260: Chapter 260 Endless Sea

Above the floating island.

Gao De and Ao Xue landed at the edge of the ruins, their feet touching shattered bluestone paving tiles. Those tiles were carved with faint, indistinct patterns, vaguely discernible as the cloud-and-thunder patterns unique to the Immortal Qin Dynasty period—Gao De had seen similar designs on the stone stele within the Nine Nether Dragon Tomb.

"This place... was once a city." Ao Xue looked around, her blood-red eyes filled with shock.

Amidst the broken walls and collapsed structures, the layout of that era was faintly recognizable. A straight, broad road ran through the entire island, flanked by orderly rows of building foundations. In the far distance, the massive wreckage of a palace stood at the island's center. Though mostly collapsed, it still emanated a heart-palpitating pressure.

Gao De did not speak.

He simply focused on feeling the pulsation of the Dao Seed within his Dantian.

The Dao Seed was the Origin he had condensed upon his Breakthrough to the Fifth Rank.

It was not merely a source of power; it was his connection to the 'Dao' itself.

At this moment, that Dao Seed was gently trembling—

Not from fear.

But from resonance.

"Over there." Gao De raised his hand, pointing towards the palace at the island's center. "Something awaits me."

The two of them walked deeper into the island.

---

Along the way, they saw countless remains.

Some were human, some were demon, and some were of races utterly unrecognizable—their bones were bizarrely shaped, some with three skulls, some with six arm bones, some with skeletons as black as dark jade throughout.

"All died in battle." Ao Xue crouched down to examine a human-shaped skeleton. A rust-covered longsword was thrust into its chest, the small seal script character 'Qin' still faintly visible on the blade.

Gao De nodded.

"When the Immortal Qin Dynasty collapsed, a great battle must have occurred here," he said. "Fragments of the Imperial Roads fell, dragging countless living beings down into the Endless Sea. Those who survived continued to fight here, until the last one fell."

He paused.

"Look at the postures of these skeletons—not a single one lies peacefully. They were all fighting, struggling, maintaining offensive stances even in their final moments."

Ao Xue fell silent.

She had seen too much death.

Within the Dragon Palace's Dragon Transformation Pool, countless Dragon sons and grandsons had died with their Essence Blood drained dry.

In the Bewitching Ghost Swamp, she herself had torn apart innumerable Heavenly Demon Cult disciples.

Yet, the scene before her still evoked an indescribable sense of desolation.

"What were they fighting for?" she asked softly.

Gao De thought for a moment.

"Perhaps to survive," he said. "Perhaps to seize something."

"Perhaps—"

He looked towards the distant palace.

"The answer lies there."

---

Before the palace.

It was a massive gate tower, a hundred zhang tall and fifty zhang wide, constructed entirely from bluish-black colossal stones. Four large characters were carved on the gate tower, each three zhang square—

"Sea-Suppressing Divine Hall"

The calligraphy was vigorous and powerful, carrying an air of unquestionable authority.

Beneath the gate tower, two stone statues stood guard on either side.

The left was human-shaped, clad in armor, holding a long halberd, its face stern as it gazed into the distance.

The right was dragon-shaped, coiled upon the ground, its dragon head held high, its maw wide open as if roaring silently.

Gao De stopped.

He recognized the style of these two statues—it matched the records on the Nine Nether Dragon Tomb's stele perfectly. This was the standard configuration of the Immortal Qin Dynasty period: the human form was the 'Sea-Suppressing Guard,' the dragon form the 'Sea-Suppressing Dragon.'

"The Sea-Suppressing Divine Hall..." he murmured. "It seems this was one of the Immortal Qin Dynasty's outposts in the Endless Sea."

Ao Xue asked, "Do we enter?"

Gao De nodded.

The two of them passed through the gate tower and stepped into the Divine Hall.

---

The interior of the Divine Hall was far more vast than it appeared from outside.

The dome soared a hundred zhang high, inlaid with countless fist-sized luminous pearls. Though their glow had dimmed, they still emitted a faint light. The walls were covered in murals depicting various scenes from the Immortal Qin Dynasty period—

The First Emperor ascending the throne, with myriad nations paying homage.

The construction of the Imperial Roads, with hundreds of millions of laborers toiling day and night.

The grand army marching forth, sweeping across all directions.

And—

The final mural.

In the image, the heavens collapsed and the earth cracked. Countless Imperial Roads shattered, countless cores plummeted. Some knelt weeping, some roared at the sky, some drew their swords to end their own lives.

At the center of the image, a blurred figure stood with its back to the multitude, walking alone into the distance.

