The Celestial Burial Valley Emerges

Gods? Not from the Nine Provinces or the Four Worlds? Related to the Primordial Celestial Realm?

Standing atop a misty mountain peak, Xiao Chen clearly heard the conversation of several cultivators flying past on the wind.

The Celestial Burial Valley was unpredictable at best. He frowned deeply, halting his advance and carefully weighing his options.

By the Yellow River, the Heavenly Stele had suppressed the Ancestral Dragon; on Dragon Island, the Heavenly Stele had suppressed the Dead City; beneath the Abyss of Evil, the Heavenly Stele had suppressed Paradise Lost. What would appear in the Celestial Burial Valley now?

A silvery laugh rang out as several beautiful young women, riding spirit treasures, flew in from the distant sky, their destination clearly the Celestial Burial Valley as well.

"Senior Sister Ye Jing has advanced greatly and mastered the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda. She will surely be able to kill Wu Ming and reclaim the Ye family's Undying Imperial Heaven Divine Bell!"

"It's all that brat Ye Tian's fault. He was born holding the bell, yet couldn't guard the heirloom. He disgraced the Ye family in the Mortal World, and in the end, the bell was shattered and he was killed, leaving the divine bell lost in the hands of Wu Ming of the Artifact Refining Sect."

A flock of youthful female cultivators flew overhead. At their head was a young woman in white, pure and lovely, but she remained silent from start to finish.

Clearly, after receiving word, the major sects of the Cultivation World had dispatched their experts to the Ten Thousand Immortal Mountains. This place had become a gathering ground for wind and clouds.

Xiao Chen shot into the sky and flew toward the Celestial Burial Valley. He had no confidence in successfully entering the valley, but with so many experts assembled here, he could make use of them. Perhaps he could trap the foreign kings pursuing him and wipe them out all at once.

Around the Celestial Burial Valley, unbroken mountain ranges encircled a vast basin. Mist hung in the air, veiling the valley in an aura of mystery.

No birds or beasts could be seen around the valley; the peaks seemed deathly still. Within the Ten Thousand Immortal Mountains, places devoid of vegetation were rare indeed, but here the land was bare and barren, and a chilling aura constantly surged forth from the valley.

Mist rolled and churned within, as if the valley contained its own world. From ancient times to the present, not a single cultivator who had entered had ever walked out alive. Over the ages, people had learned to keep their distance.

Everyone watched from afar. The woodlands were dotted with figures.

Xiao Chen descended into the forest, gazing at the bald mountain ridges ahead and the mysterious valley of death. He felt an overwhelming pressure, like that of a sleeping apocalyptic beast crouching there, sending an involuntary chill through his heart.

Yet he saw no trace of the Heavenly Stele. The Celestial Burial Valley was hazy and indistinct, only mist in motion.

Xiao Chen humbly approached two Xiuzhen cultivators in the woods and learned that the Heavenly Stele's colossal shadow only manifested at midnight, showing signs of rising from the earth.

After circling the area and gathering a thorough understanding, Xiao Chen turned into a streak of light and flew into the distance.

Before long, he encountered the Yaksha Heavenly Queen, the Sea God King, Mabao, and others. An unavoidable great battle erupted, of course. He fought while retreating, drawing all the foreign kings toward the Celestial Burial Valley.

He had already incited the foreign kings into a skirmish with Wu Ming and several other senior cultivators. Trying to use that ploy again would be unrealistic now. The Sea God King and Mabao would not easily make enemies of the powerful cultivators.

But Xiao Chen had not really depended on that borrowed blade to kill. Luring the foreign kings here was enough. He believed that once they learned of the Heavenly Stele, they would certainly pay close attention. If a rare treasure really appeared—or if the Heavenly Stele flew away and allowed entry into the valley—a great battle would inevitably erupt. The foreign kings would not be able to stand aside.

At night, the stars sparkled, but the atmosphere around the Celestial Burial Valley was oppressively tense. A vast number of cultivators had gathered.

At midnight, a thunderous roar shook the entire Ten Thousand Immortal Mountains. A colossal stele shadow shot up from the valley, as if it would pierce the starry sky.

An immense pressure radiated like surging ocean waves, billowing outward in all directions, as though an entire world were quaking.

"Rumble…"

Black clouds surged into the sky, blotting out the moon and stars. The Celestial Burial Valley blazed with demonic energy. An enormous ancient stele—no mere shadow—materialized, towering above all the immortal peaks. It stood like a demonic mountain thrusting into the heavens, a sight that could shake one's very soul.

Circling bands of black mist, layered and dense, coiled around the massive stele, pressing down on all the surrounding mountains.

"Heavens! The Heavenly Stele has truly appeared! It's no longer just a phantom!"

"Has the Celestial Burial Valley, silent for endless ages, undergone a great change?"

All the cultivators were captivated. Even the Yaksha Heavenly Queen and the others were no exception. The Heavenly Stele was renowned throughout the Four Worlds. If fate favored them, they might encounter a remarkable opportunity here. Naturally, they did not wish to miss it.

