bullyxtreme V.4.280. Lord of Totem Palace
V.4.280. Lord of Totem Palace
Merin finds himself in a stone chamber, its walls rough and natural, with shelves carved directly from the rock forming uneven layers around the room.Numerous treasures rest upon these shelves, yet most have lost their original brilliance, their light faded with the passage of time.
He looks around briefly, then asks,
“Where is the token to control the secret space?”
At once, one of the shelves trembles slightly, and a token flies out, crossing the room before landing precisely in his palm.
Merin channels his energy into it and begins refining the token without hesitation.
The moment the refinement completes, his consciousness is lifted, drawn upward into a deeper layer of existence, entering the core where the origin of the secret space resides.
Without delay, he leaves his mark upon that origin.
Instantly, vast streams of information surge forth, flooding into his spirit space.
The Law of the Totem Spirit Saint reveals itself clearly.
This space is not naturally formed.
The Totem Spirit Saint tore through layers of space, locating a fragment of a broken world, then refined it with his own Law, transforming it into this secret space.
This space is the evolution of his Dao.
At its core lies the Law of Spirit.
Supporting it are the Laws of Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Lake, Mountain, and Sky, each reinforcing and stabilising the central Law.
Merin’s focus sharpens.
His attention is not on the origin itself, but on its application.
Because this secret space,
Is a prototype of a world.
He has always intended to create a world of his own.
And now,
He has a reference.
A foundation to study.
But before he begins comprehending the Law of the Totem Spirit Saint, he turns his attention elsewhere and speaks calmly.
“Show me the longevity materials.”
The gate spirit responds immediately.
Five boxes fly toward him.
Merin halts the boxes midair with his energy, then opens them one by one.
The first box contains three seeds, shrivelled and lifeless in appearance, yet when he probes them carefully, he detects a faint trace of spiritual energy still lingering within.
They are not completely dead.
If placed in an environment rich in spiritual energy, they may recover and sprout once more.
He moves to the second box.
Inside rests a single drop of blood.
At first glance, it appears inert, with no trace of spiritual energy remaining.
But Merin does not rely on appearances.
He sends his energy into it, examining it at a deeper level.
What he finds surprises him slightly.
Though devoid of energy, the blood still retains its genetic essence intact.
It is the lifeblood of a Saint Stage Phoenix.
A rare find.
While it cannot be used directly for longevity, it contains the essence of the Phoenix race, and if he chooses, he can extract and comprehend the magical power hidden within it.
He opens the third box.
Inside lie five longevity jades.
However, they are completely depleted, their energy long since dissipated, leaving them no different from ordinary stones.
They hold no value now.
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The fourth box reveals five fruits.
These, at least, remain usable.
Each fruit is sealed individually, and the box itself carries an additional sealing formation, creating a double layer of protection that has preserved its spiritual energy over time.
Their vitality remains intact.
Finally, he opens the fifth box.
Within lies a single tree seed.
But unlike the first set,
This one is completely dead.
No trace of life remains.
Merin closes all the boxes and stores them within his spirit space.
He then walks through the chamber, examining the remaining treasures placed upon the stone shelves.
The result is the same.
All have lost their spiritual energy.
Time has stripped them of their value.
What remains are only empty shells of what they once were.
While Merin inspects the treasures within the stone chamber, far away,
Diexin sits inside her carriage, positioned at the centre of her army as it advances steadily forward.
She lifts her gaze slightly, looking through the window.
Outside, Ziqi rides alongside her carriage.
Diexin asks with concern, “Will the Song Kingdom grant us permission to pass through their territory?”
Ziqi rides steadily beside the carriage and replies without hesitation, “Madam, the City Lord still holds the title of Marquis within the Song Kingdom.”
Diexin nods slightly.
In truth, no one refers to Merin as Marquis anymore, and the Duan Family has long faded from the political centre of the Song Kingdom, leaving behind only their ancestral land and a few remaining industries as the last threads tying them to that realm.
Even if Merin and the Duan Family wish to distance themselves completely, those ties still exist.
Ziqi continues, “The Song Kingdom will not only allow passage, but they will also send an army to accompany us, along with two of their ancestors.”
Diexin’s gaze shifts faintly as the deeper implication settles in her mind.
Even if Merin and the Duan Family wish to withdraw from the Song Kingdom, the royal family would never agree to it.
A decade ago, they had already sacrificed their own daughter to establish a connection with Merin.
That decision alone reveals their determination.
She recalls the past.
