The eight stone statues in the small temple could be rotated—Jill Young already figured that out just by running her hand over them. Her knack for sensing subtle changes really came in handy here. But when it comes to specialized skills, you’ve got to let the real experts handle it, so she left the actual turning and unlocking to Simone and the human sonar squad. Sure enough, these statues weren’t the usual "spin half a turn, click, and the trapdoor pops open" kind of cheap junk. Nope, the design was sophisticated—and downright magical.
Just like the security dials on a safe, the eight statues spun with a rumbling sound. When they all clicked into place, something epic happened—think Indiana Jones but with even fancier set design. The circular floor suddenly hissed and shot out a thin jet of gas, and then—just like in those adventure flicks—chunks of the floor started spinning and sinking down, forming a spiral staircase that led underground.
"Whoa..." Everyone was stunned, including Howard Hopeless and Grace Kwok. The tech level here was just too wild, too over-the-top—they could hardly believe their eyes.
Honestly, the mechanism skills in this world are insane—sometimes even better than what we have today. Like when Master Wuse gave Grace Kwok a pair of tiny Iron Arhats: wind them up, and they could actually perform a whole Shaolin boxing routine. Sure, Shaolin moves are streamlined, but that’s still dozens of actions. The tech packed into those little Iron Arhats? Seriously impressive.
Maggie Monroe had a few people stay up top, then led the rest down. The spiral stairs opened into a stone chamber—pretty spacious, about ten meters across. Jill Young was holding up a torch, checking things out. The cave ceiling was covered in stone teeth (stalactites), each one hanging down like spears and swords, giving everyone a bit of psychological pressure.
On the opposite wall, three huge characters were carved—Burial Martial Cavern. More than a century had passed, but those deep grooves hadn’t faded a bit. Maggie Monroe glanced at them and imagined someone once standing in the center of this chamber, raising a hand and, like a laser printer, etching those inch-deep marks into the wall in a single sweep.
She herself could charge ahead without a care, but when other people’s lives were at stake, Jill was always cautious. The mechanism down below was a wild card—if something went wrong, she could handle it. Even if it turned out to be a deadly trap, like walls closing in after stepping on a brick, she could just smash her way out. When it comes to survival, she’s hands-down the toughest around.
"Such internal strength is truly amazing," Maggie Monroe nodded, then shook her head. "But the sword style itself isn’t anything special—doesn’t match up at all."
"You’re pretty proactive, huh? But no need—I live for adventure."
You know what they say: if you’ve got a killer weapon, you’re bound to get cocky. In other words, get rich and you’ll start showing off. Dennis Duan had unbeatable internal power, like carrying a mountain of cash—you’d want to figure out how to use it, right? Of course, his sword skills were always pretty average. So even though those three Burial Martial Cavern characters look badass, the real experts couldn’t help but roast him. Maggie Monroe was confident—if she ever faced Dennis Duan, she’d snap his legs in no time.
"Smooth sailing!" Jill Young grabbed Duke Simon Duan and headed down the spiral stairs.
"The legend... the legend is real—it’s real, ahhh!!" Duke Simon Duan howled, then leapt to his feet. Before the doors were even fully open, he hurdled inside, hollering like a madman: "Chainsaw Girl, Master Wuxiang, just you wait! I’m coming for you all! I’ll flatten every enemy and get revenge—mark my words!"
The spiral staircase went down about six zhang. Jill Young descended without any lights, using her footsteps to send out sonic pulses and map her surroundings. Every time her foot touched down, her skin instantly picked up information. If there was any sign of looseness or collapse, she’d notice right away. Luckily, the whole way down was problem-free.
A moment later, Jill Young’s voice echoed up from below: "Come on down, it’s all clear!"
Maggie Monroe stared at the groove for a while, couldn’t figure it out, so she took off her ring and placed it inside. The Seven Treasures Ring was the founder Master Freewind’s accessory—its structure was different from an ordinary ring, but not all that complicated. Logically, this so-called mechanism shouldn’t be able to recognize just this one ring.
On the opposite wall, three huge characters were carved—Burial Martial Cavern. More than a century had passed, but those deep grooves hadn’t faded a bit. Maggie Monroe glanced at them and imagined someone once standing in the center of this chamber, raising a hand and, like a laser printer, etching those inch-deep marks into the wall in a single sweep.
