I, a cultivator, have ended up in the world of tomb raiding.

The group entered the inner room and took their seats according to their status as guests and hosts.

With a beaming smile, Chen Yulou took the initiative to inquire about the whereabouts of Partridge Whistle and his group:

"Brother Dao, how did your trip to the border of Guizhou to search for the tomb of the King of Yelang go?"

Partridge Whistle shook his head, a hint of melancholy on his face:

"It was all for naught. The ancient tomb of Yelang had been looted by countless generations of ancestors. Not even a single brick with murals remained. All that was left was a desolate mountain of graves."

"Alas, so that's how it is." Chen Yulou rubbed his palm, and after his initial surprise, he sighed as if he deeply understood.

"To be honest, fellow Daoist, I suffered a terrible defeat when I entered Ping Mountain a few days ago. The poisonous creatures in that mountain are bizarre, and there are even insect demons that have become spirits; we were all unable to deal with them."

He spoke of the tragedy, but unconsciously embellished his words, making his near-death experience sound dramatic, while glossing over the disarray of the heavy losses.

He both complained and maintained his dignity as the leader of the Unloading Ridge faction.

After some pleasantries and small talk, Chen Yulou finally got to the point, leaning forward slightly and speaking sincerely:

"To be honest, today Luo Shuai and I were planning to enter Ping Mountain for the second time. It just so happens that you all arrived. It is truly heaven's help. It is time for us to join forces and take the Yuan Tomb of Ping Mountain."

As he spoke, he made a knife gesture with his palm and sliced ​​downwards to show his absolute confidence.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Luo Laowai, sensing the situation was turning sour, immediately shouted, "No way! I absolutely disagree!"

He was already heartbroken about the 10% he had promised to give to Li Yue, and now he had to share the spoils with another group of people; it felt like his flesh was being ripped out.

He immediately raised his eyebrows and glared contemptuously at Partridge Whistle and his two companions:

"These fake Taoist priests are all two-faced. Why should we share the treasure with them? We have guns and cannons, and plenty of men. What tomb can't we dig up?"

Upon hearing this, both Lao Yangren and Hua Ling's expressions darkened slightly, and their eyes flashed with anger. They were almost about to stand up and refute him.

Partridge Whistle calmly raised his hand and pressed them down, his expression remaining composed.

Seeing this, Chen Yulou quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying to Luo Laowai:

"Commander Luo, please calm down. Ping Mountain is a treacherous place, rife with miasma, poisonous insects, traps, and snares that are impossible to avoid."

We suffered heavy losses in the previous two attempts, and relying solely on the Unloading Ridge faction, it's truly difficult to accomplish anything significant. Asking Brother Partridge Whistle to join forces is also to increase our chances of success.

"Have confidence?" Old Luo tilted his neck, his face full of dissatisfaction.

"I have guns and cannons, and you, Chief Chen, have the skill of identifying burial sites by smelling the soil. With so many brothers like mine, what tomb can't we take down? It'll just take a little longer. Why bother finding outsiders to share the spoils?"

Chen Yulou was speechless with anger at his nonsense.

Although he looked down on Luo Laowai's crude and uncouth manner, considering that the tomb raiding business still depended on the other party's military strength, he could only kindly advise him:

"Commander Luo, you may not know this. The world of tomb raiding is divided into three schools: the Gold-Touching School, the Ridge-Unloading School, and the Mountain-Moving School."

"Our 'Unloading Ridge' team relies on strength and weaponry: long hoes, large shovels, centipede-shaped ladders, gunpowder cannons, and sheer numbers. That's why we call ourselves 'Unloading Ridge'."

"Those tomb raiders relied on God."

However, there are very few people left in this world who follow this path, and they are elusive. I only know that they are proficient in geomancy and feng shui, relying on the principles of Yin and Yang in the I Ching.

At this point, Chen Yulou looked at Partridge Whistle, his gaze asking for guidance:

"The Mountain Moving lineage has always been shrouded in mystery, with people saying they use special techniques. But what exactly are these secret techniques?"

By asking this question now, Chen Yulou also wanted to find out the true background of Partridge Whistle.

