This was a circular plaza, its ground paved with bluestone slabs. Three of its sides were enveloped in darkness, offering no passage, while the fourth led to a wide bluestone avenue.
Li Xiaotian followed Long Yi to the edge of the plaza, his eyes flickering as he gazed at the bluestone avenue before him.
"If you follow this road for about a kilometer, my brothers discovered a bronze gate," Long Yi reported to Li Xiaotian, detailing his findings.
"The gate hasn't been opened yet. It requires cooperation from brothers who cultivate demonic soldiers, but I was worried about potential danger, so we haven't touched it. We can leave this space anytime, but if we leave now, our situation won't change. It's better to grow stronger here in silence."
"Let's go take a look," Li Xiaotian said. Leaving this space now would not alter their circumstances. It was better to grow stronger here in silence. Moreover, since they were in this space, they had to understand it. Perhaps the solution to the demonic soldier cultivation technique could be found here.
"This must have been a sect of some top ancient power, but they haven't awakened," Li Xiaotian murmured. The plaza ahead seemed more like a training ground. Deeper inside should be the sect's inner sanctum.
A few minutes later, Li Xiaotian found himself before a colossal bronze gate, six meters high and over five meters wide, intricately carved with numerous dark patterns. He examined it closely. At the very center of the bronze gate was the back of a person, occupying nearly half the gate's area. Surrounding this figure were countless soldiers in neat formations. At the very top of the gate, a circular plaque bore a single, black character: "魔" (Mo – Demon).
As Li Xiaotian looked at it, his vision suddenly dimmed, and he heard faint whispers. Goosebumps prickled his skin, and he felt a gaze fixed upon him from behind.
"Hoo!" Li Xiaotian forcibly averted his gaze, his face paling as he gasped for air. The word "Mo" alone instilled in him a sense of extreme danger. What lay behind the gate? Was it a paramount ancient power that had yet to awaken? Li Xiaotian was filled with questions. Throughout history, anything associated with demons was considered evil. If a formidable ancient being was slumbering here, had their arrival awakened it?
No, if it had been awakened, there would surely be some reaction. Li Xiaotian shook his head. The fact that powerful figures of the Emperor level couldn't find this place suggested that the powers within were incredibly terrifying, possibly reaching the Heaven level. Such a powerful being would hardly be pleased if its slumbering place was disturbed. Furthermore, why hadn't such a powerful being awakened yet?
"Brother, shall we go in?" Long Yi asked. Those who cultivated demonic soldiers could resonate with the gate and open it.
Li Xiaotian frowned, debating whether to enter. If they went in and awakened the beings within, given the malevolent nature of this place, they were unlikely to be benevolent. They might even fly into a rage and slaughter everyone. However, if they didn't enter, the slumbering powers within would remain a ticking time bomb, potentially breaking free at any moment.
"Rumble." Li Xiaotian summoned the Sky Stele, having made his decision. He would go in and see. Whatever was meant to happen would happen eventually; it was better to take initiative than to wait. Moreover, with the Sky Stele, he had an additional means of self-preservation. At worst, he could hand over the Sky Stele in exchange for their safe departure.
"Enter!" Li Xiaotian commanded, his body tensed, his expression vigilant. The Sky Stele floated behind him, ready to be activated.
Several warriors who cultivated demonic soldiers approached the gate. They circulated their cultivation techniques, their bodies emitting faint black energy. Then, working together, they pushed the gate open.
"Hum!" The gate, closed for countless years, revealed a sliver of an opening. Immediately, gusts of chilling wind blew from within, causing everyone present to shiver and their hearts to fill with a sense of cold.
"Brother, I have a bad feeling. The world has changed drastically. Do you think there might be ghosts?" Long Yi whispered nervously, his face pale. The others around them also looked pale.
"Don't let your imagination run wild. Since it's open, let's see what's inside." Li Xiaotian's eyes flickered. The Sky Stele emitted a faint ripple of energy, enveloping the group and dispelling the lingering influence from the gate.
The gate slowly creaked open, revealing the scene within to the onlookers.
"Hiss!" Several gasps of shock echoed. Li Xiaotian gazed at the scene inside, his scalp tingling. He desperately wanted to urge everyone to flee immediately.
Inside the gate, a straight avenue led into the depths of darkness. On both sides of the avenue stood countless figures, standing rigidly like sculptures. They wore black armor and remained motionless, making not a sound.
Li Xiaotian and the others fell silent, their breathing carefully controlled. Were these all slumbering powerhouses? Li Xiaotian couldn't help but speculate.
"Whoosh ~" A gust of wind blew, and an unbelievable sight unfolded. The countless figures inside the gate instantly collapsed. The clatter of their armor echoed through the hollow interior. In an instant, the area within the gate became noisy, but Li Xiaotian and the others grew even more tense.
In the blink of an eye, no standing figures remained within the gate.
"Are they all inanimate?" someone whispered. A moment ago, they had seen dense ranks of figures, like an army of thousands, but now, all of them had fallen.
"Let's go take a look," Li Xiaotian said, taking the lead. The others followed suit. Li Xiaotian approached a fallen suit of armor. Inside, there was nothing but a pile of powder.
"They've all turned to dust. These people are all dead!" Long Yi exclaimed, his tension not abating, but rather increasing. The world had undergone a great change, ancient beings were awakening, yet everyone here was dead. This was highly abnormal.
"King, they were all cultivators of demonic soldiers, just like us," a warrior who cultivated demonic soldiers said in a cold voice. He gazed at the fallen armor, his eyes flickering. "These armors seem to be prepared for cultivators of demonic soldiers. I can sense powerful energy within the armor."
"Let's not touch anything here for now," Li Xiaotian instructed, then looked towards the depths. This space was incredibly bizarre. Although dark, it allowed them to see their surroundings. The deepest part, however, was an impenetrable darkness, obscuring everything.
"Have someone inspect this place." Li Xiaotian commanded, then began walking towards the depths. Long Yi and the others quickly followed. The plaza before them was vast, accommodating at least tens of thousands of people. The creator of this space must have possessed sufficient power to keep these individuals in slumber, waiting to awaken after the world's great change, much like the awakened ancient beings. Yet, now they were all dead. It was all too bizarre.