The moment Lu Yuan stepped out of the passageway, blinding white light flooded the space.
The surrounding scenery shifted rapidly before settling on a vast, open plaza permeated with an aura of ancient desolation.
Bronze lamps stood scattered across the grounds, fully lit and ancient, as if they had burned continuously for thousands of years. Beneath his feet, the floor stretched out flat and even, extending into what seemed like infinity.
Looking up toward the vaulted ceiling, he saw fist-sized luminous pearls casting their brilliance across the darkness like a canopy of stars. Along the edges, two pearls the size of millstones radiated even brighter, representing the sun and the moon.
The dome soared high above, towering at least ten thousand meters into the air. Such an expanse would have been impossible without an independent pocket realm. It was truly a world unto itself.
Further in the distance, countless rivers flowed ceaselessly. Yet what coursed through them was no ordinary water—it was liquid mercury.
"It is written in the *Records of the Grand Historian*: 'Mercury was used to fashion the hundred rivers, the Yangtze, the Yellow River, and the vast seas, flowing perpetually by mechanical devices. Above were set the celestial constellations; below, the geography of the earth. Torches were fueled with the fat of merfolk, calculated to burn without extinguishing for an eternity.' The records did not lie. It is even more magnificent than imagined, truly worthy of the Ancestral Dragon."
Recalling the historical accounts of Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum, a smile appeared on Lu Yuan's face.
More importantly, across the plaza grew an abundance of spirit fruits and strange herbs, radiating ethereal halos of light. Anyone laying eyes on them would know that consuming them could accelerate one's evolution.
Yet Lu Yuan did not move an inch. Standing quietly in place, he spoke softly, "This place is extremely dangerous. You all had best retreat immediately."
As soon as his voice fell, several dozen Awakened leaped out from behind him.
"Don't misunderstand—we only followed you in," their leader said hurriedly. "And we only plan to pick a few, nothing more."
"If I were you, I wouldn't harbor such thoughts," Lu Yuan said with a shake of his head, warning them to abandon the idea.
The reason was simple: to reach the final sanctum and obtain the greatest fortune, one could not touch the things here, especially the spirit fruits and strange herbs. One had to let go in order to gain. Having visited this place once before, Lu Yuan possessed the experience and knew how to choose.
"What do you mean? Are you trying to hoard everything for yourself?" one Awakened asked indignantly, convinced that Lu Yuan wanted all the treasures.
Still, none dared make a rash move. After all, outside Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum, he had wiped out the terracotta warriors single-handedly.
"If you hadn't followed me inside, you might have remained safe and sound. Unfortunately, you chose to enter," Lu Yuan said, looking at them. "There were so many bronze doors outside the mausoleum. Why did you insist on choosing the same one as me?"
He had to reach the ultimate sanctum and claim that formidable breathing method. Under such circumstances, he would permit no mistakes, even if it cost some people their lives.
"What do you mean? Are you going to kill us?"
"We never offended you! We only came for our share of fortune!"
"You're far too overbearing! Rare herbs and spirit fruits belong to whoever finds them!"
Panic seized the crowd upon hearing his words, fearing that Lu Yuan was about to strike them down.
"It won't be me doing the killing," Lu Yuan murmured with a faint smile, standing unmoved.
*Rumble, rumble, rumble!*
In the very next instant, the vast plaza began to tremble violently. The distant rivers of mercury churned with surging waves, rolling in an eerie display. More strikingly, dark silhouettes slowly emerged from within the silver currents.
They came in droves—cavalry on horseback, archers drawing bows, and foot soldiers wielding halberds. Together, they formed a thousand-strong army. Though they appeared very similar to the terracotta warriors outside, this host was not made of clay.
Their bodies were shriveled like skeletons, clad in ancient armor, with swirls of pale green mist drifting around their feet. Like an army of nether soldiers straight out of myth and legend, they materialized before everyone's eyes, drawing into formation across the plaza to gaze upon the intruders.
