Chapter 9: Thunder Emperor Sangmu, Treasure

Xiao Yulan saw that Xiao Chen seemed about to open the brocade box, and hurriedly exclaimed, "Do not touch it recklessly, this box is peculiar..."

Behind the stone gate lies a long corridor, with a luminous pearl embedded every few meters above the corridor. Under the illumination of the luminous pearls, the light within the corridor is not overly dark.

The man in the blue attire did not even glance at the Zhang family warrior, swiftly extending his right hand towards the brocade box. A series of hard rocks spread from his shoulder to the palm of his hand, and before long, his entire arm was enveloped in stone.

Swish

In the stone chamber

After much contemplation, Xiao Yulan finally recalled the name of this bird—Thunder Roc. This Thunder Roc is the martial soul of Sang Mu, a martial emperor-level powerhouse known as the Thunder Emperor a thousand years ago. According to legend, Sang Mu was born into an ordinary family, with parents who had no cultivation. However, he possessed the martial soul Thunder Roc from birth and reached the peak of the Martial Venerable realm before the age of twenty.

Hearing Xiao Yulan recount the history of the master of this cave, Xiao Chen's emotions were stirred as well. "I wonder if he ultimately succeeded in breaking through to become a Martial God; the answer might just be in this box and the books."

The man in blue looked at the brocade box on the stone table and the patterns on the stone chamber, and he deduced the identity of the owner of this cave. He smiled and said, "So this is the cave of the Thunder Emperor Sangmu. Sangmu had already attained the cultivation of a Martial Emperor before he went into seclusion. It seems this trip will not be in vain."

The mood of the man in the blue attire appeared to be exceptionally good, as he laughed heartily and said: "A mere Xiao family from Mohe City is truly not regarded in our Leng family's eyes. If I can casually obtain a piece of earth-level technique or a soul weapon here, I will surprise you all at that time"

Xiao Chen looked around and saw that the corridor inside was shrouded in darkness without the illumination of night pearls, making it impossible to see the situation inside. Xiao Chen inquired, "Cousin Yu Lan, which way should we go?"

Elder Zhang's expression darkened as he angrily said, "Are you not even listening to my words? Have you forgotten the family rules?"

The Zhang family warrior who was pointed at immediately turned extremely pale with fear, stammering, "Great Elder, I, I ... ..."

Xiao Yulan's gaze was entirely fixed on the stone table, where there lay a closed red brocade box. The box was adorned with a peculiar bird-shaped pattern, which Xiao Yulan found somewhat familiar, yet she could not recall its origin at that moment

... ...

Elder Zhang smiled and said, "The Xiao family will naturally not be a match for the Leng family. So, how should this brocade box be opened, senior?"

Upon hearing the Zhang family's rules, the Zhang family warrior's expression grew even more unsightly. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, closed his eyes, and reached out his hand towards the brocade box.

Upon hearing about the cave of the predecessors, Xiao Chen immediately became interested. Indeed, the man in blue would not come to the Seven Peaks Mountain Range for no reason. Following him was certainly the right decision, and since it is the cave of the predecessors, there must be treasures inside.

Lei Peng

Elder Zhang, how about having the group of warriors behind you open this brocade box? With me watching from behind, I can ensure their safety

Elder Zhang's expression changed for a moment, but he quickly returned to his usual demeanor. "Since the senior has spoken, then naturally there is no problem. You! Come out and open this box."

Xiao Yulan extinguished the torch and began to examine her surroundings carefully. The stone chamber, similar to a *picture* book, was not large in size. In the center, there was a stone table and a stone bench, while the smooth walls surrounded them. Above the stone chamber, numerous luminous pearls formed a peculiar bird-shaped pattern.

With a gentle lift, the man in blue opened the brocade box without a scratch, revealing a black martial arts manual inside.

Elder Zhang also laughed and said: "Since that is the case, then the promise you made to our Zhang family must not be forgotten when the time comes"

Just as Xiao Chen could no longer hold back his desire to say something, the road ahead suddenly came to an end, blocked by a thick stone wall, but two branching paths appeared on either side.

Xiao Chen smiled and said, "Isn't my cousin here? As long as I follow you, everything will be fine"

Upon seeing Xiao Chen's expression, Xiao Yulan knew that he had not taken her words to heart. She coldly laughed and said, "Do not be too naive. Since this place can attract a Martial Sovereign level expert, the senior in this cave must at least possess the cultivation of a Martial King. Any random restriction could easily take your life."

The two individuals walked forward along the quiet corridor of the library, silently. The atmosphere was eerily tranquil. Xiao Chen wanted to find a topic to lighten the mood, but looking at Xiao Yulan's indifferent expression, he was at a loss for words.

In the following years, he rose like a comet, defeating King Wu, slaying Emperor Wu, and killing Emperor Wu. His name was sung throughout the continent, and many predicted that he would become the youngest Martial God in the Tianwu Continent. However, this person gradually faded from people's sight.

Xiao Yulan remained silent with a cold expression, and the two continued walking for a distance. Suddenly, the light brightened, revealing a stone chamber ahead.

Xiao Yulan took out a fire stick from her bosom and led the way ahead, saying, "This place might be the cave dwelling of a predecessor. Do not wander around later, as such places generally have restrictions."

As soon as the Zhang family warrior's hand touched the box, the embroidered thunderbird on the box seemed to come to life, spreading its wings as if to take flight. A bolt of lightning shot out from the box, and before the Zhang family warrior could even activate his vital energy to shield himself, he was turned into a pile of charred remains.

The man in blue pondered for a moment; the Martial Emperor Sangmu wwwhetushucomcom was extraordinarily powerful. There must be a restriction left by him within this brocade box. If opened rashly, even with his Martial Sovereign level cultivation, he would likely fall victim to it. Glancing at the group of Zhang family warriors following behind him, the man in blue smiled mysteriously.

Xiao Yulan felt somewhat helpless, as it seemed that Xiao Chen was determined to follow her. A trace of doubt crept into her mind, as Xiao Chen appeared to be somewhat different from the legends.

What made him famous in one battle was the God-sealing War organized by the top ten forces of the Tianwu Continent. At the age of only twenty, he participated in the battle alone without any sect or faction, defeating several talented youths from various sects one after another. It was at this time that the name of the Thunder Emperor became known to the world

The man in blue impatiently took it out to flip through, but after just a glance, he lost interest. It was merely a high-level yellow-grade martial skill, which could be considered quite valuable in the Great Qin Kingdom, yet it did not catch his eye. He casually tossed it to Elder Zhang, saying, "Elder Zhang, I have no use for this high-level yellow-grade martial skill, so I'll give it to you."

Xiao Yulan glanced around and said, "The footprints on the left are very clear; they should be the direction the man in blue went. We will take the right side."