Another Bloom on the Bottom

Du Chen was greatly startled. According to Old Foye, Phil had been buried near the Sigurd Mausoleum in the southern Lanning Empire, which was effectively the ancestral graveyard of the Saint Sigurd Cain family.

Because of the numerous family experts guarding the ancestral tombs, the possibility of common grave robbers stealing a corpse or plundering the tomb was practically nil. So, what did Phil's empty tomb signify? Was it possible she wasn't dead after all?

Du Chen voiced his doubt, and Flaying replied, "I don't know either. Thirteen years ago, I personally witnessed Phil's passing. However, not long ago, after an earthquake in southern Lanning, your father dispatched people to inspect the ancestral tombs. I seized the opportunity to take a look, only to discover that the crystal coffin inside your mother's mausoleum had a crack, and the body within was gone."

"Francis," Flaying's voice was frigid with rage, "Tendon-Severing and I believe there are two possibilities. First, your mother died and was resurrected, but there's no reason for her not to seek out her own son after resurrection, so that's unlikely. Second, a master stole the corpse! If it's the second possibility, then the damned grave robber is almost certainly Philip—he needs your mother's body for experiments!" He continued, "What you must do now is assist me in thoroughly investigating Philip's Alchemy Laboratory and locating your mother's remains! If it's confirmed to be his doing, then we won't just flay him and debone him; we'll grind his bones to dust and scatter his ashes!"

Du Chen smiled. This matter was his undeniable duty. Setting everything else aside, a single truth sufficed: filial piety was the foremost of all virtues! His current body was a gift from Phil, and Phil wasn't a scoundrel like Arges. Thus, Du Chen retrieving his "mother's" body would be an act of profound filial devotion, a truly great deed!

"This is something I, as a son, must do. Even without your help, I'd investigate it thoroughly. By the way, there's an opportunity on the third of March—will you help me!?"

Flaying was momentarily stunned. After Du Chen recounted the matters concerning Helen, the Holy Church, Roland, and the March Third experiment, he burst into boisterous laughter. "Francis, you've done exceptionally well! This way, Tendon-Severing and I will save a lot of effort!" He let out a long sigh, lamenting wistfully, "If Phil could see you now, she would be immensely proud!"

Du Chen also sighed a few times with Flaying, then stated solemnly, "First, I need to know Philip's true strength. How vast are his forces? Since he is the Grand Pontiff of the Yessar Church, at least in name, he couldn't possibly wield only the limited influence shown in the Holy Church's intelligence reports!"

"Aside from those dispatched by Battle God Academy to protect him, he has many Yessar Church members around him. But don't worry about those minor figures; Tendon-Severing and I can deal with them easily. However, Philip is highly likely to be colluding with two other Saints—Sinew-Rend and Corpse Dissolution—in a conspiracy!" He paused, then continued, "I observed Philip himself; he's still only a Level Five Battle-Warrior, virtually unchanged in thirty years!"

Du Chen trusted Flaying's judgment. After pondering the intelligence provided, he said, "If that's the case, I can use Helen to assist the Holy Church, and by extension, use both the Holy Church and Helen to aid *us*..." Du Chen heavily emphasized the word "us."

Listening to Du Chen's plan, Flaying nodded silently. "It shall be as you say! Tendon-Severing and I will cooperate with you! Also, during the operation, take the necklace I gave you. It belonged to your mother and will protect you."

Having spoken, he turned to leave.

"Please wait!" A sudden flash of insight struck Du Chen, and he called out to Flaying. "Your relationship with Tendon-Severing doesn't seem particularly close, does it?"

"Hmph, we merely joined forces to protect Phil's son! When the Four Saints fractured, we were enemies!"

"Then he can hardly be considered our friend. My protector, please tell me truthfully, what would be the consequences if Tendon-Severing still couldn't execute Louis a month from now? For instance, what if Louis accidentally died within this month?"

