Xiao Yao placed the scrolls back on the table, his thoughts already turning to the plans he had for them. His gaze then fell upon the painting of the hanged man, a macabre work that seemed to endure through the ages, like a silent witness to a divine punishment inflicted beyond time. He studied it intently, losing track of time, his eyes fixed on the dark and tortured details of the painting. After long minutes, he finally looked away, a sigh escaping his lips. He left the room, his nonchalant expression unchanged, though a shadow of reflection crossed his face.
The disappearance of the Celestial Dao did not overly alarm him. In the second epoch, he had managed to draw his own Dao heart, allowing him to extract strands of spirituality. Then, in the third epoch, he succeeded in engraving the runes of destiny into his soul, an achievement he was particularly proud of. After all, the runes of destiny were universally known to manifest in the meridians once the cultivator reached a certain stage.
These runes of destiny would allow him to cultivate from scratch even without spiritual energy around him, as he had nourished them with spiritual energy during the fourth epoch. You might wonder what use Xiao Yao had for these runes of destiny in his cultivation, if he was so thrifty. It was because he didn't have just one rune of destiny, unlike ninety percent of immortal cultivators.
Another feat etched in stone by the eternal scholar. Yes, that was Xiao Yao's name during those epochs.
"Hm?" As he walked on, Xiao Yao's sharpened intuition alerted him to the presence of people ahead. Without his former spiritual sense, which allowed him to scan thousands of kilometers around him without moving, he could not determine any details.
"Oh well. Let's see their fear," he murmured with a nonchalant smile, reminiscing about the beginnings of past epochs.
During those times, mortals were absolutely terrified at the sight of him. The social system between cultivators and mortals did not exist for the majority of dynasties. Cultivators viewed mortals as mere cattle, while mortals saw them as gods descended among them.
This had lasted for thousands of years, and mortal fear was now ingrained in their genes, a reminder of ancestral terror in the face of immortals.
***
Far ahead of Xiao Yao, a scene was unfolding. Two soldiers stood straight in front of the gate, while the other three, having removed their helmets, revealed middle-aged faces marked by experience. These three were busy eating while discussing recent events.
The youngest among them, visibly excited, asked, "Do you think this ruin could allow our kingdom to find a way to extend our lifespan?"
Another older and more seasoned knight shrugged and calmly replied, "It's possible, but not today. These secrets have been buried for centuries, and it will take time to decipher them."
In the silent and tense atmosphere near the ancient ruin's gate, the youngest of the knights, eyes shining with a mix of fascination and nervousness, eagerly addressed his older companions.
The young knight exclaimed, "But could our mages from the Royal Academy use this man's body to understand why he hasn't decomposed? I remember that archaeologist trying to speak to him, he nearly scared me to death! I truly believed he was still alive!"
The silence was broken by another usually taciturn knight, holding a cup of wine to his lips with a contemplative air.
After savoring a sip of wine, the older knight remarked, "Good wine! But dead? A body? My gut tells me he's very much alive."
The young knight, incredulous, replied, "What? Impossible! The archaeologists told us this could predate the Kingdom of Lionnes!"
When the knight who was eating asked the young knight why he thought the man couldn't be alive, the young man responded with noticeable hesitation.
The young knight said, "If a person could truly be immortal, would they remain human forever? And if he truly was alive, why wouldn't he react to our presence?"
The knight enjoying his wine added mysteriously, "Perhaps he hibernates, like the legendary vampires of the Southern Continent."
The young knight, filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, exclaimed, "Maybe he's a vampire then!?"
The other, older knight who was attending to his food immediately refuted, "No, vampires are mostly three meters tall monsters, with wings like those of bats, red skin, and white hair. They are mainly distinguished by their eyes. Nothing to do with the man inside. Well, eat your meal instead of..."
Before he could finish his sentence, all the present knights froze upon hearing heavy and sinister footsteps echoing from inside the ruins, chilling their blood and paralyzing their thoughts in terrified silence.
