novelapdf Chapter 177 Is this the Tomb of the Underworld Lord?
Chapter 177 Is this the Tomb of the Underworld Lord?
Everyone has come to a clearer understanding that in this era with a Heavenly Court and a Heavenly Emperor, there are certain bottom lines that must never be crossed.
Some boasts are even more unspeakable, for there truly are gods watching from above.
……
Following Jiang Hao's guidance, the two broke through several hidden natural formations and long-broken restrictions deep in an ancient mountain range in the Central Continent of Beidou.
Finally, beneath a sheer cliff covered in moss, they found a cave entrance concealed by chaotic energy and dim Dao patterns.
It took some effort, mainly because Jiang Hao seemingly casually pointed out a few key points, while Wu Liang worked up a sweat fidgeting.
The seal on the cave entrance loosened, revealing a narrow passage extending into the mountainside, permeated with a musty smell and a faint gray mist.
The two went inside, and the fat Taoist priest was very excited and full of anticipation.
However, at the end of the passage was not the magnificent underground palace one had imagined, but rather an extremely simple and even somewhat shabby place.
The cave is not large. In the center there is a small mound of earth with a dark stone tablet stuck on it. The tablet is covered with blurry and twisted patterns, as if it was picked up casually from the riverbank.
A worn-out futon sat in front of the mound of earth.
Apart from that, there were only a few dull and lifeless ancient artifacts scattered in the corner, as well as two or three ordinary pottery jars and earthenwares with no spiritual energy.
"This...this is the Tomb of the Underworld Lord?" Wu Liang's eyes widened, his chubby face filled with disbelief.
Undeterred, he wandered around the cave like a groundhog, tapping here and touching there.
He even lay down on the ground to look behind the mound of earth, but found nothing except getting covered in dust.
"Seriously? That's all? This is even more shabby than the tomb of that rogue cultivator from the Four Extremes that I dug up last month!"
His face was full of disappointment, as if he had been deceived by the legend, and he muttered to himself:
"The Underworld Lord, you were supposed to be a Celestial Venerable from the mythological era, how could you end up so miserable? These are all the burial goods you have? It's too shameful, I look down on you. These few broken ancient artifacts are obviously worthless, they wouldn't even fetch a good price. What a penniless Celestial Venerable!"
"Because he is you, he definitely won't leave anything good behind."
Jiang Hao smiled to himself, feeling very calm and composed. He walked to the black stone tablet, reached out and brushed away the dust on its surface, his fingertips gently touching the twisted patterns.
A faint trace of the Dao of Reincarnation emanated from his fingertips; though sparse, its essence was extremely profound.
"Indeed, it is a place of molting or a transit point. In one of his previous lives, the Underworld Lord passed through this place, leaving a trace, burying the useless body or part of the accumulated Dao fruit of that life, and then went on to the next journey cleanly."
"These things were probably just casually placed, or ordinary things that arose naturally in the environment at the time, and have become like this over the years. However, this bit of the Dao of Reincarnation is a good reference for me to perfect my own path of transformation."
Jiang Hao closed his eyes and quietly contemplated for a moment, imprinting the ancient Daoist rhymes about the transformation of life and death and the unwavering true spirit into his heart, savoring them carefully.
While comprehending the Dao of Reincarnation, they also observed the Reincarnation Mark within the body of the fat Taoist Wu Liang, comparing and verifying the two.
Although Wu Liang was disappointed, he didn't stop what he was doing.
He deftly picked up the few faded antiques from the corner, wiped them clean, and tucked them into his pocket.
He looked at the broken pottery jars again, hesitated for a moment, and decided that they were useless and took up space, so he didn't take them in the end.
But his small eyes quickly fixed on the black stone tablet and the tattered futon.
"This stone tablet looks quite old, with strange and unusual patterns on it. It might be an antique that could fool... or sell to those old scholars who like to collect things."
He muttered to himself, then looked at the prayer mat again, "This prayer mat... it's a bit worn out, but what if some ancient celestial being sat on it? Maybe I can absorb some of its Daoist fortune?"
He rubbed his hands together, clearly intending to pack both items up and take them with him.
But suddenly remembering his previous promise, he immediately put on an extremely enthusiastic smile, turned to Jiang Hao, and rubbed his hands together, saying:
"Old sir, you see... although we didn't find any earth-shattering treasures this time, every little bit helps. As agreed, you can choose first. Take whatever you like, don't be shy!"
He spoke with great generosity, but his small eyes were fixed on Jiang Hao, especially Jiang Hao's hands, as if afraid that he would actually take the stone tablet or the prayer mat.
His body was slightly turned to the side, inadvertently blocking the view in front of the stone tablet.
Jiang Hao took in his hypocritical behavior, finding it quite amusing that he was clearly in pain but pretending to be generous.
"This reincarnation of the Underworld Lord is stingy and a little cunning. What a character! He's clearly reluctant to part with things, but he still pretends to be polite."
Jiang Hao wanted to tease him, so he deliberately put on a thoughtful expression, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the stone tablet and the futon, and he even stretched out his finger as if he wanted to touch the texture of the stone tablet.
Wu Liang immediately tensed up, his smile froze, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
Jiang Hao's hand paused in mid-air, then turned to the tattered futon, as if deep in thought, and said:
"This futon, though old and worn, must be quite extraordinary for the Underworld Lord to have left it here. I'm getting old, and my back and legs aren't good; I really need a cushion..."
Upon hearing this, Wu Liang's eyelids twitched, and he quickly said:
"Oh dear, sir, this won't do. This cushion is rotten to the core, and it smells musty. It's hardly befitting someone of your status. If you were to sit on it and develop a rash, or if it were to fall and hurt you, that would be my fault. Why don't you look at some other cushions?"
He wished he could hide the prayer mat behind his back immediately.
Jiang Hao chuckled inwardly, but outwardly appeared agreeable: "What the Daoist says makes sense, so about this stone tablet..."
"The stone tablet!" Wu Liang raised his voice slightly, then lowered it again, his face contorted in distress.
"This stone tablet is so heavy, covered in scribbles, it looks ominous. You, sir, have such an air of otherworldly wisdom, carrying such a dark and unsightly thing only detracts from your aura."
Moreover, this cycle of rebirth and its associated ethereal and intangible nature is nowhere near as valuable as a tangible ancient treasure. Don't you agree?
He began to actively promote the few items he had put away.
"How about you take these ancient treasures? Although their quality is average, they are still from the tomb of the Celestial Venerable."
Seeing him sweating profusely with anxiety, Jiang Hao finally couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.
"Alright, alright, I was just saying it casually. I have no use for these things. Daoist, you've gone through a lot of trouble breaking through the formations. Since you like them, please keep them."
Upon hearing this, Wu Liang felt as if he had been granted a pardon. His face instantly lit up with a smile, and all traces of tension and heartache vanished, leaving only pure joy.
As he quickly rolled up the stone tablet and the tattered prayer mat, he showered Jiang Hao with flattery: "Old sir, you really are something!"
He gave a thumbs up, "A man of noble character, who regards money as dirt, a true enlightened master. My admiration for you is like a surging river, never-ending. From now on, you will be my guiding light!"