'I hope…..we never meet again Liuxing. I hope you stay secluded somewhere, safe and low and stay content with only what you have. Stay at peace and never turn back. So that I can keep you safe like this.' Kenji's mind flooded with thoughts of Liuxing.
"Keep moving ahead." Kenji instructed, completely ignoring what Shen and Chao Xing just said.
Suddenly, they felt the negative energy grow malevolent, more and more as they took steps ahead.
"My lord, it is a mysterious energy." Shen said.
"We keep following it." Kenji instructed.
They moved ahead with silent steps, the sound of the creatures still audible, their steps trying to detect the divine being's step so they could attack but it seemed as if they detected the protective talisman, this is why the sound of their steps were farther than before.
Suddenly one of the soldiers started coughing, black smoke and powder flew in the mist from his side.
"What is it?" Kenji asked.
And then followed by another soldier's cough, and then another, one by one they started coughing blackish powder and smoke.
Kenji felt something pass by just inches away from his face.
"Shield yourself. It's a poisonous weapon. Shield yourself." Kenji instructed and they all followed.
"Keep moving ahead in a shield circle." Kenji ordered.
They all formed a circle with their shield drawn out.
Four guards in the middle shielding the formation from above. The sound of the poisonous weapon attacking the talisman bounded shields was piercing through their ears. It was shrill.
It felt like miles but then suddenly, the ground shook, "What is this?" Shen asked.
"I suppose they have laid out an earthquake trap." Chao Xing answered.
"Quick. Defend yourself." Kenji ordered and they all rose up in the air in one swift motion, the formation still intact.
The ground beneath them sounded as if it crumbled away.
As they rose higher they could see each other but the lower area was not visible due to the heavy fog.
"My lord! What do we do now?" Shen asked.
"Look!" Kenji said, "Detect it and we move there."
They all knew at once what Kenji was talking about. They felt a strong mysterious energy from the north direction.
The mist and fig seemed to fade as they reached towards the north.
A huge tomb, black like charcoal. It was radiating extremely negative energy.
The door was blocked by a huge rock.
"Check for it." Kenji ordered and the guards proceeded.
"This is bounded by an unknown lock your highness." The lead guard said.
Kenji tried to force a divine talisman to unlock it but it did not seem to work.
"My lord, why don't we try together." Chao Xing suggested.
"Okay." Kenji answered.
The guards and the three divine beings collectively forced their divine talismans to unlock the tomb but still the rock seemed immovable.
"What should we do now my lord?" Shen asked, confusion was visible on his face.
Kenji did not say anything, it was as if he was in a deep state of thought.
Chao Xing glanced at Kenji but then did not say anything.
After a moment Kenji shifted his gaze towards Chao Xing, "This could be a trick. Search for any other door." Kenji said.
They all, at once, started searching. Kenji too started to search. A thin moist line was visible on the rock, as if water trickled down but the whole rock seemed dry, the moist area was tracing upwards.
"Rise upwards." Kenji instructed.
Chao Xing and Shen rushed towards Kenji, the guards following them.
"My lord is there a lead?" Shen asked as he glanced upwards.
Chao Xing quickly rose upwards, Kenji along with others rose upwards too.
The roof was dry, then from where was the moist trickling down ?
Kenji landed on the roof and started checking for it. After checking for a while, "It's a cover. Come on give me a hand." He said. They all collectively tried to remove the roof but it did not work.
Kenji noticed a minor crack, "Wait!" He said.
He traced it and it led to the end of the roof.
"I am correct, it is a cover."
"Let's try again your highness!" Chao Xing exclaimed.
They all collectively used all their power and unsealing talisman to move the cover but it did not work. Kenji grew disappointed and proceeeded to check once again. This time with more focus, more concentration and more sharper observation.
"My lo-"
"Wait!" Kenji said, "This….what is this? He traced a place where the rock felt a bit low, not too low, it was low but only observable on sharply and carefully observing it. It looked like a shape, "The shape of palm." Kenji said.
Kenji tried to fit his palm inside the shape but he felt a sharp pain in his palm.
"It will only open through the owner's palm." Kenji said.
Then he suddenly stopped, as if he realised something, as if something struck him, or as if he remembered something.
"Shen! Chao Xing! Are there any gods or guardians who use this kind of security? The palm print or hand seal?" Kenji asked.
Chao Xing and Shen glanced at each other, comfused and trying to remember, their eye brows furrowed.
"Yes my lord!" Shen said.
"There is only one." Chao Xing said, " It is his highness Xun Yu."
Kenji glanced at Chao Xing for a moment with a strange realisation in his eyes, " Let us retreat." He suddenly said and moved towards the ground.
"My lord…..can this be his highness Xun Yu's doing?" Chao Xing asked.
Kenji did not say anything,after a while, "Let us investigate from the divine court." He said.
'I am sure this is Xun Yu's doing but the what did Liuxing tried to defend him? Is Xun Yu scheming with the demonic realm? Is it not clear? Xun Yu is indulging in demonic practises isn't this why Liuxing also tried to defend his place. But why would he do it so openly? Anyone who will indulge in such practises and treachery would not do it so openly, then why is Xun Yu doing it so openly? It is as if he wanted someone from the divine court to investigate it and find it out.' Kenji was trying to connect every situation as he proceeded back.