Chapter 1372: Entering the Imperial Tomb

These two stone gates, ten thousand zhang high, were truly awe-inspiring. Standing before them and looking up, their tops were out of sight, lost in swirling yellow clouds, like wisps and patches of mist.

The gates were etched with numerous carvings depicting ancient ancestors worshipping the sun, moon, and lightning, revering heaven and earth, gods and ghosts, as well as various ancient beasts and strange insects.

Were such colossal stone gates prepared for an ancient Great Emperor? A stream of Yellow Springs water gushed forth, imbued with the aura of death. Ordinary people approaching it would turn to bone, their life force devoured.

However, deep within the secret realm beyond these stone gates, there were also signs of life, a stark contrast to the characteristics of the Yellow Springs.

The Stone Man was the first to act. His battle chariot rumbled forward, transforming into a hazy ball of light as it rushed towards the gates, intending to enter the Emperor's Tomb. Though not tall, he seemed like an immortal king descending upon the world.

A stone dragon and a stone tiger, both gleaming, pulled his substantial chariot, which was over a meter long, into the space above the Yellow Springs, poised to pass through the colossal ten thousand zhang high stone gates.

Boom! Suddenly, the grand gates trembled. The ancient carvings on them quivered; the depicted ancient ancestors, unknown exotic beasts, and flora and fauna seemed to come alive, threatening to emerge from the stone.

A powerful ripple of energy emanated from them. The stone dragon and tiger shrieked as if struck by lightning, then were flung backward, trails of divine blood seeping from them.

With a resounding clang, the battle chariot overturned. The Stone Man stumbled and was also sent flying, divine blood streaming from his mouth and spilling into the void.

He, along with his chariot and two mounts, was sent reeling, sustaining considerable injuries. This shocked everyone. He was a Great Saint, yet he could not cross the stone gates by even half a step.

The ancient Great Emperor had passed away countless millennia ago, and the tomb gates stood wide open. Yet, a Great Saint could not enter. This left everyone stunned and filled with fear.

"Stone Man, you truly lack propriety," Daoist Master Bai Jie said. "How can you be so disrespectful when entering a Great Emperor's tomb? You must kowtow." Then he turned to the Dragon-Horse and added, "My grand-nephew, go forth and pay your respects. Show him how it's done; you're sure to get in."

The Dragon-Horse's face darkened, and it wanted to bite him. It turned away, pretending not to hear, as the three words "grand-nephew" were what it hated most now.

"That's right," a Human Race Protector said. "Even if a Great Emperor has departed, they cannot be blasphemed. All races must show reverence." Two people then stepped forward and performed a grand bow of reverence.

Afterward, they continued forward, bowing with every step. As they neared the ancient stone gates, nothing indeed happened; they were not repelled.

Everyone was awestruck. The ancient Great Emperor had passed away hundreds of thousands of years ago. Could he still be sensitive to such things?

With a loud thud, a magnificent bronze cauldron swayed, protecting the God Lord as he approached the colossal ten thousand zhang high stone gates. He stopped there and also bowed deeply.

The stone carvings on the gates remained calm. There were no unusual occurrences. He stepped inside and succeeded as well.

From behind, where the Underworld's Yin Soldiers were, the bronze coffin shook, then soared into the sky, flying through the yellow mist towards the grand gates.

Clang! A deafening metallic tremor rang out, as if a celestial hammer had struck, heavily slamming into the bronze coffin. Green rust flaked off, and it tumbled backward through the air.

Everyone gasped. The peerless expert from the Underworld had disregarded the ancient rules and tried to force their way in, and just as predicted, they were struck down and repelled.

Was there truly something unseen at play? It was common knowledge that the Great Emperors had long passed away. How could they still react? What was happening?

With a creaking sound, the rust-covered bronze coffin lid lifted open. From within, a tall figure sat upright, then stood rigidly and stepped out.

His appearance filled the cosmic void with an eerie, sinister aura. It was chilling, a bone-piercing cold.

Everyone felt a chill, as if the netherworld had descended upon the human realm. A cold dread ran from their heads to their toes, and facing him felt like confronting an ancient vengeful spirit, making their hearts tremble.

