Chapter 69: Entering the Cave
Chapter 69: Entering the Cave
After learning that there were no magic elements around, I stopped using dark magic and began circulating Mad God Battle Energy. I drove it through Mo Ming and found that Mad God Battle Energy could still emit a golden glow. Its illumination effect was no worse than Zi Yan’s light-element magic. I could see the surroundings very clearly. Ten meters ahead was the end of the passage—no, it couldn’t be called the end, because when I reached it, I discovered there was still a path to the left.
Like that, I walked back and forth through the winding passage. I didn’t know how many turns I took before I arrived at another stone chamber. It was exactly the same as the chamber where I first woke up. Aside from the exit I had entered through, there was no other way out.
I frowned, thinking, how could there be no road? That made no sense. Since I could enter from that cave entrance, there had to be a way out.
I looked around in confusion, then lightly swung Mo Ming, leaving a shallow slash on the stone wall. My heart jumped. The stone wall was incredibly hard. I hadn’t used much strength—just a casual swing—yet under normal circumstances, even that would be enough to split a hundred-jin boulder with no problem. Here, it left only a shallow mark.
I rubbed the wall I had just cut and found it was ordinary granite. But when I focused and sensed it, I discovered that there seemed to be a special energy within the granite. Perhaps it was that energy that made it so hard.
With doubts in my mind, I left the stone chamber and returned along the original route. As I walked, I left marks on the stone walls. After passing the same turns, when I returned to the stone chamber again, a chill surged through my heart—because I found the sword mark I had left earlier in this chamber.
In other words, I had been circling in place. I had walked the loop twice and still hadn’t escaped this area.
Was this a maze?
It didn’t seem like it. If it were a maze, there should have been many branching paths, but here there was only a single road. Directionally, I couldn’t sense that I was circling around the same spot at all.
I collapsed to the ground, bitter and furious inside. It seemed there was no way out.
Even though my internal energy was abundant right now, without food or drink I could probably only hold on for twenty days. I truly regretted that when I came down from White Smoke Mountain’s main peak, in order to reduce energy consumption, I had left all food and water in the stone chamber Panzong had carved out. Otherwise, I could have held on longer no matter what.
I walked the passage again, carefully examining every corner I had passed. When I returned to the stone chamber once more, my hope was completely crushed—there was still not the slightest discovery.
I sat on the ground and stopped wandering aimlessly. I needed to conserve the energy in my body to endure. Maybe a miracle would happen.
Like that, six days passed. Every day, I carefully checked the passage once, but the later it got, the slimmer my hope became. Over these six days, there wasn’t the slightest change here.
I could feel my body growing much weaker. My mouth was parched, my lips had cracked dry, and my skin had lost its former luster. Was I going to starve to death here?
Just when I was nearly in despair, the stone chamber suddenly trembled.
I grabbed Mo Ming and backed up until my body pressed against the wall, watching the surroundings warily. On the ground at the very center of the chamber, a golden line of light suddenly appeared, flickering. It slithered across the floor, gradually forming a golden six-pointed magic star. When the golden line returned to the point where it had started, the six-pointed star flared brightly, and a beam of golden light shot upward.
The appearance of that golden beam made the Mad God Battle Energy inside me become lively, restless, and agitated. That golden light gave me a feeling of familiarity, as if that place was the end I had been searching for. Unconsciously, I walked toward it step by step.
When I reached it, I cautiously extended my hand into the golden light. A warm current flowed into my body, and I immediately felt my spirit lift. The hunger and thirst of the past six days seemed to vanish completely in that instant.
It tugged me forward two steps. My entire body was bathed in golden light. Warmth spread through me—comfortable beyond words—just like when the Five-Colored Radiance had first enveloped me.
Gradually, drowsiness surged. My eyelids disobediently closed, and I fell asleep standing right there in the center of the golden light.
This sleep was unbelievably comfortable. There was no disturbance and no dreams, as if I were soaking in warm spring water, my whole body being nourished without my noticing.
