I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 23 Ancient Ruins
Zhangwei Mountain.

From a distance, it appears as a mountain, but once inside, it feels as if you are in another world. Its size is far beyond that of Changsheng Temple and Taoshan Island.

Peaks, valleys, jungles, skies, lakes—it has it all, except the light here comes from a crack in the distant sky that resembles the aurora borealis piercing the heavens.

At first glance, it looks like a giant eye in the sky, watching the ants below.

On a low-slope cliff.

Several extraordinary individuals gazed into the void stretching beyond the cliff's edge, as if they could see directly into something.
Some people held up their phones and cameras, shining them from the cliff into the distant void. On the screen, a misty, ethereal peak could be faintly seen, and on the peak, one could even make out what appeared to be a Taoist temple.

At this moment.

A large group of people are building another Taoist temple here, and the whole valley looks like a huge construction site.

"Hurry up, connect all the wires." From nowhere, cables extended from the other end, and a group of people quickly connected these wires to the various devices that had been prepared beforehand.

"Speed ​​up." The project started slowly, but as various machines were continuously transported from the void and landed on the cliff edge, especially after the power was turned on, the speed increased significantly.

Whether it's this wild and desolate place, the strange cables that appeared out of nowhere, the machinery that fell from the sky, or the ancient-dressed Taoist priests mixed with modern people, the whole valley exudes a sense of surrealism.

"If we don't finish by the deadline, there will be penalties from above. Don't blame me for being ruthless then," the foreman, wearing a hard hat, shouted.

"The sooner this place is built, the sooner everyone can rest and live more comfortably." Zhang You appeared at this moment.

Zhang You received Zhou Shentong's order to establish a base here and then find a way to connect this place with the Changsheng Temple and the human world.

Zhou Shentong's goal was to transform the two peach trees of Changsheng Temple into a gate connecting the three, and then continuously draw in people from the outside world to summon Zhulong, pulling Zhangwei Mountain below out of nothingness.

They controlled not only the entrance and exit gates, but also those who had been transformed into candle spirits. They could even use these candle spirits to explore the unknown within, truly achieving multiple goals at once.

However, after entering this place, Zhang You made some discoveries.

While an excavator was digging a hillside, it accidentally caused the entire hillside to collapse, with large amounts of rubble sliding downhill and rocks tumbling down the cliff.

"Be careful, be careful."

"What happened?"

"Everyone be careful, don't cause any trouble."

The hillside was in chaos, but this caught Zhang You's attention. He immediately ran over and looked up at the landslide.

At first, he was worried that it might affect the progress of the subsequent project, but soon someone discovered that something was exposed in the landslide.

"There's something in there."

"What is this?"

"I don't know, it seems quite big, and it's made of stone."

"Aren't the mountains all rocks?"

"This was clearly carved out by man."

Zhang You climbed over the loose rocks to the top, touched the rock wall with his hand, and then slowly brushed away the sand and dirt on it.

At this moment, he realized that this was not an ordinary rock; it clearly showed signs of human carving and appeared to have patterns on it.

However, what he saw so far was only the upper half of the thing; the rest was still buried underneath.

After Zhang You came down, he stopped talking about worrying about delays and instead brought in more manpower.

"Keep digging!"

"Clean this place up, but don't damage what's underneath."

In reality, Zhang You was overthinking things; they had no way of destroying what was underneath.

But as the excavation went deeper, what lay beneath was gradually revealed: a huge stone door, half-slanted, leading into the earth.

It was so big that the hillside they cleared was actually only the middle half of the door; the upper and lower halves were still in the mountains.

It was a bit dark here, and the few lights shining on the hillside didn't make it very clear.

Even so, it was still stunning enough.

Zhang You looked at the massive stone gate.

He couldn't imagine who made this thing, and what the point was of building such a huge door and burying it underground.
As he approached step by step, the feeling of walking through the giant stone gate was completely different from when he had walked through it before. The closer he got, the more insignificant he felt.

However, those few lights were really not very effective, making it difficult to see its full appearance, so Zhang You spoke to the back.

"Adjust the lights to the same angle, and turn on all the headlights."

