Within the celestial palace, verdant candle flames flickered gently. A chilling breeze whispered through the air. Xiang Shaoyun's gaze was razor-sharp, his blood and qi roiling violently, radiating a fearsome aura. Li Sansi held a wooden sword in his hand. Everyone present had tensed their minds to the utmost.
"Immortal fate, immortal fate… only those destined to obtain it may call it fate."
In an instant, the candlelight turned an eerie green. In the flickering gloom, it felt as though something unseen was watching them from the shadows. The atmosphere of this immortal palace was... disturbingly strange.
"I have a bad feeling about this," murmured Mo Shougui.
"Is this really a place of immortal fate? This feels more like a tomb for the dead… Who knows what kind of ghouls or monsters lie buried here?"
The sinister wind, coupled with the spectral green flames, exuded an otherworldly eeriness.
Kong Nanfei drew a bamboo scroll from his bookcase and shot a glance at Mo Shougui. "And who's to say a burial site cannot also hold immortal fate?"
Li Sansi paid no heed to their argument. His gaze lifted, staring deep into the palace's core. Twin rows of ghostly green candle flames stretched into the inner sanctum, their end lost in darkness. He gripped his wooden sword tightly and stepped forward.
"Judging by the layout, once we cross the gate of the underground palace, we enter a narrow passage. Beyond that lie the front chamber, the central hall, and the final crypt…"
"This celestial palace is far more intricate. With such grandeur, the tomb's master must have held a status beyond question. We must tread carefully."
Li Sansi had never been interested in so-called immortal fate. If not for the direct command of the Dao Sect's heir, he wouldn't have bothered to come. Yet now, faced with such bizarre sights, a sudden curiosity took root in his heart.
"Whether or not there is true immortal fate, merely witnessing such a magnificent palace makes this journey worthwhile." He chuckled freely, full of ease.
"Fool. If this were merely a trap, would it make us kneel so easily?" Xiang Shaoyun's sharp eyes swept over Mo Shougui, silencing him at once.
Silence fell upon the palace. The four of them proceeded together deeper into the tomb.
"Earlier, when we entered with the Qi Command Token, other token bearers were also drawn in. But now, this passage contains only the four of us. That means this tomb has more than one route."
Li Sansi stared into the dark corridor, analyzing aloud.
"Keep going. I can feel it... the immortal fate lies ahead," Xiang Shaoyun said.
The group moved forward as the ghostly green flames danced.
Suddenly, Xiang Shaoyun, leading the way, halted in his tracks. Li Sansi, Mo Shougui, and Kong Nanfei also came to a standstill.
"Listen," Xiang Shaoyun said solemnly. This celestial palace… was far too bizarre.
Fortunately, they were all elite prodigies of Great Zhou. Had it been ordinary cultivators, they would have already crumbled under this unnamable dread.
The four stood still, ears straining. The rows of green flames began to shiver. A chilling wind swept through, accompanied by faint, sorrowful weeping and the rustling of movement.
"Something… is coming," Xiang Shaoyun exhaled.
As his words fell, an axe materialized in his hand.
Rustle… rustle…
The flames on the walls were extinguishing one by one. In their wake, skeletal, grotesque, humanoid abominations crawled swiftly along the corridor walls—creatures of eerie malice.
Darkness surged forward as the flames vanished. The four had no time for words; their qi and blood erupted simultaneously. The roars of martial masters echoed throughout the tunnel.
Xiang Shaoyun's eyes burned with light. His axe swept through the air, bisecting a charging ghost-creature in an instant. The violent energy exploded outward, slaying several more in a single motion.
Mo Shougui and Li Sansi gasped in unison. These monsters radiated pressure equivalent to that of a First Resonance Master. Yet to Xiang Shaoyun, killing them was no harder than slicing vegetables.
The felled specters dissolved into streams of pale blue spiritual energy that howled through the corridor. Xiang Shaoyun's gaze sharpened. He understood now.
"This… is immortal fate!"
"How amusing. To claim such fate, strength is required. Without it, stepping into a place of immortal fate is tantamount to death."
