Chapter 18: Successful Entry

Five days passed quietly, and Lin Tianming slowly opened his eyes.

After several days of recovery, his injuries had mostly healed, allowing him to set off again. However, he needed to avoid life-and-death battles for now, as he could only perform at about eighty percent of his peak strength. Extra caution was necessary.

Having been away from the Qingzhu Mountain family estate for over half a year, Lin Tianming had experienced several fierce battles, numerous close calls, and many injuries. His combat skills had become highly refined, and he could now execute his techniques almost instantaneously. His strength had grown significantly, and he had progressed from the fifth level of Qi Refining to the late stage of the sixth level, nearing the seventh level.

Training through battles and life-or-death situations proved to be the best way to cultivate. Only by facing mortal danger could one naturally advance in their cultivation.

In the Ziyun Mountain Range, second-level demonic beasts were plentiful. While he hadn't encountered any on his journey so far, they undoubtedly existed. He needed to stay on guard and avoid deviating from his route to prevent falling into another dangerous situation.

After consulting the map and determining his direction, Lin Tianming resumed his search for the cave ruins. This time, he remained focused, ignoring the low-level spiritual herbs he occasionally came across. His sole objective was to find the cave.

Two days later, guided by the map and cautiously navigating the terrain, Lin Tianming arrived at the base of a towering mountain. The peak rose a thousand feet high, its barren slopes sparsely dotted with trees clinging to crevices in the rock. At the mountain's base, a massive river wound around the mountain, cascading over layered boulders to form a dozen or so waterfalls. The gorge was shrouded in thick mist, and the spiritual energy here was noticeably denser than outside, rivaling that of Qingzhu Mountain. It was a veritable earthly paradise.

Lin Tianming took out the map and carefully compared his surroundings, confirming that this was indeed the location marked on the map.

Stowing the map, he felt a surge of excitement. After ten days of exploration, multiple brushes with danger, and numerous chases by demonic beasts, he had finally found the marked location.

However, despite the mountain's serene and ethereal appearance, there was no obvious sign of anything unusual. The mountain might be cloaked in illusions or other protective measures to obscure its true nature.

Deploying his full spiritual sense, Lin Tianming meticulously scanned the area around the mountain.

Half an hour passed in silence as he scanned the mountain twice but found nothing out of the ordinary. Expanding his search radius to ten miles around the mountain, he continued his probe.

"What's this?"

He finally detected faint energy fluctuations behind a waterfall, hinting at a hidden barrier. Though the fluctuations were minimal, he sensed them.

The barrier likely concealed the cave. Its power had weakened significantly over time, and Lin Tianming believed a full-force strike might break through. If successful, he would explore the cave; if not, he would have to retreat.

Determined, Lin Tianming summoned his Qingfeng Sword, leapt onto it, and flew toward the waterfall's barrier.

As he approached the waterfall, a dozen white-scaled fish, each the size of a small boat and bristling with sharp teeth, leaped from the water, attacking him.

"Snow Spirit Fish."

Snow Spirit Fish were late-stage first-level water-attribute demonic beasts, usually found in groups. They thrived in icy rivers and gorges, with larger schools numbering in the thousands. When they swarmed, even third-level demonic beasts could be devoured in moments. They were extremely vicious.

Of the dozen Snow Spirit Fish attacking him, three were late-stage first-level beasts, while the rest were mid-stage and early-stage. Their combined attack was formidable.

Given his still-healing injuries, Lin Tianming couldn't afford a direct confrontation. He activated a top-grade defensive talisman, forming a large shield in front of him.

The fish collided with the shield, shattering it after a brief moment, but they were momentarily repelled, falling back into the pool.

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Tianming quickly cast his Fire Origin Slash, transforming into a blue-red streak that charged toward the barrier behind the waterfall.

With a thunderous roar, the fiery sword struck the barrier. Within moments, a half-foot gap appeared.

Now was the time. Lin Tianming dashed through the opening.

A moment later, after a brief bout of dizziness, Lin Tianming found himself in a large cave, a hundred feet in diameter. The cave, carved from the mountain, appeared to be a temporary dwelling of a high-level cultivator, given its vast size.

He carefully surveyed the cave, which consisted of five chambers, ranging from thirty feet to ten feet in size.

Walking cautiously with Qingfeng Sword in hand and a defensive and offensive talisman ready, Lin Tianming explored the cave, prepared for any sudden danger.

The first chamber he entered was a reception room, about ten feet in size. It was in disarray, with many stone tables and chairs broken into pieces, likely worn down by time. There was nothing of value here.

He moved on to the chamber on the right, which was protected by a golden barrier. Despite its age, the barrier still held considerable power.

Lin Tianming launched his Fire Origin Slash at the barrier. The impact caused ripples, but the barrier remained intact, quickly returning to a calm state.

Despite multiple attempts, he couldn't breach the barrier. It became clear that he couldn't break through it alone.

After several unsuccessful tries, Lin Tianming decided to study the barrier closely, hoping to find a weak point.

Half a day passed unnoticed as he pondered the barrier. Though he hadn't found a clear weak point, he had some insights.

Judging by the barrier's residual energy and effects, it had been in place for at least ten thousand years, possibly longer. The barrier's level was at least third-tier, as it had withstood the test of time.

The barrier's power had waned over the years, now a fraction of its original strength. In a few hundred or thousand years, it would naturally dissipate as its core energy source was exhausted.

But Lin Tianming couldn't wait that long. The opportunity was right before him, and he couldn't resist trying to seize it.