......
A day before the remaining people exploring the tomb got trapped inside one of the rooms.
"The information from the elders is somewhat inaccurate. This tomb doesn't just belong to the 'King of Knives' or the 'Blade King' or the 'King of Blades' – whatever his previous title is. There are multiple experts from the previous era who died in here," said Shiella as she discussed what she just discovered after two days of exploring the tomb.
"The professors only think that this tomb is a single tomb due to the specific tests and records that they have retrieved when exploring the outside. But they are unaware of what is inside because of the restrictions placed at the entrance."
"If we just base everything according to the clues that they have gathered from the entrance, then this place is without a doubt the tomb of that ancient expert."
She paused for a moment as she organized her discovery. "But it becomes clear that it is not the case when we entered the deeper parts of this 'tomb'."
"The true nature of this place is different from what they have discovered. This place is connected to multiple tombs of different cultivators of the past through an ancient grand formation."
She paused for another time to look at the engravings and murals drawn on the walls before continuing. "I am not sure who they are or how they have done it, but that is the 'truth' based on these ancient records."
"This 'tomb' is a massive place connecting multiple cultivator's tombs, which means that the place that we come from is not the only entrance out there. This also explains how those people from the underworld organizations come here ahead of us."
"They must have discovered this place earlier than us, which is why they are very familiar with it. This also explains how they have launched an ambush on us right after our arrival."
Hearing those words, Mariel nodded her head in agreement. "They must have heard the news from their spies that infiltrated the academy and other organizations within our continent before making the necessary preparations."
"Their initial goal is to weaken us and lessen our numbers. While the other is abducting some talented people to turn them into potential recruits."
"Unfortunately for them, the people that have been sent here respond quite quickly, which leads to their failure. Thus, they have no choice but to abandon the backup plan and try to finish us as soon as possible."
As they discussed, a young man with a sword hanging beside his waist entered the room where they were hiding.
The two ladies instantly went on alert when they sensed him, but they quickly lowered their guard when they realized who it was.
It was Elijah Knight from the 'Wings of Freedom'.
Seeing their agitated look, Elijah slightly shook his head before saying. "I have already sent the kids or the injured back. I also let the others from the elite clubs escort them out of the tomb to make sure that the traitors or spies will take advantage of the situation and finish them off."
Hearing that, the two nodded their heads before taking a seat.
"With that, the three of us are the only ones left along with those remaining elite students from the other clubs. But since we can't trust them yet, it is better if we continue exploring the place with the three of us," said Shiella after careful thinking.
They could not trust just anyone given their current situation, so it would be better to keep close to the people that they could put their trust on.
Shiella was very familiar with these two and she was sure that they would not betray her or each other.
Moreover, the three of them stood at the peak of their peers, so the was no need to question their abilities.
She then paused for a moment and lowered her head before mumbling. "If it is true that there is a Millenium Tree of Immortality somewhere here, and it has produced such a lake of Immortal Essence, then this news will not only shake the world but will trigger an international war as well."
"Its leaves can be brewed into a tea that will become a powerful elixir that can cleanse all the impurities from one's body. The trunk is a high-quality material to create an artifact as it is even better than most of the ores and metals during that time."
"As for the Immortal Essence that it produces, it is something that can be used to forge the heaven-defying physique such as the 'Perfect Physique' – an untainted physique that can get sick or get impurities."
"It can even evolve one's physique into another level that no one will be able to imagine."
"It is a true treasure for everyone, but it will be best for those body practitioners as they will be able to achieve the dream constitution that they can only get through continuously honing their bodies."
"Legend says that if someone achieves that physique, their body will be able to as though as treasures or as powerful as artifacts."
She paused for a moment as she thought of something before continuing. "But the greatest benefit that it can provide is for someone like me with some problem with our constitution or Internal Qi conflicts."
"It can fix all the deficiencies that an individual had so long as they have consumed the tea brewed from the leaves of this tree while bathing and cultivating on that golden lake."
"Though, it also requires a special cultivation method to achieve such results," she paused for a moment as she realized why those people wanted to stop them from exploring the place.
"No wonder those people from the underworld organizations don't want us to proceed further," she frowned a little as she thought of something before continuing. "But given the desperate measures that they are taking, it is safe to say that they have yet to reach that place-..."
"...-that is if it really exists," she added as she was also having doubts about the existence of the legendary tree.
"Heck! We can even assume that it is some trap that the King of Thieves has set up to lure more victims," commented Mariel as she was also leaning toward this possibility.
But Elijah thought otherwise because he had found something earlier in the other rooms when he was exploring separately when they first time entered this place.
He contemplated a little before taking out a bronze-like leaf from his dimension pouch before presenting it to them. "It may not be enough evidence, but I have gotten this from one of the rooms when exploring."
Seeing the leaf, the two ladies suddenly rushed toward him and snatched it from his hands. They use their respective means to observe the leaf before their eyes suddenly turn wide.
"I may not be an expert on this, but I can tell that this leaf is over a couple of thousands of years old," commented Mariel as she stared intently at the leaf.
Shiella did not say anything, but she agreed with Mariel given that her ocular skill was also picking up an ancient aura coming from the leaf.
"Even if it is just a piece that the King of Thieves has found, it is worth investigating. We also don't know if those people from the underworld organizations have collected the other leaves as they are the first ones to discover this place."
After saying that, she signaled to the two that it was now time to move.
"Whether the Millenium Tree of Immortality really exists or not will only be revealed once we reach the deepest level of this place," she said as she moved out.
Mariel and Elijah stared at her for a moment before exchanging glances with each other. They then shrugged their shoulders and stood up before following behind her.
They could feel that whatever was going to happen in this place would be bloody given the information that they had gathered. It would without a doubt cause a bloodbath once everyone encountered one another.
......