This figure wore wide, black garments, which shrouded his entire body, even his head, which was covered by a funereal crown.

He stood entirely within shadow. No starlight could approach him. His attire was extremely ancient, conservatively estimated to be the divine-demonic raiment of hundreds of thousands of years ago.

He strode with the might of a dragon and the step of a tiger. His ancient black robe swirled, its wide sleeves fluttering, revealing a horrifying sight: long black fur.

A hasty glance was enough to cause goosebumps and shake one's spirit. It was indeed a tall figure, seemingly covered in long black hair, like a gigantic ape.

Was this even a human? He was tall and imposing, striding with draconic power, yet he had black fur and wore ancient divine-demonic raiment, inspiring dread.

This time, he approached the stone gates. He bowed deeply and respectfully, no longer attempting to force his way in. As a result, he entered smoothly.

The only difference was that the Yellow Springs water, sensing his aura, began to boil, and an endless sinister aura ascended from it. Yet, he remained unaffected, seemingly enjoying it.

Everyone felt even more unnerved. What exactly was this peerless expert from the Underworld? And what kind of beings were the rulers of old?!

The God Lord holding the bronze cauldron and the peerless existence from the Underworld were naturally at odds. They exchanged glances, then stood in separate positions, not approaching each other.

"Hehe, Stone Man, if you're so capable, why don't you enter without bowing?" The leader of the Ox Demon Tribe grinned, his pair of huge bovine eyes looking quite terrifying.

He held a gleaming Vajra Lasso in his hand. He stopped before the stone gates, paid his respects, and entered safely.

The Stone Man remained silent for a moment. Finally, he dismounted his chariot and approached. He humbled himself, muttering softly, then bowed and entered.

Subsequently, other Human Race Protectors, as well as ancient potentates from other races, appeared one by one. This shocked everyone, as there were not just three or five Great Saints present.

The impending appearance of the Emperor's Corpse had shaken the ancient road. Numerous peerless masters had emerged from seclusion and rushed to this place, amounting to no fewer than eleven or twelve in total. Such a force would be enough to sweep through countless star regions!

Others also wished to enter, but they could not approach the Yellow Springs. It was tainted with a wisp of the Emperor's Corpse aura, the most terrifying and yin death energy. Though only a trace, it was unbearable for ordinary people; upon proximity, they would instantly turn to dust.

"To enter the Emperor's Tomb, all living beings must accompany us," a Human Race Protector said. "We must chant scriptures for the departed and protect all peace and safety, otherwise many strange things may occur."

The Great Saints from various races gathered. There was nothing to hide or hold back among them. In such a great tomb, no one dared to act recklessly upon entry. They needed to work together with one mind.

"This humble monk possesses a Buddhist Bridge for Crossing Rivers," an old monk said. "Although it is not an Emperor Artifact and its power is not immense, it was once blessed by the chants of Great Emperor Amitabha. It can neutralize limitless evil auras and carry all beings across the river to the divine shore."

An old monk spoke. He had a pair of yellow eyebrows, a gleaming bald head, and wore a tattered kasaya. He hailed from the ancient Amitabha Star Domain, a supreme Great Saint whose Buddhist Dharma was boundless. Having traveled the starry sky, he was now a Protector on the Human Race's ancient path.

"This is excellent," others nodded. In this world, when it came to spiritual blessings and such, almost no one in history could compare to Great Emperor Amitabha.

Many were startled. They had never imagined this old monk possessed a secret artifact blessed by an ancient Great Emperor.

A purple-gold bridge appeared in the old monk's palm. With a flick of his hand, the bridge rapidly expanded, spanning the Yellow Springs and extending directly to the land within the gates. It emanated a golden glow.

Throughout this process, he continuously recited scriptures of atonement and bowed towards the grand tomb. He received no attacks.

"It truly is a divine artifact!" Daoist Master Bai Jie's eyes gleamed. He looked as if he wished to snatch it for himself.

Everyone else also realized this was a dharma artifact blessed by an ancient Great Emperor's chants. Although it possessed no great offensive power, its Buddhist light was exceptionally potent.

