The bronze doors groaned open.
RUMBLE…
Dust cascaded from the ceiling as ancient gears, dormant for thousands of years, slowly turned once more.
A cold wind swept through the chamber.
It carried the scent of rain, pine forests…
…and something unimaginably old.
Lin Tianyu instinctively took a step back.
“…Please tell me that’s normal.”
The System answered.
Normal for the Sanctuary.
“…Not exactly comforting.”
Hei Bao calmly walked forward.
“…Come.”
Sun Xiaohou had already leaped onto the panda’s broad shoulder.
“…Long time.”
“You’ve been here before?”
The monkey nodded.
“…Very.”
“Then why do you still look surprised?”
“…Door never opened.”
“…Wait…”
Tianyu frowned.
“You’ve never seen what’s behind it?”
“…No.”
Hei Bao’s voice grew quieter.
“…Only Keeper.”
Beyond the doors stretched another corridor.
Unlike the rough stone passage outside, this hallway was magnificent.
The walls shimmered like polished jade.
Golden lanterns floated silently overhead.
Intricate murals covered every surface.
Some depicted legendary beasts protecting villages from disasters.
Others showed humans and beasts cultivating together beneath towering spirit trees.
Tianyu slowed his pace.
“This doesn’t look like a prison…”
Hei Bao shook his head.
“…Never was.”
Sun Xiaohou pointed toward one mural.
“…Before.”
The artwork showed children playing with phoenix chicks while an enormous dragon slept nearby.
Another mural depicted cultivators learning medicine from fox spirits.
A white tiger carrying injured travelers across snowy mountains.
A black tortoise holding up an island during a flood.
Tianyu stopped walking.
“So…”
“Humans and Divine Beasts used to live together.”
Hei Bao nodded.
“…Family.”
“Then what happened?”
Neither beast answered.
Instead…
Both lowered their heads.
The corridor ended before an enormous circular hall.
Tianyu couldn’t help but stare.
The room resembled an ancient throne room.
Nine towering stone pillars stood in a perfect circle.
Each pillar bore the carving of a different Divine Beast.
A dragon.
A phoenix. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
A white tiger.
A black tortoise.
A qilin.
A fox.
A giant ape.
A black bear.
The final pillar…
Was empty.
At the center stood a massive stone chair.
It wasn’t decorated with jewels or gold.
Its beauty came from its simplicity.
Yet something about it radiated quiet authority.
Above it hung four ancient characters.
Although Tianyu had never studied the language…
He somehow understood them.
Hall of the Keeper.
The System activated.
Location Discovered
Keeper’s Hall
Status:
Inactive
Previous Keeper:
Lin Guowei
Current Keeper:
Lin Tianyu
Rewards:
+300 Spirit Qi
+Sanctuary Authority +5
Unlocked:
Keeper Archive
Keeper Inventory
Sanctuary Map (Level 1)
A flood of warmth surged through Tianyu’s body.
His breathing steadied.
His vision became even sharper.
He could now see faint streams of golden Spirit Qi flowing beneath the floor, connecting every part of the underground sanctuary.
“…Amazing…”
Then…
A soft click echoed through the hall.
One of the stone walls slid open.
Inside rested dozens of neatly arranged shelves.
Books.
Scrolls.
Boxes.
Weapons.
Jade slips.
Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust.
“…Grandpa…”
One shelf contained modern notebooks.
Another held a worn thermos.
There was even an old radio.
It looked less like an ancient treasury…
And more like someone had been living here until recently.
Tianyu carefully picked up a familiar leather notebook.
On the cover were three handwritten words.
Keeper’s Journal
His heart skipped a beat. Get faster updates on g.com.
He opened the first page.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
His grandfather’s.
If you’re reading this…
…then I wasn’t able to tell you everything myself.
Tianyu’s grip tightened.
First of all…
I’m sorry.
His grandfather had never been the type to apologize.
He continued reading.
You’ve probably met Hei Bao by now.
If Sun Xiaohou hasn’t stolen your wallet yet, he soon will.
Tianyu looked at the monkey.
Sun Xiaohou awkwardly looked away.
“…Coincidence.”
“…Sure.”
He kept reading.
The animals are not monsters.
Never let anyone convince you otherwise.
They are our oldest friends.
Tianyu smiled faintly.
“So that’s why you stayed…”
Another page.
Sooner or later, cultivators will find the Sanctuary again.
Some will ask for your help.
Some will try to steal from you.
Never trust anyone who wants the beasts more than they care about them.
The smile disappeared from Tianyu’s face.
His grandfather had known this day would come.
Then he reached the final sentence on the page.
His entire body froze.
If the Ninth Pillar ever awakens…
Run.
“…The Ninth Pillar?”
Tianyu slowly looked toward the empty pillar in the center of the hall.
It was unlike the others.
No carving.
No name.
Just smooth black stone.
A faint crack suddenly appeared across its surface.
Tick…
Another.
Tick…
The System flashed bright red.
WARNING
Unknown Entity Responding…
Identity…
Unknown.
Threat Level…
Unable to Calculate.
The crack spread.
A whisper escaped from within the pillar.
“…Keeper…”
“…You finally came…”
A shadowy hand pressed gently against the inside of the stone.
Then…
The pillar cracked from top to bottom.
[End of Chapter 7]