Lu Jun knew the "original story" and could foresee the future, so of course he knew where the true body of the Azure Dragon Holy Beast, one of the Four Sacred Beasts of the Totem Empire thousands of years ago was.
Two thousand years ago, Qin Shi Huang had already used it to forge the Great Wall, drawing upon the power of the Azure Dragon Totem and transforming it into Earth Holy Springs, distributing them across the land to consolidate his rule and resist the demon empires.
He had never expected that gathering all weapons under heaven to cast the Twelve Bronze Men was also connected to the totems.
After thinking about it, the logic made sense. The White Tiger Totem embodied slaughter and metallic aura. The Twelve Bronze Men forged from weapons were the most representative objects possible.
Moreover, the Qin Dynasty's smelting techniques had been unrivaled in the world. The Dragon Pattern Nether Iron passed down through the imperial Zu Clan had a subtle relationship with the Metal Element. In the past, it had been used to forge an innate weapon that awakened on its own, named Tai'a.
Wait could the Metal Element itself have been created by the First Emperor?!
Suddenly, Lu Jun had a bold idea.
As he carefully considered it, all the clues connected into a single line. Ever since obtaining the White Tiger Pendant, it had occasionally transmitted knowledge of the Metal Element to him. Though it stopped at Super Tier and had yet to reveal Forbidden Curse development, it was already an extremely complete system.
At the very least, Mo Fan's Azure Dragon Pendant had no such inheritance. It only contained the Azure Dragon Soul, which could merge with the Great Wall and recreate the Azure Dragon Holy Beast's power.
"Hiss…"
Lu Jun sucked in a cold breath.
Perhaps his own transmigration and Mo Fan's as well was also related to Qin Shi Huang.
"That's right. Of the Four Sacred Beasts, the original story stated that Black Tortoise died in the Pacific. The Ao Father corpse along the coast, Bixi roaming the oceans, and the Black Totem Snake rooted in Hangzhou all prove this."
"As for the remaining Vermilion Bird Totem, I know where its Nirvana ground lies. It is beneath the coastal city of Lan Yang. Mo Fan's Flame Belle obtained it and later became half a Vermilion Bird Totem."
"Only White Tiger has no trace at all in the original story. But judging from clues like the Kunlun Ancestral Tiger and the Tianshan White Tiger, it should be in the west, somewhere around the Ancient Capital."
He racked his brains, unable to stop admiring that eternal emperor from thousands of years ago.
What incredible fortune and destiny to gather both White Tiger and Azure Dragon, two of the Sacred Beasts, into one person.
Such a figure was the founder of both the Earth Element and Necromancy, possibly even the pioneer of the Metal Element. He created wonders such as the Great Wall, the Fiend Abyss, and the Twelve Bronze Men.
Could such a person truly have died and only become the Ancient King at Emperor level?
Lu Jun thought of the remnant soul attached to the Ancient King Armor. It had none of the overwhelming ambition to swallow mountains and rivers or blaze a path for all under heaven.
Perhaps the Ancient King Armor was merely one of Qin Shi Huang's weapons, left behind for future generations as a foundation for Jiuzhou.
The Great Wall and Twelve Bronze Men might have been the same.
As for Zhan Kong being corroded by it, that was simply because the armor had remained close to Qin Shi Huang day and night, mimicking his form. A mere High Tier mage naturally could not resist it.
Then why had he died?
Likely because of lifespan.
Even a five-element Forbidden Curse mage was still an ordinary human, unless one simultaneously possessed both the Death Element and Life Element.
Lu Jun guessed that when Qin Shi Huang reached the peak of cultivation, though blessed with heaven-defying talent, his soul still had limits. His five elements were already complete. Though he had researched magical elements like Necromancy and Metal that hinted at immortality, he had no chance to cultivate them and died with regret.
His backup plan, then, had fallen upon Lu Jun and Mo Fan.
Through the fusion of counterparts from parallel timelines, doubling their origin, he sought to test whether those born with dual elements could break humanity's limits.
Mo Fan's success in the original timeline proved that the realm of the Omnipotent Magic God held a chance at immortality.
But it was still incomplete.
Thus perhaps there was Lu Jun as well?
Coincidentally, Qin Shi Huang had excelled in the Chaos Element and Space Element, touching directly upon the essence of time and space, another supporting clue.
"Forget it. All of that has passed."
Lu Jun shook his head.
In the end, it was only speculation. Yet for some reason, he felt it might truly be the truth.
And strangely, he was not afraid.
