Chapter 509: Someone Arrives First

The mountain ranges undulated. Jumping off the spirit beast's back, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and immediately felt the spiritual energy surge around him, which was indeed much denser than in other places.

"Nearly double!" he thought to himself.

No wonder Luozhu, Jin Conghai, and others had said there were more spirit beasts in this area. With such abundant spiritual energy, cultivation would be twice as effective, naturally attracting many powerful beasts to claim these mountains as their territory. Both spirit beasts and savage beasts, like humans, prefer places rich in spiritual energy.

With his Eye of Insight shimmering, Zhang Xuan surveyed his surroundings. True to his expectation, he spotted numerous traces left by savage beasts and spirit beasts.

"Huh? Why are there so many footprints?" Suddenly, his gaze halted.

On the ground nearby, not only were there hoof prints of savage beasts, but also numerous human footprints, at least a dozen, densely packed. Judging by the soil's moisture, they appeared to have been made very recently.

"Someone's already passed through. Could they also know about the Witch Soul Tomb?" Jin Conghai, who had also noticed the footprints, frowned.

They were already nearing the territory of the Demonic Star Beasts, within a two-kilometer radius. Logically, one should avoid such a dangerous place as much as possible. Why would anyone eagerly rush into certain death? Unless there was a greater driving interest... meaning it was highly probable that others had also learned about the Witch Soul Tomb. Though this ancient profession was peculiar, it represented the legacy of a civilization. If the tomb's location were exposed, it would undoubtedly draw countless powerful individuals, just like how the auction of the Soulless Golem attracted numerous factions.

"Impossible!" Luozhu shook his head. "The location of the Witch Soul Tomb is highly confidential. Even I, after finding some related information, had to search for a long time to pinpoint its whereabouts. It's impossible for anyone else to know. Besides, when I left, I sealed the tomb completely, leaving no traces behind..."

The Witch Soul legacy had been severed since ancient times. The only reason he knew about it was because he had obtained information from an ancient tomb. An ancestor of that tomb's occupant had participated in the construction of the Witch Soul Tomb and left behind a few cryptic notes. It was based on these that he had spent countless hours finally locating it. He found it hard to believe anyone else would possess such luck.

"Then what about these footprints?" Jin Conghai asked, puzzled.

"I don't know either..." Although he was certain that the exact location of the Witch Soul Tomb wouldn't be exposed, seeing these fresh footprints still caused Luozhu some concern.

"Are these footprints heading in the right direction?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Yes..." Luozhu confirmed after orienting himself.

"Then let's not dwell on it. We'll know once we go and check!" Zhang Xuan waved a dismissive hand. Since someone had already gotten there ahead of them, they might as well go investigate. If they could share information, that would be ideal; if not, they could devise other plans. Besides, they were just footprints. It didn't necessarily mean the Witch Soul Tomb had been found.

"Understood!"

Everyone nodded and walked forward.

"There are more and more footprints..."

As they proceeded, the density of the footprints noticeably increased, indicating that quite a number of people had converged here.

"These footprints are shallow, and the distance between each step is remarkably consistent... This suggests an extremely strong control over their movements. Even if not done intentionally, their steps are precisely measured. Therefore, the people who left these footprints are likely experts at least at the Transcendent Mortal 2-dan or 3-dan realms!" Jin Conghai remarked, looking down at the footprints. As a Poison Master, he had been hunted for thousands of miles and had specifically studied such subtle clues, making his judgment of these traces exceptionally accurate.

"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan nodded. While he hadn't formally studied tracking, his Eye of Insight allowed him to discern the approximate cultivation level of those who left the footprints.

"Young Master, if we encounter danger, immediately summon your beast pet and take everyone away!" Realizing that there were many people, and none of them had low cultivation, Jin Conghai's expression turned grim. As they advanced, he transmitted his voice to Zhang Xuan.

"What about you?" Zhao Feiwu asked, looking over.

"While my strength isn't considered top-tier in the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance, I possess ample self-preservation skills," Jin Conghai stated. "If I were to be distracted by looking after you, then in times of danger, none of us would escape!" As a Poison Master, even if faced with numerous opponents, killing him wouldn't be easy. What Poison Masters feared least was being surrounded.

"Alright!" Zhao Feiwu nodded, seeing his resolve. Although the Master Teacher Pavilion's influence meant that acts like murder for wealth or sneak attacks were uncommon, they were not unheard of. In this wilderness, if one were to be ambushed, they might not even know how they died. Even as the princess of the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance, she would likely find it difficult to investigate such an incident. It was better to err on the side of caution.

"You all be careful too!" Noticing the somber atmosphere, Zhang Xuan also cautioned Zhao Ya and the others, then stepped forward to lead them. Should danger arise, with his Eye of Insight, his ability to preserve himself was stronger. His students, having only recently achieved breakthroughs and not yet reaching the Transcendent Mortal realm, would likely struggle to cope.

"Understood!"

Seeing their teacher stand protectively in front, his back like an unshakeable mountain, Zhao Ya and the others clenched their fists. No matter the time or place, as long as their teacher was present, they felt a profound sense of calm, their restless anxieties quelled.

Proceeding cautiously, they walked for about a thousand meters. After cresting a ridge, a valley immediately appeared before their eyes. The valley stretched deep and long, its end invisible. Various shrubs and vegetation grew exceptionally lush due to the abundant spiritual energy. The previous footprints, however, vanished upon reaching this point, becoming untraceable.

"Master Zhang, the Witch Soul Tomb is inside this valley..." Luozhu stepped forward.

"Understood!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Just as he was about to advise caution, he heard a "whoosh!" as several figures sprang out from the bushes, blocking their path.

"Who are you?" The opposing party lowered their voices, their tone laced with ill will.

He saw six young men, each appearing to be in their thirties. Their auras, though subtly concealed, indicated that none were weaker than Transcendent Mortal 2-dan. The strongest among them, a grey-robed youth, had even reached Transcendent Mortal 3-dan, the Yin-Yang realm. This level of strength was in no way inferior to that of Master Teacher Song Chao, whom they had encountered previously.

"And who are you?" Jin Conghai took a step forward, revealing his cultivation. "What are you secretly doing, lurking here?" he demanded.

"Transcendent Mortal 4-dan?" Sensing his power, the young men's expressions subtly shifted. They exchanged glances, and the grey-robed youth, who had the highest cultivation, spoke, "Senior, our elders are inside attending to something and absolutely abhor being disturbed. We hope you'll kindly take a detour!"

"Take a detour?" Frowning, Jin Conghai's expression darkened. "We also have business in there. Kindly move aside!" he stated.

"Senior, are you intending to make a move?" Seeing his unyielding stance, the expressions on their faces turned grim.

Clang! Clang!

With a series of clear clangs, they simultaneously drew the longswords from their sheaths. Though only at Transcendent Mortal 2-dan and 3-dan, they showed no intention of retreating.

"Make a move? Do you truly believe you can stop me?" Jin Conghai took another step forward, his aura surging powerfully, like a majestic dragon or a fierce tiger, exuding an formidable presence.