Chapter 5053

Just as Kai pulled Mo Qingyun beneath the stone platform, the runes on the coffin suddenly erupted with a terrifying surge of power.

Caught off guard, everyone was blasted away by the violent force.

Fortunately, Kai had anticipated the danger and brought Mo Qingyun below the platform in time, so the eruption didn’t harm either of them.

But the others weren’t so lucky. Their faces turned pale, and blood trickled from the corners of their mouths.

Elder Tong was in the worst condition—his expression twisted in pain, and his chest was visibly sunken.

Seeing Elder Tong like this, Tianci’s arrogance vanished. His face turned solemn, replaced by a deep sense of caution.

He realized that retrieving treasures from this relic might not be as easy as expected.

At that moment, the entire surrounding void was filled with a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere.

Kai stared at the stone platform. The three coffins remained undisturbed in place, showing no signs of having opened.

But then—where had that terrifying force come from?

Kai instinctively kept pulling Mo Qingyun backward. He could feel that these three coffins were far too strange, giving off a deeply unsettling aura.

“Creak… creak…”

Suddenly, a sharp noise echoed as the coffin in the center began to slowly open on its own.

Everyone tensed up at the sight, their nerves stretched tight as they readied themselves.

Kai stepped in front of Mo Qingyun, shielding her as he gripped the Dragon-Slaying Sword, eyes locked on the opening coffin.

Tianci, seeing Mo Qingyun once again sticking closely to Kai, was furious. Their closeness irritated him deeply.

But now wasn’t the time for petty grudges. With danger looming, everyone needed to stay united.

Kai glanced toward the stone gate and whispered, “If anything goes wrong, run—don’t stay and fight.”

“Got it!” Mo Qingyun nodded firmly.

She always listened to Kai. As long as he ran, she would follow without hesitation.

Boom—
The lid of the central coffin slowly opened, and an ancient, boundless aura instantly swept through the entire ruin.

Then, an illusory figure rose from the coffin and floated in mid-air.

It was a white-haired old man in a plain robe, his eyes deep like the starry sky, as if he could see through all things.

“Finally… someone has arrived,” the old man said slowly, his voice filled with age and authority.

Everyone widened their eyes, staring at the old man with expressions full of greed.

“Senior! I am Tianci from Tianyuan Pavilion. I greet you with respect!” Tianci quickly stepped forward and bowed.

“Bai Shuang from Shura Palace. I pay my respects!” the woman in the white robe added promptly.

“Tianyuan Pavilion? Shura Palace?” The old man shook his head. “I don’t know them. I’ve never heard of such names.”

“May I ask what sect you’re from, Senior?” Kai stepped forward and inquired.

“Gan Tian Sect…” the old man said slowly.

“Gan Tian Sect?” Everyone was confused.

What kind of sect was that?

It sounded impressive—but no one had ever heard of it, nor had it been mentioned in any known records.

Seeing their confusion, the old man smiled and said, “Our sect was founded tens of thousands of years ago. It has long since perished. Of course, you youngsters wouldn’t know of it.”

“But the First, Second, and Third Heavens of this world were all created by my Gan Tian Sect,” the old man added.

“What?” Everyone was stunned.

“Senior… your Gan Tian Sect dared to defy the will of heaven?” Kai asked.

“Yes, we went against the will of heaven. Originally, this realm only had Thirty-Three Heavens.”

“It was my Gan Tian Sect that opened the Third Heaven. Without us, cultivators below the level of Immortal Transformation would never reach the heavens—unless they ascended.”

“I was the one who created the Three Heavens and set the rules. Those with extraordinary talent who pass the trials could be guided into the heavens,” the old man explained slowly.