Inheritances of Ancient Grand Xia

Inheritances of Ancient Grand Xia...

A palpable chill filled the grand hall as the Vermilion Bird's malevolence engulfed everyone. Their bodies involuntarily tilted, and even their breaths grew erratic. The pressure emanating from the Vermilion Bird was overwhelming, leaving no room for resistance.

"Who was the one responsible for this destruction?" the Vermilion Bird inquired with icy intent.

"The Nine Grand Clans of ancient Grand Xia conspired together in betrayal," Yun Mengyi replied.

"Impossible, the royal clan's strength far surpassed that of the nine grand clans," the Vermilion Bird retorted coldly.

"Behind the nine grand clans, there lurked a shadowy puppeteer. I suspect the mastermind was none other than the Grand Shang Empire. After the fall of the last Xia Emperor, they colluded with the nine grand clans, leading to the downfall of Grand Xia," Yun Mengyi revealed, causing the flames surrounding the Vermilion Bird to burn even fiercer.

"My Grand Xia has been in ruins for over a thousand years, and you are the last surviving descendant of the royal clan," the Vermilion Bird continued, fixing its gaze on Yun Mengyi. "How did you manage to survive? And why did you choose to enter the royal tomb only now?"

"My ancestor is Xia Tianyu. She suffered humiliation at the hands of the heads of the nine grand clans but was fortunate to be saved by a mysterious benefactor. Since then, Grand Xia has been under the occupation of our enemies up to the present era. I never forgot our ancestors' teachings, but now our enemies threaten to annihilate us. Thus, I had no choice but to open the royal tomb to obtain the Seven Slaughter Puppets. Unfortunately, this inadvertently alerted the current transcendent powers of Grand Xia to this location," Yun Mengyi explained with deep respect.

Her words sent shivers through those behind her, particularly the Shi Clan members, who turned pale. This was the Royal Tomb of Grand Xia, and they were outsiders, descendants of the traitorous nine grand clans. Were they not marching towards their own doom by entering here?

The Vermilion Bird fell silent for a moment before inquiring again, "Who are these people?"

"The seven behind me are all my dear friends. Grand Xia is currently in turmoil, and the descendants of the Venerate Heavens Sect prophesied that it will one day unite under a single ruler. These seven might play pivotal roles in Grand Xia's future. As for the others, they came here because they possess knowledge of one of Grand Xia's ultimate arts. They are none other than descendants of the traitors who betrayed our clan," Yun Mengyi revealed, sending a cold shiver down everyone's spine.

The Vermilion Bird turned its gaze toward them, and suddenly, columns of flames shot forth, instantly reducing them to ashes amid a cacophony of screams. They vanished from this world forever.

"We still need you, Ancestor, to safeguard the Royal Tomb. Please don't exert yourself," Yun Mengyi kowtowed once more.

"The astral energy here is sufficient to sustain me. Unfortunately, I am unable to leave the Royal Tomb," the Vermilion Bird addressed the eight individuals before it. "Since you've brought them here, I shall open the Emperor Gates for them. The rules remain the same: they will be sent to different locations based on their talents. However, whether they can obtain any inheritances depends entirely on their performance."

"I understand," Yun Mengyi nodded. "The ancient emperors of our Xia Clan left their inheritances behind in the Royal Tomb upon their deaths. The Ancestor will transport you to various places based on your talents. Depending on your destiny and performance, different inheritances may surface."

Yun Mengyi's words were directed at the seven behind her, conveying the opportunity to acquire the legacies of past Xia Emperors. The greater their talent and performance in the trials, the more potent their inheritances would be.

No wonder legends always proclaimed that the might of ancient Grand Xia surpassed that of all the transcendent powers combined. Even after the kingdom's fall, the nine grand clans couldn't unearth Grand Xia's greatest secrets. This knowledge was the exclusive domain of the Xia Clan's descendants—the Royal Tomb concealed the kingdom's deepest mysteries.

The Royal Tomb served as the resting place for the ancient emperors and the repository of their legacies. Back then, every Xia Clan descendant had the chance to enter the tomb and pay respects to the Ancestor as it unlocked the Emperor Gates.

"Since you've been brought here by her, I trust that none of you will divulge this secret. However, I must leave a resistance imprint on your minds. In the future, if someone attempts to probe your souls, this resistance imprint will fend off the attack. But, of course, if the soul-searcher has a much higher cultivation base, the resistance imprint will self-destruct, erasing your memories. Are you all willing?"

The Vermilion Bird fixed its gaze on the eight of them as it spoke.

The Royal Tomb of Grand Xia harbored the kingdom's greatest secret. The reason this secret remained intact even after Grand Xia's fall was that those who entered the tomb were the kingdom's core members, loyal to their clans. As for why no one had extracted the information from them, it was likely due to the resistance imprint the Vermilion Bird was discussing now.

In truth, such tactics were quite common among powerful forces.

"Being able to block soul-search techniques? That sounds good," Ouyang Kuangsheng responded directly. If it ever came to that point, death wouldn't be far away.

The others nodded in agreement, signifying their consent. In an instant, an ancient imprint blazing with golden flames shot out from the Vermilion Bird's eyes. The light from this ancient imprint surged, entering the minds of the eight individuals, creating a protective golden screen around their consciousness.

"It's done. Step forward one by one, let me assess the power of your perception," the Vermilion Bird instructed. Yun Mengyi stepped forward, taking her place before the Vermilion Bird.

