All Parties Gather, Conflict? Apology?

The rising sun emerged on the eastern horizon.

Morning light burst forth in dazzling radiance.

The dawn mist churned and drifted through the mountain forests, adding to the mystery.

Mount Li.

It had never been famous in history.

But ever since the Ancestral Dragon chose it as his resting place over two thousand years ago, everything changed.

Since then, rumors about the Mount Li Imperial Tomb had never ceased, surfacing almost every so often.

Especially after the new era descended, when the mountain rose higher and a dragon-shaped vital energy coiled above its peak.

Almost every Awakened, and even ordinary people, knew.

There had to be an extraordinary fortune hidden within.

Whoever obtained it.

Would surely achieve greater heights in the future, gaining mythical, transcendent powers.

So even those who knew they were weak still wanted to try—maybe they'd succeed?

There was no choice. This era was unfamiliar, a world where the strong preyed on the weak, where power was everything. No one didn't yearn to stand at the top.

Now, before the Mount Li Imperial Tomb.

There was a flat expanse, surrounded by low hills.

Normally uninhabited, but today, even as the sky barely began to lighten, countless auras appeared.

These were all Awakened who had heard the news and come to seize their chance, already on the move.

With so many people, friction was inevitable.

Some Awakened also encountered Mutant Beasts and had to fight them.

On his way to the Mount Li Imperial Tomb, Lu Yuan spotted many bloodstains and occasionally saw corpses, their clothes rumpled—likely found by enemies and killed mid-journey.

In Chang'an City, people still held back, but out in the wild, it was different.

And deep in human genes, wildness had always existed.

Now it was fully unleashed.

In those ten years, Lu Yuan had seen too much of this to be surprised.

But the closer he got to Mount Li, the fewer such incidents occurred.

Everyone shared the same goal.

No one wanted to waste time on the road.

Soon.

Lu Yuan saw his destination.

Ahead, still over a dozen miles away.

A massive mountain stood, entirely black, even the plants on it the same color, exuding a heavy majesty like a primordial giant peak, making a person feel tiny before it.

At the summit, halos of light continuously surged forth, turning into seven-colored radiance, finally forming a dragon-shaped vital essence.

The dragon's head hovered ten thousand meters in the sky, looking down upon the land.

This was the Mount Li Imperial Tomb as it was now.

Ten thousand meters tall wasn't considered a high peak these days.

But its imposing presence was too overwhelming for anyone to ignore.

Below, a crowd had already gathered—at least several thousand by initial estimate.

Almost all of them were Awakened, having received the news and come from all directions.

They talked among themselves but also kept their guard up. No one knew if someone might stab them in the back once the tomb opened, unless they were close friends who knew each other well.

Lu Yuan approached, blending into the crowd, low-key and unremarkable.

Now he could also see, outside the Mount Li Imperial Tomb.

Layers of black energy churned.

This energy seemed to seep out from the mountain itself, gathering together to form a hundred-meter-tall gate.

The gate looked ancient, somewhat blurry, its double doors tightly shut.

As time passed.

The giant gate gradually stabilized, and it would likely fully manifest soon.

With the global mutation and the descent of the supernatural, such mythical phenomena were now common sights at famous mountains and great rivers.

So the Awakened staring intently at the tomb gate, though surprised, remained calm.

"No wonder the major powers could predict the tomb's opening time."

Lu Yuan saw this and began to ponder.

In his past life, he had actually entered the Mount Li Imperial Tomb as well, but that was after becoming an Awakened, and he was still an insignificant presence, only able to watch from the sidelines, with no benefits falling to his share.

Now.

He still stood among the crowd, but everything was completely different.

Buzz buzz buzz~

It was at this moment that the roar of engines suddenly rang out from above.

Everyone who had been focused on the imperial tomb's main gate was drawn to look up.

Behind them.

Helicopter after helicopter appeared, hovering in the sky.

And what shocked people was that these helicopters were equipped with heavy weaponry.

"Look at the patterns on the helicopters—they seem to be from Wuzhou Group, and also Beidou Biology, Tianshen Technology, and Chang Sheng Gene."

"I've heard that early in the mutation, the government made some deals with them to maintain stability, allowing them to control certain firearms. Looks like it's true."

"There's no helping it. With their influence and the current situation, they could probably even buy foreign weapons."

"Are these weapons going to be used against us?"

