In the following days, the expedition team continued their journey southward.
After the encounter with the Kthaons, both mercenaries and Noxian guards intentionally distanced themselves from Li Lin. The scene of energy projectiles released by the storm obliterating the bandits left a deep impression on them.
Now, they were afraid that this young and spirited man might be provoked by their rough attitudes, leading to his robot taking swift action against them.
Before reaching the ruins of the Sun Disc in the former capital of the Sun City, the expedition team encountered a larger sandstorm than before, losing four camel-mounted supply caravans.
Fortunately, they had previously encountered a nomadic tribe guided by the wanderers, and they replenished their water supply at a hidden oasis.
If they were frugal in their consumption, there wouldn't be significant pressure on food and water.
After completing the last morning's journey, the group finally arrived at the ruins of the Sun City, the former capital of Shurima.
The Shuriman Empire was once a prosperous civilization.
Guided by the Celestial beings, Shurima's ancestors established the first Sun Disc near the Giant Spire in the western part of the continent.
Through the Sun Disc, the Sun Warriors imbued with the "Power of the Sun" began to emerge.
Led by the first emperor Setaka, the army composed of Ascendants quickly conquered the entire Shuriman continent.
They even annexed the isthmus between the Shuriman and Valoran continents, incorporating the once independent Oshra Va'Zuan into their territory.
Later, Shurima moved its capital to the central part of the continent, creating the Sun City, entering a golden age.
During its peak, the Shuriman Empire had at least a thousand Ascendant warriors. Most of them were stationed in distant territories, remaining fiercely loyal to the royal family.
However, this golden age lasted only for over two thousand years... until the Void War began.
Due to the dissatisfaction of the Icathians in the eastern part of the Shuriman continent with the empire's oppressive rule and the elders' refusal to grant them ascension qualifications, the Elder Council declared war against the Shuriman Empire.
Under the cruel suppression of the Celestial warriors, the Icathian soldiers retreated step by step.
However, in a desperate attempt to win the war, the foolish Icathian Elder Council unleashed the terrible force - the Void, regardless of the consequences.
They sent people to further tear open the Void rift discovered underground, releasing the twisted and corrupted Void monsters.
Several Sun Warriors were instantly corrupted and twisted by this void power, with their Ascension and souls devoured by the Void, ultimately becoming its nourishment.
The first suppression war ended in the tragic victory of Icathia...
But they never thought that the corrupting force, difficult even for Celestial warriors to resist, was not something mere mortals could control.
The mighty Void rapidly consumed the entire Icathia. The rugged abyss tore the earth apart, and countless evil creatures created by the native Rune Territory beasts emerged, greedily sucking the life from the land.
In a series of bloody battles, desperate resistance, and even the death of the first Ascendant Setaka, the war lasted for decades before finally ending in a disastrous victory for Shurima.
From then on, the Shuriman Empire began to decline from its peak.
After a few hundred years, the last emperor, Azir, ascended the throne. Under his wise rule, the Shuriman Empire entered a post-golden age.
However, due to the betrayal of trusted confidants, his Ascension failed. The scattered energy released from the collapsed Sun Disc instantly razed the entire Sun City to ruins.
The emperor fell, and the capital collapsed.
The once-glorious Shuriman Empire, with a history spanning thousands of years, disintegrated, and its glory faded away.
Li Lin stood on a small sand dune outside the Sun City, gazing into the center of the ruins.
Countless giant golden metal pillars were buried halfway in yellow sand, eroded by wind and sand at the top, barely recognizable.
As a hot wave swept by, dust and sand filled the air, and a corner of the once rusty gigantic Sun Disc was occasionally visible.
In the uneven and rugged ruins, drought-resistant vegetation grew everywhere, adding a touch of desolation to this lost imperial city.
Looking at this scene, Li Lin felt an indescribable emotion, sighing involuntarily.
"...Li Lin." Sivir walked up, calling out to him lightly, bringing his thoughts back to reality.
Li Lin turned back after lifting his visor, glancing at Kassadin who was leading Skallashi and the nearby exploration team. Then, he withdrew his gaze and locked eyes with Sivir.
"We'll part ways here," Li Lin chuckled softly. "Thank you all for the care along the way. Once we return to Nashramae, I'll make sure to treat you to a drink."
Sivir's face showed a hint of a smile. "Deal."
Watching Sivir return to the exploration team, Li Lin waved his hand in farewell. Afterward, he looked at Cassiopeia, who was surrounded by guards in the center of the group.
Long before reaching the Sun City, Li Lin had discussed the subsequent plans with her. To avoid arousing suspicion from Sivir, he and Kassadin would take a detour around the Sun City for now. Once the exploration team entered the tomb, he would double back to secretly assist them.
Li Lin kept his eyes on their departure until the group became tiny black dots. Kassadin approached, asking in a muffled voice, "Are we continuing our journey?"
Based on his experience, Kassadin sensed that Li Lin seemed to have his own plan. An expedition for the treasures of emperors and ascended beings? Well, it didn't matter. Whatever Li Lin wanted to do, Kassadin would support unconditionally. After all, with his valuable Hextech power armor and Li Lin's support throughout the journey, he had no way to repay the favor.
"Let's wait a bit," Li Lin shook his head, checking the time displayed on the screen inside his visor—it was a bit past three in the afternoon.
"Kassadin, I have a question."
"Ask away, as long as I know the answer."
Li Lin lowered his head in thought for a moment. "In your experience, how long does it usually take for an exploration team to dig through a tomb and reach the burial chamber?"
"Well... this needs to consider various factors," Kassadin hesitated slightly. "Such as the depth of the tomb from the surface, the surrounding environment, the quality of the exploration team's tools, and so on."
Li Lin realized he asked a foolish question and chuckled before changing his words, "Let's base it on your past experiences, then."
He was well aware that Kassadin, as a desert guide, had helped numerous exploration teams "excavate tombs." Moreover, for the people of Shurima, assisting outsiders in digging up the relics of the long-gone empire was not considered shameful. Considering the extreme and harsh environment they lived in, who cared about the heritage of a bygone civilization?
"I once helped a Zaun expedition open a tomb sealed for a thousand years in Holorock. It took about three days," Kassadin thought for a moment and continued, "The main issue was that clearing the surface debris took too much time. The yellow sand in the Great Sai was very soft, and they had specialized Hextech tools for excavation."
"Is that so?" Li Lin gazed into the distance at the now almost invisible exploration team, lost in thought.
Before he could dwell on it too long, Kassadin added, "However, I led an expedition here before. They just had very bad luck; they lost most of their instruments in a sandstorm, so they only cleared the surface of one tomb before giving up."
Following Li Lin's line of sight, Kassadin pointed to the direction where the exploration team had left. "If they can find the excavation site left by the previous team, it shouldn't take more than a day and a half to get into the tomb."
Nodding, Li Lin made up his mind. "Alright, let's go set up camp in a concealed location outside the city and come back to check after a day and a half."
(End of this chapter)
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