The flashlight shone into the middle of the rift valley, which was five or six hundred meters wide at the bottom, with the rubble at the bottom resembling small hills.

In the middle of the rift valley, a giant rock mountain has been carved into a series of platforms, like a small pyramid. A long stone staircase is built along one side of the rock, with a small lamp on each side of each step.

What caught everyone's attention was the object placed on the stone platform: a huge white stone coffin, about the size of a car. Nine stone-carved hundred-legged dragons coiled around the bottom of the coffin, forming the shape of a lotus flower. Around it stood four black stone figures, facing the four directions, kneeling in worship.

In front of the coffin was a large cauldron containing sacrificial offerings, and behind it was a screen wall, the carvings of which were not clearly visible.

Wu Xie gasped.

"Is this the Nine Dragons Carrying the Corpse Coffin of the King of Ten Thousand Slaves?"

The fat man said:

“Absolutely! I never thought that rock crevice would actually lead to the core of the Heavenly Palace in the Clouds. Hehe, I’ve been to so many places and gone down into so many tombs, but this is the first time I’ve reached the core directly. Apart from the blizzard I encountered on the way up the mountain, I didn’t encounter any danger.”

Looking at Cao Ya, I realized that Cao Ya had guided me down this path. Where did he get so much information from?

But asking Cao Ya would be pointless; he definitely wouldn't tell. The fat man shook his head.

"Let's go over and take a closer look," Panzi said, also somewhat excited.

Cao Ya stopped him, saying:

"Don't worry, that thing is protected by something."

The fat man said casually:

"It's a stone sculpture, what's there to be afraid of?"

Cao Ya smiled enigmatically.

"Stone carving? What the hell is wrong with your eyes? Take a good look at the thing next to that stone platform."

Beside the stone platform?

The group could tell from Cao Ya's expression that he wasn't joking, but they looked left and right at the stone platform and still couldn't figure out what it was.

The silent man, who had been quiet the whole way, suddenly spoke:

"Volcanic centipede".

"What the heck?" The fat man didn't understand.

The silent man said expressionlessly:

"Volcano centipedes are carnivorous insects, extremely fierce and swift. Our size makes us their favorite prey."

The Silent One shone his flashlight and pointed at it. At first, Wu Xie, Fatty, Pan Zi, and Shunzi didn't find anything. Just as they were extremely puzzled, they suddenly noticed that the stone platform had moved. Instantly, their scalps tingled and their hearts raced.

It turned out that a huge volcanic centipede was coiled on the stone platform, a full five or six meters long. Because it was so big, and because the color of its carapace was almost the same as the color of the volcano, at a glance, you would not notice that there was such a thing lying on it.

After discovering the first one, the second, third, and fourth were immediately counted out, making a total of nine giant centipedes. They were all coiled around the stone platform, like a relief on the stone, almost blending into one.

The Nine Dragons Carrying the Corpse—it truly lived up to its name!

The group was utterly dumbfounded. What did this thing eat to grow to five or six meters long? Normally, it only has a lifespan of two or three years. No matter how fast it grows, it's impossible for it to reach five or six meters in two or three years.

Could it be that these volcanic centipedes have lived for hundreds or thousands of years?

Seeing the nine enormous centipedes coiled motionless on the coffin platform at the bottom of the rift valley, everyone still felt immense pressure, their faces turning pale as they involuntarily retreated.

"Damn it, we don't even have a gun, we're doomed." Panzi swallowed hard.

Silent Zhang said in a calm tone:

“You don’t need to be so nervous. It’s winter now. Although there are hot springs, the temperature here isn’t high enough. The centipedes are still hibernating, so these insects won’t wake up so easily.”

Holy crap, Zhang Qiling really came here before, and he knows so much about all this stuff... So we were the only idiots who came here without knowing anything...

Wu Xie, Fatty, and Pan Zi exchanged glances, all looking somewhat annoyed.

“Volcano centipede, and the King of Ten Thousand Slaves.”

"Oh."

Cao Ya smiled and gestured for the others to follow him; he was going to go and take down those volcanic centipedes.

What the hell? Did I hear that right? Cao Ya is going to kill those giant centipedes? Is he kidding me? Isn't that just asking for death? Even if Cao Ya is very powerful, those insects are as big as a two-story house, and there are nine of them!

A bunch of thoughts raced through their minds, but before they could say anything to stop him, Cao Ya had already walked over.

With a sway of his body, Cao Ya took dozens of meters, flashed twice, and then climbed onto the coffin platform.

The jaws of the people behind him nearly dropped to the ground, their faces filled with disbelief.

Is this some kind of cultivation technique?!

Cao Ya climbed onto the coffin platform, without making a palm print or fist print. He simply raised his hand and slapped it, and golden light swirled around him. With one slap, he turned a hibernating volcanic centipede into a pulp.

This thing isn't exactly weak; it does have some strength, but it's completely outmatched in front of him.

Let alone when they are in a state of hibernation and defenseless, even when they are at their peak awakening, Cao Ya can still slap one of them to death.

Seemingly sensing the death of their companion, the other eight volcanic centipedes twitched their eyelids and trembled, as if they were about to awaken.

Cao Ya swiftly unleashed eight punches, eight golden fist imprints flashing, followed by eight loud bangs. The eight centipedes followed in Cao Ya's footsteps and were all smashed into mincemeat.

The people chasing after them were stunned.

Cao Ya ignored them, and didn't even look at the coffin of the King of Wannu. The coffin lid moved very slowly, as if it had also been awakened.

Cao Ya looked up and saw countless dark shadows in the darkness at the top of the rift valley; they were strange birds.

boom!

Cao Ya threw a punch, and golden light illuminated the dark rift valley. The others also noticed the strange birds and were all startled.

Then, a golden fist charged wildly, unleashing a burst of divine light, like a mythical immortal striking down countless strange birds with a single blow.

Wu Xie was stunned. At this moment, countless emotions surged within him, and in the end, all his words boiled down to one sentence: "Holy crap!"

Everyone looked at Cao Ya, rubbed their eyes, and wondered if they were seeing things.

He's a martial arts master, which is one thing, but damn, he's also a cultivator of immortality?!

The man with the clenched fist trembled, his fist clenching and then relaxing. He finally understood how Wu Xie and the others had felt before.

A group of people ran to the coffin platform, their faces filled with horror. Just as they were about to ask a question, Cao Ya suddenly placed his hand on the coffin of the King of Ten Thousand Slaves.

Only then did they realize that the massive coffin of the King of Ten Thousand Slaves had somehow opened a crack, and three bluish-purple, arm-like things were extending out of the coffin, their unusually long fingernails slicing through the air as if trying to grab something.

Yes, you read that right, there are three!

Wu Xie, Fatty, Pan Zi, and Shun Zi looked at each other in bewilderment.

After a silence of more than ten seconds, Wu Xie spoke in a slightly strange tone:

Are we all hallucinating?