The Grand Assembly at the Dragon Tomb

“This Yinglong Tomb, now revealed to the world, belongs to a Yinglong. A Yinglong is a true innate divine beast, far surpassing ordinary divine demons. Its burial ground is undoubtedly hiding immense terrors within.” Qi Feng spoke slowly, a faint smile gracing his lips as he looked at everyone.

Everyone nodded in agreement. The name Yinglong was known to all, from tribulation-crossing cultivators to common mortals. Legend held that in ancient times, a Yinglong descended from the Celestial Realm to aid humanity in vanquishing the ancient great demons Chiyou and Kuafu, earning its title as a divine beast. After slaying them, the Yinglong returned to the Celestial Realm, never to be seen again.

“The Yinglong within this tomb must be a descendant of that ancient Yinglong. I possess a map, drawn by the imperial family tens of thousands of years ago when another Yinglong Tomb emerged. We can use it to discuss a few things.” Qi Feng extended his hand, and a map, roughly five chi long and two chi wide, appeared on the tea table.

A map of another Yinglong Tomb? As expected of the Daqi Imperial Family, to possess such a treasure.

Chi Qiu secretly clicked her tongue, her body instinctively leaning closer to the tea table, eager to get a glimpse.

“I must ask both fellow Daoists to make a pledge: after seeing this map, you must never reveal its contents to outsiders.” Noticing Chi Qiu’s proximity, Qi Feng smiled faintly, pulling the map back slightly.

“Such a pledge is not difficult,” Su Hanxing replied unhurriedly, a smile playing on his lips as he countered, “But what of the treasures within the tomb?”

“Naturally, it will be a matter of individual ability. Whoever obtains a treasure keeps it; no forceful seizures are permitted,” Qi Feng quickly added.

“That settles it, then. Do you have an Oath Stone?” Su Hanxing nodded.

The Oath Stone was an exceptionally precious Dao Stone, a unique product of the Daqi Imperial Family. Its purpose was simple: to invoke the Dao of Heaven and Earth to record vows. Any transgression would invite a backlash from Heaven and Earth, a force even Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivators struggled to resist. Such a treasure was rarely used by ordinary cultivators. Only powerful Dharma Manifestation Realm experts, intending to establish a sect, would purchase it from the Daqi Imperial Family to serve as their sect’s foundation.

The five individuals, one after another, placed their hands upon the Oath Stone and made their vows. Subsequently, a profound ripple of the “Dao” descended from the heavens, integrating into their bodies, thus sealing the oath. The terms were lenient: Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing were not to reveal the map’s contents, and the five individuals were forbidden from harming one another.

“Perfect! Once we enter the Yinglong Tomb, we can ambush and eliminate more disciples from the other eight great sects.” Qi Yue’s mood brightened now that the oath was sealed.

“You’ve brought so many Black Armored Imperial Guards. Why not have them eliminate the great sects’ disciples?” Chi Qiu asked, puzzled.

“It’s different, Fellow Daoist Chi,” Qi Feng explained, shaking his head. “Our ambushing those disciples is a personal vendetta. Deploying the Black Armored Imperial Guards would signify the Daqi Imperial Family acting against the sects. While our imperial family has some friction with them, it hasn’t escalated to open warfare.”

“I see…” Chi Qiu nodded.

“These Black Armored Imperial Guards will be divided into three teams and enter the portable residences carried by the three of us. They will not act unless we encounter danger.” Qi Feng unfurled the map, displaying it before everyone.

“This is a Yinglong Tomb explored by our Daqi tens of thousands of years ago. While tombs vary greatly, some features remain constant.” Qi Feng pointed to the core of the map. “This place is called the Dragon Transformation Pool. Any true dragon, upon its death, inevitably forms such a pool. The Yinglong’s remains and its True Dragon’s Aura should be found here.”

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing leaned closer to the tea table, meticulously examining the map. Qi Yun and Qi Yue, the siblings, had evidently seen it before; they merely sat quietly, sipping tea.

“The Dragon Transformation Pool is certainly in the innermost core of the Yinglong Tomb. We cultivators seek True Dragon’s Aura, while the great demons desire the Yinglong’s remains even more. They are equally dangerous, and we must guard against them.”

“The Yinglong’s tomb will undoubtedly be vast. We need to pay close attention to areas where demonic energy surges.”

The five individuals gathered around the map, each offering their insights, discussing the various key points for entering the Yinglong Tomb.

For the next three days, Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing remained on the golden warship. Although the vessel was conspicuous in the core region of Sishui Marsh, Qi Wuyai’s previously displayed power had been too formidable, deterring any great demons from bothering them.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing were assigned two adjacent rooms for their temporary stay. Meanwhile, the siblings Qi Yun and Qi Yue finally learned about Su Hanxing and Chi Qiu’s past from Qi Feng. Qi Yun found himself caught between laughter and tears, his gaze toward Su Hanxing now tinged with apprehension. Qi Yue, on the other hand, frequently visited Chi Qiu, eager to ask about her experience as a woman.

Despite Qi Yue’s noble status and her habit of bringing small, feminine gifts with each visit, Chi Qiu had no interest in dresses, embroidered shoes, rouge, or jewelry. Thus, though inwardly resigned, Chi Qiu always greeted Qi Yue with a cheerful smile whenever she called.

