Fellow Daoist, I gladly accept this heaven-defying opportunity.

The imperial mausoleum chambers, deep within a secret realm.

The immense dragon energy surged into Xu Mofeng's body like a river flowing backward.

He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, golden light flowing around him, and a five-clawed golden dragon seemed to be coiling and hovering beside him, its roar causing the void to tremble slightly.

His body was like a bottomless vortex, no matter how much dragon energy poured in, it was all absorbed like a whale swallowing the sea, without spilling out even a fraction.

Not far away, the majestic figure of the founding ancestor had become so ethereal as to be almost transparent, as if it would dissipate with a gust of wind.

He stared intently at Xu Mofeng, his eyes scrutinizing him, yet also filled with the satisfaction of looking at a masterpiece he had personally crafted.

"The true dragon destiny has been formed... The strength of this martial foundation is probably even superior to that of the core geniuses of those top blessed lands."

The old man sighed softly, his tone tinged with both satisfaction and wistfulness: "Back then, I suspected that even with only a third-grade Qi Gathering Core, I was still able to reach the Mahayana realm and establish the Jin-Liang dynasty. I really want to see how high you, with your talent, can go in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and a golden light precisely struck Xu Mofeng's brow.

At the same time, the old man's figure completely transformed into a sky full of golden light, dissipating into the air, leaving only a final, majestic voice echoing in the secret realm:

"Boy, today you have received my inheritance and the blessing of my dragon aura. You must ensure the eternal prosperity of my Jin and Liang dynasties. If you dare to break this oath, even if I return to the netherworld, I will fight you to the death!"

Xu Mofeng's body trembled slightly, and a profound martial arts technique suddenly appeared in his mind: the Great Dao Emperor Fist, the legendary martial art passed down by the founding emperor of the Jin-Liang Dynasty.

boom!

Almost the instant the technique entered his mind, a deafening burst of spiritual energy erupted from his body, and golden light surged several feet around him!

The barrier of cultivation shattered instantly.

Golden Core Stage Thirteen, Success!

……

"Your Highness! We couldn't find it!"

"We've searched everywhere, but there's no sign of Marquis Dingfeng!"

"A thorough search was conducted within a 30-mile radius of the imperial tomb, but no trace was found!"

One by one, the guards rode back, dismounted in front of Ying Zhengying, and answered him one by one, their voices getting softer and softer.

Ying Zhengying's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Just as he was about to speak, a cold voice rang out from the side.

"Continue the search."

Ying Yunying's pretty face turned frosty, all her usual liveliness and playfulness vanished, and her eyes were cold. "If we can't find the person, all of you will be buried in the imperial mausoleum to accompany our ancestors."

The guards trembled with fright, quickly agreed, and turned to run back, afraid of losing their heads if they were even a step too slow.

Ying Zhengying turned his head to look at his ninth sister, and he was puzzled.

It's only been a few days, but how come the once charming and lively girl is now like a volcano buried under a glacier? She looks cold, but inside she's so fiery she could burn a person to ashes.

Only then did he belatedly realize that the Marquis of Dingfeng held a weight in Ninth Sister's heart far heavier than he had imagined.

Ying Zheng gritted his teeth, just as he was preparing to send more men, when a long, drawn-out report suddenly came from afar:

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Ying Zhengying froze, his face turning pale instantly.

Why is Father Emperor here?!

If the charges of illegally transferring guards and tampering with the imperial tombs are confirmed, he will have to be stripped of his royal robes!

Without thinking twice, he hurriedly rolled off the saddle and knelt down on the ground with a "plop".

The guards around the imperial tomb also knelt down in unison, shouting, "Welcome, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

Before long, a gilded imperial carriage arrived at high speed, escorted by hundreds of imperial guards. The curtain was lifted, and the Emperor of Jinliang, dressed in a black dragon robe, slowly stepped out of the carriage.

An invisible imperial aura spread out, and the entire venue fell silent.

The Emperor's gaze swept across the entire hall, and he spoke calmly, "Is Marquis Dingfeng, Xu Mofeng, here?"

Ying Zheng's heart skipped a beat, but he forced a reply: "Reporting to Father Emperor, the Imperial Mausoleum is a forbidden area, and there is no... no Marquis Dingfeng here."

"presumptuous!"

The Emperor let out a cold snort, not loud, but enough to send chills down Ying Zhengying's spine: "You've been causing chaos around the Imperial Mausoleum, do you really think I'm deaf and blind? Even now you dare to spout lies!"

Cold sweat poured down Ying Zhengying's forehead and dripped down his cheeks. He felt a chill in his heart and thought that he was going to die here today.

He gritted his teeth and could only confess the truth: "Father, please calm your anger! Marquis Dingfeng did indeed enter the imperial mausoleum a few days ago, but now... now his whereabouts are unknown, and your son is searching for him."

The emperor frowned slightly, about to ask another question, when a sobbing voice rushed over first.

"Father! Please help me find Xu Mofeng..."

Ying Yunying's eyes were red and swollen. She rushed to the emperor's side and tears fell like beads from a broken string.

All the worries, anxieties, and grievances of the past few days surged up at this moment, causing her to cry her heart out, a sight that softened the heart.

To everyone's surprise, the Emperor, seeing her like this, didn't rush to find her. Instead, his eyes lit up, and he leaned closer to ask in a low voice, "Little Ninth, tell your father the truth, have you been eyeing this Marquis Dingfeng for a long time?"

Ying Yunying's crying stopped abruptly, and she froze on the spot, staring blankly at her father, the emperor.

She froze for several seconds, her cheeks flushed bright red, and she hurriedly lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes, unable to speak.