In the ancient western world, figures like Athena and the Heavenly Father had once been immensely powerful. Yet the legacies they left behind, Parthenon and Holy City had also faded.
That was simply the limitation of their era.
Qin Shi Huang was no different.
They were heaven-defying geniuses, but magic itself had only recently been born and was still incomplete.
Later generations like Lu Jun stood upon the shoulders of giants, able to carve open new paths.
They must be grateful to such great figures.
But there was no need to glorify the past while belittling the present.
The times always advanced.
Just as Fusion Magic had done.
As for the mysteries of time and space, Lu Jun had once touched them personally—returning in dreams to the Inca Empire of Peru. He himself already possessed time-space power and would one day delve deeper into it.
He could surpass even Qin Shi Huang in that regard.
Thus, he would not fear progress because of awe.
He remained lost in thought for a long time before returning to himself and asking the Nine Nether Queen about the Twelve Bronze Men.
When the Qin Dynasty collapsed, the Great Wall remained. But the Twelve Bronze Men had mysteriously vanished.
Heat stirred in Lu Jun's heart.
If he could recover the full power of the White Tiger Totem, then Metal Element Forbidden Curse would be within reach.
Perhaps even rivaling Ruler Emperors would not be far off.
But the Nine Nether Queen's answer greatly disappointed him.
"If my King desires the Twelve Bronze Men, I fear it will not be so easy."
She said softly:
"When the Qin Dynasty fell, the Kunlun Empire seized the chance to come out of the Qinling Mountains and took the Twelve Bronze Men away."
Hearing this, Lu Jun's eyes blazed brilliantly.
He snorted coldly.
"Kunlun?! So Kunlun was never that honest either!"
The White Tiger Totem had been stolen.
That was my inheritance!
Naturally, he was displeased.
Seeing this, the Nine Nether Queen quickly tried to persuade him tactfully:
"The Kunlun Empire is no simple matter. My King should first unify the Underworld, then slowly settle accounts with them later."
"And besides…"
Her tone turned faint.
"The various demon tribes of Kunlun are scattered and not united as one. Back then, only a portion of their clans participated in plundering the Twelve Bronze Men."
"And besides…" the Nine Nether Queen said in a distant tone, "the various demon races of Kunlun are scattered and not united as one. Back then, only some of their tribes took part in plundering the Twelve Bronze Men."
Hearing this, Lu Jun calmed down somewhat.
Right now, Jiuzhou was facing the threat of the Pacific Empire. They could not provoke Kunlun as well, or they would be attacked from both front and rear, facing the danger of extermination.
Still, from the Nine Nether Queen's words, Kunlun clearly had many factions and was extremely complicated, far less unified than the Pacific Empire.
Was that why it had never bared its claws toward Jiuzhou all this time?
Too much internal conflict?
No matter what, Lu Jun still felt deeply unwilling. A chance to ascend in one step had been right before his eyes.
What a pity. What a pity.
He made up his mind that one day he would definitely make a trip to the Kunlun Empire.
After obtaining clues about the White Tiger Totem, Lu Jun dismissed the Nine Nether Queen. He stood atop the white tomb palace in thought for a moment, then turned and crossed the Bridge of Life and Death.
Wuuu—!
He stood above the pitch-black abyss, sensing wave after wave of violent black wind blades sweeping through it.
He nodded.
Wind Element Heaven Seed, Death Scythe Blades.
This was the item his sister Lu Mei had specifically chosen. Once she refined and absorbed it, together with the Wind Element Divine Seal Blessing and Transcendent Power, her combat strength would rise greatly.
Then Lu Jun took another step.
His figure flickered as he gazed toward a blood-red altar, where a vast darkness energy lay dormant.
"The Nirvana ground of the Night Thunder Dream Beast."
Lu Jun muttered to himself.
This power had originally been used for reviving undead, but now it belonged to him.
His contracted beast only lacked one final push.
After taking stock of the spoils, he left the Fiend Abyss and returned to the outside world.
He went to summon Han Ji and instructed him to properly cooperate with the Undead Monarchs in exterminating the newly born undead factions.
Han Ji was somewhat astonished, yet readily agreed.
He had never expected Lu Jun to be so formidable.
He had only just arrived at the Ancient Capital's undead lands, yet he had already suppressed this forbidden empire zone. Even the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs now obeyed his command.
The old mage was somewhat puzzled.
Where had that Undead Emperor gone?
Could it be that Lu Jun had personally descended into the Fiend Abyss to negotiate with Him?
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Fairy Tail{30 Chapters}
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