Just as my body became utterly languid, I suddenly felt a surge of violent agitation and jolted awake. But my eyelids felt like they were weighed down by a thousand jin and wouldn’t open. I sensed the Mad God Battle Energy inside me like a broad golden river flowing endlessly. At first it moved slowly, calm and steady. Gradually, the flow accelerated, and in a very short time it turned into a roaring, surging flood.
It was as if my meridians could no longer be seen—this energy simply coursed through me unchecked. My whole body was violently restless. A fierce battle intent surged up from the depths of my heart, and I couldn’t help but roar.
“Ah—!”
Ahhhhhhhhh… the echo rang on and on. I realized I could control my body again. Testing it, I opened my eyes and found I had already left that stone chamber. I was now in an enormous natural cavern.
I looked around and felt as if my eyes had brightened. Even though there was no real light here, I could still see everything clearly by the faint glow coming from stalactites. Stalactites of varying lengths hung from the ceiling. Occasionally, a few droplets of water fell and struck the ground with a ding-dong sound. It felt humid here, yet the air was extremely fresh, carrying a faint fragrance.
My body had returned to its best condition, just like when I woke up six days ago—if anything, even better.
Suddenly, a five-colored beam of light appeared in the air, shining toward the end of the cavern. In the light at the cavern’s far end, a set of pitch-black armor appeared before me. That armor was like a magnet, drawing my gaze. I walked toward it step by step.
To my surprise, I discovered that the Heart-Protecting Mirror I had obtained in Tian Zhong’s basement was embedded in the armor’s chest, fitting perfectly with the surrounding breastplate. Could it be that the so-called treasure here was this set of armor?
“Welcome here, human youth.”
A clear voice, like that of a middle-aged man, rang throughout the cave. The voice was calm, yet it carried an arrogant, overbearing air.
I whirled around in shock and scanned the surroundings. Ever since that beam of light appeared, the entire cavern was visible down to the finest detail. Even if I turned in a full circle, every corner fell into my sight. The voice seemed to come from all directions, leaving me no clue where to start looking.
I shouted in a low voice, “Who are you? Where are you?”
I raised Mo Ming. I discovered that here, my dark magic was suppressed in the acupoint at my brow center and could not be mobilized. All I could do was circulate Mad God Battle Energy. A layer of hazy golden radiance spread from my body. As if sensing it, that armor let out a clang, as though calling to me.
“Who am I?”
That clear voice sounded again, with a trace of helplessness in it.
“Thousands of years have passed. I’ve almost forgotten who I am. It seems I was called Theomandis.”
At the moment I encountered Theomandis—who would change the fate of my entire life—the other members of the Saint Dragon Knights Corps also arrived from the main camp.
There were fifteen Dragon Generals in total. Flying at the very front was Tian Gang, the one who had ridden the dragon elder Qing Lin back to seek reinforcements. Behind him followed two dragons as massive as Qing Lin—one white, one blue.
On the blue giant dragon stood a scholar. If not for his long white hair, he would have looked only in his fifties. He wore no armor, and you couldn’t find the slightest trace of cultivation aura from him. Standing on the blue dragon’s back, the pale-blue scholar’s robe set off his tall, slender figure, making him look very dashing. His face was slightly long, his eyes narrow, and when they opened and closed, they occasionally flashed with a sharp glint.
He was not a scholar.
He was the Rain-Glory War God Yue Wuyan, 171 years old, the second-in-command of the Saint Dragon Knights Corps.
Flying side by side with him was the white dragon. Its body was actually larger by a size than Li Feng’s mount, the elder Qing Lin, and Yue Wuyan’s blue dragon mount. Its entire body was covered in pure white scales. Two long horns grew from its forehead, each branching into three forks. A golden line stretched from its brow center all the way to the tail.
Standing on the white dragon was someone who looked even younger than Yue Wuyan—only around his thirties. He wore a somewhat tattered white magic robe and held a wooden staff with no gemstones inlaid. Medium height, ordinary features—if you put him in a crowd, you would never find him.
He looked exactly like a down-and-out mage.
Was he?
Of course not.
To be able to ride Bai Guang—the first elder of the dragon race, with status second only to the Dragon King—how could he be ordinary?
