Sean Xuan was absolutely right. The Former Dynasty didn’t build this treasure tower to teach its descendants how to rule, nor out of worry that they’d go hungry or cold. They built it to give their heirs a capital for turning the tables.
If the Lan clan’s rule ever faltered, their descendants could rely on what’s inside Ninefold Heaven to defend their realm—or take it back.
The third level of Ninefold Heaven is pure gold and jewels, mostly gold—easy to liquidate. Open a chest and the glare nearly blinds you.
“I’ve never seen this much gold before.” Serena admitted, half joking that she was starting to hate the rich.
“Compared to the Former Dynasty, the Lu family’s fortune is nothing.” Just one room of gold here dwarfed all the gold the Lu clan kept on their island, and there were over fifty rooms packed with gold on this floor alone.
The Former Dynasty wasn’t just wealthy—it was the kind of wealth that made people envious. No wonder the moment it showed weakness, someone swooped in and seized the throne.
That’s what sets emperors apart.
“All the world’s wealth was in the Former Dynasty’s hands. No one could rival it.” Prince Nolan casually picked up a gold ingot, then tossed it back. The clang echoed sharply in the room.
“Gold is nice, but it’s not as useful as weapons or grain.” Gold only becomes valuable when you trade it for food and arms, which is its own headache.
You can’t eat gold.
“There shouldn’t be any grain here. If there was… it would have spoiled by now.” Serena doubted the Former Dynasty could have left any provisions; even if emperors hoarded wealth, after the dynasty fell, no one would have replaced old grain with fresh.
“A shame,” Prince Nolan agreed. Even if there was grain, it would be useless now.
“Let’s check upstairs.” Prince Nolan and Serena moved ahead, and what they found on the fourth level amazed everyone.
“Is that a warship?”
The fourth level was empty—or rather, it was a port. Outside, a massive warship was docked, ready to be launched into the water and set sail.
Serena clicked her tongue in wonder. “With this ship, we can take everything with us.”
You had to admit, the Lan clan really thought of everything. They picked the perfect spot—mountains, water, and with this ship, moving all these treasures wouldn’t be hard at all.
No need for another trip—it was a blessing. Serena had no desire to walk through that gloomy mausoleum again.
“Let’s go up and check.” The Eighteen Riders brought Snow Wolf aboard and inspected the ship. After checking, all eighteen were even more excited: “The ship is intact, fully operational, and stocked with fuel. We can leave anytime.”
“You all stay here and move the books, weapons, and gold from below onto the ship,” Prince Nolan ordered the Eighteen Riders to remain. He, Serena, and Sean Xuan continued upward, but…
“We can’t get in.” Prince Nolan bled into the hourglass again, face turning pale, but the fifth-level gate stayed tightly shut. The blood in the hourglass didn’t decrease—it just sat there, quietly refusing him.
“It’s not recognizing you?” Serena raised her eyebrows, puzzled.
If they didn’t accept Prince Nolan as Lan blood, then why did the first four floors let him in?
“Half the bloodline, half the floors?” Sean Xuan was just as confused. They tried everything, but couldn’t get through this level.
“I’m not a direct Lan heir. Beyond this point, we’re not allowed.” Prince Nolan agreed with Sean Xuan and stopped trying.
The Former Dynasty’s engineering was ingenious. None of them were mechanism experts, so it was normal they couldn’t figure it out.
“We can’t force this door.” Serena had checked the material of the gates on the lower floors; she couldn’t identify it, but was sure even thunder-blast grenades wouldn’t open it.
“Mm.” Prince Nolan pressed his wound to stop the bleeding, stepped back, and stared at the sealed gate for a long moment. Finally, he closed his eyes and said, “Let’s go down.”
Even if he was sure the upper levels held better things, he didn’t want to risk it.
Treasure is great, but it’s useless if you die getting it. With weapons and gold, he could conquer the realm. As for what’s above the fifth level…
Maybe one day he’d open it, but not now—not by risking his and Serena’s lives.
“You’re giving up?” Serena raised her brows in surprise; that wasn’t like Prince Nolan at all.
“Not giving up—just knowing when to stop. I’m not alone anymore.”
“I agree. There’s no need for us to take any more risks.” Serena wanted to open the fifth level and haul out all the treasure, but now she didn’t dare.
Maybe in the past, she would’ve tried. But now…
Serena gently touched her lower belly and smiled tenderly. Prince Nolan thought she was just unwell; for several nights he’d quietly warmed her belly with his hand. He didn’t know an even bigger surprise was waiting for him.
Of course, Serena didn’t plan to say anything yet. She’d wait until they left the mausoleum, run a self-check, and only tell Prince Nolan once she was sure—no use getting his hopes up for nothing.
“What’s wrong?” Prince Nolan, thinking Serena felt sick, grew worried.
“Nothing, I’m just happy.” Serena shook her head lightly, signaling Nolan not to worry. She glanced back at the sealed fifth level, squeezed his hand, and said, “Contentment is happiness. The Former Dynasty’s treasure is so much, and that ship can only carry so much. If we can leave with the first three levels’ worth, I’m satisfied.”
“Serena’s right. Judging by the first three floors, the upper ones are probably full of troops and provisions—things you don’t really lack. With all this gold, raising an army is just a matter of time.” Sean Xuan chimed in to reassure them.
They’d reached the treasure mountain, but couldn’t get through the final door. It wasn’t like they were leaving empty-handed, but more than half the loot was out of reach. Even Sean Xuan felt it was a pity, not just Prince Nolan.
“Yeah, this is enough. There’s no need to risk anything.” After all, he wasn’t a true Lan heir. Getting this much from the Former Dynasty’s hoard, safe and sound, was satisfaction enough.
There was way more inside Ninefold Heaven than he’d ever imagined.
Prince Nolan wasn’t one to hesitate or regret. Once he made a decision, he didn’t look back or feel any sense of loss.
The first three floors’ loot was enough. Eastlyn’s armies needed time to rest and recover, and with that time, he could gather troops and supplies.
Prince Nolan gave up on the upper five levels for good. Together with the Eighteen Riders, he moved all the weapons, gold, and books onto the ship, ready to head back to Eastlyn.
They’d been gone long enough; it was time to go home. Now that they’d found the route, coming back someday would be easy. But…
When they were finally ready to set out, they discovered—the ship wouldn’t move!