A jailer screeched as they were cut in half from their midsection. Amon immediately jumped back to avoid another jailer thrust attack. His eyes darted left and right, making sure to keep the remaining four jailers' position always in mind while he kept retreating further, creating a bigger space between himself and his assailants.
While they were relentless, their movement set, and attack patterns are identical, enabling Amon to predict their next move from the smallest change in their fighting posture and arms movement.
He has already passed the silver key hallway, then the golden key hallway, and now he is holding a crystal key in his left hand. The dungeon's difficulty rises with every proceeding key, adding an extra jailer and doubling the number of Source corpses.
His knees slightly bent, right foot forward, shoulders squared, and he reversed his grip on his sword, waiting for the moment the four jailers lined themself up perfectly in their pursuit of him.
Like clockwork, the Source constructs did just that, unintentionally forming a line as they pursued Amon when he kept retreating.
Placing all his weight on his toes, Amon hurled forward, in a straight line, twisting his body in a circular motion, like a short-lived typhoon, Amon sword removed four heads from their shoulders as he danced in between the four jailers that formed a semi-straight line.
The four crumbled to ash before their bodies and heads hit the floor, surrendering their rotten souls and Source to Amon. Ever since the silver key hallway, he hardly missed capturing the constructs' souls before it dispersed.
Looking down at the key in his left hand, Amon tightened his grip on it. The clock is ticking, and he only got this one day to his advantage, there was no time for rest or breaks. He marched forward towards the now empty jailers' room to use the crystal key and unlock the next step.
He stopped by the locked metal bar door. The tunnel behind it looked different than before. There was a bright light at the end of it. He quickly inserted the crystal key in the locking mechanism and unlocked the door. With a bit of haste in his steps, he approached the end of the dark tunnel, towards what he perceived as daylight.
The moment he stepped out, cold fresh air assaulted his face, and daylight temporarily blinded his eyes, forcing him to cover them with his arm. Inhaling the cold crisp air, Amon removed his arm from his eyes and took in the brilliant scenery in front of him.
He did not know how much he missed it until now, to stand and fly among the clouds because that's where he is currently. High up where he could almost touch the clouds. Looking back at the dungeon he thought was deep underground, he now knew it was carved inside a mountain, in its upper half.
Turning his head back to look forward, he was amazed by the incredible number of mountains' peaks surrounding the mountain he is at now. One, in particular, a faraway summit that seemed unreachable from where he stood, appeared to have something grand built on it. He could not make out the structure completely, just its outline due to its distance.
Amon looked left and right. There was no path forward on either side, so he took a few steps forward and peered down the small rocky protruding he is standing on.
Beneath him, there was a more prominent cliff, no more than 6 meters below him that had stone statues on it. He jumped down and landed gracefully.
In front of him were several eroded stone statues of men facing the faraway summit that had some sort of grand structure on it. To his right, there was a winding path around the mountain, a sculpted staircase, going downward. On his left was a giant, closed wooden gate.
"What now?" Spoke Amon while placing a hand under his chin. Inspecting his surroundings further, he looked behind him, at the mountain he was standing on.
The mountain had three phrases carved on it, written in an early variant of the standard language of today. Amon was not proficient in it and struggled to make sense of them. However, the more he peered at them, the more he felt the phrases were speaking to him, telling him what they were. It was a strange feeling; the carvings felt alive when they were not. Steadily, they started to make sense in Amon's head.
On the right, pointing towards the winding staircase, it read "The Desolate Capital." On the left pointing towards the closed giant wooden gate, it read "Northern Valley."
Between the two phrases, the central one read "Arch Serpent's Summit." Amon turned around to look at the faraway summit. He knew the carved phrase must be referring to it, and he knew that's where he needed to go.
The word 'Arch' has always been added to the peak nobility ranks. Primordials still used it exclusively to describe the peak of a venerable title, be it nobility titles or when referring to themselves when there are other Primordials similar to themselves in species but different in race.
For example, Dragons come in different shapes in their original form, one of which is a serpent-like. Amon speculated that the Primordial spirit fragment ruling over the cluster he was at was also a serpent from the summit name. They are claiming to be the superior serpent compared to other Primordial serpents by declaring the word 'Arch' for themselves.
"Typical dick-measuring contest..."
Sighing, Amon walked towards the sculpted statues. Time was not kind to them. The wind has long erased their facial features and destroyed some of them. Even the ones in better conditions had long lost some of their limbs.
Amon walked past them to look at the cliff edge they were placed at. He could not see the bottom, clouds and fog masked it. It did not take a genius to know it is a deadly fall anyway.
"How do I get to the faraway summit from here?" Amon scratched his head, puzzled. There had to be a path; he surmised. Looking at the cliff terrain, he started looking for any clue, but there was nothing. Amon returned to the phrases carved on his mountain, staring at Arch Serpent's Summit phrase.