An Awakened spoke up.

They recognized which factions the helicopters belonged to.

They were shocked that these major powers possessed firearms.

For a moment, the crowd grew restless, afraid they might be targeted at a critical time.

After all, aside from a few with special abilities, most Awakened weren't strong enough to withstand firearms.

Lu Yuan saw it too, but paid it no mind.

Factions like Wuzhou Group had deep foundations. The Zhou family was a very ancient clan with their own Visualization Methods and Breathing Methods, just usually kept hidden. Even without cooperating with the authorities, they could acquire plenty of firearms, especially in times like these.

The authorities also had to rely on certain measures to keep things under control.

He didn't care.

He looked forward again, waiting for the tomb gate to open.

At that moment.

The helicopters landed one after another.

Figures stepped out from within.

Men and women.

But without exception, they were all Awakened, and all very powerful.

These ancient families, having encountered an era that belonged to them, were finally revealing their deep foundations.

"Wasn't Wuzhou Group supposed to be connected to the Winged Sky God? Why don't I see him?"

"Yeah, and I don't see the Southern Emperor from Chang Sheng Gene either."

"Maybe they're hiding?"

People discussed.

By now, almost everyone understood.

The Five Great Supremes each represented a faction; they were the ones pushed forward.

Chang Sheng Gene had the Southern Emperor, Wuzhou Group had the Winged Sky God, Tianshen Technology had the Asura, and Beidou Biology had the Ice Fairy.

As for the last one, the Northern Emperor, he naturally belonged to Zhendan Academy.

It made sense.

Only such factions could produce the Five Great Supremes standing at the pinnacle of the current Awakened.

"Sister, there are so many people." At that moment, Zhou Biqiong, who had just stepped off the plane, looked toward the tomb and frowned. "Looks like a big battle is inevitable today."

Before her stood Zhou Yunqiong, stunningly beautiful, still as cold and composed as ever.

Behind the two sisters followed a group of people, both young and old.

Judging by their auras, they were all extraordinary.

"These people won't affect much. The key is the Southern Emperor and the others."

The man called Winged Sky God stepped down and answered.

He glanced toward where Chang Sheng Gene was.

But not finding his target, he withdrew his gaze.

His status was high; even the Wuzhou Group members nearby bowed their heads slightly in respect.

"Of course, with Brother Winged here, they're just a rabble. I could handle them myself." Zhou Biqiong admired the man greatly and spoke up immediately.

She was usually willful and spoiled, being a young miss of the Zhou Family with Ancestral Bloodline.

Though not as rich as her elder sister's.

It was still enough to look down on many Awakened.

"Yunqiong, what are you looking at?"

At that moment, Yi noticed that Zhou Yunqiong's attention kept drifting.

Now her eyes were constantly scanning the crowd, as if searching for something.

"I just want to confirm something."

Zhou Yunqiong replied flatly, then continued sweeping her gaze over the crowd.

Ever since entering Chang'an City that day, she had been replaying that familiar figure in her mind.

At first she thought she had misseen it, but later, recalling carefully, she felt she hadn't—even if the build had changed somewhat.

After all, the bloodline within her was the strongest in the Zhou Family, and her current strength was beyond what ordinary people could match; she basically never made mistakes in what she saw. So Zhou Yunqiong was certain that person had also arrived in Chang'an.

Anyway, there was still some time before the Imperial Tomb officially opened. It would be best to find him.

That Class Reunion.

Had been extraordinary for Zhou Yunqiong.

It was the first time she had been ignored, and with her temperament, she couldn't tolerate it.

"Is that so?" The man's voice carried a peculiar undertone as he spoke.

Beside him, Zhou Biqiong also looked displeased at his reaction.

Whatever Yi detested.

She too would detest.

Not far from where the Wuzhou Group was stationed, several helicopters were also parked.

Leading them was none other than Wang Tao, son of the Second Madam of Chang Sheng Gene.

"Second Young Master."

An old man in a long robe stepped forward and said, "The Second Madam just sent word—that man surnamed Lu hasn't been found. He's an Awakened, and it's speculated he might have come to Mount Li Imperial Tomb as well."

"Good." Wang Tao nodded upon hearing this, then said, "You all have his photo. Keep an eye out when the time comes."

"If that surnamed Lu really shows up at Mount Li Imperial Tomb, tell me immediately."

"I'll handle it personally."

