This time, the Cosmic Lake did not appear, nor did the thatched hut manifest. As for the herb fields, they remained withered, devoid of the fragrance of immortality elixirs.
Yet, under the unchanged environment of the Forbidden Zone, the middle-aged man “manifested” in a manner unlike his previous appearances.
Clad in snow-white robes, his divine grace as flawless as jade, he was a peerlessly handsome man. His face bore an expression of astonishment as he gazed at the nine dragon bones and the bronze coffin.
“Senior, do you have any guidance?” Shi Hao asked, setting down the coffin.
Both the dragon bones and the coffin were incredibly heavy—ordinary people wouldn’t even be able to lift them. When placed on the ground, the earth trembled violently.
“What kind of corpse was once buried in this bronze coffin?” Shi Hao inquired.
“A corpse? Why do you assume it must hold the dead?” The master of the Forbidden Zone was taken aback.
“Isn’t a coffin meant for corpses?” Shi Hao was momentarily stunned.
“Ah, times have changed. The original purpose of such artifacts is no longer the same.” The white-robed man shook his head, as if suddenly realizing something, and sighed softly, filled with emotion.
“Does the coffin have other meanings?” Shi Hao asked in surprise.
“This is the Coffin of Three Lifetimes. Its origins are vast, mysterious, and exceedingly ancient.” The Forbidden Zone master revealed some of its secrets directly.
Shi Hao had heard of this coffin before—it was known as the Coffin of Three Lifetimes. He had long been curious about it, but no one could explain its origins. Now, his heart burned with anticipation, for he knew the Forbidden Zone master must possess the answers.
“A coffin is a place of slumber, a resting ground, a war fortress for the mighty!”
These words left Shi Hao dumbfounded, overturning his understanding. Wasn’t a coffin meant to hold the dead?
“Especially this one—the most renowned of all. It represents the past, present, and future. It is a place of hibernation for the strong, not a burial ground, but a sanctuary for recuperation, to emerge even stronger in the future!”
The Forbidden Zone master’s words shocked Shi Hao.
Could someone truly seek eternal indestructibility, living on without ever dying? The so-called Coffin of Three Lifetimes did not bury three lifetimes of people but symbolized eternity itself.
Past, present, future—someone slumbered within. It was not a grave but a war fortress.
“What of its owner? Could they still be slumbering inside?” Shi Hao asked. If the answer was yes, it would be astounding.
The Forbidden Zone master shook his head. “The coffin is too ancient to be destroyed, but there are no longer any sleeping beings within. Its owner has departed.”
According to him, the coffin had been empty for one or two epochs, its owner vanished without a trace.
Perhaps even longer.
No one could trace the coffin’s origins or pinpoint the era it began.
During the Immortal Ancient Era, it had merely been used by the true immortals as a means of escape. When the Immortal Ancient Era collapsed, it was said to have buried an entire epoch.
“Perhaps it is the coffin from the Era of Fallen Emperors,” the Forbidden Zone master murmured with a sigh.
Shi Hao’s heart stirred. He thought of the Great Luo Sword Embryo—a peculiar blade that, under extreme circumstances, not only emitted immortal light but also revealed terrifying scenes of blood watering ancient graves. The most shocking of these was an image of a being curled up, seated atop a bronze coffin.
“That’s the coffin!”
Shi Hao’s mind was anything but calm.
He proceeded to ask many questions about the coffin, but unfortunately, even the Forbidden Zone master could not explain its true origins.
Soon after, Shi Hao took the initiative—boldly attempting to enter the coffin.
“A smaller coffin!”
Within the massive bronze coffin, dozens of meters in size, lay a smaller one.
With the Forbidden Zone master present, he had no fear and explored bravely.
Despite Shi Hao’s innate divine strength and extraordinary cultivation, it took immense effort to open the smaller coffin. Instantly, misty radiance burst forth, and vital energy spread out.
Brilliant multicolored light illuminated the surroundings, brimming with dense vitality.
Inside, mist swirled, too hazy to see through—like a gateway to another realm.
Shi Hao was stunned. Just as the Forbidden Zone master had said, this was no resting place for the dead but a sanctuary of recuperation, a war fortress. The vitality within was overwhelming.
“Oh? After enduring the trials of time, its dried-up state has gradually recovered, revealing life once more,” the Forbidden Zone master remarked in surprise.