He was the leader of the Saint Dragon Knights Corps, the first Dragon Mage, 178 years old, known as the Light Guardian God: the Saint Archmage Tian Yun.
After receiving Li Feng’s helmet, Tian Yun was extremely shocked. After hearing his son’s explanation, he immediately led all members of the Saint Dragon Knights Corps here at the fastest speed. On the remaining twelve giant dragons behind them sat Dragon Generals wearing armor, their faces hidden behind masks.
Tian Gang turned back and said, “Father, it’s right ahead. Let’s go down.”
A warm smile appeared on Tian Yun’s face. “Mm. Let’s go down.”
Li Feng and Song Ren, waiting at the cave entrance, saw their people arrive and hurriedly rode their giant dragons up to meet them.
Li Feng called to Tian Yun, “Big Brother, Second Brother.”
Tian Yun gave a short acknowledgment and asked with concern, “Third Brother, Tian Gang said you were injured. How are you? Feeling better? Do you need Big Brother to treat you?”
Hearing Tian Yun’s concern, Li Feng felt both grateful and ashamed. He sighed. “The wound is no longer serious. But I can’t swallow this humiliation. Since I debuted, when have I ever suffered such disgrace? I could only watch that one human and two beasts enter the cave. Since we can’t obtain that thing, then we destroy it. We absolutely can’t let outsiders get it. That human brat—his identity is definitely not simple. Otherwise, how could he be with two ancient strange beasts?”
Tian Yun’s expression did not change. “After they went in, was there any other change?”
Li Feng shook his head. “No change. Still like that. But the Five-Colored Radiance never appeared again. I think they definitely obtained that thing. If that human didn’t know how to open the cave, how could he enter? Since he knows how to open it, then he must also know how to obtain that thing.”
Tian Yun still asked evenly, “Then what do you want to do?”
Li Feng glared hatefully at the cave that had made him suffer. “You command us. Use Star Dragon Rain to blow it up.”
Yue Wuyan, who hadn’t spoken, cried out in shock, “What? You want to use Star Dragon Rain? How can that be allowed? Third Brother, don’t you know how much power Star Dragon Rain has? The entire mountain range will be flattened!”
Li Feng said, “Second Brother, I’ve already thought it through. The power of Star Dragon Rain can be controlled. When the time comes, let Big Brother preside. We only need to blast this one hill flat. That one human and two beasts—and whatever they obtained—will be reduced to dust. Big Brother, what do you think?”
Tian Yun smiled slightly. “Don’t rush. Let me think. Eh? That side seems to have trouble. Tian Gang, go take a look.”
“Yes, Father.” Tian Gang rode elder Qing Lin toward the small city’s direction. After a while, he returned and reported respectfully, “Father, it seems some rioters have come to make trouble again. Our troops are about to be unable to hold.”
Cold light shot from Li Feng’s eyes. “If it weren’t for these rioters six days ago, how could that one human and two beasts have gotten in? They killed many of our empire soldiers. We only suppressed them after bringing in Dragon Knights. Why are they here again today? Is Dragon God’s public order really this bad? Big Brother, I’ll go take a look.”
Tian Yun shook his head and sighed. “Fame and profit bind the world so tightly that people remain hopelessly obsessed. I’ll go see personally.”
As he spoke, he cast a meaningful look at Li Feng.
Li Feng knew Tian Yun had seen the killing intent in his heart. His face reddened, and he stopped talking.
The Dragon Generals followed Tian Yun down to the foot of the mountain. Sure enough, the situation below was terrible. The defensive line formed by Dragon God Empire soldiers was about to be broken, and both sides had suffered significant casualties. The people below weren’t fools either. Seeing so many giant dragons flying in, they gradually stopped fighting. The treasure-hunters gathered together and retreated a bit.
Tian Yun spoke loudly, “I don’t know if anyone still remembers me. I am Tian Yun, the empire’s Dragon Mage from several generations ago. I hope everyone will give me some face and stop this meaningless battle. The treasure in the mountains is already mine. All of you disperse.”
