The Ancient Tomb Hid a World-Shaking Secret; the Baleful God Finally Raised His Own Banner

These patterns were crude in style and strange in structure. They actually reminded Chen Duan of the talismans drawn by Yun Ruzhou, Yun Qingsu, and the other Daoist sect members, though their complexity far surpassed that of ordinary talismans.

The patterns were not simple carvings, but had been outlined with special pigments. Traces of pure inner force were hidden within them, flowing through the pattern's veins like living things and maintaining some profound balance.

The most eye-catching feature was the circular platform, about a foot high, in the very center of the Tomb Chamber.

On its surface, a standard Taiji Bagua Diagram had been painted in two colors. The yin-yang fish joined head to tail, while the Bagua positions secretly corresponded to the celestial cycle, faintly forming the core of the entire vast system.

"The reason that fiend was able to remain bound here for so long was entirely thanks to this 'Two Forms Demon Sealing Array' that I set up all those years ago."

Old Feng's voice carried a trace of reminiscence and pride as he spoke at length.

Devouring that impostor's brain had caused him to recall quite a few things from the past.

"With this array as the core, its influence radiates throughout the territory of Kongling Village, preserving peace in the area. Speaking of which, this can also be counted as one of my merits from back then. Without it, the Chuzhou region would likely have suffered one calamity after another."

"Where is the thing that was sealed?"

"Hmm?" Old Feng's tone abruptly tightened.

"What are you planning to do? Kid, I advise you not to act recklessly. The thing inside is absolutely beyond your ability to touch right now.

"Even at the height of my powers, I had to avoid its edge back then. In the end, I could only choose to seal it rather than kill it.

"And if you rashly awaken it, setting aside whether you'll survive, what if it suddenly goes on a rampage and swallows all the Inherited Treasures I left behind? Wouldn't all our effort go to waste..."

Old Feng's voice came to an abrupt halt because he saw that Chen Duan was not only unafraid, but had instead become curious.

He knew Chen Duan's temperament. This kid probably wouldn't stop until he saw the coffin. After weighing his options, he finally compromised.

"Fine. Let you take one look. It'll be good to put an end to your wishful thinking. Remember, leave immediately after you're done looking and seal the entrance."

He intended to let Chen Duan witness the true terror of the world, so that this arrogant, heaven-defying youngster would learn what it meant to feel awe.

Following Old Feng's instructions, Chen Duan stepped onto the circular platform and sat cross-legged at the center of the Bagua Diagram.

As instructed, he pressed his palms into the two recessed handprints at the eyes of the yin-yang fish, then circulated the inner force within his body.

Something strange happened.

The moment he mobilized his inner force, it somehow resonated with the circular platform beneath his feet and even with the entire Tomb Chamber.

"Focus your mind and calm your qi. Carefully sense it. First, guide your inner force three parts toward the Zhen position in the east..." Old Feng's voice rang out.

Chen Duan followed his instructions, controlling his inner force as it flowed along some predetermined path.

Click~ Click-click~

As the inner force poured in, a series of mechanism sounds came from the circular platform. The entire platform transformed into a precision mechanical lock.

With a muffled boom, the whole platform sank downward and fit seamlessly into the floor.

Chen Duan immediately leaped aside.

Immediately afterward, the Taiji Bagua Diagram at the center of the stone platform split open from the boundary between yin and yang. The two halves slid apart like doors, revealing an entrance so deep that its bottom could not be seen.

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Duan blurred and leaped straight into the darkness.

He fell only a few dozen feet before his feet touched solid ground.

The surroundings were filled with darkness and deathly silence. Chen Duan was just about to light a fire starter.

"Don't!" Old Feng immediately warned him.

Almost at the very moment Old Feng spoke,

two enormous crimson lights suddenly ignited before Chen Duan, without warning.

Looking closely, they were actually a pair of crimson eyes.

One pupil alone was larger than his entire body.

Pfft~

Those crimson pupils shifted once, finally locking their gaze onto Chen Duan.

In the next instant, an extreme malice surged toward him like a stormy sea, engulfing him completely.

Without needing to think, Chen Duan shot backward at the fastest speed of his life and fled the place without hesitation.

The moment both his feet touched down, he exerted force through both arms and closed the stone platform again.

Then he poured his inner force into it like a raging torrent, urging the array to operate once more and completely sealing the entrance.

Only after finishing all this did Chen Duan slowly raise his hands.

Even though his inner force had already calmed, both his palms were still trembling faintly.

"Heh heh, kid, you know fear now, don't you?" Old Feng's voice carried a hint of schadenfreude. Seeing this fearless youngster finally reveal such a disheveled side, he felt a strange surge of delight.

"Now you understand that there's always someone greater beyond the heavens? Once you break through to a higher realm, come look at it again. Perhaps you'll have a different feeling then..."

"Hahahahahaha!"

Old Feng's teasing was interrupted by a burst of wild laughter. The laughter came so suddenly that Old Feng was startled.

Could this kid have been frightened out of his mind and gone insane?

After his wild laughter, Chen Duan clenched both hands tightly in the air, as if he wanted to seize the fear that had made him tremble.