Clearly, he had encountered this coffin before and explored it himself.
Gritting his teeth, Shi Hao leaped inside.
It was a lush, miniature world—verdant with dense vegetation and abundant spiritual herbs. Extraordinary.
Its expanse was vast, capable of sustaining a large population.
“This is a paradise! We could even relocate Stone Village here!” Shi Hao exclaimed joyfully.
In truth, it could accommodate far more people.
“The heroic spirits who once dwelled here have long departed. This is now an ownerless treasure,” the Forbidden Zone master nodded, then mused, “Has the outside world undergone cataclysmic changes?”
Ever since the coffin emptied, he had known something major had occurred in the Upper Realm.
Shi Hao nodded, recounting the darkness that had engulfed fifteen provinces.
“Indeed!” The Forbidden Zone master was slightly startled, then sighed. “The war souls of the Immortal Ancient Era who once resided in this coffin must have perished!”
“What?” Shi Hao gasped.
“With the return of darkness, how could the lingering souls of fallen true immortals resist?” The Forbidden Zone master stated firmly. If the Immortal Domain did not intervene, the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths would soon be annihilated.
“What are the dark creatures? Where do they come from?” Shi Hao pressed, desperate for answers.
“See for yourself. Observe. Understand.” The Forbidden Zone master refused to answer directly.
“Why?” Shi Hao was puzzled. Why wouldn’t the white-robed man tell him outright?
“I fear it would crush your spirit. The truth is cruel—you would realize how overwhelmingly powerful they are. Moreover, even I do not know their true origins.”
His words left Shi Hao stunned.
There were clearly hidden truths here—some the Forbidden Zone master knew, others he did not.
In the end, Shi Hao carried the nine dragon bones and the coffin back to Stone Village, leaving everyone in awe.
“You went to the Upper Realm and actually brought this back…” Yun Xi was dumbfounded. She had heard of this coffin and was deeply shocked by Shi Hao’s feat.
“Can we make soup with all these dragon bones?” The big black tortoise scurried over, stretching its long neck, drooling profusely.
“Real dragon bones!” The crowd rushed forward to touch them in amazement.
“White Tiger bone wine is already a rare elixir—imagine what liquor brewed from true dragon bones would be like!” The Zhu Yan wiped its drool.
“You gluttons! Do not defile my ancestors!” The Red Dragon’s eyes burned with fury as it lunged forward, caressing the bones.
Seeing this, Shi Hao had an idea. “I have a task for you. Focus and see if you can decipher the true dragon runes from them, inheriting their legacy!”
The Red Dragon closed its eyes, then shook its head dejectedly. “They’ve long been erased.”
“If you can’t find the runes, we’ll use them for soup!” Shi Hao declared.
He departed again, returning to the Upper Realm via the celestial path. He needed to see for himself—what havoc would the darkness wreak upon the Upper Realm?
He was deeply concerned. Many of his old friends and comrades were still there. If disaster struck, he wanted to rescue them and bring them to the Lower Realm.
At the very least, the Thirty Bronze Coffins could resist the corrosion of darkness, shielding them from its taint.
“The Immortal Domain has mobilized its forces!”
Upon returning to the Upper Realm, Shi Hao received shocking news—the Immortal Domain had acted, dispatching a great army to this realm.
They could no longer stand idly by!
“When will they arrive?”
“Any moment now!”
…
Listening to the discussions, Shi Hao’s heart was anything but calm.
Recently, envoys from the Immortal Domain had issued decrees, assuring this realm that they would not stand by. A great army was coming to defend this world.
Shi Hao sneered. The Immortal Domain was acting out of self-preservation, fearing the dark substance would grow too dense and eventually corrode their realm.
After all, when he had entered the Immortal Domain with the two Burial Kings, they had been scorned as impure, carrying ominous auras.
Now, with the dark creatures emerging, the Immortal Domain would surely be even more desperate.
Upon learning of the recent developments, Shi Hao was even more astonished.
No wonder the Immortal Domain could no longer remain passive—the dark lands had expanded from fifteen provinces to a hundred in just a few days!
Out of three thousand provinces, a hundred had already been swallowed. The speed was terrifying!
Moreover, the dark regions were no longer silent. Within the depths of the black mist, countless shadows moved—an endless army of creatures.
Upon hearing this, Shi Hao inhaled sharply. The situation had escalated to an extreme.
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