The man spoke in an aloof, chilling tone, seemingly deeply bothered by the matter.
"Brother Yi, you're making a mountain out of a molehill."
Seeing his reaction, Zhou Biqiong smiled. "That Lu Yuan—I looked into him before. He's just an ordinary guy, no bloodline, nothing special about him. He had some money before the upheaval, but he was just a spendthrift rich kid.
"Now that money is useless, he's probably hiding in some corner avoiding mutant beasts. He really isn't worth this much of your attention."
Her words dripped with disdain as she explained what Lu Yuan had previously had to do with her older sister.
Even so, that was all there was to it. After all, even before the upheaval, that man had at best been an affluent heir worthy of mild notice to the Wuzhou Group.
But now, in a New Era where strength reigned supreme, he didn't even amount to an ant.
The two were simply not on the same level.
"Is that so?"
A faint smile touched the man's lips upon hearing this.
He realized he had let personal concern cloud his judgment, allowing an ordinary person to stir his emotions.
Still, if they ever crossed paths in the future, he would find a way to put him in his place.
Some divides simply could never be bridged.
"Brother Yi, word about the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum leaked, and Awakened are gathering here. Countless more are on their way. It looks like our plan won't go so smoothly this time," Zhou Biqiong said, watching the crowds streaming into Chang'an.
"Word has it the Northern Emperor, the Southern Sovereign, the Ice Fairy, and Asura have all set out as well. How about it—feeling any pressure?"
Her casual remark carried immense weight; she clearly knew many secrets.
With extraordinary power descending upon the world and the dawn of the New Era, more and more people embarked upon the path of evolution.
The Five Great Sovereigns, selected by eager onlookers, were the most powerful Awakened of the present age, recognized by almost everyone.
As such, even Zhou Biqiong furrowed her brows slightly when speaking those names.
"No matter," the man replied with an easy chuckle and a shake of his head. "No matter who comes, I will take them on single-handedly."
His voice was quiet yet filled with absolute confidence, and as he spoke, an imposing aura surged from his body.
He was exceptionally powerful, fully possessing the confidence to back up his words.
"Our Zhou family will deploy plenty of experts as well, and if necessary, we can bring out firearms and heavy ordnance," Zhou Biqiong said. They were determined to claim the spoils of Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
The Wuzhou Group wielded immense influence.
During the early days of the upheaval, their cooperation with the authorities had yielded substantial benefits, granting them access to military-grade thermal weapons.
Even so, she dared not be careless. Longevity Genetics, Tianshen Technology, and other titans possessed formidable capabilities that were by no means inferior to the Wuzhou Group.
"Now that the New Era is here, as time marches on, firearms will eventually exit the stage of history," the man remarked. His bloodline was extraordinarily potent, granting him mysterious inherited memories. He knew that in the future, powerful Awakened would be able to disregard thermal weapons entirely and reach an unfathomable realm.
Of course, he did not elaborate further, only adding, "All right. Yunqiong has headed back. Let's get going too."
"Mm." Zhou Biqiong nodded.
The two boarded the helicopter together.
Soon, the aircraft lifted into the air. Rather than following the routes designated by the city of Chang'an, it soared straight over the massive steel perimeter walls.
As one of the country's four greatest factions, the Wuzhou Group naturally enjoyed privileges denied to ordinary people.
***
Inside Chang'an, heavy investments of government resources in its rapid development had made it far more bustling and vibrant than ordinary cities.
People surged through the streets in endless streams—both ordinary folk and Awakened, many of them newcomers from outside the region.
Walking among them, Lu Yuan caught snatches of conversation from all around.
The ordinary citizens spoke of mundane daily life and marveled at the world's rapid transformation.
The Awakened, however, huddled in groups of two and three, conversing in hushed tones about the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
"As expected of one of the five super cities under construction. It's totally different from the places we passed along the way."
"Rumor has it the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum will open in a few days. We'd better get ready."
"Yeah, who knows? We might get our hands on some fortunate encounter and evolve even further."
Clearly, these people had all arrived with agendas of their own.
Just as Lu Yuan had anticipated, news of the upheaval at the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum had spread far and wide, known to countless individuals.
Many of the Awakened were already planning to form teams to look out for one another, banking on strength in numbers to seek out opportunities.
Others took a pessimistic view, feeling that far too many people had gathered, not to mention the presence of major factions looking to fish in troubled waters, which would make success extraordinarily difficult.
Lu Yuan knew full well that once the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum opened, countless lives would be lost.
Yet that had nothing to do with him. He planned to find a quiet place to rest.
To him, it mattered little where he stayed; his sole intention was to keep a low profile until the dust settled, so he could begin setting his subsequent plans in motion.
With a ten-year advantage, Lu Yuan knew precisely what monumental events would unfold across various regions and what kind of fortuitous encounters awaited.
All of it would serve as the capital driving his continuous evolution and growing strength.
Night fell.
Stars glittered in the sky, bathed in pristine moonlight.
Inside an abandoned building somewhere in Chang'an, Lu Yuan picked up his phone, browsing through various reports concerning the Awakened and updates on the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
[At least ten thousand Awakened have arrived in Chang'an; executives from major factions including Zhendan Academy and the Wuzhou Group entered the city today.]