Today marked the opening of the Yinglong Tomb. Chi Qiu and her companions arrived on the warship’s deck, where Qi Wuyai and Su He stood at the bow, gazing into the distance.

“It’s the Gate of Wonders’ flying artifact,” Qi Yue suddenly exclaimed, pointing into the distance.

Chi Qiu followed Qi Yue’s gaze. A turtle shell-shaped artifact, hundreds of chi in size, approached from afar. It was intricately patterned with the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, exuding profound mysticism.

“Gate of Wonders…” Chi Qiu murmured. She had once clashed with their disciples during the martial arts tournament. Their techniques were bizarre, with killing intent hidden within agile movements.

“The leader of the Gate of Wonders this time should be Tan Xiao,” Qi Feng whispered. Tan Xiao, ranked second on the Daqi Heavenly Pride Rankings, had battled Su Hanxing for a full half-hour during the tournament, ultimately losing by a single move. This individual had also entered the Imperial Secret Realm, making their strength not to be underestimated.

Just beyond the colossal turtle shell artifact, a golden light appeared. A miniature Sumeru Mountain drifted from the other direction, upon which a golden Dharma Manifestation sat cross-legged on a green lotus. As the miniature mountain slowly drew near, faint Sanskrit chants began to reverberate between heaven and earth.

“Spirit Mountain has arrived as well…”

Following this, an increasing number of flying artifacts converged. Qianshui Pavilion, Yishui Gate, Dao Sect, Heart God Sect… Including Su He and Su Hanxing on the golden warship, all nine super-first-rate sects within Daqi’s borders were now present. Beyond the nine great sects and the Daqi Imperial Family, countless renowned aristocratic families had also dispatched their flying artifacts. Even the reclusive families had sent representatives.

“Truly magnificent,” Chi Qiu exclaimed, “Even the martial arts tournament didn’t boast such a grand display.”

“The tournament is held in the Imperial City, so even if the major sects attend, they wouldn’t dare to make such a grand show. But this place is different,” Qi Feng explained, his expression growing colder. “This is precisely where the major sects can fully display their power, so naturally, they will spare no effort.”

“Advance!”

Once all the major sects had assembled, Qi Wuyai turned and lightly waved his right hand. Immediately, a black-and-gold armored general let out a thunderous roar that echoed across the entire warship.

Boom!

With that powerful shout, the warship activated. Streaks of azure-gold light erupted from its hull, illuminating the vast marshland for a thousand miles around. Cultivators on the flying artifacts, large and small, were forced to shield their eyes.

The golden warship surged forward, leading the charge. Behind it followed the other great sects’ diverse flying artifacts, and further back, the artifacts of smaller sects and aristocratic families. This grand formation majestically filled the entire sky.

Roar!

Scarcely had the warship flown for a few breaths when a colossal roar echoed. Immediately after, a beastly shadow abruptly materialized in the sky. The ferocious beast was a thousand zhang long, resembling a mighty tiger with an ugly face and a body covered in long brown fur. Two colossal fangs, a hundred zhang in length, curved forward, surging with astonishing demonic power.

With a single roar, this monstrous beast stirred every great demon within a ten-thousand-li radius. The ground instantly trembled, and a continuous tide of great demons converged.

“That is the ancient formidable beast, Taotie. Its demonic power is monstrous,” Su Hanxing stated, his expression grim.

Following closely behind the Taotie was an even more colossal beastly shadow. This creature resembled a gigantic ox covered in thick black hide, several thousand zhang long. Golden Dao patterns coiled around its body, making it appear indestructible.

“That is the ancient Divine Demon Kui Niu,” Su He remarked, a smile on his face. “In terms of sheer strength, it might even surpass the Taotie.”

“Elder Su.”
“Master.”
“Elder Su.”

The five juniors bowed in unison. Su He waved a hand, indicating they needn’t be formal.

“There should be two more Divine Demons yet to appear,” Su He stroked his beard, appearing calm. “They are likely waiting for the Yinglong Tomb to fully emerge.”

“Master, what is the strength of these two Divine Demons?” Su Hanxing asked.

“They both should have successfully weathered the Calamity of Fiery Incineration,” Su He replied calmly. “In terms of cultivation realm alone, no cultivator here can compare to them.”

“Divine demons of this size face a Calamity of Fiery Incineration that is hundreds, even thousands of times more difficult than for human cultivators,” Qi Wuyai explained, appearing before them. “But once they overcome it, the boost to their strength far surpasses that of cultivators.”

“Prince Heng, what should we do next?” Qi Feng asked, seeing the river of flying artifacts halted by the two Divine Demons.

“Wait,” Qi Wuyai replied confidently, “Wait until the Yinglong Tomb fully appears.”

No sooner had Qi Wuyai finished speaking than a ten-thousand-zhang phantom slowly emerged from beyond the horizon. The phantom’s body was long and slender, possessing four claws, a pair of wings, and horns. The phantom was bathed in golden lightning, its long tail wreathed in azure annihilating winds, and its dragon head exhaled black tribulation clouds.

It was the shadow of a Yinglong!