That silhouette was lonely and resolute.

Gao De stared at that mural for a long time.

"When the Immortal Qin Dynasty collapsed," he said softly, "where did that First Emperor go?"

No one could answer him.

He withdrew his gaze and continued deeper into the Divine Hall.

---

At the far end of the Divine Hall was a massive altar.

The altar was circular, a hundred zhang in diameter and ten zhang high, constructed from a single piece of white jade. It was carved with dense, intricate Formation patterns—a teleportation Formation from the Immortal Qin Dynasty period, originating from the same source as the Imperial Road core in Gao De's possession.

An object hovered at the center of the altar.

It was a crystal.

Larger, brighter, and containing far more power than the one Gao De had obtained from the Nine Nether Dragon Tomb.

The crystal was golden throughout, its surface flowing with countless intricate, densely packed runes. The runes were layered upon each other, forming an incredibly complex Formation.

And below the crystal, three skeletons lay quietly.

Two were human-shaped, one was dragon-shaped.

The human-shaped skeletons wore the standard armor of the Immortal Qin Dynasty, longswords gripped tightly in their hands, unrelenting even in death.

The dragon-shaped skeleton was thirty zhang long, golden throughout. Though it had been dead for who knew how many millennia, it still emitted a faint draconic pressure.

The three skeletons formed a triangle around the crystal.

As if guarding it.

Or perhaps fighting over it.

Gao De walked forward.

Just as he came within ten zhang of the crystal—

BOOM——!!!

The three skeletons moved simultaneously!

The two human-shaped skeletons, Dark Blue (yōu lán) light igniting in their eye sockets, charged straight at Gao De, longswords in hand!

The dragon-shaped skeleton, golden flames blazing in its hollow eye sockets, opened its maw wide and unleashed a stream of golden breath!

"Fall back!" Gao De shouted sharply, simultaneously raising his hand as Chaos Lightning erupted explosively!

Ao Xue instantly manifested her Blood Dragon True Form, her dragon claws tearing through the Void Realm to meet that golden breath!

BOOM——!!!

The entire altar shook violently!

The golden breath clashed with the bloody light, the shockwaves sweeping outwards, gouging deep trenches into the Formation patterns on the altar!

Ao Xue grunted, retreating ten zhang, cracks appearing on her dragon claws!

At the same time, Gao De was already engaged with the two human-shaped skeletons!

Though dead for millennia, the combat instincts of those two skeletons were still terrifying. Their sword techniques were fierce, their coordination seamless, each strike aimed at a vital point!

But Gao De was already Fifth Rank.

Chaos Lightning exploded. As a sword slash came at him, he sidestepped, then countered with a palm strike to the chest of one skeleton!

CRACK——!!!

That skeleton's chest bones shattered as it was sent flying back!

The other skeleton seized the chance to stab at Gao De's back!

Without even turning his head, a manifestation of Chaos Lightning materialized behind Gao De, directly shattering that longsword!

"Enough."

He said in a deep voice.

Chaos Lightning surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing the two skeletons!

The two skeletons struggled violently, but they could not break free from the suppression of Fifth Rank power.

Finally, the Dark Blue (yōu lán) light in their eye sockets slowly faded, and they fell completely silent.

Gao De turned his head to look at the dragon-shaped skeleton.

It was in a standoff with Ao Xue.

Sensing Gao De's gaze, it slowly turned its head.

In its hollow eye sockets, the golden flames flickered slightly.

A thought-transmission entered Gao De's mind:

"Fifth Rank... Dao Seed..."

"You... who are you?"

Gao De remained silent for a moment.

"Who I am is not important," he said. "Who are you?"

The dragon-shaped skeleton was silent.

After a long while, the thought-transmission sounded again:

"This one... is the Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord."

"The last... Hall Master... of the Immortal Qin Dynasty's Sea-Suppressing Divine Hall."

Gao De's pupils contracted slightly.

Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord.

That was a powerful member of the Dragon Clan responsible for guarding the Endless Sea during the Immortal Qin Dynasty period.

According to the records in the return void secret records, the Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord had been at the Peak of the Fifth Rank in life, just a step away from the Sixth Rank. When the Immortal Qin Dynasty collapsed, he chose to remain at the Divine Hall, descending into the Endless Sea along with the fragments of the Imperial Roads.

"You are still alive?" Gao De asked.

"Dead," the Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord's thought-transmission said calmly. "Dead for ten thousand years."

"Only my obsession has not dispersed."

It lowered its head to look at the golden crystal.

"This Imperial Road core is one of the most important ones of the Immortal Qin Dynasty."