"Take pictures of them all on top of me."

"Thump...thump...buzz...buzz..."

Behind him, large lights were turned on, shining through Zhang You's body and illuminating every corner of the stone gate, turning the hillside as bright as day.

But Zhang You finally saw clearly what was engraved on the middle half of the door: thousands of people kneeling on the ground, each holding a candle above their head.

It's like worshipping something, or welcoming someone into a deeper realm.

"This is a ruin."

Zhang You stood in front of the door, his mind wandering.

Who left this?

It was definitely not left by an ordinary person, because how could an ordinary person build such a huge stone gate, especially in this mountain that belongs to the ancient god Zhulong?

Zhang You stared at the stone gate, a look of fascination gradually appearing in his eyes. He wandered around the gate, gazing at the figures kneeling on the ground, holding up candles.

"These were left behind by our ancestors from the barbaric era. But what are these people worshipping, and what are they welcoming?"

"Could it be the gods and demons from ancient mythology?"

What kind of power did they possess in those distant years, and what kind of legendary stories did they have?
Zhang You finally stood in the center of the gate, peering through the crack with curiosity and longing in his eyes, but unfortunately he couldn't see anything.

There's definitely something behind it, but how do I open it?

Not long ago, he was only thinking about surviving.

At this moment, having witnessed the true extraordinary world and even seen the relics left by this ancient myth, his heart seemed to sprout wings and soar to the clouds.

At that moment, one of the laptops among the pile of computers placed on the cliff behind them made a sound.

Immediately someone came and called Zhang You to tell him.

"The Celestial Venerable is looking for you."

Zhang You immediately came to his senses.

He immediately ran to the computer, knelt down to pay his respects, and then connected to the video call. The disciples of the Changsheng Temple had extremely strict rules, and the severity of their punishments was beyond the imagination of ordinary people, as Zhang You had already witnessed.

After the video started playing, a Taoist priest was seen sitting cross-legged in the main hall. He had his whisk draped over his shoulder and his eyes were half-closed as he spoke to Zhang You.

“Some people have infiltrated. Eliminate them all. I have issued a decree ordering all disciples of the Longevity Temple to assist you.”

Zhou Shentong's decision not to tell Zhang You and Li Jun clearly indicated that he was using them as pawns for testing.

Zhang You dared not say anything and immediately kowtowed.

"Disciple receives the decree."

When Zhou Shentong finished speaking, Zhang You suddenly stopped him and told him what had just happened.

"Immortal Venerable, we just dug up some things in Zhangwei Mountain."

Zhou Shentong opened his eyes, as if they were shining brightly.

"what?"

Zhang You stood up, holding his computer, and then aimed it at the stone gate that was slanted into the ground in the distance.

Zhou Shentong immediately stood up, approached, and after carefully examining the area, he could no longer contain his ecstatic joy.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Hahahahaha!"

"Good, good, you did a great job."

Just as Zhou Shentong finished being happy, he thought of Lu Gang, who had already opened the door, and Li Jun behind him.

"Hold those people back at all costs and don't let them get near here."

"I'll be right there... cough cough cough..."

At this moment, Zhou Shentong suddenly started coughing violently, and his face turned deathly pale.

Even Zhou Shentong's figure seemed somewhat illusory to Zhang You.

It seems the other party's situation is not good, considering what he did before and the plans he has been making.

Everything requires the use of force, and the use of force always comes at a price.

Finally, Zhou Shentong sat down cross-legged and formed a hand seal.

"Hold those people off for me, I'll be there shortly."

The video then cut off.
-
Li Jun was looking at Lu Gang.

It felt somewhat like playing a video game. His perspective gradually followed Lu Gang and the exploration team as they ventured deeper into another bizarre and wondrous region, searching for an ancient, hidden place that had been lost for countless years.

Lu Gang and the entire exploration team were all looking at the huge crack in the sky in the distance that resembled the aurora borealis.

Lu Gang always felt that someone was watching him, and when he saw the light and shadow cracks that looked like eyes, he suddenly realized.

"No wonder."

This mountain is vast and deep, with no end in sight.