He rubbed his eyes. The phrase appeared blurry for a moment, and he thought he was getting tired. Contrary to his initial thought, the phrase was distorting and changing.
Amon blurted out the words that came to his head.
"To seek an audience is to seek death. The regal one awaits."
'To seek death? Why so, cryptic? Just tell me to jump for fuck's sake.'
"You do want me to jump, right...?"
Amon returned to the cliff edge, looking down and grimacing.
"What's with me and cliffs?"
Taking a deep breath, Amon could not make up his mind, what if he was wrong and it did not mean jump.
He returned to the carved phrases hoping for more hints or at least a confirmation. However, no matter how long he gazed at the 'Arch Serpent's Summit' phrase, nothing changed this time around.
"Ah...what the hell... what's the worst that could happen? I just die...a horrible death..."
Amon turned around, ran towards the cliff, and jumped while shouting.
"Goodbye, cruel world."
***
Cai County, Green Hill City, Cai Palace.
"Have the reports we received earlier been confirmed? Is the Eternal Rain Palace currently occupying Lilium City?" Questioned a young maiden, wearing a green V neck long dress. She had a delicate round face, and sharp brown eyes, her long eyelashes fluttered as she awaited an answer.
The old man looked at the brunette and nodded. "Yes, young miss. We even received unconfirmed reports that the Rain Banshee is also present there with all her disciples."
The young lady massaged her forehead. "They must have located a portal then near or in Lilium City. How did they know about something no one else appears to know. The Holy Lands are scouting the entire continent looking for them while they already found one."
The old man shrugged. "Yao Annchi, a distinguished member of the Eternal Rain Palace, hails from that little city. Perhaps she informed them of something ancient there? Or it could be the palace have always known that there is something there, they are over two-thousand-year-old sect after all. What do you want to do?"
"Nothing. Mother has already stormed my father's private quarters. I imagine she is currently giving him a tongue lashing for not ending his closed-door cultivation when he heard Alexios's speech like the rest of us." Revealed the young lady.
"Your brothers are not waiting. They are already organizing their private troops, and each is working with their allies among the clans in the capital to march toward Lilium City." Informed the old man.
"Fools...they still think there is a battle to be had over my father's throne when none of them is qualified. They are currently no more than useful tools for the different clans in the capital." Stated the young miss.
The old man sighed but ultimately nodded in agreement.
***
Holy Lands, Sacred Gate Sect.
"It has been a while, Fan Shi." Welcomed Mo Fang with cupped fists.
Fan Shi, cupped his fists in return with a sly smile adorning his lips. He was by no means handsome, but he had his charming points with his short blond hair and childlike face. The young man was both younger and more concise than Mo Fang but matched him in cultivation and talent, if not more so.
"It must kill you that you have been assigned to be my babysitter."
Mo Fang shook his head. "It is no bother. We all must do what we must. Besides, I'm not your only 'babysitter.'"
The smile on Mo Fang's face instantly made Fan Shi take a step back.
"Not her...please say it is not so." Pleaded Fan Shi.
"What's wrong? Did you not say you fell in love with her from the first sight? I very much recall your bold proclamation that you will take her as your woman and battle my father for her hand in marriage. This is your chance!" Ridiculed Mo Fang.
"Young master Mo, this lowly one did not know his place when he said that...Please, there is no need to bother your elder sister with my worthless self. I will behave, I swear." Begged Fan Shi.
"Too late. Father's orders are absolute. Don't worry. I'm sure she won't destroy your remaining testicle...I think." Mo Fang took pleasure from watching perhaps the most talented youth in their continent squirm in fear while placing his hands over his privates.
"Your father does not know about what happened a year ago, does he?" Questioned Fan Shi fearfully.
"We don't bother him with trifling matters."
"My balls are not 'trifling matters!'" Shouted Fan Shi.
***
Yao Gui's Mansion, Guest Wing, Ding Song Room.
"Master, it is as you have suspected. The Holy Lands are scouting the lands for the ancient platforms. Our presence here will soon be known to them." Said Xia Qiu.
"That does not concern me. The problems will arise afterward. They pretend to be righteous and holy. They are everything, but that. We must assume we will exit from the same place we entered, and they are positively considering the same. They won't dare ambush anyone near the portals in fear of Alexios, but further away, all bets are off." Said Ding Song calmly.
"Arrogant imbeciles. If they can't win these legacies fairly, they will just pillage them, and everything else gained there when it is all over." Snarled Xia Qiu.
Ding Song smiled faintly. "Child, I have a mission for you."
"What is it, master?"
"Take this letter and deliver it personally to Count Cai. I don't mean the palace or his wife. Him, personally, post-haste." Ding Song stretched her hand towards her eldest disciple with a sealed letter.
Xia Qiu took the letter and looked at her master, confused.
"I have a hunch child. The information Amon provided us with might prove to be critical, fate altering critical. Go, and do not delay further, take my flying vessel, I await your news before the portals' opening." Commanded the Rain Banshee.