Above the great river, a magnificent palace spanned the valley. When Wang Yue, Li Bai, and Xu Chu crossed the four layers of undulating peaks, they instantly felt a crushing pressure on their shoulders, as if from the highest heavens, pressing them down to the earth.
The moment their feet touched the ground, the immense pressure vanished as if it had turned to dust.
Aside from the three of them, all other martial artists who crossed the mountain range were suppressed and unable to traverse the void.
The trio hesitated for a moment before walking into the valley. About half an hour later, they arrived within nine li of the palace. It was now the hour of Chen.
Nine li in front of the palace stood two colossal beast carvings that reached for the sky. Between these beasts was a thin golden light, blocking all the martial artists who had arrived.
Wang Yue and the others looked up. At first glance, the two carved beasts resembled rabbits, but upon closer inspection, they saw that the beasts had horns like a deer, a head like a camel, ears like a cat, eyes like a shrimp, a mouth like a donkey, hair like a lion, a neck like a snake, a belly like a *shen*, scales like a carp, and foreclaws like an eagle and hindclaws like a tiger!
This beast was the Wangtianhou of this realm. Legend had it that this beast fed on dragon brains and was a nemesis to the dragon race. For the Imperial Dynasty to use such a beast to guard their palace showed how precious the treasures within were.
Xu Chu yanked aside a martial artist blocking their path, glaring at him furiously. The martial artist's legs went weak, and he quickly fled.
With a clear line of sight, Xu Chu looked ahead. He saw an endless sea of heads, densely packed like a chaotic pot of porridge, all stopped by the Wangtianhou and pushing against each other.
"By the decree of Xuanping Marquis of Cangmu Imperial Dynasty, martial artists ahead, quickly move aside!"
Just then, as Wang Yue and the trio arrived at the valley entrance, they heard a distant roar.
"It's Xuanping Marquis of Cangmu Imperial Dynasty!"
"Quick, move aside!"
In an instant, the crowd surged, quickly clearing a straight and wide path. Behind Xuanping Marquis walked a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion, his hands hidden within his long sleeves, exuding an air of mystery.
"Haha, Xuanping Marquis, it's been two months. How have you been recently!"
"Indeed, Qin Nan greets Senior Cang Qian!"
"Heh heh, Cang Qian, it's been a hundred years, and you still possess such vigorous spirit!"
General Qin Nan of Beihan Imperial Dynasty, accompanied by an old man, greeted Xuanping Marquis and Cang Qian with a smile.
"I thought it was someone else, so it's you old dog. What, still want to spar a couple of moves?" Cang Qian's voice was tinged with anger. The one who spoke earlier was Han Feng, the strongest in Beihan Imperial Dynasty, a cultivator at the fourth level of the Rongtian realm.
Cang Qian, on the other hand, was the uncle of the current Cangmu Human Emperor and the strongest in Cangmu Imperial Dynasty, also at the fourth level of the Rongtian realm!
Naturally, these imperial dynasties would go all out for the Imperial Dynasty's million-year secret treasure. Whether they could take another small step forward before the seal shattered depended on the gains from this expedition.
For a moment, the martial artists were astonished. Qin Nan and Xuanping Marquis were renowned figures who commanded armies in court, but Cang Qian and Han Feng's presence sent a ripple of unease through the crowd. These were individuals the imperial dynasties had declared deceased a century ago, yet here they stood before them today.
Terrifying!
"Cang Qian, Han Feng, you arrived quite quickly. Just now on the road, I was discussing with Brother Yuan Rong that we would be the first to reach this place!"
Suddenly, from several li away, a hearty voice carried over. Xu Chu squinted and saw a group of four. Two of them were relatively young; he had seen them at Ying Zhong's succession ceremony. They were Hai Ping Marquis of Tianyue Imperial Dynasty and Tian Ce Marquis of Tianyuan Imperial Dynasty, both at the third level of the Rongtian realm.
As for the hearty voice, it belonged to a chubby old man with a kind and benevolent face. The elder beside him, clad in red robes, had a cold expression and seemed difficult to approach. This person was likely Yuan Rong.
"Hahaha, so it's Yue Kong. I didn't expect you to still be alive!"
Yue Kong, the strongest in Tianyue Imperial Dynasty, at the fifth level of the Rongtian realm!
Yuan Rong, a member of the Tianyuan Imperial Dynasty's royal bloodline, at the fourth level of the Rongtian realm!
"Hmph!"
"You're quite quick!"
A mighty army appeared, a Holy Origin banner fluttering in the wind. Ying Yu smiled as he looked at his old friends whom he hadn't seen in a century.
His purpose in coming to the Imperial Dynasty's palace was to seize the greatest benefits. The complete fall of the western territories of Shengyuan Imperial Dynasty was a massive blow to Shengyuan, significantly reducing even his personal cultivation resources. There was no choice; otherwise, the cavalry of Da Han would likely be at their doorstep soon. Such a loss would outweigh any gain.
The martial artists lining the road were all in shock. Figures from hundreds of years ago had all come back to life and were still so robust. Observing their vitality, it was like a deep, unfathomable river or sea!
Only then did the crowd realize that these individuals were likely the true foundations of the various imperial dynasties, and the Heavenly Martial realm cultivators were merely a smokescreen pushed out by the dynasties to mislead other powers!
The true foundations had always remained hidden!
"Look quickly, it's Dayan Imperial Dynasty!"
Just as Ying Yu and Yuan Rong were exchanging pleasantries, the crowd suddenly exclaimed. Dayan Imperial Dynasty, this was an empire said to be comparable to Weiyang Imperial Dynasty!
A war chariot hovered in the air, enveloped in roaring flames. The steaming void emitted a crackling sound. A middle-aged man stared straight ahead.
"Greetings, Senior Yan Hai!"
"Greetings, Senior Yan Hai!"
...
Ying Yu, Yuan Rong, Cang Qian, Yue Kong – these cornerstones of the various imperial dynasties, each having lived for six to seven hundred years, now put aside their pride and acted with uncharacteristic humility, as if they were juniors, bowing slightly to the middle-aged man.
Yan Hai, one of the three cornerstones of Dayan Imperial Dynasty, possessed a cultivation at the eighth level of the Rongtian realm. He was almost a thousand years old, and his cultivation, if he couldn't advance further, would lead to the depletion of his lifespan!
"Hmm!"
Yan Hai responded softly, then looked towards the Wangtianhou, his brow furrowing. "When will this seal break, and when will the palace's secret treasures open?"
"Uh..."
Ying Yu and the others exchanged glances. Yuan Rong finally spoke, "We do not know. We have only just arrived and have not yet gone to investigate!"
"These are the true foundations of those imperial dynasties," Wang Yue murmured, his eyes narrowed. Back at the Human Emperor Hall, he had already estimated the foundations of the various imperial dynasties. The opening of this Imperial Dynasty palace was truly lifting the veil that had concealed the true strength of the imperial dynasties.
"Most of the top powers have arrived. Only the Ten Elders of the Human Emperor Hall and Weiyang Imperial Dynasty are left!" Li Bai, drinking his fine wine, seemed detached from the outside world.
"What's he so arrogant about, just an eighth-level Rongtian realm cultivator? Look at him acting like he's the boss!"
Xu Chu, looking at the haughty Yan Hai, felt extremely displeased.