Chapter 1504 (1503): The Grand Finale (Part 6) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Cold sweat broke out on Yun Ce's back instantly.

He didn't dare look into his master's eyes at that moment.

They were afraid of seeing suspicion, skepticism, or scrutiny in the other person's eyes.

When his junior brother saw the empty tomb, his first reaction was naturally to suspect that grave robbers had visited the place and desecrated their master's remains. But what about the ruler of a country, who had a deep grudge against his master? Would the ruler suspect that Yun Da had faked his death and that he and Zi Gu had conspired to deceive the emperor? Just the thought flashed through Yun Ce's mind sent chills down his spine. He wanted to speak up to defend himself but didn't know where to begin.

The death of my mentor back then was indeed very strange to outsiders.

How could a 200-year-old Marquis of the Rank 20, who had dominated an era, die so inexplicably? And were only his two children, whom Yun Da had raised himself, present before his death? He had no illnesses or old injuries, and he had countless centuries left to live.

Why give such profound advice to a young disciple?

It's absurd from any perspective.

The lord of that time believed Yun Ce and the other man's explanation without seeing Yun Da's remains and grave, largely out of trust in his two generals, and never mentioned it again over the years. Now, having finally come to visit, he opened the grave only to find the coffin missing.

Who would believe it's just a coincidence?

Do tomb raiders only dig up one grave and ignore the other?

In a flash, Yun Ce made a decision that would infuriate Yun Da, much to his junior brother's astonishment. He raised his hand and cracked the soil of his grandmother Amuqing's grave with a single blow. As the soil cracked, it revealed a layer of blue clay half a zhang below. This layer of blue clay was extremely thick, and Yun Ce had to exert considerable effort to pry it open. This layer of blue clay was also nearly half a zhang thick, beneath which lay layers of piled-up yellow cypress wood.

"Senior Brother Yuanmou, have you gone mad?" The unlucky junior brother, unaware of Yun Ce's current mood, quickly jumped down to stop him. The moment he saw the layer of blue clay, he knew how high the tomb's occupant's status was in their master's heart. "This is Master's wife's grave!"

Judging from the size of these cypress logs and their neat stacking, it is highly likely to be a huangchang ticou (a type of ancient Chinese burial chamber), and a rather large one at that—something many royal families couldn't afford. It should be understood that one should treat the dead as if they were alive. Although the tomb owner's status in life seemed unworthy of such a structure, considering that Yun Da was a twentieth-rank marquis, whether it exceeded the prescribed limits was ultimately his decision. Was it really necessary to open the coffin?

A sharp question calmed Yun Ce down.

The unlucky junior brother thought he had acted because the tomb exceeded the regulations, little did he know that he had his own unspeakable suffering. At this moment, Shen Tang also jumped down, looking at the gap where a small part of the luxurious tomb was exposed, and sighed: "I didn't expect Yun Da to still have this kind of heart."

Upon hearing this, the unlucky junior brother frowned. Although his master had suffered some setbacks in his life, death is the end, and everything is settled. Why be sarcastic in front of his grave-robbing? Senior Brother Yuanmou's reaction was also very strange. Why was he unmoved by his colleague's sarcasm?

Shen Tang said, "Unfortunately, it's not very useful."

Even the most lavish tombs cannot reach the deceased.

She told Yun Ce to bury the grave again so as not to disturb the peace of the deceased.

Yun Ce numbly complied, while his unfortunate junior brother swallowed his accusations and silently helped, vaguely sensing something amiss. His gaze secretly lingered on Shen Tang and Yun Ce, trying to guess the identity of this female ruler traveling with him. Within their sect, Yun Ce and Xianyu Jian weren't the only ones serving as generals in the court; others served in various military commands across the land, though their abilities and achievements were limited, and their reputations remained obscure.

Although my unlucky junior brother was in the martial arts world, he also knew some things about the imperial court.

The number of female rulers in the Kang Kingdom's court who could command Yuanmou's senior brother was not many, so which one was this female ruler who accompanied him?