Seeing this, the emperor was not angry but pleased, laughing heartily twice. He turned to the Imperial Observatory official beside him and said, "Lord He, looking at this situation, is there any need to calculate further?"

The Imperial Observatory official stroked his beard and smiled, then said solemnly, "The Imperial Mausoleum is located on the dragon vein and the dragon's eye. Marquis Dingfeng is a martial arts prodigy that our Jin and Liang dynasties have only seen once in a thousand years. In addition, Her Highness the Princess treats him with great affection. This person with the destiny of a true dragon must be Marquis Dingfeng without a doubt."

"Okay! Okay!"

The Emperor laughed heartily, his mood extremely cheerful. "Xu Mofeng was originally a talented young man personally appointed by me. His exceptional talent makes him more than a match for my son!"

After laughing, he turned his gaze to Ying Zhengying, who was still kneeling on the ground trembling. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "You are able to befriend someone like Xu Mofeng, which shows you have some discernment in people. You have guarded the imperial tombs for so many years; even if you haven't made any great contributions, you have certainly worked hard. From today onwards, you no longer need to guard the tombs. Return to the palace and serve me."

Having said this, the Emperor flicked his sleeves, turned, and boarded his carriage: "Prepare the carriage to return to the palace! Report to me immediately upon Marquis Dingfeng's emergence from the secret realm!"

As the imperial carriage drove further and further away, only Ying Zhengying and Ying Yunying remained standing there, looking at each other, their minds still reeling from the news.

Ying Zhengying, in particular, was completely stunned.

He trespassed into the imperial mausoleum with outsiders and even mobilized the guards to turn the area around the mausoleum upside down. According to the law, beheading would not be an exaggeration.

When his father arrived, instead of punishing him, he praised him for his foresight and transferred him back to the imperial court from his neglected post as a tomb guard.

What... what kind of logic is this?!

Ying Yunying wasn't much better off.

She sensed from her father's words that he was not worried about Xu Mofeng's disappearance at all, but rather seemed certain that he was safe and sound.

Moreover... and the implication of those words sounded like they were suggesting she betroth her to Xu Mofeng.

The girl's cheeks flushed even more, but then she frowned again.

But... where on earth has Xu Mofeng gone...?

Deep in the mountains and dense forests.

The two figures were locked in a fierce battle, causing sand and stones to fly everywhere.

Both were at the tenth level of the Golden Core stage. Their sword flashes and fist shadows, carrying immense spiritual power, collided, blasting the surrounding ground into a series of craters, as if it had been plowed over.

"Yuan Feng, you're no match for me! Hand over all your command flags obediently, and you'll suffer less!"

The burly young man, standing eight feet tall, wielded a long sword, his blade flashing wave after wave, forcing his opponent to retreat steadily, his face contorted with an undisguised sneer.

Although Yuan Feng was completely outmatched and under immense pressure, he remained stubborn and retorted through gritted teeth, "Dream on! You're only slightly better than me. You really want to keep me here? I'm afraid you don't have the ability!"

"act recklessly!"

The burly young man snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with ferocity, and suddenly roared, "Northern Darkness Mad Blade!"

The gleaming blade suddenly surged, carrying the power to split mountains and shatter rocks as it slashed down. Yuan Feng's face turned ashen; he didn't even have time to dodge and was about to be severely injured.

At this critical moment, ripples suddenly appeared in the void above their heads, and a dark vortex silently emerged.

The blade light, powerful enough to cleave gold and sever jade, crashed into the vortex, only to vanish without a trace, like a mud ox entering the sea.

This sudden turn of events froze the two of them, causing them to simultaneously cease their attacks and stare intently at the eerie vortex.

Amidst the swirling vortex, a figure slowly stepped out.

The newcomer appeared to be in his early twenties, dressed in an ordinary moon-white robe, yet his features and demeanor exuded an indescribable nobility. As he looked around, it seemed as if a golden dragon phantom was appearing around him, displaying unparalleled elegance and an overwhelming air of nobility.

With just one glance, four words simultaneously popped into the minds of the two warriors locked in fierce combat: imperial lineage.

When that person's gaze swept over them indifferently, the two of them involuntarily lowered their heads, feeling a sense of shame and inferiority rising in their hearts, and even unconsciously softened their breathing.

The mysterious young man looked down at the two of them, about to speak.

Dark clouds suddenly surged in the sky, gathering thick thunderclouds in just a few breaths. Two bolts of purple lightning struck down one after the other, hitting the young man squarely.

The lightning crackled, but the young man didn't even flinch; instead, he wore a relaxed and contented expression, his aura rising steadily.

For the two of them, the lightning was like a heavy, ancient mountain, pressing down on them and making their chests feel tight and their legs tremble.

The unbelievable scene left the two of them dumbfounded, their minds completely blank.

At this moment, the mysterious young man finally spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Where is this place? And who are you?"

The burly young man was momentarily stunned, then blurted out, "This is the territory of Wu and Yue. We are martial artists from the Wu and Yue Kingdom, participating in the once-a-decade Autumn Hunt Martial Arts Competition!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized that he sounded like a subordinate responding.

Recalling that instinctive bowing he had just felt, it was as if a commoner were meeting an emperor. The deep-seated awe made his back instantly covered in cold sweat, and his eyes were filled with terror as he looked at the young man.

This person is truly too strange!

"The Kingdom of Wu and Yue..."

The young man frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "After leaving the Imperial Mausoleum Secret Realm, I was actually thrown into the Wu-Yue region by spatial turbulence. Fortunately, Wu-Yue is in the southeast of Jin-Liang, not too far from the Biyou Sect."