徒兄若是不说，请恕在下不能奉陪了。”
"You jest, friend. We are both late-stage Immortal Core cultivators and our abilities are similar. Besides, we've known each other for centuries; how could I betray your trust?" The silver-haired man chuckled.
“ dào yǒu liú bù 。” yín fā lǎo zhě tàn le kǒu qì ：“ qí shí zhè yě bù suàn shén me wèn tí ， zhè huǒ lǎo guài bù jǐn xìng gé guāi lì ， ér qiě lìn sè wú bǐ ， tā shōu luó de bǎo wù wèi le fáng zhǐ bèi bié rén dào qù ， zài wài shè le yī céng tè shū de jìn zhì 。”
“道友留步。”银发老者叹了口气：“其实这也不算什么问题，这火老怪不仅xìng格乖戾，而且吝啬无比，他收罗的宝物为了防止被别人盗去，在外设了一层特殊的禁制。”
"Let's hope so."
“ tè shū jìn zhì ， nà shì zhǐ shén me ？”
“特殊禁制，那是指什么？”
The two finally agreed and started discussing how to retrieve the treasures when suddenly, something unexpected happened.
“ cǐ jìn zhì lì hài wú bǐ ， bù guò zuì lìng rén tóu téng de ， hái shì bù néng yòng qiáng lì pò chú ， fǒu zé ， jìn zhì jí biàn néng gòu pò chú ， lǐ miàn de zhèn fǎ yě huì qǐ dòng ， huǐ qù bǎo wù 。”
“此禁制厉害无比，不过最令人头疼的，还是不能用强力破除，否则，禁制即便能够破除，里面的阵法也会启动，毁去宝物。”
BOOM!
“ nìng wéi yù suì ， bù wéi wǎ quán ， hǎo hěn de lǎo dōng xī 。
“宁为玉碎，不为瓦全，好狠的老东西。
A massive explosion echoed in their ears, shaking the ground as if a bolt of lightning had split the sky. The earth trembled violently, much louder than an earthquake.
, hēi fà lǎo zhě yǎo yá qiè chǐ ， sì hū duì huǒ lǎo guài chóu shì wú bǐ 。
,黑发老者咬牙切齿，似乎对火老怪仇视无比。
The two cultivators stared wide-eyed, wondering if it was indeed an earthquake.
“ bù cuò ， dàn zhè zhèn fǎ ， yě bìng fēi bù néng pò chú ， yǔ huǒ lǎo guài yōng yǒu tóng yī xuè mài de rén ， jiù kě yǐ jìn qù ， jiāng zhèn fǎ guān bì ， ér dào yǒu de shēn shì ， jiù bù yòng wǒ shuō le ba ， nǐ yǔ nà lǎo guài wù ， suī rán yǒu xuè hǎi shēn chóu ， dàn běn shēn ， què yě suàn shì qí jiā zú wǎn bèi dì 。” yín fā lǎo zhě de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“不错，但这阵法，也并非不能破除，与火老怪拥有同一血脉的人，就可以进去，将阵法关闭，而道友的身世，就不用我说了吧，你与那老怪物，虽然有血海深仇，但本身，却也算是其家族晚辈地。”银发老者的声音传入耳朵。
"Brother Cumei, look..." The black-haired man's voice cut off mid-sentence.
“ yuán lái rú cǐ ， dào yǒu de qíng bào kě què shí ？”
“原来如此，道友的情报可确实？”
The silver-haired man turned to follow his gaze and found himself equally stunned. The anomaly came from the large hole beneath their feet.
“ sī tú xiōng fàng xīn ， jué bú huì yǒu cuò ， dé dào bǎo wù hòu ， nǐ wǒ píng fēn rú hé ？” yín fā lǎo zhě mǎn liǎn xīng fèn de shuō 。
“司徒兄放心，绝不会有错，得到宝物后，你我平分如何？”银发老者满脸兴奋的说。
They had noticed this hole upon arrival but its depth was unfathomable; they couldn't see where it led with just their eyes, nor could divine sense help as the deep cave was filled with chaotic primordial energy that interfered with their senses. They didn't know what lay inside.
hēi fà lǎo zhě què bìng méi yǒu wèi zhòng lì suǒ dòng ， ér shì tái qǐ tóu lú ， mù guāng tiào wàng xiàng yuǎn chù ， mǎn liǎn chén yín zhī sè， fǎng fú yǒu shén me dōng xī nán yǐ jué zé 。
黑发老者却并没有为重利所动，而是抬起头颅，目光眺望像远处，满脸沉吟之sè，仿佛有什么东西难以抉择。
If curiosity drove them, they might have ventured down themselves, but of course, neither would do such a foolish thing. Though only late-stage Immortal Core cultivators, they understood the danger of venturing into unknown caverns. What lay within was uncertain, and it was likely to be perilous.
