Chapter 472: The Earth Guide Old Ancestor

As she said this, the Cloud Immortal's laughter gradually subsided, and she turned to the Earth Guide Old Ancestor before her and suddenly asked, "Are you at all interested in the Tomb of the White Emperor?"

At those words, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor's brow visibly furrowed. The legend of the Tomb of the White Emperor was known to virtually everyone throughout the Western Desert's martial world, and he naturally was no exception.

"What do you mean by that?" the Earth Guide Old Ancestor asked.

"Exactly what I said. If you are interested in the Tomb of the White Emperor, I can take you inside."

The Cloud Immortal's beautiful face remained composed, as though she were discussing something entirely unremarkable.

But these words, reaching the Earth Guide Old Ancestor's ears, brought a clear flicker of startled uncertainty to his eyes, and he asked in a low voice, "Do you know where the Tomb of the White Emperor is located? And do you possess the key to enter it?"

Even so, the Cloud Immortal before him simply gave a light shake of her head and said, "That, I genuinely do not know. Even so, though I myself am uncertain how to enter the Tomb of the White Emperor, there is naturally someone else who knows."

As she said this, the Cloud Immortal slowly rose to her feet, the movement bringing forth a clear, pleasant chime of golden and jade ornaments, and said, "In truth, my journey all the way to White Emperor City was never solely for the sake of that Jiang family prodigy. I came here at another's invitation to lend my assistance."

At those words, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor's expression shifted with uncertainty, and he studied the Cloud Immortal, asking, "Who is this person? How could they possibly know where the Tomb of the White Emperor lies?"

Even so, the Cloud Immortal clearly had no intention of answering his question, and simply said evenly, "Who this person is, you will discover in time. The question right now is whether you agree to the condition I have just proposed."

The Earth Guide Old Ancestor fell into a visible silence for a moment, then gave the Cloud Immortal before him a long, searching look and asked, "Are you certain this person can bring us into the Tomb of the White Emperor?"

At those words, the Cloud Immortal burst into a bright, dazzling laugh and said, "Do you truly think I am some naive young maiden, so innocent and foolish as to be easily deceived?"

As she said this, the Cloud Immortal's laughter gradually subsided, and she said, "Since I have come all the way to White Emperor City, I am naturally certain that this person can locate the Tomb of the White Emperor. Even so, this is a matter of the utmost importance, and it is always wise to be cautious. Having one more ally can only add to our chances of success, which is why I decided to propose this partnership with you, old relic that you are."

"Of course, if you are unwilling, I will not force the matter."

At those words, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor studied the Cloud Immortal before him for a moment, considered briefly, then narrowed his eyes and said, "It is true that the Tomb of the White Emperor carries an enormous reputation. Even so, you and I are both among the very top tier of martial world experts in the Western Desert, and both of us have one foot already in the grave. I find myself curious, given your current standing and strength, why you would wish to enter that place at all."

The Cloud Immortal lifted her eyes, her almond-shaped eyes curving slightly, and said with a smile, "The Tomb of the White Emperor is, after all, the burial site of the ancient savage beast White Tiger's remains, and the younger brother of that legendary Tianqi Emperor was also once interred there. There is no telling what good things might have been left within the tomb. It seems only natural that I would wish to go and have a look for myself."

The Earth Guide Old Ancestor said nothing. The Cloud Immortal's answer was noticeably ambiguous, but he understood well enough in his own heart that no one rose early without profit in mind. If this woman before him had no purpose of her own concerning the Tomb of the White Emperor, she would never have made the journey here from the Cloud White City personally.

"Well, are you in or not? Give me a straight answer."

At this point, seeing that the Earth Guide Old Ancestor had fallen silent, the Cloud Immortal extended a slender jade hand and tapped it against the table, asking.

The Earth Guide Old Ancestor thought this over for a moment, then finally asked, "How exactly do you want this old man to help you?"

For someone like the Earth Guide Old Ancestor, a figure without equal in the Hill Market, one of the Western Desert's six great powers, very few things could truly capture his interest. But the Tomb of the White Emperor clearly held no small appeal for him.

"No rush. First, let me go and pay a visit to that young great demon lord on my own. Perhaps I will not even need your help, and this young lady can subdue him with ease all by herself."

The Cloud Immortal narrowed her eyes slightly, took a bronze mirror from within her robes, and studied her own strikingly beautiful reflection within it, the corner of her mouth curling into a smile.

At those words, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor gave a slight nod. If the Cloud Immortal did not need his help at all, that would naturally be for the best, after all, that new Pavilion Master of the Hidden Kill Pavilion had drawn far too much attention of late, and he had no wish to cross paths with him lightly.

"When do you plan to enter the Tomb of the White Emperor?"

