Just then, Faustin contacted Lucy Luan using a Messenger Charm and told her he was safe.
The three met up, and Faustin explained that Baxa had asked about their identities and then let him go.
He said it was to thank them for saving the Silver Clementine Kingdom—this time he'd let them off the hook, and their debts were settled.
"He already knows about the Silver Clementine Kingdom?" Lucy asked.
Faustin nodded. "I even told him you guys already knew about Lana He and Bifang. I asked if we could meet and talk, but he refused."
"Why did he refuse?"
"He said you can't help him."
"We can't help him?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "One of us is the Celestial Emperor's son, the other is the Saint Maiden of the Lumina Realm—how could we possibly not help him?"
"That's what I said, but he just shook his head," Faustin replied.
Sean Shaw frowned. "If that's the case... then what he wants isn't just to save people."
Lucy asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"If he only wanted to save people, we could help. But maybe he has other plans—plans we wouldn't agree with, maybe even stop. That's why he won't talk to us."
"Then what does he want to do?"
"No idea." Sean frowned. "Let's head back to Drake Abyss! The Tracking Rune's already in his body—let's see if my father knows anything."
Lucy nodded, thanked Faustin sincerely, and escorted him back to the Sigil Sect.
The two returned to Drake Abyss, but instead of going straight to the Palace Guard Barracks, they headed for the temple first.
Emperor Evan Xiao’s tomb sits at the bottom of the sea.
It’s a spectacular, dazzling Crystal Palace.
Divine Army troops stand guard around it all year.
Before diving, Lucy taught Sean the Invisibility Technique she learned from the demon beast in Clearwind Gorge.
They strolled right past the guards and walked up to the barrier.
There’s no entrance to the barrier.
Lucy tried poking a hole in it with the talisman paper Faustin gave her.
Just like she did when sneaking peaches from Peach Blossom Haven.
But this barrier was something else—it didn’t move at all.
"Whoa! What kind of barrier is this? The Breaking Talisman does nothing!"
Sean said, "I heard this barrier was formed from the inside after the burial. That means it’s probably controlled by the Gatekeeper—no one outside can get in."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the barrier shimmered and a door appeared.
They exchanged a look and stepped inside.
At the center of the Crystal Palace stood a Spirit Tree, with a refined Celestial Stone Coffin beneath it.
Judging by the seals and inscriptions, this was indeed Emperor Evan Xiao’s coffin.
Lucy stared at the Spirit Tree, baffled. "Why would anyone plant a tree at the bottom of the sea?"
Sean said, "That’s probably the Gatekeeper! Somehow, she’s turned into a tree again."
"Why do you think she’s the Gatekeeper?" Lucy asked, confused.
"There’s a gourd hanging from the tree."
Lucy walked over and, sure enough, there was a cracked gourd hanging from the branches!
Legend has it, two incarnations of the Gatekeeper once came out of this gourd.
Later, when the Gatekeeper became human again, the two merged into one.
"It really is the Gatekeeper!" Lucy bowed. "I am Lucy Luan, descendant of Lucas Kee and Sienna Quinn, here to pay my respects!"
As she bowed, spiritual energy surged, forming a rainbow that spiraled around her.
"A rainbow!" Lucy laughed with delight. "Another rainbow!"
As she spoke, a second, smaller rainbow arced toward Sean, who was standing a little farther away.