Chapter 1366: Ceremony

They couldn't help but feel a pang of alarm. They had come for a Land of the Unknown, and such places were coveted by countless individuals. If word of its existence spread, experts from across the land would undoubtedly flock here.

Wu Liang glanced at them with a puzzled expression, seemingly unable to grasp their strong reaction. "The imperial tomb contains numerous burial artifacts, and they are all exceedingly valuable," he remarked. "What else could that be but treasure?"

The others were speechless.

Zu An wasn't sure if Wu Liang was genuinely ignorant or merely feigning naivety. Regardless, there was no time to ponder it, so he simply led Wu Liang down a different path.

The map they had acquired earlier from the Tomb of Marquis Sui only vaguely indicated that the Land of the Unknown was located within this imperial mausoleum; its precise whereabouts were not marked.

On reflection, this was understandable. The map likely predated the demon imperial mausoleum itself. Back then, no such mausoleum existed, and the surrounding terrain had since changed, rendering the map largely irrelevant. They would have to search for the location themselves.

As they continued, they meticulously searched their surroundings for any unique features.

Wu Liang, however, was in his element, enthusiastically plundering the burial artifacts from the side chambers of the imperial mausoleum.

Most of these items consisted of gold and jade ornaments, as well as some treasures crafted from high-grade elemental stones.

Witnessing his avaricious demeanor, Zu An and the others secretly realized their previous worries about him had been excessive.

Yan Xuehen, who was proficient in formations and runes, continuously explored the area. Unfortunately, while she did uncover several hidden mechanisms, none were connected to the Land of the Unknown.

A short while later, their surroundings suddenly brightened as the space before them unexpectedly opened up.

They were momentarily stunned, for a fleeting second believing they had somehow exited the imperial mausoleum.

Before them lay what appeared to be the sun, moon, stars, rivers, lakes, and seas.

"This is..." Yun Jianyue murmured, her mouth agape in astonishment.

Recovering from her initial shock, Yu Yanluo explained, "This is a miniature, condensed version of the world's mountains and terrain."

As an accomplished painter whose magical artifact was the "Thousand Li Mountains and Seas Map," she was intimately familiar with the world's geography and recognized it instantly.

"Moreover, this map depicts the demon race's territory during their golden age," Yun Jianyue scoffed. "Now, most of this vast domain has been claimed by humans. The demon race is clearly still living in a dream."

Wu Liang gave her an odd look. "Are you human or demon, miss?" he asked. "Your stance seems rather unusual."

Yun Jianyue shot him a frigid glare, causing Wu Liang to shiver and refrain from asking any more questions.

Zu An, too, was filled with myriad emotions. He had only read about the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas within Emperor Qin Shihuang's mausoleum in history books, never imagining he would witness a similar sight in the demon imperial tomb today.

At that moment, Wu Liang looked up at the celestial bodies with a gleam in his eye. "These are at least Heaven-grade elemental stones, possibly even Immortal-grade!" he exclaimed eagerly. "And they're so huge! Oh, if only I could take them, I'd be rich beyond imagination!"

Yan Xuehen stated coldly, "These are fashioned to resemble the sun, moon, and stars, and are surrounded by intricate formations. Forcibly removing them would undoubtedly trigger the imperial mausoleum's alarm, and no one here would survive."

"I know, I know, can't I even just mention it?" Wu Liang grumbled, a hint of frustration on his face, as if pained by the sight of treasure he couldn't acquire.

"There's a massive lake here!" Yu Yanluo gasped. "And look, it's living water!"

Typically, lakes and rivers within mausoleums are filled with substances like mercury to ensure their longevity. This not only preserves them for millennia but also releases toxic fumes to protect the tomb.

The others were equally surprised and quickly moved to investigate, confirming that it was, indeed, real water.

"I see now," Wu Liang explained. "Mausoleums emphasize the principles of 'hiding wind and gathering water,' making water incredibly vital. However, most individuals wouldn't possess the audacity of the Demon Emperor to secure such a vast and continuous water source. The Golden Crow imperial family is associated with fire, embodying ultimate strength and yang. As the saying goes, 'solitary yang cannot generate, solitary yin cannot grow,' so a balance of yin and yang is essential. This water vein serves to regulate the yin and yang of the imperial mausoleum. Tsk, tsk, tsk, the individual who designed this imperial tomb must have been a genius..."

Wu Liang continued to elaborate, and Zu An and the others listened with growing admiration. This individual clearly possessed considerable expertise; the Pangolin clan truly were specialists among specialists when it came to tomb raiding.

Yun Jianyue then leaned closer to Zu An and whispered, "Little Anzi, do you think the Land of the Unknown could be concealed within this lake?"

Zu An nodded. "I share that suspicion," he replied. "How about this: I'll go down and investigate, while you keep an eye on Wu Liang."

With his Azure Duck skill, he possessed a natural affinity for water, making him the ideal candidate to explore the depths.

