270: The Heavenly Tomb Opens

Three days passed in a flash.

During these three days, Xiao Yan, with his astonishing performance in the Black Annihilation Trial, completely made a name for himself among the younger generation of the Ancient World. No one dared to underestimate him because of his Five-Star Dou Zun cultivation, instead, they showed more recognition and curiosity. He also took the Opportunity to communicate with some like-minded Ancient Clan disciples, gaining a deeper understanding of the Ancient Clan and the Heavenly Tomb.

Li Ao, on the other hand, had been in a semi-secluded state, not Cultivating, but constantly deducing and perfecting his Guixu Great Dao in his Sea of Consciousness, while further familiarizing himself with the power of the Purification Lotus Demon Flame. He vaguely felt that within this Heavenly Tomb, there might be an Opportunity that could advance his Dao further, or even allow him to touch the barrier of a Two-Star Dou Sheng.

On this day, the sky deep within the Ancient World suddenly rippled with strange waves. A desolate, ancient aura, as if from primordial times, like a giant beast that had slept for eons awakening, slowly permeated the air.

Everyone who had qualified for the Heavenly Tomb, no matter where they were in the Ancient World, felt it in their hearts and looked up towards the direction from which the aura emanated.

"The Heavenly Tomb... is about to open!" someone whispered excitedly.

Led by Elder Gushan and other Ancient Clan powerhouses, Li Ao, Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er, Gu Qingyang, Gu Yao, and dozens of other young Geniuses from the Ancient Clan and its affiliated sects who had qualified, transformed into streaks of light and sped towards the depths of the Ancient World.

Approximately an incense stick's time later, the group arrived at a desolate mountain range. This mountain range was distinctly different from the spiritual beauty of other parts of the Ancient World; the mountains were a dead, grayish-black, barren of vegetation, and the air was filled with a thick scent of ancient dust.

At the center of the mountain range, a colossal gray gate, a thousand zhang tall, seemingly composed of countless distorted spatial and temporal fragments, was slowly solidifying from nothingness. Upon the giant gate, countless extremely complex ancient runes were engraved, emitting fluctuations that made one's Soul tremble. The scene behind the gate was a blur of Chaos, indistinct, yet one could feel the vast energy and endless desolation contained within.

This was the entrance to the Heavenly Tomb!

"Inside the Heavenly Tomb, space is self-contained and boundless. It not only contains extremely pure ancient energy, but also Legacies and imprints left by generations of our clan's powerhouses, and you might even encounter powerful energy entities remaining from ancient times." Elder Gushan solemnly warned everyone, "Opportunities and dangers coexist. After you enter, you must act cautiously and within your capabilities. Remember, the Heavenly Tomb will be open for three months. Once the time is up, no matter where you are, you will be automatically expelled."

Everyone held their breath and listened intently.

Elder Gushan's gaze swept over Li Ao and Xiao Yan, specifically instructing, "Hall Master Li Ao, Young Friend Xiao Yan, the Heavenly Tomb has special rules. The energy entities within are particularly sensitive to the aura of outsiders like us, especially those with powerful strength. Please be extra careful."

Li Ao nodded slightly, indicating understanding. He could feel that the space beyond the gray giant gate contained a unique suppression; even he would likely be affected to some extent upon entering.

"The time has come, Heavenly Tomb, open!"

As Elder Gushan let out a low shout, he and several other Ancient Clan Elders simultaneously formed seals, injecting their majestic Dou Qi into the gray giant gate.

"Buzz—!"

The giant gate vibrated violently, and the ancient runes on it lit up one by one, emitting dazzling light. From the tightly closed crack in the door, an even richer, purer ancient energy aura permeated, refreshing the mind.

"Enter!"

Someone shouted, and dozens of figures immediately shot out like arrows from a bow, rushing towards the slowly opening gray giant gate, instantly disappearing within.

"Brother Xiao Yan, Hall Master Li Ao, let's go too." Gu Xun'er looked at the two beside her.

Li Ao nodded, and together with Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er, Medusa, and Xiao Yi Xian (who were granted entry as Li Ao's companions by the Ancient Clan), they transformed into streaks of light and plunged into the giant gate.

The moment they passed through the giant gate, a powerful spatial tearing force came, but it had no effect on an existence like Li Ao. With a slight movement of his Soul, he protected the few people beside him.

The scenery changed abruptly.

