192

A Resilient Return

"Boom!"

Amidst the rubble, a crimson beam of light burst forth, piercing through the debris.

Diops was the first to climb out of the hole, turning back to extend a hand and help Forseti and the others out one by one.

The mountain's collapse had left most of the group injured. Fortunately, Forseti had employed the Holy Shield technique, shielding them from the deadly blow of the collapsing hill. Only one soldier had succumbed to the rocks, while the rest were safe from mortal danger.

However, most remained shaken, their expressions still reeling from the recent turmoil.

"What in the world was that? I've never seen such a colossal creature," Xiang Ligeng said, his voice trembling.

"Khonshu, you're well-versed; do you know the origin of that giant serpent?" Forseti asked, panting.

"I'm not sure." Khonshu' voice echoed from the statue, a tinge of fear evident. "It's hard to imagine such a terrifying being lurking within our realms... Even during the peak of Apocalypse's reign, that giant serpent was no match for him."

Agamotto exhaled deeply. "Thankfully, it paid us no heed."

Forseti scanned their surroundings.

The nearby terrain bore the scars of the serpent's onslaught, resembling the desolation foretold in the ancient verse "earth rent, mountains shattered."

"Iron Man is alive!" a soldier exclaimed.

But not far off, Tie Han lay pinned under a large stone, bloodied and clearly gravely injured, though still breathing.

"It's his fault! If he hadn't recklessly provoked the serpent, none of this would have happened!" another soldier raged. "Let him perish here for his folly!"

Another soldier interjected, "We must save him. With the Five Wise Men all gone, we can't justify their fate when we reach Shu..."

Forseti approached Tie Han and instructed Diops to move the stone, channeling holy light into the Iron Man and activating a burst of healing magic.

The holy light surged, swiftly mending Tie Han's wounds. Unfortunately, one of his legs had been crushed beyond repair, a grievous injury.

After some time, Tie Han rose from the ground, his voice trembling with horror and sorrow. "What about Second and Third... Where are they?"

"Your brothers perished," a soldier said solemnly, "their bodies were not recovered."

Tie Han's eyes reddened, his body trembling. He clenched his fist and struck his chest in anguish.

"Enough, cease your shouting, lest you summon that serpent back," Xiang Ligeng cautioned.

"Let's rest here for the night and search for the others in the morning," Forseti suggested.

Though the image of the sky-obscuring giant serpent had left an indelible mark on their hearts, it appeared to vanish completely after soaring away into the night.

Agamotto took the initiative to open a portal and sent word to all quarters, but there was no sign of the serpent's return anywhere, as if the harrowing night of the serpent's awakening had been a shared dream...

Several days later, the group finally arrived in Shu and presented the five daughters of Qin to the King of Shu.

As Forseti and his companions had anticipated, the current King of Shu was a hedonistic man, corpulent and ostentatious.

The King of Shu reclined on his throne, his obese frame seeming almost melded with the seat.

Upon hearing of the giant serpent, he appeared genuinely surprised and turned his gaze to Tie Han. "You claim this serpent towered taller than any mountain?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Iron Man replied with a grave expression, bowing his head.

"How did you manage to overcome it?"

Tie Han shook his head. "We were no match for the serpent. It effortlessly razed the Zitong Mountains. We owe our survival to Xiang Ligeng and his three companions."

The King of Shu blinked, regarding Forseti's trio. He smiled, "Three valiant warriors, you've rescued five beauties. You deserve a grand reward."

"Bring forth two cubits of silk and bestow it upon these three warriors!"

As the decree was issued, an elderly Shu official resembling a priest hastened to interject, "Your Majesty, we cannot comply; the kingdom of Shu possesses only the final two cubits of silk!"

"It's useless to hoard it when no one knows the art of weaving. Were it not for these three, the five beauties from Qin would have perished in Zitong. They deserve recognition."

The official appeared crestfallen but remained silent.

Throughout the audience, the King of Shu appeared indifferent to the deaths of the four warriors, a sight that drained the color from Tie Han's face as he knelt before the throne.

After a brief pause, a palace attendant presented a roll of fiery-red silk to Forseti.

Even before accepting it, Forseti sensed strange energy emanating from the fabric, prompting a surprised reaction.

This silken strand was likely a treasure.

The elderly priest couldn't resist commenting, "This is silk woven by Cang Cong, the founder of the Shu Kingdom. It has endured through the ages, with only the final two cubits remaining. Now, it is yours... Please safeguard it."

"Thank you, King of Shu," Forseti expressed his gratitude.

Subsequently, the King of Shu hosted a banquet, regaling his guests with merriment and laughter.

As they exited the palace grounds, out of earshot of Shu's attendants, Xiang Ligeng couldn't help but remark with a wry smile, "It won't be long before this land returns to Qin."

"What?" Diops queried casually, accepting the silk from Forseti and examining it.

Xiang Ligeng continued, "The King of Shu is shortsighted. He disregards the loss of strong warriors yet won't forget the five beauties. The natural peril of the Shu Kingdom was exposed by the giant serpent, yet he remains oblivious to the nation's peril."

At that, Diops remarked, "What shall we do with this silk?"

"Let me try something," Agamotto proposed.

"You've mastered the art of silk weaving?" Xiang Ligeng asked, astonished.

"No," Agamotto admitted, shaking his head, "but I've worked with similar high-level magical fabrics before. I believe I can put it to good use."

...

A few days later.

Forseti and Diops were enjoying a hearty meal in the wilderness when a crimson figure approached from afar.

The figure moved swiftly, spinning and leaping through the air with grace, tracing beautiful arcs.

"What's that?" Diops squinted with his single eye.

"It's Agamotto," Forseti said with surprise as the figure drew closer.

"Hahaha." Agamotto's laughter echoed from above as he descended to join them, hovering in the air.

A red cloak billowed behind him, seemingly supporting his flight and suspension, imbued with a magical aura.

"This is the 'Magic Floating Cloak' I crafted from silk. What do you think?" Agamotto performed a graceful aerial maneuver, showcasing its enchanting capabilities.

Diops' eyes gleamed with interest. "It's impressive, Agamotto. I'd like one too!"