The Royal Archives stood like a mountain of carved stone and ancient wood, its seven visible levels only hinting at the vast underground complex beneath. As our group approached with our royal warrant, I could feel the weight of millennia of accumulated knowledge pressing down from within those walls."Remember," I whispered to the team, "we're scholars researching the kingdom's founding. Act fascinated by everything.""That won't be hard," Old Wen muttered, his eyes bright with genuine excitement. "Some of these documents haven't been viewed in centuries."The Head Archivist, Madame Zhou, met us at the entrance. She was a severe woman with silver hair and eyes that seemed to catalog everything they saw."Duke Chen," she said, her tone neutral but watchful. "Your warrant is... comprehensive. Every document related to the founding families?""The king wishes to commemorate the five hundredth anniversary properly," I lied smoothly. "We need to ensure all historical accounts are accurate

The safe house was an abandoned monastery on the capital's outskirts, its holy formations still strong enough to prevent spiritual spying. Our expanded team gathered around a massive table covered in architectural plans, guard schedules, and formation diagrams."Change of plans," I announced, placing the treaty on the table. "We already have it."The room erupted in confused voices until I raised my hand for silence."Then why are we here?" Liu Feng asked."Because the Four Pillars don't know we succeeded. They think the treaty vanished when Master Feng dissolved. So they're moving their backup.""Backup?" Master Shen leaned forward."A second treaty. One with additional clauses they added over the centuries. Amendments that expand their immunity to cover any crime 'in service of kingdom prosperity.'""That's insane," Jin Hao said. "That would make them completely untouchable.""Which is why they kept it secret, even from the king. But now, with the original treaty supposedly destroye

The celebration in the safe house was muted. We'd succeeded, but the weight of what came next hung heavy in the air."They'll be tried tomorrow," King Liu said, having come personally to thank us. "Without immunity, they'll face justice for centuries of crimes.""Your Majesty," Qin Yao knelt, her son beside her. "I betrayed—""You were coerced," the king interrupted. "Duke Chen explained everything. Your actions tonight helping to seal their fate have earned you a full pardon."She wept with relief, but I noticed Shadow Walker watching from the corners, expression unreadable."Something's wrong," I murmured to Master Shen."The victory feels too easy?""No victory involving Divine Arbitration is easy. But—"A communication crystal shattered.Then another.Then all of them simultaneously."Barrier formation!" Master Shen shouted, but it was too late.The walls exploded inward. Not from outside—from inside the safe house itself.Through the smoke stepped someone I'd trusted completely.

The revelation of Jin Hao's possession changed everything, but we couldn't stop. The trial was in six hours, and we still needed the Secondary Covenant destroyed publicly to ensure the Four Pillars couldn't use it."New plan," I announced as Jin Hao recovered. "We go back to the Spire.""It's in ruins," Master Shen pointed out."The upper levels are. But the deep vault, the real vault—that's still intact."Shadow Walker studied her maps. "Level seventeen. The Absolute Vault. Even I never mapped it fully.""Because it doesn't exist in normal space," I explained. "The Four Pillars built it in a dimensional fold. The only way to access it is through the Infinity Lock we already passed—or through the emergency exit they don't think anyone knows about.""How do you know about it?"I pulled out Master Feng's final notes, written in his own transformed flesh before he dissolved. "He mapped it while he was part of the seal. Every passage, every defense.""That's convenient.""That's two hundr

The palace medical wing erupted in alarms just as I was preparing to leave. Not medical alarms—security."The Four Pillars' remnants," a guard reported, bursting in. "They've taken hostages in the lower city. They demand your presence, Duke Chen.""How many?""Three hundred civilians in the Grand Market. They say if you don't come alone in one hour, they start killing."I stood, my form solidifying from its conceptual flux. "They think they can bargain?""Wei, it's a trap," Jin Hao warned."Obviously. But three hundred lives aren't negotiable." I moved toward the door, then paused. "Actually, that's exactly what they are. Commerce remnants would think in transactions.""You're not going alone," Ming Yue declared."No. But they'll think I am." I turned to Shadow Walker. "How many of our people can you hide in absolute darkness?""Seven, maybe eight.""Do it. Jin Hao, you're with them. Master Shen—""Will be providing barrier support from range," he interrupted. "I know my role.""The h