He and the Second Madam had been searching for Lu Yuan all this time, but found no trace.

And Mount Li Imperial Tomb had drawn many Awakened from across the country.

It wouldn't be strange for him to come here.

"This..."

The old man frowned slightly and couldn't help saying, "The First Young Master instructed that today's priority is Mount Li Imperial Tomb. Should we set this aside for now?"

"I know you're my elder brother's man, but my surname is also Wang. Besides, I don't need you to make a move." Wang Tao said.

"Yes."

The latter nodded helplessly.

With the opening of Mount Li Imperial Tomb, all major powers had left matters to the younger generation to handle, to train their abilities.

He felt the Second Young Master was losing sight of priorities, but at least the First Young Master was nearby.

Meanwhile.

In another inconspicuous corner.

A group of people slowly emerged.

Leading them was an old man with white hair and beard, looking very kind.

But after seeing the gathered Awakened and major powers below, he couldn't help sighing.

"Dean, is a fight definitely going to break out later?" At that moment, a woman in green robes spoke.

She looked at Zhou Yunqiong and the Chang Sheng Gene forces, her face troubled. This was Zhu Qingyu, who had previously defended against the Beast Tide in Qingyang City and was rescued by Lu Yuan. Qin Lan and the others were also nearby.

"Mount Li Imperial Tomb—no one knows what's inside, but one thing is certain: whoever obtains it will gain immense benefits."

The old man spoke. His name was Zheng Wenyuan, the dean of the Chang'an City branch of Zhendan Academy.

He was also an extremely powerful Awakened.

Otherwise, he couldn't have held down Chang'an City.

Behind him were the branch's students and teachers.

"Then should we compete for it?" Zhu Qingyu asked, then thought better of it: "But if we do, a major battle is unavoidable, which goes against the original intent of our Zhendan Academy."

Zhendan Academy was backed by the government, and its most important mission was maintaining domestic stability, hoping to avoid major chaos.

Their purpose in coming here was also to avoid major casualties.

However, that was all they could do.

Because the world had changed.

She felt somewhat annoyed—clearly humanity's greatest crisis right now was the Mutant Beasts, yet internal conflict still persisted.

"Silly child, when a new era descends, maintaining stability also requires great power."

"In the past, we could rely on thermal weapons to deter everything, but that no longer works. Besides, Mutant Beasts are stirring everywhere, and the West is eyeing us hungrily from outside. We must also strengthen our strength in a short time. Conflict is inevitable."

Dean Zheng said with a smile: "It's just that, if we can contend while avoiding casualties, that would be best."

"But... with the Chang Sheng Gene and Wuzhou Group people here, do we have a chance?"

Zhu Qingyu couldn't help but speak, knowing these forces were unfathomably deep.

"Don't worry, that senior of yours will also come."

"At worst, isn't this old bones still here? I can hold on a little longer."

Dean Zheng said. For this Mount Li Imperial Tomb, Zhendan Academy had prepared for a long time too.

"Is it that one known as one of the Five Great Supremes, the Northern Emperor? If he can come, the situation will indeed improve." Zhu Qingyu's eyes lit up, but soon she thought of that thunderous arrow at Qingyang City.

"Unfortunately, we still haven't found that Mysterious Person. If we had his help, our chances would be much greater."

That day, that arrow had left too deep an impression on her.

In Zhu Qingyu's eyes.

The Mysterious Person who shot that thunderous arrow was no weaker than the Five Great Supremes.

"What Five Great Supremes? A name made up by busybodies. They don't deserve that title."

Zheng Wenyuan shook his head, looking at the girl kindly: "Besides, your talent may not be inferior to theirs. After this, the academy will focus on cultivating you. As for that Mysterious Person, let fate take its course. If he doesn't want to show himself, there's nothing we can do."

After the Qingyang City Beast Tide incident, the one who shot that thunderous arrow had become a focus of Zhendan Academy.

But after searching for a long time, they simply couldn't find the person. It seemed like a flash in the pan.

"Huh?"

At this moment, Qin Lan, who was following beside them, suddenly spoke: "Dean, teacher, Qingyu, look—what is Zhou Yunqiong doing?"

She pointed downward, finding that Zhou Yunqiong, who had been standing still, suddenly moved and walked toward the crowd.

And as an important figure of the Zhou Family, There were few Awakened who didn't know her.

