Lu Yuan had always wanted to know what kind of effect the so-called conferring of immortals and gods would truly have once the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token unleashed its full power.
Unfortunately, even with the memories of his past life, he knew very little about such a taboo object.
Most of what he understood came from Jiang Ningxian, who had made him realize the true importance of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token.
Now, he was about to gather the third token. According to his estimates, he would be able to start using them thereafter.
Of course, through all of this, Lu Yuan remained calm and composed, showing no sign of it.
It was not that he distrusted Jiang Ningxian.
It was simply that the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token carried far too great a significance.
At this stage, such matters were best kept from outsiders.
At this moment, he walked shoulder to shoulder with her toward the dragon throne perched at the highest point of Lingxiao Palace.
This grand hall was vast, but much like the Dragon Palace's Crystal Palace and Guangchengzi's dao arena at Mount Kongtong before, not much had been left behind, nor did it require meticulous searching.
Even so, adhering to an attitude of utmost caution, the two advanced very slowly.
Jiang Ningxian did the same, her body draped in wisps of radiant light to protect her physique and soul.
Up until now, no major crisis had appeared in the Mount Kunlun mystic realm.
Yet that did not mean there was none.
Especially upon reaching such an important place, caution was all the more necessary.
She held a pivotal, highly important position within the Jiang clan. Having descended with only a single companion this time, the life-saving measures provided by her clan's elders were naturally plentiful.
Slowly, as the two walked forward, they finally arrived beneath the steps leading up to the dragon throne. Counting them carefully, there were ninety-nine steps in all.
Jiang Ningxian did not step up immediately. Instead, she turned her head and asked, evidently having studied the history of this world quite thoroughly, "If I remember correctly, in your history, emperors are called Sons of Heaven, and there is the saying of the 'Supremacy of Nine-Five'?"
"Indeed. Nine-five denotes the Son of Heaven, while nine-nine belongs to the Human Sovereign," Lu Yuan nodded, looking toward the figure on the imperial throne and wondering if the one seated above could truly be a Human Sovereign.
"Even if not a Human Sovereign, he must be closely connected to one."
And those who could be called Human Sovereign numbered only a handful in all of Huaxia's history.
Jiang Ningxian fell into thought, then spoke no further. Exchanging a glance with Lu Yuan, she stepped onto the stairs.
As for the figure upon the throne, it remained blurry and indistinct.
Thus, the two climbed steadily, drawing nearer and nearer until they finally reached the top.
Everything now presented itself clearly before their eyes, and they could finally see the person upon the throne.
He was tall and imposing, wearing an imperial crown and a robe of pure black.
The Qin Dynasty revered the virtue of water, making the black dragon robe unique in Huaxia's history.
It was impossible to tell how long he had sat there, yet his flesh had not decayed. Unfortunately, his head hung slightly, and his face was obscured by an uncanny force, preventing them from making out his features...
Even though he had already passed away, he still possessed a tremendous aura of supreme majesty, standing alone between heaven and earth.
"Is this... the Ancestral Dragon, the First Emperor?" Lu Yuan quickly deduced his identity.
No wonder there had been no imperial resting place for him within the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
Yet why would the imperial body of the Ancestral Dragon, the First Emperor, appear in this place?
Lu Yuan spoke, his eyes reflecting astonishment and bewilderment. He was actually seeing a legendary figure from over two thousand years ago...
Jiang Ningxian fully agreed with Lu Yuan's guess, unable to resist asking, "Could it be that the Ancestral Dragon's campaign failed?"
Combined with the information Jiang Ningxian had provided earlier, Lu Yuan became even more certain.
This... truly might be that very Ancestral Dragon.
Previously, what Lu Yuan had encountered were mostly relics left behind by such beings, but he had never laid eyes upon the person himself.
With that, she took a slight step forward, wanting to determine the cause of death and preparing to investigate with a secret technique.
As Jiang Ningxian moved, she waved her hand slightly, and a jade talisman appeared in her grip, radiating wisps of light that sealed away all of that uncanny aura, as if she had come well prepared.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan did not find it strange in the least.
Yet he felt that doing so was dangerous, fearing that something might go wrong.
Right then, Lu Yuan called out, "Be careful!"
Yet he was a step too late after all.
Boom!
Strange as it was, nothing seemed to change; the scene remained just as before, without even an unusual aura to be detected. At the same time, an inexplicable sensation lingered in their hearts.
Sensing it, Jiang Ningxian narrowed her eyes slightly. "Death qi. Anyone who touches it will easily have their life essence drained. Generally speaking, only beings at or above the immortal realm produce death qi upon falling."
"Death qi—it's death qi!"
A terrifying power surged into their bodies.
In the very next instant, both of them felt an explosion in their minds, as though their very souls were being obliterated.
Jiang Ningxian's protective measures temporarily lost all effect; she froze on the spot, her eyes vacant.
Lu Yuan also felt immense pressure. He immediately channeled his visualization method to keep his mind clear, continuously mobilizing the power within his body to resist.
Yet as time passed, his body trembled, and he found it difficult to hold on. It felt as if he were facing an insurmountable presence—a sensation he was experiencing for the very first time.
Suddenly, the imperial body of the Ancestral Dragon moved.
Slowly raising his head as though resurrecting, he actually opened his eyes.
Immediately afterward, when Lu Yuan came back to his senses, he found himself in a pitch-black void, unable to discern any direction or sense the passage of time.
Finally, after who knew how long, Lu Yuan looked up and discovered a silhouette standing before him.
It was none other than the man who had been seated upon the imperial throne.
In a black imperial robe and imperial crown, his hands clasped behind his back, he stood tall between heaven and earth, peerless and unmatched.
Even seen only from behind, he exuded boundless imperiousness.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, sounding deep and commanding:
"How many years has it been? Zhen has finally encountered a descendant of the Huaxia bloodline once more."
"Are you... the Ancestral Dragon?" Lu Yuan asked, his eyes filled with shock and bewilderment.
"It seems that someone did record Zhen after all," the Ancestral Dragon said without turning around. "Back then, Zhen foresaw that the campaign would fail and left behind a strand of will. There is little time, so let us speak only of what is most important."
Just as he said, time was short, so he spoke without giving Lu Yuan a chance to respond.
"In Zhen's era, heaven and earth underwent a great transformation, and the path to immortality opened. Zhen extinguished the six states, gathered the destiny of the human race, ascended beyond the immortal realm, and sought to wage war beyond the domain.
"The heavens and the cosmos are vast, with starfields as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Zhen wished to reign supreme across the universe, only to later discover that the true arch-enemy was not in this realm.
"Yet by then it was too late. The coordinates were exposed, and Zhen was forced in the end to employ the Severance of Heaven and Earth to seal off heaven and earth.
"However, those beings will inevitably return. Thus, Zhen left behind a strand of will for later generations.
"That you have reached Zhen's presence represents your fortune and your destiny.
"Therefore, Zhen's fortune shall be yours."
Finally, as the Ancestral Dragon's voice faded, an Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token slowly emerged from his body.
It was the third token.
It fell directly into Lu Yuan's hand.
Chapter 180