A month has passed since the Yaochi Grand Gathering ended, yet the sky over the Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness grows darker day by day.
The leaden-gray clouds hung low all day long, like a giant hand slowly closing, pressing heavily down on the wilderness.
Deep in the red Gobi Desert, streaks of eerie rainbows occasionally flash by, accompanied by shrill cries that sound like both humans and beasts. These cries pierce the biting winds and, upon reaching the ears of ordinary people, become soul-devouring demonic sounds.
Some brave old miners still huddled deep inside the mine, their trembling voices echoing through the night. At midnight, one could hear a heartbeat like a drumbeat coming from the depths of the earth, causing rock debris to fall in a flurry.
"The world is about to change, it truly is about to change." In a tavern in the Northern Region Red Rock City, a one-armed old cultivator tilted his head back and downed a bowl of strong liquor. His cloudy eyes reflected the eerie glow outside the window. "See that? That silvery-blood-tinged light is a sign that the descendants of the Ancient Races royal family are setting out."
The tavern fell into a deathly silence.
Over the past month, these strange phenomena have become increasingly frequent.
First, in the three desolate wastelands of the Northern Region, which had been known as "forbidden zones" since ancient times, golden springs suddenly gushed forth from the ground and spiritual rain fell from the sky overnight, causing the spiritual veins that had been dry for thousands of years to flow again.
Some rogue cultivators, emboldened by their courage, peered into the distance and saw a dark, gaping maw burst open deep within the desolate region, spewing forth a vast divine radiance that pierced the sky for three days without ceasing.
The illusory images of palaces floated and sank in the light, as if a colossal creature were turning over within them, each breath stirring up a hundred miles of spiritual tide.
Subsequently, those names that existed only in fragments of ancient books or were even regarded as myths and legends, one after another, awakened from the depths of time.
Blood Phoenix Mountain, a desolate mountain range in the far north of the Northern Region, shrouded in crimson mist year-round, erupted one morning with a phoenix cry that pierced the heavens and earth.
As the crimson mist dissipated, a majestic, ancient, dark red mountain revealed its true form. The mountain appeared to be soaked in blood over millions of years, with natural phoenix feather-like patterns on its surface. Each "feather" was as large as a city and flowed with scorching Dao principles.
A creature with wings on its back, a human head and a phoenix body, descended from its mountaintop nest, its feathers obscuring the sky and shrouding the three human cities for three whole days.
In the depths of the Northern Region Ice Plains, at the Myriad Dragon Nest, ancient ice suddenly shattered.
The earth's ley lines, like countless ferocious dragons breaking free of their shackles, soared into the sky, turning the boundless ice plains into a Purple Gold.
The dragon's roar echoed across the towering waves, shattering thousands of miles of icebergs.
A chilling will swept across the Northern Region, declaring this place "Royal Forbidden Land," and anyone who dared to trespass, regardless of whether they were human or Ancient Races, would be turned into an ice sculpture.
The Divine Silkworm Ridge undergoes nine astonishing transformations; the Primordial Lake reopens from its chaotic state.
In just one month, more than twenty Primordial Royal Clan and imperial burial sites successively manifested strange phenomena, announcing their return.
These creatures, awakened from their long slumber, still bear the imprint of their glorious era in their blood.
They began to demarcate borders in an almost primitive manner.
"With this peak as the boundary, the area spanning ten thousand li belongs to the ancestral land of my Silver Moon Wolf Clan."
"Within three days, all the tribes migrated."
A chilling divine sense surged like a tide over the gates of the " Qingyun Sect " in the Northern Region.
Before the old sect master, who was at the peak of the Immortal One, could utter a word, he was crushed by a silver wolf claw that reached out from the Void, and blood rained down on the mountain path.
The three thousand disciples of the Qingyun Sect dispersed overnight.
Similar scenes were playing out across the Northern Region.
Ancient cities with a history spanning thousands of years were completely expelled, and their protective formations crumbled like paper under the oppressive power of the Ancestor King.
The source mine mountain range was seized, and the miners were enslaved;
Some great sects even had their gates trampled by envoys from Ancient Races, forcing their leaders to kneel and personally offer up half of their wealth, just to ensure the survival of their lineage.
" Saint, is this the majesty of Saint?"
Inside a secluded cave in the Central Continent, several living fossils from different sacred sites gathered, and a scene was reflected in the water mirror before them:
An Ancient Races Ancestor King with six wings on his back and vertical eyes on his forehead crushed the ancient protective formation of the " Mournful Wind Sect " in the Eastern Wasteland with just a single glance.
The Mournful Wind Sect, a supreme Mighty Figure who had dominated the Eastern Wasteland for hundreds of years, had both knees broken and crawled on the ground in a single glance, his Dao heart shattered on the spot.
