Predicament, Strange Symbols

On the official road of the Heaven Dou Empire, three men and two women were slowly traveling toward the border of the empire.

"Young Master, there is a village ahead. Shall we stop there for a while like we did before?"

Yang Fan returned from scouting the path and stepped forward to report to Su Zhen.

Su Zhen gazed at the looming silhouette of the village ahead, a sense of irritation rising in his heart.

Ever since leaving Suotuo City, he had consistently traveled toward populated areas. Whenever he encountered a village or town, he would stop for three or four days—partly to fulfill the "insight into the human heart" requirement for his second Thunder God trial, and partly to experience the customs and lives of the common people on the Douluo Continent. This had resulted in them wandering within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire for nearly half a year.

During these six months of contemplating the human heart, Su Zhen had seen much of the four innate virtues—compassion, shame, courtesy, and judgment—as well as the four extremes of evil: selfishness, greed, desire, and rage. He deeply understood that human nature was a complex tapestry of good and evil; there was neither pure goodness nor absolute evil. To truly see through the human heart and judge sin, his current level of insight was still far from enough.

"Let's go take a look. I hope this time will allow me to understand people more deeply."

After a moment of contemplation, Su Zhen led the group toward the small mountain village at the foot of the distant hills.

"Crimson Thunder Village? Yang Fan, is there such a village on the map of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Su Zhen looked at the characters on the stone tablet at the village entrance, feeling puzzled. He had systematically studied the regional divisions and the distribution of cities and villages across the entire continent at the Worship Hall. While he might not know every single village reported to the two great empires and Martial Soul Hall, he should have had at least a vague impression of them. Yet, he had absolutely no recollection of the village before him.

On the half-meter-tall, weathered stone tablet at the entrance, the three characters for "Crimson Thunder Village" were carved as if several bolts of lightning were intertwined. Su Zhen felt a trace of intimacy and majesty emanating from these three crimson-red ancient characters.

"Young Master, the Heaven Dou Empire's city and village planning manual does not record the existence of this village. Furthermore, none of the deacons under Martial Soul Hall have ever reported a martial soul awakening taking place here."

Yang Fan carefully reviewed the manuals of the two great powers, but there was not a single record of this village to be found.

"Young Master, the road we came from has vanished."

Zhu Zhuqing walked up to Yang Fan's side on her long, slender legs and whispered in his ear, her warm, moist breath brushing against his earlobe. As the only agility-type soul master in the group, she was responsible for scouting the rear, and it was she who had discovered that the path they had just traveled had disappeared.

Although her voice was soft, everyone present was a powerful high-level soul master, and they all heard her words clearly.

Su Zhen turned to look back at the path they had taken. The wide official road had already vanished, replaced by a dense forest.

This place is quite strange. Even with my Titled Douluo-level spiritual power, I didn't notice any movement behind us.

Su Zhen looked at the eerily appearing forest, his eyes filled with gravity.

"Who is playing tricks here! Watch as This Seat tears you to shreds!"

Li Hao stepped forward, his Shadow Tiger martial soul instantly possessing him. A surging, violent aura erupted from his body as black light condensed in his mouth. In the blink of an eye, a beam of black light shot out, striking the forest before him.

"What!"

The scene before them left Dugu Yan stunned. A full-force strike from a level 91 power-attack Titled Douluo had failed to leave even a single gap in this strange forest; it hadn't even broken a single tree. The terrifying offensive had vanished into the tree trunks like a stone sinking into the sea.

"How is this possible? Uncle Li is a Titled Douluo powerhouse, yet he can't even break a single tree!"

Dugu Yan exclaimed in panic; Li Hao's strength was several times greater than her grandfather's.

"Forget about this place for now. Let's go into the village and see; perhaps the exit is inside."

Su Zhen looked at the forest, which remained unchanged despite Li Hao's attack, and then at Dugu Yan's shocked expression. He spoke helplessly, unable to fathom what was happening here.

"Young Master, should I continue scouting from the rear?"

Zhu Zhuqing asked. Although her tone was calm, the panic in the depths of her eyes could not escape Su Zhen's notice.

"Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, come to the middle of the formation. Li Hao and Yang Fan, take the rear. I will lead the vanguard. We must explore the entire village before the sun sets."

Su Zhen looked at the setting sun hanging over the mountainside, his inner unease growing stronger.

With Su Zhen leading and the two Titled Douluo guarding the rear, the group explored the entire village. It took nearly half an hour to complete the sweep, and the results left even Su Zhen breaking into a cold sweat.

At this moment, the group was gathered on a large stone platform in the center of the village, discussing their findings.

"Young Master, we have searched the entire village. There are no traces of human life. It is obvious that this is an abandoned village."

Yang Fan slowly recounted the results of their search, his tone heavy with gravity.

"Indeed, Young Master. No one has ever lived here. Furthermore, not a single brick or blade of grass contains any soul power fluctuations. After the search, there isn't the slightest hint of anything strange. Aside from the lack of inhabitants, it is the most normal village one could imagine."

Li Hao added from the side, noting that he had scanned a radius of several miles with his spiritual power and found nothing unusual.

"The more normal a place appears, the more powerful the existence behind it often is. There must be something we haven't discovered yet."

Su Zhen said calmly, then instructed everyone to disperse and check the village once more. The previous search had confirmed there was no immediate danger, only that they were trapped.

Su Zhen and the others searched the impossibly normal village again, each working individually.

An hour passed, and the group gathered once more on the stone platform in the center of the village. The moon had risen, and its bright, clear light illuminated the entire village.

"I have found nothing here."

"Neither have I. No results."

Yang Fan and Li Hao reported their findings one after another. Su Zhen did not mind; he hadn't sensed anything either.

Su Zhen cast his gaze toward Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, hoping to find something from them.

"I am the same as the two seniors."

Dugu Yan shook her head, giving her answer.

"I found this."

Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice echoed across the empty stone platform, and her words instantly drew everyone's attention.

Zhu Zhuqing extended her right hand, and in her slender palm lay a scrap of red paper marked with a peculiar symbol.

"This is? Lightning!"

Su Zhen stared at the archaic symbol on the scraps of paper in Zhu Zhuqing's hand and exclaimed.

He recognized this symbol, or rather, it was not a symbol, but an extremely ancient script—so ancient that only three beings on the entire Douluo Continent could recognize it.

Among those three who knew this ancient script was Su Zhen, for this writing originated from the God Realm tens of thousands of years ago; the others who knew it were naturally Gu Yuena and Di Tian.

"This place is his tomb."