In a small meeting hall, thirteen Counts gathered.
Standing on the left and right sides of the King were Elion and Saige.
Novalia and Ning Busan exchanged a glance, a trace of solemnity flashing in both of their eyes.
The simultaneous appearance of the Empire's strongest Grand Swordsman and Grand Archmage meant that something major was bound to happen.
“Your Majesty, why have you summoned us here?” one of the Dukes couldn't help but ask. “What exactly does this impending catastrophe you spoke of refer to?”
With a pale face, the King said, “My lords, I have gathered you all here today to make a confession.”
“Do you still remember the Day of Blood?”
The Dukes' expressions shifted dramatically, and they gasped in unison.
Never one to hesitate to ask when he didn't know, Ning Busan inquired, “What is the Day of Blood?”
Grayson explained, “Six thousand years ago, the Undead Realm suddenly descended upon the Empire for reasons unknown.”
“Countless undead crawled out from beneath the earth, attacking the commoners, plunging the entire Empire into a disaster of blood and fire. But after lasting for only a single day, the undead all vanished.”
“On that day, numerous innocent lives perished, and the glory of the Empire was nearly destroyed. That is why it is called the Day of Blood.”
Ning Busan asked, “Why did the Undead Realm suddenly descend?”
“That is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about,” the King said. “In truth, the Undead Realm never descended. That was merely a public cover story; everything you know is a lie.”
“The truth is that a resurrected monster drew the undead here. Fortunately, there was a powerful mage back then who sacrificed his own life to seal that monster inside the palace's underground palace.”
“Now, the seal has loosened, and the monster's power is gradually awakening. It is about to break free from the underground palace once again.”
“If that monster is unleashed upon the world, the Empire will once again fall into the catastrophe of the Day of Blood.”
The Dukes were all too shocked by the King's words to speak.
This impending catastrophe was far more severe than they had imagined.
“Your Majesty, you seem to have left out the most crucial part,” Ning Busan said with a half-smile. “Who exactly is this resurrected monster?”
Novalia was also puzzled. “A monster sealed in the underground palace? Why didn't I know about this?”
The King asked Novalia, “Do you remember that there is a tomb in the underground palace?”
Ning Busan muttered to himself. Wasn't that the place where he and Elvin had hidden when they stole the holy water last time?
Novalia said, “I know there is a tomb in the underground palace, but I do not know which emperor it belongs to.”
The King said, “That is the tomb of the first monarch of the Dawn Empire—Emperor Leo.”
Ning Busan choked on his own spit and coughed violently.
What on earth?
Leo wasn't fully dead?
Yet another old acquaintance!
The crowd erupted into an uproar. “Wasn't Emperor Leo said to have died of illness?”
The King said, “That was merely the official story. In truth, he was struck by an undead curse, turning into an immortal, indestructible monster.”
“Only I, Elion, and Saige know about this. If the seal hadn't loosened, I would never have made this secret public.”
Everyone suddenly realized something: studying history was completely useless, because what was recorded in the history books was not necessarily the truth.
Ning Busan really wanted to know one thing: “How was Emperor Leo cursed?”
The King shook his head. “I do not know how Emperor Leo was cursed either, but I do know that if Emperor Leo breaks the seal, the people of the Empire will once again plunge into misery and suffering!”
Pausing, the King looked at Ning Busan, putting on an act of being deeply concerned for the country and its people:
“Divine Envoy Ning Busan, with the Empire facing such a crisis, I am certain the God of Light will not sit idly by. Do you have a way to help us reseal Emperor Leo?”
Exuding an aura of righteous solemnity, Ning Busan said, “The mission bestowed upon me by the God of Light is to guide all living beings and protect our faith, not to forcibly intervene in every disaster.”
“However, please rest assured, Your Majesty. The radiance of the God of Light always shines upon this land. He has never ignored the safety of the Empire, and He will protect every single one of its subjects.”
His response was a masterclass in acknowledging the message while spouting complete nonsense.
Teacher Saige had known about the seal for a long time, and even Teacher Saige couldn't handle it. Now they wanted to dump this mess onto him?
Wishful thinking!
“Ning Busan is right. I believe the God of Light will protect us,” Novalia said. “Since the seal has loosened, why not think of a way to reinforce it?”
With a face full of worry, Saige said, “That seal is called the Shackle of the Sacred Remains. It is a sealing technique from ten thousand years ago, long lost to time. After studying it for some time, I believe the issue lies with the source of the seal.”
“The core of the seal is a powerful magic source that provides continuous energy support to the entire seal. Perhaps because too much time has passed, the power of this magic source is on the verge of exhaustion.”
Ning Busan said, “Then wouldn't finding a new magic source do the trick?”
“Easier said than done,” Saige sighed. “If magic sources were really that easy to find, would we still be worrying over the seal?”
“A magic source must possess immense energy and a holy attribute, such as the scales of a holy dragon, the horn of a unicorn, the wings of an angel, or an accessory worn by a deity.”
“How could such things be easily obtained?”
Just as Ning Busan was pondering a solution, Duke Nigan stood up and spoke:
“I have heard that in the far northern region of the Shadow Forest, there is a lake covered in ice and snow called the Frozen Lake.”
“At the bottom of the Frozen Lake lies an energy crystal with powerful purifying properties. Legend has it that it was formed from the tears shed by an archangel when they traveled the mortal realm. Perhaps it could serve as a magic source?”
Ning Busan couldn't help but complain in his heart. Was this a fairy tale?
Duke Nigan continued, “However, to enter the Frozen Lake, one must be proficient in light magic, and preferably have the blessing of the God of Light.”
Ning Busan stared at him and chuckled dryly. “If you want me to go, why don't you just say so?”
“You might as well just call me out by name.”
Duke Nigan bowed. “If the Lord Divine Envoy can truly help us retrieve that energy crystal, you will be the savior who rescues the Dawn Empire from the brink of destruction.”
Ning Busan faintly caught a whiff of a conspiracy, but he was not afraid. He was only curious about what tricks they had prepared for him.
Ning Busan nodded and said, “Fine, I can go give it a try, but I cannot guarantee success.”
“My Lord Dukes, you must also be prepared. In case I fail, we will still need you to lead your troops to defend the Empire.”
The Dukes cupped their hands. “That goes without saying.”
After leaving the palace, Saige said to Ning Busan, “I only told the King and Elion about the magic source.”
“How could it be such a coincidence? Just as I mentioned the magic source, Duke Nigan knew exactly where something that could serve as one was located?”
“I have never heard of any energy crystal in the Shadow Forest. It might very well be a trap set up specifically for you. You shouldn't go.”
“But what if the energy crystal really does exist? Since there's a possibility, we have to go check it out.” Ning Busan smiled confidently. “Teacher, do you still worry about me?”
“I am already an Archmage now, and with the blessing of the God of Light, there are very few people who can actually harm me.”
“Besides, even if I really run into danger, can't I just use spatial teleportation to escape?”
Seeing that his mind was made up, Saige smiled helplessly. “Then I wish you good luck.”
However, as confident as Ning Busan was right now, his face would be slapped just as hard once he reached the Shadow Forest.
Rate on N.U.
