Stealing the Pen: Kirin's Primordial Lotus

Chapter 548

Elder Hua and Elder Yue led Hua Yu, Zhao Yuanzhou and others and slowly walked to a quiet cave.

"This is where the infinite flowing fire is stored!" Elder Hua's voice echoed in the empty valley with a hint of solemnity.

However, his words seemed to be pinched by an invisible hand and were suddenly interrupted in the air, which made people feel puzzled.

Hua Yu and Zhao Yuanzhou looked at each other, and both saw curiosity and vigilance about this strange energy in each other's eyes.

Zhao Yuanzhou felt even more keenly that the strange energy seemed to be pulling him gently, as if there was some secret hidden in the cave, waiting for him to uncover it.

"But..." Elder Hua's voice sounded again, this time with a hint of hesitation in his tone.

Seeing this, Hua Yu immediately asked, "But what? Are you worried about the living dead sleeping in the cave?"

His voice was calm and firm, as if he already knew everything.

Elder Hua and Elder Yue looked at each other, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes.

Hua Yu raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile, as if she was not surprised by their reaction.

His spiritual consciousness was like an invisible net, quickly covering the entire cave.

In an instant, everything in the cave appeared clearly in his mind.

Not only are there living people, but there is also a large group of living dead who are standing but have no ability to move.

These living dead are like sculptures forgotten by time, standing quietly in the darkness, revealing a strange atmosphere.

Elder Hua and Elder Yue looked at Hua Yu with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

"You know everything?" Elder Hua's voice was a little shocked.

Hua Yu smiled slightly, his steps light and steady, as if the strange scene in the cave had no effect on him.

He walked past Elder Hua and Elder Yue and went straight into the cave.

"I have said before that nothing in this world can be hidden from me!" His voice echoed in the cave with an unquestionable majesty.

Zhao Yuanzhou raised the corner of his mouth, revealing a playful smile. His eyes swept over Elder Hua and Elder Yue, as if mocking their ignorance.

"You are still too ignorant. Everyone present here, except the two of you, can easily sense any situation in the cave." His words were like a sharp sword, piercing the last bit of luck of Elder Hua and Elder Yue.

As soon as Zhao Yuanzhou finished speaking, he followed Hua Yu without hesitation, and together they entered the dark and deep cave. Before entering, he turned and instructed the guards behind him, "You must guard this place carefully. Do not let anyone trespass here!" The guards responded in unison and quickly took action, tightly surrounding the entire cave, forming an impenetrable defense line.

At the same time, at Zhao Yuanzhou's invitation, Elder Hua and Elder Yue also stepped into the mysterious cave together.

Hua Yu had just walked a short distance when he suddenly heard an angry shout from the front: "Who are you? How dare you be so bold as to trespass into the forbidden area of the palace!" Hua Yu stopped and looked carefully. He saw several people in palace costumes standing not far ahead, staring at him with anger on their faces.

However, Hua Yu ignored the questions, not even bothering to raise an eyelid. He simply raised his right hand and flicked it lightly. An invisible force swept out like a gust of wind, instantly pinning the men to the stone walls on either side of the cave, preventing them from moving.

"Who I am, you don't need to know, let alone know!" Hua Yu's voice was cold and commanding, as if it came from the Netherworld, sending shivers down your spine. The men imprisoned on the stone wall, though terrified, were unable to break free from Hua Yu's grasp. They could only watch helplessly as he stalked deeper into the cave, eventually disappearing into the darkness.

Elders Hua and Yue hurriedly followed Zhao Yuanzhou, as if there was something important waiting for them to deal with. Before long, they arrived at the place where Hua Yu had just imprisoned the person on the stone wall.

"Elder Hua! Elder Yue! Someone just broke into the forbidden area!" The guards on the stone wall suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure and hurriedly shouted loudly, trying to attract the attention of the people below.

Upon hearing the sound, Elder Hua and Elder Yue raised their heads at the same time, their eyes falling on the four people who were bound high on the stone wall by an invisible force.

"Jinkui! Jinnong! Jinguang! Jingang! How come you are here?" Elder Hua was shocked and cried out.

Elder Yue's expression was equally solemn. He stared at the four people who were hung up, wondering in his heart what was going on.