It was no longer the spiritual mountains and beautiful waters of the Ancient World, but an endless, gray space. The sky was an oppressive dark gray, without sun, moon, or stars. The land was desolate, covered with broken boulders and withered bones, and the air was filled with pure but Dead Qi-laced ancient energy, as well as an omnipresent heavy pressure.

The energy concentration here was extremely high, but absorbing and refining it was several times more difficult than outside, as it was mixed with dense Death Qi and lingering resentments from the ages.

"Is this the Heavenly Tomb... what peculiar spatial rules." Xiao Yan felt the surrounding environment, his Burning Technique automatically operating, cautiously absorbing a trace of energy, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Stay close to me, this place is not suitable for long stays." Li Ao said in a deep voice. His perception far surpassed others, and he could clearly sense that in the distant gray mist, many obscure and powerful energy fluctuations were awakening, obviously startled by the aura of them, the intruders.

Indeed, before his words finished, the space not far ahead distorted, and several energy entities, composed entirely of pure energy, with blurred forms and crimson light flickering in their eyes, roared and pounced! The strength of these energy entities varied, with the weaker ones at the Dou Zong level, and the stronger ones even reaching the Dou Zun level!

"They are ancient energy entities! Everyone, be careful!" Gu Xun'er cried out, golden flames rising from her palm—it was a sub-flame of the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame!

Xiao Yan's eyes also narrowed, the xuan heavy ruler instantly in hand, green flames (Green Lotus Core Flame) and invisible flames (Fallen Heart Flame) rising simultaneously.

Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian also prepared for battle.

However, Li Ao merely glanced indifferently at the pouncing energy entities, not even making a move.

He simply moved his mind slightly, and the invisible Gui Xu Domain around him quietly spread.

The moment those fierce pouncing energy entities rushed into the Domain, the pure energy that constituted their bodies and the bit of residual spirituality within them seemed to encounter their nemesis, quickly becoming chaotic and dim, eventually dissipating silently, returning to their most Origin form as heaven and earth energy, which was then absorbed by Li Ao's Domain, replenishing some of his consumption.

The entire process was silent, as if those energy entities had never appeared.

Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er, and the others, who were about to make a move, froze in place, staring wide-eyed at this scene.

They knew Li Ao was strong, but they didn't expect him to be this strong! Those energy entities that could trouble even ordinary Dou Zuns, in front of him, couldn't even get close before directly 'Returned to Nothingness'?

Is this the might of a Dou Sheng? Is this the terror of the Guixu Great Dao?

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyes filled with shock and longing. For the first time, he so intuitively felt the chasm-like gap between himself and his Senior Brother.

Gu Xun'er's beautiful eyes also shimmered with brilliance, her evaluation of Li Ao rising once again in her heart.

"Let's go, the energy entities here are too weak and useless to us." Li Ao's tone was calm, as if he had done a trivial matter, "Let's go deeper."

He identified the direction, sensing the most vast and majestic energy sources deep within this space, and was the first to step in one direction.

Each step he took seemed to shrink the ground, moving at an extremely fast speed.

Xiao Yan and the others quickly followed.

As they delved deeper, the energy entities appearing became stronger and stronger, even starting to include powerful energy entities with simple sentience that knew how to cast Dou Techniques from their former lives, their strength comparable to high-level Dou Zuns.

But no matter what kind of energy entity, within a hundred zhang radius of Li Ao, the result was always the same—silent disintegration and dissipation.

Li Ao was like an icebreaker, forcefully carving out an unobstructed path in this desolate and dangerous Heavenly Tomb space.

Xiao Yan and the others following him hardly needed to make a move; they only needed to fully circulate their Cultivation Technique, greedily absorbing the pure and gentle ancient energy that Li Ao had purified from the surroundings. This rate of Cultivation was more than ten times faster than outside!

Xiao Yan could clearly feel that his Five-Star Dou Zun barrier was loosening at a visible rate!

However, Li Ao's brows furrowed slightly. He felt that deep within this Heavenly Tomb, something seemed to be attracting the nirvana ancient talisman within him, and... the suppressed Purification Lotus Demon Flame.

The Soul of the Heavenly Tomb, or rather, the greater secret hidden within the Heavenly Tomb itself, seemed to have some connection with him.

His gaze was cast towards the very core of this gray space.

There, the 'will' of this heaven and earth seemed to be slumbering.