Reborn as the Last van Ambrose-Chapter 134: The Emperor’s Tomb

"The Emperor’s Tomb?" Grim repeated, trying to process the significance of what Lin was telling him."The four Dragon Kings haven’t always ruled the Sea Realm?"

Lin shook her head, retrieving a small book bound in what appeared to be treated sharkskin. "That’s the simplified history most believe. The truth is more complex."

She opened the book. The writing was in a script Grim didn’t recognize, but the illustrations showed a massive dragon.

"Before the Four Dragon Kings, there was one ruler—the Dragon Emperor," Lin explained. "He created all dragons. Gave life to the sea realm."

"What happened to him?" Grim asked.

Lin turned the page, revealing an illustration of a massive battle. "The Great Calamity. No one knows exactly what caused it—the records were largely destroyed. What remains certain is that the Emperor sacrificed himself to save the sea realms."

She pointed to the final illustration—the Emperor’s form dissolving into light, surrounding four smaller dragons.

"Those four dragons—his most trusted generals—became the first Dragon Kings. They divided the seas into four domains. The Emperor himself was entombed in a hidden realm, accessible only with four keys that the kings created from his crown."

"And Jiaolong stole one of these keys," Grim said. "He’s trying to access the Emperor’s Tomb."

"Yes, though it should be impossible for him alone," Lin replied. "The tomb can only be opened when all four keys are united. That’s why the kings separated them—to ensure that no single entity could access the Emperor’s power without the agreement of all four seas." freewebnøvel.com

"Then why steal just one key?"

"That’s what troubles me." Lin closed the book. "Either he plans to somehow force the other kings to surrender their keys, or..."

"Or he’s working with someone who will obtain the others," Grim finished.

Lin nodded gravely. "Come, there’s something else I need to show you."

She led him deeper into her collection to a door almost invisible in the back wall. Again, she placed her hand against it, and the ice melted away to reveal a smaller chamber.

This room was darker, with walls of deep blue ice. A single pedestal stood in the center, supporting a block of clear ice. Suspended within was a journal bound in weathered leather.

"This is my most treasured possession," Lin said softly. "And one my father would destroy if he knew I had it."

She passed her hand over the ice block, and it melted away, allowing her to lift the journal.

"It belonged to the last human who visited the Sea Realm. One of the few who was welcomed rather than imprisoned."

She handed the journal to Grim. When he opened it, he was surprised to see the few words.

The first page made his heart skip a beat: Caius van Ambrose.

"My great-grandfather," Grim breathed. "How did you get this?"

"He left it here deliberately," Lin explained. "With my mother. They were... close."

Grim turned the pages carefully, skimming entries that detailed Caius’s experiences in the Sea Realm. His ancestor wrote of the wonders he’d seen and his diplomatic mission to establish relations between the Empire and the four Dragon Kings.

One passage caught his attention:

"The North Sea King, Ao Shun, remains the most resistant to formalized relations with the human realm. While Ao Guang of the East Sea sees potential benefits in trade and knowledge, Ao Shun maintains that humans are best kept ignorant of the deeper secrets of the waters. His position is not without merit—the disaster at Shen-Li Bay demonstrates what can happen when human ambition meets sea realm power without proper safeguards."

"What happened at Shen-Li Bay?" Grim asked.

"A human sorcerer attempted to harness water magic," Lin explained. "He drew power from the boundary between realms and lost control. The resulting tsunami destroyed three coastal cities and killed thousands—both humans and sea folk."

She touched the journal gently. "Caius helped prevent a war afterward. The Dragon Kings—particularly my father—wanted retribution against all human magic practitioners. Your ancestor convinced them that isolating the realms completely would eventually lead to more such incidents, not fewer."

Grim continued turning pages, stopping when he saw a sketch of the Emperor’s Tomb—a massive structure with four locks positioned around its perimeter.

"Ao Guang has shown me drawings of the Sacred Tomb, though I will never see it with my own eyes. No human has ever been permitted to enter that hidden realm."

A chill ran through Grim as he realized the magnitude of what Jiaolong might be pursuing.

