Chapter Eighteen: Blocking the Way! The Slash

Rainfan’s heartbeat quickened as his gaze deepened. He lightly rose onto his toes, attempting to peer through the dense dragon vines to catch a full view of the stone coffin.

The surface of the dragon vines shimmered with a faint green glow, as if each leaf contained ancient and mysterious power. They swayed gently in the dim light, emitting a subtle yet crisp rustling sound, infusing the silent tomb with a restless vitality.

The stone coffin was intricately carved with elaborate patterns of dragons and phoenixes bringing auspiciousness, shrouded in swirling clouds and mist.

Rainfan reached out to lightly touch the cold edge of the coffin. A chill seeped through his fingertips, causing an involuntary shiver, yet his eyes sparkled with an even more fervent light—as if he could already foresee what lay beneath the stone.

His eyes blazed like fire as he cautiously circled the coffin, each step incredibly light, careful not to disturb the tranquility that had endured for millennia.

Sunlight filtered through the narrow entrance of the tomb passage, casting mottled rays upon the coffin. The interplay of light and the intricate carvings created bizarre and mysterious shadows, adding an air of inscrutability to the scene.

His gaze wandered around the coffin, finally settling on the dragon vines entwined around it.

The vines seemed to pulse with life. As he drew nearer, the eerie green glow emanating between the leaves intensified, as if capable of drawing in the very soul.

Rainfan took a deep breath, striving to calm the excitement within, then gently parted some vines, revealing a small blank area on the coffin’s side.

There, faint lines of blurred inscriptions could be discerned, seemingly recounting an ancient and distant tale, causing Rainfan’s heart to race once more.

His eyes instantly shone as brightly as the brightest star in the night sky. He bent down, almost pressing his face against the coffin’s side wall, carefully discerning the faded script. As his vision sharpened, it felt as though he transcended time and space, faint ancient and lingering whispers echoing beside his ears. Though weathered by the passage of millennia, the writing still conveyed an indescribable solemnity and majesty.

"Rare treasures of heaven and earth are hidden within this coffin; only those destined may obtain them," Rainfan softly read aloud the etched words.

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“Fortune awaits!” Rainfan whispered silently. Though his voice was low, his eyes remained locked on the coffin’s sealed edge, where a key to endless wealth seemed concealed. He drew a deep breath, clenched his fists tightly, then slowly released them, preparing to embrace the miracle about to unfold.

His fingers, scratched and scarred from prolonged struggle with the dragon vines, began to bleed from a deep cut. The crimson droplets slowly fell onto the entwined vines enveloping the coffin.

In that moment, time seemed to freeze; the air thickened with an indescribable tension.

Upon contact with Rainfan’s blood, the dragon vines suddenly erupted with a dazzling and eerie wave of light. The glow, like ancient runes awakened, meandered through the dim tomb, illuminating the space with bizarre and shifting colors. Rainfan felt an irresistible force surge from the vines, akin to a violent storm that violently tossed him into the air. His body arced irregularly like a kite cut loose, finally crashing heavily against the cold stone wall of the tomb chamber.

Curled into a ball, a sharp pain radiated from his back throughout his body. Darkness clouded his vision, and he nearly fainted. Dust and stones fell from the impact, partially burying him, adding to his helpless and disheveled state.

Thrown brutally by the invisible force, Rainfan tumbled helplessly like a withered leaf in autumn, finally crashing hard on the ground with a cloud of dust and debris. He struggled to rise, but his chest felt as if crushed by a massive stone, gasping low: “Ouch…”

Suddenly, the tranquil dragon vines entwining the coffin seemed to come alive. They twisted and coiled in the air, eventually merging into a colossal green dragon. Its body spiraled, eyes blazing with an eerie green light, fixed intently on Rainfan as if ready to devour him whole.

The dragon opened its massive maw and unleashed an earth-shattering roar, reverberating through every corner of the tomb with infinite authority and fury.

Immediately after, a powerful energy wave erupted from its mouth—a solid dark green light slicing through the air with tearing force, rushing straight toward Rainfan.

He felt the blood surge in his chest as the dark green light seemed to split the world before his eyes.

Summoning all his strength, he forced his eyes open despite the searing glare. In the dragon’s glowing green pupils, he saw his own terrified reflection, as if gazed upon by an abyss.

The energy wave crashed into his body like a monstrous tidal wave in a storm, accompanied by the shriek of air being torn asunder. An invisible hand violently pushed him back, robbing him of all support, sending him flying backward.

---

In midair, he struggled desperately, searching for any foothold, but all around were only cold stone walls and the roaring dragon.

His robes fluttered wildly in the wind like withering leaves, helpless and desperate.

At last, he slammed heavily against the opposite stone wall of the tomb. The tremendous impact briefly plunged him into unconsciousness. Only the sound of his rapid breathing and the dragon’s relentless roar echoed mournfully through the narrow chamber.

Enduring the searing pain, Rainfan glared fiercely, fists clenched, eyes blazing with indomitable fire. He staggered to his feet, each step seeming to battle gravity itself, yet his fury and resolve imbued him with newfound strength.

“You brat! You’ve angered me. Let me see if I don’t rip your dragon horn off—if I’m not Rainfan!” His voice echoed through the empty tomb, imbued with unyielding ferocity.

Charging at the dragon, his legs still trembling, his gaze was resolute.

The dragon, seemingly provoked by Rainfan’s defiance, roared even louder. The entire tomb trembled. It opened its massive mouth, preparing to unleash another devastating energy wave.

Rainfan thrust his legs backward, springing upward with force. His figure arced smoothly through the air as his hands quickly clasped together. His internal energy surged like a rushing river, converging fiercely in his palms.

With a low shout, a radiant spiritual ring blazed suddenly around him, like stars encircling a descending war god.

His eyes widened, burning with unyielding determination. The energy gathered in his palms solidified into a brilliant light, slicing through the tomb’s darkness, striking directly at the roaring dragon.

The dragon’s roar intensified in fury. It opened its jaws wide as the dark green energy wave gathered, ready to clash with Rainfan’s palm wind. The collision erupted in a dazzling blaze of light and a thunderous roar.