A terrifying might radiated from them. Not a single one carried the aura of the living; instead, they were enshrouded in dense yin energy, each formidable enough to rival an Awakened who had embarked upon the path of evolution.
"An army of the underworld? Are they nether soldiers? How could there be nether soldiers in the imperial mausoleum?"
"Legend says the Ancestral Dragon ruled the mortal world in life and intended to conquer the nether realm in death... Could it be true?"
"How could this happen? An army of thousands of nether soldiers, and every single one is as strong as us! We're dead!"
The Awakened were thrown into utter panic. The terracotta warriors outside had merely been clay figures in their eyes, but these were actual nether soldiers formed from the dead.
Meanwhile, within the spaces behind the other ninety-eight bronze doors, the Awakened who encountered the spirit fruits and strange herbs had already begun fighting savagely. Blood flowed freely; no one was willing to yield an inch. They had come here seeking fortune, and having laid eyes on it, they felt no hesitation.
The Winged Celestial, the Northern Emperor, the Ice Fairy, the Southern Sovereign, Asura, and the others were exceptionally powerful. Backed by their respective factions, they struck with ruthless precision, claiming the spirit fruits and herbs to fuel their evolution and expand their influence. Wherever they stood, they claimed everything in sight, leaving ordinary cultivators with no choice but to watch helplessly.
Soon, however, cries of terror broke out across those spaces as well. Armies of nether soldiers appeared there too, glaring at the intruders before charging forward without the slightest hesitation.
In an instant, the battle between Awakened turned into a slaughter between nether soldiers and the living.
These nether soldiers were far stronger and fiercer than the terracotta warriors outside. In no time at all, fresh blood soaked the ground. Even the Winged Celestial and the other Sovereigns were not spared; they fought back with everything they had, yet the soldiers seemed endless, pouring continuously out of the mercury rivers in dense, suffocating numbers. Shouts of slaughter and agonizing roars echoed endlessly, far more tragic than the clash outside the tomb.
Everyone was locked in desperate combat.
This was the second trial of Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum: the Nether Soldier Array.
If the terracotta warriors outside were the Ancestral Dragon's army in the mortal realm, then these nether soldiers were his elite vanguard in the underworld. Even formidable Awakened struggled immensely against them, bound to exhaust their strength sooner or later. Even someone as fearsome as Asura was wounded as the nether soldiers swarmed him from all sides.
Back in Lu Yuan's domain, the thousands of nether soldiers launched their assault as well, showing no mercy to the intruding Awakened.
"Why? Why are they only attacking us and not him?"
The Awakened soon noticed a horrifying anomaly. The nether soldiers charged straight toward them, yet Lu Yuan, standing even closer to the front, remained completely untouched. The soldiers seemed to intentionally steer clear of him.
They could not understand it, but they would never receive an answer. Under the ferocious onslaught, the dozens of Awakened who had followed him were swiftly cut down until not one was left alive.
Once the slaughter was complete, the nether soldiers halted their movements, turning their heads in unison toward Lu Yuan. Still, they did not attack, standing frozen in place like stone statues.
"Just as I expected," Lu Yuan murmured with a smile. Taking a deep breath, he retrieved an object from the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace.
It was none other than the Ghost Seal he had purchased at Treasure Pavilion.
After the global upheaval, the Ghost Seal had shown no signs of change. That, however, did not mean it was useless.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
The moment Lu Yuan produced the Ghost Seal, an inscrutable aura radiated from it, wrapping around him. Simultaneously, all the nether soldiers—including those behind the other ninety-eight doors—fell to their knees.
They bowed their heads, all facing in a single direction: toward Lu Yuan.
Those trapped in the other regions had no idea what was happening. They could only stare in shock as the nether soldiers dropped to their knees.
The Winged Celestial, Zhou Yunqiong, the Ice Fairy, Dean Zheng, and the others were completely stunned. How could these bloodthirsty soldiers suddenly prostrate themselves?
Indeed, this was the true purpose of the Ghost Seal. He had acquired it back then for a mere fifty million, and now it granted him command over the entire nether army within Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
"Rise," Lu Yuan said softly.
