Chapter Sixty-Three: The Cemetery of the Gods

After leaving the Dark Forest, Qian Kun headed straight for the Far East Prairie, arriving in the southern region of the Kashar Tribe, deep within the famed Death Mountains. In the canyon beneath Twin Horn Peak, which resembled the horns of a ram, he settled onto a patch of grass and began to meditate. As his spiritual senses expanded, he easily perceived the howling winds funneling into the canyon, transforming due to the peculiar landscape. The particles of wind elements in the air collided, giving rise to a unique soundwave—one imperceptible to the ear—that spread ceaselessly throughout the canyon.

Qian Kun felt the subtle resonance of these soundwaves and quickly understood their hidden mysteries. Having already attained considerable insight into the essence of sound, he simply sat in contemplation for half a day, and his comprehension of this profound principle soared to new heights.

“Soundwaves, melody—when combined, they form the true essence of sound,” he murmured quietly as he slowly opened his eyes. His figure faded like a whispering breeze, vanishing without a trace.

Time seemed to slip away unnoticed. Roaming freely across the Yulan Continent, Qian Kun admired the scenery, sampled delicious cuisine, and never neglected his cultivation. In such a relaxed state, his progress in training was unusually rapid. Before long, the second day of the third month in Yulan Year 10024 arrived—the appointed time to enter the Cemetery of the Gods.

Qian Kun arrived early at the Dark Forest. After meeting Beirut, he requested to browse Beirut’s collection of books. Beirut did not refuse, allowing Qian Kun to freely explore his vast library.

As midnight descended, Beirut summoned Qian Kun and departed the metallic castle, preparing to lead the group to the Southern Sea.

“Lord Qian Kun?” Linley, recognizing him as he left the metallic castle holding a thick tome, refrained from greeting him, as Beirut’s command had already set the group in motion.

Qian Kun followed the others effortlessly, flying toward the Southern Sea, his gaze still fixed on his book, exuding an air of leisure and ease. The sight made the others whisper among themselves; those who had not known Qian Kun before now saw him in a new light.

The waters of the Southern Sea surged and roared. Across the Yulan Continent, the oceans covered vast expanses; the Northern Sea was already broad, but the Southern Sea was even more immense, terrifyingly so. At its farthest edge lay chaotic spatial currents.

In the deep night, the endless sea appeared pitch black.

“Here...” Beirut, flying ahead, suddenly halted, hovering above the ocean.

“At the deepest point beneath this sea lies the entrance to the Cemetery of the Gods. The passageway is about twenty thousand meters below the surface,” Beirut said with a faint smile. “I trust that the pressure of the deep sea won’t trouble you. If you can’t withstand even this depth, you’d best turn back now.”

With that, Beirut was the first to plunge into the water. Where his body passed, the sea parted, forming a channel.

The waters parted, creating five paths. Qian Kun and the others followed, diving into the depths.

Over eighty human and magical beast experts entered the sea without hesitation.

Deep beneath the waves, where darkness and silence reigned, only a few luminous creatures were visible. The Southern Sea was vast, home to many formidable magical beasts—water dragons, dragon turtles, hydras, giant deep-sea octopi—all among the most powerful in the Saint-level.

Yet as the group descended, their invisible aura radiated outward, frightening even the largest magical beasts into immobility, never daring to approach.

Upon reaching the ocean floor, guided by Beirut, the group traversed a submarine canyon and soon arrived before a massive black stone. It stood stark and bare at the canyon’s center, and above it hovered a transparent, shimmering portal emanating strange fluctuations.

“We’ve arrived!” Beirut’s deep, raspy voice echoed in every ear. “This spatial gate is the passage to the Cemetery of the Gods. Ordinarily, it’s sealed, blocked by an invisible barrier.”

As he spoke, a black beam shot from Beirut’s body, striking the portal. Instantly, the tranquil waters churned, and the portal radiated dazzling light. A thin membrane seemed to seal the door, but then, as if pierced by a needle, it vanished with a faint pop.

“Follow me. Enter together!” Beirut flew to the gate and stepped through in a single stride, disappearing from sight.

Qian Kun followed, as did the Martial God, the Grand Priest, and the others, each vanishing through the gate. Linley, Fain, and the other Saint-level experts hurried after.

Soon, the group found themselves in another plane, still beneath the sea, but now in the depths of another world.

“So this is the Divine Plane Beirut created after becoming a Chief God?” Qian Kun mused, sensing an invisible force suppressing his spiritual senses.

The group followed Beirut, flying for several miles before they finally glimpsed a colossal structure looming in the distance like a mountain.

“The Cemetery of the Gods? It’s truly grand. There are several peculiar auras—formidable. Could those be the corpses of the Four Divine Beasts?” Qian Kun wondered, squinting at the massive edifice.

The walls of the cemetery were four-sided, each bearing a giant bas-relief of one of the Four Divine Beasts, and beneath them, countless smaller carvings.

Below the Azure Dragon relief, all manner of dragon-shaped and serpentine magical beasts were arranged in order.

“Judging by the small carvings...” Beirut looked at the multitude beneath the Azure Dragon, “this time, the guardian of the first eleven layers is the Divine Beast Ba Serpent.”

“Ba Serpent? Lord Beirut, do they even stand a chance?” Dylin couldn’t help but ask.

Beirut glanced at him and replied with a faint smile, “This Ba Serpent reached maturity tens of thousands of years ago. As far as I know, it is now a middle-tier deity. Not just them—even if the five of you entered, aside from Qian Kun, a confrontation with Ba Serpent would mean certain death.”

Over eighty experts shivered at the words, their expressions changing. A middle-tier deity? Surely the Ba Serpent could slaughter them with a single breath.

“Do not worry; this is not a path of certain death. I’ll give you a brief overview of the cemetery. There are eighteen layers in total. The first ten hold no divine sparks. From the eleventh layer onward, you’ll encounter the corpses of gods and their divine sparks,” Beirut explained. “You are about to enter; the first eleven layers are overseen by the Ba Serpent. Beyond the twelfth, you’ll face divine-level guardians, and survival is slim.”

Soon, the left and right passages to the cemetery opened. On Beirut’s instructions, the human Saints entered from the left, the magical beast experts from the right. Only if they survived the first four layers would they meet again on the fifth.

Once all had entered, the Grand Priest looked at Beirut and asked, “Lord Beirut, what if Bebe encounters the Ba Serpent?”

“No worries. Bebe won’t meet the Ba Serpent. He’s taking the right passage,” Beirut replied with a smile.

Hissay’s expression changed. “Lord Beirut, do you mean...?”

Beirut smiled calmly. “When I opened the passages, I checked—Ba Serpent is in the left sector, below the fifth layer. That’s why I had the magical beast Saints enter from the right.”

“And Linley...” Hissay murmured.

Beirut answered indifferently, “Let’s hope he’s lucky. I cannot protect them forever. They chose to enter the cemetery of their own will. Let’s go. We’ll return in ten years.”

“Lord Beirut, may I remain here to cultivate for ten years?” Qian Kun, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

Beirut gazed deeply at Qian Kun, paused, then said, “Very well. If you wish to train here, so be it. But divine-level experts may only enter the cemetery after ten years; that rule cannot be changed.”

“I understand. I simply wish to avoid traveling back and forth. It makes no difference where I cultivate,” Qian Kun replied with a smile.

Beirut nodded slightly, then led the Martial God and others back toward the spatial gate by which they had come.