liáng jiǔ 。
良久。
The ground trembled violently as more magma erupted from below. The two men's faces contorted with fear as they stared at the erupting hole.
tā cái xū le kǒu qì ：“ hǎo ba ， wǒ kě yǐ tóng nǐ hé zuò ， bù guò ，…,“ rú hé ？”
他才吁了口气：“好吧，我可以同你合作，不过，…,“如何？”
After a few breaths, red light appeared in their vision.
“ yī huì er zhēn qǔ dào bǎo wù ， jiù rú xiān qián yuē dìng de ， èr tiān yī zuò wǔ ， mù róng xiōng jiù bú yào qǐ bié de xīn sī le 。” hēi fà lǎo zhě dàn dàn de shuō 。
“一会儿真取到宝物，就如先前约定的，二添一做五，慕容兄就不要起别的心思了。”黑发老者淡淡的说。
"By heaven, what is that?"
“ dào yǒu shuō xiào huà le ， nǐ wǒ jiē shì yuán yīng hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ， shén tōng bǎo wù ， yě jǐn jiē xiāng chà fǎng fú ， hé kuàng xiāng jiāo yǐ yǒu shù bǎi nián zhī jiǔ ， bǐ cǐ zhī gēn zhī dǐ ， zài xià zěn me kě néng bèi xìn qì yì 。” yín fā lǎo zhě gān xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
“道友说笑话了，你我皆是元婴后期的修仙者，神通宝物，也尽皆相差仿佛，何况相交已有数百年之久，彼此知根知底，在下怎么可能背信弃义。”银发老者干笑的声音传入耳朵里。
The silver-haired man gasped. Before he could finish his sentence, molten lava surged out of the hole, forming a towering pillar hundreds of feet high. The lava then scattered, sending thick smoke and rocks into the air. It was like a volcanic eruption, but there were no volcanoes here.
“ dàn yuàn rú cǐ 。”
“但愿如此。”
The two elderly men were shocked as they felt the rising temperature around them. They each summoned their protective treasures, knowing that such a scene wouldn't scare them. Magma at a few hundred degrees wasn't enough to break through their barriers.
liǎng rén zhōng yú dá chéng le xié yì ， zhèng shāng liáng zhe qǔ bǎo qù ， rán ér piān piān jiù zài cǐ kè ， què yì biàn tū qǐ le 。
两人终于达成了协议，正商量着取宝去，然而偏偏就在此刻，却异变突起了。
What worried them was what lay inside the hole. If not for Old Fiery Cloud's treasures, they might have left. But now, they had no choice but to stay and face whatever danger awaited.
hōng ！
轰！
The lava continued to erupt for about a quarter of an hour without stopping, only increasing in volume.
jù xiǎng shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， fǎng fú qíng tiān pī huò zài bàn kōng zhōng huá guò ， bù ， nà shēng yīn hái yào dà dé duō ， zhěng gè dà dì dōu zài chàn dǒu 。
巨响声传入耳朵，仿佛晴天霹霍在半空中划过，不，那声音还要大得多，整个大地都在颤抖。
BOOM!
liǎng míng xiū shì chēng mù jié shé ， nán dào shuō ， shì dì zhèn le ？
两名修士瞠目结舌，难道说，是地震了？
The ground shook violently as another object erupted from the hole, landing over a hundred feet away. The impact caused a mountain peak to collapse under its force.
“ mù róng xiōng ， nǐ kàn ………” hēi fà lǎo zhě de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， rán ér jǐn shuō le jǐ gè zì ， jiù gā rán ér zhǐ 。
“慕容兄，你看………”黑发老者的声音传入耳朵，然而仅说了几个字，就嘎然而止。
Rocks fell like rain, and the two men's expressions were even more shocked. After this eruption, though lava continued to spew out, it was much weaker than before.
yín fā lǎo zhě yī è ， yě lián máng xún shēng zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， jié guǒ ， què shì tóng yàng de mù dèng kǒu dāi le 。
银发老者一愕，也连忙循声转过头颅，结果，却是同样的目瞪口呆了。
"Brother Cumei...," the silver-haired man said hesitantly. "Since we've met with this, let's go and see what it is."
yì biàn lái zì tā men jiǎo xià de nà ge dà dòng 。
异变来自他们脚下的那个大洞。
His choice made sense; if there were real dangers, trying to escape now would be too late. Better to face them head-on. As they said, a coward starves while a brave one thrives.
