Chapter 30: The Grand Master’s Room

A stone array revolved in a mysterious way before opening to reveal the hallway beyond it. There was no sound or sign of movement within—and yet Rihan steadily formed seals as he approaches the hallway's threshold and stepped into it.

It felt like passing through the air made thicker by time and stasis. When his foot finally touched the ground again, however, everything appeared perfectly normal.

Only once that sensation passed did Rihan realize how quiet it was in here. The noise from the hall outside receded swiftly enough that soon only echoes remained.

He couldn't have waited until tomorrow to check out the area because the Blackwell Union is currently occupied with the action of the Royal Families.

Thus, while it seemed strange at first glance that there wasn't any guard present on this floor, given all of those involved elsewhere, it didn't come across as too unnatural.

"If we wait too long, the path will close," he muttered alone.

Rihan strolled into a hallway lit by torches mounted on potted plants in decorative iron sconces and glanced back at the double doors behind him to make sure that no one was following him.

He walks as if he's been in the hallway before, taking each step deliberately so as not to draw attention to himself. But when someone speaks up suddenly, Rihan jerks in surprise; but doesn't turn around right away.

After hesitating for several seconds, just barely allowing enough time to pass for them to walk by, Rihan quickly walks away from the source of their voice.

The two guards patrolling didn't even bother glancing his way as they continue along their route without slowing down.

They're both armed, and wearing black-dyed leather armour similar to what Rihan has seen members of the Blackwell Union wear, except these ones aren't branded like theirs are.

That's why it looks strange to see such young men carrying swords and spears—not to mention that one of the pair also holds an axe.

Once past the corridor where the potted plants stand, the hallways take on a different appearance entirely: the walls were covered with wood panelling painted red instead of white or grey, with paintings hung above them in gold frames.

There wasn't any decoration on either wall or ceiling aside from portraits hanging at regular intervals showing the heads of various clans within the Blackwell Union.

There was another painting nearby, however—a large portrait stashed between two other paintings featuring faces familiar to him—that looked somewhat off compared to everything else.

"This wasn't here when I entered the Golden Pavilion in my past life." It must have belonged to the clan that occupied this place prior to disappearing into thin air in the past, he muses.

The clan leader who vanished alongside their entire clan hadn't simply run out into the open streets and disappeared completely though; they'd left behind something more than a note explaining what had happened.

That was how Rihan was able to find the Golde Contracts and was able to reawaken the secret technique used by the Old Clans to once again enter the Golden Pavilion.

He didn't understand why one of the remaining clans wouldn't show up until later, but that wasn't important right now.

Right now, there's only one thing that matters: whether or not he can use this opportunity to stick a wrench in the Blackwell Union's plan.

"It's time the Royal Family took action against them," Rihan muttered under his breath as soon as his foot touched down on the stone floor inside the hall.

"I will make sure that the Blackwell Union will suffer as much as possible this time around before burying their plans." he said with determination.

His first target would be the Golden Pavilion and the treasure stored within it—which is essential to the Blackwell Union's efforts for power.

As long as I'm able to stop them from consuming the cultivation resources that they've painstakingly amassed, I should be able to stave off the disaster they've caused and ensure everyone still has some hope of living.

That's all that really matters at this point, he concluded silently, walking away until finally coming across a staircase leading upwards.

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As soon as Rihan set foot inside its upper landing—he immediately notices how quiet it is—the pauses briefly before making his way, passing many larger paintings along the way until reaching an ornately decorated door.

"The Grand Master's room?" He asked himself out loud but did not expect any answer.

After waiting patiently for some time without any guards showing up, Rihan tried opening the wooden door only to find that it wouldn't budge.

After feeling around carefully with both hands, the boy found nothing else on the wooden door except for a keyhole.

"So, this is why with just the Golden Key, they were able to access the other room and use the features of the Golden Pavilion," mused Rihan quietly while examining the lock from top to bottom.

If there's no trick to picking this one, there must be an array that the Golden Key activates when inserted.

He stares intently at the keyhole, which is embedded in between two heavy wooden panels covered in elaborate carvings before strolling away from it and pausing next to a nearby pillar.

This will probably do if I don't have time for anything fancy, so I guess I'll give it a try after all. Then again, what kind of tricks are involved here?

As if answering his words, the golden bell attached to the doorway tinkles loudly after his brief pauses.

The sound makes Rihan scoff softly "We should probably start getting ready."

His eyes scrunched as his brow furrowed slightly, yet still without moving; a frown begins to form on his lips when something caught his attention again.

"What's going on?" A woman's voice suddenly stuttered from outside.

Her stares were filled with surprise and anger as she spoke with a quiver in her tone—like someone who has just received bad news.

A deep sigh followed by the clicking of heels on marble made their way towards him from somewhere below where the stairs were.

It sounded like she had arrived on the floor while accompanied by a group of people.

Rihan's hands swiftly formed a mysterious seal in front of the wooden door. As soon as it finished forming, it vanished completely along with any trace of its existence leaving behind no visible evidence that it was ever there.

Rihan waited patiently, keeping his ears open to hear what else would happen next—a familiar stench soon came when one of his ears picked up sounds coming out from another corridor, not more than ten meters away from where he stood.

A series of intricate formations form itself inside the stone walls, creating several glowing lights.

There's a clear pattern between the sequence of movements used for each array and the layout of the passages beyond the hallways leading into the Grand Master's room.

When the patterns reach a certain point and match those surrounding Rihan, a blue light slowly fades away and engulfs him and his surroundings before receding once again.

"Hmph," muttered Rihan, he slowly disappear into thin air before reappearing inside the Grand Master's Room beyond the wooden door.

The stench he smelled earlier lingers faintly about before vanishing entirely as he enters the room.

"She's still wearing that perfume? It sure stinks," He whispers under his breath before peeking around the Grand Master's room which appeared empty and abandoned at first glance.

Then again, there is nowhere anyone could be in here with the current Chief and the Golden Key confiscated by the Royal Family.

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