Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 1163 - 1163 0677 Unfavorable _1

Chapter 1163: Chapter 0677: Unfavorable _1 Chapter 1163: Chapter 0677: Unfavorable _1 Chapter 0677: Headwinds

Emperor Jianwu and Emperor Bahuang approached Qi Tian and respectfully said, “Master Qi, we have successfully broken the tomb door open and cleared a passage. Moreover, we have sent people ahead to verify it’s safe. We can now enter. We’ve come to escort you on the journey.”

Qi Tian nodded and tried to rise from the soft couch but, to his surprise, he failed to stand up on his own twice. Gao Jinmei and Xia Xiaoming quickly stepped forward, one on each side, to help Qi Tian to his feet.

Seeing this, both Emperor Jianwu and Emperor Bahuang showed considerable worry.

This expedition to the Saint’s Tomb had been fraught with danger along the way. At each critical moment, it was Qi Tian’s timely intervention that had ensured their safety. They were all relying on Qi Tian to continue protecting them during the subsequent exploration.

But now, witnessing Qi Tian struggle with the simple action of standing, they could only imagine how unrealistic it would be to expect his help if they encountered formidable enemies in the Saint’s Tomb. Without Qi Tian, the towering pillar of support, both Emperor Jianwu and Emperor Bahuang suddenly lost all confidence.

Qi Tian noticed the princes’ concern and smiled, “My physical weakness is only temporary. A little rest will do me good. Once we are inside the Saint’s Tomb, you can dispatch people to scout the area. If danger arises, stop and call for reinforcements or take other measures. Meanwhile, I need to focus on recovering my strength.”

Both Emperor Jianwu and Emperor Bahuang nodded repeatedly in agreement with Qi Tian’s request. They dared not let Qi Tian, weakened and exhausted, explore the Saint’s Tomb with them. Even if they weren’t expecting his protection, they, as the Immortal Slaves, had to consider the health of their master.

Emperor Jianwu and Emperor Bahuang accompanied Qi Tian into the Saint’s Tomb. As they passed through the tomb door, they entered a long corridor which was already filled with more than a hundred Gold Core Realm experts. Initially, some were worried about possible traps and controlling formations in the corridor, but the Gold Core Realm experts had already thoroughly scouted the corridor, finding no dangers. Of course, they had also found no opportunities for fortune or advancement.

The princes who had entered earlier expressed their thick confusion. They had many experiences with other Saint’s Tombs, and these shared experiences told them that the stretches from the entrance to the inner palace are usually filled with hazards—it’s rare to safely reach the palace chambers without some casualties. To find no dangers or casualties as they did now was an unprecedented experience for them, leaving them utterly perplexed.

Once Qi Tian entered the corridor, all the princes gathered around him to share their confusion.

Qi Tian also found it strange. He activated the sensing function of the Heavenly Dao Engine to detect the Spirit Qi and repeatedly checked the entire corridor. His findings were consistent with the princes’—nothing was discovered.

Qi Tian said cautiously, “Like the princes, I too, have come up empty-handed. For now, we can assume this section of the corridor is relatively safe. However, I’m not completely certain of its safety, so proceed with extra caution.”

The princes nodded repeatedly. They urged Qi Tian to rest and recover from his fatigue quickly before thoroughly instructing Gao Jinmei, Xia Xiaoming, and Li Mijia to take good care of him. Having done so, they turned and left.

The Saint’s Tomb they were about to explore seemed colossal from the outside. Generally, the underground palaces are even larger than the mounds seen from above.

Exploring the entire palace and discovering valuable opportunities for advancement meant they could not linger in the corridor. They had to step out and officially enter the underground palace.

After some deliberation, the princes decided on the division of labor. The principle was not about completeness or speed, but stability.

They preferred a slower pace of exploration if it meant ensuring everyone’s safety to the greatest extent. They could afford no careless losses of life. Their manpower was limited—losing a person meant losing strength, increasing the chances of failure. Of course, stability did not mean zero casualties; they simply wanted to avoid needless sacrifices. When necessary, the loss of life should be worthwhile, not meaningless.