After Tian Yun learned that someone from the demon race had escaped from Li Feng’s hands, he no longer intended to hide their identities.
Tian Yun.
That name had once been thunderous across the continent. Although a hundred years had passed, it was still spoken of in every corner of the Dragon God Empire. The fact that he was still alive made cold fear rise in the hearts of all treasure-hunters, mixed with an unbelievable feeling.
Someone in the crowd shouted, “How can you prove you’re that legendary Great Archmage, the Light Guardian God?”
Tian Yun smiled slightly and chanted, “Light, my friend whom I protect. I am willing to guard you with my life. Please lend me the light of healing, to save the life before my eyes. Forbidden—Eternal Healing Light.”
This was a level-ten light-element healing spell, also called a forbidden spell. Only Tian Yun’s chant differed from the original incantation.
As he chanted, the sky began to change. A patch of golden clouds drifted in. The clouds slowly descended. Vast points of light scattered down, covering the entire battlefield. The light points brought by the golden clouds were not dazzling. They looked extremely gentle. Every corner of the ground received them. As long as someone still had a single breath left, their wounds healed in an instant. Most of those who had fallen—except those completely dead—stood back up.
The treasure-hunters no longer had any doubts. Including the Dragon God Empire soldiers and Dragon Knights, there was not a single person left standing below. Everyone knelt devoutly to the ground.
Tian Yun was not surprised. He smiled. “All of you disperse. There is nothing worth lingering for here anymore. Dragon God Empire soldiers, you should also return to your own garrisons. You are no longer needed here.”
With that, he turned and led Li Feng, Yue Wuyan, and the others back toward the cave.
Only after they vanished did the crowd begin to disperse. The shock of that forbidden spell was too great. Even the greediest had abandoned the thought of continuing the treasure hunt. Those whose wounds had been healed were even more grateful to Tian Yun.
Flying back to the cave, the Dragon Generals landed.
Li Feng said, “Big Brother, use Star Dragon Rain. We can’t leave future trouble.”
Tian Yun stared calmly at the cave. A layer of faint white light spread from his body. He lifted a hand and shot a light arrow. It struck the five-colored barrier at the entrance, stirring ripples.
“Mm. It truly is a god’s power.”
Li Feng said urgently, “If it’s a god’s power, then it’s even more impossible to let that unknown person obtain it. Big Brother, decide quickly.”
Yue Wuyan said, “Big Brother, you must consider this carefully. If you do it, it may cause panic. And the person who went in might not be a bad person.”
With hands behind his back, Tian Yun stared at the cave entrance and said, “Stop arguing. Let me think.”
Inside the cave, Lei Xiang still had no idea that his fate was already in someone else’s hands.
I murmured, “Theomandis? Theomandis?” The name was strange, like it didn’t belong to any race on the continent. “Where are you? Why did you bring me here?”
Theomandis said, “Where am I? I am in this cavern. I have already lost my body, so you can’t see me. It is the divine consciousness I left behind in this world that is speaking to you.”
My heart jumped. I remembered what Father had told me and cut him off. “No body? Then that means you’re a necromancer.”
Theomandis snorted and said arrogantly, “What is a necromancer? If my body still existed, they wouldn’t even be fit to carry my shoes. They are only slaves under the Nether King.”
“Nether King? Who are you, exactly?”
Theomandis said, “I was about to tell you. Who told you to interrupt me?” Although his words were domineering, they carried a childish tone. “You didn’t come here because I captured you. It was the power on your body—of the same origin as mine—that triggered the probing light I released, guiding you here.”
A power of the same origin as his?
Then it should be Mad God Battle Energy.
I asked, “Power of the same origin—do you mean Mad God Battle Energy? Have you also cultivated the Mad God Art?”
In the air came Theomandis’s ceaseless mad laughter. Only after a long while did he stop.
“That’s right. I cultivated it. And I am the founder of the Mad God Art. That is my identity. If you’re not too stupid, you should know who I am by now.”
My eyes widened. Two words slipped out.
“Mad God?”
“That’s right. I am Theomandis, the Mad God of the God Realm.”
