After a while of traveling at breakneck speeds, Qian Feng and his master finally arrived at the Ancestor's Tomb. Not that there was much to arrive at.

When Qian Feng got out of the carriage, all he saw was a hole in the ground with stairs leading downwards, too deep to see further into. Besides that, all signs of civilization were either inside wherever those stairs led to or far, far away.

With no further ado, the duo descended the staircase.

It was a good ten minutes of relaxed walking through the dimly-lit halls before the bland scenery changed, morphing into a flat(finally) chamber. Only one doorway, directly in front, existed, and the rest of the black stone walls shone with Qi, which flowed in dazzling pathways across the surfaces, filling channels that formed runic shapes Qian Feng had no hope of deciphering.

 In the chamber, a trio of white-robed cultivators sat, discussing. They emitted the aura of the 4th level of the Martial King stage, all three of them, which placed them at a cultivation higher than Qian Feng's, but not to the point where he couldn't handle them - if he had to, Qian Feng was sure he could even beat the three of them combined.

  Upon sensing the pair's arrival, the three men turned around and looked at them for a while, before choosing to come over and initiate a conversation.

  "Are you here to acquire treasures from the Ancestor's Tomb?" One of them asked, looking directly at Qian Feng's master - to an outsider, the experienced man must have seemed like the leader of the small group.

  As the one looked at, the Iron Fox spoke up. "Yes, we're here to try our luck."

  "Then you might want to join us if you're new here."

 At this moment, Qian Feng spoke up.

  "Join you?"

 "Hah, you really did just arrive. We're the group most well-known for our chances of acquiring the most treasure, the Luqi Alliance."

  After the original cultivator finished, another member of the group spoke up.

  "Yeah, it's common sense that unless you're some sort of prodigy or something it's impossible to acquire the treasure left behind all by yourself, so naturally, people are going to band together. We're all cultivators, after all, so it makes sense that we help each other out. As for how the treasure is split, that's something we decide later based on contribution and all that. So, what do you say?"

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   Qian Feng felt something was off, but decided not to act on it straight away.

  "Why is the Luqi Alliance so recognized?"

  "Oh, that's easy," the last man spoke up. "Our young master, Lu Tanqi, is a famous prodigy in the region, and his family gives him resources to run this alliance. So, we all get plenty of treasures for growth and as rewards, and we get a well-known genius and his formidable family as a backer. Kid, just join the alliance, huh?"

  Qian Feng's doubts were confirmed - this was no alliance. This was a gang.

    It all began with his first instinct when he saw the three men conversing. They seemed to have a shield which blocked their conversation from being heard from the outside, so Qian Feng's keen senses couldn't pick up their discourse, but their shifty behavior and slight panic when they noticed the entrance of the outsiders, Qian Feng and his master, alluded to the fact that they weren't up to the most honest of business.

  Also telling was the matching clothing of the three men: they all wore identical white robes with blue symbols. This by itself wasn't much, but it could be because of a gang-like atmosphere.

  Finally, the praise they touted Lu Tanqi and their tone while doing so implied a sort of forced reverence, almost as if the young master was a tyrant. All in all, Qian Feng was able to confirm with reliable accuracy that the so-called Luqi Alliance was closer to a criminal gang.

 "I'm sorry to disappoint, gentlemen, but we wanted to try out the tomb before going through the hassle of alliances and groups." Qian Feng was forced to phrase his rejection as politely as possible, trying to give them face and avoid provoking them. He wasn't scared of those men individually, but their backer was undoubtedly more troublesome to deal with, likely closer to the latter areas of the Martial King stage. In time, that would mean nothing to the young talent, but currently, Qian Feng would likely be forced to do Lu Tanqi's will, or whoever was hypothetically delegated to meet with him. Thus, it was the wisest move to try to avoid any conflict with the Luqi Alliance for now.

  Hearing this, the faces of all three men darkened, but they refrained from open aggression in their response. "Alright, but I do hope you'll seek us out once you've satisfied yourself - mutual benefits and all that, after all."

  That last phrase was worrying in context - on the surface, it seemed innocent, but without a doubt, it was a veiled threat. It looked like Qian Feng would indeed have to work harder and try to improve; after all, if he was strong enough, the warrior wouldn't even have to bother with tact and wisdom - absolute strength crushes all schemes, after all, and if Qian Feng was able to bear the kickback, he wouldn't have to worry about anything. That was the rule Qian Feng lived by, and that was the rule he adhered to.

   After exchanging some final pleasantries, the two men returned to the side of the room they were in originally, one of the three incinerating a talisman in their hand subtly and instantly conjuring a shroud of silence over the group.

  Though the shadows cast by the dim light seemed slightly more ominous now, Qian Feng and the Iron Fox shrugged off memories and feelings of the encounter and continued onwards, passing through the only door in the chamber.