"Rumble…"

Like the sound of muffled thunder, the earth shook violently. Fear rose in every heart. The colossal stele slowly pulled free from the earth, gradually ascending into the sky above the Celestial Burial Valley.

The black mist in the valley thinned considerably, allowing hazy glimpses of the scenery within. Near the entrance, many majestic palaces stood in the wide basin, their ancient and desolate aura rushing forth. Further in, mist still rolled, obscuring the view.

"Vast palaces… Could this be the legendary godly palace?"

"Such a well-preserved ruin! There might be supreme treasures left by ancient immortals inside!"

"I think it should be the ancestral god's palace. There will be no shortage of spirit treasures!"

Many murmured, their eyes blazing with fervent light.

The "rumble" continued. The colossal Heavenly Stele, like a mountain peak, rose to a great altitude and then hung silently among the clouds, its surrounding black mist blocking the stars and moon as it slowly flowed, pulsing with a soul-shaking pressure.

"The ancient stele has truly flown into the sky. The Celestial Burial Valley will no longer be forbidden ground."

"But the stele hasn't flown away yet. It's still high above. Can we enter the valley?"

…

Many cultivators were both excited and wary, staring indecisively at the stele and the valley.

"Awooo…" A wolf's howl rang out. A Xiuzhen cultivator shot out of the forest on his flying sword, then tossed a wild wolf he had caught into the valley.

The wolf landed in the valley, its eyes gleaming green as it scanned its surroundings. After prowling about for a while, it ran back out of the valley mouth.

"It didn't die! The Celestial Burial Valley is no longer a death trap!"

"The curse of the ill-omened land is broken!"

Some cultivators shouted with excitement. The quicker ones had already launched their magic treasures and charged into the valley, hoping to find ancient artifacts in the most mysterious forbidden ground in the Cultivation World.

But those who were cautious, as well as the more powerful cultivators, held back, watching silently as the younger generation rushed into the valley.

"Ah… so many bones!"

"There are countless skeletons here!" The cultivators who had rushed in cried out in alarm, seeing the valley floor covered in bones. They immediately became more careful.

No calamity occurred. The crowd stepped over the dry bones and surged into the palaces. Soon, shouts of joy arose—someone had indeed found ancient treasures. Rays of colored light flickered within the valley.

When several cultivators safely emerged from the valley, those outside could no longer restrain themselves. They all began surging toward the Celestial Burial Valley.

In that moment, the once-silent valley became alive with activity. People finally believed that the threat of death seemed to have vanished.

Seeing that no accident occurred, even the most cautious cultivators could no longer hold back. If they delayed any further, all the opportunities would be taken by others, and nothing would remain.

By the latter half of the night, even the oldest cultivators no longer hesitated and entered the valley. The Yaksha Heavenly Queen, Sea God King, Mabao, and others also charged into the vast basin together.

This ancient land, sealed for endless ages, was no longer quiet in the depth of night. A flood of cultivators poured in.

When the area outside the valley fell silent once more, Xiao Chen gazed at the giant stele in the sky, then at the Celestial Burial Valley. He was the last to enter. Though his heart felt unsettled, he thought that if danger truly arose, he could immediately return to the Death World.

Bones crunched underfoot—the remains of cultivators who had wandered into the valley by mistake in ages past.

Ahead, magnificent palaces stretched in an unbroken chain. Many cultivators were searching inside.

As Xiao Chen entered the ancient palace, he immediately understood how the so-called "ancient treasures" had come to be. Clearly, a great battle had occurred here in the distant past. White skeletal remains lay scattered in every corner of the palace halls, along with countless fragments of shattered magic treasures.

Some of those ancient treasures, even in their broken state, possessed immense power.

"This… these are ancient forging methods from the primordial era, long since lost! If we can deduce the techniques from the remnants of these treasures, the gains would be immeasurable."

Many Xiuzhen cultivators were wild with excitement.

The grand palaces seemed endless. Xiao Chen walked at the rear, following the crowd. They had already passed through nineteen successive great halls, yet still there was no end in sight.

"Ah…"

At last, the discordant note sounded. Someone began to kill for treasure.

Xiao Chen, at the very back, suddenly felt a pang of unease. Something was wrong. A chill seemed to rise within the great palace.

For some reason, a cold dread crept up his spine. He whirled around and caught a glimpse of a huge shadow flashing through the rear palace hall. A wave of icy fear washed over him.

The Celestial Burial Valley was peculiar. It was impossible to simply fly away—the sky seemed sealed. One could only withdraw along the original path. But doing so would almost inevitably bring him face-to-face with that sinister, colossal shadow that had appeared and vanished so briefly.

Xiao Chen took a long look behind him, then turned and strode forward without looking back, hurrying to catch up with the crowd ahead.

After passing thirty-seven great halls, there was still no end. Conflict erupted from time to time, and many cultivators had already met their deaths.

Xiao Chen, still bringing up the rear, finally noticed that the blood of the slain cultivators all drained away, seeping into the palace floor. Within moments, all flesh and blood would vanish, leaving only white bones.