A living fossil of the Ji Family, his beard trembling slightly, spoke in a hoarse voice, "That was the Ancestor King, a hegemon who could dominate a region in ancient times."
"Where is God King Jiang? Didn't he already live a second life and break through to the Saint King realm?" someone asked urgently.
" The Saint King of the Jiang Family," another living fossil from the holy land smiled bitterly, "Half a month ago, a Spirit Valley Ancestor King did attempt to force his way into the Jiang Family -affiliated sect, but was frightened away by the God King. However, the God King is only one person, and can only protect the peace of the Jiang Family within a radius of 100,000 li. Now, the number of awakened Ancestor King is more than ten, and is still increasing. Even if the God King has extraordinary abilities, how many places can he suppress?"
Despair, like cold vines, quietly coiled around the hearts of many powerful families in the holy land.
Among the Saint who are openly recognized in this world, it seems that only Jiang Taixu is one; perhaps we can also count the Eastern Exalt of Jade Pool, whose combat power has reached the Saint Realm by suppressing Half-Saint with one hand.
Meanwhile, in the ancient realm, Ancestor King have been awakening one after another, and there are even rumors that the aura of Great Saint has been faintly visible deep within the forbidden areas of several royal families.
For ordinary holy sites, this is not a disparity in strength, but a chasm that is almost hopeless.
Some sects with weaker lineages have begun to secretly sell off their resources, dismiss their members, and prepare to relocate to remote, Desolate Region.
Even more shockingly, some Holy Lords and Sect Leaders experienced sudden changes overnight, with cracks appearing in their Dao Hearts and their cultivation levels subtly regressing.
Amidst this oppressive atmosphere of constant anxiety, another voice was also stirring beneath the surface.
Ancient Races servants and envoys traveled among the major cities of the Eastern Wasteland.
They varied in appearance; some resembled humans except for their unusual eye color; others retained some of their own race's characteristics, yet their attitude was surprisingly peaceful.
"The coexistence of all races is a fundamental principle of the universe. Our race has no intention of being enemies with the human race; we only seek to reclaim our ancestral land and jointly create a prosperous world."
"In the ancient times, all races coexisted, intermarrying and exploring the Great Dao together. Why not set aside past grievances and jointly create a prosperous era?"
Exquisite visiting cards were sent to Great Saint, filled with earnest words, and sometimes even accompanied by rare sacred materials and ancient scriptures as "gifts."
Some smaller forces, under the combined influence of the Ancestor King's coercion and appeasement, gradually began to have more ideas.
However, many ancient creatures openly displayed their arrogance, born from their bloodline and accumulated over millions of years, under the sunlight.
The Northern Region's " Heavenly Waves City " is a colossal city that can accommodate tens of millions of people.
On that day, the long street trembled.
A young Ancient Races, over ten feet tall and with a single golden horn on his head, strode with the strength of a dragon, shattering the bluestone street.
Behind him were eight armored attendants, all of whom possessed auras above the First Heaven of the Immortal Platform.
The young man's gaze swept over the silent human cultivators and mortals on both sides of the street, a sneer of undisguised contempt playing on his lips.
"Humans?" he spoke, his voice like the clash of metal, clear and penetrating everyone's ears. "Back in ancient times, you were nothing more than blood food at royal banquets, two-legged livestock awaiting slaughter in pens. Our race took pity on you, allowing you to eke out a living in the corners of the land, occasionally offering you scraps, which was enough to make you weep with gratitude and kowtow for ten thousand years."
On the street, a young monk's blood boiled, and his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white.
"Hmm?" The golden-horned youth didn't even turn his head, only his gaze swept over him.
"Puff!"
The young cultivator was struck as if by a mountain; his chest caved in, blood gushed from his mouth, and he was sent flying backward, crashing into half a stone wall. His fate was unknown.
"You ants, how dare you show hostility before me?" The young man sneered, continuing forward, his voice booming, "In that era, you so-called saints were nothing more than slightly larger prey before my Ancestor King. We had to hunt you carefully, lest we damage your fur and spoil your taste."
A follower behind him spoke up, his voice shrill. "Young Master is absolutely right. Now, the slumbering overlord has returned, the true ruler has returned, and this land should be restored to its former order."
Wherever the group passed, the crowds retreated like a tide, no one daring to look them in the eye. Humiliation and fear weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
Similar scenes have appeared in many places in the Eastern Wasteland and Central Continent.
Ancient Races, whether traveling alone or in groups, would swagger into human cities, buying up property or coercing and enticing local forces to weave a web of traps.
They brought with them ancient secret techniques and extinct divine ingredients, but also the law of the jungle: the survival of the fittest and a strict hierarchy.
