Zong Shou hovered in the air, riding the Azure Flame Mystic Turtle. Perhaps it was the feeling of returning to a familiar place, but the turtle was immensely excited, occasionally letting out roars that deterred the surrounding demonic spirit beasts. Before Zong Shou subdued it, this creature had been one of the overlords of the Dark Abyss.

Zong Shou, however, was utterly focused, surveying the thousand-mile expanse with his World-Burning Crimson Eyes.

For the Tomb of Emperor Qin, the Great Qian Dynasty had mobilized every expert, summoning all their honored retainers and Dao Soldiers. Yet, their role was strictly limited to exterior support; the Tomb of Emperor Qin was not yet ready to open normally. The spirit array within remained perfectly intact, and all its mechanisms were still operational. Any intrusion now would only lead to certain death.

The gathering here was far from limited to the Great Qian. The Schools of the Common People and the Sword Buddha Sect were equally committed, with dozens of Saint Realm experts watching from afar. The atmosphere was already taut, reminiscent of the tense moments before the great battle in the southeast.

Zong Shou knew that the Six Sects might intervene this time, vying for the treasures buried within the Tomb of Emperor Qin. However, they would have no hand in the contest for the Twelve Bronze Men. Legend held that only one possessing royal aura could control those artifacts.

“That Chong Xuan thought his plans were secret, but in the end, the entire realm knows about them—”

Speaking beside Zong Shou was Yuan Wushang, who had rushed back and returned to the Cloud Realm following Shen Yuexuan from the Tianfang Realm.

“This is going to be quite the spectacle! I wonder how many will die in the end?”

His tone was cool and dismissive, but paired with his completely restored Jade Puppet, he carried an undeniable air of confidence. The top-tier puppet of the Mo School could rival a Saint in strength, and it was the least suppressed by the forces of heaven and earth.

“Chong Xuan can be considered an exceptional talent. This time, things won’t be that simple!”

Zong Shou shook his head, unconcerned. He dared not underestimate Chong Xuan, who had seemingly returned from the dead. He had only begun to pay serious attention to the Schools of the Common People and the Sword Sect Buddhists after deliberately focusing his attention elsewhere. The Three Teachings—Confucianism, Daoism, and Demonism—seemed to have long been aware of Chong Xuan Yin Yu’s machinations. But it was also possible that Chong Xuan himself orchestrated this deliberate upheaval to sow chaos.

As far as Zong Shou knew, opening the gate of the Tomb of Emperor Qin and washing away the malevolent Yin energy required the refined blood of one hundred thousand young boys. Even with the weakened state of the Great Shang, this collection could be completed within three days leading up to the Double Ninth Festival. To enact such a horrifying task so early felt like a deliberate announcement of his coming intentions.

“Who cares! With the four of us here, what waves can Chong Xuan really stir up?”

Yuan Wushang scoffed dismissively. Then, his tone shifted: “Speaking of which, Zong Shou, are you willing to take me on as one of your retainers?”

Zong Shou paused, then quickly recovered. He was overjoyed but showed no outward sign: “Is this for the Hall of Cosmic Light?”

The Hall of Cosmic Light would eventually be exposed. Thousands of people had cultivated within it over these past few years. Thus, when Yuan Wushang sought him out, Zong Shou had not concealed anything, even deliberately allowing his own retainers to spread hints to entice him. Even without the Cosmic Chronicle to complete it, the inner chambers of the Hall of Cosmic Light offered a tenfold time acceleration. Ordinary cultivators might not be tempted, but someone like Yuan Wushang, who pursued relentless progress on the path of cultivation, was bound to take the bait. Zong Shou considered himself the same type of person, hence the mutual appreciation.

“Yes and no!”

Yuan Wushang let out a slight chuckle, his eyes flashing sharply. “You are a good man, I like your demeanor! Furthermore, I used to concurrently cultivate both Daoist and Demonic arts. I’ve always been a lone wolf, belonging to no sect or school. That was fine before, but now I increasingly feel the lack of resources.”

Zong Shou understood immediately, then laughed softly. “I couldn’t ask for anything better! Whatever you need in the future, if the Great Qian possesses it, you may take it freely.”

In his previous life, Yuan Wushang’s whereabouts became unknown after the spirit tide in the Cloud Realm one hundred and sixty years later. But before his disappearance, he had become a genuine Saint Realm powerhouse, achieving a realm that took other cultivators ten thousand years in only one hundred and eighty years. His innate talent was second only to a select few like Shi Yue, Gong Yuan, and others of their caliber. Even setting aside his future potential, the Jade Puppet he possessed now was equivalent to a Saint-tier fighting force. To bring such a person under his command meant that the future Qian Heaven would gain another top-tier combatant within a century—why refuse? Moreover, his master was no ordinary figure; though not a Saint, he had once been famous throughout the world, much like Long Ying. Zong Shou could potentially forge an alliance through Yuan Wushang.

Yuan Wushang stopped speaking, merely giving a soft ‘hmm’ of gratitude. Every subsequent step he took would require immense resources, but Zong Shou’s promise meant he would be supported without regard to cost. He could search for these things himself, but having the entire Great Qian Immortal Dynasty as his backing would save him decades of time.