*Whoosh!*
At once, all the nether soldiers rose to their feet. The mysterious aura radiating from the Ghost Seal settled gently around him. In that moment, he resembled an emperor commanding the legions of the realm.
"I need to enter the Ancestral Dragon Hall," Lu Yuan ordered, holding the Ghost Seal high.
Without hesitation, the nether soldiers before him marched toward the center of the plaza, strange, ancient syllables echoing from their mouths.
*Rumble, rumble!*
The earth in Lu Yuan's region began to shake, collapsing inward in tiered layers. At the same time, a magnificent, towering hall slowly rose from beneath the ground.
This great hall was exceedingly ancient, standing dozens of zhang tall and forged from an unknown material. Its architecture bore the unmistakable hallmarks of the Qin Dynasty, dominated by deep black stone. Before its entrance stretched a grand flight of black stairs, exuding solemn majesty. Above the entrance hung a horizontal plaque bearing three characters inscribed in Qin script: *Ancestral Dragon Hall*.
It radiated awe-inspiring majesty—underneath lay flowing rivers, and above hung the stars, the sun, and the moon. Standing there, it felt capable of anchoring the nine provinces of the realm.
This was the final sanctum of the imperial mausoleum!
And it had appeared directly before Lu Yuan.
"It is finally here," Lu Yuan smiled, knowing the first key had done its work.
Without another word, he stepped toward the Ancestral Dragon Hall. Just as he reached the foot of the stairs, however, he paused.
Turning to the lead nether general, Lu Yuan said, "Those who trespass upon Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum should face their due punishment. Do not stop."
With a faint smile, he turned and began ascending the steps.
The nether general said nothing, merely nodding.
In the next instant, within the other ninety-eight independent spaces, the nether soldiers that had halted their assault sprang back to life as if receiving a direct command, launching another ferocious attack.
"Ahhh! Didn't they just stop?!"
"Why are they attacking again? We can't hold out much longer!"
"Can someone please tell me what is going on?!"
The intruding Awakened were overwhelmed with horror. Just when they thought they were safe, the pacified soldiers had turned on them with even greater fury than before.
Even the Winged Celestial and the other Sovereigns wore grim expressions as they fought to defend themselves. The enemies were simply too numerous; though each soldier possessed only the strength of a first- or second-stage Initial Realm Awakened, their overwhelming numbers made them deadly. At this rate, let alone harvesting spirit fruits and herbs, surviving would be an ordeal.
Zhou Yunqiong's face turned pale, never expecting such a turn of events. Battle erupted once more amidst desperate cries, yet none of them knew that all of this was solely due to Lu Yuan's command.
Unlike those trapped in mortal peril, Lu Yuan ascended the stairs with effortless ease, heading toward the Ancestral Dragon Hall. Below him, the ranks of nether soldiers kept their heads slightly bowed in deference.
*The secrets of this imperial mausoleum are far more intricate than I imagined,* Lu Yuan mused as he climbed, gazing at the approaching hall.
In the old era, even if one had excavated Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum, they would never have reached this place. That was merely a decoy tomb, not the true burial site. As for why that was, Lu Yuan did not know, and historical records offered no answers.
Yet legends spoke of pre-Qin Qi Refiners—those who practiced the path of immortality, the ancient counterparts of today's Awakened. From this, one could infer that the world during the Qin Dynasty might have been vastly different from today. After all, countless myths had persisted unbroken in Huaxia ever since, suggesting they might not be mere legends, but reality.
This world held many secrets. Even having lived a second life, Lu Yuan did not know them all and had to explore them step by step. Just like this true resting place of the Ancestral Dragon—hidden away in a folded dimension. Who could have imagined it? Who would dare imagine it?
Of course, having visited once before, Lu Yuan was not as stunned as the others. He merely felt the profound depth of Huaxia's ancient secrets.
With these thoughts in mind, he finally reached the top of the stairs and stood before the hall.
