47: Secrets of the Royal Tombs

Inside the Imperial Study Room, Lin Mu sat on the dragon throne, while Li Yu stood nervously to the side, bowing.

Lin Mu casually put down the scroll in his hand and asked in a low voice, "This scroll records that your Li family's Heavenly Dao Dragon Qi has an unknown origin; it was obtained by the Li family's Old Ancestor from overseas and sealed in the Imperial Mausoleum."

"Where is this Imperial Mausoleum? I want to go and investigate it; perhaps there's something I need there."

Li Yu said with a somewhat pale face, "The Imperial Mausoleum is where the Li family's ancestors rest. Going there rashly might disturb the spirits of the Old Ancestors and affect the national fortune."

"The ministers are already selecting an auspicious day for me to ascend the throne. After the enthronement, I will enter the ancestral temple to pay respects to the ancestors. How about going then?"

After Li Yu finished speaking, he cautiously looked at Lin Mu.

Lin Mu listened to Li Yu's words, a cold sneer forming at the corner of his mouth, and then a powerful aura spread out.

Li Yu immediately felt an immense pressure, like Mount Tai pressing down on him, and his legs uncontrollably knelt on the ground.

In an instant, Li Yu was so frightened that cold sweat poured down him.

The scene of Lin Mu killing Li Daoran with a single sword was still vivid in his mind.

"I don't like people questioning my decisions. This is an order, not a discussion," Lin Mu said, looking at Li Yu, who was kneeling on the ground.

"This humble one knows his mistake. Please punish me, Young Master. I will immediately take you there," Li Yu hastily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Lin Mu stood up and said in an unkind tone, "I kept you to work for me because I thought you were a smart person. Don't do anything foolish."

"Get up. There's no time to lose."

After Lin Mu finished speaking, he opened the door and walked out on his own.

As he stepped out of the palace gate, a familiar figure approached. Upon closer inspection, it was Princess Tianning, who was now able to walk around.

Princess Tianning also saw Lin Mu. She took small steps forward and bowed deeply to Lin Mu, "Thank you, Young Master, for saving me. Tianning owes you two lives."

Li Yu, who was following closely behind Lin Mu, was surprised to see Tianning arrive.

He also said in surprise, "You haven't fully recovered yet. Why are you walking around on your own?"

Tianning slowly said, "I am fine. I know the whole story. I came first to thank the Young Master for saving my life, and second to see if I could help Imperial Brother."

Lin Mu looked at Tianning, who still looked a bit sickly, and said, "You don't need to thank me for anything. I only saved you because you were useful to me."

Then he said to Li Yu behind him, "I'll wait for you in the Imperial Garden. Don't make me wait too long."

Li Yu watched Lin Mu until his figure disappeared, then he said to Tianning with some heartache, "Don't overthink things. Take good care of your health. Imperial Brother will handle the rest."

"Imperial Brother, I..."

Li Yu interrupted Tianning, "Listen to me. Young Master Lin's power far exceeds your imagination. He is very dangerous, and I don't want you to have any more contact with him."

At this point, he lovingly stroked Tianning's head and continued, "You were young when Mother left, so you might not even remember what she looked like, but Mother cared about us. Before she left, she even arranged a way out for us."

"Now, although Wang Changhe is dead, Imperial Brother will protect you. If you truly want what's best for Imperial Brother, then be obedient and don't get involved in my affairs anymore, okay?"

Li Yu poured out everything he wanted to say in one breath.

Tianning stared blankly at Li Yu, tears unconsciously welling up in her eyes.

She knew that Li Yu's desperate desire to become emperor wasn't because he loved power so much.

He just wanted to ensure that both of them could live well. In the imperial family, it was as difficult as ascending to heaven to try and protect oneself wisely.

Tianning nodded heavily and said, "From now on, I will never be willful again. I will listen to Imperial Brother in everything."

Li Yu also nodded in relief when he heard her say that.

"You go back and rest first. Imperial Brother still has things to do and can't let Young Master Lin wait too long."

In the Imperial Garden, Lin Mu didn't wait too long before Li Yu rushed over.

Lin Mu channeled his spiritual power to form a cloud, carrying Li Yu towards the Imperial Mausoleum.

The Imperial Mausoleum was located thirty li outside the imperial capital. Under Li Yu's guidance, Lin Mu landed in an open space.

In front of the open space stood a monument about ten feet high, inscribed with the names of the Li family's successive emperors and their great achievements.

Lin Mu glanced up. At the very top, it read, "Li Changgong, Grand Ancestor of the Li family, Great Emperor Realm, reigned for seven hundred and thirty-six years."

Below, Lin Mu saw several other names. The reigning emperors generally ruled for decades to several centuries, and Li Changgong was the only Great Emperor.

"The Li family hasn't had a Great Emperor Realm expert for tens of thousands of years, yet they can contend with Yan Country and Wind and Snow Country. It seems this is all thanks to the Heavenly Dao Dragon Qi."

Lin Mu thought to himself.

Li Yu bowed three times and kowtowed nine times to the stone monument, then walked towards it and touched a few spots behind it.

The huge stone monument slowly moved to one side, revealing a downward staircase beneath it.

Li Yu stepped forward, placing one foot on the stair, and said to Lin Mu, "Young Master, this is the secret passage to the core of the mausoleum. Please follow me."

Lin Mu had no doubts. Without the Heavenly Dao Dragon Qi to protect him, Li Yu could only rely on Lin Mu to secure his throne.

The two walked one after another in the dim secret passage for several thousand meters, then the space ahead suddenly opened up.

Lin Mu used spiritual energy to condense a light source above, and the space ahead suddenly appeared before Lin Mu's eyes.

This was a natural, enormous cave, spanning several thousand meters in area.

In the center of the cave, dozens of sealed burial chambers were neatly arranged.

Li Yu again bowed several times to the cluster of burial chambers. These were the deceased emperors of the Li family, and he too would be buried here after his death.

Lin Mu, with great interest, walked into the largest tomb among the cluster.

"Presumably, this is the Li family's Great Emperor, Li Changgong. A Great Emperor Realm expert has a lifespan of tens of thousands of years, yet he rests here," Lin Mu said with emotion.

This tomb chamber was clearly more than twice as large as the others, and the front wall of the chamber was also carved with the life story of its owner.

Lin Mu's gaze was like lightning, reading ten lines at a glance, and he generally understood the inscribed content.

Li Changgong displayed extraordinary talent and strength in his youth, defeating all his peers in the world.

Later, he traveled alone among foreign tribes and, by chance, obtained the Heavenly Dao Dragon Qi overseas.

After that, he dedicated himself to cultivation for a hundred years, finally successfully breaking through to the Emperor Realm.

Then, relying on his powerful strength, he established the Yanshan Kingdom.

However, there was no detailed explanation regarding the exact origin of the Heavenly Dao Dragon Qi, these crucial pieces of information were missing.

Lin Mu's brows furrowed slightly as he fell into contemplation.

A moment later, he slowly extended his right hand and gently pressed it against the wall.

A faint yellow spiritual energy seeped through his palm and slowly penetrated into the wall.

Then, Lin Mu closed his eyes and used the Power of the Heavenly Dao, carefully sensing everything in the tomb chamber.

Just then, a sudden change occurred!

A jade slip in the tomb chamber actually emitted a dazzling yellow light, as if resonating mysteriously with Lin Mu's Power of the Heavenly Dao.

Lin Mu's heart skipped a beat, and he opened his eyes in surprise, "Could it be that this is the secret of the Heavenly Dao Dragon Qi?"