Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Defying the Holy Weapon Barehanded
"Could it be inside the burial coffin?" someone suggested.
This possibility was very slim, but not entirely impossible.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone’s gaze immediately focused on the coffin.
Some even stepped forward with the intent and action of wanting to open the coffin.
"The Demon Emperor’s Burial Coffin cannot be opened lightly. If something happens, none of us present may survive," an elder warned, thinking it was not the right time to open the coffin.
"If so, then let my Dragon Race take this coffin away. When the Ancestral King oversees it, even if there’s an accident, it should be manageable," a strong member of the Dragon Race suggested.
But how could the other major factions agree?
An elder from the Void Sacred Land spoke, "Though the Demon Emperor was cruel, he was after all our Human Race’s Ancient Emperor. How can his coffin be taken away by your Ancient Race?"
"An Ancestral King is ultimately just a Saint. This is the Ancient Emperor’s coffin. If an accident does occur, how could a Saint manage it? It’s better to let my Jiang Family take away this coffin and have the ancestor oversee it with an Emperor’s Item, that’s a sound strategy."
The Jiang Family, an Emperor’s lineage from the Eastern Desolation, had Emperor’s Items passed down to this generation.
"If you say that, my Mo Family also possesses Emperor’s Items and we’re located in Beiyou. Just bring the coffin to my Mo Family. Why go all the way to the Eastern Desolation?"
"The Demon Emperor’s Coffin is no small matter; leaving it to my Ancient Race for safekeeping is the safest policy."
The crowd began to argue, no one willing to let the Demon Emperor’s Coffin fall into the hands of others, each wanting to bring the coffin back to their own territory.
After all, the Ancient Emperor’s Burial Coffin likely has Emperor’s Items entombed with it, items that, if obtained, would greatly strengthen any faction.
More importantly, the value of the Ancient Emperor’s remains is absolutely immeasurable.
"No need to argue. In the interest of fairness, let’s open the coffin in public. Everyone can compete with their own abilities," someone suggested.
Especially the Loose Cultivators naturally supported this idea.
Everyone knew that once the coffin was taken away, it would have nothing to do with them as Loose Cultivators.
The so-called watching over by Ancestral Kings and Emperor’s Items were just excuses for these major factions to monopolize the Emperor’s Coffin.
"In that case, there’s no need to say more, just open the coffin directly." Finally, everyone agreed to this idea.
Soon, each major force sent a representative to the front of the coffin, intending to open it together.
A group of Loose Cultivators gathered behind them, all eagerly awaiting the moment, poised to act at any time.
In this Underground Palace, everyone’s cultivation was completely suppressed, which meant that anyone had the ability to compete for the Emperor’s Items.
"Creak!"
"Creak!"
"Creak!"
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the coffin was being gradually pushed open, and all eyes were fixed on it.
"Huh?"
"An empty coffin?"
When the coffin was fully opened, what appeared before everyone was an empty coffin.
Not only were there no Emperor’s Items buried with it, but even the Demon Emperor’s remains were absent.
"What’s going on?" Everyone couldn’t help but furrow their brows.
"Swoosh!"
At the moment of their confusion, a figure in white flashed across and in the blink of an eye appeared on the high platform.
The crowd was startled and looked over to find it was Ji Chen.
"In that case, this coffin belongs to me," Ji Chen said indifferently.
As soon as he said this, everyone present frowned involuntarily.
Mystics from the Ancient Race stepped forward, "Are you joking? Even if it’s an empty coffin, it should be shared among everyone. Why should you take it away alone?"
"Why?"
Ji Chen laughed, "Because my fists are bigger. Are you unsatisfied?"
"Arrogant!"
An elder of the Ancient Race snorted coldly, stepping forward, "Human brat, do you think having the Hongmeng Body makes you truly invincible?"
"Buzz!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he took out an Ancient Sword from his hand, surprisingly an Ancestral King’s Weapon, "If you want to monopolize the Emperor’s Coffin, you first have to see if I agree."
"In this Underground Palace, unable to use cultivation, the Sacred Artifact in your hand cannot really be activated. In the end, it’s just a harder piece of iron. Do you think you can stop me?" Ji Chen sneered.
"Ignorant brat, today I’ll put you down here to give an explanation for my clan members killed in Yao City."
The elder’s face immediately darkened. Outside, with his power, he could crush Ji Chen with just a finger.
"Buzz!"
As soon as his words fell, the elder strode towards Ji Chen, holding the sword with both hands, slashing fiercely at Ji Chen.
"Bang!"
Ji Chen snorted coldly and did not evade. Instead, he reached out and grabbed the ancient sword swung by the elder with one hand.
"To withstand a Holy Weapon barehanded!"
"The Hongmeng Body is truly extraordinary!"
Such a scene stunned everyone present.
"Swoosh!"
Ji Chen ignored the reactions of those around him, snorted again, and with a sudden yank of his arm, snatched the ancient sword from the elder’s hand.
"You!"
The elder was furious, his face turning even darker.
At the same time, he was utterly shocked. The sword strike just now felt like it had hit a piece of solid Divine Iron, the collision of forces numbing his arm.
Most importantly, his Holy Weapon was now taken by Ji Chen, which was the hardest thing for him to accept.
"Ji Chen, I advise you to return the Ancestral King’s Weapon, or don’t expect to leave here alive today!" the elder coldly warned.
Ji Chen looked at him with complete disdain, "Even with an Ancestral King’s Weapon in hand, you couldn’t do anything to me. Now without it, where do you find the confidence to speak such words to me?"
"You!"
Hearing this, the elder’s face turned even uglier.
Indeed, as Ji Chen said, without the Ancestral King’s Weapon, it was even more unlikely for him to take down Ji Chen.
He wasn’t worried about the Ancestral King’s Weapon being taken away by Ji Chen.
Since it was an item of such a level, it already contained its own Spiritual Sense. Once they left this valley and were free from the suppression of Forbidden Power, the weapon would naturally break free of Ji Chen’s restraint and return to the elder’s hand on its own.
Unless an Ancient Emperor intervened, no one could forcibly keep another’s Sacred Artifact in their possession, not even a Great Saint.
"Ji Chen, your Hongmeng Body is indeed strong, but today, it’s not so easy for you to leave unharmed either."
At that moment, several more powerful Ancient Race members stepped forward, all holding Sacred Weapons, blocking Ji Chen’s path.
"No need to say more, everyone, let’s join forces and crush him!" someone shouted.
As soon as the voice fell, they all stepped forward, Sacred Artifacts in hand, pressing towards Ji Chen.