This was residual material from Great Emperor Amitabha's crafting of his Emperor Artifact, the Demon-Subduing Pestle. Though only fist-sized, yet even after being refined into a purple-gold bridge by a later saintly monk, it retained the power to seize the fortune of heaven and earth.

It was not primarily for offense but for saving all sentient beings. It could gather the faith of Buddhist followers, making it a rare ancient treasure.

Troops from various factions and different races, in countless contingents, like an overwhelming tide, ascended the purple-gold Buddhist Bridge, bowing to the great tomb as they passed through the stone gates.

This scene was somewhat terrifying. Innumerable armies all entered a single tomb. The yellow mist swirled, as if countless heavenly soldiers were invading the Nine Netherworlds.

This time, besides the Human Race, many strong individuals from other races also arrived, their numbers endless. Yet, the purple-gold Buddhist Bridge accommodated and supported everyone.

"While we protect ourselves, we must also ensure no harm comes to those chanting scriptures from various factions; they must be protected," a Human Race Protector said.

"Naturally so," the Ox Demon King, full of heroic spirit, unleashed his Vajra Lasso. It hung high in the sky, casting down a ripple of silver light, protecting not only the Ox Demon Tribe but also sheltering others below.

The Stone Man opened his mouth and spat out a glowing green Measuring Sky Ruler, which flew high into the sky, shedding chaotic energy. Endless immortal tears and auspicious divine light also descended, enveloping the area.

Even if there were grudges, they were temporarily cast aside. Nothing was more important than potentially seeing an ancient Great Emperor. For Great Saints who had cultivated bitterly for thousands of years and could no longer advance, this was an immortal opportunity.

This was a secret realm. It contained ancient forests and dense woods, not lacking in vital energy, despite the presence of the deadly Yellow Springs.

Everyone entered and landed on the shore. Ahead, towering mountains stretched in continuous ranges, enveloped in wisps of pure white immortal mist, making one doubt if they were in a dream.

Was this truly a great tomb? How did it feel like entering an immortal realm?

"This is too astounding. There are hidden traces of Dao here. If we can comprehend them, perhaps we can achieve breakthroughs," a Great Saint exclaimed. Immediately, he sat down cross-legged, facing the countless immortal mountains with a solemn expression, entering a state of enlightenment.

The others proceeded cautiously, keeping away from the Yellow Springs. They entered the immortal mountains, where mist swirled, filled with a sacred and peaceful aura.

Ahead, the sound of water could be heard. A silver divine river flowed, and on its bank stood a giant stele, on which several large characters were carved in primeval divine script: Emperor Weapon Mountain.

Everyone's hearts trembled. They had not expected to arrive at the burial ground of an ancient Great Emperor's Imperial Weapons so soon after entering!

At this moment, no one could remain calm; their hearts surged with excitement. This place was filled with treasures, and if nothing unforeseen happened, they would witness the emergence of Imperial Weapons.

"What is that?" someone suddenly cried out.

Upstream of the silver divine river, a colossal creature lay coiled, watching them indifferently, possessing a supreme majesty.

"It's a horse with draconic features!" People were astonished and utterly dumbfounded. They had not expected to find a living creature here.

It was a crimson horse with a dragon's head, a horse's body, and robust limbs. Now, it suddenly leaped up, vast as a mountain peak, with crimson mist swirling around it.

Ye Fan was startled and looked at the Dragon-Horse, which had taken human form. Their true forms were incredibly similar, almost identical.

With a dragon's roar, this Dragon-Horse transformed into a wisp of crimson immortal qi and vanished from its spot. It then reformed in the sky as a crimson dragon, wagging its tail and soaring into the depths of the immortal mountains.

"Heavens, is this true?" someone exclaimed. "An ancient Great Emperor's personal mount, it actually lived until this era?!"

"How is this possible? The Great Emperor has passed away; how can his mount still be alive?!"

Everyone stood frozen, staring in the direction the crimson dragon had vanished. Their jaws dropped, and they stood still as mud statues or wooden carvings.