Everyone froze. Zhong Shenxiu's words sent a chilling sensation down their spines. Could there be some strange creature lurking here?

In an instant, those who had just relaxed were suddenly on high alert. Their eyes darted back and forth, scanning their surroundings.

Seeing their tense demeanor, Zhong Shenxiu couldn't help but chuckle. "There's no need to be so nervous; that thing is still far from here!"

"That thing?"

Far from being reassured, the group became even more intent on the matter.

"Boss 'Tuan,' what is it?" Faraday asked, brimming with curiosity. Since establishing the 'Ethereal Mercenary Group,' they had all unanimously agreed to call Zhong Shenxiu 'Tuanzhang' (Leader).

"Something you have absolutely never seen before!" Zhong Shenxiu finished, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

He was now certain this trip had not been in vain. A simple sweep with his spiritual waves had already uncovered several surprising locations, and that mysterious creature was merely one of them!

Upon hearing Zhong Shenxiu's reply, Faraday and the others exchanged glances, seeing shared apprehension in each other's eyes!

Zhong Shenxiu hadn't said this to intentionally scare them; that creature was truly bizarre. In all his time in this world, he had never encountered anything like it. Furthermore, this creature was powerful—Faraday and the others stood no chance against it!

Of course, Zhong Shenxiu had another motive: to keep everyone perpetually vigilant. This exploration was an excellent trial, and if handled correctly, it could improve everyone's strength!

"Boss, what should we do now? Where should we go?" Rhys looked around. There were four massive stone gates leading in all directions, all tightly sealed, leaving them to wonder what lay beyond each threshold.

"We'll stop here for today. Everyone can find a place to rest and sleep," Zhong Shenxiu said with an air of ease.

However, the group had no appetite for sleep. Zhong Shenxiu’s earlier remarks had only made the place feel more sinister; who knew what might emerge from some dark corner at any moment!

At this point, not only was sleep out of the question, but even sitting down for a brief rest felt deeply unsettling!

Compared to the anxiety of Angeria and the others, Kaine and Robin were considerably more relaxed. After Zhong Shenxiu spoke, they actually found an empty patch of ground, pulled out bedding from their storage bracelets, laid it out, and promptly began to sleep!

The rest of the group was nearly speechless, thinking to themselves how resilient these two sisters were, having the presence of mind to sleep at a time like this!

Zhong Shenxiu did not sleep, as he was currently absorbed in studying the surrounding stone carvings—this was precisely why he had told everyone else to rest here.

These carvings seemed chaotic but actually revolved around a central theme. Especially the murals, which appeared to hint at a meaning like, "The darkness descends, and the demons emerge!"

Could the strange creature detected by his spiritual wave just now be the 'demon' mentioned in the murals?

Although Zhong Shenxiu had grasped some inkling, it wasn't yet clear. Moreover, much of the stonework had been damaged due to years of neglect, making interpretation even more difficult. If not for Zhong Shenxiu's extraordinary deductive reasoning, he might not have even discerned this slight clue!

Time passed slowly, and Zhong Shenxiu remained tirelessly engaged in his study.

The others could not compare to him. They were growing increasingly weary, especially listening to the steady breathing of Kaine and Robin, which only deepened their own fatigue! Yet, they couldn't bring themselves to imitate them, unable to shake the worry clinging to their hearts!

Finally, the remaining few conferred and decided to take shifts guarding in pairs; with six of them, they could form three two-person teams!

Angelfia and Shallot naturally paired up for the first watch.

After two hours, Rhys and Gandalf would take over, followed by Stanley and Faraday, ensuring everyone got several hours of rest!

The night passed uneventfully. Because they were underground, time was imperceptible. Judging by the external environment, it should be morning now!

Kaine stretched languidly and got up. Seeing Angelfia and Shallot on watch, she greeted them, "Morning!"

Angelfia and Shallot merely nodded; this was their second stint on watch. Logically, six hours should have passed, but they felt no sense of time having elapsed!

Kaine said nothing more, shifting her gaze to Zhong Shenxiu, who was still deeply immersed in his research!

Robin, still under the covers, had also woken up but merely blinked, choosing not to get up, instead snuggling closer to Kaine.

Kaine smiled, gently pushing back the long hair obscuring Robin’s face, her eyes shining with boundless affection!

