The presence of the skeleton and a ring identical to his own left Lam Minh utterly stunned. A cascade of questions and incredible speculations flooded his mind.
Why was there a skeleton here, in this secluded cave? Who was this person? Why did he have a Storage Ring identical to Lac Long Quan's? Could this also be a member of the Dragon race?
He carefully approached the rock wall. The barrier concealing the secret space was powerful and ancient, but it wasn't aggressive. It seemed to serve only for concealment.
He placed his hand on the rock wall, slowly channeling his Dragon Qi into it. He didn't break it, but used the very aura of the Dragon race to "communicate," to ask for permission to enter.
The barrier seemed to sense the familiar energy. It vibrated slightly, then slowly opened a small passage, just large enough for one person to step through.
Lam Minh took a breath, then stepped inside.
Inside was a small space, only a few square meters wide. The air was dry and cold. In the center, a skeleton sat in a meditative posture, its back leaning against the rock wall. The skeleton had turned the ivory yellow of age, but it was still intact, radiating a powerful aura even though its owner had been dead for a very long time.
Based on the frame, Lam Minh could guess that this was a tall man. On the skeleton, a few tattered remnants of a decayed battle robe still clung.
And on the index finger of the right hand was the black Storage Ring.
Lam Minh slowly approached, bowing his head to the skeleton in a gesture of respect for a senior. Though he didn't know who this person was, to be able to die here so quietly, he was certainly no ordinary man.
He carefully removed the ring from the skeleton's finger.
The moment he touched the ring, a faint stream of information, a final lingering remnant of a will, suddenly flowed into his mind.
It wasn't a complete memory, but fragmented, fleeting images.
He saw the image of a tall, resolute man, wearing a majestic dragon battle armor, fighting alongside Lac Long Quan.
He saw them fighting giant monsters together, drinking together, laughing together.
He saw the image of this man being gravely wounded in a battle, seemingly ambushed by someone.
And the final image was of this man, on the verge of death, using his last bit of strength to create this barrier, then sitting down, and quietly passing away.
And a weak, intermittent voice echoed in his mind.
"King... Father... beware... the... mole..."
The remnant will ended.
Lam Minh stood frozen, his heart pounding.
This man... was a Dragon race warrior, a close comrade of Lac Long an. And his death was caused by the assassination of a mole!
This matched what he had been investigating. The "Holy Way of Salvation" organization had existed for a long time, and they had managed to plant moles into the ranks of humanity, even among those close to the leaders.
Lac Long Quan probably knew this too, but he had no proof and couldn't act rashly.
Lam Minh clenched the ring in his hand. He felt a surge of indignation and a heavy sense of responsibility. He wasn't just fighting for the present, but also to bring justice to the heroes who had fallen in the past.
He used his spiritual sense, trying to connect with the ring. Just like his own, it quickly acknowledged him as its owner.
He probed inside. The space in this ring was slightly larger than his. But inside, it was nearly empty. There were only a few old personal items, a few sets of clothes, and a wooden box placed neatly in the center.
Curious, Lam Minh took out the wooden box.
The box wasn't locked. He opened it gently.
Inside was not a cultivation technique, not a divine weapon, but something that left him stunned.
An egg.
An egg the size of a watermelon, with a turquoise shell, naturally engraved with golden dragon patterns. The egg was still warm, and he could feel a faint but incredibly powerful life force beating within.
"This is... a dragon egg?"
Lam Minh was completely shocked. Dragons, creatures that existed only in legends, a race thought to have vanished. Yet now, a dragon egg was in his hands.
This senior, before he died, had used all his remaining life force not to heal himself, but to protect and sustain the life of this egg.
This was not just a life. This was the last hope of an entire race.
Lam Minh carefully placed the egg back in the box, then put both the box and the ring into his own Storage Ring.
He once again bowed deeply before the skeleton.
"Senior, may you rest in peace. Your feud, your hope, this junior Lam Minh will accept it. One day, I will definitely find the one who harmed you, and I will let the Dragon race soar in these skies once more."
He used his spiritual energy to create a gust of wind, sweeping up dust and rock, sealing the secret space and creating an eternal tomb for the nameless warrior.
Then, he turned and left.
His hunt had ended, but a new journey, a new responsibility, had just begun. He was no longer fighting just for himself, but for a legacy, for a promise to the departed.
...
Carrying heavy secrets and a new responsibility, Lam Minh finally decided to return to Lac Hong Academy. He knew he couldn't wander outside forever. He needed to go back, both to settle his state of mind and to arrange his next plans.