If the legendary Wang Chongyang had ever come here and seen this, the so-called Number One Under Heaven would probably have fainted from embarrassment right there in the restroom.
"Such internal strength is truly amazing," Maggie Monroe nodded, then shook her head. "But the sword style itself isn’t anything special—doesn’t match up at all."
"It’s already pretty good—way better than the guy I know." Jill Young pointed at the three big characters for Burial Martial Cavern. "Check out those strokes and turns. Nothing fancy, but at least it’s smooth. If Dennis Duan had this kind of skill, Murong Fu would’ve been on his knees after three moves in the Shaolin brawl, instead of dragging it out forever."
You know what they say: if you’ve got a killer weapon, you’re bound to get cocky. In other words, get rich and you’ll start showing off. Dennis Duan had unbeatable internal power, like carrying a mountain of cash—you’d want to figure out how to use it, right? Of course, his sword skills were always pretty average. So even though those three Burial Martial Cavern characters look badass, the real experts couldn’t help but roast him. Maggie Monroe was confident—if she ever faced Dennis Duan, she’d snap his legs in no time.
"There’s more writing here." Grace Kwok held up her torch and read from the stone wall: "I, in my life, have been blessed with wonders and strength, but most of my skills come from the Freewind Sect. I owe them much. As promised to my brother Xuzhu, I have hidden all my knowledge in this cavern. Successors of the Freewind Sect may bring the Seven Treasures Ring here; once inside, everything depends on fate.—Dennis Duan"
This chapter isn’t over yet ^.^—click next page to keep reading!
Below the inscription was a circular groove. A quick glance showed it was clearly meant for the Seven Treasures Ring.
"That’s it?" Jill Young pointed at the groove and asked Duke Simon Duan, "It’s just a hole—no dials, no mechanisms. Couldn’t you just make a fake one and be done with it?" The groove really was simple, just shaped to fit the Seven Treasures Ring. Duke Simon Duan had been stuck here for ages and couldn’t even open the door—he should spend three years at our local paperwork office to broaden his horizons.
"This is the spot. I’ve tried everything, but I just can’t open the Burial Martial Cavern." Duke Simon Duan gave a bitter smile, then turned eagerly to Maggie Monroe: "Quick, open it, open it!" At this point, he wasn’t just softened—he was practically melted. For the Burial Martial Cavern, he’d give up all dignity and honor. Now that victory was in sight, you could kick him around and he wouldn’t even mind.
Joan stared at the groove for a while, couldn’t figure it out, so she took off her ring and placed it inside. The Seven Treasures Ring was the founder Master Freewind’s accessory—its structure was different from an ordinary ring, but not all that complicated. Logically, this so-called mechanism shouldn’t be able to recognize just this one ring.
But the moment the ring touched the groove, something magical happened.
A series of heavy, muffled clicks echoed from far and near—at first just a faint sound, then so loud it was deafening. The stalactites on the cave ceiling trembled, as if they might snap off and skewer everyone below at any moment.
Hiss—rings of dust and gas appeared on the stone wall, swirling into dazzling patterns that circled the words "Burial Martial Cavern." With a thunderous boom and the ground shaking, the stone wall split—not in two, but into eight petals, retracting in all directions.
A strong wind howled through the cracks, slowing as the gaps widened but still whipping everyone’s clothes. Beyond the open door, two rows of flames burst to life, one after another, stretching into the unknown depths. The scene was so surreal that everyone was left speechless—Zhang Junbao dropped his zen act, the little ones quit pretending to be chill, and even Howard Hopeless lost his icy cool.
As for Duke Simon Duan, with the cavern slowly opening, he dropped to his knees, eyes full of passion and bittersweet relief. After countless days and nights of searching, he’d begun to doubt whether the Burial Martial Cavern even existed behind that heavy stone wall, or if it was just an ancestor’s prank. Betting everything on this faint legend—well, that kind of heartache is hard to explain to outsiders.
"The legend... the legend is real—it’s real, ahhh!!" Duke Simon Duan howled, then leapt to his feet. Before the doors were even fully open, he hurdled inside, shouting with uncontrollable excitement: "Chainsaw Girl, Master Wuxiang, just wait for me! All of you, wait for me! I’ll wipe out our enemies and get revenge for you—just watch!"