Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 366: Five days

Five days vanished in the blink of an eye since Kyrian consigned himself to slumber within the modest, concealed haven nestled in the intermediate expanse of the Great Volcano.

Beyond its confines, the world persisted, unaltered in its savage, scorching, and unforgiving nature.

The perpetual murmur of molten rock coursing through the volcanic peaks resonated through the territory, akin to the deep breaths of a slumbering colossus, punctuated by the savage cries of fire beasts locked in combat across the volcano’s obsidian flanks.

Occasional earth-shattering tremors served as stark reminders of the mountain's living, formidable essence.

A slow cascade of ash persistently descended from the crimson sky, forming delicate layers upon every exposed surface. The atmosphere remained oppressive and difficult to endure.

Within the cave, however, an profound stillness reigned.

Kyrian remained utterly immobile throughout this entire duration.

His form stayed propped against the rough-hewn rock, eyes shut, his respiration measured and calm. With each successive day, the icy grip surrounding him receded incrementally, while his body gradually mended from the grievous wounds inflicted during the arduous confrontation with the Five-Horned Lava Lizard.

...

During the initial two days following the fierce battle between Kyrian and the formidable reptilian beast, the contingents dispatched by the preeminent powers of Red Smoke City meticulously concluded their thorough exploration of the Great Volcano's Outer Area.

Every peak. Every hidden cavern. Every desolate volcanic vale.

Absolutely nothing was overlooked.

The diligent disciples scoured every hidden nook, every suspected geological formation, and every locale where the flow of Qi exhibited unusual patterns.

Certain venerable Elders employed advanced perception techniques, probing deep beneath the earth in pursuit of concealed chambers or ancient, dormant formations.

Yet, they unearthed not a single trace, not one shred of evidence, pertaining to Ming Hai’s rumored tomb.

No ingenious mechanisms. No intricate formations. No remnants of forgotten structures.

Nothing at all.

A palpable sense of frustration began to ripple through the assembled groups. Whispers emerged, suggesting the fabled inheritance might be naught but a myth, an age-old legend devoid of factual basis. Others adamantly maintained that their search had been directed to the wrong regions.

The stark reality, however, was that such an outcome had been largely anticipated by most. The outer perimeter represented the safest zone within the volcano, and consequently, the most probable location to have been thoroughly scoured by previous generations of explorers over the centuries. Had Ming Hai’s tomb been so readily accessible, a prior discovery would have surely come to light long ago.

Consequently, inevitably, all the deployed groups initiated their advance toward the Intermediate Area.

Despite the significantly heightened peril it presented.

Even with the foreknowledge that formidable beasts residing in the Core Formation Realm were known to infest that treacherous region.

Even contemplating the grim possibility that they might never emerge from its depths.

The sheer magnitude of avarice for Ming Hai’s legendary inheritance was simply too potent, too overwhelming. Centuries of earnest anticipation, of tales recounted and retold across countless generations, of unwavering promises regarding unimaginable power and boundless wealth, all these factors bore down upon the collective consciousness of the assembled cultivators, heavy as an anchor of unyielding ambition.

And thus, the arduous undertaking of exploration commenced anew.

...

An additional three days elapsed with remarkable swiftness.

Half of the Intermediate Area had been systematically surveyed by the standard contingents, guided by the experienced Elders hailing from the four prominent factions. Each respective group was assigned a designated territory, a specific sector of the sprawling mountain range to meticulously investigate. The disciples advanced in tightly knit formations, their lethal weapons perpetually at the ready, their defensive measures maintained at a constant state of readiness.

Confrontations with indigenous fire beasts became a grim reality. Injuries were sustained. Fatalities occurred.

Numerous cultivators, affiliated with various scouting parties, met their demise by plummeting into fiery subterranean fissures, their forms instantly carbonized before any aid could be rendered. Another unfortunate soul was violently pulled into the earth by a subterranean Armored Magma Mole just moments before his companions could even react.

The unforgiving Intermediate Area offered no quarter to the unwary or the careless.