His journey back was unhurried. He took the time to comprehend the "Myriad Waters Return to Origin" mental art that the Golden Turtle had imparted to him. This mental art not only boosted his defensive and recovery abilities but also helped him regulate the Dragon Qi in his body more smoothly. His Golden Core, nourished by the mental art, became even more stable and introverted, no longer exuding the domineering aura it had when he first broke through.
When he returned to the academy, everything seemed to be proceeding as normal.
Under the management of To Quyen, Quynh Nhu, and Ly Thien Ba, the academy had fallen into a steady rhythm. The students were undergoing hellish training; roars and the sounds of impact echoed across the training grounds. Though it was arduous, a determined will shone on everyone's face.
Lam Minh did not appear publicly. He just observed quietly from a distance, satisfied with what his comrades had accomplished. He didn't interfere, allowing them the space to develop their own leadership skills.
He returned to his "headmaster's" room, a quiet and isolated place. He carefully took out the dragon egg, placing it in a nest lined with warm medicinal herbs he had. He used a small wisp of his Dragon Qi to nourish it every day, hoping that one day it might hatch.
The following days passed with an unusual peace.
There was no news about the "Holy Way of Salvation."
There were no attacks from the Madakaros.
The world seemed to be in a state of a genuine "ceasefire."
But it was this very peace that made Lam Minh feel uneasy. He knew this was just the quiet before an even greater storm. The enemy was definitely plotting something.
He spent most of his time cultivating, consolidating his Golden Core realm, and studying the data he had collected. He tried to find any clues, no matter how small, about the hidden enemy.
One afternoon, as he was meditating in his room, To Quyen knocked and entered.
"Lam Minh, are you there?"
"What's the matter, Vice-Headmaster?" Lam Minh opened his eyes, smiling teasingly.
"Stop joking," To Quyen said, her expression somewhat serious. "There's something I think I need to report to you."
She handed him a tablet. On it was a report from the academy's security department.
"Lately," To Quyen said, "we've noticed a few students behaving very strangely. They often gather secretly at night in the forest behind the academy. And... their strength has been increasing at a very abnormal rate. In just one month, a few of them have gone from being ordinary people to nearly reaching the threshold of the Late Stage of Qi Refining."
Lam Minh frowned. "That fast?"
He knew the academy's training program was harsh, but achieving such rapid progress was impossible. Even top geniuses needed time to accumulate.
"That's right," To Quyen said, her face full of worry. "I suspect they are using some kind of unorthodox cultivation method, perhaps a forbidden art or stimulants. This is very dangerous and could affect the other students."
"Have you sent people to investigate?"
"Yes. But when the patrol team arrived, they didn't find anything. It was as if that group of students knew beforehand and had already dispersed. I suspect that among them, there's someone very skilled in concealment and counter-surveillance," To Quyen said.
Lam Minh's intuition told him this matter was not simple.
Lac Hong Academy was a gathering place for the most elite and promising youths. If some power wanted to plant its people or spread an ideology, an evil cultivation method, this was the most ideal place.
And when he thought of "evil methods" and "abnormal progress," the two words "Saintly Way" popped into his head.
"Could it be... they've already infiltrated this deep?" he thought to himself, a chill running down his spine.
"Tonight, I'll go check it out myself," Lam Minh said to To Quyen, his eyes becoming sharp. "You just let things proceed as usual, don't alert them. I want to see what tricks these rats are up to."
To Quyen nodded. She knew that once Lam Minh took action, all mysteries would be solved.
That night.
Lam Minh entered the forest behind the academy alone. He didn't use his spiritual sense, for fear of being detected. He relied solely on his concealment skills and a hunter's intuition.
He arrived at a clearing deep in the forest, the place the patrol team had reported. The area looked completely normal, with no special traces.
He wasn't in a hurry. He found a high branch, hid himself in the shadows of the leaves, and waited silently. He believed they would return.
Time passed. Midnight.
Just when he was about to think he had guessed wrong, he sensed movement.
A few figures, moving stealthily, slowly entered the clearing. It was the group of students To Quyen had mentioned.
But they were not the only ones.
Following behind them was a figure he had not expected.
Someone who should not have been there.
It was one of the academy's training instructors. A former Blacklight officer, personally recommended by General Khang, famous for his strictness and discipline.
And in that instructor's hand was a small box, emitting a familiar, dark aura.
It was the aura of the "Saintly Way."
The enemy hadn't just infiltrated the student ranks.
They were already right inside the academy's management.