Inside the underground palace, numerous martial artists were waiting.
Suddenly, Zhou Yan rushed out from the depths of the palace, stirring up dust and debris.
"Where is that person?"
Everyone's faces changed drastically. They all stood up, looking in the direction Zhou Yan had just left.
They could only see the stairs leading to the underground palace, which had become pitted and covered in cracks.
"This is bad... this underground palace is going to collapse."
"Run..."
Their hearts pounded.
There were too few caves for concealment within the underground palace. If it collapsed, they would all be buried alive.
In an instant, everyone fled in all directions, searching for a cave to shelter in.
The underground palace trembled violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
"Trouble!"
Zhou Yan's eyebrows twitched. The underground palace was indeed on the verge of collapse.
"This place won't do. I need to find another underground palace to hide in!"
He gritted his teeth, channeled his cultivation, and leaped out, darting towards the distance.
The rest of the people followed Zhou Yan, galloping along.
...
A few dozen seconds later.
In a hidden location within the underground palace.
Here, where there had originally been many caves, a massive stone door had now been excavated.
The stone door was carved with dragons and phoenixes, inscribed with complex and mysterious patterns.
Zhou Yan pushed the door open and was immediately greeted by an ancient and weathered aura.
This was, in fact, an underground tomb, filled with many coffins.
In the central area, a jade coffin, nine meters long, nine meters wide, and about three meters thick, was placed.
On the jade coffin, countless obscure and profound symbols were inscribed.
Zhou Yan observed carefully, becoming increasingly astonished: "These runes... they are the legendary ancient sage inscriptions!"
He recognized these sage inscriptions as writings left by the Sage Emperor, containing the Sage Emperor's comprehension of certain orders and rules, possessing immense power.
It was said that the Sage Emperor inscriptions were naturally formed, condensed by the Sage Emperor himself. A total of nine hundred and ninety-nine Sage Emperor inscriptions were combined to form a pattern.
And this pattern was the key to the Sage Emperor's tomb.
Zhou Yan had seen records of this Sage Emperor's tomb in historical texts before.
Legend had it that the Sage Emperor's tomb buried a peerless Sage Emperor, an ultimate existence who ruled over all races.
Alas, as time passed, only an empty coffin remained in the tomb of this peerless Sage Emperor.
Zhou Yan's eyes glowed with brilliant golden light as he scanned the entire Sage Emperor's tomb.
Suddenly, his gaze froze.
At the bottom of the nine-meter-long and wide jade coffin, a crystal-clear crystal ball was embedded.
Within this crystal ball, dazzling blue-purple light flickered.
Within this crystal ball, it seemed a wisp of bronze divine fire was sealed, burning fiercely and releasing terrifying heat.
"Is this the key to the Sage Emperor's tomb?"
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab the crystal ball.
A blinding blue-purple arc of electricity suddenly surged from the crystal ball, striking Zhou Yan's arm.
"Hmph! Mere lightning, what is there to fear?"
Zhou Yan sneered. His physical body had already reached perfection, nigh unbreakable, and remained unharmed.
Sounds of thunder erupted.
Immediately after, streaks of purple lightning snakes slithered through the air.
Each of these lightning snakes possessed the terrifying power to kill a Divine Marquis master.
Zhou Yan waved his sharp claws, easily tearing apart these lightning snakes. His hand steadily grasped the crystal ball.
In an instant, cracks appeared on the surface of the crystal ball.
"Open."
He whispered, channeling the true essence within his body.
The crystal ball vibrated, more and more cracks appearing on it. Finally...
A dull explosion resounded, and the crystal ball shattered, releasing boundless azure brilliance.
This azure light illuminated all directions.
"Roar!"
The next moment, roars of dragons and tigers echoed, making everyone's eardrums ache and their heads dizzy.
Azure light permeated the space, and thick azure chains drilled out from the depths of the earth, wrapping around everyone's ankles and waists.
Instantly, the space fell into chaos. Everyone was bound, their ability to resist lost.
"Damn it!"
"What's going on?"
"I can't move at all!"
These people, one by one, showed signs of panic, struggling desperately, but to no avail.
"Everyone, calm down, we've fallen into an ambush!"
Suddenly, someone shouted.
"Hmm? This is... formation patterns!"
"This formation pattern actually sealed this underground palace!"
Soon, everyone identified the formations that bound them as ancient seal formations.
These seal formations were extremely potent; even a Grandmaster would find it impossible to break free.
"Hahaha, we're all trapped!"
"This time, he's dead for sure!"
"He dared to chase us in, he's simply walking into his own death!"
Everyone became excited, their gazes falling on Zhou Yan with expressions of mockery and schadenfreude.
They had felt immense frustration while being pursued. Now, seeing Zhou Yan trapped, they could no longer contain their joy.
"Hmm? Why is this guy so calm?"
"This is the Sage Emperor's seal, does he have a way to break it?"
"He definitely doesn't understand formation patterns. As long as we stall him, his true essence will eventually be depleted!"
Several people exchanged glances, their eyes revealing determination.
"Heh heh heh, Zhou Yan, you are indeed very powerful, perhaps even stronger than those Divine Marquises!"
"But what of it?"
"Today, even a Divine Marquis couldn't save you!"
Everyone stared coldly at Zhou Yan.
They knew that Zhou Yan cultivated Sage martial arts, possessing extreme combat prowess. If he were allowed to escape, he would undoubtedly become a formidable enemy in the future.
Therefore, they had to seize this opportunity to kill Zhou Yan here.
In an instant, they unleashed their full strength, attacking Zhou Yan frantically.
However, Zhou Yan ignored them, heading directly to the center of the Sage Emperor's tomb and staring at the jade coffin.
"This Sage Emperor's tomb is truly extraordinary!"
Zhou Yan marveled inwardly.
The Sage Emperor's tomb was grand and magnificent, soaring into the clouds, resembling a colossal mountain range.
Around the tomb, countless runes were carved, interweaving into a network that enveloped the entire tomb.
"The Sage Emperor's tomb contains the Way of the Sages. To enter it, one must activate this crystal ball."
Zhou Yan examined the crystal ball, which was what the Sage Emperor used to protect his tomb.
"As expected of the Sage Emperor! Even in death, he had many arrangements."
He secretly praised.
Although he didn't know the specific use of this crystal ball,
Its sheer importance indicated that the Sage Emperor was undoubtedly extraordinary.
"Perhaps, a secret is hidden within this crystal ball, one that can elevate my strength."
Zhou Yan's thoughts raced, and he immediately walked to the jade coffin.
He reached out and struck the jade coffin forcefully.
The wood of this jade coffin could not withstand his palm.
After only a few strikes, the jade coffin was shattered.
And as the jade coffin broke apart, a blood-red bead shot out from within.