Watching Ye Zichen and Chi Mei frolic about, “Grumpyface” seemed even grumpier than before. He furrowed his brows and roared, “Chi Mei!”
His sharp aura exploded outward, sharp as an unsheathed sword. Ye Zichen faced away from him, but when he sensed Wu Yi’s aura, he couldn’t help but arch his brows.
Wu Yi’s aura only appeared for an instant before disappearing. Afterwards, he grimaced just like before, sour as if someone owed him money.
“So he’s an immortal king.” Although he’d only displayed his aura for a single breath’s worth of time, it was enough for Ye Zichen to sense his immortal king level strength.
Chi Mei obviously didn’t take Wu Yi’s rebuke seriously. She stuck her tongue out at him, then ignored him.
“Chi Mei, quit playing around. Is this any time for your nonsense?” It seemed like Wu Yi had more to say, or rather, that his words contained a hidden meaning. Perhaps he was concerned about Ye Zichen’s presence, so he didn’t finish his sentence.
His brows were always tightly knit. Chi Mei froze, stunned. When she noticed Grumpyface’s expression, she realized that he was really angry this time. She could only pout and toss the landscape paintings into the sun above the vast mountain.
At the same time, she turned to Ye Zichen and explained in detail, we really are inside the painting. Just now, the paintings we tossed were illusions formed by the true painting. Just like that giant mountain, they’re formed purely of the Dao of the Five Elements. The Five Elements Great Emperor’s tomb is buried beneath that mountain, and those illusory paintings are the key.”
As she spoke, Ye Zichen noticed that as the three landscape paintings flew towards the mountaintop, they merged into a single image.
Under the baking heat of the sun, the middle portion of the painting lit on fire. When the painting had fully disintegrated, three keys appeared, which drill their way into the mountain top.
Rumble! Rumble! Boom!
The imposing mountains, placid waters, and pleasant suns.h.i.+ne of the world within the painting suddenly transformed as dense storm clouds gathered overhead. The next moment, there was a mighty downpour. However, strangely, the rain was confined to the mountains. Not even a single drop landed on the lake’s surface.
“Wa….!” Before Ye Zichen could even sigh in amazement, the rain transformed the mountains.
The tallest mountain split directly in half, creating a gap. Although this gap was right in front of Ye Zichen, no matter how far in he looked, he saw nothing but a pitch-black void.
“Let’s go.” Grumpyfaced Wu Yi’s face flashed with a hint of excitement. As soon as the gap opened up, he eagerly flew towards it.
“We should go too.” Chi Mei smiled calmly and flew forth as well. Only Ye Zichen stayed behind, hesitating. Nothing mattered as much as his life.
He had no idea what was hiding inside that gap. What if he went inside and encountered some kind of killing formation…..?
What should he do?
He didn’t want to go, but felt conflicted; even if he stayed here, he didn’t know how to leave the painting.
Don’t underestimate him! He was an immortal king who’d already started converting his spiritual power into divine power.
His immortal sense was strong, no matter whether he was performing divinations or observing a situation in detail. However, after entering the landscape painting, he couldn"t sense any sign of a doorway.
Comparatively speaking, Wu Yi and Chi Mei seemed to have a better understanding of what was going on here.
Even though they said they’d been here for dozens of years, Ye Zichen was sure that, given his abilities, the time he’d spent here should have been enough to figure some things out. Yet he was still clueless. In that case….
There was something strange about Chi Mei and Wu Yi!
Especially since this was a strange and brand-new environment. The mountain had only opened for the first time, and it was impossible to investigate its interior, yet they rushed right in as if they had no awareness of danger whatsoever.
It was like this was their home.
“Hurry up, sweetie! Once the rift seals up, you’ll be stuck here forever. If you want to leave the painting, you have to leave through the tomb.”
Just before Chi Mei entered the rift, she turned back and shouted at Ye Zichen. She couldn’t afford to lose her sweetie; she still needed him to refine her Sea Condensing Pill!
Ye Zichen stayed put, his mind racing. At his level, countless thoughts took only a fraction of a second.
He was already here. He’d just have to forge ahead and respond to dangers as necessary.
From the time he first entered the landscape painting, to Chi Mei seeking him out, to coming here and seeing how calm and at ease this pair of siblings was, it was clear that Wu Yi and Chi Mei were full of mysteries.
But Ye Zichen was no soft persimmon, nor was he a helpless lamb anyone could just up and slaughter!
He’d just have to take this step by step!
“I’m coming,” acknowledged Ye ZIchen with a faint chuckle. He hurried to her side then asked, seemingly without thinking, “it seems this rift contains a special seal. I can’t investigate anything inside it at all. Your brother just rushed right in. Is that really safe?”
“It should be fine,” said Chi Mei. “The Five Elements Great Emperor left behind his tomb in order to share his fortune with future generations so they’d avenge him. Why would he make the tomb dangerous? What would be the point?”
Her explanation was simple, but it made complete sense. Ye Zichen carefully examined her expression, then relented.
“I must be overthinking things,” he said with a nod.
“It’s okay to be careful, but we ought to hurry inside. Otherwise, that grumpyface will scowl at us again.”
They entered the rift. As expected, there was another world inside.
In its center was a mausoleum. The rift led them directly to its entrance.
Two life-like stone lions stood guard on each side of the entryway. Ye Zichen couldn’t help but glance at them, but when their eyes met, the lion shockingly roared to life. It transformed, growing until it was over a thousand feet like, and crouched before the gateway. Its bright red eyes stared right at him. It sc.r.a.ped its paws against the earth a few times, then charged right at him.
“Didn’t you say there wouldn’t be any danger….?”
When he saw the lion rush right at him, Ye Zichen hurriedly retreated. The lion swung its paws at his chest, leaving deep, b.l.o.o.d.y gashes behind.
Pale golden blood seeped from his wounds. When it smelled blood, the lion grew even more bloodthirsty and attacked even more viciously.
“Chi Mei, didn’t you say there wouldn’t be any danger!?!” He turned to Chi Mei and yelled frantically, only to discover that she was just standing there, dazed. No matter how much he yelled, she didn’t react at all.
At that moment, the transformed stone lion opened its mouth wide and lunged at Chi Mei. Ye Zichen wanted to save her, but the lion stared directly at him.
Crunch.
It closed its mouth, biting Chi Mei’s head right off. Blood spurted from the wound like a geyser. Her headless corpse stood in place as the lion devoured her.
At the same time, Ye Zichen heard a forlorn and bitter cry in the distance. He turned to look and saw that grumpy-faced guy fall to another lion. After Wu Yi lost the ability to fight back, the lion carried him back to feed its cubs, then approached Ye Zichen.
Instantly, Ye Zichen found himself surrounded by ma.s.sive lions with dense manes, each fully one thousand feet tall. His life and death were hanging by a thread