"Oh, so that's how it is! I always wondered why you guys had to go through with those weird ritual ceremonies. Turns out it's all because of this 'Bloodcurse Pact!'" Shawn Young finally understood.
"Exactly. And since Annabelle Hung herself is bound by the Bloodcurse Pact, both sides have managed to keep these secrets for so many years. Sigh! More than a century has flown by—time really flies. After the fall of the Celestial Peace Kingdom, the ancestors of our Three Great Houses took the chance to leave behind all the bloodshed and violence. They used some of the treasures Annabelle Hung left them to reinvent themselves as businessmen, started their own ventures, and always kept in touch, helping each other through thick and thin. Even after all the dramatic changes in history, our strong foundation let us develop into what the Three Great Houses of China are today!" Quentin Easton explained.
Fiona Nangong chimed in, "Leaving the martial world was a smart move for our ancestors! If they'd stuck around in the underworld, we probably wouldn't have the prosperity the Three Great Houses enjoy now!"
Samuel Morin spoke up, "That was only possible because the Xiao Family Ancestor took most of the blame himself. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for all three ancestors to leave the martial world behind!"
Shawn Young asked curiously, "Oh? What does this have to do with the Xiao Family Ancestor?"
Samuel Morin replied, "Of course it's related! After Annabelle Hung used the Xiao Family Ancestor and the Blade Brotherhood brothers he brought, she wiped them out to silence them. That detachment had more than a thousand men, all borrowed from Luke Liu, the Blade Brotherhood Chief. The Blade Brotherhood didn't have that many people to begin with, just over ten thousand, but at the critical moment, they sent over a thousand to support Annabelle Hung and the three ancestors in Nanjing. But Annabelle Hung used her Black Venom Hex, and except for the Three Great Houses ancestors, the Xiao Family Ancestor, and his twelve closest followers, the entire detachment died from the curse! Such a huge responsibility—Annabelle Hung couldn't be blamed, thanks to the Bloodcurse Pact. So the Xiao Family Ancestor took it all on himself, broke away with his twelve followers from the Blade Brotherhood, and founded the Thirteen Enforcers!"
"Whoa! So that's how the Thirteen Enforcers came to be? That's way more twisted than I imagined!" Shawn Young exclaimed in shock.
"Sigh—there are just some things in life you can't change, no matter how hard you try," Quentin Easton said with a resigned look.
Quentin Easton's words made everyone fall silent for a moment. Then Shawn Young continued, "By the way, Mr. Easton, about that earth-shattering secret your Three Great Houses have been guarding—besides that huge stash in the Heavenly King's Celestial Vault, does it also have something to do with the Divided Celestial Peace Secret left behind by Annabelle Hung?"
"Yep, you got it, Shawn! The biggest secret guarded by our Three Great Houses, the Xiao Family, and Annabelle Hung herself is none other than the Divided Celestial Peace Secret!" Quentin Easton declared.
"So how do we unlock and understand this earth-shattering secret?" Shawn Young asked, his curiosity piqued.
"To unlock and truly grasp this secret, you need more than just all four Divine Beast Jade Signets gifted by Samuel Hung. You also have to break Annabelle Hung's Bloodcurse Pact. That pact is forged from her life’s blood and cultivation—only by breaking it can you receive her spiritual guidance and claim the whole secret!" Quentin Easton explained.
"Whoa—that setup is seriously tough! Not only do you need all four Divine Beast Jade Signets from your Three Great Houses and the Xiao Family, but you also have to break the ancient Bloodcurse Pact! They say it’s the hardest curse to crack between heaven and earth. No cultivator in history, righteous or evil, has ever broken it! That’s gotta be insanely difficult!" Shawn Young stuck out his tongue in disbelief.
"Exactly! But that’s also why it’s so effective at protecting the secret from nosy people. The consequences are massive—if it ever gets triggered, chaos could break out everywhere. Annabelle Hung knew this, so she buried it deep underground. It’s safer that way," Quentin Easton said.
Shawn Young’s curiosity was burning hotter than ever. He couldn’t help but ask, "You guys guard this secret so carefully—I really want to know, what exactly is this earth-shattering secret?"
As soon as Shawn Young spoke, Quentin Easton, Samuel Morin, and Fiona Nangong exchanged glances, their faces turning serious. A long silence followed before Samuel Morin finally replied, "Shawn, honestly, this secret is something our Three Great Houses have protected with all our strength. We always believed it should never see the light of day. If the truth were dug up, or if someone with bad intentions got hold of it, the whole world would be thrown into chaos!"
"Oh, I get it! If revealing the secret would mess up the world, then it’s definitely better to keep it buried forever!" Shawn Young agreed, even though he was dying to know what the secret was. He had to be reasonable after hearing Samuel Morin’s explanation.
"Well—actually—it's not like we can't tell you! After all, the Japanese and some other schemers have been sniffing around this secret for years. Our Three Great Houses are powerful, but the enemy has experts everywhere, always lurking in the shadows. Lately, their moves have only gotten bolder, and things are getting serious. Shawn, you’ve got real skills, and you’ve got the backing of the national authorities. With your help, we can protect this secret even better!" Quentin Easton said with a sigh.
"Hey, if you want my help and my crew’s help, that’s fine, but at least let us know what we’re actually protecting!" Shawn Young insisted.
"This secret has nothing to do with treasure or riches! It’s all about the feng shui of the Ancestral Dragon Line and a place called the Mirage Domain," Quentin Easton finally revealed after a long pause.
"Wait—the Ancestral Dragon Line? Isn’t that somewhere along the Kunlun Range? And what’s this Mirage Domain? Why does it sound so familiar?" Shawn Young exclaimed, surprised.
"Legend says the Ancestral Dragon Line of China originates in the Kunlun Range, but the whole range is just endless mountains and ridges. Sure, it’s called the ‘source of all dragon veins,’ but the real Ancestral Dragon Line—the one that guards China’s fate—is absolutely one of a kind. Whoever gets its blessing can rule the entire land!" Quentin Easton explained.
"Whoa, so that’s how it works! Whoever controls the Ancestral Dragon Line becomes the true boss of China. No wonder so many people are obsessed with it—it’s got insane allure!" Shawn Young commented, awestruck.
"Besides the Ancestral Dragon Line, there’s also the mysterious Mirage Domain! It’s hidden somewhere inside the dragon vein. If you can enter the Ancestral Dragon Line, you might get a shot at the Mirage Domain—but nobody really knows what’s inside or what it does," Quentin Easton added, still sounding mysterious.
"Hmm—the Mirage Domain, huh? I bet only those who actually get inside can figure it out. But honestly, none of us will probably get that chance. These secrets are way too important, and we absolutely can’t let them leak out!" Shawn Young nodded, understanding the gravity of it all. As a cultivator, he knew how crucial it was to keep the Ancestral Dragon Line safe from enemy forces.
"Exactly! That’s why we all have to stick together and protect these secrets," Samuel Morin said.
Just then, Shawn Young suddenly felt a ripple in his sea of consciousness—a flash of spiritual light, and a strange aura flickered past. He followed the sensation, raised his eyebrows, and stared straight at Fiona Nangong, his gaze burning.
"Hey, what are you up to now? Why are you staring at me like that? That’s seriously rude, you know!" Fiona Nangong pouted, seeing Shawn Young’s intense gaze fixed on her full chest. Her cheeks flushed, embarrassed and annoyed. She thought, ‘This guy is way too direct!’