The underground tunnel was pitch-black and damp. The air was thick with the scent of earth and the passage of time. The light from a Luminous Pearl in Elder Ve's hand radiated a gentle glow, illuminating the silhouettes of two people, one old and one young, walking silently.
Behind them, the entrance to the grave pit had been sealed by some secret mechanism, completely isolating them from the chaos and the sea of fire in the graveyard above. The furious, heaven-shaking roars of Old Eccentric Black Heart, forced to face the resentful energy of Patriarch Blood Saber, seemed to still echo faintly before gradually dying away.
Tran Kien leaned against the tunnel wall, struggling to regulate the chaotic qi and blood within his body. The wound on his chest had torn open again, fresh blood soaking a patch of his robes. Although his final move had successfully stalled Old Eccentric Black Heart, it had also drained every last ounce of his strength.
"Drink it."
Elder Ve handed him a small jade bottle. Inside was a verdant liquid radiating a dense life force.
Tran Kien did not hesitate, taking it and swallowing a mouthful. A warm, gentle wave of energy instantly spread throughout his body, soothing his throbbing meridians. The wound on his chest began to tingle, closing at a terrifying speed.
"This is..."
"A bit of 'morning dew' I collected," Elder Ve replied, his voice tranquil. "Recover well. We still have a distance to walk."
Tran Kien asked no more. He quietly circulated his cultivation base to absorb the medicinal efficacy. A long while later, when his complexion had regained its rosiness, he finally raised his head, looking at the mysterious old man before him with an incredibly complex gaze.
"Elder Ve," he spoke up. "You... why are you here?"
This was the biggest question in his heart. He had thought he was completely alone in this chess game. But Elder Ve's appearance at the final moment, this secret tunnel... it all proved that he was never truly alone.
Elder Ve didn't answer immediately. He merely led him forward in silence. The tunnel was very long, seemingly leading straight out of the City of Chaos.
"Little boy," Elder Ve finally spoke after a long time, his voice tinged with the desolation of time. "Do you know why I set up that trial in the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Books, forcing you to read through all those historical and unofficial records?"
"So that I could understand the 'soul' of the nation, to be able to comprehend the legacy of the ancestors," Tran Kien replied.
"That is only a part of it," Elder Ve shook his head. "More importantly, I wanted you to understand a principle: History will never repeat itself exactly, but the mistakes and the stratagems always remain the same."
"The farce you orchestrated in the open-air market, the scheme of 'framing and shifting the blame,' was very clever. It fooled those with greed but lacking in intellect. However, you committed a mistake that many highly talented youths often make: you placed too much faith in your own schemes while looking down upon the cunning of old foxes who have lived for hundreds of years."
Tran Kien remained silent. He knew Elder Ve was right. He had been too confident, failing to anticipate that Old Eccentric Black Heart could see through his play and beat him at his own game.
"I have been in this City of Chaos for over sixty years," Elder Ve continued. "I know every single wolf and every single fox in this place perfectly well. When you decided to come to the City of Chaos, I knew this chess game would not be simple. I did not show myself because I wanted you to experience it yourself, to grow on your own. A fledgling hawk must fly through the storm itself before it can become the overlord of the skies."
"I prepared this tunnel beforehand. The tomb of Patriarch Blood Saber was also the sole escape route I had mapped out for you," the old man said, his tone as placid as if he were recounting someone else's story. "I just didn't expect you to persevere until the very last step, even daring to use your own life to execute such a maddening move."
Tran Kien's heart was shaken. This chess game, as it turned out, wasn't directed by him. He was merely the lead actor. The one truly pulling the strings from behind, the one who had anticipated the moves of every single person, was this seemingly ordinary old man standing before him.
"Elder Ve," Tran Kien bowed deeply. "Just... who exactly are you?"
Elder Ve did not answer. He simply stopped at the end of the tunnel. Before them was a stone door.
"My identity is not important," he said. "You only need to know that you and I share the same goal. I am the guardian of the legacy. And you, are its inheritor."
He pushed the stone door open. The moonlight and the fresh air of the outside world rushed in. They had left the City of Chaos and were now standing on a desolate hill.
"Old Eccentric Black Heart won't die that easily," Elder Ve said, looking toward the City of Chaos, whose lights still flickered in the distance. "But after battling the resentful energy of Patriarch Blood Saber, he will be heavily injured and forced into secluded meditation for at least a few years. The Phantom Shadow Pavilion and the Black Dragon Stronghold have also suffered significant losses. For the time being, they won't have the mind to search for you. You have bought yourself some precious time."
"Now, let me see your harvest," he said.
Tran Kien nodded. He carefully took out the green bronze Lac bird fragment. Under the moonlight, it radiated an ancient, mystical aura.
Elder Ve took it, observing it for a long time, a look of nostalgia flashing through his eyes. "Indeed. This is the token of the Outer Layer: Unhindered Lac Feathers. 'Lac Feathers' does not merely mean the dancing of the Lac bird; it also signifies freedom, an ethereal nature, flowing with the natural order. You have comprehended the intent of 'riding the wind,' which is the key to controlling this layer of the formation."
He returned the fragment to Tran Kien. "Nourish it well. It will help your movement and saber techniques reach a whole new level."
"Then... where should I go now?" Tran Kien asked. The path ahead had once again become hazy.
"Right now, you shouldn't go anywhere," Elder Ve replied. "You have obtained the legacy, obtained power, and obtained stratagems. But you still lack the most important thing."
"Which is?"
"Precipitation," Elder Ve said, his profound eyes looking at him. "Your cultivation base has advanced too quickly. Although your state of mind is firm, it has not truly fused as one with your power. You need a quiet place, free from contention, to truly digest everything you have learned. You need a period of time to 'conceal yourself'."
He pointed toward the rolling mountain ranges in the north. "Head in that direction. Cross three rivers and seven mountains. You will find a valley called the Valley of Oblivion. The Spiritual Qi there is abundant, and it is hidden by a natural formation, making it virtually unknown. Go there and enter closed-door cultivation. Until you can truly fuse 'Body,' 'Qi,' 'Intent,' and 'Momentum' into one; until the saber in your hand is no longer a saber, but you yourself. At that time, you may emerge from seclusion."
"What about Lam Vy, and Marquis Vinh An..."
"Rest assured," Elder Ve said. "In the chess game of the capital, there will be other players. Uncle Sword is no simple character. Before you return, they will ensure nothing major happens."
Tran Kien understood. This was Elder Ve's arrangement. He wanted Tran Kien to temporarily step out of the maelstrom of contention to truly mature.
"Junior understands," he bowed. "What about you, Elder Ve?"
Elder Ve smiled, a kind yet somewhat solitary smile. He turned around, looking toward the City of Chaos.
"Me? In the crematorium you ignited, there are still a few miscellaneous fishes that haven't burned away. This old man has to stay behind and clean up a bit."
Saying so, without waiting for Tran Kien's reply, his figure flickered, blending into the night and vanishing without a trace.
Only Tran Kien remained, standing alone on the desolate hill beneath the cold moonlight. He looked toward the distant north, then tightened his grip on the saber in his hand.
A new journey, a battle against himself, was about to begin.