The bird's talons rested upon her head, and its eyes closed. Streams of light swirled around Yun Mengyi as several purple pillars in the grand hall lit up.

The hall contained a total of eighty-one stone pillars. Yun Mengyi lit up over forty of them before the process ceased.

"Astral Soul," the Vermilion Bird spoke again. Yun Mengyi released her Astral Souls.

"Enough," the Vermilion Bird withdrew its talon. Ouyang Kuangsheng stepped forward, and the Vermilion Bird repeated the process.

Fan Le, Chu Mang, Qin Zheng, Mu Feng, and Bai Qing underwent the assessment next. Most of them managed to light up over forty stone pillars. Bai Qing and Ouyang Kuangsheng performed exceptionally well, considering their first Astral Soul was condensed at the 4th Heavenly Layer.

Finally, Qin Wentian stepped forward, his heart pounding with anticipation. As the Vermilion Bird's talons pressed into his head, Qin Wentian's perception was forcibly stretched out, covering the entire space. In an instant, the stone pillars began to light up one after another. Over fifty stone pillars had already ignited swiftly.

Yet, it didn't stop there. Moments later, over sixty, over seventy pillars ignited, causing the Vermilion Bird's eyes to snap open in astonishment. A formidable light flickered within, and it still wasn't over. When the final four pillars around the sacrificial platform lit up, pure astonishment filled the Vermilion Bird's eyes. It stared at Qin Wentian with an expression as if it couldn't believe what it had just witnessed.

All eighty-one stone pillars had now ignited.

The entire Grand Hall transformed into a starry sky. The radiance from the eighty-one pillars was dazzling beyond description.

Not only the Vermilion Bird, but even Yun Mengyi and the others were visibly shocked as they stared at Qin Wentian. Was Di Tian's talent truly this astonishing?

They already knew how extraordinary Qin Wentian's talent was, but now, with the revelation of Di Tian's talent, it was becoming clear that he was equally remarkable.

What none of them realized, however, was that Di Tian was actually none other than Qin Wentian himself. They had personally witnessed the primordial great roc wielding the sword, destroying the Chen Ancestor, and then entering unconsciousness. They had never heard of abilities like the Great Nirvana Art, making it impossible for them to fathom the concept of having two true bodies.

"Your Astral Soul," the Vermilion Bird inquired as it stared at Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian hesitated. He could disguise his features, but if he released his Astral Souls, it would essentially reveal his true identity as Qin Wentian.

Upon seeing Qin Wentian's hesitation, the Vermilion Bird's eyes shimmered. A screen of light materialized and enveloped the two of them.

"I will keep your secret, but I must examine your Astral Soul to determine which emperor gate would be suitable for you. Regardless, when you enter an ancient emperor gate later and release your Astral Souls to enhance your strength during combat, I will be aware," the Vermilion Bird stated, withholding nothing.

Qin Wentian nodded after a moment's contemplation. This Vermilion Bird was the guardian of the Royal Tomb, and given its status and power, it wouldn't stoop to deceit when dealing with the younger generation.

With a nod, Qin Wentian released his four Astral Souls. The first three were from the 5th Heavenly Layer, while the last one was from the 6th Heavenly Layer.

"Enough," the Vermilion Bird nodded. Qin Wentian retracted his Astral Souls as the screen of light dissipated.

The Vermilion Bird landed on the ancient coffin, its talons pressing down. Instantly, a door appeared on the walls of the Grand Hall and slid open to reveal an immense statue.

The statue depicted an imposing middle-aged man. He held a thunder god sabre in his hands, clad in armor made of lightning. A lightning serpent coiled around his shoulders, and a luminous crown adorned his head.

"He's known as the Tyrant Emperor of our Xia Clan. In Royal Xia's history, his power ranks among the top five. During his lifetime, he swept across the entire Grand Xia region unchallenged. There was a great war between Grand Shang and Grand Xia, sparked by the assassination of the Grand Xia princess by Grand Shang. Enraged, the Tyrant Emperor stormed into Grand Shang, slaying the Grand Shang Emperor and five marquises before retreating. With a single breath, he returned to Grand Xia. After that, he chose to enter the Royal Tomb and met his end here. That battle severely weakened both Grand Xia and Grand Shang's foundations," Yun Mengyi explained.

The Vermilion Bird's voice carried a profound gravity as it unraveled ancient history before them. Then, it shifted its gaze to Ouyang Kuangsheng and Chu Mang. "The Thunder God's Slash was the ultimate art created by the Tyrant Emperor. Both of you are suitable candidates to enter the Tyrant Emperor Gate."

"Thank you, senior," Ouyang Kuangsheng expressed his gratitude with a respectful bow.

"Indeed," Chu Mang concurred, bowing in reverence. They then stepped together into the gate, which promptly sealed behind them.

The Vermilion Bird's talons pressed down on the ancient coffin once more, summoning forth yet another statue of an ancient emperor. This emperor had an exceptionally peculiar appearance, appearing as if he had just entered his teenage years yet radiating an immensely daunting aura.

"This statue represents another of Grand Xia's ancient emperors, the Blood Emperor. Much like the Tyrant Emperor, he held unrivaled dominance in the world. It took him merely a hundred years, from birth until the previous Emperor abdicated his throne to him, to reach a level of power equal to his predecessor. The Bloodcurse Imprint was the ultimate art created by him. You," the Vermilion Bird pointed at Mu Feng, "are deemed suitable to enter his gate."