His tone was filled with smug pride. It seemed he held some position in the God Realm. I hadn’t expected that in this tiny cavern, I would meet a god. Even though I was shocked inside, I didn’t show it. I asked calmly, “Theomandis—where are my two older brothers?”
Hearing his name and seeing I had no reaction seemed to irritate Theomandis. He said coldly, “They won’t die. When you leave, I’ll release them with you. The nine-headed serpent and the two-headed wolf are creatures of the Netherworld. I didn’t expect there would still be survivors on this continent. You, a tiny human, are also so deep in friendship. Sigh… my brother… I wonder if you’re still well.”
He seemed to recall something as he spoke.
Hearing that he would let us go, joy surged in my heart. I asked, “Then when will you let us go? And why did you only bring me here after six days?”
Theomandis sighed. “You coming here could only be called a coincidence of fate. Let me tell you my story. After you hear it, you’ll understand why a first-rank god of the God Realm could fall to the human realm—to this tiny cavern.”
To hear a god tell a story truly was enticing. I sat cross-legged on the ground, at ease, waiting for him to continue.
Theomandis’s voice changed—becoming helpless, uncertain, and melancholy.
“I can no longer remember when I first appeared in the God Realm. I only know that the Father God created me. Oh, right—let me explain first. Even among the gods in the God Realm, there are ranks.
“This human realm, together with the Netherworld and the God Realm, are the Three Realms established by the Father God during primordial chaos. At the beginning, the Father God split two layers of energy from his own body and created the God Realm and the Netherworld.
“The God King was the first god created by the Father God in the God Realm, and his power was the greatest. The Nether King was the first god created in the Netherworld, with almost the same power as the God King.
“I don’t know much about the Netherworld, but in our God Realm, aside from the God King, there are five ranks: First-Rank Deities, Second-Rank Deities, Third-Rank Deities, Quasi-Deities, and Divine Beasts.
“First-Rank Deities were personally created by the Father God. There are only six. They are: the Free Angel Lucifer; the Battle Angel, also called the Fire Angel, Michael; the Death Angel Gabriel; the Charm Angel, also called the Radiant Angel, Raphael; the Army Angel Solent—together called the five great archangels of the God Realm. Among them, the Free Angel Lucifer is the strongest, the chief of the five great archangels.”
I was not surprised that the great demon Lucifer was part of the gods, because the continent had long had rumors that the Fallen Angel Lucifer was a traitor of the God Realm who defected to the Netherworld. I asked, “Then the last First-Rank Deity should be you, right? But in the legends, I’ve never heard your name. The title ‘Mad God’ seems to have never spread in the human realm.”
Theomandis sighed. “So the human realm also has legends about our God Realm. Keep listening and you’ll understand. In the God Realm, I was an outsider. I was the last deity created by the Father God. So among the six First-Rank Deities, my power ranked at the very bottom. And I did not have the wings that symbolize the god race. I think you know the god race has pure white wings symbolizing purity.”
I nodded. “I know. The five great archangels you mentioned are six-winged angels.”
“Mm. More precisely, they are six-winged seraphs. Those five form the highest-tier power in the God Realm. The Free Angel Lucifer’s power is second only to the God King.
“Second-Rank Deities are those created by the God King. Their abilities are much lower, but their numbers are greater—these are the four-winged Shining Angels of our god race. Among them, some outstanding ones also inherited the God King’s power of creation. The ones they create are Third-Rank Deities—the most common two-winged angels.
“Quasi-Deities refer to those created beings whose abilities don’t reach the Third-Rank Deity level. To put it bluntly, in the God Realm they can only be called scrap.
“As for Divine Beasts, their abilities are different. They are generally mounts of higher deities, or exist apart from deities.”
When he mentioned Divine Beasts, I thought of the Dust-Severing realm the others had mentioned and felt a surge of longing. As if seeing through my gaze, Theomandis continued, “Divine Beasts aren’t as wonderful as you imagine. They often act according to their own preferences. Sometimes they even attack weaker deities to strengthen themselves.
