"Heavenly Coffin Blessing, All Taboos Nullified!!"
Cao Cao snorted coldly as he witnessed the attack. A sharp cry escaped his lips, and suddenly, a strange bronze coffin-shaped mark appeared on his forehead, glimmering with divine light. As soon as the iron chains approached him, it was as if the coffin had opened wide, revealing a pitch-black rift that devoured all the chains without mercy.
In the next instant, the chains vanished—without leaving even the slightest ripple behind.
"Demonic tricks like yours will never touch me,"Cao Cao sneered.
He spun around and slashed out with the Heaven-Relying Sword. The sword light shot forth like a blazing ribbon, infused with terrifying sword intent that seemed capable of rending gold and stone. Even more fearsome was the burning, sun-like yang flame riding within the blade. Wherever it passed, the void itself seemed to ignite, the temperature spiking dramatically.
"Kill!!"shouted the black-robed cultivator, swinging his Death Scythe toward Cao Cao.
"Fight!!"
The Flame Lion King, with his golden mane whipping wildly in the wind, let out a sky-shaking roar. A massive flaming paw, like the hand of a god, swiped at Cao Cao with the intent to tear him apart. At the same time, a golden tail sprouted behind him, gleaming like the sun and wrapped in flame. Before the eye could follow, the tail had elongated into a giant golden whip, burning with wild, rampant energy, lashing toward Cao Cao with devastating force.
"True Sunfire!!"cried the Sphinx-like beast, its voice filled with dread. Twin beams of gray death light shot from its eyes, carrying a palpable sense of lethal threat.
"To challenge me within the Great Wei Dynasty—you're courting death."
Cao Cao remained icy and calm, not showing a hint of panic. It was clear he did not see this crisis as insurmountable. A thought crossed his mind, and suddenly, a radiant light shimmered above his head as a massive bronze platform appeared out of thin air—shaped like a grand sacrificial altar. Perched atop was a green bronze sparrow, head tilted skyward as though ready to take flight.
The sparrow's form clearly wasn't crafted from ordinary materials. It was made from Immortal Green Bronze, a divine substance. This was a green bronze sparrow.
"Lifebound Treasure—Bronze Sparrow Terrace!!"
At the center of the platform stood the sparrow, not on the altar directly, but atop a bronze tree. From its branches hung various items: a bronze compass, a bronze blade, a bronze lantern, and bronze chains—all clinking softly in the wind.
This Bronze Sparrow Terrace was clearly Cao Cao's lifebound treasure. One could feel that it was a congenital relic, destined to mature into a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. For now, its aura had reached the level of a Profound-Grade Relic—already qualifying as a true magical artifact.
As the terrace manifested, one of the bronze chains soared through the air like lightning, attempting to bind the Flame Lion King. A bronze blade cleaved toward the sphinx-like beast. Meanwhile, the green bronze sparrow shrieked and dove toward the black-robed cultivator.
A deafening rumble echoed across the skies of Xuchang. Beams of divine light clashed and wove through the air, obscuring everything from sight. The aftershocks alone cracked the earth, sliced mountains, and turned ancient trees to ash.
The clash raged on for a time before all four figures once again took position in the air—each looking somewhat disheveled.
"Cao Cao, you'd best learn to adapt. Otherwise, the Great Wei will be destroyed,"sneered the black-robed figure.
"That tomb belongs to our race. Anger our king, and the Great Wei shall become a haunted wasteland,"the sphinx-like creature growled coldly.
"You can't guard that treasure forever. You'll regret it soon enough,"the Flame Lion King laughed wildly.
"If you're not afraid to die, then come and fight,"Cao Cao retorted, unwavering.
"This isn't over,"snapped the Flame Lion King before he and the others vanished.
Cao Cao did not pursue. The power he wielded wasn't his own—it would eventually fade. Once it did, facing these three would be an entirely different story.
"Interesting. Alien beings daring to strike at Xuchang itself… That tomb—and the treasure within it—must be something extraordinary."
Yi Tianxing watched the aftermath, his eyes gleaming with strange light. Without a doubt, the so-called tomb and its treasure were the cause of the Great Wei Dynasty's growing troubles. The fact that even other races coveted it proved its immeasurable value—they were willing to pay any price to obtain it.
"That Bronze Sparrow Terrace… it didn't even unleash its full strength. This was merely a test. The aliens are waiting—waiting for the tomb to open. That moment may well be the start of a final, decisive battle."
Yi Tianxing mused to himself.
Though he lacked complete information, he now had a rough outline of what was going on in the Great Wei.
With a faint smile, he turned and left.
Before long, he was back at his inn and had rented a private room.
Knock knock knock!!
Just after settling in, a sharp knocking came from the door.
Yi Tianxing opened his eyes. His expression shifted. He had only just arrived in this realm—he was unfamiliar with everyone. A visit at this time of night was anything but ordinary.
The sky outside had already begun to darken.
"Who is it?"he asked calmly.
"Barefoot I roam the ends of the earth, wherever the wind takes me. Friend, do you seek treasures? If so, take this invitation."
The voice outside was calm and unhurried. Then, silence. It was clear the person had already left.
Creak—
Yi Tianxing opened the door and found a jet-black invitation card resting just outside.
He picked it up and returned to the room.
"A Black Invitation...?"
Yi Tianxing studied the writing on the card with some surprise. As he opened it, glowing letters surfaced.
"Black Market Invitation — With this token, one may enter the Black Market. Here, you'll find a bazaar of rare treasures and an underground auction. Items are sold 'as-is'—no guarantees. The Black Market welcomes all, regardless of race or cultivation. All that matters is your eye for treasure."
There weren't many details. Just that it was a trading ground—but clearly no ordinary black market.
Unlike the public black markets set up by the Great Yi Dynasty, this one was on a different level altogether.
The invitation revealed that this market was a mysterious roaming entity, perhaps even a living artifact. It could move freely, and its location constantly shifted. When it appeared, it would distribute Black Invitations—like the one Yi Tianxing now held.
Legend held that only those with extraordinary treasure auras could receive such an invitation.
In other words, the price of entry was wealth—if you didn't have it, you couldn't even get in the door.
The Black Market was said to appear near tombs, and it specialized in trading tomb-born artifacts.
"Fascinating. A Black Market, huh. I've been to a Ghost Market, but this… this is on a whole new level. Perhaps I'll find the key to the Great Wei's troubles within."
His interest ignited, Yi Tianxing made up his mind.
Swoosh—
At a thought, a black portal opened within the room, its depths pitch-dark and eerie. It exuded a sense of abyssal dread.
Without hesitation, Yi Tianxing stepped through.
A powerful spatial force wrapped around him—one step, and he'd crossed into another world.
When he reappeared, he stood in a place shrouded in heavy black mist.
Vision was limited, even for a cultivator. Everything felt ghostly and dangerous.
He now wore a black robe—one that blocked divine sense and spiritual detection. With it, even face to face, no one could recognize you.
Naturally, wearing it was optional.