1 Heavenly treasure

"Everyone be on alert! Don't fall for any potential traps in this tomb," Yang Ding shot out to his group. Behind him, a queue of cultivators followed in all shapes and sizes. Some dressed in blue while some dressed in red. He has brought every available powerhouse in his clan for this mission, leaving a few behind to defend his clan in their absence.

They nodded and prepared their stance for any potential dangers. Some gripped the hilt of their sword while others laid out scrolls to use defensive arts. Every one of them was an experienced martial artist of the Geijing clan who knew their craft.

Guiying clan was only second to the five great clans in the land. A great monstrosity. But, no matter how much they cultivated and how hard they worked. A lack in understanding of the ways of the universe couldn't be substituted with persistence alone. The five great clans all had secret arts which were much more proficient, powerful and better than theirs.

But, today that fate of theirs might change. Yang Ding had got wind of a heavenly treasure. And ever since then Yang Ding had worked day and night to find any leads whatsoever that could get him to the treasure.

"Today we will find the treasure at all costs," Yang Ding said to himself.

And here they were in these ruins that claimed to be a tomb. Whose resting place it was they have yet to figure that out.

The potential dangers that might be lurking here and also the possible intervention of the Five Clans made Yang Ding desperate.

He decided to put everything that he had on the line for this. He had done everything in extreme secrecy so that the five great clans don't catch any wind of this.

How he had made over a score of cultivators to creep out of his clan without getting in the notice of the Great Clans? Only he knew how difficult it was. But here he was, he has succeeded in the first step and now it was only time to find out what luck had in store for him.

They walked through a dark passage with greyish walls riddled with cobwebs. No source of light aiding them they could only rely on their yang energy to help them illuminate the passage.

As they strode forward it went narrower and narrower. A few cracks here and there. In some places, the ceiling seemed to be falling apart indicated by the light showering of debris. From time to time, a squeaking noise entered their ears from where the tomb pests were having their discussions.

The ball of yang energy that was moving in front of them, illuminating what came ahead suddenly stopped due to an unknown blockage in its path. Yang Ding who was walking ahead noticed it and raised his hand showing his palm to everyone behind him telling them to stop.

"Everyone wait!" Yang Ding cried.

Everyone halted. There was no more movement. They waited for their patriarch to give the next instructions.

They had followed their patriarch to where he told but most of them were clueless on the purpose of this expedition. In fact, only Yang Quan, Yang Ding's trusted brother knew about the purpose behind this expedition and had aided his brother for the same.

Yang Ding who was ahead of everyone swept his eyes over the murals in front of him. It was there at the end of the tunnel.

It bore the message:

"Greeting fellow brother in craft,

If you have come this far your desire must to be obtain my power.

But, stride ahead only when you feel that you are worthy of it!"

As if by some kind of miracle as soon as Yang Ding read the last line, the earth started shifting. Everyone got on their guards, so did Yang Ding and Yang Quan.

The tunnel which was narrow enough to hold only one person at a time-shifted as the walls moved farther apart making way for the martial artists.

The dust and debris swayed in the air as they did. With a sweeping sound, they moved, and with a crushing sound, they stopped. As the dust cleared a majestic gate presented itself onto them. Whoever stared at it for too long mystified by its presence. Sculptures of snake endowing it from top to bottom with majestic colors decorating its structure. It was a gate that was more than enough majestic a treasure, worthy to be claimed as a piece of art by any great clan.

However, unlike others, Yang Ding had a serious expression. He knew he hasn't come so far to be mystified by a piece of art.

"Yang Quan," he whispered to the man in front of him, "I don't trust them enough to take them with me any further. Who knows there might be spies sent by the great clans amongst them? Ahead of this we will go alone and keep them at bay for backup in case"

"That would be a wise decision. I will tell the group leaders to camp here and wait for any further instructions"

"That would be for the best"

It wasn't long after Yang Quan returned after relaying the message to join Yang Ding.

"Let's go"

Pushing the gate open they didn't forget to close it behind them enough that it would block the view of their companions. If there was a traitor amongst them he would only show up after they had gotten hands-on any treasure in the first place.

Yang Ding was quite positive about the treasure's existence.

They entered a room that was pitch black and had dense Yin energy trapped inside. Even the sphere of yang energy wasn't able to create enough illumination for them to figure out what held in store for them in this room.

Yang Quan channeled more yang energy into the sphere to make it shine brighter. While it didn't illuminate the whole room it created enough brightness for them to figure out where they were actually walking.

A red carpet laid under their feet. They hadn't noticed it until then. A narrow but long carpet that laid on the floor as if to instruct them to walk along its length.

And indeed they did so.

Yang Ding strode while Yang Quan followed behind him.

Walking for a few seconds while trying to justify the source of yin energy around him Yang Ding finally reached what seemed to be the end of the carpet.

Another mural.

As soon as his eyes fell on it by some miracle all the ying energy in the air vanished and several torches lit on fire revealed that lit up the whole room.

Those torches seemed to have their own source of yang energy that allowed them to continue to burn for ages. It was as if the ying energy in the air however had suppressed their brilliance. With this, it can be predicted how dense the ying energy must have been.