After all, in the three months since the mutation, she had frequently appeared online representing Wuzhou Group.

"Strange, what could make her move?" Zhu Qingyu was also curious. She had never met Zhou Yunqiong, but knew this person was cold and aloof, and with her powerful bloodline, it was hard for anything to provoke much emotion from her.

"She seems to be walking toward someone. Hiss~ that back looks familiar somehow." Qin Lan spoke again.

"Don't pay too much attention. Focus on the scene's situation. The Mount Li Imperial Tomb gate could open at any moment."

Dean Zheng spoke at the right time, telling the students not to be distracted by individuals but to watch the overall picture.

"Yes."

Zhu Qingyu and the others replied, indeed stopping their attention.

At this moment.

Lu Yuan stood among the crowd, gazing at the distant Mount Li Imperial Tomb.

But suddenly, he slightly furrowed his brow.

Someone was coming.

And it was someone he knew.

"Lu Yuan, it really is you?"

Zhou Yunqiong walked over, tall and slender with long legs, cold and noble, yet now wearing a curious expression.

Beside them, Awakened automatically made way, then exchanged glances. They all recognized this important figure of the Zhou Family, of high status, especially recently as her fame grew. She was a representative of Wuzhou Group, almost half a controller by now.

But everyone was puzzled—why would such an existence walk into the crowd to specifically strike up a conversation with a stranger?

Hearing the voice, Lu Yuan turned his head and frowned: "What, I can't be here?"

His expression was stern; he truly didn't want too much contact with her.

As soon as these words were spoken.

The crowd nearby was greatly shocked.

Who was this person? How dare he speak to the eldest miss of the Zhou Family like that?

"No."

Zhou Yunqiong seemed mentally prepared, gave a faint smile, and then said: "You've become an Awakened?"

Looking at the changes in Lu Yuan's physique and temperament, she was very surprised, as if she hadn't anticipated this situation. Clearly, Wuzhou Group had previously studied his genes and found nothing special.

"Don't you already have the answer in your heart?"

Lu Yuan spoke, his tone carrying impatience, unwilling to waste words.

Hearing this, Zhou Yunqiong's mood shifted once more.

It was this very attitude.

That had always left her with a deep impression of Lu Yuan, making her wonder what gave him the right?

Between the two of them, there was clearly a vast gap in status and everything else.

Especially in this new era, that gap was even more insurmountable, so why was he still like this?

But Zhou Yunqiong took a deep breath, quickly calming herself. After a moment's hesitation, she continued, "I naturally know the answer. Since you've become an Awakened, you should understand the current situation. If you need to, you can come to Wuzhou Group, and I'll arrange things for you."

She was proud at heart. Being treated this way, she wanted to use her status and Wuzhou Group to suppress Lu Yuan.

After all, at this time, who didn't know about this powerful Awakened force within the country?

"Sorry, I'm not interested."

Lu Yuan spoke, ready to turn and leave, to find a quiet place.

This left the nearby Awakened staring blankly.

Brother, do you even know who you're facing?

"Friend, this attitude of yours isn't good."

But just then, the man called Yi stepped forward, his gaze cold: "Yunqiong kindly invited you to join Wuzhou Group, wanting to give you a place of support and shelter in the new era. Instead of being grateful, you respond coldly—that's really not good!"

He repeated "not good" twice, expressing his displeasure.

Especially the man's imposing aura, which seemed lofty and superior.

Coupled with those golden pupils, it naturally inspired fear, making one want to bow and submit.

"And then?"

Lu Yuan, however, stepped forward instead of back, looking at the man.

He naturally sensed the other's hostility, but so what?

"You should apologize!"

Yi felt provoked by Lu Yuan's actions, but with Zhou Yunqiong present, he chose not to act, only speaking.

He knew this was the Lu Yuan he'd heard about when entering Chang'an City, so his tone carried a command.

"Ridiculous. Your self-importance is way too inflated, isn't it?"

Lu Yuan smiled, then continued, "Besides, you don't have the qualifications or the ability to make me apologize."

"How dare you! Do you know who you're talking to?"

Suddenly.

A voice full of anger rang out.

It was Zhou Biqiong, standing beside Yi, her gaze sharp: "Don't think that just because my sister is here, we won't lay a hand on you."

Zhou Yunqiong will definitely be the female lead.

From now on, I'll maintain updates of over eight thousand words daily!