Angelfia and Shallot, witnessing this scene, were once again left speechless, a single thought arising simultaneously in their minds: Like-minded people flock together!

Nearly another hour later, everyone finally awoke. After a simple breakfast, the group finally—

—Knew%, the light

Zhong Shenxiu led them toward the large stone gate on the north side.

In truth, going through any of the gates would lead to the same place, as this ancient tomb was interconnected like an underground labyrinth.

Judging by its construction, this stone gate must weigh at least a thousand, if not ten thousand, catties. It would be sheer folly for an ordinary person to try forcing it open!

Beside the gate was a pull ring, the mechanism controlling it. Zhong Shenxiu gave it a gentle tug, immediately hearing a 'clunking' sound as the massive stone door slowly began to open!

This time, having been forewarned by past experience, Angelfia had already retreated to a safe distance, wary of another wave of icy air erupting, and certainly unwilling to rely on Zhong Shenxiu to dispel the chill for her again!

However, the moment the stone door opened, they were met not with a chilling blast, but with a stench of mildew and decay!

Shallot and the others promptly covered their noses and stepped aside, wondering how such a foul odor could exist in the world?

Yet, they had never experienced the 'Stink Bomb' or 'Putrefying Pellet' items that Zhong Shenxiu had concocted; otherwise, they would find the current smell quite fragrant!

The entire stone door swung open, revealing the usual pitch blackness within!

Zhong Shenxiu instantly cast a wind spell, blowing the foul air away before leading the group inside!

It had to be admitted, the place was truly eerie and terrifying, especially the echoes that rose from the stone floor, sounding as if something was persistently trailing them from behind.

The group's tension spiked to an unprecedented level again. They clung tightly to Zhong Shenxiu’s back, afraid of being left behind if they lagged!

Strangely, after walking for some time, all they saw were walls surrounding them; the space was completely empty. Had the tomb been looted previously, explaining why it was so clean?

Just as the others were puzzling over this, Zhong Shenxiu suddenly stopped. This movement made the already nervous group even more anxious!

What happened? Did they encounter a problem?

"Are you all prepared?" he asked, glancing back at them with a faint smile.

The group’s hearts tightened. Whenever Zhong Shenxiu told them to prepare, it meant trouble. Could it be the strange creature he mentioned earlier?

Everyone gripped their weapons tighter, fixing their gaze forward, ready for full combat!

However, to their utter astonishment, Zhong Shenxiu slowly walked toward the wall on the left side.

What was he doing?

Under the puzzled gazes of the group, Zhong Shenxiu pressed down on one of the square bricks. He pushed the brick inward, followed by a series of 'clunking' sounds. Then, a scene unfolded that the others found unbelievable:

The wall, which had appeared seamless, split open down the middle, revealing a secret chamber inside!

Without turning back to look at the group, Zhong Shenxiu walked directly into the chamber. After a moment of surprise, the others reacted and quickly followed!

The secret room was not large, but it held quite a number of items: large and small chests stacked up, followed by bookshelves filled with volumes, and various other artifacts too long decayed by time to retain their shape!

It was clearly a small storage room!

The three older men instantly became excited, their eyes darting around. Based on the decayed state of the artifacts, these items likely dated back to before the 'War,' holding immense value for collection and research!

Gandalf immediately rushed toward a bookshelf; these were the ancient of ancient texts!

If these books dated back to before the 'War,' they would be priceless—no, their value couldn't truly be measured by money!

Since the 'War,' many powerful spells, techniques, and technologies had been lost, leading to a regression in human strength!

To give a clear example, before the 'War,' there were titles like 'Dragon Slayer Mage' and 'Dragon Slayer Warrior'—those who could slay a dragon with a single blow. But look at now: no single person could slay a dragon, not even a 'Sword God Godly Magus'!

Now, slaying a dragon required the combined effort of hundreds or thousands of masters!

This illustrated the immense impact the 'War' had on humanity, which was why so many were obsessed with uncovering its secrets. Because if they could unlock even a sliver of that secret, they might become peerless masters!

These books on the shelf had likely lain undisturbed for countless years, covered in a thick layer of dust that obscured any lettering on their covers!

Gandalf picked one up with a trembling hand, but what happened next stunned him into silence!