There was not the slightest trace of lingering fear in his eyes. Instead, they blazed with excitement.

"Even death can't make me afraid, yet this thing can make me feel fear instinctively. It truly is..."

"Delightful, ah!"

An ominous premonition immediately rose in Old Feng's heart. "You brat, you wouldn't happen to be thinking of..."

Chen Duan waved a hand and looked toward the Bagua stone platform, which had returned to its original state. His gaze seemed to pierce through the stone, once again meeting those crimson eyes.

"I understand. The current me is absolutely no match for it. But that only applies to the present."

"One day, I'll personally conquer this beast and wash away today's humiliation."

Upon hearing this, Old Feng felt relieved, but he could not help being shaken by Chen Duan's declaration.

Even at the height of his powers, all he had thought about was how to seal and suppress that existence. He had never dared to speak of conquering it.

Back then, countless people had sacrificed their lives to set up this array and seal the thing. Even now, recalling it still made his heart tremble with lingering fear.

Chen Duan said no more. After taking one last deep look at that secret chamber, he sealed it shut.

Afterward, he went to Duan Chonghe and Kong Mingcheng, who had been waiting outside all along.

He folded his arms and looked down at the two men.

"I've decided to establish a stronghold here and make it the foundation of my power. Are the two of you willing to stay and assist me?"

Duan Chonghe did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately dropped to one knee, clasped his fists above his head, and spoke in a decisive tone.

"Duan Chonghe is willing to serve Your Excellency and go through fire and water for you, even unto death!"

Compared with Duan Chonghe's decisiveness, Kong Mingcheng's expression shifted repeatedly, and he appeared hesitant.

"What about you?" Chen Duan's gaze, sharp as a sword's edge, fell upon Kong Mingcheng.

Feeling the pressure in that gaze, Kong Mingcheng gritted his teeth. Though he knew the situation was stronger than the man, he still attempted to bargain.

"Your Excellency... We are not wandering Jianghu cultivators. We all have clans to which we belong. If we fail to return for a long time, our clan may investigate. When that happens, we might bring unnecessary trouble to Your Excellency."

He tried to use his family background as his final bargaining chip.

"Oh? Are you threatening me? The Kong Family? Is it very impressive? How much trouble can it bring me?"

"I absolutely did not mean to threaten you. I was merely stating a fact..." Cold sweat poured down Kong Mingcheng's face.

"Second Brother!"

Kong Tianpeng hurriedly tugged at Kong Mingcheng's sleeve and lowered his voice anxiously.

"You and I have always been constrained by those rigid clan rules, leaving us little room to accomplish anything. Isn't this the perfect chance to escape our cage? Senior Chen's strength is unfathomable, and his future is limitless! Following him would be a hundred times better than empty talk about restoring the clan's glory!"

His eyes glittered. At first, he had been won over by the strength Chen Duan displayed. Later, after seeing the enormous quantity of Inherited Treasures left by Feng Qu Xian, he had developed this idea.

Following Chen Duan will get us somewhere!

"When the time comes, we can find a way to quietly bring Father, our wives, and the children out as well..."

Kong Mingcheng looked at his third brother's eyes and felt Chen Duan's gaze upon him. His heart waged a fierce battle, but in the end, he let out a long sigh and bowed with clasped fists.

"Kong Mingcheng is willing to follow your orders."

Duan Chonghe watched coldly from the side, secretly sneering in his heart.

These scions of aristocratic families really can't see the situation clearly.

When has this lord ever given them room to refuse? That question just now was merely to spare them some face. Did they truly think they had a choice?

By this point, Duan Chonghe had completely adjusted his position. He genuinely wanted to submit to Chen Duan and carve out a future for himself.

After all, everything belonging to Feng Qu Xian—including Feng Qu Xian himself—was now in Chen Duan's hands.

Chen Duan nodded in satisfaction at their final answers.

The first batch of core members of Chen Duan's own power had taken initial shape here and now.

As for loyalty? Under the deterrence of absolute martial power and the lure of sufficient benefits, that would naturally come in time.

Kongling Village was remote and easy to defend but difficult to attack. With the ancient tomb serving as a ready-made base, it was indeed an excellent place to establish a foothold.

Although that fellow was sealed underground, Old Feng had said that as long as the array continued to operate properly, there would be no problem.

This trip had yielded far more than expected. In the days ahead, he needed to settle down and digest his gains properly. As for Break Apex, it was time to put it on the agenda.

Afterward, Duan Chonghe advised Chen Duan to give both the organization and Chen Duan himself a resounding name, in order to set the record straight and spread their might.

Chen Duan had not paid attention to this matter at first, but after Duan Chonghe brought it up, he began taking it seriously—especially the title that concerned him personally.

Thinking back on titles like Butcher of the Rainy Night, Soft Tiger, Arm-Stealing Demon, Hand-Eating Fiend, and Severed-Hand Ghost...

They were either too vulgar for a respectable audience or steeped in the flavor of street rumors. Anyone who heard them would know they were low-class.

This matter was not urgent, but it truly needed careful consideration.

And so, Chen Duan and his group temporarily settled down in the territory of Kongling Village.