When she and Chu Feng were still shadow guards of the Song Family, fleeing toward the Eastern Ocean, they were nothing more than tools at that time.
But now,
Everything has changed.
With Merin’s power rising rapidly, becoming a force that influences the entire region, the Song Royal Family will never willingly sever that connection.
Diexin asks again, her tone more focused, “What is the strength of Yulan City?”
Ziqi answers promptly, “Our spies report that they have gathered an army of fifty thousand warriors and ten thousand spiritual refiners, and the Star Singer Tower has sent two Soul Awakening cultivators to support them.”
Diexin frowns slightly upon hearing this.
Their army does not include any Soul Awakening cultivators.
This has always been the greatest weakness of Dragon City,
A lack of high-level cultivators beyond that realm.
Ziqi notices her concern and immediately reassures her.
“Madam, there is no need to worry.”
“The two ancestors of the Song Kingdom are both Soul Awakening cultivators, and I can draw upon the power of the Dragon Totem to reach that level as well.”
“Our strength will surpass theirs.”
Diexin nods quietly.
Without another word, she lowers the curtain, and the window is covered once again.
Ziqi pulls on the reins, guiding his horse forward as he returns to the front of the advancing army.
Inside the secret space, more people have gathered around the lake, the quiet atmosphere now filled with anticipation as ripples of spiritual energy move subtly across the surface.
The six Peak Lords arrive together, accompanied by ten selected members who are to undergo the trial, and among them stands Darus.
His gaze sweeps across the area, searching instinctively,
But he does not find Merin anywhere.
He had already heard that the Supreme Elders intended to make Merin the Lord of the Totem Palace, yet in his mind, such a thing was impossible.
The members of the palace would never accept someone who cannot even sit upon the Bone Throne.
To him, there is only one reasonable explanation.
The Supreme Elders must have invited Merin here to eliminate him, using the power of the secret space to do so.
Over the past decade, dissatisfaction has quietly grown.
He has heard countless voices from all six peaks, complaining about Dragon City and how it is steadily drawing away the influence and power of the Totem Palace.
Many have even suggested launching an attack against it.
Only the overwhelming presence of the Dragon Totem has restrained them.
So now,
Seeing Merin absent,
Darus becomes even more convinced.
“He must be dead,” he thinks.
At that moment, Titus speaks, his voice breaking the silence.
“Supreme Elders, where is the Lord of Dragon City?”
One of the Supreme Elders replies calmly, “He is inside the inner space beyond the door.”
Shock spreads across the faces of the Peak Lords.
One of them cannot hold back and says, “He… passed the Saint’s trial?”
The Supreme Elders nod.
Before anyone can say more,
The lake trembles.
The ancient door begins to open.
A white light spills outward, bright and pure, covering the surroundings in its glow.
From within that light,
A leg steps out.
Darus stares, his expression freezing in disbelief as Merin walks out the door.
Then,
Something even more shocking happens.
The three Supreme Elders lower themselves and kneel.
“Welcome, Palace Lord.”
The six Peak Lords follow immediately, bowing without hesitation.
Darus stands there for a brief moment, stunned, watching as even his fellow members drop to their knees.
Then, slowly,
He kneels as well.
Last.
Merin looks at them, his eyes calm and completely devoid of emotion at the sight of them kneeling before him, as if such a scene was nothing more than something expected.
Because to him,
It is.
Becoming the Lord of the Totem Palace is not a moment of triumph or surprise, but simply a matter of course, something that would have happened regardless of their will.
All he needed was time to recover his Saint-level cultivation.
His gaze sweeps across them, and he quickly notices the additional presence of the Peak Lords and the ten Soul Awakening cultivators standing behind the three Supreme Elders.
“You may rise,” he says calmly.
As they stand, Merin begins walking toward them with steady steps.
Nazhar steps forward slightly, unable to suppress the hope in her eyes, which is mirrored in Sirius and Elmirus as well.
“My Lord… did you obtain it?” she asks.
Merin does not answer her question.
Instead, his gaze shifts past her as he asks, “What are they doing here?”
His words clearly refer to the Peak Lords and the ten cultivators.
Nazhar steadies herself, suppressing her anticipation, and replies, “They have come to enter the trial world.”
Merin’s eyes briefly pause on Darus.
He recalls the mention of a “world” from before.
For the first time,
A flicker of interest appears within him.
Because for him, nothing holds greater importance than discovering or controlling a new world.
Without hesitation, he speaks.
“Give me the keys to enter that world.”