The Truth of It All

"This is a pool of water formed from 'Abyssal Demonic Qi'!"

The Kohlman Clan has lived near the "Eye of Hell" for generations, and they are very familiar with the aura of demonic energy.

The Great Shaman Mafat immediately recognized that the black pool of water was an extremely dense Abyssal Demonic Qi.

The situation here is extremely similar to that of the "Eye of Hell" in the Ashen Forest, except that there was a gushing of dense gas, while here it is a pool of water that has been atomized into liquid.

The people of Black Dragon City looked solemn as they gazed at the coffin chained with Runic Chains over the pool.

Everything was normal in the tomb of the "Black Emperor".

The Cultivation Method and potion sequences on the seventy-two statues all seem like burial goods. They appear to be a "treasure" left by the wise and powerful ancestors of the Monkell Civilization for their descendants who live on the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

But this coffin alone gave off a very eerie feeling.

Normally, since this is the tomb of the "Black Emperor" Moises, the coffin here should belong to the emperor of the Monkell Civilization.

Moreover, according to the mural that Rein and the others saw in the Frost Temple, this coffin should have been carried back directly from the battlefield of that "final battle".

But if he was the emperor, why would he be chained with runes?

The crowd watched the coffin from a distance, not daring to approach.

At this moment, Master Cavo, after carefully studying the runes on the iron chain, said, "The runes on this iron chain are high-level sealing runes. The energy source of the Runic Chains is the 'Abyssal Demonic Qi' in this pool. The demonic energy will never cease, so this seal will remain sealed forever."

Seal?

Everyone frowned as they listened.

Could there be some kind of living thing inside this coffin?

Or perhaps a terrifying undead monster that has turned into a zombie?

Clearly, this arrangement is intended to prevent the "things" inside the coffin from coming out.

Rein looked on with a furrowed brow.

He didn't understand magic, but the "Sealing Series" magic runes all had similarities; high-level runes inevitably contained traces of low-level runes. Although the runes on these Runic Chains were frighteningly complex, after comparing them with the system, he arrived at the same conclusion as Master Cavo.

As Master Cavo said, the purpose of these Runic Chains is to seal the coffin.

At this moment, Bazel spoke up, "I think we'd better not touch that coffin. It gives me a very uncomfortable feeling."

Werewolves have an innate talent for sensing danger.

He looked at the coffin, sniffed it, and seemed to smell a stench that evoked a deep-seated loathing, as if he had encountered a vampire.

Everyone nodded.

Before figuring out the situation, it was clear that no one intended to target the coffin.

If the gods of the Monkell Civilization treated it with such solemnity, the thing inside the coffin must be very strange.

Canossa nodded and said, "This tomb contains the complete 'Seventy-Two Divine Generals Sequence' of potions and exclusive inheritances; this is the greatest treasure. With these things, our Black Dragon City will surely, and perhaps might even, recreate the glory of the Monkell Civilization."

"Um."

Everyone nodded in agreement; that was what they all thought too.

Whatever treasures or even divine artifacts are inside that coffin, so what?

For those living on the Ice Ridge Wasteland, even divine artifacts are limited to fifth-order laws and are not very useful.

On the contrary, the resurrection of these complete Transcendent heritages is the real priceless treasure.

However, at this moment, the assassins, who were protected by the investigation agency, found some more clues.

"Lord City Lord, some more ancient characters have been discovered here!"

Upon hearing this, Rein and her group went over and found another Stone Tablet beneath the throne of the Black Emperor sculpture.

When he saw the Ancient Monkell Script on the Stone Tablet clearly, Rein suddenly had an expression of realization.

Finally, the many secrets of the Ice Ridge Wasteland were revealed to everyone.

The following is engraved on the Stone Tablet:

[My descendants of the 'Black Demon Tribe,' your arrival here suggests you've likely reached the limits of the Fifth-tier Extraordinary. You must also be wondering how the Fifth-tier Extraordinary could be the end of the Transcendent. Of course, your intuition is correct. Because this realm has been imprisoned by me using high-level divine laws.]

Judging from the tone of the inscription on the Stone Tablet, it sounds like the Black Emperor himself was recounting it.

Sure enough, this world was artificially sealed at the threshold of the Fifth-tier Extraordinary.

When Rein saw the contents of the short text, he wasn't too surprised.

Does the pervasive black mist trouble you? My descendants, this is the foundation of our people; the black mist makes us stronger.

I once traveled and adventured across the vast world, and on a dragon island, I discovered that dragon egg. It belonged to a rare, pure-blooded ancient dragon. Dragons are known for their long lifespans, and it will guard this tomb for many years to come. Of course, it will also serve as a small test.

