The spectacle was overwhelming in scale and grandeur. Thirty-six divine rainbows led the way, with twenty-seven savage beasts carrying twenty-seven powerful cultivators behind them. Though they numbered only in the dozens, it was as though countless heavenly soldiers were sweeping down upon them — the very sky trembled, as if an endless army of celestial warriors had descended.
Human voices and beast cries filled the sky. Clouds and mists churned and surged, killing intent blazed into the heavens, like a vast ocean surging forward. Ye Fan was startled — so many powerhouses, more than double the number from Lingxu Cave Heaven.
“Yao Guang Sacred Ground — is that the sacred ground that Lingxu Cave Heaven is affiliated with?” Ye Fan murmured. Whether in ancient China or on this side of the starry sky, the name “Yao Guang” carried tremendous weight.
“What an impressive display of authority from Yao Guang Sacred Ground!” came a cold voice at that very moment from another direction. The sky there rumbled and reverberated as eighteen ancient war chariots rolled thunderously forward, their killing intent so intense it made the heavens groan and tremble.
“The Ji Family — an ancient clan with an inheritance stretching back to the Primordial Age!” the people from Yao Guang Sacred Ground called out the moment they saw the eighteen ancient war chariots. Every one of them contracted their pupils; all of them raised their guard, their aura of lethal intent surging instantly higher.
Both sides came to a halt, each occupying a stretch of sky as they faced off from a distance.
“Let ability decide the outcome!”
The declaration rang out in unison from both camps. After a brief standoff, neither side launched into combat — both moved simultaneously toward the majestic ancient hall above the volcano’s crater.
A flash of wariness passed through Ye Fan’s heart. A legendary sacred ground and an ancient primordial clan had each arrived in succession. It was clear that the Demon Emperor’s burial mound had indeed caused a stir profound enough to draw two colossal forces, both racing to this corner of the Yan Realm the moment word reached them.
“The Ji Family — with an inheritance stretching back to the Primordial Age…” Ye Fan’s expression turned contemplative. The Ji surname was among the most ancient in China, steeped in immense history, leaving an endless trail of legends across ancient China. Who could have imagined that here on this side of the starry sky, it was just the same — an existence that stood shoulder to shoulder with the sacred grounds themselves?
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
The sky seemed to shake as though a flood had broken through — both Yao Guang Sacred Ground and the Ji Family, those two supremely transcendent powers, swept forward in a single surge and arrived before the majestic ancient hall in an instant.
All around them, the fierce beasts scattered and fled. Though they had yet to transform into human form, they had long since awakened their intelligence and sensed the danger — each one decisively retreating.
On the other side, every elder of Lingxu Cave Heaven went pale-faced. Though they were affiliated with Yao Guang Sacred Ground, they had not reported the sudden emergence of the Demon Emperor’s burial mound to their superiors before acting. Now that the sacred ground had arrived on its own, they naturally felt rather uneasy. Furthermore, the Ji Family — the ancient clan with an inheritance from the Primordial Age, closest in proximity to the Yan Realm — had also received word and come. With two enormous powers now on the scene, the people of Lingxu Cave Heaven could only taste bitterness; they knew that any chance of gain had likely slipped away from them.
At this moment, the majestic ancient hall continued to tremble and shake. Several Great Demons, the sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven, and the Supreme Elders were locked in fierce combat within — the dull, muffled reverberations from inside growing ever more powerful, causing stabbing pain in the hearts of all who heard them, even from a great distance.
The people of Yao Guang Sacred Ground quickly surrounded the ancient hall. Dozens of savage beasts shook their heads and flicked their tails, exhaling clouds and mist, their hooves stamping repeatedly across the sky and causing the area to tremble incessantly amid a great clamor. The Ji Family showed equal resolve — the eighteen ancient war chariots formed a battle formation that sealed off the sky, facing Yao Guang Sacred Ground in a standoff while simultaneously ensuring that the Demon Emperor’s burial mound could not suddenly shoot off into the heavens.
Just then, from among the ranks of both Yao Guang Sacred Ground and the Ji Family, eight or nine elderly figures stepped forward simultaneously, treading through empty air. A flash of light — and all of them vanished into the entrance of the ancient hall, charging inside.
