Silver Door

"Huh, what was that"

A contingent of black-robed cultivators and Flayers were guarding a cave. Everyone just heard an explosion just a few miles away and trying to get in contact with Flayers patrolling the forest.

"Any contact?", a cultivator with pale skin and sunken cheeks asked. He looked like a single gust of wind would blow him say but the aura of malice and power around him dissuaded anyone from falling into that false notion. He was Yi Xiaowen, one of the core disciples of Yin Sea Sect and a cultivator at Peak of Golden Core Realm.

"No Senior Yi", another disciple was burning Transmission Tailsmen to get in contact with Flayers buy no one was replying.

"Tch.."

Just then Yi Xiaowen narrowed his eyes and spotted Blue Plumed Luan on the horizon.

"Well Well Well, a pretty bird is coming", he licked his lips, "let's prepare for a fest."

The other cultivator also spotted the Luan, "But senior, that is Mu Liqin. Does that mean other sects know the location of the trial?"

Yi Xiaowen frowned, before grinning, "Looks like we have to ask..the birds."

But all the ones gathered did not sense a shadow stealthy entering the cave behind them.

_________________________________

Sheng Zhen slipped past the Yi Sea sect's army. The cave leading to the Tomb was wide enough to fit a Jumbo Jet but almost entirely of it was filled with Flayers and Yin Sea sect disciples, every one of them alert and ready to battle.

And there was also a Cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core Realm. Even he was not confident to slip past him.

But thankfully no one noticed him hidden under the Shadowless Flight Art, not even Flayers who detected him last time, but that was mainly him being careless.

He entered the cave and kept on moving, slowly and steadily. He ignored the occasional patrolling cultivator but dispersed any Flayer party he came across.

'Phew, I made it.'

After carefully traveling through the cave for what felt like hours, Sheng Zhen's small body materialized at the end of the cave and in front of a large Silver door.

The silver door was extremely peculiar, it had no seams and with its entire surface covered with minute formations, it looked odd just sitting there, at the end of the cave. And instead of two, it just had a single door knocker in the shape of a Turtle Head, and there looked no keyhole or any other way to open it.

The dozen of Flayers guarding the door attacked him the moment they saw him appear, but a careless flick of a finger and the Flayers were no more.

'Let's move quickly, he was pretty sure the cultivators at the cave mouth had detected the Qi surges from his attacks.

He took out a green pill from his spatial ring and held it in his hands. A pleasant aroma of nature wafered off it and filled the entire cave.

It was a Flawless Grade Rank 1 Foundation Strengthening Pill. And it was the key to the Tomb.

Yun Cang, until the end, wanted a successor worthy of his legacy, someone who could push the boundaries of Alchemy beyond what he achieved in his lifetime. And to enter his Tomb, you need to prove that.

And there was no proof more worth than a Flawless Grade pill.

The Turtlehead on the door twitched, its nostrils sniffing the air. Detecting a succulent aroma, its eyes turned to the pill in Sheng Zhen's hand.

"You want it?", the bust nodded its head like a living being, "Then open the door."

It nodded again

"Good," and Sheng Zhen threw the pill into the air.

The neck of the turtle extended like a Xuanwu, a turtle snake and it snapped the pill out of air, swallowing it in one go.

By now, Sheng Zhen sensed the Golden core cultivator rapidly approaching him.

The Xuanwu's bust seemed satisfied at the treat and formations along its surface flickered in a silver glow.

"STOOOOOP...."

Sheng Zhen heard a rage-filled scream behind him and a barrage of Yin Needles coming at him. It was an all-out attack of a cultivator at peak of Golden Core, even Sheng Zhen would have trouble against it if it hit.

So he hurriedly placed his hand on the door and vanished in a flicker of Silver light.

A moment later tens of thousands of Black needles struck the place where Sheng Zhen was standing, absolutely annihilating the floor.

But not a single scratch appeared on the silver door and somehow the cave did not collapse despite withstanding the full might of a Peak Golden Core cultivator.

A moment later Yi Xiaowen appeared near the door, rage etched on his face.

'I failed, he failed Young Master Yi, he failed Unholy Madian', Yi Xiaowen started to hyperventilate

Just then a few Inner Sect Disciples appeared by his side.

"Senior, Mu Liqin escaped. The flayers are after but..."

"Leave them." Yi Xiaowen composed himself in a link of an eye. His pale face went from helpless to determined like flipping a switch.

"Message Young Master Yi, tell him an intruder has entered the Trial and its location has been compromised."

The disciple nodded and burned the talisman. A moment later, another fire lit near his ear and transmitted back the message.

"What does master Yi say?"

"He said, Let them come."