Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1015 Nanami

Suddenly, she remembered what her father often said: "Children of the Morningstar family carry light in their bones." She gripped the crystal tightly in her palm and exchanged glances with Ella. They both knew that what they were about to face would be a foe more formidable than the Holy Light barrier. The light ahead grew brighter, heading towards the palace dungeons. Elena could smell the scent of blood in the air, and the faint sound of chanting—the bishop must be performing some kind of ritual. Her vine wings spread in the darkness, their blue light intertwining with the distant flames, creating a strange halo in the humid air. "Are you ready?" Elena asked softly, her voice carrying an unprecedented calm. Ella nocked her second arrow, aiming it at the passage's exit: "For all those harmed by the Inquisition." Leo raised his dagger, his arms still shaking, but he held his head high: "For Mom and Dad." As they emerged from the passage, the sight of the palace dungeons nearly froze Elena's blood. Hundreds of stone pillars were tied to bodies: barbarian warriors, captives of the Paladins, and familiar civilians—all of whom had once expressed sympathy for the Morning Star family. Black tubes pierced their chests, and blood flowed from them into the central altar. There, the bishop held a sacred scripture and chanted the Northern Di resurrection spell. "You've finally arrived," the bishop said, his black robe revealing the silver tattoos unique to the Northern Di royal family. His eyes gleamed with a fervent glint. "The heirs of the power of Chaos, fitting as the final sacrifice to resurrect our ancestors." Elena's vines suddenly tensed, and she saw a skeleton lying in the center of the altar—a skeleton clad in Northern Di royal armor, clutching a longsword identical to the one in her father's study. Embedded in the skeleton's forehead was a familiar crystal—the same half of the same Chaos Crystal she held in her palm. "Three hundred years ago, your ancestors were defeated by my ancestors. Today, I can defeat you as well." Elena's voice echoed in the empty dungeon. Vines surged toward the altar like a tide. Black tubes snapped wherever the blue light passed. The bishop sneered and raised the holy book: "Let's see which is stronger, your Chaos Power or my Beidi's Resurrection Spell!" He smashed the holy book against the skeleton. As the pages fell apart, countless black bats flew out from between the pages and pounced on Elena and the others. Leo suddenly raised the cross, the silver chain spinning in his hand with a crisp sound. As the bats approached the cross, they suddenly burst into flames, turning into tiny sparks—this was the Morning Star Family's purification spell, which his mother had taught him, but he had never imagined using it in such a situation. "Impossible!" the bishop screamed in horror. Elena seized the opportunity to rush to the altar. The crystal in her palm collided with the one on the skeleton's forehead with a deafening sound. Two beams of light met in the air, forming a vast vortex of energy that absorbed the bloody stench and darkness from the dungeon. In the light, she saw her mother's smiling face, her father's back, and the souls of all those persecuted by the Inquisition, transformed into stars and soaring into the sky. When the light faded, the bishop had vanished, leaving only an empty black robe. The bones at the center of the altar crumbled to dust, scattered by the wind into the air. The people on the stone pillars woke up one after another, looking around in confusion, as if they had just experienced a long nightmare. Leo threw himself into Elena's arms, his small body still trembling. "We did it." Elena, holding her brother, looked at the Chaos Crystal that had merged into one in her palms, and suddenly understood the "truth" her mother had spoken of—not hatred, not revenge, but protection. Just as her ancestors had protected the world three hundred years ago, so she now protected these innocent people. When Karen and the Knights arrived, sunlight was streaming through the dungeon's skylight, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The paladins began to rescue the people on the pillars, their armor gleaming in the light, a striking resemblance to the blue glow of the stargrass. "The people of the city are waiting for you in the square," Karen walked up to Elena, his eyes filled with awe beneath his helmet. "They say they want to make you the new ruler." Elena shook her head and handed the Chaos Stone to Ella. "It belongs to all who protect this land." She took Leo's hand, the rose mark on his palm almost faded. "We still have somewhere to go." The last page of her mother's diary depicted a scene from the Forgotten Lands—where stargrass bloomed, rivers flowed, and a building identical to Morningstar Castle. Smaller words were written beside it: "A true home is where there is no hatred." As they left the palace, the people of the city lined the streets to welcome them. Some held hands of stargrass, others lit bonfires, and children held wooden signs painted with roses, their smiles gleaming brightly in the firelight. Elena glanced back. Karen was directing the Knights to rebuild their homeland, Blackstone was leading the barbarian warriors to repair the city walls, and Ella was embedding the Chaos Crystal into the city's foundation stone—a new totem, protecting this land from judgment and hatred. "Sister, when will we reach the Forgotten Land?" Leo sat on the giant eagle's back, fiddling with an eagle feather, his amber eyes filled with anticipation. Elena pointed to the eastern sky, where a bright star was rising. "When we catch up to that star, we'll be there." Her vine-like wings stretched in the sunlight, blue light intertwining with starlight, leaving a long streak of light behind her, like a path to hope. The giant eagle let out a clear cry and flew towards the rising star. Elena knew this was not the end, but a new beginning—she, Leo, and all those saved would once again plant their own star grass in a land free of hatred. And the dark memories of the Inquisition would eventually melt like the snow on the holy mountain, leaving only the nutrients to nourish a new life. The vines wrapped around the pillars of the main altar like snakes. When she landed beside the cross, the old man suddenly opened his eyes wide, and the rose mark on her collarbone was reflected in his cloudy pupils: "The Rose Messenger... is finally here..." "Hold on." Elena used the vines to cut the chains that bound the old man, and the crystals on her fingertips were placed on his bleeding wounds. The blue light penetrated the skin, and the old man's charred ankles grew new flesh at a speed visible to the naked eye, but her own arms became more transparent, and the flowing blood vessels could be vaguely seen. "There is a tunnel under the main altar." The old man grabbed Elena's wrist, his voice weak but firm, "The secret passage leading to the Holy Mountain, Leo... needs your protection..."