"That's impossible. For this month, Tendon-Severing won't let Louis die!" Flaying glanced at Louis, who lay unconscious in the corner. "When Tendon-Severing set up this Magic Formation, he already tampered with Louis's body. Louis cannot escape Tendon-Severing's grasp!" As he spoke, he keenly sensed another layer of meaning in Du Chen's words and suddenly smiled.

"If you want to try something, go ahead! I'm certain he won't dare to do anything to you, unless he wishes to experience my blades again!"

Du Chen also smiled. "I understand. Hey, can you take off your mask? Let me see your true face?"

"Not yet!" Flaying vanished swiftly into the night.

With Flaying's disappearance, the unfamiliar sensations seemed to vanish instantly, and the alley returned to the scene Du Chen was accustomed to.

Louis still lay unconscious, slumped in the corner. Du Chen glanced at the detestable yet pitiable fellow, destined to be Tendon-Severed a month later. Suddenly, he chuckled mischievously, summoned a glowing lotus, tossed Louis onto it, and watched as it transformed into a tattoo, affixing itself to his elbow.

This was another wondrous application of the Lotus Sacred Artifacts, much like the "Soul-Capturing Artifact" that had caused his Senior Brother Sun so much grief in his previous life.

The moment he activated the lotus, Du Chen suddenly noticed a strange sensation on his posterior. He probed with his Lotus Internal Force. Ha! He realized that during this period, he had finally accumulated enough good deeds to make the fourth lotus bloom!

Saving Louis's life twice, countless good deeds since the start of the semester, and the operation of the Charitable Foundation far away in Lanning—all these good deeds combined had finally pushed open the fourth lotus!

Overwhelmed by pleasant surprise, Du Chen no longer bothered to seek out the Holy Church members to discuss his plan. He simply found a small roadside inn, booked a room, and began to meticulously examine his body.

His Lotus Internal Force hadn't necessarily thickened, but its density was certainly greater, as if it had been further purified. Moreover, his control over the Sacred Artifacts had become more precise. Under Du Chen's manipulation, the three lotuses could now perform high-angle directional changes in flight, bringing him one step closer to freely soaring upon them.

Most crucially, the fourth lotus had detached itself from his posterior.

"What... what is this?" Du Chen placed all four lotuses that could leave his body on the table, gazing at the bizarre appearance of the "newcomer," utterly bewildered.

Unlike its three "elder brothers," this fourth lotus didn't possess a resplendent golden body, nor dazzling petals and stamens. Instead, it was as if a lotus had been placed on a table and then flattened with a hammer, yet still retained its two-dimensional floral pattern. Or rather, it resembled a water lily drawn on a sheet of paper and then cut out.

"What good is this thing? I can't exactly throw it at people, can I? Then..." Du Chen pondered, then channeled his Lotus Internal Force into this fourth "deformity."

Suddenly, the lotus vanished.

Yet Du Chen clearly felt it was right beside him! And as his Lotus Internal Force stimulated it, it grew larger and larger, finally standing before him like a transparent crystal wall.

"Holy hell! It's an invisible lotus shield! Haha!" Du Chen was overjoyed. He hastily struck the shield with his Level Two Fiend Battle Qi, but the battle qi vanished like a clay ox entering the sea—utterly useless!

"Heh, what a treasure, and it's invisible! Master Grape, your disciple praises you!"

Du Chen immediately envisioned numerous uses for this item. Although "Fourth Bro" was invisible and lacked flash, its practicality was its true strength!

Subsequently, as Du Chen prepared to check out after retrieving the lotus, a sudden sensation filled his mind, as if something new had appeared, or perhaps he had understood something profound. This feeling was incredibly mystic. The mental energy used to manipulate Fiend Battle Qi in his mind seemed to progress wildly under the impetus of this sensation. Du Chen found it difficult to articulate the changes occurring in his head; it was a spiritual power. It was like...

It wasn't until Du Chen arrived at the Holy Church's rendezvous point—the "Tiger" Tavern—that he suddenly found a fitting description.

It was like the "enlightenment" described by the Buddhists in his previous life.