In the beginning, the women were extremely anxious, each wishing they could take Ning Beichen's place and suffer the torment themselves. Liu Yilin even started to cry.
However, gradually, the atmosphere shifted in a peculiar way. Seeing Ning Beichen endure like an unkillable cockroach, growing stronger with each battle and even becoming exhilarated, left them speechless, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Finally, after an unknown number of times, the power of the attacks against Ning Beichen ceased. This signaled that the protective force left by the Emperor had been depleted.
It was likely that even the Emperor at the time wouldn't have foreseen someone using such a method to break through his residual defenses.
To employ this method, the conditions were incredibly stringent. If the intruder were an Emperor, they wouldn't need such means; they could directly suppress everything by force.
If they were below the Emperor realm, they wouldn't be able to withstand the attacks of the Emperor's protective force.
Ning Beichen, however, was an anomaly. He was a Celestial Venerable, but not an ordinary one, and with his Prajna Golden Body, he was capable of enduring an Emperor's assault.
Had it been anyone else, even another Celestial Venerable would have perished.
Ning Beichen walked to the front of the palace and pushed the door with his hand. With a creak, the palace door opened, revealing a coffin suspended within, adorned with purple-gold dragon patterns.
"Could a true Emperor truly be buried in this coffin?"
Ning Beichen and the others gazed at the suspended purple-gold dragon-patterned coffin, their hearts filled with excitement.
They had seen Celestial Venerables before; Ning Beichen himself was one. But an Emperor was a legend, a figure that had become mythical in this particular time and space.
Ning Beichen approached the suspended coffin, walking right up to it and reaching out to open the lid.
However, as his hand touched the coffin lid, a force emanated from within, repelling his hand.
Following this, a phantom emerged from the coffin and appeared before Ning Beichen.
"Audacious! Who dares defile my sarcophagus?" the phantom questioned sternly.
"You're dead, so why so much nonsense?"
Ning Beichen directly thrust his sword forward. It was merely a phantom left by the deceased; did it truly believe itself to be the real entity?
The phantom never anticipated that Ning Beichen would disregard it entirely. Before it could utter another word, it was cleaved by Ning Beichen's sword, a truly unfortunate end.
Had it been someone else, they would likely have been terrified, even prostrating themselves and begging for forgiveness.
But Ning Beichen paid no heed to a mere phantom. If the true Emperor were present, that would be a different matter.
After dispatching the phantom, Ning Beichen directly used his sword to heave open the coffin lid. The heavy lid, weighing at least ten tons, smashed into the ground, creating a deep pit.
Ning Beichen peered into the coffin, finding a corpse within. The corpse was remarkably lifelike, showing no signs of decay.
However, just as Ning Beichen reached out to touch the body, it disintegrated upon contact, turning into a pile of ashes. It seemed that even an Emperor could not achieve true immortality.
With a hint of regret, Ning Beichen brushed aside the ashes and discovered a small, purple-gold dragon-patterned box, similar in appearance to the coffin, buried beneath.
Ning Beichen retrieved the box from the coffin. With a click, he opened the lid, revealing a thin bronze plate within. Ning Beichen's face lit up with joy.
He immediately picked it up and examined it, discovering it contained the cultivation insights of an Emperor, along with some Emperor-level techniques and other materials. Ning Beichen was overjoyed.
Following this, the group began to search the grand hall, discovering numerous divine weapons and formidable armaments. Ning Beichen, with a wave of his hand, declared that everyone would receive a share, including Shi San, who was so delighted he couldn't stop smiling.
Soon, the place was plundered bare; everything that could be carried was taken, resembling a band of brigands. However, Ning Beichen was unable to find any information about the Emperor's identity or any records of his life. The phantom had also been eliminated by his sword, leaving no opportunity for further inquiry.
Not long after, they emerged from the Emperor's tomb. This time, they encountered no significant dangers.
In truth, the most challenging aspect had been breaking the formations. However, this was precisely Ning Beichen's forte, so exploring the Emperor's tomb proved to be relatively straightforward.
Approximately half a month later, their flying vessel successfully exited the storm region, marking the triumphant conclusion of their expedition.
To Shi San's even greater delight, Ning Beichen kept his promise and did not kill him. Instead, he bestowed upon him two treasures, leaving Shi San overwhelmed with gratitude, thanking him repeatedly.
Had it been anyone else, wanting treasures would have been out of the question; merely surviving would have been a fortune.
Ning Beichen released Shi San and, instead of returning to the market, he boarded the flying vessel and continued his journey towards the world of Yadell and her companions.
However, certain events were beyond Ning Beichen's anticipation. Before they had traveled far, they were intercepted.
And it wasn't just anyone who had stopped them, but the proprietor of the market himself, the portly Huang Baishan.
"Market Master, what is the meaning of this?"
Ning Beichen regarded the fat man before him. Actually, it wasn't just one fat man, but three: two males and one female, all siblings, and all of them corpulent. Furthermore, all possessed the cultivation of Celestial Venerables.
Their arrival boded no good. Ning Beichen did not believe the deceased fat man was there to bid them farewell.
Moreover, three Celestial Venerables arriving at once – Ning Beichen certainly didn't possess that much influence.
"Heh heh, Young Master Ning, I heard you successfully excavated an Emperor's tomb." Huang Baishan said with a smile.
"That's right, did Shi San tell you?" Ning Beichen did not deny it, but he regretted letting Shi San go.
"Yes, and no. In my market, nothing can escape my notice." Huang Baishan declared confidently.
"Where is Shi San?" Ning Beichen inquired, wanting to know if Shi San had betrayed him.
Huang Baishan clapped his hands, and Shi San appeared before Ning Beichen. However, the Shi San before them was in a sorry state, covered in wounds, his entire body battered and broken. It was evident he had endured severe torture.
Very well, seeing Shi San's condition, Ning Beichen knew there was no need to ask further.
In the presence of three Celestial Venerables, Shi San, even if he were made of steel or granite, would have become as soft as clay. This was no longer a matter of whether he betrayed them or not; it was a matter of forced betrayal.
Shi San opened his swollen eyes, moved his crooked mouth, and tried to speak. Ultimately, he was unable to utter a sound.
"Huang Baishan, what do you want?" Ning Beichen asked, his expression darkening.
"I am the Market Master, and also a businessman. Naturally, I wish to purchase some items related to the Emperor from Young Master Ning." Huang Baishan replied.
"Is that all? I thought it was some grand demand. Yilin, give him two weapons. No payment needed; consider it a token of our gratitude for your warm hospitality." Ning Beichen said.