Grand Xia Has Already Fallen

Grand Xia Has Already Fallen...

Outside the grand entrance to the Royal Tomb, a crowd of experts had gathered, but the aura of trepidation hung thick in the air, as none dared to venture inside.

The ancient Grand Xia had wielded immeasurable power, and the Royal Tomb served as the final resting place for formidable figures like the emperors of old. How could anyone dare to desecrate such a sacred ground? No one doubted that the tomb was riddled with perilous traps.

The prestigious Ouyang Aristocrat Clan, the influential Shi Clan, and other transcendent powers had assembled their members, ready to lead the way into the Royal Tomb.

The gaze of the Ouyang Clan Lord shifted to Yun Mengyi and her companions. His expression flickered with a mysterious light. Had these individuals truly opened the Royal Tomb? And did they acquire the Seven Slaughters Puppets from within? If so, did they also possess knowledge of the tomb's treacherous traps?

"Let's proceed," Yun Mengyi murmured in a hushed tone as she took a step toward the Royal Tomb's entrance.

Qin Wentian and the others followed without hesitation. When controlling the puppets, their hearts beat as one, leaving no room for doubt. As for Bai Qing, although her bond with the group wasn't as profound, they knew her relationship with Qin Wentian was like that of siblings, ensuring her trustworthiness.

Qin Wentian was itching to confide in them, but the risk of a slip-up in moments of danger due to agitation was too great. If the secret of the Great Nirvana Art leaked, he would fail in his promise to Qing`er.

Even now, many eyes burned with envy and greed when they looked at him. His mastery of the Immortal Vanquishing Swordplay had been witnessed by many, making it a coveted prize. If not for the fear of a powerful force backing him and the threat that arose from annihilating the Great Solar Chen Clan, they would have already moved against him.

On the martial path, human hearts were treacherous, a lesson he had learned long ago. Not everyone was like Ouyang Kuangsheng and Fan Le, true comrades who would face death alongside him.

Qin Wentian and the group arrived at the massive vermilion bird's beak. Yun Mengyi wasted no time and strode in. The others followed suit, disappearing from view, leaving the crowd behind.

"Let's go," someone shouted, emboldening the remaining experts, who rushed forward to step into the Royal Tomb.

Moments later, they felt as though they had entered a different dimension. When they turned to look, the entrance was nowhere to be found.

They could only enter; there was no way back.

Their hearts pounded, and nervousness clung to them, evident in their clenched fists.

However, as they observed Yun Mengyi and her group, their resolve solidified. These people seemed intimately familiar with the tomb's layout. Following them was the wisest course to avoid danger.

With heads held high, they began to explore the Royal Tomb's interior.

The tomb exuded an aura of majesty and grandeur, yet a somber, sinister undertone permeated the atmosphere. After all, this was the final resting place of ancient Grand Xia's most revered figures.

Before them stretched a grand pathway flanked by colossal statues. These stone warriors wore armor, rode demonic beast mounts, and brandished long spears. Despite their lifeless forms, they exuded an aura of formidable danger.

Yun Mengyi gazed at the path ahead, her heart harboring a sly smile. She communicated with her companions, "To pass through safely, perform your ultimate arts on this path."

As her words faded, Yun Mengyi unsheathed her sword and began an intricate dance, stepping onto the ancient path.

The others wore bewildered expressions. Yun Mengyi was performing a sword dance on this treacherous path? And she was using the Heavenly Swordplay?

Following Yun Mengyi, Fan Le stepped forward. His blood surged, and a fearsome power, the Great Solar Illumination, radiated from him. With his Empyrean Flames bloodline and the Great Solar Universe Technique, his energies melded seamlessly.

Ouyang Kuangsheng, Chu Mang, and the rest demonstrated their ultimate arts and advanced.

Bai Qing exuded a dark, devilish energy as she moved forward.

Lastly, Qin Wentian stepped onto the path. The Bloodcurse Imprint's will coated his palms, turning them crimson, while a strange energy pulsed in his blood.

All eight had embarked on the path. Those trailing behind watched in astonishment.

Did these eight truly master the ultimate arts of Grand Xia? What fate awaited those who didn't know any of these arts?

The Shi Clan experts activated their Golden Dragon Battleform and entered the pathway without obstruction.

The practitioners of the nine ultimate arts were originally a minority, but swiftly, all of them had crossed the path. Those left behind seethed with frustration. One among them decided to test his luck and dashed toward the ancient path.

Yet, the moment his foot touched the path, the statues on both sides blazed with blinding white light.

"Bzzzz!" Stone spears shot forth with terrifying force, blocking his path forward and retreat. Panic washed over him as he glanced around. The stone statues retrieved their bows and took aim. In an instant, a cold, fearsome light burst forth.

