"Isn’t that Xu Fu?" Azure Dragon cried out in terror.
Tang Zhong’s expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. He looked up at the stone-faced figure on the cliffside. How could this person possibly be Xu Fu?
"He is Xu Fu?" Tang Zhong couldn’t help but confirm.
"Yes, without a doubt. Before I came here, I specifically studied Xu Fu’s portrait. This stone face is 80% identical to it," Azure Dragon replied.
This deepened Tang Zhong’s frown. How could it be Xu Fu? Shouldn’t it be the First Emperor?
This was supposed to be Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum. Why had Xu Fu just declared it was his territory?
As Xu Fu’s stone face on the cliffside gradually opened its eyes, the entire river trembled violently, as if it had been brought to a boil.
The scene was terrifying beyond measure.
The stone face twisted into a menacing grimace: "Intruders in the tomb shall die!"
As soon as the voice fell, it sprang into action.
From the surrounding cliff walls, countless stone fists rained down in forceful strikes.
"This is a sacrificial technique!" Tang Zhong exclaimed as he took in the bizarre scene before his eyes.
Only someone connected to the Sacrificial Clan could wield such strange methods.
It was now clear that this stone face was indeed Xu Fu.
Tang Zhong pressed his feet to the ground, nimbly dodging several of the stone fists before floating midair.
Azure Dragon did the same.
"The world has always believed that Qin Shi Huang’s tomb concealed a vast army lying dormant, but no one would have ever imagined that beneath his tomb lay a Cave Heaven, and beneath that Cave Heaven was yet another tomb—a tomb within a tomb!" Azure Dragon exclaimed.
"A tomb within a tomb"—the name explained itself. Inside one graveyard was hidden another tomb. This was supposed to be Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum, but Xu Fu’s corpse should also be here.
In other words, the First Emperor’s tomb was nothing but a decoy; this was actually Xu Fu’s burial site.
Tang Zhong was dumbstruck. He understood Azure Dragon’s words perfectly, but he never would have imagined that Xu Fu could be this powerful!
Historical texts had recorded that the general who constructed the tomb was named Meng Tian. Could those records have been outright lies?
The history of Xuan Country clearly wasn’t as it appeared in the official chronicles; there had to be hidden truths buried deep.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on these matters. What mattered to Tang Zhong and Azure Dragon was finding a way to survive this perilous situation!
Xu Fu’s stone face let out a fearsome roar, filled with rage.
Stone fists continued to explode outward from the cliff walls, while columns of water from the river surged violently upward, crashing toward Tang Zhong and Azure Dragon.
The two dodged repeatedly.
The force of the water columns was displayed vividly as they struck the walls, punching massive holes through solid stone. The overwhelming power was chilling to behold!
Both men remained airborne, evading the onslaught.
It only reinforced their certainty: the stone face was Xu Fu.
"Intruders in my tomb shall die!" the stone face bellowed.
While evading, Tang Zhong felt more convinced: Xu Fu had to be connected to the Sacrificial Clan. Such techniques could only be wielded by the mysterious sacrificial ministers or geomancers.
At that moment, Tang Zhong’s gaze burned with determination.
If Xu Fu truly belonged to the Sacrificial Clan, then no matter what, he had to uncover the truth of what had happened here!
But how was this possible? Xu Fu had been dead for countless years, yet his stone face still lived. The sheer notion was utterly bizarre.
Tang Zhong recalled how raw stones were said to grant vitality. Could it be that Xu Fu’s current state had something to do with the raw stone resources buried beneath this land?
Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed Tang Zhong’s mind.
Perhaps the reason why Xu Fu chose to construct his tomb here was precisely because of the raw stone deposits!
"What should we do, Tang Zhong?" Azure Dragon called out while dodging relentlessly.
"Aim for his head! Raw stones can grant power to a person. It’s highly likely that Xu Fu owes his survival to their strength!" Tang Zhong responded.
"That makes sense!" Azure Dragon nodded.
The two immediately prepared to act.
Azure Dragon took a deep breath, and in an instant, a white tiger’s head materialized on his arm.
"I am the number one qigong master in Xuan Country. This is my technique—Qi Tiger Fist! I’ll distract him; you target his head!" Azure Dragon said decisively.
Then, without hesitation, he launched himself forward, his fist surging toward Xu Fu’s stone face with explosive force.
"I am the eternal emperor! How dare you mock me!" Xu Fu’s stone face roared.
The figure seemed as if it wanted to claim the imperial throne!
From the cliffs, stone fists shot toward Azure Dragon.
Tang Zhong intercepted one of the attacks with a punch of his own.
With a loud *boom*, the collision of their blows sent chunks of stone flying. The shattered remnants crashed back down to the ground.
Blocking one punch, Azure Dragon turned back to Tang Zhong and shouted, "Now’s your chance!"
Tang Zhong didn’t hesitate. Gripping the Tang Sword tightly, he stepped forward into midair.
There was no room for error—it was clear Xu Fu was a formidable foe. Although he was a figure from Xuan Country’s history, he had to be eliminated; otherwise, the consequences would be dire.
Raising the Tang Sword high above his head, Tang Zhong slashed toward Xu Fu’s stone face.
A crimson saber shadow burst forth with fiery intensity, aiming directly for Xu Fu’s visage.
"No... Insolent ants, thinking you can kill me!" Xu Fu roared.
A shockwave erupted from his voice, colliding directly with the blade as Tang Zhong’s slash came down.
The force threw Tang Zhong backward.
Yet this confrontation only solidified his belief: Xu Fu’s current existence had to rely on the power of the raw stones.
The raw stones—what sort of miraculous properties did they hold, to bring lifeless stone to life?
"Don’t stop! Keep attacking!" shouted Azure Dragon, incessantly striking the incoming stone fists while urging Tang Zhong forward.
Tang Zhong pushed forward again.
This time, he grew more cunning.
He wasn’t afraid to reveal the power of hidden stone artifacts in front of Azure Dragon. With a swift movement, he dashed toward Xu Fu’s stone face, unleashing a lightning-fast slash from his sword.
"This... This is the aura of a Holy Stone... You carry a Holy Stone with you!" Xu Fu’s stone face exclaimed as it noticed Tang Zhong’s sudden burst of power.
Holy Stone—this name reaffirmed Tang Zhong’s suspicions: Xu Fu was indeed of the Sacrificial Clan.
The Tang Sword flared brilliantly, as though engulfed in flames, carving a deep gash into Xu Fu’s stone face.
Only then did Tang Zhong retreat, believing he’d finally succeeded.
But to his astonishment, the wound he had inflicted began to mend itself before his very eyes.
From the injury, the energy of the raw stones seeped out, restoring the face to its original state.
"You dare believe you can harm me, the emperor?" Xu Fu’s stone face bellowed fiercely. "Now, die!"
As he roared, the surrounding cliffs unleashed countless stone arrows. A dense, inescapable hailstorm of arrows rained down upon the two of them.
There was no room left to hide.