Brian Brooks rolled over and landed on the ground, one knee down, the other leg bent, his eyes flashing with disbelief. He had already been very careful, but this trap was just too bizarre. Even with his thick nerves, he was still quite startled, and said, “Master Jin, thanks!”

He was straightforward by nature and knew that if it weren’t for William Harris’s help, he would have been in trouble.

That silver flash wouldn’t have killed him, but it definitely would have made him extremely miserable—this much Brian Brooks understood well.

This trap made all three of them more cautious.

“There’s a building ahead!”

This time it was William Harris scouting the way. He quickly discovered a structure, first spotting a very tall wall—at least eight meters high—faintly visible through the gaps in the trees. Of course, with a building, they had to check it out.

The three of them slightly changed direction and walked over.

Brian Brooks used his Moon Wheel Axe to clear the way. He controlled the axe not only to cut through the vegetation, but also to strike the ground. After a few swings, he had opened up a safe path. No matter what kind of trap, a direct attack would break it.

William Harris directed, “A bit to the left, avoid that tree!”

Brian Brooks was already very close to the wall. He said, “Don’t worry, I’ll make a path!” He swung his axe again, and this time not only cleared a path, but also struck the wall directly.

A huge hole instantly appeared in the wall, leaving William Harris momentarily stunned. There were actually no restrictions on the wall. He said, “Let’s go in!”

The three of them rushed inside. It was an open space, the ground paved with black jade, perfectly flat, like a mirror reflecting the clouds in the sky above.

But the scene on the plaza was horrifying—bones were scattered everywhere, lying haphazardly on the ground, their clothes mostly rotted away. Even Brian Brooks was startled: “Damn… all skeletons, what is this?”

William Harris didn’t speak. Instead, he walked over to a skeleton, lifted the tattered clothing, and examined it carefully. He said, “No wounds… huh…”

His finger touched the breastbone, and suddenly, the bone shattered and fell apart, all into finger-sized fragments.

Signs of being shattered by force!

William Harris said, “Killed by shock!”

Grace Morgan frowned, “Who did it?”

William Harris shook his head, “I don’t know, it’s so strange. Could it be someone attacked this place?”

Grace Morgan and Brian Brooks were both completely confused, unable to figure out why this had happened.

William Harris observed for a while longer, then immediately dismissed his previous thought, saying, “They’re all wearing the same clothes, so they should all be disciples of the Chao Xian Sect. These disciples have shallow cultivation, probably low-level disciples. I didn’t find any traces of outsiders.”

After searching around, the three of them didn’t find anything valuable. As for the weapons and magical items used by those disciples, the three of them weren’t interested at all—they were too weak. So after searching, they left.

William Harris said, “This is still the outer area. We need to find a way into the inner circle.”

Brian Brooks said, “The outer area is boring, it’s just where the disciples’ families live. The inner circle should have something worthwhile. Let’s hurry in. People outside will be coming in soon, and then there’ll be a lot of fighting. It’ll be hard to find anything by then.”

William Harris said, “Wait a moment.”

He had to recall the route into the inner circle. Fortunately, he had prepared in advance. He hadn’t stayed atop Gagong Snow Peak for nothing. Even with the clouds blocking the view, he had still seen most of the ruins. Now he just needed to match the memory in his mind with the actual location.

Soon, William Harris had a plan. This path wouldn’t be easy.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t find the original route the Chao Xian Sect used to enter the inner circle, so they could only feel their way forward. Seeing all the skeletons, William Harris was already extremely cautious. He couldn’t guess what had happened back then, and the records in the ancient texts were vague. The only thing he knew was that the Chao Xian Sect had appeared very suddenly, and disappeared just as suddenly.

Something major must have happened to cause the sudden disappearance of the Chao Xian Sect. Now, more clues were needed.

……

Chapter 10: Cannon Fodder

Charles Bennett led three other cultivators into the outer circle as well. He had a sharp eye and quickly found a weak spot, quietly breaking in. He even set a trap at the entrance—anyone who followed would be in trouble.

The three cultivators were extremely excited. This was an early entry; if they found the right place, they’d strike it rich.

“Big brother, you’re amazing!”

“Yeah, yeah, big brother really deserves to be a top expert in the cultivation world. He got us in so easily.”

The three cultivators kept praising him, and Charles Bennett’s face was all smiles. He said, “If you find something that suits you, don’t be polite with me—just take it!”

There was nothing yet, but Charles Bennett was already making generous promises. He didn’t care for ordinary things, and the three wouldn’t dare compete with him for anything good, so he was happy to be generous.

“Ah, thank you, big brother!”

The three were extremely grateful. This man was just too good. Each of them wore a look of joy—after all, they’d come here to find treasures.

On the path of cultivation, wealth, companions, techniques, and land are all essential. Once you reach a certain level, who doesn’t need to consume vast resources?

Charles Bennett said, “I’ll lead the way, you follow me!”

Immediately, the big guy among the three jumped out, “Let me lead the way, let me!”