Cesar Leaves

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten.

Akes stepped out of his room. Someone was already up and about in the courtyard. The five Barker brothers had risen even earlier than he had; they were crouched in a corner, speaking in low voices. When they saw Akes, Barker quickly stood and greeted him.

"Good morning, brother Akes."

Akes nodded and looked over the five of them. After one night, they were clearly in a different state than they had been the day before. Barker's brows were tightly furrowed, Gates kept scratching his head, and the youngest had dark circles beneath his eyes. He had obviously been awake all night.

"Didn't sleep well last night?" he asked.

Barker scratched his head and gave a wry smile. "How could we sleep? The five of us spent the whole night thinking about what that senior said. Even now, it still feels like a dream."

"How does it feel?"

Barker thought for a moment, then answered seriously, "I can't really put it into words. Knowing who our ancestors were feels like something we should be happy about, but we can't quite feel happy. We grew up without a father or mother, and we didn't even know our surname. Then suddenly, we find out we're descendants of some Undying Warriors. It doesn't feel real."

Gates chimed in beside him. "Exactly. I pinched myself several times last night, worried I'd wake up from a dream. But it hurt like hell, and I was still here."

Feijin said quietly, "I kept thinking about what that senior said about our ancestors. Undying Warriors, Saint-level experts... Could we really have ancestors like that?"

He suddenly stopped speaking and lowered his head.

Akes said nothing. He only patted Barker on the shoulder.

Something like this really did take time to process. A person could live for more than twenty years and then suddenly be told that his background held a secret, and that his ancestors were the famous Undying Warriors. Anyone would find that hard to accept right away. And for the five of them, who had grown up without parents, suddenly having "roots" of their own brought complicated emotions that couldn't be summed up as simple happiness or sadness.

The courtyard gradually came to life. Linley emerged from the house, with Bebe perched on his shoulder as usual. The little fellow was full of energy, looking this way and that as he sniffed constantly, apparently searching for something. Sessler had also gotten up. He looked much better than he had the day before, but still walked a little unsteadily. His magic power had been badly depleted in the battle the previous night, and it had taken a toll on him.

Sessler walked to the middle of the courtyard, stretched a little, then looked at the five Barker brothers. "How are your injuries?"

Barker hurriedly replied, "Much better, much better. Thank you for your concern, Master Sessler. After you treated us yesterday, we were pretty much fine by today."

Sessler nodded and asked no more.

Everyone waited in the courtyard.

The sun slowly climbed higher, and the townspeople began their day. Some headed out to the fields with hoes over their shoulders, while others drove ox carts out of town. Every so often, someone would glance curiously in their direction, then quickly look away. People in a remote little town knew better than to ask questions they shouldn't. These strangers were clearly no ordinary people, so it was best not to provoke them.

Akes leaned against the courtyard wall, watching people come and go along the street. Life in the little town was quiet and monotonous: working from sunrise to sunset, day after day, year after year. For ordinary people, that might be a whole lifetime. For people like them, that kind of peace almost felt unreal.

Time passed, bit by bit.

The five Barker brothers gradually grew restless. Gates paced around the courtyard, occasionally peering outside. Feijin crouched on the ground, tracing lines in the dirt with his finger, though no one knew what he was writing. The other two brothers—Akes remembered their names were Leike and Weber—huddled together, whispering and occasionally glancing at the wooden chest in the corner.

"Maybe he's not coming?" Gates muttered.

Barker glared at him. "Don't say things like that. Someone as distinguished as that senior will come if he gave his word."

"But it's already midmorning..."

"Then we wait. It's a kindness if he comes; he's under no obligation to." Barker spoke firmly, though even he sounded a little uneasy.

Akes knew what they were worried about. To the five Barker brothers, Cesar was more than just a powerful expert. He was their only link to their legendary ancestor. The Necropolis of the Gods Manual wasn't merely a cultivation manual to them; it was proof of who they were, something they could pin their sense of belonging on.

Those who grew up without parents longed most of all to know where they came from.

Linley seemed to notice their anxiety too. "Since Mr. Cesar promised, he'll come. An expert of his level wouldn't make promises lightly. But once he does, he'll keep them."

Barker looked at Linley gratefully. "You're right, brother Linley. We're just getting impatient."

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure descended from the sky.