Those ahead had clearly noticed the same problem. A commotion broke out, and many began to retreat, fearing some calamity.

"Ah…"

Dozens of people cried out in unison. The first wave fleeing back seemed terrified, but their screams were cut short in an instant.

"…An utterly evil place! Retreat quickly!"

"Ghosts!"

Panic spread. Many cultivators fled in sheer terror.

But screams continued to erupt from the direction of the exit. Unknown demonic creatures were blocking the retreat.

At the same time, in every great hall, cultivators were dropping dead without warning. Some had their hearts torn out; others had their skulls pierced with five finger holes.

Suddenly, Xiao Chen's scalp tingled. Without raising his head, he shot a palm strike upward. A black shadow, ghost-like, had lashed out with its claws. They collided with his palm and shattered into the void, the shadow fading rapidly.

"Dong…"

The melodious chime of a bell came from up ahead. The bell waves shook all directions—it was the sound of the Undying Imperial Heaven Divine Bell. Yet the ancient palace did not suffer the slightest damage from the sound waves.

Xiao Chen rushed forward. In the forty-second great hall, he found Wu Ming. Wu Ming had just shattered a humanoid demon covered in scales.

"Heaven does not destroy me! Ten thousand ages of longevity! What can these evil things do to me?" He swept his gaze warily around.

The chill within the hall grew heavier and heavier. A cold dread crawled up everyone's spine. Every so often, a nameless fiend would strike, killing cultivators by the score. No one knew what those shadowy presences truly were.

"Damn it! What kind of place is this?" The Sea God King's furious voice came from up ahead. Many of the foreign kings had also been attacked. Though the demonic creatures could not harm them, who could guarantee their safety if this went on? They wanted to retreat along the original path, but the way back seemed cut off. The mist grew thicker, and the rear palace halls became more ethereal and distant, as if they could never be reached again.

"Dong…"

The bell tolled again. Wu Ming turned into a beam of divine light and plunged into the forty-third great hall. The divine bell blazed with ten thousand rays of light, as if a star were crashing into the earth as it struck toward the Sea God King.

A violent collision. The Sea God King was blasted away, crashing into a massive stone pillar in the hall. Traces of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

The palace was unimaginably sturdy, not a single crack appearing.

"It's you! Looking for death!" The Sea God King was greatly enraged. He wiped the blood from his mouth and charged at Wu Ming. The other foreign kings also moved forward to surround and kill him.

Wu Ming struck once and then retreated far. The Undying Imperial Heaven Divine Bell let out an ear-splitting boom, transforming into a dazzling golden beam that shot toward the forty-fourth great hall.

"Ah…"

As he broke through the encirclement, Wu Ming struck with the full force of the Undying Imperial Heaven Divine Bell, shattering a foreign king.

Before leaving, he fixed his gaze on the Sea God King and the Earth King. "Your divine souls… are the five-element quintessences I need. You will surely die by my hand."

Hearing Wu Ming's overt provocation, the two heavenly kings' faces darkened with fury.

Brilliant light flared; spirit treasures flew. Other Xiuzhen cultivators also attacked the foreign kings. The Yaksha Heavenly Queen replied with a "Swordfire Burns the Heavens" that slew more than a dozen assailants. Those who had hoped to exploit the chaos for murder and plunder quickly retreated.

Chaos reigned in the Celestial Burial Valley. A wave of dread spread. An unknown danger was closing in. Everyone's heart was filled with a sense of ill omen.

Deaths occurred frequently—some from the attacks of nameless demons, others from murder among the cultivators themselves. Fear spread and multiplied.

Before long, those at the very front finally burst out of the palace complex. There were exactly forty-nine halls in total—a highly significant number, easily evoking the phrase, "The Great Mystery number is fifty; its application is forty-nine."

Beyond the magnificent palaces lay an expanse of dense fog, making it impossible to see what kind of place it was. And on a cliff face near the forty-ninth ancient hall, three enormous black holes could be dimly made out.

"There are devils in the black holes!"

"Just now I saw… a colossal beast claw reach out!"

Several cultivators, their faces pale, pointed at the three huge black holes beneath the stone cliff.

They were dark and horrifying, as if connected to the abyss of hell.

"Look! There's movement in the leftmost hole!" someone cried out.

Xiao Chen was stunned. He saw three snow-white skeletons poking their heads out, peering around in a comical manner from the leftmost giant hole. They felt achingly familiar—could they be… King Qin Guang, King Yan Luo, and King Reincarnation, whom he had not seen for years? Was it really them?

"Ah… A woman! A peerlessly beautiful woman!" someone else exclaimed.

Xiao Chen's mind reeled. He actually saw Qingqing!

In the very center of the three great black holes stood a woman of sublime grace, wearing a five-colored crown and a rainbow-feathered jade robe. Her aura was powerful enough to shake the soul, and her face was identical to Qingqing's.

Xiao Chen could hardly believe his eyes. Before he could fully process it, another cry rang out.

The third enormous black hole had extended a demonic giant claw, covered in purple scales, the size of a house. A torrent of murderous aura surged forth.