Boom!
The Demon Emperor’s burial mound shook with even greater violence. The battle within had reached a white-hot intensity — weapons continually swallowed and released divine light within the hall, flickering without end.
The arrival of the ancient clan and the sacred ground quickly broke the deadlock. It seemed they dismantled numerous restrictions within the hall, and before long, streaks of brilliant light began shooting outward.
Those keeping watch outside all moved into action. Riding divine rainbows, they competed to seize the surging rays of light — peering closely, one could see they were weapons of every kind, each flowing with luminous radiance, clearly no ordinary objects.
Thoom!
Without warning, a single thunderous reverberation shook the air. Every person surrounding the ancient hall went pale and was blasted violently backward. A vast, immeasurable force erupted from within the hall — like a tsunami — hurling the Ji Family’s eighteen ancient war chariots tumbling through the air, and sending the savage beasts and cultivators of Yao Guang Sacred Ground crashing and tumbling as they scrambled back in retreat.
Blazing radiance burst from the Demon Emperor’s tomb, so dazzling no one could open their eyes. A force both vast and unfathomable surged forward like a collapsing mountain range and an overturning sea — and a tiny crystal coffin, barely a foot in length, came shooting out. The overwhelming power and blinding radiance all radiated from it alone.
Thoom… thoom… thoom…
It trembled gently — rhythmically, like a heartbeat — filled with a sweeping, boundless vitality, and a vast force that swept across all eight directions.
“Stop it!”
An urgent cry rang out from within the Demon Emperor’s burial mound, followed by more than ten figures bursting out all at once — and foremost among them was unmistakably Pang Bo. At this moment, blue-green qi swirled around his entire body. The dragon and phoenix script on his face had grown far denser, and even the markings of dark tortoises and qilins had begun climbing up his arms. Two beams of green light shot from his eyes, extending several meters in length — he was at this point radiating demonic energy so intensely that it exceeded even the Great Demons behind him. In this instant, he had eyes for nothing else — his gaze locked unwaveringly on that foot-long crystal coffin as he gave chase without pause.
The experts from Yao Guang Sacred Ground and the Ji Family emerged from the ancient hall with expressions that were anything but pleased. They shouted loudly, commanding those outside to intercept the crystal coffin. The sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven and the Supreme Elders rushed out as well, their expressions equally grim — they were unwilling to give up. Despite so many others now present, they still intended to fight for a share; otherwise, every effort they had made would amount to nothing.
As for the several Great Demons, they were most furious of all. Their faces were written over with unwillingness — yet faced with so many human powerhouses, they were outnumbered and outmatched. They broke through the encirclement and waited for the right moment to act.
The Ji Family’s eighteen ancient war chariots formed a battle formation that blocked the sky, cutting off the area and intercepting the crystal coffin. The cultivators of Yao Guang Sacred Ground also sprang into action — some riding savage beasts, others driving divine rainbows — charging straight for it.
The foot-long crystal coffin was brought to a halt. By now, the powerhouses who had rushed out of the Demon Emperor’s burial mound had all arrived, and nearly simultaneously they reached out — enormous hands of condensed divine light, not their actual palms, grasping toward the crystal coffin as they battled one another for it.
All eighteen of the Ji Family’s ancient war chariots had closed in, while the forces of Yao Guang Sacred Ground drove in from every direction. In this moment, the sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven and the two surviving Supreme Elders wore deeply strained expressions — their absolute strength was considerable, but surrounded by so many others, they were badly outnumbered and isolated.
Pang Bo was even more alone — a solitary figure without a single ally — yet he refused to give up. Demonic energy blazed around him, and the green light shooting from his eyes had grown to over ten meters in length, more formidable than ever.
Crack! Crack!
Just then, unable to withstand the assault of so many powerhouses, the crystal coffin slowly began to fracture — then with a loud bang, it shattered apart.
Boom!
In that instant, a monstrous flood of demonic power erupted outward, hurling everyone in the vicinity flying — not a single person could withstand the force of that savage explosion.