The knight holding his wine threw it aside with a sudden movement as he stood up in shock, then, with a voice strong but tinged with fear, exclaimed, "To your arms!!"
His cry awakened all the soldiers present. The two soldiers near the gate stepped back to join the other three who had already adjusted their helmets and brandished their swords, ready to face the unknown responsible for the noise. Their stress was palpable, betrayed by their rapid and erratic breathing.
A few seconds later, a young man emerged before their eyes.
His hair, glossy black, cascaded in a waterfall down to his waist, each thick and robust strand resembling finely braided obsidian strands. His athletic body carried no excess flesh, each muscle sculpted and defined under his skin. His nose, with a high and proud ridge, accentuated harmonious facial features. But what captivated most was the gaze from his eyes: dark and deep like the abysses of the nocturnal ocean, they revealed ancient wisdom and unwavering determination. His lips, slightly pink and firmly sealed, spoke of inner resolve.
He was dressed in a black robe adorned with golden motifs that seemed to dance in the flickering dawn light, creating a mystical aura around him.
Yet in his formerly nonchalant gaze, palpable confusion now settled as he simply observed the five knights before him, creating an almost comical scene.
After three seconds of tense silence, the temporary leader of the five knights shouted firmly, "Who are you? Back away, we mean you no harm. We are the knights of the Kingdom of Lionnes, under the orders of the Royal Academy."
Deep down, despite his attempt at courage, total panic overwhelmed him. He deeply felt that this being defied all known logic. Thousands of thoughts crossed his tormented mind at lightning speed.
"Am I going to meet my end here? My wife and daughter are still waiting for me... I can't do this to them. My God, what have we awakened!? The Kingdom of Lionnes... it's an impending disaster. As a knight, I must move forward with courage."
His inner monologue was filled with deep anguish as he tried to mentally prepare for the terrifying uncertainty represented by the mysterious being before them.
The other knights had their own inner monologues, all tinged with a common emotion: fear.
On his part, Xiao Yao did not feign confusion; he was genuinely bewildered. He observed the fear in the knights' eyes, a reality he had anticipated. But what were these armors they wore?
His face suddenly darkened upon hearing the voice of the chief knight before him. Although he did not understand this new language to him, he was accustomed to learning new languages, but...
"Damn, how long have I been asleep?" he murmured, lightly touching his temples as he plunged into his thoughts.
"I don't even sense the Celestial Dao. It must have been a maximum of 300 years since the beginning of the fifth epoch. What was this scene before me? Mortals in armor? Were the mortals of this epoch so fierce? Have they so quickly forgotten the danger of the world ravaged by immortal calamity?"
As Xiao Yao lost himself in his own inner monologue, he also noticed the knight who had spoken earlier slowly advancing towards him, catching his attention.
He observed the knight's trembling legs and intense fear response.
"Hmm, they don't seem to recognize my identity as a cultivator? If that's the case, then the sun will set in the east before a mortal steps forward trying to clearly threaten me with his sword," he thought with a hint of curiosity and amusement.
The knight who had earlier held his wine shouted to his companion, "Back off, what are you trying to do? Lower your sword, show no hostility towards him!"
The knight, hesitating, attempted to protest, "But... it's our duty as knights!"
His companion cut him off, "We know nothing about the person before us. We are only apprentice knights, clearly not up to the task."
Xiao Yao observed their exchange. Though he didn't understand the exact words, he could tell one was trying to prevent the other from risking his life. A wise decision, he thought.
With a discreet smile, Xiao Yao moved towards the knights, deliberately ignoring them. Their language was an insurmountable barrier to him, otherwise he would have sought to learn more about the affairs of this world.
The knights, still hesitant and paralyzed by fear, watched the young man walk away, unable to react as he disappeared into the emerging dawn.
"Should we follow him?" asked a young knight, worry coloring his voice.