What's even more chilling is that undercurrents have begun to stir within the human race.
"Your Majesty, these are detailed maps of three medium-sized source mines, as well as the duty schedules of the guarding cultivators." In the secret chamber, a human cultivator obsequiously presented a jade slip, while an Ancient Races envoy shrouded in gray robes sat opposite him.
"Very well." A hoarse voice came from beneath the gray robe. "The ancient scripture ' Dragon Transformation Chapter ' that your clan requested will be delivered in three days. Remember, loyalty to my clan is far more promising than groveling before those so-called holy lands."
"Yes, yes! I understand!" The human cultivator bowed repeatedly, a burning glint in his eyes.
The allure of the ancient scriptures surpassed all shackles for him, who had been trapped in a bottleneck for many years.
Some are driven by profit, some by power, and some are simply overwhelmed by fear, choosing to submit and surrender.
Invisible nets are quietly being spread throughout the human territory.
In the Southern Region the Eastern Wasteland, a mountain range that has been a forbidden zone since ancient times now presents a completely different appearance.
The mountains are majestic and continuous, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and clear springs flowing gently.
Everywhere you look, precious medicinal herbs that are thousands of years old are seen emitting rosy light, and immortal vines are wrapped around towering cliffs, hanging down with colorful necklaces.
Auspicious mythical beasts frolic in the mountain streams, a white deer carries a sprig of lingzhi mushroom, and a crane soars through the sky.
The boundless essence of heaven and earth, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, converges towards the center of the mountain range, forming a lingering, ethereal mist.
The central main peak is entirely crimson, barren of vegetation, yet not lifeless. Its surface is shimmering with a glassy, fiery light, sometimes transforming into a phoenix spreading its wings, sometimes into a qilin Qilin Treads the Heavens.
The cave at the summit inhales and exhales the essence of the sun and moon, radiating countless rays of light and auspicious colors. Imperial patterns flicker like ripples in the Void, exuding a supreme aura that even the Holy Lord would bow his head in humility.
Fire Qilin Cave.
The cave was not dark; instead, it was illuminated by a sacred golden flame.
The flames arose without roots, suspended in the Void, their warmth contained within, yet harboring a terrifying Dao principle capable of incinerating all heavens.
The cave walls were as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the flickering firelight, as if one were inside the heart of the sun.
"Brother, what do you think of Li Qingshan from Jade Pool?"
A graceful figure stepped into the depths of the cave.
She was tall and slender with fair skin and long, light blue hair that cascaded down to her waist.
Her appearance was almost perfect, except for a pair of pale golden pupils with fine, crystalline scales at the corners of her eyes, which indicated her extraordinary status.
The Primordial Imperial Clan, Princess of the Fire Qilin Cave, Huo Lin'er.
In the center of the cave, where the golden flames were at their strongest, a figure as tall and imposing as a mountain sat quietly.
He also had long, light blue hair, a handsome and resolute face, and eyes that seemed to hold the rise and fall of stars.
His aura was as deep and majestic as a mountain; though he sat still, he seemed to be the pivot of the entire Grotto-Heaven world.
Prince of Fire Qilin Cave, Huo Qizi.
Upon hearing the question, the Huo Qizi slowly opened its eyes, golden light swirling within them, causing the flames inside the cave to flicker and dim.
" Li Qingshan," he murmured the name, his tone unusually solemn, "Unfathomable. The clan elders went so far as to lift our seals prematurely, largely because of this man."
Huo Lin'er sat down beside her brother, her golden eyes gleaming with thought, "I've observed the traces from the Yaochi Grand Gathering seven times. With a flick of the palm, the laws themselves formed a cage, and that Half-Saint of the Blood Moon Clan was completely suppressed without even having a chance to ignite his origin. Such methods..."
"He has approached the true essence of the Dao," Huo Qizi replied, his voice low and deep. "My father was probably no more than this back then. And according to information from the human race, he has only cultivated for a little over ten years, Severing the Dao in just one year."
A brief silence fell over the cave.
The golden flames burned quietly, illuminating the solemn faces of the two Ancient Emperor children.
"What's even more troublesome," Huo Lin'er said slowly, a strand of blue hair twirling between her fingers, "Is that he is not alone. Jade Pool has the Western Emperor Pagoda, and it also inherits the lineage of the Great Emperor Wushi, accompanied by the Beginningless Bell. Both of these human Emperor Weapon have deep connections to him."
"It's a demonstration, and also a warning." The Huo Qizi rose, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the flames. "He's informing all the awakened Ancient Races."
Huo Lin'er nodded. " The Blood Moon Clan has lost all face this time. Given their Yazi nature, they will certainly not let this go. But Li Qingshan spared that Half-Saint's life, only suppressing him and not killing him. What do you think he is waiting for, brother?"