Seeing this, Zhao Yuanzhou quickly explained, "Elder Hua, Elder Yue, don't worry. After we take the things away, they will naturally be able to land safely. We are doing this now to ensure their safety."

Zhao Yuanzhou turned sideways as he spoke, made a gesture of invitation, and said with a smile, "Elder Hua, Elder Yue, please come this way. I believe His Highness has been waiting for us at our destination for a long time."

Elders Hua and Yue exchanged a glance. Though somewhat reluctant, they understood there was no other option. Resignedly, they looked at the four people bound high, sighed deeply, then slowly turned and continued on their way. Their backs appeared somewhat forlorn in the dim light.

Jin Kui was about to say something else when he saw a strange red light flash in the eyes of the gray-haired man. Then he felt dizzy and fell asleep.

Jin Kui suddenly fell asleep without any warning, which shocked the three people beside him. They stared at the man's strange tricks with wide eyes, their hearts filled with fear. They didn't even dare to breathe, let alone say another word.

Time passed minute by minute, and the man's figure gradually disappeared from Jin Nong and his companions' sight, followed by Elder Hua and Elder Yue. Only after they were sure that the surroundings were safe did Jin Nong and his companions breathe a sigh of relief, and then, carefully lowering their voices, they softly called out to the comatose Jin Kui.

"Captain! Captain, wake up!" Jin Nong's voice trembled slightly. He shook Jin Kui's body anxiously, hoping to wake him up. However, no matter how they shouted, Jin Kui kept his eyes closed and did not respond.

Jin Nong, Jin Guang, and Jin Gang looked at each other, their uneasiness growing stronger. They wanted to check on Jin Kui, but found that their hands and feet were tightly bound, unable to move at all, let alone reach Jin Kui.

Meanwhile, Elders Hua and Yue led Zhao Yuanzhou to the deepest part of the cave. Zhao Yuanzhou walked leisurely, as if strolling in his own garden, as if he was very familiar with the environment.

Elder Hua stopped and pointed to a light not far ahead. He said to Zhao Yuanzhou, "Master Zhao, the infinite fire is ahead. It is the most dangerous area in the entire cave. If you are not careful, you may be engulfed by the flames."

Elder Yue added solemnly, "The ancestors of the palace sect accidentally discovered the Infinite Flowing Fire and were delighted to utilize it to benefit the surrounding villagers. However, they were surprised to discover that the Infinite Flowing Fire was so strange. If anyone even touched it, it would instantly unleash a blazing flame that would instantly burn anyone to ashes, leaving not even a trace of debris behind."

Elder Yue seemed to still be feeling a lingering fear as he spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "Later, after some observation and research, our ancestors were pleasantly surprised to discover that some villagers could actually withstand the force of the boundless flames. Not only were they not burned to ash, but they became incredibly strong, able to easily lift stone pillars weighing over a hundred pounds. This discovery thrilled our ancestors, believing it to be a blessing from heaven, and they couldn't wait to share this good news with the other villagers."

Elder Yue's expression darkened. "Who could have imagined that this would be like opening a Pandora's box? The villagers who had been exposed to the boundless fire suddenly underwent horrific changes that very night. Their bodies became twisted and deformed, their faces hideous and horrifying, completely losing their human form and transforming into monsters that were neither human nor ghost. Even more terrifying, these monsters no longer knew the difference between hunger and fullness, but simply ate frantically, as if they could never be satisfied."

Elder Yue's voice was filled with fear and despair. "The village's food was quickly devoured by these monsters, but they still couldn't feel full and continued to search for food. In the end, a horrific tragedy occurred..."

Elder Hua's expression darkened as he listened to Elder Yue's story. He slowly walked to a large rock at the cave entrance, sat down, and tapped his leg. It had been a long time since he became an elder, and this trek had left his legs aching. Furthermore, even if he needed weapons, he would only have prepared one or two, not such a long journey.

Elder Hua knew that the development history of the palace was divided into several parts, with the Snow Palace, Moon Palace and Flower Palace each holding a part, and Elder Yue didn't know much either.

"Lord Zhao, the history of the palace gate stored in the Moon Palace is incomplete. Even if we add that of the Flower Palace, we can only know half of it." Elder Hua's voice was slightly low, as if it contained endless vicissitudes and emotions.