This post sat prominently atop the forums, trending heavily and drawing intense interest from Awakened across the region.
Many Awakened had registered accounts and left comments, predicting that clashes among the major factions could erupt into large-scale battles resulting in heavy casualties.
A great many agreed, noting that the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum was the resting place of the Ancestral Dragon and bound to harbor world-shaking fortune; whoever obtained it could transform into a dragon in a single day. The post also included videos and photos.
Lu Yuan naturally clicked to watch.
In the video, a colossal mountain soared ten thousand meters into the clouds.
Wisps of light radiated from its slopes, rising high into the sky and coalescing into the shape of a magnificent dragon.
That was the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum. Originally only about a hundred meters tall, it had thrust skyward following the global upheaval, eclipsing mountain ranges across the land. Its slopes glowed day and night, illuminating hundreds of meters in every direction.
Precisely because of this, it was impossible for even the most powerful factions to suppress the news.
The phenomenon was simply too astonishing; no one could fail to notice it.
Soon, another piece of news caught everyone's attention.
[Three Days Hence: Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum, Seat of the Dragon Veins, Land of Fortune! Awakened Clash—Who Will Reach the Peak?]
This had been published by a major faction, clearly bent on stirring up excitement for a spectacle.
They had concocted sensational headlines, inviting speculation on who would seize the fortunes of Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
By offering an estimated opening time, they intentionally pushed the fervor to a fever pitch.
Unsurprisingly, legions joined the discussion, most centering on the Five Great Sovereigns. They were widely regarded as the five strongest Awakened of this era, standing at the very pinnacle of the pyramid, and might clash directly.
Some even leaked that the Winged Celestial, the Northern Emperor, the Southern Sovereign, and others had already arrived, lurking quietly within Chang'an.
Once the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum opened fully in a few days, they would make their move immediately.
"The Winged Celestial is coming? I think he's the strongest of the Five Great Sovereigns. He's sure to take the fortune."
"Says who? The Southern Sovereign is here too. He's the eldest son of the head of Longevity Genetics. With his powerful bloodline and terrifying combat prowess, he's every bit a match for the Winged Celestial."
"The Northern Emperor is backed by Zhendan Academy. His physique is incredible, like a Buddhist Vajra walking the earth! I say he's the strongest of them all, superior to both."
"The Winged Celestial has the Wuzhou Group backing him too—he's not fighting alone."
"If the Five Great Sovereigns are coming, what's left for the rest of us to fight over?"
Below the post, thousands commented, virtually all of them Awakened. Some were still en route while others had already arrived in Chang'an, jumping into heated debates to champion their favored contenders.
The Winged Celestial generated the most buzz; many female admirers viewed him as perfect, a heavenly god descended to earth.
Of course, some Awakened were dejected, feeling that with the arrival of the top Awakened, they stood zero chance of competing.
Lu Yuan shook his head at these posts and looked away.
It was essentially the same as in his previous life.
The opening of the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum would draw countless eyes, sparking the first major war among Awakened and unleashing far-reaching consequences.
Yet none of that mattered to him; he merely wanted to verify certain information.
For instance, it was now firmly confirmed: the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum would open in three days.
"Three days..."
Lu Yuan felt a sense of anticipation. What lay inside was far too critical to him, shaping the entire path that lay ahead.
Thereafter, he remained inside the abandoned building, venturing nowhere.
Mount Li was not far from Chang'an. Following the upheaval, the two regions had merged, meaning there was no need to set out early.
During this time, many events unfolded.
Most eye-catching of all was a video showing a fierce clash between the Southern Sovereign and the Northern Emperor in a mountain forest.
In the footage, both unleashed formidable techniques with blistering ferocity, demolishing swaths of trees and blasting craters into the earth. Awakened who watched the footage were left utterly stunned as they weighed their own strength against the two.
Their final conclusion: they were completely outmatched.
At the same time, rumors surfaced that all Five Great Sovereigns had clashed with one another over the past few days, though none knew the outcomes.
Eager to verify the claims, many clamored for photos or video, but none ever leaked.
In short, as the opening date of the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum drew near, tensions escalated, and skirmishes even broke out inside the city.
In the end, the dean of Zhendan Academy's Chang'an branch stepped in to quell the turmoil, finally reining in the unruly Awakened.
Though it was impossible to maintain total control everywhere, Zhendan Academy held immense sway within the five super cities. Backed by the government, it was a force no one dared disregard.
Even the other four major factions had to exercise restraint and keep a lower profile.
Yet once the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum opened, conflict was inevitable; nothing could stop it.
In the New Era, conventional methods were no longer enough to keep the Awakened in check.
As for Lu Yuan, he kept an occasional eye on the news.
He also watched the viral video of the great battle between the Northern Emperor and the Southern Sovereign. In his eyes, however, it was hardly different from children roughhousing.
With three months of preparation, he had long ceased to stand at the same starting line as ordinary Awakened.
And so, time slipped by.
At last, three days passed in the blink of an eye.
That night, before dawn had yet broken, Lu Yuan opened his eyes right on time. Slowly rising to his feet, he gazed toward a distant horizon, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.
Target: the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum!
Chapter 42