Chapter 62: The Demon Emperor's Tomb Splits
"Swish, swish, swish"
The sound of divine rainbows breaking through the air was incessant. Cultivators from the horizon continuously rushed forward toward the Demon Emperor's tomb ahead. Ye Fan watched all of this without much excitement. He strode swiftly toward the distance, gradually leaving the ruins behind, and returned along the original path to the region of the Five Finger Mountains.
"What's going on…" Ye Fan was deeply astonished. It was still this same area, but the lush, vibrant scene was gone. Ahead, five bare stone mountains stood, devoid of any vegetation, completely barren. Moreover, they were no longer so towering; they had become very low and squat, like five giant boulders lined up side by side.
He walked forward through the five stone mountains. He neither lost his way nor saw any secluded paradise. Ahead lay a stretch of rubble and yellow sand, desolate and quiet, utterly unfamiliar, filled with nothing but bleakness.
"I didn't take the wrong direction…" Ye Fan was certain this was the same area, but the scene before him had completely transformed. That secluded paradise had vanished entirely.
Thinking he had stepped into an illusion, Ye Fan closed his eyes and tried to sense the heartbeat of the Demon Emperor's Heart with his own heart, but he detected nothing. This place was exceptionally silent, a true barren wasteland.
He searched the area meticulously, only to reluctantly discover a fact: all of this was real. There was no paradise here—only a stretch of sand and stone spanning dozens of li, lifeless and utterly dead.
"How could this be…" Ye Fan frowned. He returned to the five stone mountains and suddenly spotted a corner of a sleeve at the base of the central mountain.
"It's Pang Bo's…"
Ye Fan searched the area repeatedly, but ultimately despaired. This barren land held nothing. Pang Bo and the several great demons had completely vanished without a trace.
After searching the area countless times, Ye Fan lay exhausted on the sandy ground, carefully thinking and speculating. Finally, he sighed. With his current strength, he simply couldn't find Pang Bo. Even if he did uncover a clue, he wouldn't be able to rescue him.
In the end, Ye Fan could only choose to leave. He didn't know if he would ever see Pang Bo again after today's parting.
Having crossed to the other side of the starry sky, the two had always shared life and death, supporting each other. But now, to be separated like this left Ye Fan deeply disheartened. He walked away step by step.
After trekking several hundred li, Ye Fan passed by the ancient ruins, now only a few li from the Demon Emperor's tomb. By then, a multitude of cultivators had gathered there. The Demon Emperor's ancient tomb floated and sank in the sky, its radiance piercing the heavens.
Just then, a rumbling "boom" echoed, and the sky trembled.
An ancient war chariot, exuding a murderous aura, was cast from gold and densely inscribed with "Dao patterns." It was pulled by nine powerful azure flood dragons, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder as it rolled across the sky. A mighty battle intent surged like a tsunami, overwhelming everything.
In the distance, many cultivators gasped. Another great figure had arrived. Many changed color, but only the members of the ancient aristocratic Ji Family showed joy.
The nine azure flood dragons, pulling the golden ancient war chariot, rode clouds and mist, charging swiftly. They stopped before the Ji Family members and then fell silent.
Before anyone could recover, ethereal celestial music drew near from afar. Petals scattered through the sky, sparkling and fragrant. Graceful figures, like fairies, passed through the air, their sleeves fluttering, exuding an indescribable otherworldly elegance.
Surrounded by a profusion of flowers, they escorted a fragrant carriage woven from divine blossoms, drifting lightly. A rain of petals fell, glittering, making the entire ruins appear magnificent.
Before the Demon Emperor's tomb, all cultivators were startled. Another extraordinary figure had arrived. This ancient palace had indeed stirred many powerful cultivators, all of whom had come in person.
Ye Fan had calmed down. Though he hadn't found Pang Bo, he firmly believed Pang Bo wouldn't die. The day would come when the brothers would meet again.
"Grow stronger. I must keep growing stronger. I won't let others control our fate!"
Ye Fan shook off his disappointment. His eyes shone with divine light, revealing a resolute and confident spirit. Since he had embarked on the path of cultivation, his primary task now was to make himself powerful. Only then could he rescue Pang Bo in the future.
He didn't leave but chose to retreat several li, observing from a high mountain about eight li from the Demon Emperor's tomb. With his current cultivation, he had no strength to contend for anything. Even the weakest person there could easily reduce him to ashes. He chose to watch from afar only to broaden his experience.
By now, who knew how many cultivators had arrived. Many had already made their moves, but still, no one could open the Demon Emperor's tomb, and many had died or been injured.
The magnificent ancient palace, refined from Five-Colored Divine Jade, was covered in dense demon script. Five-colored divine radiance bloomed, and dragon-shaped, phoenix-shaped, and black-tortoise-shaped characters seemed to come alive. Demonic qi rose like rolling smoke, piercing the heavens. The surging demonic power undulated like an ocean. No cultivator could approach; anyone who dared cross the line was instantly crushed to powder.
