"Impossible. You can only choose one item from here; you cannot take anything else..." Hearing Ye Jingyu's hysterical shout, Bing Ming's expression instantly changed drastically...

"Heh heh, do you really think you can stop us by yourself?" Ye Jingyu countered with a cunning smile...

"Indeed. If the three of you joined forces, I would certainly not be your match, but if you intend to kill me, do you think you can manage it without one or two companions as a funeral offering?" Bing Ming scoffed coldly...

"Big Brother, these things aren't yours. What does it matter to you if I take them? Why must you fight me to the death?" Seeing Bing Ming's utterly serious expression, Ye Jingyu looked genuinely perplexed...

"My mission is to guard everything here..." Bing Ming stated with firm resolution...

"Hmm?" A look of confusion crossed Ye Jingyu's face...

"Do you know why I gave you a chance to challenge me?" Bing Ming ignored Ye Jingyu's confusion and instead posed a question...

Ye Jingyu remained silent, gazing back at Bing Ming with equal curiosity. From Gongsun Xiangyi and the others, he knew they had all entered the cave without encountering any obstacles, but none of them had managed to enter this specific chamber, or rather, they had retreated after venturing only a short distance...

The reason was naturally the countless forks in the passage. Ye Jingyu was certain that without Bing Ming guiding him, even he wouldn't have been able to find this place. Who knew what dangers lurked in the other tunnels? This was a point that had long puzzled him...

Now that Bing Ming brought it up, he said no more, simply watching Bing Ming quietly, hoping for a reasonable explanation...

"Do you know why this place is also called the Hundred Burials Valley?" Bing Ming didn't answer immediately, tossing out another question...

Ye Jingyu shook his head. He truly had no knowledge of the origins of the Hundred Burials Valley...

"Then do you know of the Martial Maniac, Xiao Cangtian..." Bing Ming continued to inquire...

Upon hearing the name Xiao Cangtian, Ye Jingyu showed no significant reaction, but Gongsun Xiangyi, standing nearby, gasped in shock...

The Martial Maniac, Xiao Cangtian, was the most famous peerless powerhouse from over two centuries ago. In his quest to collect martial arts from across the realm, he challenged every major sect single-handedly. Sects like the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Heaven Manifestation Sect, the Tang Sect, and the Unharmed Sect—he challenged them all in rotation, defeating the top masters of those sects purely through overwhelming martial might...

He subsequently seized the foundational secret manuals of these major sects. From that era onward, the entire martial world gradually declined; fewer and fewer Martial Saints appeared, let alone Martial Gods...

However, later, when Xiao Cangtian challenged Qin Xue, the then-Master of the White Cloud Manor, although he killed Qin Xue, he sustained grievous injuries. He managed to obtain only the first half of the White Lotus Sword Canon. Heavily wounded, Xiao Cangtian fled into the Heaven Manifestation Mountain Range, never suspecting he would encounter a top-tier senior master there...

That person was none other than Ye Jingyu's master, Dugu Bacheng...

Though formidable, Xiao Cangtian knew he stood no chance against this supreme figure who had once battled Xuanyuan Jue. Whether out of pity for Xiao Cangtian's dedication to martial technique, or for some other reason, Dugu Bacheng taught him a set of Dugu family sword techniques...

In essence, Xiao Cangtian became the first outsider in the world to learn the Dugu Sword Style...

From then on, Xiao Cangtian secluded himself within the Hundred Burials Valley. When the major sects learned of this, they naturally swarmed the area. After all, their sects' most profound cultivation methods had been stolen by Xiao Cangtian; such humiliation could not be tolerated...

Although Xiao Cangtian seized the secret manuals of the major sects, he had avoided provoking the Ten Great Sects of that time. After mastering the Dugu Sword Style, his strength advanced immensely. Although these sects boasted numerous experts, they were no match for Xiao Cangtian, and eventually, the majority met their end in the Hundred Burials Valley...

These weapons are the record of Xiao Cangtian's victories from that time...

It was from then that the name Hundred Burials Valley spread throughout the world. Everyone knew there was an extraordinary master within it, but no one dared to enter...

Later, Xiao Cangtian took an apprentice, imparted all his life's learning to him, and then departed gracefully, but he commanded his successor to remain here, guarding these countless weapons and manuals...

However, remembering the life-saving grace of Dugu Bacheng's sword strike, Xiao Cangtian explicitly instructed his successor that if anyone from the Dugu family or a descendant of Dugu Senior came to the valley, they would have the right to choose one item...

The Dugu family's sword techniques were already overwhelmingly powerful; it was unlikely anyone from the Dugu family would ever come here, and Ye Jingyu only arrived through sheer coincidence...

As for the challenge Bing Ming mentioned, it was naturally a stratagem Bing Ming devised to probe Ye Jingyu's true strength...

Of course, Bing Ming was not Xiao Cangtian's direct disciple; strictly speaking, he was Xiao Cangtian's fifth-generation grand-disciple. Although he lacked overwhelmingly powerful ultimate techniques, by relying on the peculiarities of this cave, he had managed to guard every blade of grass and every tree here for many years...

After listening to Bing Ming's explanation, Ye Jingyu’s face registered profound astonishment. He truly had never imagined such a history existed...

As for Gongsun Xiangyi, the shock on her face deepened. The reason was simple: from Bing Ming's words, she vaguely discerned Ye Jingyu's identity—he was the successor of that senior master?

The thought of that legendary figure, the only person to have ever wounded Xuanyuan Jue, was enough to shake anyone to their core...

Yet, Gongsun Xiangyi couldn't understand: if Ye Jingyu was already the successor of that senior master, why was he still studying the Soul Master arts? After all, countless Soul Immortals and True Immortals had perished at that senior master's hands in those days...

She could not know that Ye Jingyu not only cultivated the Startling Thunder Saber Art but also the supremely powerful Hegemon Origin Art...

Seeing Bing Ming's solemn expression and glancing at the myriad divine weapons surrounding them, Ye Jingyu felt utterly unwilling to leave this treasure mountain empty-handed...

"How about we make a wager?" Ye Jingyu suddenly fixed his gaze on Bing Ming's eyes, a look of grim determination on his face...

"A wager?" Bing Ming was momentarily stunned...

"Precisely. I will fight you one-on-one. I will not use any Soul Artifacts, only pure martial force to contend with you. If I lose, you can deal with me as you wish. If you lose, you and everything here will be at my disposal. How about it?" Ye Jingyu’s expression was grave...

Bing Ming stared intently at Ye Jingyu, his eyes gleaming with excitement. To be frank, the reason he wanted to spar with Ye Jingyu was entirely due to guessing his identity. As Xiao Cangtian's successor, he was naturally obsessed with martial arts to an unimaginable degree, eager to witness the Dugu Bacheng's saber techniques. Yet, he hadn't expected Ye Jingyu to defeat him using such seemingly 'underhanded' means without even drawing a blade. Now, hearing him propose a contest of pure martial strength, Bing Ming was intensely thrilled...