Chapter 30 The Ancient Seal
Chapter 30 The Ancient Seal
Chapter 30: Chapter 30 The Ancient Seal
Lin Hao stared at the location displayed by the System.
The image showed an enormous mountain range surrounded by dense forests.
It was far from Azure River City.
No major family had claimed it.
No sect had established a branch there.
No powerful force appeared to have any interest in the region.
Yet the System had specifically warned him about it.
There was something beneath the land.
Something even the System couldn’t identify.
Lin Hao smiled.
"Let’s go take a look."
He stood up.
"Lin Chen."
"Lin Qing."
The two immediately appeared before him.
"Ancestor."
"Come with me."
"Yes, Ancestor."
A moment later, Lin Tianhe also arrived.
The Peak Mahayana Realm Guardian Elder bowed respectfully.
"Ancestor."
Lin Hao nodded.
"You’re coming with us."
"Understood."
The four figures soon left the Lin Clan.
---
The journey was peaceful at first.
Lin Hao didn’t hurry.
He simply walked through the wilderness with Lin Chen, Lin Qing, and Lin Tianhe following behind him.
The farther they traveled from Azure River City, the fewer cultivators they encountered.
Eventually, even the roads disappeared.
The surrounding forests became denser.
Ancient trees stretched toward the sky.
Mountains appeared in the distance.
Lin Qing looked around curiously.
"Ancestor."
Lin Hao glanced at her.
"Yes?"
"Why does this place feel so strange?"
Lin Hao looked ahead.
He had noticed it too.
The Spiritual Qi was extremely dense.
Yet something seemed to be suppressing it.
Even the surrounding Spirit Beasts were unusually quiet.
Lin Chen frowned.
"There’s something ahead."
Lin Hao nodded.
"Yes."
They continued forward.
After several hours—
The forest finally opened.
A massive mountain range appeared before them.
The mountains were enormous.
Clouds surrounded their peaks.
Streams flowed between the valleys.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary mountain range.
But Lin Hao immediately stopped.
Something was wrong.
The air was completely still.
There was no wind.
No birds.
No insects.
Not even the leaves of the trees moved.
Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
Lin Tianhe also became serious.
"Ancestor."
Lin Hao looked at him.
"What did you sense?"
Lin Tianhe stared toward the mountains.
"Something is suppressing the entire region."
Lin Chen looked confused.
"What could suppress an entire mountain range?"
Nobody answered.
Then—
BOOM!
A distant tremor shook the ground.
Lin Qing’s expression changed.
"What was that?"
The mountain range remained silent.
Then another tremor came.
BOOM!
This time, the ground beneath their feet shook.
Lin Hao looked toward the deepest part of the mountains.
Something was there.
Something ancient.
Something that had been sleeping for a very long time.
He began walking forward.
Lin Tianhe immediately followed.
"Ancestor, perhaps we should investigate carefully."
Lin Hao smiled.
"That’s what we’re doing."
---
The deeper they went, the stranger the environment became.
Trees became increasingly ancient.
The ground was covered in strange black stones.
There were no Spirit Beasts anywhere.
Not even insects.
Lin Chen looked around.
"Why does it feel like everything here is avoiding this place?"
Lin Qing nodded.
"Even the Spirit Beasts aren’t coming near."
Lin Hao didn’t answer.
He could feel something beneath the earth.
Not danger.
Not exactly.
It was more like...
A presence.
A sleeping presence.
And it was enormous.
Eventually, they reached the foot of the largest mountain.
Lin Hao stopped.
His gaze fell toward the ground.
"Here."
Lin Tianhe looked around.
"Ancestor?"
Lin Hao crouched down.
He brushed away the grass.
Something dark appeared beneath it.
A stone pillar.
He brushed away more soil.
Another stone pillar appeared.
Then another.
Lin Hao’s expression became thoughtful.
"Formation pillars."
Lin Tianhe stepped forward.
He carefully examined the ancient stones.
His expression gradually became solemn.
"This formation..."
He touched one of the pillars without activating it.
"I cannot understand its structure."
Lin Hao looked around.
There were countless stone pillars buried beneath the earth.
They formed an enormous pattern.
And the pattern extended throughout the entire mountain range.
Lin Chen stared at the ground.
"So this entire mountain is protected by a formation?"
Lin Hao shook his head.
"Not protected."
He looked toward the mountain.
"Sealed."
The moment he said that—
BOOM!
The entire mountain shook violently.
Lin Chen and Lin Qing immediately stepped backward.
Lin Tianhe moved in front of them.
"Ancestor!"
The ancient stone pillars suddenly began glowing.
Golden light spread across the ground.
Countless symbols emerged from beneath the earth.
Then—
A deep rumbling sound came from beneath the mountain.
GROOOOOOOAN!
It sounded almost like the mountain itself was alive.
Lin Qing’s face became pale.
"Something is down there."
Lin Hao stared at the formation.
The System finally appeared.
DING!
[Host.]
"What?"
[This formation has existed for an extremely long period of time.]
Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed.
"How long?"
[Unknown.]
The System paused.
[However, the formation is currently suppressing an extremely powerful existence.]
Lin Hao looked at the mountain.
"Can you identify it?"
[Unable to determine.]
Lin Hao smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
Another tremor shook the ground.
BOOM!
A crack appeared on one of the ancient stone pillars.
Lin Tianhe’s expression changed.
