At this moment, in Zhou Mo and Master Pang Qi's eyes, Qin Chuan's figure rapidly became grand and mysterious.
It seemed as though he was glowing with a radiant light, carrying an indescribable aura of majesty, deep and unfathomable!
Qin Zi suddenly sneezed.
The awkward feeling that was about to surface in his mind vanished instantly, replaced by pure admiration.
"Let's go," Qin Chuan said calmly, then led the group into the gray vortex.
Whoosh!
In the next moment, they appeared in a dim and expansive space.
The surroundings were shrouded in gray mist. The ground was paved with smooth, mirror-like gray tiles, while overhead, a dazzling starry sky spread out in vibrant colors. The reflections on the smooth tiles cast a dreamlike glow.
Looking ahead...
On either side of a straight path stood massive black shadows, all of them in various forms. Some had the heads of oxen and the bodies of humans, others had the heads of serpents and human torsos, and some were simply in the form of wild beasts.
Through the starry light, it became clear that these were cold, unmoving stone statues.
Yet, the faint aura emanating from these statues was bone-chilling, suffocating even.
Further ahead, at the end of this straight path, stood a nine-tiered staircase.
Each step of the staircase was adorned with various treasures, glowing brilliantly, as if they were burning with fiery light.
At the top of the staircase was a square platform, upon which rested a massive, crystal-clear coffin.
Upon closer inspection, the coffin was empty!
"So many treasures!"
"We're rich!!"
Zhou Mo and Master Pang Qi's eyes lit up with excitement, and they rushed toward the treasures in a frenzy.
For tomb raiders, treasures inside tombs were far more thrilling than any mountain of gold or silver found outside.
Usually, in situations like this, one might expect some sort of trap, mechanism, or guardian to emerge.
But...
There was none!
The two rushed forward without hindrance, packing treasures into sacks. Which begs the question—why were they using sacks when they could store items in their inner worlds as Emperor-realm cultivators?
The reason? It was for the ritual of it!
People who have never filled sacks with money can never understand the satisfaction of doing so.
However, to their credit, the two knew their limits. After filling their sacks with treasures from just the first tier of the staircase, they stopped.
"Uncle Qin, come on over!" Zhou Mo called back.
"Master Qin, we've already tested them for you. The treasures are safe, you can take them without worry!" Master Pang Qi added with a sycophantic smile.
Watching from a distance, Qin Chuan felt more at ease and was about to raise his right hand to use his "All-out Looting Claw."
Ding! Host is reminded: These treasures are cursed by a powerful figure. Taking the treasures will enslave the person who takes them. The duration of enslavement depends on how many treasures are taken. Once the treasures are taken, there's no turning back. Please proceed with caution.
The system's voice suddenly rang out.
Qin Chuan's body froze!
His raised hand suddenly had no place to go, so to make the motion seem natural, he casually wiped his forehead.
Then, he furrowed his brow, and his expression became gravely serious.
"Father, what's wrong?" Qin Zi asked worriedly.
"These treasures have a problem!" Qin Chuan stared intensely at the staircase, his voice deep. "I sensed something off earlier, and now I've figured it out. These treasures are likely cursed with a powerful enslavement spell."
"What?!"
"How could that be?!"
Zhou Mo and Master Pang Qi were stunned. The treasure they were holding fell to the ground with a clatter.
"What... what do we do now? I don't want to be anyone's slave! I still have tombs to raid! I still have dreams!" Master Pang Qi stumbled back and collapsed, wailing as he looked up at the sky.
Zhou Mo's face also turned pale as he anxiously asked, "Uncle Qin, is there any way to save us?"
Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly.
"The one who left the curse was very powerful. If I were at my peak, I might stand a chance. But in my current state... I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."
Zhou Mo's heart sank to rock bottom at those words, and he too collapsed to the ground like Master Pang Qi.
Qin Chuan remained calm, saying, "You shouldn't worry too much. The time of enslavement is proportional to how many treasures you've taken. You haven't taken that much, so the duration of enslavement shouldn't be too long. Besides... the one who cursed you might very well be someone close."
Qin Chuan glanced to the side.
The two men followed his gaze.
They saw that Ye Lingshuang was staring blankly at the crystal coffin. She seemed lost, walking toward it as though she were in a trance.
"Father, what's happening?!" Qin Zi gasped in shock.
Qin Chuan spoke calmly, "Haven't you figured it out yet? The one summoning your master is the crystal coffin. It belongs to her."
"This... this..."
Qin Zi's body shuddered violently. Watching his master's figure walk forward, his heart began racing.
He tried hard to furrow his brow, trying to show concern, but the corners of his mouth... just wouldn't stop lifting.
He couldn't control it!
Because he could see it now—his master was about to ascend to the throne!
Who could hold back a smile at such good news?
It's like when your parents suddenly tell you they're secretly billionaires, and that they've been pretending to be poor just to build your character.
At times like that, you're supposed to act angry and claim you care more about family than money. But… you just can't stop yourself!
Even if you storm out the door, the moment you step outside, you'll break into a grin and laugh like a fool in the quiet hallway...
At this moment, Qin Zi was struggling hard.
He didn't want his father to notice how happy he was, because that would make him seem vain, or worse—like someone who betrays his teacher for personal gain.
So, he desperately held back his laughter, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of his throat. He bent forward slightly, trying to compress his chest and focus his energy on staying calm.
Pat.
A hand landed on his shoulder. Qin Zi jerked his head up and saw his father looking at him calmly.
"If you want to laugh, just laugh," Qin Chuan sighed. "In situations like this, who could resist? You've been burdened with expectations beyond your years."
Qin Zi took a deep breath.
Then, unable to hold it in anymore, he burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Hahaha, hahaha! Master, you can do it! Regain your former glory! I'm waiting for you! Hahaha, hahaha..."
His laughter echoed through the hall!
As if hearing this joyous noise, Ye Lingshuang, who had been walking toward the crystal coffin as if in a trance, suddenly showed a faint struggle on her expressionless face. Her mouth twitched slightly.
It took all her strength to stiffly turn her head, her teeth clenched as she spat, "You... ungrateful disciple! Just wait!"
"Uh..."
Qin Zi's laughter abruptly stopped. His neck shrank back like a startled rabbit, frozen in place.
At this moment, Ye Lingshuang glanced at Qin Chuan with tender affection in her eyes. In a soft voice, she said, "Brother Qin, thank you for everything you've done for me. Next time we meet, I should be able to help you... Wait for my return."
With that, she turned around.
Her consciousness vanished, and she once again walked forward in a daze, like someone sleepwalking, heading toward the crystal coffin.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Her footsteps grew heavier and louder, and with each step, the ground rippled with a circle of light.
Golden light surged from her body, growing brighter and brighter, until she shone like a sun, illuminating the endless darkness!
Finally, she transformed into a beam of golden light, circled once in the air, and then entered the crystal coffin.
Boom!
The crystal coffin shook, and a powerful shockwave spread out in all directions, sweeping through the area like a tidal wave.
"Ah!"
"Beastmen will never be slaves!"
The shockwave washed over Zhou Mo and Master Pang Qi, who let out wild screams before being turned into stone statues.
As for Qin Chuan and Qin Zi, they were swallowed by a shockwave filled with countless treasures and instantly vanished from the scene!