If this Mountain-Moving Taoist is merely a figurehead and cannot serve any purpose in entering Bottle Mountain, but instead risks losing his life, then it would be a great loss.

But Partridge Whistle smiled faintly and said frankly:

The term "Moving Mountain" is derived from the word "Moving," leading many to believe it relies on brute force, similar to "Unloading Ridge." But they fail to realize that in this world, what power truly can move a mountain?

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Our art of moving mountains is not based on the Five Elements or the principles of the I Ching, but solely on the four words 'generation, restraint, and transformation'."

Everything has its strength, and therefore its weakness; this is the fundamental principle behind moving mountains, filling seas, dividing mountains, and digging holes.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yulou seemed to understand: "Then, according to you, what is the natural enemy of this Bottle Mountain Insect?"

"The back of Ping Mountain is plagued by poisonous creatures. Those who use the medicinal energy in the mountain to cultivate will inevitably become a great scourge sooner or later."

Partridge Whistle slowly said, "To break through this mountain, we must first find a spiritual object that naturally counters poisons, using an object to overcome an object, and using techniques to break through the danger."

Luo Laowai listened from the side, completely bewildered, and the thought of dividing the money still filled him with resentment.

"Forget about making it, all I care about is the treasure!"

Chen Yulou knew that he was afraid the Mountain Moving Taoists would take another share of the treasures, so he said:

"Don't worry, General Luo. Everyone knows that the Mountain Moving Taoists only raid tombs to find elixirs and medicines, and they never covet gold, silver and other valuables."

They don't seek treasure, only what they need. We're merely using their methods; why not?"

These words were aimed directly at Luo Laowai's heart. Although Luo Laowai was skeptical, he still looked at Partridge Whistle and the others as if they were plague gods who were snatching food.

Since the leader of the Unloading Ridge faction had said this much, he couldn't very well spoil the mood any longer. So he just let out a heavy snort and exhaled two muffled breaths from his nostrils, which was considered his tacit agreement.

Seeing that he had finally given in, Chen Yulou focused all his attention on Partridge Whistle, determined to portray the Unloading Ridge and Moving Mountain factions as having joined forces.

Having suffered a setback at Ping Mountain and been disturbed by the poisonous insects and mirages, he feared another defeat that would tarnish his reputation among the outlaws.

Therefore, upon hearing that Partridge Whistle possessed the art of moving mountains and splitting armor, he was overjoyed.

However, he didn't fully understand these techniques and the methods for controlling poisonous insects.

Thinking about it, he looked at Li Yue, who had remained silent the whole time, and asked:

"Brother Li, what are your thoughts on this strategy?"

This question surprised Partridge Whistle slightly.

He and Chen Yulou were old acquaintances, and he knew the man well—ambitious and arrogant.

He always made decisions based on his own words, and even with warlord Luo Laowai, he mostly dealt with him superficially and rarely sought his opinion so seriously.

Besides, this person is so young.

Partridge Whistle couldn't help but scrutinize the young man closely.

This person had a calm expression, indifferent eyes, and a restrained aura.

He lacked the fierceness of the Xieling people, the slickness of the Jianghu people, and was unlike the thugs under Luo Laowai.

Upon first meeting him, he noticed that this person's temperament and demeanor were different from others.

Despite being part of a group plotting to rob and excavate a tomb, this young man acted as if he were an outsider.

It was as if all the important matters of dividing the spoils, planning, tomb raiding, and treasure hunting that he had just mentioned had nothing to do with him.

Partridge Whistle's curiosity grew even stronger, and he fixed his gaze on Li Yue's face, waiting for his answer.

Upon hearing this, Li Yue raised his eyes, neither deep in thought nor speaking, but simply nodded slightly.

His expression was so calm it was almost indifferent; others couldn't even tell whether he had been listening to the conversation.

But this seemingly casual nod instantly put Chen Yulou at ease.

With the Mountain Moving Technique at their disposal, and with a mysterious expert like Li Yue, who can slay thousand-year-old insect monsters, by their side, their chances of victory upon entering Bottle Mountain again have greatly increased.

Seeing the subtle change in Chen Yulou's expression, Partridge Whistle became even more curious and couldn't help but glance at Li Yue again.