"Immortal fate belongs only to the strong!"
Xiang Shaoyun laughed heartily. "Whoever devised this trial—I, Xiang Shaoyun—am thoroughly convinced!"
Boom! His qi and blood surged. The overwhelming power of a Grandmaster filled the corridor.
As more spirits fell, their spiritual essence coiled around him, flowing steadily into his Qi Core.
Li Sansi, Mo Shougui, and Kong Nanfei all watched, eyes gleaming. They understood instantly—this was the true nature of the immortal fate: slay the ghost-creatures, obtain heavenly essence.
In the corridor, Xiang Shaoyun moved like a divine warrior, surrounded by ethereal light. The scene was surreal.
Li Sansi raised his wooden sword. A single gentle thrust pierced a ghost-creature's skull. A wisp of blue spirit energy emerged, wrapping around him. His spirit stirred.
"What a treasure! This must be… heaven and earth's spiritual qi!"
Activating his Blood Transferring Technique, he tried to refine the energy, but it dissipated inside him.
"So it requires a Qi Cultivation technique…" His gaze followed Xiang Shaoyun's movements, and comprehension dawned.
With renewed resolve, he pierced another creature with three swift strikes. This time, he successfully guided the essence into his Qi Core.
Boom! His hair lifted, a breath of foul air escaped his mouth.
"I can feel it!"
"So this… is immortal fate! Hahaha!"
His face flushed red. That single thread of essence in his Qi Core had caused his strength to surge. It was as if he were cleansed by a heavenly storm.
Mo Shougui and Kong Nanfei experienced the same revelation. The fearsome monsters were not threats—they were opportunities.
But… they were too slow.
Roughly a hundred ghost-creatures had surged into the corridor, akin to a hundred First Resonance Masters. Yet now, all were slain.
At the corridor's forefront, Xiang Shaoyun stood unmoved, heat wafting from his body like a war god. Four threads of spiritual energy twined around him.
Li Sansi had slain ten monsters, refining one thread and stepping into the first realm of Qi Core. Mo Shougui had slain five, gaining nothing. Kong Nanfei had the same fate.
Xiang Shaoyun, however, had slain nearly eighty, refining two threads.
"The conversion rate is too low… No—it's due to a lack of cultivation methods!"
His eyes gleamed. Since this was a tomb-palace, perhaps among the grave goods lay cultivation techniques. If he found one, his refining efficiency would soar!
Understanding this, Xiang Shaoyun wasted no time. His figure burst forward, diving deeper into the palace.
Li Sansi followed with graceful lightness, toes tapping the ground. Now that true immortal fate lay ahead, he would not fall behind.
Mo Shougui and Kong Nanfei chased after him. As proud sons of noble clans, how could they be content to lag behind?
Not far from their path, another corridor echoed with battle cries.
But unlike Xiang Shaoyun's group, their fight was brutal and grim. After all, not everyone was the Overlord of Western Prefecture, capable of slaying masters like lambs.
Blood saturated the tunnel. Of six chosen cultivators, only three survived, their bodies drenched in gore. They sat cross-legged, absorbing the lingering essence to recover and grow stronger.
…
"My name is Jiang Chao, a cultivator of the ancient Qi Refinement path, at the peak of Qi Core."
"I lived for five centuries, fighting alongside the ancient Emperor against the traitorous 'Tibetan Body' cultivators. I fell in battle and was buried here at Wolong Ridge."
"Then why… am I still alive?"
In the central chamber of the tomb, a deep murmur echoed from the coffin at its center.
Creak… creak…
From within, a stiff corpse slowly began to sit up.
…
Outside the Celestial Palace.
Dressed in full armor, Dantai Xuan stood solemnly. Behind him, the army once stationed at the mountain's base had assembled.
The troops of every province had gathered—fifty thousand strong—covering the ridges like a tide.
Mo Ju, gently waving his feather fan, stood behind Dantai Xuan. Watching this scene, he sighed deeply.
"My lord, this must not be done…"
But Dantai Xuan merely raised a hand in silence.
"The world…"