The Ji Family’s four foremost war chariots were shattered outright. The twelve cultivators on board seemed as though they were made of sand — in an instant, they were reduced to fine dust.
Yao Guang Sacred Ground suffered equally devastating losses. Over ten people were torn to shreds by the rampaging demonic power — cultivators and savage beasts alike dissolving directly into clouds of blood mist, dead before they knew what happened.
The sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven and the two Supreme Elders went deathly pale. They were hurled back hundreds of meters before they could stabilize themselves — even powerhouses of their caliber had barely avoided suffering grievous injuries.
In the distance, Ye Fan’s heart clenched with fear for Pang Bo. Though it was an unknown entity that now controlled Pang Bo’s body, that body still belonged to Pang Bo.
Demonic energy surged skyward — and Pang Bo emerged unscathed. He had retreated farther than anyone else, as though he had anticipated this outcome all along.
Now, the vitality bursting forth from within the shattered crystal coffin was comparable to a vast ocean. Every person present, their life forces combined, could not equal it.
At the origin of that boundless demonic power was a single crimson heart — no larger than a fist, translucent and gleaming like red agate. Fierce blood-red divine radiance wreathed it on all sides, and the endless demonic power and overwhelming vitality all emanated from this one heart.
Thoom… thoom… thoom…
The sound of a heartbeat rang out. It was actually trembling — beating rhythmically, its vitality undiminished. This was a heart that still pulsed with tremendous life!
In this moment, no one could approach. With every beat of that crystalline, crimson heart, every person nearby felt their blood surge and their veins seem on the verge of rupturing. Each person’s own heart throbbed with violent pain, and many found blood seeping from the corners of their mouths — unable to bear it, they were sent tumbling backward in retreat.
A terrifying heart — and yet it was doing nothing but beating normally. And still, no one could endure it!
“The Great Emperor’s Heart… this is the sacred heart of a generation of our demon clan’s Great Emperor!” From amid the sky, the several Great Demons were all utterly shaken, unable to suppress their cries of astonishment.
The translucent Demon Emperor’s Heart beat powerfully — and then it suddenly shot into the sky, transforming into a streak of blood-red divine light and speeding toward the distant horizon.
“Stop it — it must not be allowed to leave!” An elder from Yao Guang Sacred Ground cried out in desperation, his face written over with urgency.
“Cut it off — at any cost!” One of the Ji Family’s powerhouses shouted, “That is the Demon Emperor’s heart — the source of his power! If another Great Demon obtains it, it may well give rise to an entirely new Demon Emperor of the demon clan!”
Even as they gave the order, the several Great Demons had already given chase. But one shadow moved faster than all of them — it was Pang Bo. His entire being merged with heaven and earth, transforming into a streak of green light, gone in the blink of an eye, vanishing at almost the same moment as the Demon Emperor’s Heart into the distance.
The Ji Family dispatched eight ancient war chariots in pursuit, while Yao Guang Sacred Ground sent fully half of its forces racing after them as well. Each side left behind the other half to surround the Demon Emperor’s burial mound.
“If only I had known this was the emergence of the Demon Emperor’s burial mound, we would have reported it no matter what. Rushing here in haste like this — the people we brought simply aren’t strong enough,” lamented one of the Yao Guang Sacred Ground’s elders, sighing repeatedly.
“We assumed it was nothing more than an ordinary cave dwelling. No one could have imagined it was actually the burial mound of a demon clan Great Emperor — it was completely beyond expectation. This is an event that will shake the entire Eastern Desolation!” The Ji Family’s powerhouses were equally full of regret; they too had not reported it, coming straight here with their forces.
In the distance, Ye Fan was profoundly shaken. At a minimum, nearly ten of those present were no weaker than the sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven — and yet from their words, it was clear that they were not the true powerhouses of Yao Guang Sacred Ground or the Ji Family. That alone was deeply alarming.
The great sacred grounds and those ancient clans with primordial inheritances were truly colossal forces beyond imagination!
“Sect Master Li, have your people managed to obtain the legendary volume of the Dao Sutra?” One of the elders of Yao Guang Sacred Ground addressed the sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven. From the moment he realized this was the Demon Emperor’s burial mound, he had immediately understood what manner of sacred objects might be buried here.
