"What... You, you're going to die?" Xu Luo asked in surprise, a faint wave of sadness unexpectedly washing over him.
"Senior, you seem so full of life and vigor. How could you be dying?" Master Mao asked, puzzled.
Xu Su also stood to the side, looking with concern at the indistinct form of the giant beast before them. He said, "Senior, you're so powerful. How could you die so easily?"
"I have lived for far too long. Where there is life, there is death. This is the law, and I have not yet reached a state where I can transcend it." The Thunder Beast sensed the sorrow of the little ones and said with a faint smile, "So there's no need for you to be sad. I was already old and decrepit, my body reeking of decay. The vigor you sense is merely a means for me to maintain my final dignity."
Xu Luo suddenly recalled the scent of decay he had smelled at the fake door in the ruins... He thought to himself: 'No wonder I smelled that scent back then. It must have been coming from this dying Holy Beast.'
"Alright, what's in here is everything the Ancient Emperor Tribe left behind in the past. Alas, such a glorious tribe was also swallowed by the river of time. Fortunately, their legacy can see the light of day once more, finding descendants to carry it on... You two little human children, remember your identity. You are the descendants of the Ancient Emperor Tribe..."
As the Thunder Beast spoke, a huge metal chest floated over from some unknown place, landing softly before the two of them.
It was unclear what metal the chest was made of. It emanated a cold aura, and its surface, which shimmered with a dark golden light, was filled with a sense of antiquity.
"Well, my task is complete. Farewell, little ones..." As the Thunder Beast spoke, it glanced at Master Mao, who was lying there obediently. Its eyes were full of affection, as if it were reminiscing about something. A faint smile even seemed to grace the corners of its massive, bloody maw.
It said, "Since we've all come here together, it must be fate. Little one, let me give you a gift..."
As it spoke, a drop of blood... was squeezed out from between the Thunder Beast's brows.
It was only a single drop of blood, the size of a bean. Compared to the Thunder Beast's mountain-like body, it seemed utterly insignificant.
But the moment the Thunder Beast forced out that drop of blood, it instantly grew weak.
Master Mao cried out in horror, "Senior... You can't do this! This... this gift is too precious! This junior cannot accept it! AHHHHH!"
Master Mao forgot all about etiquette. He was so agitated that he couldn't help but shout.
Others might not understand what that drop of blood signified, but how could Master Mao not know? That was the blood essence of a Holy Beast! It contained the very core of the Holy Beast's entire life!
Normally, if he had seen such blood essenceāa peerless treasure for the Beast RaceāMaster Mao would have charged forward with a greedy look on his face, ready to fight to the death with anyone who tried to take it.
But this Thunder Beast... Master Mao had actually heard of it. Back in the era of the Ancient Sacred Beasts, it had indeed been a friend of the Heaven-Swallowing Fox clan.
That meant it was practically one of Master Mao's own ancestors!
Normally, before a Holy Beast dies, it will either pass its blood essence to its own descendants or let it dissipate naturallyāashes to ashes, dust to dustāand scatter between heaven and earth.
As for giving it to an outsider... especially one from a different race, that was simply unthinkable!
"Heh heh... Little one, no need to refuse. I have lived from ancient times to this day; there is nothing I cannot let go of. Humans can also use my blood essence, but as a fellow member of the Beast Race, you will obviously be able to draw out its ultimate effect. Perhaps... with this, you can restore the glory of your ancestors!"
The Thunder Beast's voice now was completely different from before. Though still loud and clear, it had completely lost its thunderous might.
As the Thunder Beast spoke, the drop of blood essence slowly floated to the spot between Master Mao's brows and, with a WHOOSH, drilled into his forehead.
Large teardrops streamed from the corners of Master Mao's eyes. He prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing to the Thunder Beast. "If this junior should ever meet Senior's descendants in the future, I will protect them with my life!"
"There is no need for that. All things are subject to fate and opportunity." At this moment, the Thunder Beast was like a wise elder who had seen through everything and held no lingering attachments to this world. After saying this, it fell silent.
Immediately after, its body... began to slowly dissipate within this space.
It transformed into countless specks of light that floated in the air. As if they had a will of their own, they circled Xu Luo and the others a few times before completely vanishing into the darkness.
The space returned to a darkness so deep you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
At that moment, down below this mysterious space, inside a weathered and ancient Divine Hall, a statue's eyes suddenly snapped open, shooting out two beams of light... before slowly closing again.
A soft sigh echoed through the Divine Hall.
"SOB... SOB..." Master Mao finally broke down and cried aloud. He had never dreamed that a dying Holy Beast would give its most precious blood essence to him. He was so moved that he could only express his feelings through tears.
Xu Luo's and Xu Su's hearts were also filled with sorrow. The whole experience felt like a dream, giving them a strong sense of unreality.
Falling from the Great Marsh into this place, meeting a Holy Beast, being told they were descendants of the Ancient Emperor Tribe, then receiving their inheritance, and finally seeing Master Mao receive a drop of blood essence that could change his destiny before the beast passed away...