“Are those the Divine Emperor candidates from the Cloud Realm? Such powerful auras; I fear they are not inferior to Brother Yuan—”

Shen Yuexuan was standing nearby. Lacking Zong Shou’s World-Burning Bloodline, he held a cylindrical artifact with inlaid mirrors on both sides, called the ‘Thousand-Mile Mirror.’ He aimed it toward the distance, capable of observing events thousands of miles away, not much inferior to Zong Shou’s World-Burning Crimson Eyes’ realm-peering abilities. His eyes now showed a hint of astonishment.

“But there is good news: it seems the suppression inside the Tomb of Emperor Qin is nearly double that of the Cloud Realm for cultivators—”

Venerable Saint Realm experts cherish their reputations. Their appearance in the Cloud Realm during the previous conflict among the Six Sects was already an exception, directly resulting in the demise of several Saints under Zong Shou’s sword. Now, even with the Tomb of Emperor Qin emerging, they might not personally participate. Given their status, no matter what emerged from the tomb, they would receive their due share. Venturing in personally might yield greater rewards but also meant facing extreme risks. There was more than one person in the Cloud Realm capable of slaying a Saint now, Zong Shou being one of them. The harsher the suppression inside the tomb, the less likely these Saints were to appear.

Initially, the four chosen by the Great Qian to enter the Tomb—Zong Shou, Chu Xue, Yuan Wushang, and Shen Yuexuan—all possessed the strength to contend with Saints. They could handle any situation. However, the power displayed by those Divine Emperor candidates truly surprised Shen Yuexuan. Their accompanying subordinates were also extraordinary. For the first time, he felt the situation might not unfold according to his expectations. The Cloud Realm was teeming with hidden experts, many of whom he had never heard of before. Five or six of these individuals joining forces could barely contend with them, and nearly half of them combined could force the four of them to retreat. Many others remained hidden, undetected.

“It’s fine! Though these people belong to Great Shang, they may not be willing to assist that Chong Xuan—”

Zong Shou’s expression was calm as he surveyed them one by one. Many familiar and unfamiliar faces flashed before his eyes. He had heard the names of some before, ringing like thunder; others were unknown but possessed formidable strength. Yet, among them, Shi Yue was conspicuously absent—was he using another method to conceal himself from the sweep of his World-Burning Crimson Eyes? Or had he chosen not to come at all this time?

Zong Shou pondered this. Yin Yu had permitted Chong Xuan to gather the refined blood of children, and among the ministers, only Shi Yue had strongly objected. Two months ago, a fierce battle erupted outside the Imperial Capital, spanning a hundred miles. Many speculated it was Shi Yue attempting to kill Chong Xuan. That disturbance ultimately ended with Shi Yue being temporarily reassigned away from the capital. How would that man position himself when the Tomb of Emperor Qin opened? The Twelve Bronze Men inside the tomb represented the only chance for the resurgence of Great Shang. If Yin Yu succeeded, it would spell disaster for the Shi family, who already commanded the seven million troops in the south. Thinking of this, Zong Shou abruptly shook his head; whatever choice Shi Yue made was irrelevant to him.

“However, with such a gathering of experts this time, caution is best, especially for Brother Yuan!”

Yuan Wushang curled his lips, finally shedding some of his arrogant air. In truth, if he were truly wild and undisciplined, he would never have survived this long. Against any opponent, he exerted his full strength—just as when he first fought Zong Shou, he attacked with everything he had, unaware of Zong Shou’s true limits.

Shen Yuexuan, still holding the Thousand-Mile Mirror, suddenly brightened. “It’s starting!”

Zong Shou’s blood-eyes also turned toward the Tomb of Emperor Qin. The great mountain of Eastern Kunlun from that era had partially sunk into the ground, its former majestic appearance now obscured. The Tomb of Emperor Qin bore no tombstone; its supposed gate was a colossal slab of stone spanning ten thousand zhang. Now, a figure shrouded in black appeared upon it. Hundreds of thousands of blood droplets were scattered in all directions, spreading evenly across the massive stone gate. As the blood flowed, it subtly outlined a vast spirit array. The supreme Yang energy of heaven and earth immediately erupted. Aided by the formation, more Yang power was drawn in, gradually dispelling the lingering Yin baleful energy clinging to the bluestone slab. Outside the tomb gate, across the surrounding thousand li, the surface appeared calm, everything as usual. At this moment, countless people were observing this distant tomb using every means at their disposal.

Zong Shou was equally concentrated, calculating the time needed to completely purge the Yin malevolence.

“It will be noon? They are likely relying on the solar energy at high noon for the final success.”

He then looked at the man in the black cloak, who was entirely wrapped up. This person did not appear to be Chong Xuan! Where, then, was Chong Xuan Yin Yu at this moment? The most concerning threat was this grand sorcerer, whose strange and wicked arts seemed endless. Zong Shou himself was unafraid, possessing a body impervious to a hundred evils. But if the enemy targeted Chu Xue beside him, it would become troublesome. He had expected the advantage of being concealed while the enemy was exposed, but Chong Xuan was craftier. He had not shown himself, remaining hidden, which complicated matters slightly. Now, Zong Shou could only hope that the evasive artifacts Kong Rui provided him before his departure would prove useful.

While contemplating this, Zong Shou heard an exceptionally pleasant feminine laugh sound close to his ear from a short distance away.

“A few months apart, has Your Majesty been well?”

The voice was intensely familiar. When Zong Shou turned his head, he saw Su Xiaoxiao standing a thousand zhang away, smiling sweetly.