Within the small city's karst cave, in a dark, unfathomably deep underground gorge, whirlpools rose from time to time. Beneath them churned molten lava and vast surges of earthfire. If it were allowed to spill forth, there would likely be few survivors among the Giant Stone Clan's warriors below the Tenth Tier throughout the entire cave.
Even the Giant Stone Clan's warriors above the Tenth Tier wore grave expressions.
At the edge of the gorge stood five people beside Tuoba Chongxiao, with more than a dozen powerful Eleventh Tier warriors behind them. Though they were few in number, merely standing there gave off a murderous aura that far surpassed an army of thousands. Their bodies were not especially tall, yet they seemed like a dozen towering pillars holding up the sky.
"Altar Master Xiao, you have held the Tuoba Lineage's Grand Elder Seal for more than a hundred years, and this time, you have welcomed back our Giant Stone Clan's sacred beast, ensuring that our inheritance does not perish. You ought to preside over this altar-opening ceremony. Please." Tuoba Qingwei extended his withered hand toward Tuoba Chongxiao.
"Do the other altar masters have any objections?" A faint smile rested on Tuoba Chongxiao's face as he looked toward the masters of the other branch altars.
"The ancestral teachings state that whoever welcomes back the sacred beast may preside over the altar-opening sacrifice and become the Grand Altar Master. Though I never accepted you before, the ghost clans are now invading in force. Opening the altar and unlocking the Inheritance Armory at this time is of immense importance to the Giant Stone Clan's resistance against them. I, Tuoba Zhanshan, accept it."
Another man standing nearby was short but built as thick as a water barrel. Draped in a green cloak with both