"It connects not to an ordinary Imperial Road."

"But to—"

"the 'Heavenly Pivot' leading to Xianyang."

Gao De's heart shook!

An Imperial Road leading to Xianyang?!

Didn't that mean—

"You think correctly," the Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord's thought-transmission said. "If this core can be activated, it leads directly to the ruins of the Immortal Qin Dynasty's imperial capital—Xianyang."

"There, something left behind by the First Emperor awaits."

"There lies the Immortal Qin Dynasty's true Treasure Trove."

"And also—"

It paused.

"The truth behind the Immortal Qin Dynasty's collapse."

Gao De fell silent.

After a long while, he asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

The Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord's thought-transmission trembled slightly.

That tremor held a trace of... bitterness.

"Because I have waited too long," it said. "I have waited ten thousand years, finally waiting for someone capable of reaching this place."

"A Fifth Rank."

"Someone qualified—to inherit all of this."

It looked at Ao Xue.

"And, bringing with them a descendant of the Blood Dragon."

"Though the Bloodline is not pure, there is potential."

It paused.

"You two are stronger than I was in my time."

Gao De was silent.

Ao Xue was also silent.

After a long while, Gao De spoke: "What do you want?"

The Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord's thought-transmission gave a light laugh.

The laughter was hoarse, yet carried a sense of relief.

"What I want is simple."

"Go to Xianyang in my stead."

"See for me... where that First Emperor went."

"See for me... why the Immortal Qin Dynasty collapsed."

"And then—"

It looked at the golden crystal.

"Use it to do what you wish."

"Walk the path you choose."

"Become the existence you wish to be."

Gao De remained silent for a very long time.

Then, he nodded.

"Agreed."

The Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord's thought-transmission trembled gently.

That tremor held satisfaction, release, and a faint trace of—

Reluctance.

"That crystal is yours now," it said. "I have already activated the teleportation Formation on the altar for you."

"Simply embed the crystal into the Formation's eye to activate it."

"Go to Xianyang."

"Go—"

Its voice gradually weakened.

The golden flames in its eye sockets slowly dimmed.

Finally—

They extinguished completely.

The Sea-Suppressing Dragon Lord, after ten thousand years of death, finally relinquished his final obsession.

The thirty-zhang-long golden skeleton collapsed with a crash, turning into a pile of broken bones.

Gao De watched all this quietly.

Then, he walked forward.

Bent down.

And gave a deep bow towards that pile of bones.

Ao Xue stood behind him and also bowed.

The gesture completed.

Gao De straightened up and walked towards the golden crystal.

He reached out and grasped the crystal.

The crystal pulsed gently.

It resonated intensely with the Dao Seed in his Dantian.

That resonance told him—

"Activate me."

"Go to Xianyang."

"Go to—"

"the place you should go."

Gao De took a deep breath.

He turned to look at Ao Xue.

"Are you ready?"

Ao Xue nodded.

"I am ready."

Gao De embedded the crystal into the altar's Formation eye.

BOOM——!!!

The entire altar suddenly blazed with light!

Golden radiance surged forth like a tide, instantly swallowing everything!

Within the light, a massive portal slowly took shape.

That gate was larger, more magnificent than any before.

Four large characters were carved upon it:

"Gate of the Heavenly Pivot"

Gao De and Ao Xue stepped side-by-side into that gate.

The light swallowed their figures.

Behind them, the Sea-Suppressing Divine Hall returned to silence.

---

The light dispersed.

Before them lay a world of deathly stillness.

The sky was gray, without sun, moon, or stars.

The earth was black, cracked into countless bottomless fissures.

In the distance, a massive city stood silently on the horizon.

That city's walls were a thousand zhang high, stretching for who knew how many thousands of miles.

Above the city gate, three large characters—

"City of Xianyang"

The imperial capital of the Immortal Qin Dynasty.

The place from which the First Emperor ruled the world.

Now—

Only ruins remained.

Gao De stood within the Void Realm, gazing at that dead city.

Ao Xue stood at his side, her blood-red eyes filled with awe.

"My Lord..." her voice trembled, "this is... Xianyang?"

Gao De did not answer.

He simply raised his hand and pressed it against his Dantian.

There, the Dao Seed pulsed violently.

It was telling him—

Something was within this city.

The final strand of Great Dao power he needed.

A trace of the complete Dao.

There was—

"Xianyang," he said softly.

"I have come."

He took a step forward.

Towards that dead city.

Towards the unknown Opportunities and dangers.

Towards—

The truth from ten thousand years ago.