Xu Bai put First away and cautiously stepped into the inner perimeter of Sunset Forest.
Only when he was within a hundred meters of the mountain did he notice a small hole in its side.
It was tiny, probably just wide enough for one person to pass through.
By all logic, a hole like this was unlikely to be the lair of any Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Aside from a handful of exceptions, most Soul Beasts began growing enormous once they reached a thousand years old.
Even small Soul Beasts such as insects could grow as large as a car once they reached a thousand years.
With a hole this small, any Soul Beast inside would likely be less than a hundred years old.
Still, to be safe, he opened the Beast Taming Space and had Little Blue extend a vine inside to probe cautiously.
After a long while, Little Blue sent back a listless reply: the cave was safe, and it hadn't found any trace of Soul Beasts.
Little Blue: No sun or moonlight in here. I'm unhappy...
Xu Bai knew all about Little Blue's fondness for basking in the sun and moonlight, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Becoming stronger came at a price, even if Little Blue hadn't wanted to become stronger...
Once he was powerful enough, he could always rig up a sun and moon inside the Beast Taming Space. That way, Little Blue could stay in high spirits even when they traveled far from home.
Thinking this, Xu Bai hurried to the entrance and went straight inside.
How did that old passage go again?
At first, it was so narrow that only one person could pass. After walking a few dozen steps, the view suddenly opened up.
This little cave was just like that. But instead of the "flat, spacious land and orderly houses" from The Peach Blossom Spring, it opened into a vast cavern, large enough for First to move around freely without feeling cramped.
The cave itself was ordinary, but dozens of dark openings lined its walls. They were nearly identical in size and shape, which made them seem highly unusual.
With a thought, he released First from the Beast Taming Space and pointed at the openings. "Sense them again. Can you tell which one leads to that precious metal?"
First did as he asked. After sensing carefully, it really did find a clear direction.
'This way, Beast Tamer. I think we'll find that precious metal if we go through this opening.'
It went to the opening on the eastern side and pointed at it with a paw.
Xu Bai nodded, returned First to the Beast Taming Space, and had Little Blue scout ahead. Once he was sure there was no danger, he went straight in.
The entrance was narrow, just like the one he'd come through, and only wide enough for one person.
The tunnel wasn't straight, but he could feel a breeze. That meant it connected to the outside.
Xu Bai hurried forward and soon spotted a glimmer of light.
On alert, he slowed down, braced one hand against the wall, and crept toward the opening.
The moment he looked outside, the light blazed before his eyes.
Xu Bai instinctively squinted. Once his eyes had adjusted, he could finally make out the scene beyond the cave.
It was a vast valley, filled with flowers and grass, water and trees—a paradise hidden from the world.
But none of that was the point. The important thing was what stood in the middle of the valley.
Several burial mounds rose there. They had no gravestones, but a sharp sword was planted in front of each one, its blade glinting with a fierce, icy light in the sun.
And every one of them looked extremely valuable.
"These... must be ancestral graves..."
Xu Bai hesitated, then released First.
"Take another careful look. Are you sure you didn't point me to the wrong place?"
Every sword looked priceless, but as a transmigrator with a proper sense of right and wrong, he still thought secretly digging up someone else's ancestral graves was immoral.
'That's right. The metallic aura I sensed came from those swords.'
First replied without the slightest hesitation.
"Fine..."
Xu Bai sighed and turned to leave, muttering as he went, "A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it by proper means. How could I dig up someone's ancestral graves for money? I'm an honorable man, after all..."
"I'll give you a chance this time. Bury those graves deeper. If I find my way back here next time, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Watching his Beast Tamer's back recede into the distance, First wore the same expression as Ng Man-tat.
'Wait, I'm not in the Beast Taming Space! I haven't gone back in yet! Hey... hey... I haven't gone back in!'
In the same situation, Uncle Tat could've chased after him for a couple of steps. First could only stare helplessly as his Beast Tamer disappeared into the tunnel.
The entrance was too small, and it couldn't squeeze through even if it tried.
Fortunately, Xu Bai wasn't Stephen Chow. He came back a moment later. "Sorry, First. I actually forgot about you."
First: (￣ー￣)
Xu Bai ignored First's speechless expression and turned his gaze toward the ancestral graves, looking helpless.
"Who'd have thought we'd meet again? Looks like the owner of these graves didn't cherish the chance I gave him. Since you wouldn't take it, don't blame me."
As he spoke, he took a step toward the burial mounds.
First: ????
Beast Tamer, are you all right...
Once he was close, Xu Bai was about to pull out a sword when he noticed two lines of small writing on its blade.
Chen Jianjun, Level 97 Super Douluo, titled "Sword Monarch."
Xu Bai: ????
"A Titled Douluo, with the title 'Sword Monarch,' and the surname Chen..."
"Surely it can't be that much of a coincidence..."
The corner of Xu Bai's mouth twitched. He hurried to the next burial mound. The sword planted there bore the same two lines of writing:
Chen Xun, Level 98 Super Douluo, titled "Sword Emperor."
He checked the swords in front of the other graves. Every name engraved on them had the surname Chen, and every one belonged to a Titled Douluo.
The highest level was 98, and even the lowest was Level 93. There were nine burial mounds in all, meaning nine Titled Douluo lay buried here.
"Hiss, they're all named Chen. What a mess. I came looking for some precious metal to make a fortune, and instead I found Sword Douluo's family tombs..."
Xu Bai sucked in a sharp breath. He hurriedly wiped the dust off each sword with his sleeve, muttering under his breath, "Forgive me, forgive me. I meant no disrespect. I only stumbled into the resting place of my seniors. Please don't visit your descendant named Chen Xin in a dream and tell him—"
His muttering cut off abruptly. His hand stopped as he wiped the blade, and his expression shifted.
First came confusion, then surprise, and finally disbelief.
Just moments ago, he'd felt his spiritual power increase slightly. He knew the sensation well. It was the reward he received whenever the Manual recorded a new Soul Beast.
"This can't be right..."
Xu Bai murmured to himself and turned his gaze to the Manual in the Sea of Divine Consciousness:
[Name]: Sword Spirit [Attribute]: Metal [Species Potential]: ???? [Evolution Route]: None [Introduction]: Under the rules of this world, it is nearly impossible for inanimate objects to develop intelligence. Yet of Heaven's Way, fifty are allotted, while only forty-nine are used; one always escapes. If fate allows, an inanimate object may develop intelligence. Note: Would you like to spend a vast amount of spiritual power to deduce a cultivation method? (Yes/No)