"Grave robbers are hateful! Senior Brother Yuanmou, we must catch the thieves and bring Master back!" The unlucky junior brother traveled all over the country to make a living, and had connections in all walks of life. He had a wide network of contacts. "Senior Brother has a heavy responsibility and probably cannot stay away for a long time. Why don't you leave the matter of Master's grave being robbed to me?"

Shen Tang: "They shouldn't be ordinary tomb raiders."

Tomb raiders are mostly after money.

The lower outer coffin chamber contained countless treasures accumulated by Yun Da during his campaigns. Yun Da's tomb was located above it; tomb raiders could easily find the treasure by digging just a meter or two deeper, so why would they let it pass? This suggests that the tomb raiders' purpose was very clear: they were not after money.

So what's the point?

The answer is then very clear.

They're either after the coffin or the person inside.

Shen Tang did not suspect that Yun Da was not dead, as Yun Ce had feared.

It is a fact that Yun Ce was crippled by Yun Da back then—this fact is not entirely based on Xian Yujian's statement, but is also corroborated by some prisoners from the Northern Desert—and when Yun Ce reappeared, he had already recovered his strength and achieved a major breakthrough in his power.

It couldn't be that Yun Da captured another rank 20 Marquis for Yun Ce to enlighten him, while the real Yun Ce went through all that trouble faking his death. Yun Da, that old man, has nothing but stubbornness and pride. Letting him live a life of furtively hiding and groveling is worse than a quick death. The disappearance of the coffin is most likely not the result of his real body suddenly rising from the dead.

"This also proves that this coffin is the one we're looking for."

Then, thinking about the purpose of their visit—

"Perhaps the person who took the coffin is the culprit who caused the premature end." But let alone who this person is, Shen Tang doesn't even know when Yun Da's grave was dug up. The clues have been cut off quite cleanly. She sighed and said, "Let's go back first and discuss it further."

The unlucky junior didn't dare utter a sound throughout the entire process.

He had already vaguely guessed the identity of this female ruler.

Although it's unclear why this lord, who should have been personally leading the army to the front lines, was here, and even came to dig up his master Yunda's tomb, he must be hiding a shocking secret. Knowing too much is not good for ordinary people, so he chose to see through it but remain silent.

Just when Shen Tang and the others were at their wits' end, they unexpectedly obtained a clue—a group of outsiders had come looking for something.

The content was provided by my unlucky junior.

"This person claimed to be an old friend of my master. I asked the herdsman, and judging from his appearance, he doesn't seem to be a member of the sect. Judging from his accent, he seems to be from the central continent." As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a subtle change in the expressions of Yun Ce and his group.

"An accent from the central region?"

"Hmm, their clothing and attire are different from those in the North." The Northern Desert isn't a place where elaborate burials are common; in some places, even the dead aren't left behind. It's a barren land that tomb raiders avoid, unable to profit from the dead. Who would have thought this group might be here to raid tombs?

Shen Tang: "Alright, I understand."

On the way back, her face looked extremely pale.

At this critical juncture, the mention of someone suspected to be from the Central Region appearing at Yun Da's burial site immediately made Shen Tang suspect the lunatics of the Central Branch. Yun Da, having lived through the entire Wu Kingdom era, had also dealt with the Gods' Society; it was difficult to say he had no dealings with them. If the coffin was taken by the Central Branch, it was unexpected yet also plausible. After all, aside from this troublesome bunch who thrive on chaos, Shen Tang couldn't think of any other force that would travel such a long distance to dig up a coffin.

It took ten days to go there and ten days to return.

In the span of twenty days, the Kang Kingdom's army penetrated deeper into the central continent, conquering cities and seizing territory, pushing the battle line more than a hundred miles ahead. When the group returned, the Kang Kingdom's army had just finished its encirclement and siege operations. The main force kicked down the enemy city's flags and planted the Kang Kingdom's banner instead.

Wei Lou was the first to discover them.

One look at her appearance and you could tell she had returned empty-handed.

