"Indeed, the First Emperor's tomb has always been a legend in our archaeological circles. No one has ever found its true location. It is said that Qin Shi Huang constructed an entire miniature empire underground, complete with a massive imperial palace and royal city. Strange treasures are displayed within, and the sun, moon, and rivers are etched out by mystical methods—there's even a heavenly palace floating above the nine heavens."
Liu Qu's eyes lit up. He had studied Qin Shi Huang's tomb personally in the past, poring through ancient texts and even apocryphal legends. Some artisans had left behind vague mentions of its structure.
Allegedly, it was a colossal underground palace, suspended in mid-air, like a floating celestial palace. Even in death, Qin Shi Huang wished to be buried there, to transform into the Heavenly Emperor. Vast numbers of terracotta warriors were also entombed with him.
He had once attempted to explore the tomb's supposed location, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't enter it. The geomantic configuration was too terrifying—completely inaccessible, with no discernible entrance.
It had remained a major regret in his heart ever since.
"Is this treasure map real or fake? How many fragments are there? If we assemble all of them, will we truly find the tomb of the First Emperor? More importantly… is the First Emperor even dead? We've never heard a word about him. Liu Daoist, have you ever heard of any Qin Dynasty ministers or generals appearing?"
Sikong Zhaixing's expression was grim as he spoke slowly. These were the questions that needed answers.
"From my investigations, no civil or military officials from the Qin Dynasty have emerged—not even a trace. None of them appeared in the God-Demon Battlefield, nor did they establish any fortune dynasties. Not even a trace of Great Qin remains. No sign of Ying Zheng, Zhao Gao, Bai Qi, or any other has ever been found," Liu Qu replied gravely.
That made the mystery even thicker. If only one or two were missing, that would be explainable—but all of them? Not even the slightest evidence? It was as if the entire Great Qin Dynasty had been deliberately erased from existence. The deeper one investigated, the stranger it felt.
If Great Qin truly existed somewhere, how could there be no rumors, no traces? A figure like Bai Qi—how could he remain utterly silent?
Yet now, fragments of the treasure map to the First Emperor's tomb had surfaced. That in itself was unsettling.
Was Ying Zheng truly dead?
That remained an unsolved mystery.
But the possibility of the First Emperor's tomb being real… that was an irresistible temptation to anyone.
"From what I've learned, a fragment of the treasure map to the First Emperor's tomb will be auctioned off at the upcoming Dragon Palace Auction. If we can acquire it, we might be able to deduce how many fragments exist in total," said General Wudi.
Naturally, the Dragon Palace Auction wasn't shy about its item listings—those interested had already gotten word. And the appearance of this map fragment had confirmed it: the treasure map was not an ordinary item, but part of a heavenly treasure, a world-born artifact.
That made the map far more credible—and far more valuable.
Others who also held fragments might be drawn to the auction. Some might even bring their pieces along.
Not to be outdone, Lu Huang and the others quietly resolved among themselves to win the bidding war and obtain that map fragment at all costs.
Of course, the banquet continued.
Yi Tianxing didn't refuse any of the delicacies set before him. The Dragon Palace's chefs were clearly exceptional—each dish left a lingering flavor that made him crave more. He consumed all the spiritual fruits and gourmet dishes presented, wasting none.
Meanwhile, within his body, his Gourmet Cells and Food Cauldron Life Aperture were constantly active.
Heaven and earth energy flowed into his flesh and bones, as the Food Cauldron refined the essence of the meals. With every bite, his physical strength grew stronger. There were no bottlenecks, no limits—so long as he kept eating, he kept gaining power. Many of the foods here were things he had never tasted before.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Unknowingly, five crisp chimes rang out from within.
Five Resonances of the Crimson Cauldron – Five Million Jin of Physical Strength!
Since breaking through to Two Resonances of the Crimson Cauldron during the ghost market incident before the Great Cataclysm, Yi Tianxing had continued to train diligently, consuming countless rare foods. Over the past two or three years, his strength had steadily increased.