Zhao Yuanzhou seemed to be fascinated by the history of the palace gate after hearing this. He casually found a spot on the ground and sat down. Then, smiling, he said to the speaker, "Oh? Tell me about it?"

Elder Hua hesitated for a moment upon seeing this, then took a deep breath, composed himself, and slowly spoke, "The records in the Hua Palace mention that approximately three hundred years ago, a meteorite suddenly fell from the sky, landing in an open space near the palace gate. The meteorite was incredibly large, and its impact caused a violent tremor, even knocking down many of the surrounding trees."

Elder Hua paused for a moment before continuing, "The ancestors of the Hua Palace led the villagers to investigate. Unexpectedly, the area around the stone was filled with black energy. One villager was accidentally injured by the black energy and didn't even have time to call for help. In the blink of an eye, he turned into a dried corpse."

Zhao Yuanzhou listened intently. When he heard the three key words "three hundred years ago," "meteorite," and "black energy," his brows furrowed slightly. He interrupted and asked, "Are you sure it was three hundred years ago?"

Elder Hua briefly recalled the relevant records in the Flower Palace, then replied uncertainly, "It should be three hundred years ago. I'm not sure of the exact time. Because the records in the Flower Palace are indeed a bit vague about this time point."

At this moment, Elder Yue suddenly interrupted, his voice revealing a hint of anxiety and nervousness: "That's not right! According to the records in the Moon Palace, this incident must have happened two hundred years ago. At that time, a huge stone suddenly fell from the sky! Our ancestors of the Moon Palace also went to that place to investigate, but they found only a bottomless pit, and black gas was constantly emitting out. Our ancestors of the Moon Palace were unfortunately injured by this black gas. They didn't even have time to find a doctor or medicine. It was as if something had sucked them dry and they instantly turned into a dried corpse!"

Elder Yue's words shocked Zhao Yuanzhou, as they didn't align with the timeline Elder Hua had previously mentioned. Even more shocking, however, was the fact that both the three hundred years Elder Hua mentioned and the two hundred years Elder Yue mentioned shared a common trait: black gas would emanate from that location, and if anyone was injured by it, there would be no time to treat them, and they would quickly become a lifeless corpse.

Zhao Yuanzhou listened quietly to Elder Hua and Elder Yue's narration, his mind rapidly sorting through the scattered information. Combining it with the turmoil that had occurred in the Great Wilderness, he began to piece together the general truth of the matter.

Elders Hua and Yue had mentioned that after the meteorite fell, several nearby villages decided to work together to surround the site of the rock. They went on to establish a large village there. Over time, this small village grew and expanded, eventually becoming the present-day Palace Gate.

"Afterwards, the ancestors who discovered and led the villagers successfully created the Flower Palace, Moon Palace, Snow Palace and Wind Palace based on several incomplete secret books picked up near the stone." Elder Hua said reluctantly, because he really didn't want to mention the name Wind Palace.

However, these matters could be easily known with a little in-depth investigation, so Elder Hua believed that there was no need to conceal these facts.

Elder Yue supplemented Elder Hua's description, "Those who followed the ancestors of the four palaces to explore the meteorite were the ancestors of the Shang, Jiao, Zheng, and Yu palaces. It's said that they seemingly obtained martial arts and forging manuals from the meteorite. Later, they made an agreement with the ancestors of the four palaces in the back mountain: the back mountain would guard the meteorite, while the four palaces in the front mountain would be responsible for protecting the back mountain."

Zhao Yuanzhou stood up from the ground and brushed off the dust on his body. "What you said now is incomplete. Once we get out of the cave, take out all the records about the palace gates from the Snow Palace and the long-vanished Wind Palace. After a careful comparison, you will know the truth."

Zhao Yuanzhou raised his foot and headed towards the exit.

Hua Yu had been waiting for them for a long time. When she noticed someone behind her, she just turned around and looked, "Why are you here so late?"

Zhao Yuanzhou interrupted with a chuckle, "I heard an interesting story on the way. I'll tell it to you, Your Highness, after we finish this."

Hua Yu glanced at Zhao Yuanzhou, then at Elder Hua and Elder Yue behind him, and didn't say anything.