"Didn't find it?"

"Someone beat us to it."

Wei Lou narrowed his eyes dangerously: "Who beat you to it? Who was it?"

"Our initial guess is that it might be the work of the central branch of the organization. It's normal for this group to want to take everyone down with them if they can't win and their defenses are breached. It's something they're capable of doing." If they can't win, they'll overturn the table. From ancient diseases and scorched earth policies to locust plagues, they do things that other people wouldn't do.

Wei Lou: "You don't seem flustered at all."

Shen Tang seemed too calm.

Shen Tang said, "Why should I panic?"

Wei Lou, seemingly lost in thought, chuckled and said, “Indeed, there’s no need to panic. Even if the world is destroyed by the Lu River, the Queen can return to the Divine Platform.”

Setting aside his prejudices and gaining a deeper understanding of Shen Tang's troublesome team, Wei Lou sometimes felt a subtle sympathy for them. Even Wei Lou, a mere mortal, hadn't suffered this much in his short life. Shen Youli's resilience was truly first-rate.

Shen Tang said irritably, "Stop being sarcastic."

Even the strongest person can't withstand sleeping only an hour or so a day for more than twenty days in a row. Shen Tang gave a brief explanation and went to sleep immediately. He didn't wake up until late the next day, his head was a little groggy, and all his muscles were screaming in pain and soreness.

She regained some consciousness and smelled the aroma of chicken soup and meat.

The broth in the pot was so clear you could see the bottom, and the flavor was incredibly delicious and enticing.

"Wu Hui's culinary skills are becoming increasingly exquisite." Shen Tang drank the soup like a guzzler, feeling her taste buds tingling. Her stomach, which had been neglected by her host for two weeks, was nourished by the chicken soup, and she felt instantly blissful. She thought that even dragon liver and phoenix marrow could not compare to this. She exclaimed from the bottom of her heart, "He can serve guests in an elegant hall and prepare soups in the kitchen. He is skilled in managing the household and adept at handling external affairs. He is truly a wise and virtuous man."

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish.

Chu Yao's cooking skills are superb in every way.

Hearing her sweet talk, Chu Yao couldn't help but chuckle. After showing off the large pot on the table, Shen Tang suddenly sighed and slumped her shoulders: "...Although I know the result will definitely be good, the process is indeed agonizing."

"Does the Lord know the outcome?"

"Wu Hui is confident and prepared, so the outcome should not be bad."

If things really don't go well, Chu Yao will do everything he can to change the situation, at least giving her some hints. Shen Tang and her group headed north to find Yun Da's grave, and Chu Yao didn't stop them, so their direction should be correct. Even if it's wrong, there will still be something to be gained, right?

Unexpectedly, a hint of surprise appeared in Chu Yao's eyes.

Now it was Shen Tang's turn to be confused: "Isn't it...?"

Chu Yao said, "Of course not."

For others, Chu Yao's scholarly approach was indeed effective, but when it came to Shen Tang and that coffin, the heavenly secrets were in complete disarray, offering no useful clues. Having learned from Cui Mi's example, Chu Yao wasn't flustered. He didn't mention it because he trusted her.

Shen Tang: "..."

How could the two of them not be in sync on this matter?

"Do your best, leave the rest to fate, and have a clear conscience." Whether it's Chu Yao, Gu Chi, or Qi Shan, they all have a kind of "living but not dying" attitude. They can live or die, as long as they do their job well and stand their last post.

If fate decrees that they must die, they can only resign themselves to their fate.

As long as we're willing to live and die together, that's fine.

In this relaxed state of mind, no one took the potential cataclysmic destruction seriously; after all, they would all die together.

He most likely won't die, otherwise how would he have seen Lin Feng's clay statue and incense offerings many years later? This shows that among the countless futures that extend from the present, there is always one future where one can safely overcome the tribulation.

Shen Tang: "..."

It's like it's been abandoned, yet it doesn't seem like it's been abandoned at all.

