The Last Primal

"[Reptilian] Here, everyone! To the east! There's a locked storage here!"

"[Reptilian] Ah, let's hurry over!"

"[Reptilian] We might find some treasures! Maybe even some spirit artifacts!"

Vaguely, Aiden caught wind of some intermittent conversations.

Speeding through the Ancient Burial Ground's sacred paths, streets and roads he could even see a series of spirit lights shooting into the air from a certain area with many figures heading over.

"Hmm... There's no mistake… Something is calling for us… Or maybe someone…" He muttered to himself. If someone would hear him, he would be shocked to hear him speaking the surface dwellers, the 'Bareskins' long forgotten language!

In a flash, Aiden vanished from where he was.

…

At the far eastern parts of the Ancient Burial Grounds, at the foot of the valley's mountain range.

From far away, several dark holes, cave entrances could be seen dotting the steep walls of the valley. The sharp, threatening ridges had countless smaller sized holes drilled into them…. Small cave entrances each leading somewhere deep below the surface, hidden even from the underworld's dwellers.

Large majestic multicolored runes shone brightly before the foot of the mountain, barring passage to anyone even vaguely interested.

Yet, this 'small' little caveat didn't seem to hold back the masses' interest as more and more martial artists came looking for ways to get passed and be granted entry to what seemed to be one of - if not the - most important section of the entire Ancient Burial Grounds.

However, contrary to what it seemed, the seals, the runes didn't block all entries. Contrary to what people thought at first, it wasn't one gigantic seal but countless smaller ones placed together acting as one cohesive and dynamic system of seals.

In reality, the cave entrances were marked differently, according to the importance and the potential treasures placed inside.

For whatever reason, they were like the secure drawers inside the banks. Each drawer had its own lock, own 'seal'.

From this, they could be categorized to grades based on the difficulty of their seals and -after a while of trials and errors and hours of searches and findings later- their contents somewhat reliably presumed.

There were a few difficulties, a couple grades defined already. Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, and Grade 4.

It was very obvious.

The Grade 1 cave abodes were all not that difficult to unseal and they would usually contain the least interesting stuff, mostly lower-grade elixirs, potions and some medicinal pills in most cases.

Grade 2 were somewhat harder, but still could be solved by the most talented and most powerful martial artists, usually by the core, senior disciples of the bigger sects as well as the direct descendants of the elders in the various present clans.

These cave abodes mostly contained peak lower grade to middle grade elixirs, potions and pills. In addition to that, occasionally some scrolls could be found lying around, containing either a piece of someone's journal, an epitaph or perhaps a will. Nothing too interesting there sadly, or at least no techniques were found as of yet.

As for Grade 3 cave abodes and above, for the 3 existing Grade 4 ones…

Nobody knew as even the couple senior elders hiding amongst the ranks of the most powerful factions and acting as bodyguards for those young masters could not remove the seals either. As for the three adorned and illustrious golden etched caves standing at the dead center of all the other ones, it wasn't even a question.action

They had the most powerful seals!

The sect disciples, leaders and clan members, or the strong itinerant martial artists couldn't even get close to them, much less attempt to do anything with their seals!

Still, based on the previous two unlocked grades, the people present could somewhat guess the prospective contents of the Grade 3 ones, if they happened to finally find a way to get inside.

Though there were merely around eight caves with such powerful seals placed on their entrances, they were probably the ones holding the most important, most precious items of them all! High grade pills, precious, peak mortal stage elixirs, potions and healing salves.

Memoirs of the most powerful people could be found inside, maybe some even left behind their legacies, their most treasured skills, techniques or perhaps even full on inheritances for the prospective treasure hunter, the one fated to find the key to get inside!

As such, what sort of Martial Artists, disciples and clan members were these cave abodes meant for? Who were the one that were fated to gain entrance and become rich, impossibly so?

No one knew, yet no one present was willing to give up the chance!

Of course, despite knowing that they were repelled already, the many powerhouses that were gathered outside the cave abodes couldn't watch helplessly.

These seals were just too powerful for them.

Even after countless years, the seals were still perfectly preserved.

None of the martial artists present before the foot of the mountain could dispel the seal of the Grade 3 treasure cave abodes, let alone the Grade 4 treasure caves.

At that moment, everyone's gazes were fixed on one of the recently unsealed Grade 2 treasure cave abode.

That was because it contained so far the only perfect state, medium grade elixirs to be found in any of the cave abodes to date. Not only that it was a vial of the mythical, legendary breakthrough elixir!

A potion that no matter what stage, or what major realm you are at, could help you directly jump all the way to the next major realm! If you are a Martial Warrior, no matter if you have just broke into it and are just Rank 1, or perhaps closer to the peak and are standing proudly at Rank 9, by popping that cork open, and downing one such legendary honey-sweet bluish colored syrup-y nectar, your body would be filled with otherworldly, energy boosting you all the way up to the ranks of the respectable Martial Masters!

Similarly, if you are a Martial Master, the contents of this one bottle could grand you the chance to stand proudly as this world's strongest, and become a Martial Grandmaster and even gain the opportunity to directly form your own clan or sect, create your own legacy for the future generations!

As for Martial Grandmasters, this vial was still incredibly important as its clear, pure mana that was contained inside of it, could improve your chances and bring you just that much closer to that fabled Quasi-Divine Realm!

What was even more unbelievable was that this boost didn't come with any caveat at all. There were no backlashes, negative effects at all! Well apart from being a one time only  deal… The potion did what it was meant to do, give you a one-time boost, best used if you have reached the very end of your potential and was just about to reach into a higher realm and with that… gain some extra boost in your life span.

As such, it wasn't that hard to guess that the sudden appearance of one such godly elixir would make everyone's interest be piqued!

"[Realm] Everyone, no matter what, we have to first dispel the seal of the entrance."

After a moment, Pei Syriac stood out and declared loudly.

"[Reptilian] The sooner we dispel the seal, the sooner we can enter the cave abode and obtain the elixirs that we need. If we waste too much time here, more and more troublesome figures will arrive and we'll all get less elixirs."

"[Reptilian] Yeah, Brother Pei is right, let's join forces to dispel the seal first!"

"[Reptilian] I agree as well. As for the elixirs inside, everyone can fight for it after we enter the cave abode."

All the people gathered have agreed.

*BANG!* *BOOM!* *BANG!*

Under Pei Syriac's command, many martial artists summoned their weapons at the same time, striking repeatedly at the entrance of this one particular Grade 2 treasure cave abode.

A series of lights appeared and shimmered continuously at the entrance, radiating brightly.

As time passed by, the light gradually dimmed.

"[Reptilian] The seal's about to be dispelled! Everyone, let's work harder!"

The martial artists seeing that yelled excitedly.

The present elders from both the Crystal Palace Sect and from the Malefic Demons Clan did not do anything, merely watching coldly from the sidelines.

Though they were all the most powerful figures present, they were already old and their bodies were failing. As such, they would not do anything casually.

At their age, each time they did something, it would be equivalent to shaving off the last bits of their precious remaining life's essence.

It was similar to old mortals in their nineties. If they took care of their bodies, they could still live a couple years more. However, if they did anything overly vigorous, they would die before long.

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

Yet another series of explosions occurred and cracking sounds echoed from the entrance.

A moment later, the light barrier shattered!

The seal was finally broken, the Grade 2 cave entrance was ready to be looted!