Within the ancient Totem War Fortress, an air of grimness pervaded. Those walking back and forth dared not even breathe heavily, fearing they might bring calamity upon themselves. In these few days, even the High Priest had been replaced twice, leaving the rest of the tribe in a state of constant fear.
The fortress was built on a cliff at the top of a mountain, commanding a strategic advantage. The sheer cliff facing the East Sea had once been unguarded, but after Qian Ye killed the former High Priest and leaped into the East Sea to escape, several watchtowers were constructed, with patrols guarding it day and night.
Deep beneath the fortress lay a dark and eerie dungeon. It was excavated to such a depth that it surpassed even the height of the main keep. Two werewolves, dressed as prison guards, walked down the damp and cold passage. While they were impervious to the cold, they detested the moisture, grumbling softly about the weather as they walked.
Force lamps were placed at intervals along the passage, their dim light barely illuminating a few meters around them, with most of the passage remaining shrouded in darkness.
A faint green glow flickered in the eyes of the two werewolves, their night vision allowing them to navigate the passage unimpeded.
Finally, the passage opened up, revealing a pair of tall and heavy black iron gates. One of the werewolves approached and gave the gate a forceful knock. After a moment, a small window opened, and another werewolf inside peered out, sniffing deeply before closing the window. Shortly after, the gates creaked open.
As the gates swung wide, a noxious, damp, and chilling wind rushed out, causing the two werewolves, despite having been there before, to shiver and cover their noses. Such a stench was particularly lethal to their sensitive olfactory senses.
Upon entering, several others rushed forward, thoroughly searching the two werewolves. One of them protested, “Do we really need to be so thorough? We’ve been here countless times.”
The guard replied, “We have no choice; these are unusual times. It’s all because of that guy inside. If we’re not careful and it’s discovered, we’re all doomed.”
The food boxes the two werewolves brought were also meticulously inspected. Only after confirming the seals were intact were they returned.
Past the gates and through another passage, they entered a large hall. Roaring flames illuminated the space, while various torture devices were scattered throughout. Bloodstains, both old and new, marred the floor and walls, and several lifeless bodies hung from the walls, motionless.
On either side of the hall, rows of cells lined the walls, with a separate row of individual torture chambers. From the outside, one couldn’t see inside the chambers, but the agonizing screams that emanated from within made even the notoriously cruel werewolves shudder.
The two werewolves quickly crossed the hall and descended a staircase at the end.
Below the torture chamber, layers of cells stretched downward, some crammed with prisoners, others empty, and still others containing inmates who remained perfectly still, dead or alive, it was hard to tell.
The air was filled with the stench of decaying blood, and a cold draft blew up from the depths below. The two werewolves spiraled downward, not knowing how long they had walked, until they finally reached the bottom.
At the end of the passage, the air became refreshingly clear, with a hint of the sea breeze. After being exposed to the putrid stench deep in the dungeon, the oceanic scent felt like a breath of fresh air, invigorating and rejuvenating.
The deepest part of the dungeon was unexpectedly spacious and well-lit. Here, force lamps provided soft, steady light, in contrast to the smoky oil torches burning in the upper cells, which filled the air with choking fumes.
Only a few cells were found at the very bottom, mostly empty, save for the one at the far end, which was also the largest.
The two werewolves approached the cell and peered through the iron bars.
This cell was clean and tidy, with a force lamp on the ceiling and walls, casting a warm and bright light. A toilet was situated in one corner, separated from the main room. Surprisingly, the room contained a bed, a table, a chair, and a bookshelf, with over a dozen books neatly arranged.
Near the ceiling, a window offered a view of the East Sea. Although the window was barred, everyone knew that for a powerful being, such bars were merely decorative. What truly kept the prisoner in check was the vast and treacherous East Sea beyond.
The two werewolves had once cleaned this cell and knew it was less than a hundred meters from the sea surface. At such a low elevation, even a moderately strong sea creature could leap in. They instinctively trembled in fear every time they neared the window, let alone those with keener senses.
However, the furniture and the additional force lamp were recent additions. In their years of service in the dungeon, they had never seen such treatment.
Inside the cell, a young man sat, holding a beautifully bound, ancient-looking book, reading softly. The book, with its deep blue cover, bound with lustrous golden threads, was quite different from the others on the shelf. The content seemed to be the history of a certain era, but the werewolves couldn’t understand it.