The laws of this world will restrict access to the Fifth-tier Extraordinary. Your ability to defeat that ancient black dragon and enter the tomb means you have the qualifications to understand the truth behind the 'War of a Hundred Races'.

[You've reached this point, so those outsiders probably haven't discovered the 'Land of Mist' yet. Or perhaps you've defeated some enemies who don't belong to this land. Oh, and if you don't yet know about 'Beyond the Mist,' let me tell you about this world first.]

[.]

As he read on, Rein's expression grew increasingly grave.

The extraterrestrial thieves we interrogated earlier only knew the basic information they had access to.

According to this Black Emperor, the world is truly terrifyingly large.

Even for the legendary "god-level powerhouses," it is full of unknowns and dangers.

The endless "Azure Wilderness Sea", the "Agakos Pillar Mountain" where the ancient gods are said to have lived, the "Abyss of Sin" which is said to lead to hell, and the infinitely tall "World Tree".

This world seems to have no end, it's infinitely vast.

Although the third Stone Tablet did not describe in detail what the world looked like through the eyes of the Black Emperor, Rein saw a vast and mysterious world just from these few words.

Descendants of my race, you must be very curious about where this black mist comes from. It is called 'Abyssal Demonic Qi.' This is our race's greatest secret.

Deep within this land where you stand lies the corpse of an ancient demon god! The Abyssal Demonic Qi emanates from its decay. As for the exact rank of that deity, I do not know, but it is definitely higher than a 'higher god.' It must have been an extremely powerful deity from the ancient mythological era.

Upon seeing this, Rein felt as if he had discovered a new continent, and found it incredibly amazing.

It turns out there is an ancient god's corpse underground, Abyssal Demonic Qi is just the gas emitted by the corpse.

This is the source of the black fog!

He suddenly remembered the strange device that produced black mist that he had found in the Goblin Ruins, and suddenly understood that what was in the methane generator was probably part of the god's corpse.

Perhaps it's a finger or a hair?

Moreover, the presence of such high-quality "Godblood Ore" near the Goblin Ruins also makes sense.

Perhaps it was in the mythical era long ago that a powerful god fell on this land, his blood staining the earth, and his body buried deep underground by the passage of time.

When Rein thought of the black mist that covered the Ice Ridge Wasteland, his expression suddenly turned strange.

Just how big must the corpse of that ancient demon god be?

How powerful was He in the past that even the "corpse aura" emitted by His corpse could nourish the creatures of this land for so many years?

However, there were some things that Rein didn't quite understand, such as the term "higher god".

Does this mean that there are different levels of deities?

Rein didn't dwell on the words he couldn't understand yet and continued reading.

The ancient god of this subterranean mythology is known to us as the 'Great Black Sky Demon God'. And because we live on this land shrouded in demonic energy, we are called the 'Black Demon Tribe' by outsiders.

[With my body nourished by 'Abyssal Demonic Qi,' I, a member of the 'Black Demon Tribe,' will absolutely not be inferior to anyone in combat power under the restrictions of laws of the same level.]

So, having read this far, you should understand why I created this world as a Law Prophet. As you guessed, it's naturally to preserve some seeds for my race.

As the Great Shaman Mafat looked at the Stone Tablet, he translated the inscriptions on it.

Everyone listened attentively, not wanting to miss a single word.

Although they already knew that there were enemies from beyond the realm who coveted this land, looking at the contents recorded on the Stone Tablet, they inexplicably felt a sudden pressure on their shoulders.

The fact that even the mighty Black Emperor Moises, the emperor of the Monkell Civilization who created the legend of the "Seventy-Two Divine Generals," had to leave behind a "seed of fire" shows just how powerful the enemy must have been.

The source of the laws binding this land originates from the Abyssal Demonic Qi beneath the earth, and it will protect this land for hundreds of thousands of years to come. Unless the enemy's divine status surpasses that of the 'Great Black Sky Demon God' underground, no one can break this restriction.

Of course, I also used some tricks to conceal the location of this land. I've also left you a 'secret passage' to get out. If you want to break through to a higher Transcendent level, you must leave this place. I hope you will have some ability to protect yourselves when you leave.

[If you can advance to the Fifth-tier Extraordinary under the black mist, or even reach the level of comprehending the 'Divine Power Crystal,' then congratulations! After you leave this world, you will discover the surprises this world has bestowed upon you.]

[.]

Rein and his team had probably already guessed what this would include.