Although they had only exchanged a few words with the Thundering Saint Beast, it had been like a kind yet powerful elder, leaving them with a feeling of immense warmth.
They hadn't expected to lose that feeling of being protected so quickly.
Just then, Master Mao stopped crying. He took a deep look at Xu Luo and Xu Su and said, "I understand now. The Thundering Saint Beast gave me its blood essence because it wants me to take its place and become the Guardian Beast for the descendants of the Ancient Emperor Tribe... Even though Senior Holy Beast tricked me into it, I accept this scheme willingly."
"Does that mean from now on, you have to do whatever I tell you to do?" Xu Luo asked, looking at Master Mao with a mischievous grin.
"Get lost! I am your Guardian Beast, not your slave!" Master Mao's fur stood on end. He sneered at Xu Luo, "So you'd better give up on those dirty little ideas of yours, you little bastard."
"Ahem..." Xu Luo's mouth twitched. He thought to himself: 'This guy gets a drop of the Thundering Saint Beast's blood essence and he's back to being his cocky old self. Whatever. Since you've already agreed to be our Guardian Beast, I won't stoop to your level...'
"Let's just see what's in this chest," Xu Luo said.
Ultimately, both Xu Luo and Xu Su were having a hard time accepting that they were descendants of the Ancient Emperor Tribe. These ancestors had appeared so suddenly, and they were complete strangers.
They knew absolutely nothing about them. The Ancient Era was simply... too long ago.
So long ago that they couldn't find any connection at all.
The two of them didn't even know what kind of tribe the Ancient Emperor Tribe was, or what kind of people had lived in it... They had no concept of it whatsoever.
Therefore, the unknown metal chest before them might hold the answers to their questions.
Thus, even though they were still saddened by the Thunder Beast's death, they were also very much looking forward to what was inside the chest.
"How do we open it?" Master Mao circled the metal chest, looking extremely interested. A greedy glint flashed in his eyes from time to time, as if he were ready to snatch any treasure the moment the chest opened and make a run for it, betraying his new friends.
Xu Luo pushed Master Mao aside, stared at the chest for a moment, and pointed to a spot on the lid. "It should be right here."
Xu Su nodded. He had also seen the mark in that spot, which was identical to the one on his own palm. He cautiously placed his hand on it...
Instantly, his entire palm erupted with a blinding light, completely enveloping his hand and hiding it from view. Immediately after, the strange metal chest also burst with a ball of light, instantly illuminating the entire underground space!
The brothers, Xu Luo and Xu Su, subconsciously looked around, only to find that the distant surroundings were a chaotic void.
"This place... it really is like a completely separate dimension," Xu Luo said.
CLICK.
At that moment, the metal chest made a crisp sound as the lid came open.
With a mix of nervousness and excitement, the two slowly lifted the lid. Master Mao also leaned in, his eyes wide as he peered inside.
The light from the chest did not dim when it was opened, so they could now clearly see its contents.
The first thing they saw were three ancient tomes lying side-by-side, which looked as if they were cast from black iron. The text on them was obscure and difficult to understand. Xu Su stared at them for a long time but couldn't recognize what was written, so he shifted his gaze to the other items.
Next to them was a box made of nearly the same material as the metal chest, about a foot square, though it was impossible to tell what was inside. At the edge of the chest, there was also a long, narrow box.
Other than these, there was nothing else in the chest.
Master Mao pursed his lips and grumbled, "And here I thought there'd be some incredible treasures inside. Turns out it's just some hocus-pocus the ancients left behind to fool people..."
"What the hell do you know!" Xu Luo stared at the three ancient tomes with a look of pleasant surprise. "Looks like we've really struck it rich this time!"
Xu Su glanced at Xu Luo. "What is it? Is it some kind of Unparalleled Technique?"
"No. These three books are the foundation of a powerful sect!" Xu Luo's eyes gleamed as he murmured, "Back when Qiqi was studying Ancient Texts, I learned a little along with her. Of these three ancient tomes, one is called the Pill Scripture. Of the remaining two, one is called Mechanical Skill, and the other is called Casting Skill!"
"Is that supposed to be a big deal?" Master Mao scoffed from the side. "Any random sect would have things like these, right?"
"But we don't!" Xu Luo shot a look at Master Mao, ignoring his taunt. "The reason sects are powerful isn't just because they have resources beyond the imagination of ordinary people, but because they possess this kind of foundational knowledge that can change everything!"
"That's right. With Alchemy, you can refine Elixirs that enhance a person's strength. With Mechanical Skill, you can fortify a sect until it's impregnable. With Casting Skill, you can forge powerful weapons..." Xu Su said. "These things are indeed the very foundation of a sect."
"Maybe these three ancient tomes only contain ordinary Alchemy, Mechanical Skill, and Casting Skill. But even if they're just ordinary, to us, they are like priceless treasures!" Xu Luo said with some excitement. "Besides, look at the material these tomes are made of. Do you really think... the knowledge recorded inside them is going to be some run-of-the-mill stuff?"