At this point, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor looked at the Cloud Immortal and asked.

"Rest assured, I am a woman of my word. Do not leave White Emperor City these next few days. I will inform you personally before we enter the Tomb of the White Emperor."

The Cloud Immortal put away the bronze mirror in her hand, then gave the Earth Guide Old Ancestor a long, searching look and said, "From this moment on, we are allies. Whether here in White Emperor City or after entering the Tomb of the White Emperor, I hope you, old relic that you are, will keep your word and advance and retreat together with me."

At those words, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor likewise gave the Cloud Immortal a long look, then nodded and said, "This old man has always kept his promises. Having agreed to cooperate with you, I will naturally not go back on my word. Besides, this old man will be staying at this restaurant during these days. Should you need anything, you may come find me here."

The Cloud Immortal gave a light laugh, then waved a hand and said, "Finding you will hardly be difficult for me."

"Even so, if I have no need for your help in dealing with that Hidden Kill Pavilion Pavilion Master this time, once you have taken that Jiang family boy as your disciple, you must lend him to me for a single night."

With that, the Cloud Immortal broke into giggling laughter, and without lingering in the room any longer, transformed into a wisp of mist and drifted out through the window, vanishing from sight.

...

The Earth Guide Old Ancestor watched the direction the Cloud Immortal had departed, a thoughtful expression crossing his eyes. But very quickly, he suddenly spoke, "Come out."

At those words, the entire room fell silent for a moment. Before long, a hidden door within the room's inner chamber slid open, and a blind man, gripping a bamboo staff, slowly emerged from within.

"When did you notice me?"

The blind man's pale, sightless eyes slowly turned toward where the Earth Guide Old Ancestor sat. The Earth Guide Old Ancestor turned to look at the blind man who had appeared before him, and in the next instant seemed to recognize something, a complicated expression surfacing on his face.

He stared at the blind man for a long moment before letting out a sigh and saying, "Your Highness the Xun King. It has been a long time."

At those words, the entire room fell into silence once more.

The blind man's body trembled faintly, his hand gripping the bamboo staff, broken into two sections, and he said nothing for a long while.

"What a distant title. I had nearly forgotten it entirely..."

The blind man shook his head slowly. At this moment, his body still bore the wounds from the Rakshasa Holy Lord's earlier pursuit, not yet fully healed, and he coughed lightly before saying, "I heard the voice of General Divine Strategy outside the restaurant just now, and so I decided to come and see an old acquaintance."

With that, the blind man walked slowly forward and seated himself at the wine table. The Earth Guide Old Ancestor, hearing the blind man address him by that particular title, seemed to go momentarily blank as well.

Then the Earth Guide Old Ancestor picked up the wine jug before him and personally poured a cup for the blind man, saying, "In the defeat of that year, this old man led a group of loyal guards and, with great difficulty, broke through layer after layer of encirclement to escape with our lives."

"In the more than ten years since, this old man has continuously searched for Your Highness's whereabouts, yet never once found a single clue. At the time, this old man had even come to believe Your Highness was no longer among the living. I never imagined we would have the chance to meet again like this, today."

The Earth Guide Old Ancestor spoke these words with perfect composure, his face showing not the slightest ripple of emotion.

The blind man shook his head and said, "The events of that year have long since passed. There is no need to bring them up again now. That I should encounter General here today is itself a matter of chance."

The Earth Guide Old Ancestor said nothing, setting the wine jug in his hand down on the table, his gaze fixed on the blind man's hollow eyes, his expression unreadable, and said, "It seems, then, that after all these years, Your Highness the Xun King has at last come to terms with everything."

At those words, the blind man's hand, which had been reaching for the wine cup, paused briefly, but very quickly resumed its motion, and he said, "I suppose so. Certain things were never meant to be mine, and yet I once held them in my grasp, which brought about great calamity. I did not understand this back then, but I see it very clearly now."

At those words, a flicker of detachment crossed the Earth Guide Old Ancestor's pale, aged face, and he said, "But the throne of Great Chu rightfully belonged to Your Highness the Xun King. This old man personally witnessed the imperial edict the late Emperor wrote with his own hand. The one who now sits upon that throne is nothing more than a usurper deserving of death, guilty beyond redemption."

As he said this, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor fixed his gaze on the blind man's face and asked, "This old man has only one question. Does Your Highness the Xun King truly accept all of this?"

At those words, the entire room suddenly fell silent, and the blind man's hand, which had just lifted the wine cup, froze in mid-air.

After a moment, he slowly set the cup back down, then turned his sightless eyes toward the Earth Guide Old Ancestor and said, "I came today only to see General once more. Nothing more..."

But before the blind man could finish his sentence, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor cut him off directly, saying, "That after so many years, this old man should meet Your Highness the Xun King again, must surely be the will of heaven itself."

