The Seven Demon Stars Formation

High in the sky, seven massive, baleful demon stars hung, shimmering with a dark, bloody light. They radiated an oppressive, crushing pressure that seemed to seal the very world itself under their might.

The inky-black stars were linked in the pattern of the Big Dipper, slowly rotating within the grasp of a vast, tangible black hand that blotted out the sky and covered hundreds of li, everything cowering beneath it.

The sheer terror of that power was overwhelming!

This was a grand, absolute formation. Using Xiao Shihuang's seven demon stars as its power source, it drew upon the force of all heavens and myriads of worlds, an inexhaustible cycle that could annihilate any trace of life.

"Xiao Shihuang, you dead wretch! Even in death, you set up such an inhuman, absolute formation! Did you really think your tomb was the most sacred place under heaven, that everyone would fight to claim it?" the Stone Crow cursed. "Now a third killing formation has been added, making things even worse."

The old skull was also alarmed. According to Lu Zhan, this was clearly not the location of the tomb. How had Xiao Shihuang's absolute formation suddenly appeared? The situation was deeply suspicious and terrifying.

"First, we must hold our ground and find a way to break the formation!" the Stone Crow shouted, commanding Xiao Chen to arrange several sacred artifacts beside them to protect the three of them.

"We can break through Lu Zhan's two-layered absolute formation, but with this third layer added—a formation that can grind a Stone Man King to dust—and we haven't even figured out its nature yet, sacred artifacts alone won't be enough..." the old skull said with a worried expression.

"This is a mixed forbidden formation that Xiao Shihuang perfected by studying his killing formations, fusing them with many lost ancient methods. If we can't find the gate of life, it will be very difficult to forcibly break a three-in-one grand formation like this," the Stone Crow cursed continuously. "Xiao Shihuang, you chased me for thirteen thousand years while you were alive, and you're still this arrogant in death! Don't let me dig up your tomb, or I'll flay your corpse! And Lu Zhan, you ruthless bastard..."

Xiao Chen's heart was also shaken. The fact that Xiao Shihuang was this terrifying even after death was truly astonishing. He must have been an extraordinary being in life.

Lu Zhan was also trapped in a difficult position. He frowned, using the world-shaking power of the mixed forbidden formation to resist it while desperately seeking a way to break it.

"I understand now. Xiao Shihuang's tomb really does move. It constantly shifts its position across a vast expanse of land..." Lu Zhan hadn't found a way to break the formation, but he had understood why they were trapped here.

The tomb was always moving, never fixed in one place. It was a truly bizarre burial site, as if alive, wandering through the earth. It had just happened to pass through this area, and its protective power had been triggered by the group.

Clearly, their luck was far worse than those on the floating islands. They had been directly enveloped and swallowed within the formation.

All kinds of laws of order intertwined into annihilation force, continuously striking down from above. Both sides were enduring the attack with difficulty.

For a time, it was impossible to find a way to break the formation. The Stone Crow, truly a bird of ill omen, let out a harsh cry and used a mysterious curse against Lu Zhan, making his situation even more perilous.

"You ill-boding old bird, even with your interference, it's hard to destroy me. If I can't escape, you two half-crippled old things, along with that remnant of the Nine Provinces, won't be able to break free either—you'll be destroyed before me!"

While both sides were each trying to find a way to break the formation, they were also interfering with and attacking each other. In less than an hour, Lu Zhan had already spat out three mouthfuls of Stone-Man essence blood and had suffered significant injuries.

The Stone Crow and the old skull were even worse off. They were in a half-crippled state, not being complete Stone Man Kings. If not for the several sacred artifacts protecting them, they would have truly been annihilated here.

"Kid, concentrate. Don't let the outside world disturb you. We'll do our best to help you!" Xiao Chen closed his eyes as instructed and, with all his power, drove these sacred artifacts, hoping to tear open a path to escape.

They could definitely tear through the first two killing formations, but the third formation was too strange. A mysterious power always blocked them. The powerful sacred artifacts couldn't effectively break through—not because their power was insufficient, but because a profound and mysterious law skillfully redirected the saintly force aside, using the leverage of four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds.

"Destroy those seven black demon stars! If we can knock them down, we can break through!" the Stone Crow shouted, then called to Lu Zhan, "What do you say we join forces temporarily?"

The seven demon stars were not even within the formation. They floated outside the absolute formation, channeling the boundless power of the myriad worlds to continuously cover this place.

"You just wait here to die. I have my own way to break free!" Lu Zhan wiped the essence blood from the corner of his mouth, revealing a sinister smile. He ignored them, sitting down cross-legged with his eyes closed to meditate.

The seven demon stars were very mysterious. They were not ordinary stars. Legend said they were innate to Xiao Shihuang—born in the palm of his left hand when he came into the world, granting him immense power.

And so, the group was trapped for a whole day and night. All of them were grievously wounded.

With the two half-crippled living fossils assisting Xiao Chen, although his physical body's injuries hadn't worsened critically, his spiritual power was nearly exhausted from the constant use of the sacred artifacts to blast outward. It was an immense drain on his mind.

Finally, even the Stone Man King puppet received severe damage. Xiao Chen gritted his teeth and sent the mysterious stone jar flying into the air, which immediately disrupted the flow of divine power in the sky.

"The Origin of All Evil!" Lu Zhan cried out in shock as he recognized it.

Even the Stone Crow and the old skull were astonished, but they also showed signs of worry. "That legendary stone jar, though it is a sacred artifact, is a very ominous one..." Even the Stone Crow, a bird of ill omen from the Primordial Age, said this—it shows just how ominous that stone jar is.

Suddenly, Lu Zhan let out a great shout, preparing to break out. "Break! The path of life opens!" Three phantom shadows appeared beside him, aiding him as he charged toward the heavens.

Xiao Chen's heart clenched. Those three shadowy figures were not unfamiliar to him. They were the other three Otherworld First Ancestors. Of course, they were not true bodies, only a sliver of their images summoned. But that was enough, unleashing a terrifying combat power for a brief moment!

"You can wait here to die. I'll be going on ahead!" Lu Zhan's icy voice came down from the heavens, and by then, the three shadows beside him had already vanished.

Suddenly, his voice cut off. Although he had broken out of the absolute formation, the seven demon stars were not as simple as he had imagined. They were more terrifying than the formation itself. They spun rapidly, driving a hand that swept down from the sky, blotting out the heavens.

With a heavy bang, Lu Zhan was once again brutally slapped back into the absolute formation. The Stone Crow and the old skull, however, did not gloat. Instead, they shouted to Xiao Chen, "Quick! The chance is right before us!"

The three of them joined forces to break out!

The seven demon stars in the sky had just blasted Lu Zhan and had not yet stabilized. The stone jar's disruption of the divine energy fluctuations immediately affected the great Dao order and laws. When the other sacred artifacts charged upward, their power was not deflected.

If the true might of the many sacred artifacts was not deflected, even a Primordial Age killing formation could not withstand them. A path to life was torn open, and the three of them flew at extreme speed, charging into the sky!

The Big Dipper drove the great hand, which did swing down at them. But with Lu Zhan's experience as a warning, the three were already prepared. They quickly dodged, simultaneously using several sacred artifacts to resist.

The world was turned upside down. The three spat out some essence blood, but they finally managed to escape.

Lu Zhan tried to follow them up, but the three did not hesitate to slash back a blow, sealing him off and blocking his path. From then on, the absolute formation operated normally once more.

"Go!" Without pausing, the three instantly fled far away. They sensed that the unusual phenomenon here had attracted at least two Celestial Realm giants. If they were ambushed by hidden experts, the consequences would be dire.

The three fled all the way until they finally returned to the sacred land of the Demon Clan. Only then did they let out a long breath. Another ancient ancestor of the Demon Clan lived here in seclusion. The Stone Crow had never wanted to meet this person, but at a critical juncture, members of the same race would still protect each other.

The three were all heavily injured. After returning, they immediately began to heal their wounds. It wasn't until a month later that they emerged from seclusion one after another.

The Stone Crow's first act upon coming out was to summon the old Daoist priest with the seven red birthmarks on his left palm into his presence. With murderous intent radiating, he wanted to settle accounts with him. He felt that this old Daoist had a mysterious connection with Xiao Shihuang—he was likely more than just a descendant. According to the Stone Crow's nature, he would kill the man immediately: better to kill the wrong person than to let him go.

But the old skull firmly opposed this. According to him, this man was not Xiao Shihuang, but he was a naturally extraordinary being whose future achievements would likely not be inferior to Xiao Shihuang himself. The grudges from before the Primordial Age were ultimately just conflicts of pride and spirit. It would be better to let it go and make a calm acquaintance with this old Daoist. In the future, they might gain a friend as powerful as Xiao Shihuang.

"I will take you as my disciple!" The Stone Crow forcibly took the old Daoist as his apprentice, and regardless of the circumstances, he forced the man to kneel and pay respects.

The old Daoist, under duress and with no other choice, found himself suddenly saddled with such a strange-tempered master.

Only the old skull understood the Stone Crow's thoughts. Having been chased for thirteen thousand years before the Primordial Age and then nearly trapped to death by an absolute formation, now being able to take in an apprentice who looked exactly like Xiao Shihuang, and having him follow closely at his side saluting every day—this was nothing but a malicious act of revenge, a way to satisfy his indignant heart. One could say it was purely a spiritual victory.

"Ah, you..." The old skull shook his head. The Stone Crow was silent for a moment. "I have calmed down now. I will not make a move against him anymore." After taking on this disciple, the Stone Crow seemed to have finally released the pent-up anger from before the Primordial Age. He said meaningfully, "I do sincerely hope that he is the Xiao Shihuang of the old days."

Xiao Chen found this strange, and he exchanged a look with the old skull.

The two living fossils had kept the old Daoist alive for a different reason as well. They had both thought of some old matters from the Primordial Age at the same time.

In the past month, too many things had happened. The unusual phenomenon at the Fissure Valley had alarmed many people. Quite a few powerhouses had gone there, and now the approximate range where Xiao Shihuang's tomb appeared had finally been exposed.

"Did that Lu Zhan bastard fall?" This was the question the Stone Crow was most concerned about.

"I don't know. His life or death is uncertain." The Little Defiant Dragon and the others did not know either.

That day, many powerhouses had shown themselves, and then three Celestial Realm giants had appeared at the Fissure Valley, wanting to take away Xiao Shihuang's innate seven demon stars. This unexpectedly triggered another deadly formation. In the end, heaven and earth shattered, and Xiao Shihuang's tomb vanished, its whereabouts unknown once more. As for Lu Zhan, there was no trace of him.

The Stone Crow muttered to himself, "The cruelest of all is Xiao Shihuang. I really don't know what kind of killing formations are in his tomb, one layered on top of another. It's hard to imagine why he went to such trouble..."

The two old fossils made some guesses and thought back to events before the Primordial Age. A seed of doubt was planted in their hearts, and they thought of another possibility.

In the past month, the region ruled by the Demon Clan had become very lively, with powerhouses from all sides gathering.

The Stone Crow, the old skull, Xiao Chen, and the others set out again. This time, they brought the old Daoist, Keke, and the others along.

Beneath the region ruled by the Demon Clan lay a very vast but unusual ancient land. Legend had it that a great battle had been fought here during the Primordial Age, shattering heaven and earth. An area of a hundred thousand li had been turned into a wasteland. Many places were barren, while some areas had exceptionally lush vegetation.

This was the approximate range where Xiao Shihuang's tomb appeared.

"It's appeared again! This is already the nineteenth time we've spotted the tomb's trace!"

In this ancient land, figures occasionally appeared. Just now, such a shout came from ahead. In an instant, figures converged. Xiao Chen and the others were startled. They quickly followed the crowd, charging forward.

Indeed, up ahead, a great tomb was rapidly moving. Its tombstone, though not a Heavenly Stele, was remarkably similar, as if it were entirely inscribed in imitation of a Heavenly Stele.

"How strange. A tomb that can move..." Even the old skull was astonished.

"This time, we must open this tomb!" Just then, a Celestial Realm giant joined forces with others to make a move.