The booming roar grew ever louder.
The metallic clash of iron chains echoed, seeping into everyone’s ears.
And then—
In the distance,
The massive Bronze Coffin, bound by several gigantic iron chains, suddenly began to move.
The colossal Bronze Coffin shook violently.
The thunderous booming pounded in everyone’s ears.
Wave after wave of terrifying aura gathered there.
The Bronze Coffin’s tremors grew ever stronger, until the entire Coldspire Peak rang with the heart-shaking clatter of iron chains.
The metallic clang echoed between heaven and earth.
Suddenly—
Iron chains buried deep underground broke free under the Bronze Coffin’s tremors, erupting onto the surface.
Those massive iron chains burst from the earth.
Among them, one colossal crimson chain was especially eye-catching.
That chain was anchored at the very center of the Bronze Coffin; whatever was buried at its far end deep underground remained a mystery.
Yet from the far end of that crimson chain, a tremendous force surged into the Bronze Coffin, dragging the towering sarcophagus across heaven and earth.
The ground cracked in thick lines; wherever the Bronze Coffin passed, earth and stone churned and exploded, shaking heaven and earth with overwhelming might.
Grandmaster You narrowed his eyes, watching the airborne gray petals drifting like ash and the massive Bronze Coffin rushing toward him, his expression cold and detached.
“Phoenix Bai, after all these years, you still don’t plan to come out of that Bronze Coffin?”
Grandmaster You’s gaze remained icy as he watched the huge coffin hurtling closer.
When the Bronze Coffin reached the Coldspire Summit Arena—
The crimson chain halted its forward momentum, and black iron chains once again surged around the coffin.
Cold, steel-like chains anchored the Bronze Coffin upright on the arena.
“Discussing the Dao is just discussing the Dao. As long as I’m alive, I can discuss it—whether I step out or not makes no difference.”
A genderless, emotionless voice echoed from within the Bronze Coffin, carried by the chains into the earth and then into everyone’s ears.
“No difference at all.”
Grandmaster You sneered, “Back then you got hold of a woman’s severed hand and shut yourself away for ages. After all these years, are you still hoping to comprehend some profound Dao from that hand?”
“It’s laughable, pitiful, and utterly delusional.”
Grandmaster You’s tone dripped with contempt.
A woman’s hand?
Hearing Grandmaster You’s words, Lucy Bai frowned slightly. In all these years, she’d never heard her Patriarch mention anything about this, nor had the elder beside her ever brought it up.
“You mortals don’t understand the Heavenly Dao. I’ve already glimpsed the heavenly mechanism—I walk a different path than you.”
The voice sounded again from within the Bronze Coffin.
“Then today’s the perfect chance for me to see it for myself.”
Grandmaster You nodded. “Once Zhou Tiantong comes out of seclusion, I want to see whether you, Phoenix Bai, are still the same as back then after all these years.”
“If you won’t come out of that bronze coffin, I’ll open the lid myself!”
Grandmaster You burst out laughing, his voice wild and unrestrained.
“Would I dare?”
Phoenix Bai’s voice was cold as ever.
Over a dozen massive chains around the Bronze Coffin suddenly rose from the ground and smashed down toward Grandmaster You.
Terrifying power swept through the air, stirring up invisible ripples.
The wind howled fiercely.
Kneeling You Han’s face turned pale.
Yet Grandmaster You simply reached out with one hand; lines and runes appeared in his palm, and soon a barrier condensed in front of him.
Thunderous booms erupted.
The chains smashed down, but the barrier—no thicker than a veil—held firm against the terrifying blows of multiple iron chains.
Heavy, muffled sounds echoed again and again.
Grandmaster You remained completely unfazed.
Stone fragments flew everywhere as the chains kept crashing down.
Grandmaster You looked utterly at ease, not feeling the slightest bit of pressure.
After several rounds of attacks—
Grandmaster You waved a single hand, and the countless iron chains smashing down shattered with a thunderous crack.
“Is this how you show your anger, with these feeble tricks?”
Grandmaster You sneered, staring at the massive Bronze Coffin before him.
This was just a simple probe.
Neither side had the intent to go for the kill.
Yet even this brief exchange had left the surroundings in utter chaos.
The arena was littered with shards of stone.
But after Grandmaster You finished speaking, within just a few breaths, the shattered arena began to restore itself at a visible pace.
The scattered stones quickly returned to their original places.
The entire arena returned to a smooth, circular platform, all damage completely repaired as if nothing had ever happened.
For Lucy Bai and the others, this miraculous sight seemed almost routine.
The Coldspire Peak Arena—
Located in the Coldspire Mountain range.
As long as the mountain doesn’t collapse or die, no matter how many times the arena is destroyed, it will always be fully restored in a matter of moments.
“Today, you’re fortunate enough to see me.”
Phoenix Bai’s voice from within the Bronze Coffin remained utterly emotionless; the words were clearly addressed to Grandmaster You.
Phoenix Bai had yet to emerge, but the Bronze Coffin stood tall atop the arena, towering into the clouds with overwhelming presence.
Around the Bronze Coffin, gray petals continued to appear, dance, and finally vanish.
At Grandmaster You’s signal, You Han rose to his feet.
Lucy Bai and the elder stood before the Bronze Coffin’s door.
After that brief clash—
Lucy Bai had Phoenix Bai protecting her.
Luo Yaoyi and You Han had Grandmaster You shielding them.
But Zhou Xuan wasn’t so lucky—he was battered and disheveled by flying debris.
Covered in dust and dirt, he got up from the ground.
When Grandmaster You and Phoenix Bai clashed, he’d tried to activate the formation to protect himself.
But Zhou Xuan quickly realized the formation was useless against them.
That was probably because the formation had originally been created by the two of them together with Zhou Tiantong. But since Grandmaster You, Phoenix Bai, and their disciples were rarely at Coldspire Mountain, they’d left Zhou Xuan in charge of the formation.
“Now that the two of us are here, Zhou Tiantong, after so many years cultivating your Ascendant Immortal Arts, isn’t it time for you to come out and meet us?”
Grandmaster You spoke up at that moment.
When he appeared, the plants and trees of Coldspire Mountain were startled.
When Phoenix Bai appeared, the massive stones of Coldspire Mountain shattered.
And as Grandmaster You’s words faded—
“You two came out a bit early, but you caught the right moment. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
A series of voices echoed.
Falling from the sky.
Hearing the voice—
Lucy Bai looked up, the elder raised his eyes, Grandmaster You’s brows furrowed, You Han’s expression changed, and outside the Bronze Coffin, the chains rang out.
Luo Yaoyi struggled to lift her head.
Looking up, she saw a pair of eyes suddenly open in the deep blue sky.
At the same moment—
Within the wall of fire, the young man’s body surged with spiritual energy!