As he said this, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor gave the blind man a long look, his voice utterly without emotion, "This old man understands that Your Highness's experiences these years must have been harrowing indeed. But Your Highness must always remember that all of this was brought about by that very brother of yours, who now sits so comfortably upon the throne."

"Back then, this old man led three thousand of the Imperial Guard in a sworn defense of Your Highness, and even facing the Ling Prince's hundred thousand elite troops surrounding the palace, we did not retreat a single step. By the end of the fighting, fewer than ten of us remained alive."

"Nearly all of those who followed this old man died in battle, and afterward, when the Ling Prince settled his accounts, he wiped out this old man's family to the fifth degree of kinship. My wife, my children, my relatives, not a single one was spared."

At this moment the Earth Guide Old Ancestor's face still showed no trace of emotion whatsoever, and he continued, "Your Highness may have come to terms with this. Your Highness may be willing to watch that very brother sit upon the dragon throne, possessing everything that should rightfully have been Your Highness's own."

"But... not everyone is able to come to terms with it."

Having said this, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor said no more. The blind man sat in his chair, still and silent as a clay statue, saying nothing for a long while.

The two of them sat in silence facing each other for a good while, until at last it was the blind man who let out a sigh and spoke, "It is I who have failed General and all of our soldiers. These years, I have wandered the martial world, never once setting foot within Great Chu's borders."

"I could not bear to face anything related to Great Chu, feared facing old acquaintances from the past, and had no face to show my late father the Emperor in death."

"But all of this has already been decided. There is nothing I can do about it now. If there is a next life..."

But before the blind man could finish speaking, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor cut him off once more, rising to his feet and saying, "This old man does not blame Your Highness. It is simply that this hatred runs too deep. This old man cannot let it go."

With that, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor, his stooped frame having spent so many years dwelling in the underground abyss away from sunlight, walked to the window of the restaurant room and stood there.

His pale, aged face faced directly into the light of the setting sun, gazing off toward the direction of Great Chu, and he said, "In truth, this old man understands Your Highness's feelings. This old man once thought of seeking revenge as well, but in the end, after losing the last dozen or so of my loyal followers, this old man survived by the narrowest of margins and fled here to the Western Desert."

"These years, this old man has hidden within the lightless Ten Thousand Cave Sand Abyss of the Hill Market. At first, my entire mind was fixed on revenge, and I poured every moment of my time into cultivation."

"But as the years passed one by one, without my even realizing it, this old man never once set foot within Great Chu's territory again, and even the desire for revenge gradually faded. The faces of those who died before this old man's eyes have grown more and more indistinct with time."

Having said this, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor turned to glance at the blind man, then turned away again and said, "It was only later that this old man came to understand that it was not that this old man had forgotten the hatred, nor that this old man's memory had faded with age, but that this old man was, in truth, running from it."

"This old man now has one foot already in the grave, and no longer places much weight on life and death. The true reason this old man has been running is a fear of failure."

"I have hidden myself away, cultivating with everything I had for nearly my entire life, knowing there would be only one chance at revenge. Should that single chance fail, there would never be another opportunity. The reason this old man never once made the journey to Great Chu's imperial capital was a fear that, in the end, I would go my whole life without ever achieving what I sought."

At those words, the blind man raised his head to face the direction where the Earth Guide Old Ancestor stood.

Though he could not see the man's appearance, he could imagine that it must surely be that General Divine Strategy he had never seen before, a man consumed by hatred and yet unable to move forward, an aged figure nearing the end of his life.

The blind man remained silent for a long while, saying nothing. Even so, he finally lifted the cup of wine the Earth Guide Old Ancestor had poured for him earlier and drank it down in one motion, saying, "Whenever General decides to make the journey to Great Chu, you may call on me to accompany you."

At those words, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor standing by the window turned around, his pale face silhouetted against the light of the setting sun behind him, a complicated expression surfacing in his eyes.

Then the Earth Guide Old Ancestor shook his head and said, "That Your Highness holds this intention is already enough. When His Late Majesty entrusted Your Highness to this old man's care all those years ago, this old man made a vow to His Majesty, that I would remain loyal to Your Highness for the rest of my life and protect Your Highness completely."

As he said this, the Earth Guide Old Ancestor turned back around and said, "Now that this old man has seen Your Highness still alive in this world, my heart can finally know some peace. As for what comes next, leave it to this old man."

"This old man has not much time left to live. Whether I succeed or fail, I must make the journey to Great Chu's imperial capital at least once, so that those who once followed me will not have died in vain."

"Besides, even before meeting Your Highness again, this old man had already begun laying certain plans. Once the moment is right, I intend to test the blade of the current Great Chu imperial house once more."