cǐ dòng qí shí tā men yī lái jiù zhù yì dào le ， rán ér shēn bú jiàn dǐ ， mù guāng gēn běn jiù wú fǎ kàn dào tōng wǎng nǎ lǐ ， zhì yú shén shí ， yě méi yǒu yòng chǔ ， yīn wèi zài nà dà dòng de shēn chù ， chōng chì zhe dà liàng de tiān dì yuán qì ， hùn luàn yǐ jí ， gān rǎo le shén shí de yùn zuò ， suǒ yǐ yě bù xiǎo de lǐ miàn yǒu shén me 。
此洞其实他们一来就注意到了，然而深不见底，目光根本就无法看到通往哪里，至于神识，也没有用处，因为在那大洞的深处，充斥着大量的天地元气，混乱以极，干扰了神识的运作，所以也不晓得里面有什么。
In the ever-present balance of danger and opportunity in the cultivation world, maybe this was an emergence of some precious treasure.
dāng rán ， rú guǒ zhēn shòu hào qí xīn de qū shǐ ， liǎng míng xiū shì yě kě yǐ zì jǐ xià qù ， bù guò tā men dāng rán bú huì zuò nà yàng de shǎ shì 。
当然，如果真受好奇心的驱使，两名修士也可以自己下去，不过他们当然不会做那样的傻事。
With such thoughts, the silver-haired man's eyes glowed with excitement as his fear diminished.
suī rán tā men cái yuán yīng qī ， dàn dāng rán yě míng bái qiān jīn zhī zi bù zuò chuí táng de dào lǐ ， zhè dì dòng zhōng yǒu shén me bù xiǎo de ， dàn zǒng guī bù kě néng shì bǎo wù ， shí yǒu ** hái huì yù jiàn wēi xiǎn de 。
虽然他们才元婴期，但当然也明白千金之子不做垂堂的道理，这地洞中有什么不晓得，但总归不可能是宝物，十有**还会遇见危险的。
"Alright, Brother Cumei, if you want to go, I'll accompany you," the black-haired man agreed.
hōng lōng lóng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà zhèn dòng de yuán tóu zhèng shì chōng dì dǐ shēn chù fā chū lái de 。
轰隆隆的声音传入耳朵，那震动的源头正是冲地底深处发出来的。
The two men exchanged a glance and then flew towards the mysterious object's landing site. They arrived quickly.
liǎng rén de liǎn shàng dōu lù chū jí wéi nán kàn zhī sè， sūn de dīng zhe nà dà yóu de chū tóu 。
两人的脸上都lù出极为难看之sè，孙的盯着那大游的出头。
However, when they saw the ruins before them, their breaths caught again. Though the mountain wasn't tall, it had been reduced to flat ground by one strike, showing the power of this mysterious object.
shí jǐ xī de gōng fu yī huǎng ér guò ， suí hòu tā men de yǎn lián lǐ chū xiàn le huǒ hóng de yán sè。
十几息的功夫一晃而过，随后他们的眼帘里出现了火红的颜sè。
What could it be?
“ tiān nǎ ， nà shì shén me ？”
“天哪，那是什么？”
They didn't know as rocks covered what lay beneath. The silver-haired man frowned and waved his sleeves, sending a gust of wind that scattered the rocks, revealing the hidden mystery below.
A night passed by in a blink.
The next morning, as the sun rose over the mountain, thick white fog still lingered. Suddenly, two bright points appeared on the horizon. Initially distant, they quickly sharpened into dazzling streaks of light, speeding towards them.
After several breaths, the streaks approached the valley that had turned to ruins. They flickered slightly, and soon two figures became clearer.
They were two elderly men, but their appearances differed greatly. The one on the left was youthful with long white hair, his face smooth except for the lines of experience around his eyes, indicating a seasoned cultivator who had weathered many storms.
The man on the right, however, had full silver hair and beard, his face lined like bark, showing that he had no anti-aging effects from his cultivation method.
This was not uncommon; many male cultivators did not care about their appearance. The two men hovered above the valley, its scene laid bare before them. They could not help but gasp in surprise as they looked around.
"Brother Cumei, you said that Old Fiery Cloud was going through a tribulation? Is this true?" The man with black hair asked hesitantly. After all, Old Fiery Cloud was notorious for his viciousness and unpredictable nature. If they dared to intrude on his territory without permission, they might suffer dire consequences.