"Ancestor, the formation is weakening."
Lin Hao frowned.
"Why?"
The System immediately answered.
[The formation has existed for too long.]
[Its power has already declined considerably.]
Lin Hao examined the formation.
It was indeed ancient.
Some of the symbols had already faded.
Others were barely functioning.
The entire formation seemed to be struggling to maintain itself.
Then—
A terrifying roar suddenly came from beneath the mountain.
ROOOOOOOOOAR!
The sound shook the heavens.
Lin Chen and Lin Qing’s faces changed.
Lin Tianhe immediately released his aura.
"Ancestor, step back."
Lin Hao didn’t move.
He simply stared at the mountain.
Something had awakened.
Not completely.
But enough to realize that someone was outside.
The ground began trembling violently.
Countless rocks fell from the mountain.
The golden chains formed by the ancient formation began tightening.
Then something struck the seal from the inside.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire mountain shook.
Lin Qing stared in horror.
"Something is trying to break out."
Lin Hao nodded.
"Yes."
Lin Tianhe’s expression became solemn.
"Ancestor, should I destroy whatever is beneath this place?"
Lin Hao shook his head.
"No."
He walked toward the formation.
Lin Tianhe immediately became nervous.
"Ancestor?"
Lin Hao looked at the ancient stone pillar.
"I want to see what’s inside."
"Ancestor, that formation was created specifically to seal it."
"I know."
Lin Hao smiled.
He reached toward the stone pillar.
Lin Tianhe’s expression changed.
"Ancestor!"
Lin Hao’s fingers touched the ancient pillar.
For one second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
CRACK!
A tiny crack appeared across the formation.
Lin Hao’s eyes widened slightly.
"Oops."
The crack rapidly spread.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
The entire formation began collapsing.
Golden chains shattered one after another.
The sky suddenly darkened.
The clouds above the mountain were violently scattered.
Lin Chen and Lin Qing stared upward in shock.
Lin Tianhe immediately stood before them.
"Stay behind me!"
The entire mountain range trembled.
Lin Hao looked at the collapsing formation.
The System appeared.
[Host.]
"Yes?"
[You have broken the seal.]
Lin Hao was speechless.
"I barely touched it."
[Host’s power is too great.]
"..."
Lin Hao looked toward the enormous crack forming beneath the mountain.
"Can you repair it?"
[No.]
Lin Hao sighed.
"Then I suppose it’s too late."
The final golden chain shattered.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A terrifying wave of energy erupted from beneath the mountain.
The ground split apart.
The mountain itself began collapsing.
Then—
A gigantic claw emerged from beneath the earth.
The claw was covered in ancient scales.
Each scale was larger than a human.
The surrounding space distorted around it.
Another claw emerged.
Then an enormous head slowly rose from beneath the mountain.
Two gigantic horns pierced through the clouds.
Its eyes opened.
They were enormous.
Cold.
Ancient.
And filled with an overwhelming majesty that caused the entire mountain range to tremble.
Lin Chen and Lin Qing stood frozen.
They had never seen such a creature.
Lin Tianhe’s expression became extremely serious.
"A dragon..."
The dragon slowly raised its head.
Its enormous wings unfolded.
The sky seemed to darken beneath its shadow.
Then it released a roar.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!
The sound spread across the wilderness.
Countless Spirit Beasts fled in terror.
The clouds were scattered.
The mountains shook.
For the first time in countless years, the dragon had been freed.
It slowly looked around.
Then its enormous gaze fell upon Lin Hao.
Its eyes narrowed.
"You..."
Its voice shook the heavens.
"You broke my seal?"
Lin Hao nodded.
"I suppose I did."
The dragon stared at him.
Then it looked at the shattered formation.
It remained silent for several seconds.
Finally, it spoke.
"I have been imprisoned beneath this mountain for countless years."
Its enormous eyes flashed.
"I never thought I would see the outside world again."
Lin Chen stared at the dragon.
He swallowed.
"Ancestor..."
Lin Hao looked at him.
Lin Chen hesitated.
"What... exactly is that?"
Lin Hao hadn’t answered yet.
The dragon heard his question.
Its enormous head slowly turned toward Lin Chen.
The pressure in its gaze made Lin Chen’s body stiffen.
Then the dragon spoke.
"I am a Dragon from the Divine World."
Lin Chen and Lin Qing stared at it.
"The Divine World?"
They had never heard of such a place.
Even Lin Tianhe’s expression changed slightly.
The dragon continued.
"I was born in the Divine World."
"I was sealed here long ago."
Its gaze returned to Lin Hao.
"And now..."
"You have freed me."
Lin Hao looked around the enormous mountain range.
The Spiritual Qi.
The ancient formation.
The untouched land.
The mysterious dragon.
Everything seemed to be coming together.
Lin Hao slowly smiled.
"So..."
He looked at the dragon.
"I accidentally freed you."
The dragon stared at him.
"Accidentally?"
Lin Hao nodded.
"Yes."
The dragon became silent.
For some reason, it felt that the human standing before it was far stranger than anything else in this place.
Lin Hao looked toward the mountain range.
Then he smiled.
"This place really is suitable for the Lin Clan."
The dragon’s enormous eyes narrowed.
"The Lin Clan?"
Lin Hao nodded.
"Yes."
"This place will become my family’s territory."
The dragon stared at him for several seconds.
Then a strange expression appeared in its eyes.
"Interesting."