Arrows fired like a string of pearls, and a golden streak of light pierced the void. The unfortunate man let out a blood-curdling scream before the force shattered him into a pool of blood, his body in pieces.

Silence descended, broken only by the pounding hearts of those remaining.

This path was a road to death. Only those who mastered the nine ultimate arts could proceed.

Looking back, they saw nothing but an icy stone wall. There was no exit, yet people continued to rush into the Royal Tomb, sealing their doom.

"If this is a path of death, why aren't there any dried-up skeletons or corpses from years ago?" someone questioned suspiciously. If this place led to certain death, others should have met the same fate in the past. But there were no traces at all.

"This is the Royal Tomb of ancient Grand Xia. Anyone who entered before must have had the bloodline of the ancient emperor. How could they not know this secret? They must have also cultivated the nine ultimate arts. Why else would they be in the same predicament as us, trapped right after entering the entrance?" Another person chimed in, silencing the one who had asked the initial question. A look of sickening realization washed over his face, and his complexion paled.

The collective hearts of those present seemed to turn to ice.

Indeed, this was the Royal Tomb of Grand Xia. How could it possibly be a place where outsiders could casually enter?

The individuals interred here were the ancestors of ancient Grand Xia. How could they allow their eternal rest to be disturbed by outsiders?

"That woman is truly venomous," someone muttered coldly. Clearly, they were cursing Yun Mengyi for not disclosing the requirement of mastering Grand Xia's ultimate arts to enter this place. In their minds, they were doomed from the moment they decided to step inside.

Unaware of the thoughts racing through her companions' minds, Yun Mengyi continued her intricate dance, progressing along the path. Even if she knew what they were thinking, their curses wouldn't affect her inner resolve.

The path of martial arts was inscrutable, and human hearts were devious. Faced with the Royal Tomb, who wouldn't be tempted to enter?

If she had told them not to enter, would they have listened? No, they would have likely suspected her motives, accused her of deception, and still chosen to enter.

The ancient path stretched on for what felt like an eternity, until a gate finally materialized before Yun Mengyi. She stepped through swiftly, and the others followed suit, finding themselves in an entirely new location.

This chamber was far more spacious than the narrow path. They now stood within a grand hall adorned with runic inscriptions and stone pillars that acted as supports. At the center of the hall rested a platform used for offering to the gods. On that platform, a colossal coffin appeared to have been carved from a massive block of astral stone. Mysterious lights shimmered beneath it, as if they were guiding the coffin's movement.

Four enormous pillars surrounded the platform, each engraved with intricate vermilion bird totems, incredibly detailed and lifelike. In front of the ancient coffin lay a prayer mat on the sacrificial platform. Both the pillars and the mat emanated an immensely thick aura of astral energy, seemingly crafted entirely from pure Yuan Meteor Stones.

"These natural Yuan Meteor Stones are exceptionally pure, likely originating from the 5th Heavenly Layer or even the 6th or 7th layer, judging by the immense amount of astral energy they contain," murmured one of the arrivals. Their hearts pounded with excitement. Just how massive must the Yuan Meteor Stone block have been to create these pillars?

"Simply opulent! An astronomical quantity of high-grade Yuan Meteor Stones. I wonder how long this could sustain a peerless transcendent power," someone remarked enviously.

The heavenly layer of origin determined the purity and potency of a Yuan Meteor Stone's energy. However, top-grade stones were exceedingly rare.

Yun Mengyi stepped forward and knelt on the astral prayer mat in front of the ancient coffin, performing nine solemn kowtows. With each prostration, she placed her hand seemingly at random on the vermilion bird totems etched into the four pillars.

Suddenly, a surge of astral energy erupted, illuminating the entire platform with brilliance. The radiance from the four pillars filled the grand hall.

In the airspace above, at the center of the four astral pillars, a radiant vermilion bird took shape. Fiery flames enveloped the bird as its eyes snapped open, exuding a malevolent aura. Yet, its majesty and terrible beauty were undeniable.

"The legendary totem beast of Grand Xia, the Vermilion Bird."

"But there shouldn't be any living creatures in this place. What is that thing exactly?"

A soul-shaking screech resounded as the manifested Vermilion Bird soared into the sky. Gradually, its radiance enveloped everyone present. A dark, fierce light of anger flashed in the bird's eyes, and a fearsome aura emanated from it.

"Why are you the sole bearer of my clan's bloodline?" a chilling voice echoed from the Vermilion Bird, causing everyone's hearts to involuntarily tremble.

"Answering, ancestor, the Xia Clan has long since fallen. After several thousand years, I am the last surviving descendant," Yun Mengyi replied with reverence and respect. She kowtowed once more, but the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy. The Vermilion Bird's countenance darkened, and its eyes blazed with hellish fury.

"Grand Xia has already fallen?"