Apart from the demon clan’s treasures that the Demon Emperor had used in life, there were surely three further divine troves: the Dao Sutra, the Eastern Desolation human race’s sacred treasure, and the Demon Emperor’s own remains.
Among these, the Demon Emperor’s source of demonic power — his heart — had already broken through the sky and was gone; whether anyone could intercept it was uncertain. Setting aside the demon clan’s own treasures, the other two sacred objects of the Eastern Desolation’s human race were what Yao Guang Sacred Ground and the Ji Family were determined to obtain.
The sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven felt a deep bitterness in his heart. He had not informed Yao Guang Sacred Ground in advance, and in the end had obtained nothing anyway. Had he known it would come to this, he would have done better to offer up a tremendous favor. He hastily explained, “The first divine trove — the Dao Sutra — has vanished without a trace, leaving behind only an empty box. No one saw the true scripture. The third divine trove was accidentally opened first, and the Demon Emperor’s Heart has already broken through the sky and departed. Only the second divine trove remains — the restrictions were only half dismantled, but the Eastern Desolation’s sacred treasure should still be within. In addition, the demon clan’s treasures that the Demon Emperor used in his lifetime are likely still inside in some measure.”
“The Dao Sutra simply vanished — how could that possibly be?!” The powerhouses of Yao Guang Sacred Ground and the ancient clan Ji Family alike stared at the sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven without blinking, as though they could not believe a word of it.
The sect master of Lingxu Cave Heaven felt a sourness in his heart. In the Eastern Desolation, a handful of ancient scriptures were said to be comparable to the Dao Sutra — reportedly all held in the hands of the various sacred grounds and ancient clans. They already possessed immortal scriptures no lesser than the Dao Sutra, and yet still they wanted to seize this ancient scripture. The sect master could only sigh inwardly, shaking his head helplessly. “We truly never laid eyes on it…”
Just then, from the distant horizon came a drift of melodious immortal music, and over ten women floated gracefully forward — passing directly through the sky above Ye Fan, giving him quite a start.
All ten-odd women were dressed in white that outshone snow. They could not be called breathtakingly beautiful, but every one of them was pure and unsullied, untouched by the dust of the mortal world. They moved with effortless lightness, floating forward with ease — like immortal maidens gliding over water, or spirits rising in dance, above the smoke and fire of the human realm, transcendent and unworldly.
Some of them played bamboo flutes, the sound drifting and rising — very pleasant to hear. Others smiled gently, making those around them feel as though bathed in a spring breeze. Each of these exquisitely beautiful women looked as though she were a celestial being banished to the mortal realm, carrying an air of otherworldly grace.
Ye Fan was struck with astonishment. This, he thought, was the image of cultivators he had always imagined — looking ethereal and free, riding divine rainbows through the sky, beyond the mortal world, carefree and unbound between heaven and earth.
“Who would have thought it — even the long-secluded Yaochi Sacred Ground has been stirred into motion. It won’t be long before every sect and school across the Eastern Desolation comes swarming here.”
“Yaochi Sacred Ground has always kept apart from worldly affairs — do they intend to compete for the Demon Emperor’s relics this time?”
The people of Yao Guang Sacred Ground and the ancient clan Ji Family spoke up simultaneously — partly as a greeting to the dozen-odd beautiful young women, and partly as a form of probing inquiry.
“We were merely passing through,” replied one of the white-robed women with a gentle smile. Then her expression grew composed and grave. “We happened to notice that the demonic energy here was as vast as an ocean, and came to investigate. Little did we expect to encounter all of you. The Demon Emperor’s burial mound has emerged into the world — it can be imagined that over the days to come, this will shake the entire Eastern Desolation, and sects without number will send people here.”
In the distance, Ye Fan was deeply astonished. Names like Yao Guang, Ji, and Yaochi — all of them carried extraordinary weight. Yaochi in particular had left a profound mark on ancient Chinese mythology, and yet who could have imagined that here on this side of the starry sky, it was just as significant.