Cesar stood in the courtyard, still dressed in that gray robe, his black hair hanging loose. In one hand he carried a wooden chest about half his height. It looked old, with copper plating on its corners and elaborate patterns carved across it. The ancient, intricate designs clearly belonged to another era.

"Been waiting long?" he asked.

The five Barker brothers quickly stood and bowed in unison. "Senior!"

Cesar waved a hand and looked at the five of them. After a brief silence, he set the wooden chest on the ground. It landed with a dull thud, clearly quite heavy.

"The Necropolis of the Gods Manual is in here."

All five brothers turned their eyes to the chest at once, their breathing growing quicker. Gates unconsciously clenched the hem of his clothes, Feijin's lips trembled, and even the usually composed Barker swallowed several times.

Cesar didn't open it right away. Instead, he looked at them and spoke slowly. "Amanda personally entrusted this manual to me all those years ago."

Barker's lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but no words came.

Cesar continued, "Amanda was the best friend I ever had."

He paused, his gaze drifting into the distance, as if recalling the past.

The courtyard fell silent.

A morning breeze stirred a few fallen leaves. In the distance, a rooster crowed, and children played noisily. The ordinary sounds of everyday life formed a strange contrast with the solemn atmosphere in the courtyard.

Cesar returned his gaze to the five Barker brothers. His tone was calm. "I'm not telling you this because I want your gratitude or because I expect you to feel indebted to me. I'm only telling you: don't bring shame to him."

Barker dropped to his knees with a thump, and the other four followed suit.

"Don't worry, Senior!" Barker's voice trembled, and his eyes were already red. "The five of us will do right by our ancestors and by you! From now on, we'll cultivate properly, carry on the name of the Undying Warriors, and show the world that Senior Amanda's descendants aren't cowards!"

Cesar waved a hand. "Get up."

He opened the wooden chest.

As soon as the lid came up, a musty scent wafted out. It was the smell of age, mingled with the scents of animal hide, paper, and some kind of special wood. Inside lay a yellowed scroll made of beast hide, along with several booklets. The scroll was large; when unfurled, it stood nearly half a man's height. Its surface was covered in writing, with diagrams of the body's meridians alongside it. The handwriting was forceful and vigorous, every stroke carrying an ancient grace.

"This is the original Necropolis of the Gods Manual." Cesar pointed to the scroll. "It was passed down through Amanda's line from one generation to the next, and supposedly goes back to the progenitor of the Undying Warriors in ancient times. Those beside it are Amanda's personal cultivation notes, along with some historical records about the Undying Warriors. In his later years, he had time on his hands, so he wrote down everything he knew. Take them and read them at your own pace."

Barker took the chest with trembling hands. Gates and Feijin leaned closer, wanting to touch it but not daring to. Leike and Weber stood behind them, craning their necks to peer inside with wide eyes.

"This... this is what's been passed down from our ancestors?" Gates murmured, sounding completely incredulous.

Cesar looked at them, a complicated expression briefly crossing his face. He remembered Amanda—the hearty, straightforward man, who had been just as curious about everything and treated everything with reverence. If Amanda were still alive and saw his descendants like this, Cesar wondered what expression he would have.

He looked at Linley. "Linley, come talk with me for a moment."

The two of them walked to the other side of the courtyard. Akes was close enough to make out their conversation.

"Keep an eye on these five boys for me," Cesar said. "They don't know anything yet. They have the bloodline but don't know how to use it, so they're no different from ordinary people. If you get the chance, look after them."

Linley nodded. "Don't worry, Mr. Cesar. Barker and the others are good people. As long as they're willing to work hard, they'll certainly make something of themselves."

Cesar grunted in acknowledgment, then added, "Be careful yourself. The Radiant Church won't just let this go. That old bastard Heidens is no pushover. He's been in power for so many years, and he's ruthless and shrewd. The Radiant Church wouldn't have grown to its present size on the continent without him."

"I understand," Linley said calmly.

Cesar patted Linley on the shoulder and said no more. He returned to the courtyard, waved at the five Barker brothers, then vanished in a flash.

He came and went like the wind, quick and clean.

The courtyard was quiet for a moment. Then Sessler let out a long breath. "Coming and going without a trace—that's the bearing of a true expert."

Linley smiled and shook his head but didn't reply.

Barker held the chest, his eyes reddened. The other four stood around him, all looking at it.