"The Life-Slaying Force laid down by a generation of the Demon Emperor has long since weakened to its lowest point under the erosion of time, and we've already grasped its pulsation pattern. It's about time. We can make our move." Before the Demon Emperor's tomb, from the jade carriage pulled by nine qilin beasts, a cold voice emerged. It wasn't very loud, even somewhat low, but it clearly reached every corner, causing many cultivators to tremble.
This supreme figure was finally going to act!
"Indeed, the Demon Emperor's tomb can now be opened," came a gentle voice. The crowd didn't see the woman who spoke, but no one doubted that someone daring to converse with the figure in the jade carriage must be of the same level.
"Our families hold the innate geographical advantage. Opening the tomb now will yield great gains!" At that moment, another authoritative voice came from another part of the sky, each word striking like thunder, making everyone's ears ring.
Beneath the sky where flower petals rained, from the fragrant carriage woven from divine blossoms, a woman's voice rang out, crisp and pleasant: "In that case, let's begin."
"We will forcibly open the Demon Emperor's tomb. To avoid harming the innocent, everyone fall back!" From the Ji Family's murderous golden ancient war chariot, an aged voice spread like a tsunami, shaking the very sky with unparalleled pressure.
The five great figures spoke in succession, their voices almost linked together, gripping hearts like rolling thunder. At that moment, everyone's spirit trembled violently, their bodies swaying uncontrollably as they retreated into the distance.
The five mysterious great figures didn't want to wait any longer, as powerful experts from other super forces were nearly arriving. The five would join forces to forcibly shatter the Demon Emperor's tomb and seize the treasures ahead of time.
Even eight li away, Ye Fan still felt a terrifying fluctuation. His heart tightened. Without hesitation, he quickly distanced himself from the area, retreating another few li.
"Boom"
Soon, a earth-shattering roar came from the direction of the Demon Emperor's tomb, making souls tremble. Dazzling divine light pierced the clouds, piercing heaven and earth. Like a volcanic eruption, endless demonic power surged forth. Brilliant light, like a tsunami, rushed in all directions. Many cultivators, like floating duckweed, were flung away by the energy waves. Even those who had retreated far enough were still affected.
In the distance, Ye Fan was horrified. Even he felt the impact here. Countless plants snapped, and many rocks tumbled away. Hiding behind a stone mountain, he still felt his heart pound.
This Demon Emperor's tomb was too terrifying. Countless ages had passed, and the Life-Slaying Force laid down by the Demon Emperor had weakened to the point of frailty, yet when struck by external force, it still erupted with such terrifying demonic might. One could imagine how powerful that Demon Emperor, who once unified the Eastern Wasteland's demon race, truly was!
"The Demon Emperor truly was a peerless powerhouse who dominated the Eastern Wasteland before the ancient times. Even the seals he set up in life possess such fearsome power. His former unparalleled elegance is evident!"
Before the magnificent ancient palace, only five figures remained. Their forms were indistinct, just five clusters of dazzling light hovering there. All of them sighed in admiration.
"A generation of the Demon Emperor, brilliant and extraordinary, was indeed a peerless expert!"
"The remaining demonic power in this tomb now probably isn't even one-tenth of his prime, yet it still has such fearsome might. Just thinking about it is shocking."
Though the five great figures said this, they didn't stop. Instead, they gathered their divine power and launched even fiercer and more domineering attacks.
"Boom"
Like a divine sea surging, like the Milky Way pouring down, heaven and earth were a vast blur. Everywhere was blinding light. Endless divine radiance clashed, and vast demonic power surged. The Demon Emperor's tomb seemed to boil.
All cultivators fled far away, no one daring to stay.
The five great figures struck continuously, unleashing their weapons to forcefully assault the Demon Emperor's ancient tomb. It dimmed the sun, moon, and stars, making the entire world tremble.
Boundless divine light and terrifying demonic power surged in all directions.
No one knew how long it took, nor how many times the five great figures struck, before they finally managed to crack a corner of the Demon Emperor's mausoleum.
"Boom"
Joining forces again, they delivered a powerful blow. Five mighty weapons spat divine light, condensing the essence and divine power of the five great figures, finally tearing open a corner of the Demon Emperor's tomb.
"Swish, swish, swish"
At that moment, from the Demon Emperor's tomb, streaks of multicolored light flew out from the torn corner, rushing in all directions. Spiritually aware weapons were escaping on their own!
The five great figures all reached out with massive hands, grabbing at the sky. But many streaks of light slipped through, either shooting into the sky or vanishing into the forests.
At that instant, the cultivators watching from afar all sprang into action, flying in all directions—some chasing into the sky, others into the deep woods—pursuing the streaks of light.
"Swish"
A streak of azure light shot into the stone mountain where Ye Fan was hiding, easily piercing through the rock wall and embedding itself inside. This startled Ye Fan. He never expected to gain something even while hiding so far away.
"Boom"
Just then, the five great figures joined forces again, unleashing their five mighty weapons to strike the Demon Emperor's tomb!
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