53: The rules are established and the War Emperor's Tomb is opened!

Kunlun Restricted Zone, the eve of the storm.

As news of the War Emperor's Mausoleum, which only existed in the most ancient legends, was about to appear, spread across the globe through various channels, the entire world fell into an unprecedented, almost fanatical, state of agitation.

Kunlun City, a border fortress normally guarded only by battle-hardened soldiers, had now become the sole focus of all eyes worldwide.

A "pre-battle roll call" of the young generation's top powers was quietly unfolding in a silent yet intensely competitive manner.

Aboard the Huaxia Long Family's candle dragon air-space carrier, Lin Tian, dressed in white, stood silently before the porthole, looking down at the forbidden land shrouded in endless energy storms. His gaze was as calm as an ancient abyss, as if this journey was merely a casual outing, and the so-called War Emperor's Mausoleum was already his for the taking, a sure win.

Not far behind him, Long Qingtian held the recovered Lightning Halberd, silently wiping its blade. In his sharp, eagle-like eyes, an unprecedented Battle Intent burned, a mix of vigilance towards powerful enemies and eagerness for unknown challenges.

Inside the temporary base of the North America "Holy Mountain" organization, Adam Austin, hailed as the "Ultimate Trump Card," finally completed his years-long genetic modification. He slowly emerged from a cultivation pod filled with primordial life fluid. His brilliant golden hair moved without wind, and behind him, twelve wings constructed from the purest Holy Light energy slowly unfolded. A terrifying aura, powerful enough to make space itself tremble, swept out. His eyes were cold, filled with Killing Intent.

Bai Feng, the top graduate of War God Academy, maintained his usual gentle and composed demeanor, as if he held all wisdom. He sat quietly in his room, repeatedly caressing a mysterious treasure in his arms that could simulate "Imperial Dragon Qi." A confident smile always played on his lips.

Meanwhile, in the most chaotic and inconspicuous corner of Kunlun City's slum, Ye Fan finally completed his final preparations. Under the worried yet encouraging gaze of his newfound "confidante," Qin Yubing, he nodded heavily. His eyes, burning with an unyielding flame, were filled with an endless desire for revenge and a comeback.

After seeing Ye Fan off, Qin Yubing stood alone, gazing from afar at the candle dragon air-space carrier, which floated in the sky like a deity. A complex and hard-to-read emotion flickered in her clear, watery eyes.

There was hostility stemming from Ye Fan's "tragic experience," and disgust for the legendary "overbearing bully." But more than that, there was a hint of curiosity—an emotion she hadn't even realized herself—towards that peerless Prodigy, hailed as "one man suppressing an entire generation," whom she had never met.

Heroes vied for supremacy, each harboring their own schemes.

An epic drama, filled with unknowns and variables, was about to begin… just as all the Prodigies sharpened their weapons, and a great battle was on the verge of breaking out.

A top-level emergency online meeting, led by the Global Martial Arts Alliance, concerning the final rules for the War Emperor's Mausoleum exploration, was also quietly convening.

The Third Ancestor of the Huaxia Long Family, the Divine Lord of the North America "Holy Mountain," the Head of the European "Knights of the Round Table"… one by one, these demigod-level existences, who only existed in legends and represented the highest power on this planet, gathered their majestic virtual projections.

After a brief but intense negotiation, filled with strategic maneuvering for interests, all the top powers finally reached a consensus.

Immediately, a joint declaration, officially issued by the Global Martial Arts Alliance and stamped with the highest authority seals of all top powers, instantly spread to every corner of the globe via the quantum communication network!

"The Joint Convention on the Exploration of the 'War Emperor's Mausoleum' Ruins in the Kunlun Restricted Zone!"

"Article 1: This 'War Emperor's Mausoleum' exploration is a trial for the young generation, aimed at promoting the progress of human civilization. Therefore, only Martial Artists under the age of thirty are permitted to enter."

"Article 2: Any elders of S-rank 'Star Realm' (Martial Emperor Rank) or above are strictly prohibited from interfering, intervening, or entering the 'War Emperor's Mausoleum' ruins in any form. Upon discovery, violators will face… joint sanctions from all top powers worldwide!"

"Article 3: Within the ruins, Opportunity and danger coexist. Life and death are determined by fate; everything… depends on one's own ability!"

The release of this convention, like a divine decree, established the most core and brutal "game rules" for the impending grand melee.

—This would be a death game, completely belonging to the young generation, without any "parents" to protect them, the fairest and bloodiest of all!

...At the same moment the joint convention was released.

In the deepest part of the Kunlun Restricted Zone, the core area shrouded in an impenetrable storm of Chaos energy, the earth suddenly shook!

Boom boom boom —!!!

The earth, like an enraged Dragon, violently rolled and tore apart!

A massive mausoleum, entirely cast from an unknown black divine metal, covering an area comparable to a small city, and exuding an ancient, primordial aura, slowly rose from the deepest parts of the earth amidst a series of grating mechanical sounds!

Ten thousand beams of precious light shot into the sky, dyeing the entire chaotic firmament of the Kunlun Restricted Zone in a riot of colors!

However, accompanying this endless precious light, which was enough to drive any Martial Artist to madness, a strange, invisible mental fluctuation, filled with ominous and chaotic energy, also quietly… leaked out from the mausoleum like a silent plague!

—Meme contamination!

A terrifying crisis that transcended conventional physical attacks and energy defenses, directly affecting the "cognition" and "mind" of intelligent life—the most bizarre and unsolvable threat!

In the military bases on the outskirts of Kunlun City, responsible for monitoring the situation inside the restricted zone.

Some low-level Martial Artists, whose minds were not firm enough, merely glanced at the full view of the mausoleum through multi-filtered high-definition images transmitted by drones—

Their eyes, without warning, instantly turned crimson!

Their reason was instantly destroyed!

Beast-like roars, not human, erupted from their throats, and then, like rabid dogs, they began to frantically attack any living creature they could see around them, indiscriminately!

"Alert! Alert! Unknown spiritual contamination source detected! All personnel below A-rank, immediately cut off all video links! Repeat! Immediately cut off all video links!"

Piercing alarms echoed throughout Kunlun City.

Opportunity, and a fatal crisis capable of felling even gods, descended simultaneously at this moment!

...The rules were set.

The crisis was present.

The mausoleum's massive, kilometer-high light gate, which seemed to swallow everything, had also completely stabilized after absorbing enough heaven and earth energy.

All was ready.

Under the majestic and expectant commands of the supreme leaders of the major powers—

Among the thousands of magnificent flying vehicles representing the world's top powers, hovering above Kunlun City.

Lin Tian, Long Qingtian, Adam, Bai Feng, Ye Fan… and thousands of young powerhouses from all over the world, each capable of being called a "Prodigy" in the outside world!

At this moment, simultaneously transformed into streaks of brilliant light, each with a long, colorful tail flame!

From all directions, from every corner of the sky!

Like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, or moths drawn to a flame!

Without hesitation, they simultaneously rushed into the War Emperor's Mausoleum's massive light gate, which resembled a slowly rotating galaxy vortex, filled with unknowns and destiny!

A bloody curtain call, belonging to the strongest of the planet's young generation, filled with slaughter, betrayal, alliances, and treasure hunting, was formally… drawn open at this moment!