National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

Chu He and Xia Chengli both fell into deep thought.

They were keenly aware that with the awakening of Amaterasu,

it was as if a giant stone had been thrown into the calm lake of the world, about to stir up a tempest.

And they, too, would inevitably be swept into this unknown and dangerous storm.

The path ahead was filled with uncertainty and challenges.

"In the ancient and enduring legends of the White-Red Empire,

the Grass Cutting Sword, the Eight-footed Jade Hook, and the Eight-Handed Mirror are like three brilliant, mysterious stars.

They are revered as the supreme symbols of the Royal Family, deeply imprinted in the hearts of every citizen.

Their renown, like that of dazzling constellations, shines with a mysterious and revered light through the river of time.

Among them, the Eight-Handed Mirror, as the corporeal vessel for Amaterasu, carries with it endless sanctity and majesty,

a mystical bridge connecting the Mortal World to the Divine Domain, piously worshipped by the populace.

However, the Eight-footed Jade Hook and the Grass Cutting Sword were quietly lost in the mists of history,

leaving behind only a trail of fascinating mysteries to be explored, captivating countless people with their allure."

The dim yellow light flickered unsteadily in the room as Yumizakura sat quietly in a chair.

She let out a soft sigh and said slowly, "After countless hardships and extensive investigations,

the intelligence I’ve gathered indicates that the long-lost Eight-footed Jade Hook

is very likely hidden beneath this very land.

Furthermore, this seems to be intricately linked to Xu Fu, who came from the Great Xia Empire long ago.

Looking back to the past, it was an age filled with mystery and uncertainty.

An earth-shattering battle erupted between Amaterasu and Xu Fu.

Xu Fu was no ordinary man. He emanated an unfathomable aura,

hiding endless secrets and immense power. Even Amaterasu dared not underestimate him.

In that breathtaking confrontation, Amaterasu, in order to suppress Xu Fu,

did not hesitate to use the mystical power of a Divine Artifact like the Eight-footed Jade Hook, barely managing to subdue him.

However, Xu Fu was not one to be easily defeated.

Even while suppressed beneath this land, he relied on his extraordinary abilities

to meticulously place a series of mysterious and inscrutable seals upon this place.

This made it so that after the battle ended, Amaterasu was unexpectedly unable to retrieve the Eight-footed Jade Hook.

Afterward, perhaps because the toll of the battle was too great,

gravely weakening Amaterasu, or perhaps due to the interference of some other unknown, mysterious factors,

Amaterasu fell into a long and deep slumber.

Thus, in the subsequent tide of an era marked by rapid technological development and bustling prosperity,

Amaterasu could only helplessly become a distant, illusory figure of myth and legend,

gradually fading from the public eye, leaving behind only these tales steeped in mystery,

to be slowly passed down through the river of time for later generations to tell and speculate upon."

Yumizakura shook her head slightly and gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Although I am of the Nine-tailed Demon Fox clan, possessing divine powers and wisdom beyond the reach of ordinary people,

before a peerless powerhouse like Amaterasu, I am but a drop in the ocean,

as insignificant as an ant by the roadside.

This is all the information I was able to uncover. I truly wish I could do more, but I lack the strength."

"Not at all. You’ve done very well. This must have been hard for you."

Chu He looked at Yumizakura with a gentle expression.

He knew that to obtain this intelligence, Yumizakura must have gone through countless difficulties and obstacles,

pouring her heart and soul into it.

From the information gathered in this investigation, Chu He’s keen mind, like a high-speed precision instrument,

quickly grasped many key issues that had long troubled him without a reasonable explanation.

At this moment, those originally scattered and vague clues

were gradually being strung together by an invisible, skillful hand, sketching out a picture in his mind.

Though it was not yet clear, it was filled with profound meaning and mystery,

granting him a deeper understanding of and insight into the secrets hidden beneath it all.

Xia Chengli stood to the side, his brow furrowed and his eyes full of confusion, asking with some bafflement, "So why did the White-Red Empire only start excavating here after stealing something from the Great Xia Empire?

I just can’t wrap my head around it. I feel like there must be some ulterior motive."

After a moment of contemplation, Chu He said slowly, "If I’m not mistaken,

Xu Fu came here back then under orders from Qin Shi Huang of the Great Xia Empire.

An emperor’s command is like a mandate from heaven, containing a majestic and mysterious Emperor’s Qi.

This aura is far from ordinary.

This Emperor’s Qi from the Great Xia Empire...

even a Deity as powerful as the White-Red Empire’s Amaterasu

was helpless against it.

Although Qin Shi Huang has long since passed away,

his residual Emperor’s Qi is still potent and resilient.

Having weathered the ages, it remains deeply rooted in this land,

something the Deities of the White-Red Empire cannot easily shake.

In the current era, even though Amaterasu is the most powerful Deity in the White-Red Empire,

if she wishes to restore her former glory and majesty,

she must reassemble the Three Great Divine Artifacts.

And the lost Eight-footed Jade Hook is buried deep beneath this land.

If she wants to retrieve it, she has no choice but to start here.

That is why Amaterasu turned her attention to the Great Xia Empire,

attempting to use certain means to resolve this dilemma that has entangled her for years.

Of course, this is all just my speculation, but given the current situation, I’d say it’s not far from the truth."

BOOM!

Just as everyone was lost in thought,

a deafening roar suddenly shattered the tranquility of the room.

Immediately after, the entire ground began to tremble violently,

as if an enraged prehistoric beast had awakened underground, letting out a pained and furious roar.

At the same time, the sky was swiftly engulfed by a brilliant, eye-catching, and utterly bizarre bloody light.

The bloody light was like a burning cloud of blood,

staining the entire world a terrifying crimson with overwhelming force.

It gave one the horrifying illusion that a blood-red sun had suddenly descended upon the Mortal World.

An inexplicable fear spread rapidly through the air,

like invisible tentacles, coiling tightly around everyone’s heart.

Chu He, Xia Chengli, and Yumizakura exchanged a glance.

Without a moment’s hesitation, they rose to their feet

and swiftly strode out of the metal shack.

They saw that the bloody light was spreading from the direction of the excavation pit.

From that same direction, waves of miserable screams could be heard,

the sounds piercing the sky and echoing through the blood-colored world, chilling them to the bone,

as if they were desperate wails from the depths of Hell.

Goto Taiji’s group must have encountered another extremely grave crisis,

suffering heavy casualties. The situation had become dire.

"If the situation here can’t be resolved,

and it becomes even more complex and thorny, then I’m afraid the day isn’t far off when Amaterasu of the White-Red Empire will descend."

Xia Chengli said, gazing toward the blood-red light that suffused the sky.