Chapter 50. Reaching for the Summit? Target: Mausoleum of Mount Li

The man's tone was indifferent and even carried hints of coldness. Clearly, he cared about this matter a lot.

"Brother Yi, you're making a mountain out of a molehill."

A faint smile graced Zhou Biqiong's visage. "About that Lu Yuan, I noticed him before. He's just an ordinary person without any special bloodline or any outstanding traits. Before the Awakening, he had some money, but he's nothing more than a wastrel second-generation rich kid.

"And now... money is useless. Who knows in which corner he's hiding from mutated beasts? He's not worth your attention."

Zhou Biqiong's words dripped with disdain as she talked about the ties Lu Yuan used to have with her elder sister.

But that was all there was to it. Even before the Awakening, to the Wuzhou Group, he had at most been a wealthy youth barely worth a glance.

Yet now, in this New Era where power was king, he was not even qualified to be considered an ant. They no longer belonged to the same world.

"Is that so?" A faint smile flickered across the face of the man named Yi. It seemed like he had allowed his concern to cloud his judgement and his emotions to stir over someone insignificant.

Still, he decided that if they were to ever cross paths in the future, he would make sure to find a way and let him know that some gaps could never be bridged.

"Brother Yi, news of the Mausoleum of Mount Li has already leaked out. Awakened are gathering, and there are still many more rushing over. It seems that our plan will not go smoothly this time," Zhou Biqiong commented as her gaze swept over the throngs pouring into Chang'an.

"I heard that the Northern Emperor, Southern Sovereign, Ice Fairy, and Asura have all embarked on their journey here. Do you feel the pressure yet?" Zhou Biqiong continued casually, but her words clearly revealed the secrets she knew.

The advent of the extraordinary marked the arrival of a New Era, and more and more people began stepping onto the path of evolution.

Voted by netizens, the Five Supremes were regarded as the strongest Awakened of the present age and were acknowledged by many.

Even Zhou Biqiong's brows slightly furrowed upon mentioning their names.

"Doesn't matter." Yi shook with a faint smile. "No matter who comes, I'll fight them all."

He spoke softly, but his words were tinted with unshakable confidence. As he spoke, a mighty aura surged forth from his body.

The aura was powerful enough to prove that he had every right to say such words.

"The Zhou Family will also dispatch many powerful individuals. At a critical juncture, we will even bring out hot weapons," Zhou Biqiong declared. They were determined to get what was within the Mausoleum of Mount Li at all costs.

The Wuzhou Group's influence ran deep. During the early days of the Awakening, they had secured many benefits by cooperating with the government authorities, and amongst those was the right to mobilize certain hot weapons.

However, Zhou Biqiong didn't dare to be reckless. Because Longevity Genetics, Skygod Technologies, and the like possessed powerful methods and were no weaker than the Wuzhou Group.

"With the arrival of the New Era, as time goes on, hot weapons will eventually fade into history," Yi said calmly.

Mainly because his bloodline was powerful and carried fragments of a mysterious inherited memory, he knew that in the future, the most powerful Awakened would possess unimaginable strength, enough for them to stand above hot weapons.

Of course, he did not elaborate much. He simply continued, "Alright, Yunqiong's heading back. Let's go too."

"Alright." Zhou Biqiong nodded in agreement.

With that, both of them then boarded a helicopter together.

Soon, the helicopter took off; it did not fly along Chang'an's designated flight paths but directly over the towering steel walls. As one of the Four Great Powers of Huaxia, the Wuzhou Group naturally wielded privileges that ordinary folks did not.

***

Within Chang'an, due to the government's preferential allocation of resources and its urgent construction efforts, it was far more prosperous and bustling than ordinary cities.

The streets bustled with people—both ordinary civilians and Awakened alike. And most of them were not locals.

As Lu Yuan walked through the crowd, countless voices traveled into his ears.

There was nothing special about the topics that common folk spoke of. They revolved around daily life and also lamented the changes of the New Era.

However, it was different for the Awakened. They moved in groups of twos and threes, their voices lowered to hushed whispers as they discussed the Mausoleum of Mount Li.

"Chang'an truly lives up to its name of being one of the five supercities under construction. It outshines those towns along the way."

"I heard the Mausoleum of Mount Li will open in just a few days. We need to make our preparations."

"Yeah. Who knows, we might seize some great advantages there and evolve further."

Clearly, all of them came with their own goals.

As per Lu Yuan's expectations, word of the awakening of the Mausoleum had already spread far and wide. Countless had learned of it.

Especially among the Awakened, some planned to form teams, believing in strength in numbers and hoping to find some opportunities during this expedition.

Of course, there were also those with a more pessimistic view. They felt that too many people had flocked here, including those great powers; the difficulty of reaping benefits would be high.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan was clear of one thing: When the Mausoleum opened, countless would die.

However, that had nothing to do with him. Now, all he wanted was to find a quiet place to rest.

To him, the place of residence mattered little; he just needed discretion. Once he had found somewhere to settle down, he could then begin laying the groundwork for the plans that came after.

Having ten years of foresight on hand, Lu Yuan was clear where and when the great opportunities would arise. And all of those encounters would become the stepping stones for his unceasing evolution—his path to unrivaled power.

Night fell. The stars shimmered brightly above, the moonlight casting its silver glow on the earth.

Within a derelict building in Chang'an, Lu Yuan sat with his phone in hand, browsing reports on the Awakened and the latest movements concerning the Mausoleum of Mount Li.

Within Chang’an, more than ten thousand Awakened have assembled. Among them, senior figures from major powers—including Aurora Academy and the Wuzhou Group—were confirmed to have entered the city earlier today.