“Outside those five ranks, there is another kind of outsider—like me—gods who do not possess wings. Their strength is somewhat similar to Divine Beasts. The most powerful among them have strength already close to us six First-Rank Deities. This includes the five elemental gods you know.
“Among these outsiders, because my strength was the greatest, I faintly became their leader.
“After the Three Realms formed, under the Father God’s watch, they passed more than ten thousand years in peace. The Three Realms barely interacted. The Father God was satisfied with this phenomenon. Then, at some unknown time, he disappeared.”
A strange feeling rose in my heart. According to him, he was a First-Rank Deity second only to the God King. Setting aside why he had fallen to this place, why was he telling me the affairs of the gods in such detail? I was only an ordinary human. My little bit of strength shouldn’t even register in his eyes.
But I naturally would not stop him. His story was truly compelling, and I was listening, absorbed.
Theomandis continued, “Several thousand years ago, at that time, the God Realm, the Netherworld, and the human realm were originally connected. In terms of levels, the human realm was lower, while the God Realm and Netherworld were basically on the same tier.
“After the Father God disappeared, the God Realm and Netherworld remained at peace for several hundred years. For reasons unknown, the two realms could no longer endure that former calm. Small conflicts began to appear continuously at the border.
“As time passed, the conflicts expanded, and finally the first great war between gods and nether—what we gods call the War of Creation Origin—erupted. In that war, both sides suffered countless dead and wounded. It also spilled into the human realm. The already weak human realm was nearly destroyed by the powers of the two realms.
“The human realm also split into two factions. Because the gods’ image was better, more sided with us, but some sided with the Netherworld. The War of Creation Origin spread to nearly every corner of the Three Realms and lasted more than a hundred years. In the end, neither side gained advantage.
“In the final battle where both sides suffered grievously, the Father God appeared again. He felt disappointed in the world he had created. He forcibly sealed the exits from the God Realm and Netherworld into the human realm, warning both realms not to easily start wars, and then drifted away.
“After that, the two races fell silent for a thousand years. But more than three thousand years ago, for some unknown reason, one of the Nether King’s subordinates suddenly ran into our God Realm. Because of our hatred toward the Netherworld, he died at the hands of the Battle Angel Michael. That became the fuse for the second war between the God Realm and Netherworld.
“And I… during that second war… sigh—one can only say I was too foolish.”
I asked, “So you came here during the second god-nether war?”
Theomandis sighed. “You could say that. In the second war, I formed a group with the God King’s only daughter—our god race’s Princess Feier Yunna—and led a large number of Second- and Third-Rank Deities into battle.
“Princess Feier Yunna was separated from the God King’s own energy, so her strength was nearly on par with us First-Rank Deities. Under our leadership, our divine army successfully charged into the Netherworld.
“But in the Netherworld, we ran into an ambush. Aside from me and the princess, the rest of the gods suffered catastrophe. The entire force was wiped out.
“I protected the princess and broke out, but I was heavily wounded. We fled all across the Netherworld. Yet those three years of evading pursuit were truly the most splendid period of my life.”
I smiled faintly. “You fell in love with Princess Feier Yunna, didn’t you?”
Because I had an experience similar to Zi Yan, I could naturally understand.
Surprise tinged Theomandis’s voice. “You’re very smart. Yes. After many times of living and dying together, I fell in love with Feier Yunna. You don’t know—Princess Feier Yunna was so beautiful, so kind, I…” He paused for a full half minute before continuing.
“Only three years later did we find a chance to return to the gods. By then, the second god-nether war was nearing its end. Seeing his daughter return safely, the God King was extremely excited. He encouraged me. When I was about to tell him about Feier Yunna and me—when I wanted the God King to marry the princess to me—the Death Angel Gabriel stepped forward.
“He reported to the God King that I had already surrendered to the Nether King, and that I had returned to assassinate the God King.
“I was stunned. I watched Gabriel walk up to me—and he actually pulled out a short dagger from my body, a dagger symbolizing the Netherworld.
“The God King was furious. Ignoring Princess Feier Yunna’s desperate pleas, he imprisoned me on the spot.”
At this point, Theomandis’s words carried an intense hatred.