He'd already advanced to Four Resonances, with more than four million jin of strength. Now, after feasting on the Dragon Palace's delicacies, his strength naturally rose to Five Resonances—five million jin.
Every minor advancement was a monumental transformation.
Body cultivation was harder than qi cultivation.Every step was a metamorphosis of life itself.
At the Third Tier of Body Cultivation – Crimson Cauldron, this level was equivalent to the Life Map Realm in qi cultivation. But even Life Map Realm cultivators would be crushed by a single punch from Yi Tianxing. A strike empowered by millions of jin of strength—this wasn't something ordinary cultivators could match. Even Dharma Phase Realm experts could be challenged head-on.
To him, cross-realm combat was routine.
Such a transformation, rooted in the essence of life, left Yi Tianxing deeply entranced.If he could, he'd rather never wake from this state.
"Daoist Gongsun, your sword dance earlier was truly unmatched, unequaled in heaven and on earth. Just witnessing it has made this banquet worthwhile—truly a journey without regrets."
Yi Tianxing looked at Gongsun Daniu, seated beside him.
Though her face was veiled, her performance and reputation spoke for themselves. Her sword dance was legendary, and her beauty was said to rival it—so great it could dim the stars and eclipse the moon.
More importantly, she was a powerful human cultivator.
"Emperor Yi flatters me. It's just a minor sword dance technique—how can it compare to you opening the heavens, founding a fortune dynasty, and creating a safe haven for the human race? My skill is nothing next to that."
Gongsun Daniu smiled as she raised her glass to him, speaking with sincere humility. Her gaze held a spark of curiosity as she looked at Yi Tianxing.
She thought to herself, I've heard much of the Great Yi Dynasty. The emperor doesn't match the exaggerated rumors—but his presence is unique. His imperial aura surpasses any monarch I've ever seen.
Rumors described him in all kinds of ways:Some claimed he stood eight feet tall, with arms just as thick, three heads and six arms, a mouth wide enough to swallow beasts—bloodthirsty and brutal.Others said he was devastatingly handsome, the very embodiment of beauty.Still others described him as towering and awe-inspiring.
Clearly, none of the rumors were accurate.
But to Gongsun Daniu, the real Yi Tianxing was far more convincing. At first glance, he didn't disappoint at all. Founding such a prosperous dynasty alone proved he was someone to stand atop the world. Few could rival that feat.
She also realized: his cultivation level… was incredibly high, his strength unfathomable. As a dynasty founder whose personal power grew in tandem with his fortune dynasty, his capabilities and foundations were clearly extraordinary.
Both of them sought friendship, so their conversation flowed with mutual respect.
"Daoist Gongsun, may I ask where you resided before this?"
After a while, Yi Tianxing finally asked.
"I wasn't on the same continent as you, Your Majesty," Gongsun Daniu replied. "I lived on a large sea island, not huge, but enough for tens or even hundreds of millions of people. There were both humans and other races. The humans there were mostly nomadic tribes like the Xiongnu and Mongols. They'd already established a fortune dynasty called the Heavenly Eagle Royal Court. They treated Han Chinese as slaves—life was miserable, full of suffering."
A shadow passed through her eyes.
Her strength, though formidable, was limited in the face of a fortune dynasty. She had tried to help—she'd attacked barbarian tribes and freed captives. But every time she killed a thousand enemies, they'd kill ten thousand Han civilians in revenge. A tenfold slaughter.
She couldn't turn a blind eye to that. In the end, she had no choice but to retreat in silence.
"Those barbaric races truly deserve extermination. Even in the Eternal World, they haven't changed their nature."
Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed with anger.
He'd killed Xiongnu tribes before. He knew all too well how cruel they were.He understood the consequences of letting such people rise to power.
History proved it: the Mongols devastated the Central Plains.The Qing Dynasty introduced generations of servility into the veins of the Han people.