The remaining half of the Intermediate Area, however, was subjected to a personal and direct investigation undertaken by the four paramount leaders of the great powers.

These were cultivators who had attained the formidable Spiritual Awakening Realm.

Beings who stood at a far loftier pedestal than any other individual present at the location.

While the ordinary Elders along with the rank-and-file disciples proceeded with extreme caution, bravely engaging every predatory beast that dared to cross their path, the four formidable leaders simply… proceeded onward. Their mere presence exuded such an overwhelming aura that the vast majority of the local fauna instinctively retreated, fleeing long before they could even approach. Those few creatures that exhibited a lack of sufficient fear and did not flee were swiftly and decisively eliminated with a single, devastating strike.

Their profound spiritual senses possessed the capability to survey and comprehend immense expanses of territory. Locations that would typically necessitate days of painstaking analysis by ordinary cultivators could be thoroughly examined within a mere handful of hours by these exceptionally gifted individuals. With a mere sweep of their spiritual awareness, vast tracts of the volatile landscape were instantly mapped and comprehended.

As a direct consequence of this synergistic approach, collaborating effectively, the four leaders rapidly scoured a substantial portion of the immense, sprawling volcanic mountain. They strategically divided their efforts, each meticulously covering a different quadrant of the terrain, and periodically reconvened to exchange critical intelligence and findings.

And yet, despite all these extraordinary efforts…

Nothing was discovered.

Not a single discernible clue pertaining to the elusive tomb.

Not the faintest sign indicating the presence of Ming Hai.

It was as though the legendary inheritance had never existed in the first place.

...

Following an additional full day yielding absolutely no discernible progress, the four leaders ultimately made the definitive decision to convene all the dispersed groups.

A brilliant, luminous signal was unfurled into the skies above the Intermediate Area.

It manifested as a striking emblem, meticulously crafted from pure fire and potent spiritual Qi, ascending skyward as a radiant pillar of golden light, readily visible from distances spanning many dozens of kilometers. The vibrant flame danced and flickered gracefully in the upper atmosphere, pulsing with a consistent, rhythmic cadence, thereby transmitting an unambiguous and simple directive to every individual fortunate enough to witness its ascent.

It was an undeniable summons. A clear and explicit call for a gathering.

All the assembled Elders immediately grasped the profound significance of this prearranged signal.

It was, without question, an unequivocal summons.

The leaders desired everyone to convene. Perhaps to strategize subsequent actions, or potentially to determine if the pursuit would persist.

Consequently, the various groups gradually commenced their assembly at the designated meeting place.

The contingent led by Pan Zheng’s elder, naturally, also made their way towards that location.

...

Ever since the fierce encounter with the Five-Horned Lava Lizard, a somber mood had pervaded the group.

The majority remained gripped by fear.

Even after the passage of five days, certain disciples still vividly recalled the monstrous roars of the beast and the oppressive terror of its draconic pressure.

They revisited that moment in their dreams: the trembling earth, the surging heat, the behemoth’s shadow erupting from the ground.

They understood that their survival was a matter of sheer fortune.

Or perhaps more accurately...

It was because someone chose to remain behind.

The elder offered no commentary on the matter. Whenever discussions veered towards the incident, he would deftly steer the conversation elsewhere or simply quell the disciples with a single, severe look.

Pan Zheng, cloaked in silence, walked amidst the group.

His visage appeared significantly more depleted than before, shadowed by dark circles beneath his eyes, his expression weighed down.

His gaze conveyed a deep sense of guilt.

Throughout the preceding days, he had replayed the final scene in his mind countless times.

Kyrian, holding his ground, alone.

That youthful figure confronting a monstrous beast while all others beat a desperate retreat.

Pan Zheng was no fool.

He grasped the implications perfectly. At least, that was his conviction. In his estimation, Kyrian had remained to impede the lava lizard.

He was aware the beast would inevitably kill him, yet he chose to stay regardless. To grant the others precious time.

Kyrian remained because... for what reason?

Such an answer eluded Pan Zheng. And likely, he would never discover it.

In his mind, Kyrian had almost certainly perished as a result.