Within the Burial Grounds of Earth Immortals on Dragon Tiger Mountain, Yan Kuan, Monkey, and Old Crane cautiously flew up to the great fissure amid Dragon Mountain's cliff walls. Thousands of Hanging Coffins filled this place, all ancient relics that had existed for at least several millennia.
They tried opening several Hanging Coffins. Some contained bone artifacts, Jade Vessels, or wooden objects, but not a single one held a metal magical artifact.
Old Crane spoke from the side. "Just as the records said, Earth Immortals shunned metal. If gold was kept in their coffins, they could not cast off their corpses and become immortal."
They examined them closely. These Hanging Coffins likely belonged to the Earth Immortal's disciples and followers, who had been buried here alongside him.
They began approaching the Jade Coffin, advancing slowly and with utmost caution. This was, after all, the legendary Burial Grounds of Earth Immortals, and they feared some peerless killing trap lay within. A faint fragrance drifted through the air in unbroken wisps, seeping into their very bones and making them feel as though they might float away into immortality. They forcefully restrained themselves and dared not act rashly.
Old Crane and the Third Valley Lord carefully inspected the many coffins, while Yan Kuan circulated Empyrean Flame into his eyes, strengthening his Fiery Golden Eyes as he cautiously surveyed the surroundings.
The fissure in Dragon Mountain's cliff face was enormous, packed densely with over two thousand Hanging Coffins. Every one of them had been arranged with great care, and all those buried within were cultivators.
Each coffin had been hollowed from a massive tree trunk. Most were shaped like boats, matching the descriptions in ancient texts: they symbolized crossing the Sea of Bitterness of the mortal world and attaining liberation through immortality.
"There are Severing Dao Kings here!"
Old Crane stared at several Ancient Coffins in horror. The remains inside had not decayed; their corpse shells were powerful, imperishable after death, vivid as though alive, and retained the state they had possessed in life. All had been Severing Dao cultivators.
At last, they entered the depths of the stone fissure and arrived at Dragon Mountain's throat. From up close, the ancient Jade Coffin was covered in dust and dim without luster, yet this only made it seem more mysterious.
A crystalline branch lay there, fresh green as though dripping with life. It was as thick as a child's arm and over a meter long, like green agate carved into form, translucent and gleaming.
It lay across the ancient Jade Coffin, releasing an irresistible fragrance. White dew seeped from its broken end, making it appear profoundly mysterious.
Before coming here, Yan Kuan had specifically recalled the descriptions of this place. He naturally knew that the branch came from the Ginseng Fruit Tree of Immortality. Unfortunately, having been buried here and fed on death qi, it had become an evil medicine similar to Nethergrass. Consuming it could easily turn one into a half-living, half-dead evil spirit.
Old Crane looked at the Jade Coffin ahead with deep concern and said with a frown, "I once heard that even after Ancient Sages died, their corpses were difficult to approach. The aura they released could shake Great Divine Power Experts to death."
Yan Kuan picked up where Old Crane left off. "The First Valley Lord is right. We truly must be careful here. Let's retreat to a safe place first, then use magical artifacts to open the Jade Coffin."
After discussing it, the three agreed that the proposal was feasible. Following Yan Kuan's directions, they reached a safe area outside the Dragon Mouth. Then Old Crane, whose cultivation was the deepest, controlled a magical artifact toward the Jade Coffin.
The Jade Coffin glowed dimly and was unfathomably mysterious, carved by an ancient expert of immense power. Ants and insects could not approach it, and even gods could not disturb it.
Bang!
The instant Old Crane's jade magical artifact touched the coffin lid, a crimson streak cleaved out from the depths of the cliff fissure. Its cold radiance illuminated the Nine Provinces, dazzling beyond measure.
Before Old Crane, a peak Transforming Dragon powerhouse whose strength neared that of a Great Divine Power Expert, could even react, the artifact he controlled exploded. This burial object taken from one of the Hanging Coffins did not leave behind even the tiniest fragment. After shattering, it continued to collapse into drifting ash.