The Kolman Tribe, who breathe "Abyssal Demonic Qi" year-round, are at least half a major rank stronger than the Transcendent beings of the same level on the Ice Ridge Wasteland, both in terms of physical strength and combat power.

Even ordinary Transcendent on the Ice Ridge Wasteland are at least half a major rank stronger than those Transcendent from beyond the realm.

Ultimately, it's all because of this black fog.

Ilubeck had already made some research findings, confirming that long-term breathing of black mist would change certain "genes," making the body stronger.

Of course, that was a very long process.

Then, we finally saw the contents of the coffin from that year's "War of a Hundred Races".

In this vast world, there are all sorts of wondrous races and kingdoms. To survive, there is only one path: to become stronger.

Unfortunately, before our Monkel Empire became sufficiently powerful, our enemies could no longer contain themselves. They united, determined to wipe us out completely.

What follows are some of the causes of the great war.

The gist of it is that the enemy couldn't stand seeing the "Munkel Empire" grow stronger, so they sent troops to conquer it.

The Black Emperor also united with some allies to resist, which led to the earth-shattering "War of a Hundred Tribes" tens of thousands of years ago.

Of course, the Black Emperor's side was defeated.

[Inside the coffin lies Lavinia, the commander of the enemy alliance and a high-ranking goddess of the 'Three-Eyed Race.' Later, when you understand how important a complete divine corpse is, you'll know why I left it here.]

As for the rest, I've left some secrets in the tomb. When you're strong enough, come back again, and all the mysteries will be revealed.

[My descendants, beware of that despicable wretch, Rohas. He is a traitor to our people, responsible for the defeat of our alliance in a crucial battle.]

[.]

After reading the inscription on the Stone Tablet, everyone in Black Dragon City had a look of sudden realization on their faces.

So, this is the truth behind everything.

After a long silence, everyone fell into deep thought.

But what others saw most was a dazzling brilliance.

Like Rein, they were filled with anticipation for the "great world" described by Rein Black Emperor.

Danger?

No, there is no danger there.

After all, those who can come to the tomb are the most outstanding Transcendent beings in the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

For those who have already reached the Transcendent of this world, the world beyond is even more alluring.

Canossa: "This is really getting more and more interesting."

Bazel: "Hehe, the world beyond is truly amazing. I can't wait to go and see it."

Cavo: "Looks like even my old bones have a chance to break through to the Sixth-tier Extraordinary and live a few more years."

Mafat: "So this is how our Monkel Tribe came to be!"

Guy: "."

After reading the inscription on the Stone Tablet, the group decided not to touch the coffin.

It says that they will probably only be qualified to make a move on the coffin after they find out what the "divine corpse" is actually used for.

At that moment, Rein suddenly heard something, and his expression changed slightly.

Canossa, who was standing nearby, keenly noticed the sudden change in Rein's expression and asked, "What's wrong?"

Rein frowned and asked, "Um... did you hear anything?"

What was that sound?

Everyone in the room looked completely bewildered.

Then, Rein realized that he was the only one who had heard the voice.

He looked up at the statue of the Black Emperor Moises high above, his gaze complex, and said, "A voice called me to the throne, saying that there are treasures left there."

Clearly, Rein himself is a doctor, and he was definitely not "hallucinating."

That means he did indeed hear that sentence just now.

Upon hearing this, Master Cavo analyzed, "What you heard should be 'spiritual communication'."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "And the fact that we didn't hear it means that you triggered a restriction under certain conditions, which caused it to say those words to you."

"Specific conditions?"

Rein frowned as he listened.

If there's anything that makes him different from the people around him, then the biggest difference is...

Everyone else was at least at the fifth rank, except for him, who was at the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent level.

Obviously, this shouldn't be the trigger condition.

Canossa: "Perhaps it's because of the amount of fighting spirit?"

Mafat: "It could also be due to comprehending the laws."

Cavo: "It's probably related to his physical condition. Mr. Rein's Transcendent foundation is far beyond what I could achieve at the Fourth Tier."

Bazel: "Is it because you're the most handsome kid?"

The Black Emperor's statue sits atop the throne, and there are still dozens of meters of steps leading up to it.

Originally, everyone respected this "senior" and did not intend to go up there like that.

But now, Rein heard that voice.

After discussing it for a while, the group still couldn't figure out what was so special about Rein that made him the only one to hear that voice.

But clearly, the voice carried no hostility.

If they wanted to harm them, the gargoyles outside would have been enough to kill them all; there was no need for them to go to such lengths.

With that thought in mind, Rein stepped onto the stairs.

I plan to go up and see what treasures that Black Emperor left him.