As soon as this piece of news appeared on the forums, it generated much heat and drew the attention of many Awakened.

Some Awakened even registered accounts to share their views, stating that once the great powers clashed, large-scale battles would be inevitable and heavy casualties would follow. Many others agreed with this sentiment.

The Mausoleum of Mount Li was said to be the resting place of the Primordial Dragon and the source of unparalleled fortune. Whoever obtained its treasures would be like a mortal transforming into a dragon overnight. The post making this claim even included photos and videos as proof.

Naturally, Lu Yuan also clicked to take a look.

In the footage was a massive mountain that stretched into the clouds, measuring at least ten thousand meters high.

Threads of light streamed forth from the mountain's body and aimed for the sky before coalescing into the shape of a dragon; it was an unparalleled sight.

This was the Mausoleum of Mount Li. Originally, it was no more than a hundred meters tall. But after the Awakening, it grew in height, surpassing countless mountain ranges. Now, the mountain radiated light day and night, illuminating the land for hundreds of meters around.

For this sole reason, even if the Great Powers tried to suppress the news, it was impossible.

The phenomenon was so astonishing that everyone would notice it.

Soon after, another piece of news caught the attention of the mass public.

[In three days, the Mausoleum of Mount Li—where the dragon vein lies—will open. Awakened from across the land are set to clash over this land of fortune. The question remains: who will rise to the summit?]

The article was published by one of the major powers, clearly with the intent to stir the waters. Not only did they provoke speculation over who would ultimately claim the fortune within the Mausoleum of Mount Li, but they also disclosed an estimated opening time, deliberately pushing the matter further into the spotlight.

Without surprise, the topic exploded with discussion, though most of it revolved around the Five Supremes. Netizens believed that they were the current apex of the Awakened, standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid. They also speculated that they might even exchange blows.

Someone even disclosed that the Winged Celestial God, the Northern Emperor, and the Southern Sovereign had already arrived and were lying low within Chang'an itself.

Once the Mausoleum of Mount Li fully opened a few days later, they would then directly make their move.

"The Winged Celestial God is coming? I believe he's the strongest among the Five Supremes. He'll surely claim the fortune inside!"

"Nonsense! The Southern Sovereign is here, too. He's the eldest son of the Longevity Genetics patriarch. He has a powerful bloodline, and his combat strength is terrifying. He's no weaker than the Winged Celestial God."

"The Northern Emperor has the full backing of Aurora Academy. His physique is alarming, like a living Vajra of Buddhism. I feel that he's the strongest, way beyond the other two."

"The Winged Celestial God also has the Wuzhou Group behind him. He's not fighting alone."

"With the Five Supremes here, what chance do we even have?"

Beneath the post, many engaged in the discussion. Almost all of them were Awakened—some still on their way, some already within Chang'an. As such, they each voiced their opinions and debated on who they truly believed was the strongest.

The Winged Celestial God held the highest popularity, especially among women, who praised him as flawless, a deity descended into the mortal realm.

Of course, there were also Awakened who lamented about the situation. They believed that with the Five Supremes all gathered, there was no hope for them; they could not possibly fight them.

Skimming through the messages, Lu Yuan shook his head and closed the feed. Things were progressing exactly as he remembered from his previous life.

The opening of the Mausoleum of Mount Li drew much attention. It also ignited the first great clash between Awakened and set off countless ripples afterward.

But all of that meant nothing to him. He only wanted to check some information.

For now, he had already confirmed that the Mausoleum of Mount Li would open in three days.

"Three days, huh?"

A hint of anticipation stirred within him. What was within the tomb held too much significance to him and would influence his future path.

The following days leading up to the opening of the Mausoleum, Lu Yuan remained within the abandoned building, never once stepping outside.

The distance from Chang'an to Mount Li was not far. After the Awakening, the two places had even become linked. He wouldn't need to leave early.

And in these three days, many events unfolded.

The one that gained the most traction was a video that captured the fierce battle between the Southern Sovereign and the Northern Emperor deep within a mountain forest.

In the footage, both individuals unleashed powerful might, their attacks swift and deadly. Countless trees were reduced to splinters, and massive craters were carved into the earth. The Awakened who watched the video were left dumbfounded, their hearts shaken as they measured themselves against such power.

They came to a unified conclusion: they were no match at all.

At the same time, news spread that the Five Supremes had clashed with each other in the past few days. But no one knew the outcome. Many heard of the rumors and clamored for footage or photographs, but none ever surfaced.

Regardless, as the day of the Mausoleum of Mount Li’s opening drew closer, the more turbulent the situation became. Within Chang'an itself, skirmishes broke out among the Awakened.

Eventually, the dean of Aurora Academy's Chang'an branch had to step forward to calm the unrest. Only then did the Awakened quiet down.

Though the Academy could not control the entire nation, it still held immense influence in the five supercities. After all, it had the backing of the authorities, and no one dared openly defy it.

Even the other four great powers were forced to restrain themselves and act with caution.

However, once the Mausoleum opened, conflicts were inevitable and could not be stopped.

In the New Era, ordinary measures could no longer restrain the Awakened.

As for Lu Yuan, he would pay attention once in a while. He had even watched the video of the so-called great battle between the Southern Sovereign and the Northern Emperor. But in his eyes, it was nothing more than child's play.

With three months of preparation under his belt, he was no longer at the same starting line as the other ordinary Awakened.

And just like that, time slipped quietly by.

Finally, three days passed in a flash.

This day, before dawn had even broken, Lu Yuan slowly opened his eyes and got to his feet. He gazed into the distance, a sharp gleam flickering across his eyes.

His target—the Mausoleum of Mount Li!