Legends spoke of an Emperor, a peerless powerhouse whose strength reached the heavens, capable of distorting the yin and yang and shattering the void.
However, through the passage of long years, the Emperor met with misfortune and ultimately perished, leaving behind a single drop of his imperial blood.
"Hahaha..."
At this moment, the desiccated corpse let out a wild laugh, "The Emperor's Blood, this is the hope for my resurrection..."
Immediately, the skeletal remains raised its head, its icy gaze fixed on Zhou Yan, radiating intense killing intent, "Little fellow, surrender obediently."
*Boom~*
Before its words could even finish, the desiccated corpse spread its arms wide, unleashing terrifying power that enveloped Zhou Yan.
The sheer intensity of this surge sent an inexplicable tremor through Zhou Yan, leaving him utterly defenseless.
"Hmph!"
Just then, the Emperor let out a cold snort. A wave of bronze radiance surged from his body, and he leaped from the coffin, instantly shattering the desiccated corpse's attack.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
In the next moment, the two engaged in combat, clashing fiercely. Each move and each strike were world-ending.
"Who exactly is this Emperor..."
Zhou Yan's expression grew grave as his peripheral vision flickered towards the Emperor.
Soon, Zhou Yan's face contorted in shock and disbelief.
He saw the Emperor's movements were ethereal and his form seemed illusory. With every gesture, he exuded a vast and immense pressure, and with every action, it was as if colossal waves surged forth.
"Hiss... The Emperor's strength is beyond imagination. He is likely a Martial Ancestor-level existence."
Zhou Yan gasped, taking a sharp intake of breath.
"Hmm?!"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan felt a premonition and looked up.
*Crack! Crack!*
Instantly, the entire passage began to collapse. Walls crumbled, stones rained down, and dust billowed everywhere.
"What's happening?"
Zhou Yan was filled with confusion and uncertainty.
"Hmph, a mere tombstone thinks it can trap me?"
The Emperor let out a cold cry and pointed a finger, piercing the tombstone. He shattered the void and entered another dimension.
*Swish!*
As the Emperor darted away, the light from the tombstone dimmed, and it once again appeared as an ordinary tombstone.
"Phew..."
"Finally, I've escaped!"
The Emperor exhaled a shaky breath, sweat beading on his forehead, a lingering sense of dread in his heart.
"Little fellow, I must thank you. If you hadn't freed me, I would have been trapped here forever."
The Emperor gazed deeply at Zhou Yan, a benevolent smile gracing his lips. Then, he transformed into a beam of light and re-entered the coffin.
*Boom~*
With a resounding thud, the coffin lid slowly closed, burying the Emperor within.
*Buzz!*
In an instant, the entire coffin began to emit a dazzling glow. Runes flickered, exuding a peculiar rhythm.
"Phew..."
Simultaneously, Zhou Yan felt an irresistible suction force pulling him, making him feel as if he were soaring through clouds, rapidly heading deeper into the tomb.
Not long after, the scenery before Zhou Yan changed. He found himself in a vast, spacious valley.
The valley was surrounded by lush greenery, teeming with thriving vegetation. The flowers and trees were all crystal clear, imbued with a faint spirituality.
More importantly, numerous rare spirit herbs grew abundantly throughout the valley, emitting a delicate fragrance.
In addition to this, various exotic beasts, fierce birds, and powerful creatures frolicked playfully in the woods.
"These are all true dragons!"
Zhou Yan was stunned, his heart trembling.
At this moment, all the exotic beasts and ferocious creatures in the valley were spiritual beasts. For example, the Golden-Eyed Jade-Scaled Tiger, the Silver-Winged Vulture, the Thunder-Winged Lion King... all belonged to the category of spiritual beasts.
Furthermore, the cultivation levels of these spiritual beasts were exceptionally high, having reached the Martial Master realm, and even higher...
"As expected of an ancient ruin."
Zhou Yan sighed inwardly but dared not linger. He quickly turned to leave.
Soon after, Zhou Yan returned to the tomb chamber, sat down to meditate, and began to recover from his injuries.
This time, Zhou Yan had expended a great deal of energy, and his qi and blood were severely depleted. He needed to replenish his vital energy.
Otherwise, if he encountered a crisis, he would be in a perilous situation.
...
One night passed.
At the break of dawn, Zhou Yan slowly opened his eyes, breathing in the world's vital energy and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to nourish his physique.
"Hmm?"
Zhou Yan's brow furrowed in slight surprise. He felt his dantian, the sea of qi, churning with a continuous surge of vital energy that warmed his meridians, causing his strength to gradually increase.
"Good."
A smile played on Zhou Yan's lips. "I never expected that within this tomb, there would be such a wondrous place that not only enhances my strength but also accelerates my cultivation speed."
Zhou Yan estimated that cultivating here for half a year would be equivalent to five or six years in the outside world.
"For others, spending half a year in seclusion here would already be an immense blessing. I wonder if it could lead to a fortuitous encounter."
Zhou Yan pondered, his heart stirred with anticipation.
After all, this was an ancient ruin, and it was bound to contain many treasures.
"I'll test the waters first."
Zhou Yan mused, then stepped out of the tomb. He passed by several other tombs along the way.
"Huh?"
"This is a spirit spring..."
Suddenly, Zhou Yan's footsteps halted. His eyes lit up as he gazed at a pool of clear water before him.
A spirit spring?
With great anticipation, Zhou Yan stepped closer and was immediately met with a refreshing fragrance.
"Mmm, so comfortable. My injuries have actually recovered by seventy to eighty percent."
Zhou Yan took a deep breath, feeling invigorated, as if he were bathing in a warm pool, experiencing utter comfort.
*Splash! Splash!*
Zhou Yan activated his "Nine Tribulations Sacred Canon," madly absorbing the pure vital energy from the spirit spring to temper his bones and muscles, and repair his damaged body.
Before long, Zhou Yan's injuries were healed, and his cultivation had advanced further, reaching the peak of Body Tempering.
"Roar!"
A roar echoed, deafeningly loud, as if the sky had cracked open.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Immediately after, a giant wolf charged out. Its ferocious eyes fixed on Zhou Yan, filled with a bloodthirsty killing intent.
"What is this?" Zhou Yan was taken aback.
*Awooo!*
Without waiting for an answer, the giant wolf let out an angry howl and lunged.
"Beast, you court death!"
Zhou Yan's face darkened. He swung his fist, a fist as hard as cast iron, emitting a brilliant golden light, and struck the wolf's head fiercely.
*Splat!*
The giant wolf let out a pained cry. A portion of its head was smashed, and bright red blood splattered, staining the valley. A pungent smell of blood permeated the air.
"This is a demonic wolf, containing some demonic bloodline within."
Zhou Yan shook his head. Although such demonic wolves were not ordinary, they were as weak as chicks beneath his might, utterly incapable of resisting.
However, Zhou Yan was unaware that the giant wolf was not a mere ordinary demonic wolf, but had hatched from a wolf egg nurtured by heaven and earth, possessing the bloodline of a demon wolf king!
This demonic wolf, with its powerful bloodline, was a formidable existence even among demon wolves.
Unfortunately, it was too greedy. It attempted to devour Zhou Yan, but its scheme backfired spectacularly.
*Hiss!*
In the next moment, Zhou Yan locked onto his target. He unleashed his wind and thunder techniques, swiftly closing the distance. His fist, imbued with the force of thunder, struck directly towards the demonic wolf's abdomen.
*Boom!*