Chapter 16 — From Ruins to the Dharma Lord's Throne

Deep in the northern territory, where the darkness seemed thicker than anywhere else on the Thương Nguyên Continent, the Blood Moon Tower towered in the middle of a barren land, surrounded by black rocky mountains. This was the power center of the Dark Alliance, where the Dark Flame governed and operated the entire network of dark forces stretching across the continent.

In the main hall of the tower, Black Flame sat on a throne made from jet-black volcanic stone, holding a small piece of spiritual talisman that glowed pale red — the communication item that Nhạc Vĩnh Tuyên had just used to send the latest report.

"So that child discovered the Ancient God Ruins," Hắc Diễm said, his deep, hoarse voice echoing throughout the empty hall. Next to him, a few high-ranking subordinates stood waiting for orders, their faces showing tension at this news.

"Commander, according to reports, they have activated the central memory crystal." A subordinate spoke up and bowed his head. "It's possible that they already know our entire plan regarding the ancient seal."

Hắc Diễm was silent for a long time, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the black throne. For him, this was not necessarily bad news. "Interesting," he finally spoke, the corner of his lips curling into a cold smile. "That child possessing the Chaos Origin Spiritual Root is progressing faster than I expected. Perhaps it's time for me to meet the son of Tần Hạo Nguyên and Liễu Thanh Hà in person."

"Do you intend to let them come here on their own?" Another subordinate asked, unable to hide his concern. "If they bring reinforcements from the White Wing Alliance..."

"I know the abilities of the White Wing Alliance," Hắc Diễm interrupted, his voice full of confidence. "They won't be able to mobilize a large enough regular force in a short period of time to attack the Blood Moon Tower directly. At most, that kid will only bring a small group and a few comrades, maybe along with a light commando team. That's exactly what I need."

He stood up, walked to the large window overlooking the dark land outside the tower, where armies of evil beasts were raised and trained day and night for the upcoming conquest plan. "If Tần Hạo Nguyên's son comes here himself, I will have a chance to complete the sacrifice ritual sooner than expected. His parents' bloodlines have been nurtured long enough to reach the necessary purity. Now, if I can use that child as a hostage to force his parents to fully cooperate, instead of having to force it through prolonged pain, the ritual will go much more smoothly."

"The Commander wants us to prepare a trap?" The highest-ranking subordinate, a tall man with black armor engraved with spikes, called Armored General, asked.

"That's right." Black Diem nodded. "I want you to position your troops along the route that child will most likely take to enter our territory — the path through the Shadow Forest and the mountainous area south of the Blood Moon Tower. Don't kill them right away, just weaken and drain their strength and number of comrades before they reach the main gate of the tower."

"What about the Blood Prison Demon Dragon, Commander?" Another subordinate asked, referring to the giant monster that Hắc Diễm had diligently nurtured for many years with the blood of prisoners of war, especially intensively nourished with the blood of Tần Hạo Nguyên and Liễu Thanh Hà in recent years.

Black Flame's eyes flashed with a cruel interest. "Let him be the final test before they reach the tower gate. If that child truly possesses the power to purify evil spirits as reported, this will be the perfect test for me to judge whether he is worthy of becoming a real threat or just an over-hyped talent."

"What about Nhạc Vĩnh Tuyên?" Another subordinate asked. "Is he still of use inside the academy?"

"Not much anymore," Black Diem replied, her voice cold and calm. "The academy has begun to suspect him after the failed formation. He will be exposed soon, it's only a matter of time. But before that happens, let him send one final report — detailed information about the formation, route, and departure time of the group of six. After that, he is no longer needed."

That statement made several subordinates in the hall shiver, although no one dared to show it. Black Flame's cruelty towards those who once served him is something everyone knows but no one dares to mention.

The Armored General bowed his head to receive the order, then turned and left the hall to begin implementing the plan. Hắc Diễm stood silently by the window for a moment, his eyes looking towards a smaller tower not far away - where his two most special prisoners had been kept for the past seventeen years.

He ordered another subordinate. "Take me to meet our two distinguished guests."

In the dark basement under the sub-tower, Tần Hạo Nguyên and Liễu Thanh Hà were chained tightly to stone pillars engraved with spiritual energy blocking formations. Their bodies were emaciated after many years of imprisonment and periodic bloodline exploitation, but their eyes still shone with a ray of resilience that never faded.

"Long time no see," Hắc Diễm said as he entered the basement, his voice still carrying a strange respect for the two old opponents. "I have good news for you two. Your son, Dịch Phàm, has grown up healthy and strong, and has just awakened an amazing power — the Primordial Spirit Root."

Liễu Thanh Hà, even though her body was weak, still raised her head, her eyes shining with a ray of hope and fear. "My son... my son is still alive?"

"Still alive, and on my way here to rescue you two," Hắc Diễm replied, the corner of his lips curled up in a smile that could not be determined whether it was pity or cruelty. "I must admit, that is a strong-willed child, worthy of your blood."

Tần Hạo Nguyên, despite being chained, still struggled to raise his head, his eyes glowing with anger. "If you dare touch a strand of my son's hair..."

"I won't need to do anything," Hắc Diễm interrupted, his voice cold. "It will itself step into the trap I have set, because of the love and filial piety for the two of you. Sometimes, the love that people cherish the most is their most fatal weakness."

He turned and left the cellar, leaving the couple in the dark, his heart torn between the overwhelming happiness of knowing his son was alive and the extreme fear of what could happen to him when he stepped into enemy territory.

"We have to find a way to warn you," Thanh Hà whispered, tears rolling down her haggard face. "No matter what the cost."

Hạo Nguyên clenched his teeth, his eyes followed Hắc Diễm's back disappearing into the darkness of the hallway. "We will find a way, Thanh Hà. No matter how slim the chance is, we cannot let our son walk into this trap without any preparation."

During their seventeen years in captivity, both of them learned to meticulously observe every habit and every small loophole in Hắc Toái's guard system. There was a young guard, who had only joined the ranks for less than a year, who sometimes showed a guilty look in his eyes when bringing food to the cellar, completely different from the cold and indifferent attitude of the others. Thanh Hà has been paying attention to that for a long time, and tonight, she decided to bet on that fragile ray of hope.

"If we can send a warning, even a short one, to our son before he falls into an ambush..." she whispered, her eyes flashing with determination despite her exhausted body. "It may be the only chance to save its entire group from disaster." Hạo Nguyên nodded, knowing full well how fragile this plan was. But after seventeen years of waiting in despair, this was the first ray of hope that made them both feel like they could still do something, instead of just sitting still waiting for fate to decide.

Outside the Blood Moon Tower, under a gray sky covered with dark clouds that signaled an approaching storm, hundreds of warriors of the Dark Alliance began to move, silently deploying an ambush formation along the road through the Shadow Forest, preparing for the fateful encounter that was about to take place with the group of six young people approaching from the South.

In the dungeon, the young guard stepped down from his usual shift, carrying a meager portion of food for the two prisoners. Thanh Hà looked into his eyes, her voice so soft that only two people could hear. "Do you have a mother back home?"

The unexpected question made the guard pause, his eyes flashed with confusion. That was the fragile moment that Thanh Hà had been waiting for weeks of observation, and she knew she didn't have much time to hesitate any longer.