Noticing Shen Tang's subtle glance, Chu Yao had no choice but to suppress his true feelings. While adding chicken soup and chicken pieces to Shen Tang's large pot, he asked her if she had any further ideas. Sigh, the world is about to be destroyed, and they still can't give a specific timeframe—a few days, a few months, or a year and a half? Even death row inmates are told the exact day they're to depart, instead of wasting time and living in anxiety.

"If all else fails, we can sneak into the enemy camp and investigate."

If it was a member of the middle branch of the organization, the coffin might be there.

Shen Tang paused for a moment, then continued, "Or we could go to Qu Kingdom and ask Yu Guilong; perhaps we'll find other clues."

She wanted to visit the sacred mountain and sea landscape.

Shen Tang also had a way to enter the Sacred Land of Mountains and Seas, but with the current national fortunes of Kang Kingdom so precarious, using Yu Hai as an entry point offered the best value. Yu Hai was the primary source of the information, while Gong Xi Chou was the middleman, making it difficult to say whether the message was distorted during transmission.

Seeing that Shen Tang still looked tired, Chu Yao considerately took his leave.

You can see Jimoqiu in no time.

The two exchanged polite greetings, and then Chu Yao suddenly asked a question.

"So, the Four Extremes Land can only be entered using the complete national seal and that coffin? Isn't there a third option?"

This place is not far from where Shen Tang's main tent is located.

Those inside the tent could clearly hear their conversation.

Ji Moqiu said, "Prime Minister Chu, there's not much I can say."

This answer clearly failed to satisfy Chu Yao.

At this moment, a faint restriction quietly appeared on Ji Moqiu's neck. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but a trickle of crimson blood slid out from the corner of his mouth: "...Just like the perfect ceremony that Prime Minister Chu experienced before, it seems like a dead end, but there is indeed a glimmer of hope. The answer always lies in the hands of the one who answers the question...it just depends on whether one has the ability to discover it..."

"Is this supposed to be a reminder?"

Ji Moqiu's heart stirred slightly and he began to vomit blood.

Shen Tang appeared out of nowhere, placing a hand on his shoulder and saying calmly, "Don't overthink it. This is a calamity for me and all the living beings here, and we must face it." The thunderclouds in the sky reluctantly dissipated.

Chu Yao shuddered, his pupils shrinking sharply.

Looking at Ji Moqiu and then at the strange phenomenon in the sky, he murmured in a daze, "...Those words just now were not my intention..."

It was an inexplicable intuition.

It seemed as if some unseen force was urging him to say these words, which were precisely the thoughts that had been accumulating in his heart for a long time. It was as if he could ask them himself, yet it was also as if someone was speaking through his mouth. This inexplicable feeling was very subtle, and it also sent chills down his spine.

Ji Moqiu's face was pale, and she pursed her lips.

"Your Highness, I..."

“No need to say anything, I know.” Shen Tang looked indifferent and calm, which momentarily made Ji Moqiu lose his composure, a hint of bewilderment appearing in his eyes as if he were seeing an old friend. “The day I asked you, when you answered, the restraint on your neck was already agitated abnormally, and I knew that someone… or rather 'He' wouldn’t allow you to reveal more. So, you only mentioned the coffin clue. Heaven allowed you to speak out because it knew that I was destined to gain nothing from this clue. Even if you spoke, it wouldn’t provide much help…”

This is a detail that Shen Tang recalled after his fruitless attempt.

"...Perhaps the answer has always been in my hands." Thinking of the hardships his officials had endured, and the traps and schemes lurking within those seemingly perfect ceremonies, Shen Tang knew the saying "fate plays tricks on people" was true. This thing is truly despicable!

Of all living beings in the world, apart from Heaven itself, who is not manipulated?

Shen Tang looked up at the sky, her eyes seemingly trying to pierce through the clouds to see the hands that manipulated the fate of all living beings with puppet strings.

"...Perhaps, this is also my perfect ritual."

Only now, being caught up in the situation, did she realize this.

|ω`)

(End of this chapter)