Zhang Xiaoshan maintained a calm expression and said simply.

"Don't worry. I don't want to be your enemy, and I certainly do not want to kill your clan members. As long as you hand over the Red Flame Fire Lotus Seeds and the Sword Tomb Master's inheritance to me, I'll leave immediately."

"Nonsense."

The Old Man Ma Yi instantly erupted in anger, speaking fiercely.

"We Tomb Guardians exist here to protect everything in this place. If you want to take the Sword Tomb Master's inheritance, you'd better kill us first."

Beside him, the old hyena hurriedly chimed in.

"Clan Leader, today's events are all caused by this boy."

"He was the one who noticed the extraordinary nature of that golden lotus pod at the auction, and he forced me to take them into the mountains. This group of people was also attracted by him."

"He is the real culprit, and among all these people today, he is the one with the deepest sins. You must kill him quickly; he absolutely cannot be allowed to remain, or else there will be a great disaster."

This old hyena was skillful at adding fuel to the flames.

Immediately, the Old Man Ma Yi's anger was roused to the point of exploding with rage.

"Oh, you little rascal, who would have thought that at such a young age, your mind would be so vicious. So you are indeed the real culprit; it seems you've been plotting for a while now."

"Today, I must kill you."

As he spoke, the Old Man Ma Yi held his sword in front of his chest, as if preparing to unleash a powerful move.

"I've cultivated for so long, but this is the first time I've encountered a pure Sword Cultivator. Just as well, let me see your skills."

Zhang Xiaoshan also began preparing for battle.

At that moment.

"Howl, howl..."

The previously calm lake surface suddenly emitted a piercing howl from below, the sonic waves deafening.

Bang, bang, bang...

The calm surface of the lake exploded as if high explosives had been set off, water splashing everywhere.

"Ah."

Several people among the Tomb Guardians couldn't withstand the powerful sonic waves, bleeding from their seven orifices and dying instantly.

Jiang Qin clutched her ears, her face full of agony.

Zhang Xiaoshan promptly placed his hand on Jiang Qin's back.

A surge of True Qi shielded Jiang Qin.

"Such powerful sonic waves."

Even with Zhang Xiaoshan's profound cultivation, he had to exert all his strength to resist.

"This is bad, the Earth Dragon is awakening."

"Damn it, wasn't it supposed to be hibernating? How could it suddenly come out? Run, everyone, run quickly."

The first to shout out in panic was the Old Man Ma Yi, urging the clansmen to evacuate.

"Run, run..."

The Tomb Guardians by the shore also began to retreat rapidly, as if they had encountered something terrifying.

"Roar..."

A whirlpool appeared on the lake surface.

From within the whirlpool, a massive figure leapt out.

It had the basic form of a pangolin, its body covered in scales, with four legs and an oval-shaped body. However, it had a very long neck, its scales a deep blue, and there was a pair of flesh wings on its back.

It stood taller than a three-story building, measuring a hundred meters in length, with tusks like long blades filling its mouth, resembling a prehistoric beast.

This was the guardian beast of the Sword Tomb, the Earth Dragon.

And it was a mutated version.

With the appearance of the Earth Dragon, the temperature in the entire underground space plummeted rapidly, reaching subzero levels. Even the hot spring-like lake showed signs of freezing.

"This Earth Dragon's cultivation rivals that of a top-tier Qi Transformation Martial Artist."

"However, I have the Earth Core Green Flame, which can counter it. My chances of victory are not small."

Zhang Xiaoshan quickly calculated his odds.

"What... what kind of monster is this?"

Jiang Qin shivered with fear.

Zhang Xiaoshan reassured her.

"Don't be afraid, I have a way to deal with it."

Feng Qing, although not lacking in cultivation, was evidently overwhelmed by the situation today, trembling in fear.

"If I had known this place was so terrifying, even if there were an Elixir of Immortality, I definitely would not have come."

"Howl, howl..."

The Earth Dragon emerging from the lake seemed to have gone a long time without feeding and was starving.

It swung its tail.

Its tail was long, twenty to thirty meters, and aside from scales, it was covered in densely packed barbs more than an inch long, like a maturing wolfsbane.

With a swing, it caught three Tomb Guardians.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."

Their bodies immediately burst under the spikes, blood flowing, eyes wide open in agony.

In the next moment, they were drawn into the Earth Dragon's mouth.

"Crunch..."

Their bodies were crushed and exploded in its jaws, blood splattering everywhere.

The scene was extremely bloody and terrifying.

"It was the blood in the lake that stimulated the hibernating Earth Dragon, making it wake up early."

"Now, having tasted human blood, it has become frenzied and knows no kin, everyone retreat, retreat further."

The Old Man Ma Yi continued to shout, waking up the panic-stricken clansmen, who scrambled to escape towards the exit of the Grotto Heaven.

The Earth Dragon had existed for at least a thousand years, with intelligence unmatched by a mature human.

Seeing its potential meal trying to escape,

"Hiss."

It took a deep breath, gathering power, then suddenly opened its mouth and exhaled sharply.

Immediately, from its mouth shot out several ice spikes, thicker than a grown man's thigh, towards the exit of the Grotto Heaven.

Bang, bang, bang...

The ice spikes struck the upper walls of the Grotto Heaven's exit.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

The stone walls collapsed, instantly burying and covering the exit.

"Damn it."

"This creature actually sealed our escape route."

"Could it be, are we all going to die here?"

The clan members were extremely resentful.

The Earth Dragon's flesh wings flapped behind it.

"Whoosh."

In the blink of an eye, it arrived at the exit.

With its two front claws, it grabbed two Tomb Guardians, crushing their bodies first before putting them into its mouth.

This was beyond ordinary savagery.

"Damn it."

The Old Man Ma Yi watched his clansmen being eaten alive one by one by the Earth Dragon, unable to suppress his anger, he was enraged.

His entire aura seemed to boil.

"You vile beast, we of the Tomb Guardian clan have worshiped you devoutly every year, yet you cruelly slaughter my clan members. Do you think our Tomb Guardian clan is to be bullied?"

"I will slay you."

The Old Man Ma Yi, unable to restrain the fury in his heart as he watched his clan members being devoured one after another, raised his great sword and charged at the Earth Dragon.