True to its name, the Ancestral Dragon Hall was adorned with carvings of black dragons. The Qin Dynasty revered the element of water, which corresponded to black in the five elements. At present, however, the heavy doors remained firmly shut.
He touched them lightly, finding the material peculiar—neither metal nor iron, yet unimaginably heavy. Even with his current physical strength, forcing them open was impossible.
Lu Yuan, of course, had come prepared. He sat cross-legged on the platform and reached into the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace once more.
He drew out Chen Song's ancestral heirloom: the small green bronze tripod. With three legs and two loop handles, it looked truly remarkable. Ever since the global upheaval, it had begun emitting bursts of green luminescence that swirled around its body.
"Now, it is time to put you to use," Lu Yuan murmured.
He had prepared for three full months. If he had to face the same grueling trials as everyone else after entering the mausoleum, wouldn't all that preparation have been in vain? This small tripod, which had cost him only five hundred thousand, was the most crucial key of all.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Yuan summoned the Daluo sword core. Having absorbed the unique substance from the terracotta warriors, it shimmered with brilliant light, its edge sharper and its sword intent far more condensed. The patterns along the blade were clearer than before, continuing to evolve with time. Clearly, its metamorphosis was not yet complete, but he needed it now.
With a thought, Lu Yuan shrank the sword core to the size of a dagger and sliced across his palm. His body was invulnerable to blades and bullets alike; without the sword core, he could not draw a drop of blood.
Clenching his fist, Lu Yuan poured his blood into the small green tripod. Though compact, the vessel seemed bottomless, showing no sign of overflowing no matter how much blood entered it. As the flow deepened, the green luminescence around the tripod burned brighter and brighter.
A tripod was a ritual vessel, an instrument of sacrifice. In ancient times, a tripod was essential for every major ceremony; legend held that it could bridge humanity and the heavens, conveying one's will to the gods. Whether that was true or not, Lu Yuan knew he had to use it to open the doors of the Ancestral Dragon Hall.
*Hum, hum, hum!*
Soon, the entire tripod was saturated with green light. The radiant glow spilled over like water, flowing toward the great doors.
*Thump, thump, thump!*
The doors of the Ancestral Dragon Hall vibrated, producing a resonant chime, yet they showed no sign of opening.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan spoke aloud, "Lu Yuan, a descendant of the Huaxia bloodline, comes bearing the Ghost Seal and offering this tripod in sacrifice, seeking an audience with the Ancestral Dragon of Huaxia. May the Ancestral Dragon grant passage."
His voice was not loud, yet channeled through the sacrificial green tripod, it resonated with miraculous clarity, penetrating deep into the hall.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
As if answering his call, the hall echoed with thunderous rumblings. The green light from the bronze tripod expanded, washing entirely over the massive doors.
*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!*
In the next instant, the doors of the Ancestral Dragon Hall swung open, moving swiftly until they parted completely.
Lu Yuan retrieved the small tripod and bowed slightly, adopting the etiquette of the ancients. In this era, virtually no one was worthy of such a bow from him. But the Ancestral Dragon was different—he was an ancestor, a supreme titan of history, deserving of utmost respect.
With that, he stepped directly into the hall.
The hall was vast and hollow, reminiscent of an ancient imperial court where ministers assembled for audience. Twelve massive pillars, each requiring a dozen men to encircle, were carved with intricate motifs. An ancient, desolate, and majestic aura washed over him.
It was hard to imagine that this had been crafted over two thousand years ago. Yet if Awakened existed back in that era, it was hardly impossible.
Paying no mind to the surroundings, Lu Yuan raised his head and walked forward.
At the far end of the hall lay another flight of stairs leading up to an elevated dais. Atop the dais rested a black imperial throne.
In a momentary daze, he seemed to see the Ancestral Dragon of two millennia ago, a conqueror whose ambition swallowed the world, seated high upon the throne, gazing down upon his vast mountains and rivers.
"The thing I need is right upon that imperial throne," Lu Yuan murmured. His ultimate goal was finally within sight; all he had to do was walk up and take it.
Chapter 49