"Don't worry, a mere plump Daoist is hardly a challenge for me to keep track of," Yun Jianyue scoffed. "You, however, should be careful underwater."

Zu An had initially intended to warn her that Wu Liang was not entirely ordinary, but then, considering her status as a Grandmaster, he dismissed his concerns as excessive.

Without further delay, he plunged into the water and began searching the lakebed.

The three other women waited on the shore. While Yun Jianyue appeared outwardly nonchalant, she was subtly observing Wu Liang. However, he remained perfectly compliant, showing no signs of suspicious movement.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, ripples spread across the water's surface, and then Zu An emerged from the depths.

"Well?" the three women eagerly inquired.

Zu An shook his head. "I've thoroughly searched the entire area, even inspecting the lakebed," he reported, "but there are no hidden doors or passages."

"What exactly are you looking for?" Wu Liang asked curiously.

"None of your business," Yun Jianyue retorted, glaring at him.

Wu Liang chuckled indifferently, seemingly unaffected by her glare.

"Then where could it be?" Yun Jianyue pondered, her brow furrowed. "We've already explored most of the imperial mausoleum."

At that moment, Wu Liang, standing nearby, spoke quietly, "While I'm not sure what you're searching for, there is one more location within this imperial mausoleum that you haven't investigated."

Zu An and the others felt a surge of realization. The only place remaining to search was where the Golden Crow Crown Prince was meant to undergo the trials of the past demon emperors' heroic spirits. They hadn't anticipated that, after all their searching, they would ultimately have to confront this most unwelcome scenario.

Wu Liang then added, "To my knowledge, the Crown Prince should be in the imperial mausoleum's main hall. There's a statue of the Demon Ancestor there, and the so-called trials of the past demon emperors are, in fact, just a pretense."

Zu An gave him a strange look. "You know even such confidential details?" he asked.

Wu Liang chuckled. "Our profession involves exploring tombs," he explained, "so we naturally uncover more secrets than the average person."

After discussing it with the three women, Zu An ultimately decided they should proceed to the main hall to investigate.

Along the way, Zu An wondered if fate was orchestrating things such that he was destined to assist the Little Demon Queen this one time.

They moved swiftly. With Wu Liang and Yan Xuehen, two masters proficient in both tomb raiding mechanisms and runic formations, they managed to neutralize many potential dangers before they could materialize.

Before long, they arrived at a corridor corner, from which bright torchlight emanated.

Wu Liang whispered, "That's the main hall of the underground palace just ahead."

Zu An nodded, then concentrated his senses and cautiously approached.

Inside, they beheld an incredibly magnificent hall, dominated by a towering, tens-of-meters-high black statue positioned at its far end.

The statue appeared neither entirely human nor entirely beast, featuring a human body with a bird's head, sharp, claw-like hands, and a pair of dark wings on its back, poised as if about to take flight.

Its sharp bird-like beak and the peculiar pupils in its eyes conveyed a distinct sense of fierce, murderous intent, reminiscent of a primordial beast.

Although the entire statue was inanimate, it exuded a terrifying aura of pressure, fully comparable to, or even surpassing, that of the demon emperors they had previously encountered.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were both utterly astonished. "This statue is rather peculiar!" they exclaimed.

Yu Yanluo whispered, "Could it be that the Demon Ancestor is still alive?"

"How could that be possible?" Yun Jianyue shook her head. "The Demon Ancestors existed hundreds of thousands of years ago; there's no way they could still be alive now. However, this statue does seem to bear the aura of the Demon Ancestor."

"Could it be that the heroic spirits and remnant souls of past demon emperors are somehow enshrined within this statue?" Yan Xuehen mused aloud to herself, seemingly engrossed in a complex academic problem. "But how could that possibly be achieved?"

Meanwhile, Zu An surveyed the hall. In the center stood a figure in a golden robe, whose every movement exuded an air of unparalleled arrogance. It was none other than the Golden Crow Crown Prince.

Scattered around the main hall were eighteen guards, each exuding a refined inner essence. The weakest among them were at Ninth Grade cultivation, though none surpassed the Golden Crow Crown Prince in power.

To have been brought here by the Golden Crow Crown Prince, they were clearly his most trusted confidantes.

The Golden Crow Crown Prince had by now approached the base of the Demon Ancestor's statue, his face alight with a mixture of excitement and reverence.

"I am about to commence the trial," the Golden Crow Crown Prince commanded. "Guard all surrounding exits and permit no one to approach or disturb me."

"Yes, Your Highness!" the eighteen guards responded with full vigor, then tacitly moved to their assigned positions around the perimeter. One guard even advanced towards the passage where Zu An and the others were hiding, causing them to hastily retreat further into the shadows. Fortunately, each of them possessed exceptional stealth abilities, allowing them to remain undetected.

Satisfied by their compliance, the Golden Crow Crown Prince nodded, then spread his arms towards the Demon Ancestor's statue, chanting a series of obscure, indecipherable syllables.