One of the werewolves tapped on the iron door and said, “Young Master Song, it’s time for your meal.”
He opened the door, handed in the food box, and then closed it. This cell had two doors, and only one could be opened at a time.
The young man inside was Song Zining. He looked relatively healthy, though his steps were slightly unsteady when he stood, as if he were an ordinary person without force. Opening the inner iron door also appeared to be an effort for him.
The food box contained four dishes, a soup, and a flask of wine, a feast unparalleled in the dungeon. The two werewolves had delivered meals more than once, and each time, they couldn’t help but be amazed.
After eating, Song Zining took out paper and a pen, scribbled a few lines, and placed them in the food box. The two werewolves, as if they had found a treasure, carefully memorized the words and then swallowed the paper.
Song Zining’s writing was a secret technique specifically for werewolves. Though of ordinary rank, such dark race techniques numbered in the hundreds in the Song Clan’s library. For the lowly werewolves serving in the dungeon, who relied solely on instinct in battle, this was a life-changing gift.
One of the werewolves, looking around cautiously, whispered, “Our envoy has heard of your name and wishes to meet you.”
Song Zining smiled, “Meet me? Here? That might be difficult.”
The werewolf replied, “We, the Crawlers, are everywhere. Meeting you is challenging, but not impossible.”
Song Zining nodded, “I’ll be here for a day or two. Let him come.”
The werewolf, pleased, quickly left after collecting the food box.
Song Zining sat down, raising his right hand to reveal an ancient scroll, which he began to read slowly. The book was actually a creation of the Three Thousand Leaf Technique, a stroke of genius indeed.
But it seemed peace was not to be. After just a few pages, footsteps echoed through the passage, and a man strode in, laughing, “Seventh brother, it’s been a while, I trust you are well?”
Song Zining, slightly surprised, looked up and exclaimed, “Song Zi’an? Is it really you?”
Song Zi’an beamed, shaking his head in mock disapproval, “Zining, that’s quite unfair. We haven’t seen each other in so long, and you won’t even call me Second Brother?”
Song Zining replied coolly, “I have long since left the Song Clan; we are no longer related. Seeking to connect now would only be a humiliation.”
Song Zi’an’s smile froze, his anger rising, “Song Zining! You dare to be arrogant, even in my hands? For so many years, our ancestors have ignored me because of you! What do you have? What makes you so special? You simply got lucky and tagged along with Zhang Tianwang. And Ningyuan Heavy Industries? Without the favor of our ancestors, would you have achieved this much?”
Song Zining replied, “Ridiculous.”
Song Zi’an exploded, grabbing Song Zining by the collar and lifting him, shouting, “You dare say you built Ningyuan Heavy Industries alone? You dare say the ancestors didn’t secretly support you? You dare say this isn’t the result of their favor? How many years has it been? Just a few years? My Zi’an Heavy Industries has just started, only capable of producing three auxiliary devices, while your Ningyuan can already build floating ships! Why? Am I Song Zi’an inferior to you?!”
His face twisted with rage, perhaps feeling that even his angry shouts were insufficient, he pushed Song Zining to the ground, pointing at him and bellowing, “Tell me! Tell me!”
Song Zining slowly rose, wiping the blood from his mouth, still calm, “Even if I say Ningyuan Heavy Industries was built entirely by me, you wouldn’t believe it.”
Song Zi’an laughed bitterly, “Do you think I’m a fool? To believe your lies? Our ancestors’ favor for you is plain to see. Otherwise, why you? Why are you destined to be the future Military God? We are brothers, yet I, Song Zi’an, am inferior to you in every way?”
Song Zining adjusted his disheveled clothes, his composure unshaken, his gaze filled with pity, “We are brothers, with little difference between us. But while you lived in comfort, enjoying the clan’s benefits, I faced life and death, fighting in the Evernight, the Blood Wars, the Floating Land, and the Neutral Grounds. Look at yourself, barely a level eleven, and even your rank has fallen. Do you think you will ever become a god-general?”
Song Zi’an’s face turned red, his roar thunderous, “Shut up! I’ll kill you if you say another word! I can crush you with a single finger!”
Song Zining replied calmly, “I say this only because we were once brothers. Actually, our ancestors made a mistake. If they had sent you all to the Underworld with me, the Song Clan wouldn’t be so far behind the Zhao Clan today.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage