The Tomb Guardian

Flaying and Eldest Brother were in the Amulang Mountains, precisely where he was headed!

Du Chen's heart surged with delight; their whereabouts were finally clear. Yet, the scant words from Dus unveiled far more than just their location. He queried, "Flaying and Eldest Brother's energies are drawing ever closer—what could that imply? And is there anything peculiar about that Tomb Guardian? If Flaying, even while soaring at high speed or cloaked in stealth, was detected by him, then the Tomb Guardian's might warrants serious consideration!"

Dus, ever the rogue, retorted, "You ask me, who am I to ask? Francis, Flaying, and Steve's energies are drawing increasingly near, and yet growing more chaotic! You know, Fifth Brother here 'perceives' things by the ebb and flow of external energies. Right now, this chaotic energy has blurred my 'sight' into a complete mess. It's already quite an feat to even pinpoint their location in the Amulang Mountains for you. Don't expect anything else from me... Oh, let the ravaging come even more fiercely!"

Du Chen nearly cut off communication with Dus then and there. Rubbing his nose, he asked, "What about that tracker?"

Dus shrieked, "Hasn't shown up in ages!"

"Continue monitoring!" Du Chen hummed dismissively. He severed the connection with Fifth Brother, musing inwardly, 'At last, someone has actually seen Eldest Brother and Flaying with their own eyes!' He spurred his horse to catch up with Antoine, declaring with elegant sorrow, "Prime Minister, the thought that my ancestor fell in battle within the Amulang Mountains, yet I, his descendant, have never once paid respects at the Amulang Divine Tomb, fills me with profound shame and remorse!"

Antoine paused, utterly unable to fathom the young fox's intentions.

Du Chen continued, "If we adhere to the envoy delegation's protocol and pace, we'll require several more days to reach the Amulang Mountains, our negotiation site. However, I yearn to pay respects at my ancestor's battleground even a day sooner. Might I proceed ahead?" He extended a smiling hand, "If you would, sir…"

Antoine thought to himself, 'Could this young fox be aiming to scout out the beastmen's true intentions beforehand? That might not be so bad!' He instructed, "You speak wisely. I shall immediately draft the diplomatic writ, demanding, in the name of the envoy delegation, that they permit your early entry into the Amulang Mountains!"

"My thanks, Prime Minister!"

Du Chen beckoned Deboning with a wave, then galloped swiftly away from the envoy delegation. His gaze, cold and sharp, fixed on the indistinct mountains ahead. "Deboning, the Tomb Guardian of Amulang Divine Tomb saw my Eldest Brother and Flaying with his own eyes. We shall go to him at once! However, a chaotic energy flux has appeared around Flaying and my Eldest Brother, severely weakening Dus's perceptive abilities, making it impossible to gauge the Tomb Guardian's true strength. Be vigilant of him then!"

Stretching nearly a thousand li from west to east, the Amulang Mountains, when viewed from a commanding height, resembled an colossal mountain python, utterly immense—whereas the Auerbach Grand Canyon to its south was but a mere worm.

Directly north of the Auerbach Grand Canyon, upon the 'python's' back, rose three towering peaks. Following the beastmen's simple and direct naming customs, these three mountains were collectively dubbed the 'Three Blades Peak' due to their shapes, and individually known as Longblade Peak, Sharpblade Peak, and Blade of Heaven Peak.

From the distant great plains, these Three Blades Peak appeared to stand in a tripod formation, seemingly close and interdependent. In reality, they were separated by at least several hundred li. At the very center of this grand triangular formation of the Three Blades Peak lay a meticulously cleared, man-made expanse, approximately a li in circumference. This was the precise location of the Amulang Divine Tomb!

Du Chen had learned of the Tomb Guardian's sighting of Flaying during his conversation with Antoine. Fearing Flaying might take Eldest Brother too far afield, he abandoned his horse for flight not long after leaving the envoy delegation, reaching the periphery of the Amulang Mountains in just half a day.

After submitting the diplomatic writ, Du Chen procured a detailed map of the Amulang Mountains from the beastmen and, accompanied by Deboning, ventured into the vast wilderness. As night descended, the Amulang Divine Tomb emerged into his view.

Upon witnessing the environment of the Amulang Mountains, Du Chen felt a pang of regret. He had previously imagined this Divine Tomb would be heavily guarded by countless Holy Church and beastmen soldiers, hence his solemn acquisition of the diplomatic writ for easier movement. But a glance at the reality… revealed nothing but a damn vast stretch of desolate mountains!

Standing atop a peak, gazing at the tomb grounds before him, Du Chen was momentarily stunned. "This… is the Divine Tomb?" He had considered it might be a mass grave, but never imagined it would be such an exquisitely unique one. The area, extending a li in circumference, was surrounded by blooming flora. Even the dozens of generals' tombstones and a magnificent monument to unnamed soldiers within the burial grounds were adorned with flowers. The entire Divine Tomb was a symphony of birdsong and blooming fragrance, a hundred flowers vying for beauty. Under the silver moon and starlight of the night, it exuded a tranquil mystery, truly akin to an earthly paradise—even the tombstones within seemed not eerie or terrifying, but rather sacred and serene!

This earthly paradise possessed no grand gate, only two evergreen trees adorning the mountain pass. Beneath them, a gravel path served as the sole entry into the Divine Tomb.

As Du Chen watched, a light flickered on in the small wooden hut behind the two evergreens. With a creak, an old man, donning a long robe as he emerged, pushed open the door. "Ah, visitors to pay respects to the gods. Two… are there only two of you?"

The old man was remarkably ancient. Clad in the Holy Church's common grey-white ascetic's robe, his hair was entirely gone, his face a roadmap of wrinkles. When he smiled, only a few teeth remained in his mouth, a testament to his age. Leaning on his staff, he shuffled forward. He barely reacted to Du Chen, but upon seeing Deboning in the robes of a top-tier cleric, he immediately bowed with trembling reverence.

'This old man could detect Flaying? Could it be that Flaying wasn't stealthy or flying, which allowed such an old fellow to spot him? Appearances can be deceiving. Best to probe his background first!'

Du Chen stepped forward to help the old man up. "Old sir, we've come to pay homage to the gods. Are you the only one here?"

The old man, still trembling, replied, "Oh, good sir, this old man hardly deserves to be called 'old sir' by you. Just call me Old Warma." He raised his eyes to glance at the tombstones outside, sighing, "Alas, dozens of empty tombs, with neither treasures nor strategic importance. This old man can manage them all by himself; there's no need for more people."

Du Chen wondered, "But this is the Amulang Divine Tomb! How can the cenotaphs of the gods be tended by only one person…"

Old Warma gave a sheepish smile, not hurrying to answer Du Chen's question. Instead, he invited them into his humble wooden hut, poured them a flower petal drink, and cast a glance at Deboning's divine robe. "This esteemed sir, are you of the Holy Church…"

Du Chen introduced their identities. As Old Warma bowed, he subtly glanced at Deboning, who gave a slight shake of his head—'Young Master, I detect nothing unusual about this old fellow!'

Old Warma fetched some items for the ceremony. "If you two sirs wish to pay homage to the gods, then follow me!" He led the way, muttering to himself as if in self-reflection, yet also seemingly answering Du Chen's earlier query, "Alas, the owners of these cenotaphs were once glorious, grand heroes. But now, they are pitiful souls with neither descendants nor even their bones remaining! Many years ago, this place indeed had numerous guards, but the War of Fallen Gods ended over a thousand years ago. How many now remember the names of these heroes? The beastmen worship only God Orbach, and care nothing for this mausoleum. After governing for several centuries, the Holy Church discovered that their believers no longer remembered the names of these former Major Generals, Brigadier Generals, or even low-tier Commander-rank gods… High-tier deities like God Orbach and God Sigurd could inspire greater reverence for the Holy Church among believers, but what could these nameless heroes offer the Holy Church? Things without utility, who truly cares for them!"

At this moment, Old Warma appeared as a wise old man, utterly sagacious in the ways of the world.

"Before I took over this Divine Tomb, the Holy Church officials responsible for its management all moved out of the graveyard. They built a noble estate in the mountain pass outside and lived comfortably, drawing the Gold Coins allocated by the Holy Church annually for tomb maintenance. Then, every ten to fifteen days, they would return to inspect for any damage to the gods' tombs… or to make a show when someone came to pay respects. Alas! If not for the tomb's disrepair being such a discredit to the Holy Church's prestige, I, the Tomb Guardian, likely wouldn't even be needed! Grand Pontiff Brook, if you ever have the chance, please speak to His Holiness the Pontiff. The heroes commemorated here, no matter how humble their standing now, sacrificed everything to save humanity, ending with mere cenotaphs and no remains! How can we, their descendants, treat them like this?"

Old Warma sighed with profound emotion. Du Chen looked around; to an outsider, this secluded earthly paradise certainly seemed fitting for a heroes' burial ground. But who could have imagined the hidden plight of so many heroes after their demise?

Had he not arrived unannounced, he would likely have witnessed the Holy Church personnel grandly presiding over a memorial ceremony, rather than this desolate scene.

After the gods were worshipped, Warma continued his chattering monologue. Du Chen, growing impatient, decided to ask directly, "Old sir, two friends of mine arrived in the Amulang Mountains not long ago. Have you seen them? Well, one might have been carrying the other." As he spoke, Du Chen's cold gaze fixed on Warma, while Deboning's eyes narrowed, gleaming with an icy glint.

Old Warma seemed oblivious, yet continued his muttering, "Oh, you're looking for someone else… I recall now, during the day, a mass of black and crimson mist was swirling near the Divine Tomb. I was quite startled then! If that's the friend you're seeking, head east, towards Longblade Peak. Perhaps, you might find him there."

Du Chen's eyes lit up, but he rubbed his nose and chuckled, "Old sir truly has keen eyesight! My friend moves with unparalleled swiftness; if he were flying, ordinary human eyes would likely only catch a wisp of bi-colored smoke. For you, aged as you are…"

Old Warma split his lips in a chuckle, his few remaining teeth looking somewhat endearing. "Good sir, you're not implying this decrepit old man is some mighty expert, are you? Haha, it's not that my eyesight is keen, but rather that your friend moved too slowly. He was enveloped in mist, making him hard to discern, yet he stumbled and staggered as if searching for something. Though my eyes are dim with age, I could still see him clearly."

Du Chen froze, casting a doubtful glance at Old Warma. He mused inwardly, 'Flaying has a mysterious tracker behind him; how could he possibly be stumbling about near the Divine Tomb? Is this old fellow lying, or has something happened to Flaying?' Alas, Dus had encountered an energy flux, otherwise, a single word from him would suffice to discern the truth of Old Warma's words!