Chapter 2035 – Ancestor’s Tomb
“Boss, something’s happening at the tomb.” A young man dressed in long yellow robes sat cross-legged in the void within Cardinal Sacred Palace. There were four individuals around him that bore hints of a similar resemblance. They were dressed in long robes of red, blue, black, and white.
These five were the heads of the five sacred palaces and existences beyond empyrean supreme—sacred supremes.
The Eastern Sacred Supreme—a young girl dressed in blue—opened her eyes and addressed the Cardinal Sacred Supreme in the center, “The place called Ancestor’s tomb buries the forefather of those demons. The demon that destroyed Cardinal Sacred City must be there if something is different about it than usual.”
“Not necessarily,” the Cardinal Sacred Supreme shook his head. “There is more than one demon from the outside lurking in our midst. But developments at the tomb will indeed draw in the other demons. It will be a good opportunity to kill them all in one fell swoop.”
“However… the demons cultivate a thriving dao and their combat arts are uncanny. We of the Three Thousand cannot withstand them.”
The Cardinal Sacred Supreme snorted dismissively. “Forsaking the core essence of dao to detour into side branches ultimately leads to nothing but rootless drifting upon the wind. That is why they are demons and unable to gain a footing in the only patch of existence within the endless nothing. The demons are not worth worrying about.”
The five sacred supremes were under certain limitations and could not leave the Cardinal Sacred Palace. Thus, they could not visit Ancestor’s tomb.
At the same time, the empyrean supremes under their banner were no match for the outsiders. If it wasn’t for the sacred supremes holding down the fort, the outsiders might’ve long conquered the Three Thousand.
Lu Yun’s appearance and his destruction of Cardinal Sacred City was a massive morale boost to the outsiders lingering in the world. They wouldn’t have dared to do anything if Ancestor’s tomb had appeared at any other time. But Lu Yun’s actions had warned off the local cultivators, emboldening outsiders to move with impunity.
The young man knew about their existence, but never contacted them. Neither was he interested in getting to know them. The way he viewed the situation, every cultivator in the Three Thousand other than him was an enemy.
Even the Disordered Empyrean Supreme by his side might turn on him in the next breath. The enemy of the enemy was a friend?
This kind of friend could not be relied upon.
……
Ancestor’s tomb was located in the eastern reaches of the world—the easternmost domain of Eastern Sacred Palace territory. This wasn’t the limit of the world as there was still unbounded land and sea to the east of that area. For those who lived under the rule of the five sacred palaces, that was an unknown dominion.
To them, it was what the lands of unknown had once been to denizens of the fourth realm.
Lu Yun was yet to deduce what kind of order the sacred palaces held. There had also been sacred palaces in the chaos—they’d wielded the supreme orders of the highest degree. Overseeing the second realm, they were its indubitable rulers.
This time, Lu Yun couldn’t determine what the sacred palaces of the Three Thousand wielded. Or perhaps he was unable to see things clearly because the sacred supreme was suppressing his vision. Another possibility was that they ruled without a need for order because they controlled everything.
It would be too frightening if they really did control all order already. Lu Yun wouldn’t stand a chance against them if that was the case.
Of course, his goal wasn’t to fight them. All he needed was a foothold in this world so he could create a state that was wholly his.
But why do I need to operate within the confines of the sacred palaces? Why can’t I establish my land in those parts of the unknown? The thought suddenly floated into his mind. He shuddered with horror as soon as it did so.
“What’s in the places outside sacred palace rule?” he asked the Disordered Empyrean Supreme.
“Monsters… giant beasts!” she trembled as well. “Do you remember the humans in the tomb of the empyrean supreme? The existences that live in the unknown are just like them. They aren’t cultivators, but they are stronger than those who cultivate.
“Those in the tomb are dead, but the giant beasts are alive. The weakest of them is empyrean supreme!”
“The weakest?” Lu Yun asked incredulously.
“Right, the weakest! The strongest of them have surpassed sacred supreme and have the right to enter nihil,” nodded the Disordered Empyrean Supreme. “But they don’t invade this particular area due to a certain agreement. Hence, denizens of this part of the world call their home a sanctuary. But to the beasts, this so-called sanctuary is a backwater that they can’t be bothered with.
“Any being from this area—whether mortal or cultivator—that dares set foot outside these bounds will be met with no mercy.”
Lu Yun’s mouth turned dry.
“As for their attitude toward us…” The empyrean supreme’s lips curved upward. “They also think of us as demons, parasites, and maggots!”
“I see,” Lu Yun nodded. At the end of the day, the world’s great dao profoundly affected its denizens’ notions. He would have to change the great dao if he wanted to alter their perspective.
“Ancestor’s tomb is up ahead. …damn it, what are those idiots doing here?!” the Disordered Empyrean Supreme swore and hastily descended from the sky. She hid to the side with Lu Yun—a superfluous action since the two were smaller than motes of dust in the air thanks to the Shapeshifting and Size Manipulation Talismans.
Not even empyrean supremes would be able to detect them without taking a close look.
After the Tome of Life and Death transformed, its Shapeshifting and Size Manipulation death art was more profound than before. Empyrean supremes wouldn’t be able to discern them with a simple glance.
How else could Lu Yun hide for so long in the Three Thousand without being discovered?
A scene of complete pandemonium reigned outside the tomb; all of its layouts had been pretty much destroyed. At the very least, Lu Yun couldn’t make out what had been there before.
The damage was so severe that he couldn’t even tell if the tomb had naturally formed or was the result of manmade construction afterwards.
“You’re right, they’re all idiots.” He hadn’t wanted to damage the tomb, much less than destroy its layouts. Although the layouts outside had been broken, the power they contained had seeped into the tomb. It was impossible to dismantle the layouts from the outside.
The Spectral Eye only showed Lu Yun that all was dark and sinister inside the structure. Resentment wafted through the air and death information flooded the premises. Who knew how many had died inside?
Lu Yun even saw an uncontrollably powerful ghost deep within its depths.
Maybe it was Ancestor.
He couldn’t see clearly as the ghost was too strong. It exceeded the limits of the Tome of Life and Death—the treasure needed to evolve again to impose control over it.