The jungle was dense and dark. If you looked closely, the bark of the trees looked like dragon scales. Each tree was twisted and gnarled, and at first glance, it looked like dragons or giant earthworms growing out of the ground and roaring to the sky.

There was only one steep and treacherous mountain path leading inside. The road followed the figures holding candles as they ran wildly, but strangely, those people were moving at an absurdly fast speed.

Before long, they disappeared into the mountain path. "Where did they go?"

"How can these people be so fast? Did they float there?"

"Have you forgotten that they were all just shadows before?"

At that moment, a drone took off, and they quickly located the group holding candles. They had already crossed the hill and reached another hill.

Just as Lu was about to say he would follow, Zhao Nange, with her keen observation, noticed some other clues.

He said, "Look into the distance, is there light?"

Lu Gang looked over and said, "It's lights, signs of human activity."

Lu Gang quickly realized that they must be people from the Changsheng Temple, and judging from their location, they were heading towards the finish line where those figures holding candles were running.

"Keep going, but be careful."

They continued cautiously forward, but even with their caution, they were still attacked.

The attack was fierce and resolute, showing no mercy whatsoever.

In the darkness, firelight accompanied the sound of gunfire, and a hail of bullets came from afar, instantly killing two people.

However, the men Lu Gang brought in were all well-trained, and the two sides engaged in a skirmish on the hillside.

but.

Soon, a force that did not belong to this era appeared, and both sides sent out superhumans.

Lu Gang and Zhao Nange rushed into the forest with guns. In the pitch black, Lu Gang closed his eyes and used a different perspective to sense the enemy in the shadows.

"There!" Lu Gang quickly spotted someone hiding not far ahead.

"Bang!" His bullets seemed to have eyes; the moment the gunshot rang out, he saw his opponent fall.

Two other people were hiding in a tree and lying on the ground, but Lu Gang's keen intuition allowed him to evade their attack. He shot the person on the ground and then leaped up, drew his dagger in mid-air and stabbed him to death. He then somersaulted down from the tree, just like an assassin in a movie who could kill with a single blow.

The whole process was so smooth and fast that there was no sense of sluggishness. For the first time in his life, Lu Gang felt so strong. His super-long-range vision allowed him to sense the enemy immediately no matter where they were hiding.

His field of vision is a 360-degree view with no blind spots, and he can see through obstacles.

His body was coordinated and strong, especially in the dark forest.

It can be said that this jungle is the most suitable battlefield for him.

On the other side, Zhao Nange was doing the same. The two of them worked together to massacre the attacking enemies. In this dark jungle, they were like cheetahs, easily hunting down all the enemies hiding in the shadows.

But soon.

The enemy's superhumans have also appeared.

The opponent's power is completely different from that of Lu Gang and Zhao Nange. Their power is more bizarre and direct, and it involves the use of fire.

Lu Gang kept killing the enemies, but the other side seemed to have no regard for the lives of the ordinary people. Instead, they used the deaths of these people to lure Lu Gang and Zhao Nange into a trap.

But just as he approached the trap, Lu Gang seemed to sense something.

on the hill.

Lu Gang was looking at the gunmen who were charging at him like fanatics. He was about to wipe them out when he suddenly heard a chant in his ear. He was instantly jolted out of his intense focus on the fight.

"has a problem."

He shoved Zhao Nange aside, but at that moment Zhang You, who had been waiting for a long time from a high place, had already given the order.

"Do it!"

As the people rushing towards Lu Gang opened their mouths, it became clear that what were inside their mouths were not human tongues, but rather candle wicks that looked like they were burning with flames.

The moment they opened their mouths, countless fiery serpents poured out and swept towards Lu Gang.

The towering flames were reflected in everyone's eyes, along with their ecstatic and arrogant attitude toward wielding this power.

At the same time, there is also a fervent devotion to those who bestow this power upon them.

If death is no longer the end of the world, and this life may only be the beginning, and you possess this power and authority, then countless people will be willing to give their lives for you.

"Hoohoo!"

"Woooooooooooo..."

The enormous fire snakes converged and transformed into a towering pillar of fire, which from a distance looked like a thick, crimson candle burning on the earth.