The sound of approaching footsteps from the outer chamber made them both freeze.

"Someone’s coming," Lin whispered, taking the journal and quickly returning it to its ice block.

Before Grim could respond, the inner door dissolved, revealing Bi’an standing in the outer chamber. The tiger-dragon’s expression was a mixture of concern and disapproval.

"Grim," he said, his voice carefully neutral. "I’ve been looking for you. Suanni wishes to speak with you about what we’ve learned from Lord Ao Shun."

His gaze shifted to Lin. "Princess Lin. I wasn’t aware you were giving private tours of the palace."

"I wasn’t aware I needed permission to converse with guests in my own home, cousin," Lin replied coolly.

Grim stepped forward, trying to defuse the tension. "Bi’an, Princess Lin was just showing me some artifacts from my realm."

"I’m sure it has," Bi’an replied. "But there are matters we must discuss privately. Matters concerning Jiaolong."

"What has my father told you?" Lin asked.

"That Jiaolong accessed the Archive of Northern Waters without permission. That he may have taken something of value." Bi’an’s gaze sharpened. "He did not mention a key."

Lin tensed visibly. "You overheard."

"Dragons have keen hearing, cousin."

"Grim is not just any outsider," Lin retorted. "His ancestor—"

"Is precisely why he should not be involved in these matters," Bi’an interrupted. "The connection between the Ambrose bloodline and our realms is... complicated."

"Bi’an, if there’s something I should know about my family’s connection to the Sea Realm, now would be the time to tell me," Grim said.

"It is not my story to tell," Bi’an replied. "But I advise you to be careful who you talk to."

"But Grim deserves to know why my father reacted so strongly to his presence."

Their argument was interrupted by a soft sound from the outer chamber. All three turned to see an ice servant standing in the doorway.

"Princess Lin," the servant said, "Lord Ao Shun requests your immediate presence in his chamber."

Lin’s face paled slightly. "Did my father say why he wishes to see me?"

"The lord mentioned something about a missing key."

The servant’s gaze shifted briefly to Grim before returning to Lin. "He seemed... displeased."

Lin composed herself quickly. "Tell my father I will attend him shortly."

The servant bowed and departed.

"You need to leave," Lin said urgently once the servant was gone. "If my father hears about this..."

Lin moved to a shelf and retrieved a small object wrapped in silk. "Take this. It may help you understand what Jiaolong is seeking—and why it must be stopped."

She pressed the package into Grim’s hands. Through the silk, he could feel something cool and solid, roughly the size of his palm.

"What is it?" he asked.

"A fragment of history," Lin replied. "One that connects your bloodline to ours. Hide it well—my father would consider its removal from the palace an act of theft."

Lin led them through a narrow passage. "This will take you back to the guest quarters without crossing any of the main corridors."

At a junction, she stopped. "I must go to my father. Whatever happens, do not tell him what I’ve shown you."

"Be careful," Grim said, concerned by the fear he’d glimpsed in her eyes.

"Always," she replied with a small smile.

With that, she disappeared down a different corridor, leaving Grim and Bi’an alone.

"You’ve placed yourself in a dangerous position," Bi’an said quietly as they continued. "Lin’s fascination with humans is well-known, but her father tolerates it because he loves her."

"She believes I need to know these things," Grim replied, securing the silk-wrapped object inside his robe. "Something about my family’s connection to the Sea Realm."

"There is much about your lineage you don’t know," Bi’an acknowledged. "But this is neither the time nor the place to discuss it. We are being watched."

They reached a door that would lead them back to their assigned chambers. Before opening it, Bi’an placed a hand on Grim’s arm.

"Whatever Lin has given you, keep it hidden. And whatever feelings you may be developing for her.... stop... Romance between our realms has... historically ended poorly."

Before Grim could protest, Bi’an continued, "Jiaolong was here before us, in these same chambers. Lin may not be the only one he spoke with. Trust no one completely."

With that warning Grim thought who he could trust. There were too many creatures, too many variables that he had to consider. As they walked into Bi’an’s chamber, Suanni was waiting for them.