Chapter 586: Entering the Qing Emperor’s Mausoleum! (4K)
"Greetings, Your Highness the Princess."
At the entrance of the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum, a middle-aged man dressed as a general, along with a group of soldiers, paid their respects to the visiting Princess.
"They are from our Immortal Dynasty, responsible for guarding the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum year-round. The Qing Emperor was an Ancient Great Emperor of the Human Race, with tremendous contributions to humanity. Although nobody dares to recklessly enter the Great Formation laid by the Qing Emperor, exceptions do exist. Tens of thousands of years ago, someone intruded into the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum, causing earthquakes for a hundred thousand miles around, collapsing countless cities and houses, with casualties reaching hundreds of millions. Thereafter, to prevent further disturbances of the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum, the Heavenly Emperor assigned General Zuo to guard it, to notify him immediately should anything happen."
"General Zuo, this is Tai Hua's Holy Son, Lu Changsheng."
"So you are Daoist Lu, I am Zuo Jianqing. I've heard so much about you but seeing you once is better than hearing a hundred times. Truly, Daoist Lu is as wise and mighty as the rumors say, with an extraordinary appearance."
Zuo Jianqing couldn't hide his admiration for Lu Changsheng.
After all, Lu Changsheng had defeated the son of the Heavenly Emperor at the grand assembly in Heavenly Court, a feat that spread throughout the Immortal Realm. After hearing of it, Zuo Jianqing yearned to meet him.
Just who is the Heavenly Emperor?
The number one powerhouse in the Immortal Realm! He possesses a complete Supreme Emperor Body!
Emperor Ku has the same special physique as the Heavenly Emperor and is known as the top prodigy in Heavenly Court. However, he was defeated by someone from the Lower Realm, and Lu Changsheng truly gave the practitioners of the Lower Realm something to be proud of.
Lu Changsheng observed this General named Zuo Jianqing.
Zuo Jianqing, sent by the Immortal Dragon Emperor to guard the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum, was immensely powerful, actually a rank eight Divine King.
The Mausoleum of the Qing Emperor has rich nature's spiritual energy and many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, hence Zuo Jianqing's assignment here to guard the Mausoleum was not considered an exile.
The household troops Zuo Jianqing brought with him to guard the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum included even Daluo Golden Immortals and experts at the Immortal Emperor Realm.
Zuo Jianqing asked, "May I know the purpose of Your Highness and Daoist Lu's visit to the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum?"
"I wish to enter the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum to pay my respects to the Human Emperor."
"Entering is not permitted. The Mausoleum of the Qing Emperor has an Ancient Formation, which can cause even Great Experts to perish. In the Three Realms, there are only a handful of people who can enter the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum."
Zuo Jianqing was shocked upon hearing Lu Changsheng's intention.
The Great Formation laid by the Qing Emperor, powered by billions of miles of nature's spiritual energy—entering hastily is tantamount to seeking death, isn't it?
"I have ways to protect myself and will retreat knowing the risks if need be."
Lu Changsheng believed that with the Human Sovereign Cauldron inside him, he should be able to safely enter the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum.
"Then please follow me."
Zuo Jianqing decided to lead Lu Changsheng and his group to the deeper periphery of the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum.
The group traveled by Sword Flight, heading towards the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum.
Although the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum literally refers to the Qing Emperor's tomb, in a broader sense, it refers to this endlessly extending mountain range as well as the vast forests.
This place is teeming with Demon Beasts; Lu Changsheng sensed the presence of more than a dozen Demon Race beings at the Immortal Emperor Realm.
By his side, Zuo Jianqing shared the knowledge he had gained over the years, "I have been guarding the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum for hundreds of thousands of years and have even specially studied the classics about the Qing Emperor. Originally, this mountain range was barren and desolate, but it is said that before the Qing Emperor's demise, he dissolved his physical body and merged with the earth, turning this place into a Spirit Vein with an abundance of nature's spiritual energy, attracting many from the Demon Race to migrate here for cultivation."
Yuexi admired, "The Qing Emperor truly was a remarkable figure. Not only did he lead the Human Race to prosperity at a time when it was weak, along with other Human Emperors, but even in his demise, he sacrificed his cultivated physical body to merge again with the cosmos."
Lu Changsheng also marveled silently.
The several Ancient Human Emperors were the epitome of true selflessness; upon their fall, they took nothing with them, leaving few records behind, while the various Cultivation Techniques and Divine Skills they created were passed down through the ages.
The Princess interjected, "I've heard from the Heavenly Emperor that this place was originally barren because it was once an ancient battlefield."
"An ancient battlefield?"
Lu Changsheng, Yuexi, Zuo Jianqing, Lin Qingzhi, and the others were all interested. The Qing Emperor's Mausoleum was originally an ancient battlefield?
The Princess nodded, "Yes. It is said that several Ancient Great Emperors joined forces here to slay a very troublesome being, but as a result, this place became an ominous land. For billions of miles, no grass would grow, no water would drip, and Evil Spirits roamed. Before his fall, the Qing Emperor chose to be buried here, one of his purposes being to suppress these Evil Spirits."
"So there was such a past..."
The group grew even more admiring of the Qing Emperor.
In life, the Qing Emperor vanquished formidable enemies threatening the Human Race, and in death, he continued to suppress the Evil Spirits of those foes.
"Is there any record of who or what was slain here by the Ancient Great Emperors? A Demon God?"
Lu Changsheng was curious about the Qing Emperor's foe.
What kind of being could force several Ancient Human Emperors to join together to execute, and even after his death, the Qing Emperor continued to suppress? How powerful was it?
The first great ancient battle was when the Ancient Human Emperors led the feeble Human Race to rise up in resistance and contend with the Demon Race.
And the strongest of the Demon Race was the Demon God.
Back then, the strongest sect of Sword Cultivators from the Lower Realm, the "Heavenly Sect," was exterminated by Demon Kings led by a Demon God.
The Demon God was definitely a formidable enemy of the Ancient Human Emperors.
That's why Lu Changsheng asked such a question.
The Princess shook her head, "The Heavenly Emperor says it was not a Demon God. As for what it was, he doesn't know."
This was strange.
As far as Lu Changsheng knew, the only beings that could have prompted several Ancient Great Emperors to join forces should have been the most powerful Demon Gods from the Demon Race.
Could it be that besides the Human Race and Demon Race, there were other forces at that time?
But the events of the ancient past are too distant and lack documentation, and most of those from that era are no longer in existence.