This commotion attracted everyone's attention, especially Zhang Youyi, who was responsible for the scene.

Zhang You looked at the huge "fire candle" with boundless longing in his eyes.

"Look, this is the power of the ancient gods and demons."

"We are no longer human, but are moving closer to the ancient gods and demons."

"We are transforming, we are evolving..."

Meanwhile, Zhao Nange led the others into the flames, shouting as they went.

"Team Leader Lu!"

They wanted to rescue Lu Gang from the fire, but seeing their panicked state, Zhang You mocked them.

"The wooden guest is already weak in fire, yet he still dares to rush in."

Everyone on Zhang You's side thought Lu Gang was doomed, and even with only Zhao Nange left, he couldn't possibly fight them, especially since their strength was "restrained" by Lu Gang.

At this very moment, a strange thing happened amidst the towering flames.

Lu Gang stood unharmed amidst the flames. The chanting of mantras around him grew louder and louder, and his body and the surrounding space began to distort and become illusory.

Beneath the phantom of the sacred tree in the center of Taoshan Island.

Li Jun raised his hand again and chanted the incantation, and the power of the sacred peach tree gradually enveloped Lu Gang.

Before Lu entered, he had "invoked a god" to possess him, and at that moment, there really was a "god" watching him from behind.

Subsequently.

Before everyone's eyes, a figure rushed out of the fire, without even a single hair on his head being singed.

At this moment, Zhang You, who was immersed in the power of "gods and demons", let out a cry of surprise.

"How can it be!"

"He's not dead yet?"

Lu Gang first fired two shots, knocking the person in front of him to the ground, and then, feeling it wasn't safe, fired another shot into the head.

Lu Gang pulled out a dagger with his other hand and slit the throat of another person.

As it turned out, his follow-up shot was correct; the man survived after his throat was slit and even retained most of his mobility to fight back.

As he backed away, he raised his gun and fired at Lu Gang, while his tongue twisted in his mouth, and flames began to surge outwards again.

At this moment, Lu Gang finally saw the man's tongue clearly; it was actually a snake's tongue.

However, whether it was the bullet that man fired at Lu Gang or the surging fire snakes...

At this moment, they all passed right through Lu Gang's body, having no effect whatsoever.

"Are you kidding me?"

"How did he do it?"

Lu Gang charged into the flames, shoved the gun into the enemy's mouth, and fired a shot.

Brain matter and blood splattered from the back of his head, and Lu Gang then rushed towards another person.

A chaotic battle erupted on the hillside. Everyone else reacted and began attacking Lu Gang again, while Zhao Nange and his men came up to support Lu Gang.

However, it seems that Lu Gang alone has already defeated the opponent.

All attacks passed right through Lu Gang; he was the only one who could attack others, while ignoring all the attacks from everyone else.

When the fourth superhuman died, the others couldn't take it anymore and dared not face Lu Gang directly.

"What kind of monster is this?"

"What's wrong with him? Why can't I hit him? What's wrong with his body?"

"Is he a ghost?"

Wherever the road rushed, the enemy there dared not face it head-on, but instead began to retreat passively.

Lu Gang charged upwards with an air of invincibility, seemingly unstoppable.

Lu Gang looked up and finally saw Zhang You on the hill. Zhang You was momentarily intimidated by the sight of Lu Gang, who was fighting a bloodbath.

At the same time, a hint of doubt arose.

"What's going on? The Immortal Venerable didn't say that this Lu Gang was so powerful!"

"Wasn't it said that he was just a first-stage superhuman?"

Zhao Nange and his group, who followed with their entourage, were even more shocked, realizing for the first time how powerful Lu Gang was.

"Has Team Leader Lu awakened a new ability?" Everyone was incredibly excited, and their morale soared.

"I've never seen this before!" Zhao Nange said, somewhat puzzled.

"Maybe it's just a sudden burst of power under pressure." There were still many young people in the team who felt a strong sense of déjà vu about this scene.

Finally, Zhang You, unsure how to deal with Lu Gang, issued a retreat order.

"Walk."

(End of this chapter)