# Chapter 39 â The Underground Entrance
# Eastern Mountains â Sealed Tunnel Entrance
Cold wind swept across the ruined mountains.
Massive cracks covered the eastern landscape while corrupted crystal formations spread through the earth like veins beneath dead flesh.
The area surrounding the underground entrance had already been sealed completely by Sun City forces.
Formation barriers glowed across nearby cliffs.
Guards stood watch everywhere.
And the atmosphere remained extremely tense.
---
Because everyone standing there understood one thing clearly:
Something terrifying still slept beneath the mountains.
---
Xu Yuan arrived together with Xia Yu and Lin Hao shortly after sunrise.
Behind them followed:
* elite cultivators,
* formation masters,
* healing teams,
* and several elders from the major families.
At the frontâ
Zhao Tianhe quietly observed the massive underground tunnel before them.
---
The entrance itself looked unnatural.
The stone walls were blackened completely as if burned by ancient spiritual flames long ago.
Strange symbols covered parts of the tunnel surface while crimson mist drifted slowly from deep underground.
And every few momentsâ
the earth pulsed faintly beneath everyoneâs feet.
BOOM.
Like a giant heartbeat far below.
---
Lin Hao stared toward the tunnel silently.
Then sighed deeply.
âI suddenly miss the giant sky eye.â
Xu Yuan glanced sideways.
âThat sentence should not exist.â
---
Nearby cultivators nervously adjusted weapons and talismans.
Even experienced elders looked cautious now.
Nobody underestimated ancient ruins after the recent disaster.
---
Then Zhao Tianhe finally spoke.
âThe underground region splits into three primary paths.â
âFormation teams remain near the entrance.â
âEveryone else proceeds carefully.â
He paused briefly before continuing:
âIf corruption enters your mindâretreat immediately.â
The warning carried absolute seriousness.
---
Several cultivators nodded grimly.
Because everyone already saw what corruption could do.
---
Xu Yuan quietly activated Soul Sense for a moment.
The ability spread into the tunnel smoothlyâ
then abruptly stopped.
---
Something deeper underground blocked perception entirely.
Like an invisible wall.
---
The system screen flickered softly.
> Warning:
>
> Unknown suppression field detected
---
Xu Yuanâs expression remained calm.
But inwardlyâ
his caution increased slightly.
---
Soon afterwardâ
the expedition finally entered the underground ruins.
---
Darkness swallowed them immediately.
Only spirit lamps and formation torches illuminated the massive stone tunnels stretching beneath the mountains.
Ancient carvings covered many walls:
* broken stars,
* giant gates,
* kneeling figures,
* and countless eyes watching from the sky.
Most carvings were damaged beyond recognition.
Stillâ
the atmosphere felt ancient beyond imagination.
---
Drip.
Water echoed somewhere deep underground.
The sound strangely amplified the silence.
---
Several younger cultivators instinctively moved closer together while walking.
Even hardened guards remained tense.
---
Then suddenlyâ
one formation master stopped walking.
âThereâs spiritual interference here.â
He touched a nearby wall carefully.
âThese ruins absorb divine sense.â
Xu Yuan immediately remembered his Soul Sense being blocked earlier.
So it wasnât only him.
---
Lin Hao quietly whispered:
âWonderful.â
âEven the tunnel wants us dead.â
---
The deeper they traveledâ
the colder the air became.
Not ordinary cold.
Soul-deep cold.
---
After nearly an hourâ
the group finally reached a massive underground chamber.
And everyone stopped immediately.
---
Because hundreds of corpses covered the chamber floor.
Ancient corpses.
---
Their robes had already decayed completely.
Weapons rusted into black dust.
And strange crystal growths covered many skeletons partially.
Some bodies still remained kneeling even after death.
Facing the same direction.
---
Toward an enormous stone gate at the end of the chamber.
---
The gate itself stood over thirty meters tall.
Covered in ancient black symbols.
And at its centerâ
a massive crack spread vertically through the middle.
Like something once forced its way out from inside.
---
Several cultivators unconsciously stepped backward.
The pressure coming from the gate felt horrifying.
---
Then suddenlyâ
Xu Yuan noticed something strange.
Among the deadâ
one skeleton still held a sword tightly.
And despite countless years passingâ
that sword remained perfectly intact.
---
The moment Xu Yuan looked toward itâ
the system screen flickered violently.
> Detected:
>
> Ancient soul weapon
---
At the same momentâ
the underground chamber trembled slightly.
BOOM.
---
Then again.
BOOM.
---
Everyone instantly became alert.
Because the sound was getting closer now.
Something was moving beneath the ruins.