The residual force from the shattered seal had not yet dissipated when figure after figure, like a school of fish racing across the river, frantically surged into the palace.
Passing through tiers upon tiers of white jade steps, the Sacred Hall of the Holy Emperor Sect finally opened its gates wide to them all.
At the entrance of the sacred hall stood eight stone sculptures, each carved from ancient fine jade, each roughly ten times the size of a real person.
They loomed like eight ferocious giant warriors, standing guard over the Holy Emperor Sect's sacred hall.
At that moment, Jiang Chen felt an inexplicable stirring in his chest. Staring at those eight fearsome statues, he nearly froze in his tracks.
These eight white jade sculptures were identical in form to the eight stone statues he had obtained from King Shangping.
Only the proportions were different.
Apart from the difference in scale, these eight jade sculptures and the eight stone statues in his collection were cast from the very same mold — even the expressions and every last minute detail matched without the slightest discrepancy.
"How can this be? Could this place truly be the sacred ground of the ancient Holy Emperor Sect?" At that moment, Jiang Chen could hardly bring himself to doubt it.
Up until now, his mind had been filled with doubt and suspicion, convinced that this so-called sacred ground of the Holy Emperor Sect was nothing more than a trap — an illusion deliberately fabricated by someone.
Yet at this very moment, his resolve was beginning to waver.
These eight jade sculptures had shaken him to his core. Moreover, Jiang Chen was certain that they were absolutely not some kind of illusion.
He was well aware that certain powerful beings could exploit the flaws in one's inner demons, reflect the deepest desires of one's heart, and project an illusion designed to captivate and lure the observer.
However, Jiang Chen could confirm with absolute certainty that everything before him was no illusion.
The chain seal within his mind was capable of deflecting all manner of falsehood, and the scene before him had not triggered any violent fluctuations in that seal.
The only thing worth noting was that the seal had remained in a state of heightened vigilance the entire time — that much had not changed.
Jiang Chen's uncertain steps slowed of their own accord, and he nearly wanted to stop and observe for a moment.
However, the group was advancing at a rapid pace. If he were to halt at this moment, it would inevitably appear conspicuous and arouse the suspicions of others.
And so, despite his desperate desire to stop and examine everything closely, Jiang Chen ultimately suppressed that curiosity.
"If the Holy Land of this Holy One Sect is genuine, then these eight jade statues are unlikely to pique anyone's interest. I'll go in and take a look first. I absolutely must not alert the enemy."
Although Jiang Chen's mind was somewhat heated, it had not reached a point of losing control. At the very least, his thoughts were far clearer than those of Emperor Yun Lan and the others at this moment.
He knew that if he lost his composure now and alerted Emperor Yun Lan and his group, his situation would become exceedingly perilous.
Even though he possessed the Space-Time Sigil and could leave this place directly, entering the Radiant Celestial Tower, Jiang Chen's purpose for this journey was not merely to flee.
Having seen those eight colossal jade statues, his desire to depart early had diminished even further.
Passing through the great gates, those with quicker speeds had already stepped into the imposing and solemn palace hall.
Jiang Chen's speed was considerable as well. Just as his front foot entered the palace, a large crowd of people was still trailing behind him.
At that very moment, the mass of red clouds in the void seemed to have finally finished brewing. The red clouds expanded, transforming into clusters of flying fire and meteors, pouring down toward the ground in waves.
This deluge of fire and meteors resembled a cascade of red meteor showers, its momentum vast and awe-inspiring.
In an instant, the area surrounding the palace was plunged into a vast sea of flames.
Those cultivators who hadn't managed to make it inside in time were struck by the cascading flames and instantly reduced to nothing, not even a single bone remaining.
Even experts at the Imperial Realm had absolutely no resistance against this terrifying downpour of fire. The moment the flames struck them, they vanished into the void without a trace.
The cultivators who had already escaped into the palace were still shaken with lingering fear. Seeing this horrifying spectacle, every last one of them felt their skin crawl.
Without thinking, they all stumbled several steps deeper into the palace.
"Screech! Screech!"
The red clouds dispersed, and at last the true form of this divine bird was revealed in the void — a colossal figure spanning dozens of zhang. When it spread its wings, it seemed as though it could shroud even the sun and moon in the sky.
The divine bird possessed two long, slender tail feathers of perfect streamline, forming an arc of haughty elegance. At a single glance, one could see it was a sovereign among birds.
And every feather along its body gleamed like flowing firelight, smooth and lustrous as a mirror. It radiated an air of supreme nobility.
"The Vermilion Bird — it truly is the Vermilion Bird!"
Jiang Chen's heart surged with indescribable shock as his eyes locked onto the Vermilion Bird raging through the clouds — this legendary spirit creature venerated as one of the Four Divine Beasts of antiquity.
"Of the Four Divine Beasts, I've already obtained the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger. Could this Vermilion Bird be a blessing sent by the heavens?" Jiang Chen's heart stirred with irresistible excitement.
However, he also felt a lingering sense of dread at that moment.
If he had been stunned for even a moment longer, had delayed just a bit more, perhaps he would have ended up just like those before him — blasted to ash by that terrifying meteor shower of fire.