Beast Taming: My spirit beast bloodline is overloaded

Chapter 464 Grave Robbers

Upon entering Chiyan City, the first magnificent city on the border of the Southern Burning Ancient Kingdom, Lin Chen and Li Zhen were immediately struck by the rugged and primitive exotic scenery before them.

The entire city seems to have been carved from a single, massive red rock, with a bold and unrestrained architectural style that exudes power.

Along both sides of the street, whether it's the shop signs or the lintels of the houses, various cattle totems are carved, and they look incredibly lifelike.

The air was dry and scorching, and the beast tamers walking on the streets were mostly burly, with dark skin and eyes that revealed a fierce and resolute spirit like red rock.

"The culture of cattle here is truly ingrained."

Li Zhen clicked his tongue. Along the way, he had seen more bovine spirit beasts than in the previous ten years combined.

"It's not just about cattle culture,"

Lin Chen's gaze swept over a towering spire in the city center, its top carved with a divine bull roaring towards the sky, and he said solemnly:
"There's also religion. Look, there's an altar or a statue of a sacred bull almost every hundred meters, and everyone who passes by will instinctively bow in respect."

"The control this 'Atuo Cult' has exerted over people's thoughts has probably reached an unbelievable level."

The two found a reasonably clean restaurant to stay in and briefly discussed their next plans.

Their target is the highest holy site of the Atuo religion – "Eternal Holy Mountain", the legendary resting place of the "Ancestral Divine Ox". The remains of the Ancestral Divine Ox that Xiaobai needs should be located there.

“This kind of place is bound to be a den of dragons and tigers, heavily guarded to the extreme,” Li Zhen analyzed. “The only way in is to sneak in or fight our way in.”

Lin Chen shook his head and said, "Unless absolutely necessary, we should not choose to fight our way in."

Li Zhen nodded. He was just saying it casually; he certainly didn't intend to be an enemy of a country.

After their meal, the two decided to go out into the city to find out more about Mount Wangu.

However, as soon as they stepped out of the restaurant, Lin Chen's brows furrowed suddenly:
"Something's wrong."

"What's wrong?" Li Zhen looked around and immediately noticed the abnormality.

The leisurely passersby on the street have disappeared, replaced by squads of soldiers clad in heavy crimson-gold armor.

On the chest of these soldiers' armor was uniformly branded a bull's head burning with golden flames, its eyes cold and filled with murderous intent.

They patrolled the streets in groups of three or five, sometimes even violently breaking into homes or shops to search, eliciting suppressed screams and cries.

The residents of the city were like frightened rabbits, their faces filled with fear, hurrying along with their heads down and hugging the corners of the walls, afraid of making any eye contact with the patrolling soldiers.

The entire city of Chiyan seemed to have transformed from a normal border fortress into a military prison within a short hour!
"What...what major event has happened?"

Li Zhen was also taken aback by the oppressive scene before him.

Just then, a series of heavy footsteps came from the alley entrance.

A group of cult members had already patrolled to this spot. The leader, a squad leader, had eyes as sharp as a hawk's and instantly locked onto the two of them.

"Who are you?!"

The squad leader shouted sternly, pointing at them from afar, his voice full of threat.

Lin Chen and Li Zhen felt a chill run down their spines, but remained outwardly calm.

"We are travelers from the Cangling Ancient Kingdom, passing through this place and preparing to rest."

Lin Chen clasped his hands in a fist salute and said in a humble yet assertive manner.

The squad leader looked them up and down, lingering for a few seconds on Li Zhen's bandaged right arm, before asking, "Do you have any clearance documents?"

At his command, the Holy Guards behind him immediately dispersed, forming an encirclement and slowly approaching.

Lin Chen and Li Zhen, adhering to the principle of "better to avoid trouble," took out their clearance documents. These weren't difficult to obtain; they could be bought for ten thousand yuan.
The administration of the Southern Burning Kingdom was utterly corrupt from top to bottom.

The squad leader was somewhat surprised by their cooperation, but he did not let his guard down.

After a thorough inspection, naturally nothing was found.

He patted Li Zhen's arm heavily, then waved his hand dismissively, "Martial law is in effect in the city. Don't wander around the streets! Get back to your lodgings right now!" Lin Chen and Li Zhen didn't say anything.

If they attack, this team won't survive a single move.

Fortunately, the captain left immediately. Lin Chen and Li Zhen returned to the restaurant and heard the news.

"Just half an hour ago, His Holiness the Pope suddenly issued a divine decree, saying... saying that the Vice-President is a blasphemous heretic who has betrayed the Church!"

"Right now, His Holiness the Pope's most elite 'Holy Spirit Guard' has been mobilized throughout the city to arrest all believers who follow the Vice-President!"

"They say... if you get caught, you're dead!"

Lin Chen and Li Zhen exchanged a glance, wondering if this was too much of a coincidence.

How could something like this happen in the Ancient Kingdom of Nanfen so soon after we arrived here?

Lin Chen and Li Zhen did not linger and continued south.

The largest city in the ancient kingdom of Nanfen was named Oman.

In the ancient kingdom of Nanfen, "Aman" means Brahma, who, according to legend, was a supreme god riding a bull who founded the ancient kingdom of Nanfen and its people.

Therefore, the ancient kingdom of Nanfen also referred to Oman as a holy city.

The journey, which should have taken only 10 days, took twice as long because martial law was declared inside the Southern Burning Ancient Kingdom.

Upon entering each city, one is subject to rigorous checks.

During this time, Lin Chen gradually learned what the vice sect leader had done to be hunted down.

The cult leader, Brad, stole a treasure from the cult, which led to him being hunted down by the Pope.

"This thing must be very expensive," Lin Chen said.

"Nonsense." Li Zhen rolled his eyes and said, "If it weren't so expensive, he wouldn't have given up the position of vice leader to become the one being hunted down."

Lin Chen thought about it and it seemed to make sense.

Being a deputy leader here, getting whatever you want, what's so worthwhile about stealing?

As the two were talking, they arrived in the holy city of Oman.

Before proceeding, necessary checks were required. Lin Chen and Li Zhen thought they could go in after the checks were completed, but the Holy Cult squad leader called out, "Wait."

The two turned around, wondering if they would have to pay again.
Along the way, they encountered many cultists who demanded money under the guise of inspection. Lin Chen and Li Zhen didn't need a couple hundred yuan, so they gave it to them.

However, from this, Lin Chen and Li Zhen understood why the Cangling Ancient Kingdom had never taken the Nanfen Ancient Kingdom seriously, and why the Nanfen Ancient Kingdom had always been at the lowest level among the major powers.

"Have you seen him?" The squad leader didn't take the money, but instead took out a painting.

Li Zhen glanced at it and immediately shook his head.

But when Lin Chen saw the painting, he was stunned for a moment, but then quickly shook his head.

"Let's go." The squad leader waved.

Once they were completely out of sight, Li Zhen looked around and asked in a low voice, "Have you seen them before?"

"I've met him before," Lin Chen said, sweating profusely. "And we're even somewhat familiar."

"what?"

Li Zhen was taken aback, wondering if Lin Chen's relationship was that significant.

Lin Chen exhaled, because of this person
This was the "tomb raider" who took the ancient book from Lin Chen that day and disappeared without a trace:
Xu Feng.

(End of this chapter)