"Open it and take a look," Gates said impatiently.

Barker looked at Linley, who nodded.

He set the chest on the ground, opened the lid, and carefully took out the beast-hide scroll. It felt heavy in his hands. The hide had yellowed and stiffened with age, but it had been preserved well. He carefully unfurled it, revealing clearly legible writing.

"An Undying Warrior's bloodline is his source; his body is his foundation, his will his soul. Temper the body as you would iron, strengthen the bones as you would steel. Tendons, bones, skin, flesh, the five viscera and six bowels—all can be tempered. When mastery is achieved, blades and spears cannot pierce the body, fire and water cannot harm it, severed limbs can grow back, and a drop of blood can regenerate..."

Barker read a few lines, then couldn't go on. He could read, but the cultivation terms were far too profound. Phrases like "circulating qi and blood," "tempering the tendons and bones," and "refining the will" made no sense to him. He scratched his head and looked at Linley awkwardly.

"Brother Linley, I can't understand a lot of what's written here."

Gates leaned over to look, then scratched his head too. "What's all this supposed to mean? 'Circulating qi through the circuits,' 'imprinting the will'... It's like reading a heavenly script."

Feijin said quietly, "I can recognize a few of the characters, but when they're put together, I have no idea what they mean."

Leike and Weber came over too. They stared at the scroll for a long time before Leike suddenly said, "Why are there so many lines drawn on the person here? They look like earthworms."

Weber nodded. "And those tiny dots are packed so close together. They make my eyes hurt."

Barker rolled up the scroll and carefully put it away. He looked at Linley and said seriously, "Brother Linley, from now on, the five of us will follow you. Just tell us what you need done. We might be stupid, but we're willing to work hard, and we're not afraid of a little hardship. Whatever you ask us to do, we'll do it."

The other four chimed in as well.

"Exactly, brother Linley. Take us with you!"

"We promise we'll listen and won't cause you any trouble!"

"If you tell us to go east, we won't go west!"

Linley shook his head. "Let's not talk about that yet. First, let your injuries heal, then study the manual properly. There's no rush to cultivate. Barker, take out those notes and have a look. Amanda's own notes should be easier to understand than the manual itself."

Barker quickly pulled one of the booklets from the chest and opened it. Sure enough, it was much easier to understand. Amanda had written in plain language, describing his experiences and insights as he cultivated, along with specific training methods and things to watch out for. There were still quite a few technical terms, but it was much easier to understand than the manual itself.

The five of them discussed it enthusiastically, all talking at once.

Linley and Akes exchanged a glance and left them undisturbed.

Sessler watched them for a while, then suddenly asked, "Do you know how to read?"

Barker was taken aback, then scratched his head. "A little, but not much. When we were kids, an old gentleman on the street taught us a few characters. We picked up a few more here and there while working, but the more profound ones..."

Sessler nodded. "Then start by learning to read. You won't understand the manual if you can't read it. First, read through these notes from Senior Amanda until you understand them thoroughly and recognize all the characters. Then study the scroll."

Barker nodded quickly. "You're right, Master Sessler. We were getting ahead of ourselves."

Sessler grunted and said no more. He looked at Linley and suddenly asked, "Linley, what do you plan to do next?"

Linley considered for a moment. "I'll go to the Fenlai Kingdom first. I have a few things to take care of."

Sessler nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

The sun climbed higher, and the noise of the town gradually grew louder. There were vendors calling out their wares, children playing, and women sharply scolding their children. All those sounds blended together, giving the little town its distinctive sense of life.

The five Barker brothers were still gathered around the notes, studying them. Every so often, they exclaimed in amazement.

"So that's how it is! It says here that the most important thing for an Undying Warrior's cultivation is the will, not the body!"

"Obviously. It says right there: the body is the foundation, and the will is the soul. The soul matters more than the body!"

"Do you think our will is strong? We suffered a lot growing up, so our will should be pretty tough, right?"

"Probably... right? It says that the stronger your will, the better your results. We've been through so much hardship, so it has to count for something."

Listening to them, Linley's lips curled into a faint smile.

He looked down at Bebe, perched on his shoulder. The little fellow had fallen asleep at some point, curled into a ball, his tail occasionally twitching.

"Boss, food..." Bebe mumbled in his sleep.

Linley shook his head, unable to bring himself to wake him.