Read Novel Full Chapter 548: Departure
Chapter 548: Departure
The next morning, the residence was already active before the sun fully rose.
Groups moved through the corridors in quiet lines, some already dressed for travel while others adjusted weapons and equipment as they walked. The earlier calm from the night before had faded, replaced by a steady tension that lingered in the air without anyone needing to speak about it.
All the invited groups gathered again in the main hall, taking their places near their respective sides. ChaosKnight stood together with IceQueen at the front of their group, while Olympus remained composed near one corner, Jack Arefield and Aria standing in silence with Ares behind them. The Holy Church formed a neat line, their presence cold and distant, while the Tianlan guilds occupied the other half of the hall with their usual rigid posture.
Broken Dawn stood near the middle.
Sophie stood at the front with the token in her hand, her posture straight, but her eyes moved more than usual. Ragnarok99 stood beside her with his arms crossed, while Sniperbowlegend, Cassie, Bunny, and the others remained alert.
At the front of the hall, Liang and Evelyn were already waiting.
A large diagram had been set up behind them, drawn across a wide board that showed the outer structure of the Buried God’s Tomb. The lines were clean, the markings detailed, and several points had been highlighted in different colors to show routes and known hazards.
Liang stepped forward once the room settled.
"This is the confirmed outer structure of the tomb," he said, his voice calm but clear enough to reach everyone. "The path we take will begin from the eastern descent point. It is the most stable route that has been mapped so far."
He raised one hand and pointed at a marked section.
"These areas are known to contain active formations. Some are defensive, some are traps. Not all of them have been triggered before, so you should not assume you know what they will do."
Everyone paid attention, not wanting to miss anything he was saying.
Liang moved his hand across the diagram and continued. "These sections are monster zones. Most of the creatures inside have been dormant for long periods, but entering the tomb will disturb them. Expect resistance from multiple directions."
Liang’s finger stopped near a deeper section of the diagram.
"This is the location of the suppressing spike."
This was the part most of them had been waiting for, so the moment it came up, everyone straightened their backs.
Even those who had been whispering earlier stopped. The name alone carried weight, and from the way Liang marked it, everyone understood that point was important.
"The spike is not on the surface level," Liang continued. "Reaching it will require passing through multiple layers. You should not expect a straight path. The inner sections of the tomb are not fully mapped."
"For that reason, each group will need to make decisions inside. You will not be guided at every step."
A few Tianlan cultivators nodded slightly, already expecting that.
"And as for the rules." Liang’s expression hardened slightly as his gaze swept across the room.
"No killing between invited parties inside the tomb. You are all here because you were selected. Do not make the mistake of thinking this is a contest between yourselves. The tomb itself will be the greater problem."
Some people did not react. Others shifted slightly. A few glanced at rival groups without hiding it.
"If that rule is broken, every treasure obtained by the offending group inside the tomb will be seized by Martial Palace," Liang added in a serious and firm tone.
That statement carried more weight than the first.
Gold, relics, weapons, techniques—whatever was found inside the tomb could change a group’s standing completely. Losing all of it for breaking one rule was not a small threat.
The Longsword leader’s expression changed slightly.
His smile did not disappear, but his eyes narrowed as he leaned back in his seat. He did not speak, but the look on his face showed he was not pleased.
Some of the Tianlan cultivators exchanged brief glances.
No one said it out loud, but the rule only mattered if someone lived long enough to report it.
If a group vanished inside the tomb without witnesses, there would be nothing for Martial Palace to enforce. That thought passed quietly between several minds, and the tension in the room rose.
Liang seemed to notice, but he did not address it. The rule was more of a formality, and knowing how hot headed cultivators were, they would break it. It was not a guess, but a certainty.
Either way, he proceeded.
"We depart in one hour. Everyone, start preparing."
The briefing ended without any further explanation. Liang did not entertain questions, and Evelyn gave a short nod as if to signal that the discussion was over.
The groups began to move. Some turned immediately to prepare. Others stayed behind to exchange a few words in low voices. ChaosKnight regrouped around IceQueen, while Olympus remained where they were, watching the movement in silence.
At the Broken Dawn side, the atmosphere was different.
Sophie remained standing where she was.
Her fingers held the token a little tighter now, and her eyes moved toward the entrance once again. Ragnarok99 noticed and shifted his stance slightly.
"He still hasn’t shown up," he muttered.
Cassie crossed her arms. "We are leaving in an hour."
Bunny looked toward Sophie. "Did he say anything else before?"
"No," Sophie said, shaking her head. "Only that he would meet us here."
Ragnarok99 exhaled through his nose. "If he misses this..."
"He won’t," Sophie cut in.
She did not raise her voice.
She also did not look at him when she said it.
The others stayed quiet after that.
Even so, the tension around them did not fade. The departure time had been set, the mission was already moving forward, and Gabriel was still not here.
Sophie’s gaze shifted toward the hall entrance again, as if expecting him to step through at any moment.
This time, she did not hide the restlessness in her eyes.