Pfft!
Old Crane's face flushed red as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. "What was that? It didn't seem like an attack from within the Coffin."
In his hurried glimpse, he had seen only a brilliant flash of light.
Yan Kuan pointed toward a location deep within Dragon Mountain. "This cluster of dragons has been nurtured. The ancient Jade Coffin lies in the throat deep within the Dragon Mouth, where a dragon grows its Reverse Scale. That is killing divine light formed naturally by the terrain."
He was now immensely glad that he had brought Old Crane and Monkey with him. If he had come alone, then even with his foreknowledge, without powerful helpers to scout the way, trouble could easily have arisen. His cultivation was simply too low.
"Could it be... that we have no way to approach the Coffin...?"
The Third Valley Lord spoke unwillingly. They had already come this far; it would be truly regrettable to leave without gaining anything.
"The tomb owner harbors no killing intent and did not set any vicious traps. We should be able to approach and take a look, so long as we avoid the Dragon Mountain Reverse Scale Killing Light."
Yan Kuan looked at Monkey and Old Crane as he spoke. "But our cultivation is too low, and our methods are insufficient. We must test it again and again to determine the divine light's range of attack. For that, we'll need you two to control magical artifacts."
After exchanging looks, Old Crane and Monkey both nodded. The magical artifacts and objects they had previously taken from the various Hanging Coffins were briefly refined by the two of them, then used to attempt moving toward the Jade Coffin from every direction.
A constant series of bangs rang out as magical artifacts exploded one after another and turned to ash. However, with the experience from before, Monkey and Old Crane withdrew their divine sense before the artifacts were struck and destroyed. Though they still suffered injuries, they did not cough blood every time.
After nearly a hundred such attempts, Old Crane and Monkey were pale-faced, while Yan Kuan finally found a suitable route. They avoided the Reverse Scale terrain and approached the Jade Coffin once more.
"Could this be the legendary Undying Divine Medicine?"
Monkey was the most impatient after arriving before the Jade Coffin. The moment he reached the verdant Divine Tree Branch, he eagerly stretched out his hand.
"Careful."
The instant Monkey grabbed the Divine Tree Branch, he shuddered and froze in place. Yan Kuan's palm, wreathed in Empyrean Flame, struck down fiercely and knocked Monkey's hand away. Monkey collapsed to the ground and hurriedly circulated his divine power. A moment later, he spat out a mouthful of frigid netherwater.
"There's something wrong with this tree."
Monkey looked at the branch with lingering fear. The instant he had grasped it, an icy chill had invaded his body, freezing him from head to toe. Had Yan Kuan not acted in time, even if he survived, he would have suffered a serious illness.
This treasure tree appeared lush and verdant, brimming with vitality like the heart of emerald jade, but in truth it was piercingly cold and contained a strand of death qi.
Empyrean Flame flew from Yan Kuan's right hand and carefully enveloped the Undying Divine Medicine branch. Bit by bit, it melted away the surface chill, leaving it no longer so freezing to the touch or capable of easily harming lives. He then placed it to one side.
Yan Kuan set down the Divine Medicine branch and said, "That Earth Immortal left behind a branch of the Undying Divine Tree here, using it to absorb all the death qi from the corpses in these Hanging Coffins, intending to help them become Ghost Immortals.
"The death qi from these thousands of Hanging Coffins was all absorbed by the Divine Tree Branch, causing it to become mixed with yin and evil death qi and turn into an evil medicine comparable to Nethergrass. Though it still possesses the effect of extending life, its medicinal power can also rot the flesh."
"So the Divine Tree Branch can no longer be used as medicine?"
Monkey and Old Crane were both filled with regret. A branch from the Undying Divine Medicine was a Sacred Object of longevity that even Supremes of the Imperial Dao yearned for.
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