Huo Qizi walked to the cave entrance, gazing at the churning sea of clouds and rosy dawn outside, his eyes sharp as knives.
"According to the intelligence we've gathered, it's likely a ploy to lure the snake out of its hole, similar to how he killed the two kings during his Severing the Dao." Each word was deliberate, a chill creeping into his voice. "The Blood Moon Clan is the bait, the first fish eager to bite. He intends to use the blood of the Blood Moon Clan to establish the first rule for Jade Pool, and for humanity, at the dawn of this chaotic era."
"Rules?" Huo Lin'er frowned slightly.
"The law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is an ancient rule." Huo Qizi turned to look at his sister, "But the rule he wishes to establish is: within the Jade Pool territory, dragons shall lie low and tigers shall crouch. Whether royalty or ferocious tribes, if they dare to extend their claws, he dares to slay them."
Huo Lin'er remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "So domineering, isn't he afraid of becoming the target of everyone's criticism? The major royal families won't sit idly by and watch him slaughter royal families to establish his authority."
"Therefore, he is waiting." A glint of wisdom flashed in Huo Qizi's eyes. "Waiting for the Ancestor King behind the Blood Moon Clan to appear, waiting for other royal families who may be secretly colluding to show their faces, or even waiting for certain royal families who can no longer restrain themselves to reveal their presence. The one suppressed beneath Five Fingers Mountain is not only Half-Saint of the Blood Moon Clan, but also a bait, a pawn to test the reactions of the various clans. He is forcing all parties to make a statement, and also measuring the bottom line of the Ancient Races today."
"Then we," Huo Lin'er looked up.
"Let's wait and see." Huo Qizi said decisively, "Father sealed us into this world for the Road to Immortality, for the opportunity to prove our Dao, not to get involved in the bloodshed between humans and royalty. If Li Qingshan wants to establish his authority, let him. As long as he doesn't touch the foundation of my Fire Qilin Cave, what does it matter to me if he fights with the Ancient Races to the death?"
After saying this, he stepped out of the cave.
"Brother, are you going to the Primordial Ancient Mine again?" Huo Lin'er stood up, her voice tinged with helplessness.
Huo Qizi paused, without turning around. "I always have a feeling in my heart that my father may still be alive."
"Even if Father Emperor is not truly dead, there is absolutely no way he would come out of the Ancient Mine to see you right now!" Huo Lin'er's voice rose slightly, revealing a rare hint of anxiety. "You and I both know what the depths of the Ancient Mine are like! It is Life Forbidden Zone, the place where Ancient Supreme slumber! If Father Emperor were here, he would surely be surviving through extraordinary means, and his current state is unpredictable. If you rashly go there, you might anger other beings."
"I know what I'm doing," Huo Qizi interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument. "My father was strict with me back then, hoping I could live up to his will and surpass his achievements. But he is my father, and he would never harm me."
As soon as he finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of azure light and disappeared into the rosy clouds outside the cave.
Huo Lin'er stood alone in the cave, gazing in the direction where her brother had disappeared. After a long while, she let out a soft sigh.
How could she not miss her father, the Emperor?
The Qilin Ancient Emperor, majestic and awe-inspiring, doted on his daughter immensely.
However, he was extremely strict and even cruel towards his elder brother, Huo Qizi, placing all his hopes and pressures on him.
As a result, the elder brother's obsession only deepened.
" The Road to Immortality is about to begin, and the sons of all the emperors are appearing together. They should be exploring the path to immortality side by side," Huo Lin'er walked back to Yan Xin, sat cross-legged, and golden light flowed in her eyes as she deduced the secrets of heaven.
" Li Qingshan," the earth-shattering palm strike at the Yaochi Grand Gathering resurfaced in her mind, along with the aftermath of the Five-Finger Divine Mountain that stretched across the barren Northern Region, bearing the mark of Jade Pool.
"A son of the Western Emperor or the Great Emperor Wushi, possessing Great Emperor scriptures and two Emperor Weapon."
Golden flames swirled around her, illuminating her exquisitely beautiful yet solemn face.
Outside the cave, the sky over the Eastern Wasteland grew increasingly gloomy.
Within the leaden clouds, streaks of crimson lightning seemed to foreshadow a storm that was silently gathering and accumulating across the sky.
At this moment, in the Five Regions of the Big Dipper, countless eyes, whether open or hidden, were all cast toward the crimson land in the north, toward the Five Fingers Divine Mountain that suppressed the Ancient Races's Half-Saint, and even toward the misty, Jade Pool Pure Land behind the mountain.
A storm is brewing; undercurrents are already surging.