"Don't worry, Brother Situ," the silver-haired man said, rubbing his forehead excitedly. "I heard of this by chance, but it's real. We won't find anything else around here. Come, let's quickly search for any treasures left behind by Old Fiery Cloud. He is known to be rich, and we might even reach the Daoist realm if we can find something."
"But why must you work with me?" The black-haired man asked sharply.
"Ah...," the silver-haired man hesitated.
"If you don't tell me, I'll have to leave then."
"Friend, please stay. This isn't a problem at all. Old Fiery Cloud was both vicious and stingy. He placed special restrictions on his treasures to prevent others from stealing them."
"What kind of restrictions?"
"They are incredibly powerful but the most troublesome part is that they can't be broken by brute force. If you break it, the array inside will activate and destroy the treasure."
"Better to shatter than survive in pieces. What a cruel old man," the black-haired man growled.
"But these arrays can still be broken. Anyone with the same bloodline as Old Fiery Cloud can enter and deactivate them. Your background is well known to me, so you're part of his family's younger generation."
"Ah, I see. Is your information reliable?"
"I assure you it is. How about we split the treasure fifty-fifty?" The silver-haired man said eagerly.
The black-haired man was not swayed by the offer and instead looked towards the distance with a contemplative expression. After some time, he sighed: "Alright, I'll work with you. But..."
"How?"
"Once we get the treasures as agreed, two plus one makes five," the black-haired man said coolly.
"You jest, friend. We are both late-stage Immortal Core cultivators and our abilities are similar. Besides, we've known each other for centuries; how could I betray your trust?" The silver-haired man chuckled.
"Let's hope so."
The two finally agreed and started discussing how to retrieve the treasures when suddenly, something unexpected happened.
BOOM!
A massive explosion echoed in their ears, shaking the ground as if a bolt of lightning had split the sky. The earth trembled violently, much louder than an earthquake.
The two cultivators stared wide-eyed, wondering if it was indeed an earthquake.
"Brother Cumei, look..." The black-haired man's voice cut off mid-sentence.
The silver-haired man turned to follow his gaze and found himself equally stunned. The anomaly came from the large hole beneath their feet.
They had noticed this hole upon arrival but its depth was unfathomable; they couldn't see where it led with just their eyes, nor could divine sense help as the deep cave was filled with chaotic primordial energy that interfered with their senses. They didn't know what lay inside.
If curiosity drove them, they might have ventured down themselves, but of course, neither would do such a foolish thing. Though only late-stage Immortal Core cultivators, they understood the danger of venturing into unknown caverns. What lay within was uncertain, and it was likely to be perilous.
The ground trembled violently as more magma erupted from below. The two men's faces contorted with fear as they stared at the erupting hole.
After a few breaths, red light appeared in their vision.
"By heaven, what is that?"
The silver-haired man gasped. Before he could finish his sentence, molten lava surged out of the hole, forming a towering pillar hundreds of feet high. The lava then scattered, sending thick smoke and rocks into the air. It was like a volcanic eruption, but there were no volcanoes here.
The two elderly men were shocked as they felt the rising temperature around them. They each summoned their protective treasures, knowing that such a scene wouldn't scare them. Magma at a few hundred degrees wasn't enough to break through their barriers.
What worried them was what lay inside the hole. If not for Old Fiery Cloud's treasures, they might have left. But now, they had no choice but to stay and face whatever danger awaited.
The lava continued to erupt for about a quarter of an hour without stopping, only increasing in volume.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently as another object erupted from the hole, landing over a hundred feet away. The impact caused a mountain peak to collapse under its force.
Rocks fell like rain, and the two men's expressions were even more shocked. After this eruption, though lava continued to spew out, it was much weaker than before.
"Brother Cumei...," the silver-haired man said hesitantly. "Since we've met with this, let's go and see what it is."
His choice made sense; if there were real dangers, trying to escape now would be too late. Better to face them head-on. As they said, a coward starves while a brave one thrives.
In the ever-present balance of danger and opportunity in the cultivation world, maybe this was an emergence of some precious treasure.
With such thoughts, the silver-haired man's eyes glowed with excitement as his fear diminished.
"Alright, Brother Cumei, if you want to go, I'll accompany you," the black-haired man agreed.
The two men exchanged a glance and then flew towards the mysterious object's landing site. They arrived quickly.
However, when they saw the ruins before them, their breaths caught again. Though the mountain wasn't tall, it had been reduced to flat ground by one strike, showing the power of this mysterious object.
What could it be?
They didn't know as rocks covered what lay beneath. The silver-haired man frowned and waved his sleeves, sending a gust of wind that scattered the rocks, revealing the hidden mystery below.