Chapter 669: Houyi Sun-Shooting Bow, Divine General Goumang!

Perhaps they too had sensed the impending, tragic devastation of the war between Qionghua and the Huanming Realm—caught between their dear, bosom friend Liu Mengli on one side, and the sect of Murong Ziying on the other, which, despite treating them poorly and using them as mere pawns, remained his home.

To return now, whether to the Demon Realm or to Qionghua, was undoubtedly a journey fraught with peril; for Han Lingsha, this was perhaps a way to offer them a fraction more strength, while for the others, who simply refused to let her brave the danger alone, Murong Ziying and Yun Tianhe also set foot upon this celestial sepulcher.

Upon the Tomb of Deities, heavenly soldiers stood guard, and even if one did not yet know who or what lay interred within these vaults, it was plain to see that few across heaven and earth could ever command a tribute of such grandeur.

For the patrons of the old shop, though this journey to the Ghost Realm brought them into the Hall of Impermanence, *The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3* had already granted them a foray into the realm's fringes, rendering it not altogether extraordinary.

Yet this moment was different.

In the Half-City shop, Zong Wu, Gu Tingyun, and the others sat upon the sofas of the lounge; Zong Wu suddenly stuffed two spicy strips into his mouth, his eyes bulging as he stared at the screen: "This is just too formidable..."

"Whose tomb is this, truly?" Gu Tingyun's eyes had also gone wide.

As for the players of the new shop, though they understood little of it, the mere words "Tomb of Deities," paired with the sight of such magnificent architecture and monumental scale, left them struck with a creeping dread.

"Could this truly be the tomb of a god?!"

Perhaps it was not a grave at all, or perhaps what lay buried was not a man, but it was indubitably a primordial ruin of the loftiest order!

Whether it was Yun Tianhe and his companions, or the players gathered there, it was a sight none had ever beheld in all their lives.

The system version differed from the original; apart from the sentries at the gate who were dispatched in swift combat, they sneaked past all other areas, for if they raised a tempest before even drawing near the treasure, unleashing havoc in a place like this would see ten groups of protagonists insufficient to meet their deaths.

Such matters were evidently familiar territory for Boss Fang; the palatial halls outside the tomb loomed with a solemn, majestic dignity, and leading the others away from the eyes and ears of the guards, he quickly arrived at the southern palace corner of the Tomb of Deities.

The Tomb of Deities was a colossal necropolis suspended in the air, its scale unimaginable, stretching almost beyond the reach of the eye, though Yun Tianhe and his companions could naturally never wander through its entirety.

Speaking of the Tomb of Deities, one could not help but mention Han Lingsha’s grandfather; as a family of tomb-robbers, her grandfather had once come to this place through some twist of fate, and upon his return, he had become entirely incoherent, as though driven mad.

Yet his clansmen had still gleaned fragments of truth from his scattered words; her grandfather had explored only the mere tip of the iceberg of this vast tomb, and within that very tip lay hidden an unimaginable treasure—the Houyi Sun-Shooting Bow!

As ancient legends foretold, ten suns once blazed in the sky of antiquity, plunging the mortal realm into desolation and bitter suffering, until a divine archer shot down nine of them, dispelling the drought and saving the myriad peoples.

No light shone within the ancient, simple hall, yet an unknown source cast a gentle luminescence through the space, neither dazzling nor overly dim, but precisely as it should be.

The interior of this southern palace was shaped like an inverted pagoda, winding all the way down; there were no guards within, but one had to remain ever vigilant against the mechanisms and restrictive wards.

Walking until they reached the lowest floor, they could see within the innermost hall a vast, elevated dais, where that ancient, unadorned longbow hung in profound silence above the platform.

It seemed entirely unguarded, devoid of any protective measures.

Formed of a stone like green jade, it was carved with the imagery of nine suns soaring into the sky amidst raging, roaring flames.

To look upon it was to feel as though the sky itself had become the backdrop for that ancient bow; in that instant, a sense of returning to the primeval past washed over them.

Merely hanging there in absolute stillness, it radiated a torrent of immense spiritual energy.

One could almost hear, echoing from the bow itself, cries and shouts that seemed to flow from the long river of ancient history, from that bygone era when ten suns shone together in glory.

"Wow—!" the elves shrieked, and even Elder Cywi covered her mouth, masking the excitement and awe she could no longer conceal.

Bows were among the most ancient weapons inherited by the elves, each of them a master of the craft; though they might not know the past of this weapon, in this instant, the heroic grandeur of a single bow extinguishing nine suns could be glimpsed through this elegant, ancient longbow and the scene before them.

"So the purpose of coming here was to claim this bow as a gift for Tianhe?"

A mortal's life spans but a fleeting few decades, yet for Han Lingsha, even that remained a luxury beyond reach: "No matter how much time I have left, you must remember me, your good friend, promise?"

Perhaps by now, the feelings between the two had long transcended friendship, yet for the time being, let this bond be held as friendship, enduring forever in their hearts.

Perhaps this was what occupied her mind at that moment.

By some stroke of destiny, the treasure hidden within the Tomb of Deities was precisely suited for Yun Tianhe, while for Murong Ziying, she truly had no gift worthy of presentation, leaving her only able to express her apologies.

"I care nothing for divine weapons or sharp blades, but you must remember your vow, and never again shorten your mortal span by robbing tombs," Murong Ziying said. "I do not condone today's actions, but if any retribution follows the taking of this bow, Murong Ziying will bear it willingly for a friend."

At their tender age, there were no scheming plots, nor any greed to blind the heart, rendering this friendship all the more direct and pure.

Yet in truth, Han Lingsha had already given Ziying a token; the Nine Dragons Silk-Bound Sword Tassel was an imperial artifact, fitting perfectly with his status as royalty of the Yan State before he entered Qionghua, thrust upon him upon her entry to "bribe Uncle-Master Ziying." At the time, Murong Ziying had paid it little heed, but thinking back now, it was precisely because of this friendship that the token he once disregarded had suddenly become precious beyond measure.

Murong Ziying fell into a sudden silence.

At this moment, all the spectating players also fell into a brief hush.

"So... are they really going to just take the divine bow that easily?" Su Tianji asked in bewilderment, watching as Han Lingsha reached for the weapon.

Right then, a voice echoed out from the void: "Sinners, put down the Houyi Sun-Shooting Bow this instant!"

A deity with a human face and avian wings, crowned in gold, suddenly manifested before them: "I am the Divine General Goumang, guardian of the Tomb of Deities."

Su Tianji, who had just spoken: "...!!"

Song Qingfeng muttered: "Elder Su’s jinxing mouth strikes again..."

"Ah, what does this have to do with me!" Su Tianji protested repeatedly. "Anyone could see this thing was obviously guarded..."

She then glared intently at the Divine General Goumang: "What kind of god is this anyway?!"

Nalan Mingxue murmured: "A Divine General... could he be on the same level as Feipeng?"

A lore enthusiast like Shen Qingqing naturally looked far deeper, offering a measured evaluation: "He should be of the same echelon, though his actual strength is likely inferior. After all, Feipeng is the First Divine General."

With this appraisal, though the entity felt formidable, it no longer seemed quite so terrifying, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, in the new shop, the spectating players instinctively shrank back: "Why is there a god here too?!"

What was wrong with this world?! Did even a tomb require a deity to watch over it?!