Chapter 60: Stirring the Eight Directions
Yan was merely a corner of the world, a drop in the ocean within the Eastern Wasteland. If news spread, this ruin would be flooded by countless cultivators.
At this moment, none felt more disappointed than the Sect Leader of the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven. With Holy Lands and Primordial Aristocratic Clans appearing, he knew this time he would likely gain nothing—impossible to contend with such behemoths.
An ancient war chariot of the Ji Family, a Primordial Aristocratic Clan, rumbled as it crushed across the sky, causing the heavens to tremble as it rapidly departed. The people of Yaoguang Holy Land saw this and all changed color. An old man urgently ordered two cultivators beside him, "You two hurry back to the Holy Land and report immediately. Send powerful experts to reinforce us!"
The news of the Demon Emperor's tomb emerging could no longer be suppressed. It would inevitably shake the vast Eastern Wasteland. Soon, more and more sects would arrive, inevitably including Primordial Aristocratic Clans and Holy Lands on par with them. The Ji Family and Yaoguang Holy Land had no choice but to seek reinforcements.
"How about we join forces, break open the Demon Emperor's tomb, and retrieve the treasures within?" An elder from Yaoguang Holy Land looked toward the Ji Family's experts, then at the dozen or so women from the Yao Chi Holy Land, and finally swept a glance at the Sect Leader of the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven.
"Good, that's exactly what we should do." The experts on the Ji Family's ancient war chariot immediately nodded in agreement.
The dozen or so women from Yao Chi Holy Land were ethereal and graceful, each pure and otherworldly, as if unwilling to participate in this struggle. They all retreated. The leading woman parted her red lips and said, "We are merely passing through and have no desire to contend for the Demon Clan Emperor's legacy."
"Since that's the case, we won't force you. Our two factions will join forces to break open the Demon Clan Emperor's tomb." Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family were more than happy for Yao Chi's people to withdraw. Although the Demon Emperor's tomb held many treasures, no one disliked having more divine artifacts. The fewer participants, the better.
"Sect Leader Li, bring your people over as well." An old man from Yaoguang Holy Land glanced indifferently into the distance.
The Sect Leader of the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven felt bitterness in his heart but said, "We will give our full effort."
The elder from Yaoguang Holy Land nodded. "Your Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven has already contributed much. When we open the Demon Emperor's tomb, you will be satisfied."
With that, over twenty experts once again entered the Demon Emperor's tomb, determined to fully open this ancient grave.
"Boom!"
The ancient hall, forged from Five-Colored Divine Jade, shook continuously, emitting dazzling beams of light that caused heaven and earth to tremble along with it.
"Something seems off..." The dozen or so women from Yao Chi Holy Land watched from a distance, all showing strange expressions.
"The demon script on the ancient hall seems to be growing brighter."
"Those ancient characters appear alive, all trembling as if about to break through the walls."
All the demon script on the ancient hall radiated extraordinary brilliance. Dragon-shaped characters writhed like small dragons, phoenix-shaped characters seemed ready to spread their wings and fly, and tortoise-shaped characters rolled unceasingly...
The Demon Emperor's tomb exuded a mysterious aura. Powerful demonic energy slowly gathered, and the ancient tomb became shrouded in a hazy mist.
"Not good, this Demon Clan Emperor's tomb is strange..."
The dozen or so women from Yao Chi Holy Land all showed shocked expressions. They felt the demonic energy growing stronger and stronger, gradually surging like an ocean.
Not everyone from Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family had entered the Demon Emperor's tomb. Those guarding outside also sensed this change. Their faces turned pale as they shouted toward the inside, "Not good! The tomb is changing! Retreat quickly!"
They didn't need to shout—those inside already knew something was terribly wrong. The few people at the front suddenly turned into bloody mist. It all happened so fast that no one understood what was going on.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Everyone retreated rapidly, transforming into divine rainbows as they rushed toward the exit.
"Boom!"
Within the Demon Emperor's tomb, boundless radiance suddenly flared. The people at the very back ignited on the spot, struggling in agony, but it was useless. In an instant, they turned to ashes.
"Go quickly!"
The Sect Leader of the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven and two Supreme Elders barely escaped. Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family each had four or five people rush out as well. Everyone else was sealed inside.