"No, we would only be courting death... Curse this ruin. We will surely be punished for what just transpired," replied another knight, still out of breath, his face marked by fear.
The knight who had previously held the wine sighed in relief at seeing the young man vanish into the trees. "I captured the scene thanks to the orb entrusted to us by the Royal Academy," he said, brandishing the orb, his eyes shining with a mix of relief.
Another knight, surprised, asked, "You had the orb? I thought Dr. Clara had it."
He replied with a smile, "She entrusted it to me along with the food. The Royal Academy underestimated this expedition so much that they only gave us one orb. I made sure to keep it safe, knowing we might need it."
"Good," said the temporary leader. "We must continue guarding this ruin from possible bandit attacks, but one of us must go report what has happened."
"I will take care of that," declared the same knight holding the orb with determination. "Luckily, this person headed towards the Endless Forest. I will take the road to the capital and inform the Royal Academy."
With those words, the knight prepared to depart, his thoughts swirling around the strange encounter and what it might mean for their kingdom. The others stayed behind, reinforcing their vigilance, aware that the events of this day could have repercussions far beyond what they could imagine.
***
Xiao Yao walked on, carefully surveying the landscape before him. He found himself in a place of breathtaking beauty and unfathomable mystique.
Sheer cliffs rose on either side, covered in lush vegetation. Vines hung like natural curtains, swaying gently in the breeze. Majestic trees, both ancient and robust, grew on plateaus and rocky ledges, their branches reaching skyward as if to touch infinity.
In the distance, waterfalls poured their crystalline water in shimmering droplets, creating a natural symphony that echoed through the valley. Rock formations, with strange and imposing shapes, seemed sculpted by time itself, adding an air of mystery to this enchanting landscape.
The ground was covered in thick, soft moss, and here and there, ferns and small flowering plants bloomed, adding splashes of color to this natural tapestry. The flickering torchlight of the knights behind him danced on surfaces, casting shifting shadows that further heightened the mystical atmosphere of the place.
Xiao Yao, absorbed in this stunning vision, felt the vibrant energy of nature all around him. Every detail seemed woven with a thread of wonder and magic, a land where reality and legend harmoniously intertwined.
He softly murmured with amusement, while touching a beautiful plant at his feet, "Perhaps only nature is my companion in this eternal life."
The delicate leaves trembled under his touch, seeming to respond to his whisper. Xiao Yao smiled, finding a strange comfort in this thought as he continued to explore.
***
Hoofbeats echoed against worn cobblestones as two horses, Roland and Adrien perched on one, and Clara firmly holding the reins of the other, galloped through the town. In the distance, the imposing towers of Felixberg rose against the twilight sky, and a tide of people awaited impatiently before the grand gateway.
"The capital, Felixberg, in sight!" exclaimed Clara with a mix of excitement and anticipation, her eyes bright at the prospect of their destination.
"Alright, Captain Roland, we must finesse to avoid this crowd. Show us your identities for us to move more quickly to the Royal Academy," she added, her voice resonating with determination as they navigated through the bustling human mass.
The majestic gates of Felixberg seemed to open at an agonizing pace as the crowded throng pressed against it, patiently waiting their turn. Suddenly, the knight Roland and the two archaeologists made a swift appearance on the side of the line.
As they approached, the crowd parted with dizzying confusion mixed with respect for the sacred knight. Murmurs rose like a restless breeze, as some looked on with curiosity and admiration, while others, slightly irritated by their audacity, quickly got back in line.
The merchants, heads held high and polite smiles, nodded slightly in respect while families stepped aside with murmurs of apology. The knight Roland, focused on his urgent mission, briefly nodded in acknowledgment before focusing on the path ahead.
As the group galloped towards the gates, an air vibrating with anticipation and respect still permeated the scene, bearing silent testimony to the tacit recognition of prioritizing the urgent affairs of the knight and his companions.