Xu Shu looked in the Arcanum Domain’s direction with respect in his eyes. "We are not qualified to bear the surname of Zhan. Having the Xu surname is already an honor, as it allows us to guard the Garden of Passing."
Grandpa Fa sighed in admiration. "Within the seven major powers, possessing a unique surname is something that countless people can only dream of. 'Xu' is clearly tied to the Garden of Passing, which means that it represents the Gate of Laws. Not just anyone is qualified to bear such a name."
Xu Shu gave a small smile. Such words were pleasant to hear.
He soon led Grandpa Fa and the others into the Arcanum Domain.
Just as Old Tao had predicted, the security measures for the Garden of Passing were not very strict. If they had been going anywhere near where the sequence bases were constructed, even if Lu Yin’s disguise might fool even Dukkhans, it would not hold up. That place was even able to detect a Seraph’s disguise.
Other than various ancient powerhouses who were awaiting death, the Garden of Passing contained little else. It only made sense that heavy defenses were unnecessary.
One could even say that these ancient powershouses formed a part of the Gate of Laws’ defenses.
The Garden of Passing was an eerie and somber place. There was no sunlight, and the only sources of illumination were small wisps of blue flames that gave off just enough light to allow for a bit of vision.
Endless tombs could be seen in every direction. There were a few that had cultivators standing beside them, as unmoving as statues. All of those individuals carried the Xu surname.
Xu Shu silently led the group onwards. No one was allowed to fly or tear through space in the Garden of Passing. To show respect for the old cultivators present, only walking was allowed.
Grandpa Fa only stared straight ahead. He was aware that some of the tombs were empty, while others housed those who were still living. Who could say which were which?
Lu Yin had seen the memories of Yi Shang’s enslaved conscient. Ancestor Lin’s tomb was just a bit further ahead, just a bit more.
Even if the number of tombs seemed endless. Each was quite large and took up a significant amount of space. Many were also empty, which only made it appear as if there were more tombs. They had accumulated over countless years.
In a few more years, the Garden of Passing would likely see another expansion. The place had always been growing.
"Aaah-!" Ah Nine suddenly let out a sharp scream. A withered hand had grabbed her ankle, and creepy laughter echoed out from underground.
Grandpa Fa was startled, and he instinctively kicked the hand while Ah Five immediately swung his blade down in a fierce strike.
Both attacks were completely ineffective. The withered hand was shockingly tough.
Xu Shu gave a low shout. "Don't move!"
Ah Nine's face was pale, and she trembled with fear as she stared at the ground in terror.
Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. He could make out a massive, luxurious palace that sprawled out underground. The interior of each tomb was different; some were simple, while others resembled caves or even lakes. Everything was arranged in accordance with the desires of the cultivator resting in the grave. This particular old man was clearly someone who enjoyed a life of indulgence.
Annoying.
"Senior, these people are here to pay their respects. Please release them," Xu Shu said in a respectful tone while bowing to the grave.
Laughter continued to ring out from the grave, and the hand maintained a firm grip on Ah Nine’s ankle.
Grandpa Fa and the others flushed red with fury as they glared at the ground.
Xu Shu gritted his teeth. "If you continue with this, Senior, I will be forced to report the matter to Lord Zhan Qianguhou."
The hand still did not let Ah Nine go, and the disturbing laughter gained an even more unsettling note.
At that moment, someone rushed over, running quickly. They delivered a powerful kick to the hand, but even that was not enough to make the old monster let go.
"You old bastard! You still owe me, and yet you still dare to cause trouble? Watch and see if I don’t throw you as far out of the Garden of Passing as I can and let everyone know that you've left! We’ll see how many people come after you then!"
Zhan Qianguhou had arrived, and he was absolutely furious as he threatened the unseen powerhouse.
The hand finally disappeared. "Boring..."
Ah Nine fled the place, badly shaken.
Grandpa Fa and the others continued to glare fiercely at the underground grave, wondering which old scoundrel had scared Ah Nine so badly.
Zhan Qianguhou gave one last glare at the ground. "Watch yourself."
He then turned and showed Ah Nine a reassuring smile. "Little girl, were you scared? Don’t worry, that was just an old coot teasing you."
Xu Shu stepped forward and bowed. "My lord, this..."
Zhan Qianguhou waved the man off. "That was none of your concern. You can go now."
Xu Shu nodded. "Understood."
With that, he led the rest of his group away.
Zhan Qianguhou was extremely enthusiastic, while also somewhat impatient. "Come. I’ll take you to pay your respects to that old bastard, Ancestor Lin. He’s just pretending to be dead—I can promise you that he’s still alive. Given all my years here in the Garden of Passing, I can assure you that the old guy is just trying to avoid paying his debts, but there’s no chance of that happening! Hmph!"
He continued to mutter to himself as he led the way.
Everyone quickly understood the situation.
Ancestor Lin had agreed to share his inherited technique with Zhan Qianguhou in exchange for help in finding his descendants. As soon as the old man’s descendants were found, his inheritance would be given to Zhan Qianguhou. However, Ancestor Lin had recently gone silent, and no matter how much Zhan Qianguhou shouted at the old man, he refused to respond. That had happened at the exact same time when the team sent to find his descendants had found a few clues. This is unacceptable! How dare that old man try to back out now? I have to drag him out.
Ah Nine hesitantly asked, "Is my ancestor supposed to give you his inherited technique?"
Zhan Qianguhou turned around with a grin. "Relax, little girl. He’ll give it to both of us. We can both receive it. It’s just a cultivation technique, not some priceless treasure."
"Oh..."
Grandpa Fa and the others exchanged glances. Suddenly, things made sense. If not for this, why would the Gate of Laws have gone through so much trouble just to find Ah Nine? No one would bother without receiving some sort of benefit.
A sequence powerhouse’s inheritance might not be worth much to a group as massive and powerful as the Gate of Laws, but Zhan Qianguhou was just a gravekeeper. He most likely had an insignificant status within the Gate of Laws. Being able to receive a sequence powerhouse’s inheritance was quite impressive, but it also seemed that the man had struck similar deals with other dying experts. As time passed, he had probably acquired multiple inheritances.
Within the Gate of Laws, Zhan Qianguhou might be a nobody, but to independent cultivators, he was completely untouchable.
"If Ancestor Lin truly is dead, you won’t pass his debt on to Ah Nine, will you?" Grandpa Fa asked in concern.
Zhan Qianguhou rolled his eyes. "Of course not. What could a little girl like her possibly offer me? A deal is a deal. I’m a man of principles."