Chapter 290: The Massive Treasure
[Chapter 290: The Massive Treasure]
After confirming the location of the treasure, Linton saw no reason to continue with the original itinerary.
As they exited the temple, he turned to the elegant guide, Miss Prasha.
"Miss Prasha, I've truly come to admire the Padmanabhaswamy Temple," he said. "I'd like to stay a while longer to study and absorb its cultural depth."
Prasha blinked. "Sir, what about the rest of our journey? We still have five more temples on the schedule."
"Let's end the trip here."
She hesitated. "Sir, that may be difficult. We signed a formal contract with the company."
"No worries," Linton replied calmly. "I'll pay the full amount as compensation for ending it early."
Prasha smiled politely. "Thank you for your generosity, sir." She had no reason to object -- he was courteous, respectful, and still honoring his financial commitment.
The next morning, they visited a bank, completed the payments with Mountain Tours, and then went their separate ways.
---
Though Linton had reached the Celestial Presence stage and could fast for months without discomfort, habit led him to stock up on bottled water and packaged food from a local supermarket. He packed the items in an ordinary backpack and returned to the temple, blending in with the other tourists.
The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, located in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, was originally constructed during the Sangam period (500 BCE to 300 CE) and later renovated by the Travancore royal family in the 18th century. After Indian independence, the princely states of Travancore and Cochin merged with parts of the Madras Presidency to form modern-day Kerala. The temple continued to be managed by the descendants of the Travancore royal family.
...
Inside, the scent of incense filled the air, chants echoed through the halls, and a stream of devotees and tourists moved steadily through the grand complex.
Religion plays a deeply rooted role in Indian society. Over generations, many devotees had donated generously to temples -- sometimes even family heirlooms or life savings -- as acts of gratitude or devotion. As a result, temples like Padmanabhaswamy had grown not only in spiritual stature but in material wealth as well.
The temple grounds were expansive. The inner courtyards, bordered by long pillared corridors, measured approximately 240 by 120 meters. Surrounding them, brick walls enclosed an outer courtyard nearly 350 meters on each side. At the eastern entrance stood an elaborately carved gopuram, flanked by towering guardian figures. The interior featured a flagstaff hall, two large interconnected worship halls, the main front hall, and the sanctum's vimana -- all aligned along an east-west axis. The vimana itself stood atop a 25-meter square base, rising into a 13-tiered tower with sharp, angular edges, topped by a massive black granite dome weighing around 80 tons.
Even without counting the golden statues and jeweled icons, the architecture alone was awe-inspiring.
...
In a quiet corner, unnoticed by others, Linton activated his Underground Movement Technique and silently sank into the earth.
At a depth of 200 meters, he discovered an ancient stone passage. He moved about 20 meters through the narrow corridor until he arrived at a large chamber. It was clearly artificial -- not a natural cave.
Opposite the entrance stood a massive black iron door, carved in high relief with two immense cobras. Their coiled bodies and flared hoods seemed to slither right off the surface, as if preparing to strike intruders. In the silence of the underground, the door exuded an eerie and ancient menace.
Linton pressed his hand against it -- it didn't budge. It was sealed with a mechanism, likely one that required a special ritual or key. Brute force could crack it open, but the resulting noise and damage would alert the temple authorities and likely trigger investigations.
It was a challenge for most -- but not for someone at Linton's level. With a thought, he phased through the door using his movement technique and emerged on the other side.
...
He entered a vast underground hall, about three meters high and 200 square meters in area, supported by four carved stone pillars. The walls featured faint reliefs, and the pillars were etched with strange beasts whose meaning eluded him. The faint breeze told him the ventilation system, likely designed over a century ago, was still functional -- evidence of the chamber's incredible construction quality.
And there it was.
A shimmering mountain of gold.
Stacks of bars, heavy chains over two meters long, several golden crowns, a 1.2-meter tall elephant statue cast in solid gold, a smaller gold elephant, and even a humanoid figure standing roughly a meter high. The gold alone had to weigh at least 50 tons.
More than enough to forge his Life Sword.
From what he understood, the sword required refined gold, which could only be extracted from raw gold in minuscule quantities -- often just one to two ounces per ton. A basic Life Sword required two pounds of refined gold, meaning at least 20 tons of raw gold. But as a first-time forger, he knew mistakes and losses were inevitable.
Twenty tons wouldn't cut it. To ensure success -- and maybe even strengthen the weapon's power -- he'd need more.
That's why he came to India so soon after entering the Celestial Presence stage. In the U.S., quietly acquiring even ten tons of gold would be impossible for someone like him. With gold priced at \$32 million per ton, the cost of such quantities would exceed a billion dollars. Even if he had the money, the moment he tried to move that much gold, the government would take notice. Financial regulators would flag him instantly.
But here, in an ancient subterranean vault far from modern oversight, he had a rare opportunity -- one he would never get in any developed country.
...
Beyond the gold, the chamber also contained countless treasures: East India Company coins, Napoleonic-era currency, diamond-encrusted crowns, and an abundance of jeweled ornaments. Their total value likely exceeded even the gold, but for now, the metal was what Linton needed most.
He stood before the treasure, silent.
Linton reassured himself that the locals had long forgotten this hidden trove -- sealed away for generations, its existence buried beneath time and secrecy. He also knew that taking treasure from a sacred site might invite a curse or divine retribution. But he was prepared to bear that burden. With his current power at the Celestial Presence stage, he believed he could withstand -- or overcome -- whatever spiritual consequences might come his way.
*****
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