Chapter Twenty: The Solemn Peak of Ancestral Reverence (Part One)

Chapter Twenty: Ancestral Remembrance Peak (Part One)

Jing’er wore an expression of apparent anger and said, “The Forgotten Star is the strangest of the three inhabited planets in the Abandoned Star Region. Our empire has sent people into the Forgotten Star more than once, but after entering this bizarre planet, not a single signal has ever managed to get out.”

After a brief pause, she glanced at the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak before continuing, “What is more, three powers with such long histories and such forceful styles have established themselves here. I have always wondered where all the people our Drifting Wind Empire sent to the Forgotten Star over the years went.”

As she spoke, Jing’er stared directly at the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak. It was obvious that her question was meant for him.

Kuang Chi was curious as well, and his gaze shifted toward the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak.

After pondering for a while, the lord said, “I do not deny it. Over the past several thousand years, the various nations have indeed sent people to the Forgotten Star. However, several centuries ago, Tyrant Dragon Peak, Demon Valley, and the Clear Smoke Pavilion joined forces and wiped out all those organizations for various reasons. I hope you can understand, Miss Jing’er. In truth, we had no choice.”

Jing’er frowned. After thinking for a moment, she pressed him further. “Why?”

The lord glanced at Kuang Chi once more. Only after seeing him nod did he continue. “First, the people sent by the various nations all possessed formidable strength. Moreover, because they had the backing of their respective countries, they wielded enormous influence among the common people. That influence posed a serious threat to the three of us. I will not deny that this was the primary reason we joined forces to eliminate them.”

After a pause, he continued, “Second, the organizations established by the various nations on the Forgotten Star were constantly embroiled in all kinds of conflicts. While causing tremendous harm to the common people, they also drastically reduced the number of experts from each city who were willing to go to the surface to hunt crystal beasts. As a result, the common people in every city faced a widespread crisis of survival. To prevent the foundations of the Forgotten Star from being shaken, the three of us had no choice but to act.”

“Third, those organizations disregarded the joint notice issued by the three of us and maliciously fought over exiles who fell onto the Forgotten Star. Large numbers of exiles died in the ensuing struggles. Among them were members of both the Demon Sect and the Sword Sect, as well as one member of my Kuang family.”

At this point, the lord stopped. He glanced at Jing’er, whose expression remained unchanged, and then continued, “As for the explorers sent by the various nations over the past few centuries, we have never mistreated anyone who entered Tyrant Dragon Peak. Those with useful skills were assigned to research institutes within the peak. Those without any particular expertise were sent to Ancestral Remembrance Peak, where they were treated well.”

Jing’er interrupted him. “Are there still people sent by the Drifting Wind Empire living in Tyrant Dragon Peak?”

After hearing her question, the lord turned directly toward the Sixth Elder.

The Sixth Elder pondered for a moment before saying, “If I remember correctly, there are thirteen people in Ancestral Remembrance Peak who claim to be exiles sent here by the Drifting Wind Empire.”

As soon as Jing’er heard this, she turned straight toward Kuang Chi, who was seated nearby. Her meaning was unmistakable: she wanted him to ask for those thirteen people.

Catching her gaze, Kuang Chi immediately said to the lord, “Where are those thirteen people? Bring them here so Miss Jing’er can see whether any of them are people she knows.”

As he spoke, he raised his brows at Jing’er, who was sitting beside him with an annoyed expression.

Jing’er gave an angry snort. “Let us go see this so-called Ancestral Remembrance Peak of yours. I am rather curious about what sort of people were exiled here.”

Ancestral Remembrance Peak was not actually a mountain peak, but an underground city deep beneath a mountain that towered into the clouds. The entire mountain had been artificially carved into the shape of a massive stele. It lay nearly half a day’s journey from Tyrant Dragon Peak.

The underground city beneath the mountain was called Ancestral Remembrance Peak, perhaps because of the monument-shaped peak above it.

The city was only about a quarter the size of Homesick City, yet the buildings still formed a dense mass. The surrounding underground space, however, was no smaller than the cavern in which Homesick City was located.

Chapter Twenty: Ancestral Remembrance Peak (Part Two)

The only difference was that half of the space was occupied by a lake of magma. The city stood not far from the lakeshore, though it had no walls.

Standing at the entrance to the passage, the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak smiled and said, “This is Ancestral Remembrance Peak. It is primarily used to house exiles and their descendants.”

Kuang Chi found it strange that the place was not called a city, but he did not ask. For some reason, Jing’er did not ask either.

She merely gazed silently at the distant city and said, “How many people live here?”

The Sixth Elder answered from beside her, “According to the figures compiled a few days ago, there are more than three hundred and seventy thousand.”

Jing’er let out a long sigh and said directly, “Where are those thirteen people? Take us to them.”

Most of the pedestrians in the city looked no different from ordinary people. Unlike Homesick City, which was composed almost entirely of mutants, the people here—who could more properly be called the Original Humans—made up the overwhelming majority. Even those who displayed unusual changes were nowhere near as visibly mutated as the people of Homesick City.

Whenever anyone saw Kuang Chi and the others, they immediately stepped aside and respectfully saluted them.

The group soon arrived before a large mansion in the city. Judging from the broad square before the entrance and the arrangement of the grounds, this was probably the administrative center of the underground city.

After everyone had taken their seats in a reception hall, the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak smiled and said, “Young Master, Miss Jing’er, let us wait here for a while. The people you requested should arrive soon, Miss Jing’er.”

Before long, thirteen people—men and women, young and old—entered together.

Jing’er had been perfectly composed, but the moment she saw one of the middle-aged men among them, she suddenly cried out in surprise.

The middle-aged man likewise gave a startled cry when he saw her. Then he said, “Your Highness, what are you doing here?”

The other twelve were stunned by his form of address and cried out in astonishment as well.

Jing’er, visibly moved, exclaimed, “Uncle, how did you end up here?”

Everyone present froze at the way she addressed him.

A bitter smile appeared on the middle-aged man’s face. After a moment, he asked, “You are…?”

The strange question left Kuang Chi bewildered. Jing’er, too, answered oddly. “It’s me, Jing’er.”

The middle-aged man glanced at the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak, then at Kuang Chi, who was seated in the place of honor, before asking, “Jing’er, what are you doing here? Were you exiled here as well?”

Jing’er hurriedly shook her head. “My spacecraft was attacked, and I drifted here. But Uncle, how did you come here?”

The bitterness on the middle-aged man’s face deepened. He asked, “How did the Third Legion explain the matter in its report to His Majesty the Emperor?”

Jing’er frowned. “The Third Legion said that you encountered a stellar explosion during an inspection.”

A look of fury spread across the middle-aged man’s face. “A stellar explosion? That old bastard Manster is truly clever. It is an excuse so perfect that he could not possibly have found a better one for shirking responsibility.”

Jing’er pressed him anxiously. “Uncle, tell me what really happened. My sister and I were devastated when we heard that you had encountered a stellar explosion. Was it the Third Legion that tried to kill you?”

The middle-aged man gave a cold snort, then turned his eyes toward Kuang Chi, the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak, and the others.

Jing’er quickly said, “Uncle, they are all one of us. You can say whatever you need to.”

Only then did the middle-aged man speak. “I do not know whether this had anything to do with that old bastard Manster, but the possibility that he planned it is extremely high. At the time, my spacecraft was passing through an asteroid belt when dozens of asteroids nearby suddenly exploded at once. Fortunately, I was in the life-support capsule cultivating, so I escaped with my life. Even so, the explosion nearly destroyed the capsule completely. I drifted through space for more than ten days before being drawn into a wormhole. In the end, I arrived here.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the Lord of Tyrant Dragon Peak and the several elders beside him. Finally, his gaze settled on Kuang Chi.

The middle-aged man frowned slightly as he examined him. “If I am not mistaken, you must be Young Master Kuang Chi of the Kuang family.”

Kuang Chi hurriedly put on what he considered a very friendly smile and gave the man a nobleman’s bow. The other man returned it with equal elegance.

Only then did Jing’er add, “After my spacecraft crashed onto this planet, he was the one who rescued me.”

The middle-aged man quickly thanked Kuang Chi. Then he asked, “How did Young Master Kuang end up in this Abandoned Star Region as well?”

Jing’er answered with a smile, “Why else would it be? Uncle, did you not always say that he was bloodthirsty, impulsive, and reckless? This time, he behaved exactly as you said. He caused a major disaster and was ultimately exiled by the Karo Empire into the Abandoned Star Region.”

Kuang Chi offered an embarrassed smile, while the middle-aged man looked even more awkward.

At last, the middle-aged man smiled and said to him, “Please forgive me for any discourtesy, Mr. Kuang Chi.”

Kuang Chi smiled. “It is nothing. I am indeed that sort of person.”

The middle-aged man smiled as well, then hurriedly introduced the other twelve people to Jing’er. To everyone’s surprise, all twelve came from prominent noble families of the Drifting Wind Empire.

After hearing the introductions, Jing’er wrinkled her nose adorably and suddenly said, “According to the records in my database, our empire has sent only seven people to the Forgotten Star over the past two hundred years. Moreover, none of those seven identities matches any of yours.”

She gave the twelve people before her a playful look.

The expressions on their faces became indescribably peculiar.

Jing’er’s uncle, who had remained silent until then, quickly intervened. “They may have been sent here secretly by the empire. In any case, I can guarantee that their identities are genuine.”