At that moment, the ancient hall's doors slowly closed. Through the gaps that hadn't yet fully shut, they could see part of the scene inside: brilliant light, the trapped people unable to move an inch, their bodies transparent, blood burning, internal organs rapidly charring, followed by flesh and bones, all turning to flying ash in an instant.
The terrifying expressions on their faces before death filled everyone with dread. Especially those who had just retreated—none could help but tremble in fear. If they had been even a step slower, they would have met the same fate.
"How could this happen? What's going on? Why did this tomb suddenly become so terrifying..." The elder from Yaoguang Holy Land's face turned ashen, extremely ugly. To lose so many people before even obtaining the treasures was truly an ill omen.
"This is a contingency plan left by the Demon Clan Emperor. Without a great demon present, this ancient hall is a deadly demon cave for human cultivators!" The Ji Family's expert made this judgment.
Everyone thought it over and found it reasonable. When the few great demons had been present earlier, nothing unusual happened. Only after they left did the ancient hall become so mysterious and terrifying.
"That's very likely the case. The Demon Clan Emperor certainly wouldn't want human experts to ultimately obtain his legacy."
"Then what do we do? Do we need to capture a few great demons? It's probably too late—many sects are likely already on their way."
After discussing for a moment, the people from Yaoguang Holy Land and the Primordial Aristocratic Clan Ji Family decided to join forces and attack from the outside, striving to open the ancient hall first. Otherwise, when the treasures would fall into whose hands would be hard to say.
"We must open it first!"
Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family joining forces was enough to intimidate ordinary sects. But if powerful major sects, or other Holy Lands and Primordial Aristocratic Clans arrived, it would be a huge problem. Those people would have no scruples when contending.
The Eastern Wasteland was simply too vast. Not even powerful cultivators, let alone nations, could truly count them all. No single Holy Land could dominate the entire Eastern Wasteland.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Various weapons all flared with radiance, bombarding the Demon Emperor's tomb, unleashing violent energy fluctuations. However, to everyone's surprise, the Demon Clan Emperor's tomb remained unscathed. The demon script on it grew even more brilliant.
"Those demon characters are writhing!"
At this moment, all cultivators were startled. Small dragons coiled upward from the tomb's foundation, phoenixes spread their wings to soar, and dark tortoises crawled slowly...
All the Demon Clan Emperor's characters were moving, spreading upward from the ancient hall's foundation, eventually densely covering the entire hall as if inscribed with incantations, appearing mysterious and unfathomable. Streams of demonic energy flowed through them.
Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family launched several fierce attacks, but all ended in failure. They also lost two ancient war chariots and seven or eight barbaric beasts. The characters on the Demon Emperor's tomb possessed strange and unpredictable power, occasionally shooting out divine light that pierced people through.
"It's over. Those are the Demon Clan Emperor's characters, surely left by the last Demon Clan Emperor!" The elder from Yaoguang Holy Land's face was pale. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "We can't open it with our strength alone. We'll have to wait for the Holy Land's experts to arrive. But by then, who knows how many sects will have gathered."
The Ji Family's experts stood on their ancient war chariot, their expressions equally grim. The Demon Emperor's tomb was so eerie that they could only wait quietly for reinforcements.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
The sound of tearing air was unceasing. Dozens of divine rainbows appeared one after another on the horizon. The first batch of cultivators had arrived after the news leaked. However, when they saw it was only people from the other five Cave Heaven Blessed Lands of Yan, those present breathed a sigh of relief, secretly glad it wasn't a super major sect.
"Rumble, rumble, rumble..."
In the distant sky, clouds rolled and light radiated in all directions. A massive divine boat, refined from divine jade, broke through the air and rapidly approached. The people from Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family immediately changed color. Whatever they feared came—a super major sect had finally arrived.
But what shocked them even more was yet to come. At that moment, a terrifying wave of energy like a tsunami came from afar.
From another direction, dozens of divine rainbows cleared the way ahead. Nine ancient barbaric beasts, resembling qilin, pulled a jade carriage wreathed in divine mist. They rode clouds and mist, producing thunderous sounds as they rushed forward rapidly.
The experts from Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family immediately changed color. This was definitely an extremely terrifying great figure—otherwise, they wouldn't have such an extravagant procession.
"Someone of this caliber has actually arrived in person..."