Yang Fatty, whose full name is Yang Huchi, the founder of the Yang family from the north of Ji, was also the first wielder of Du Chengfeng’s heavy great saber.

When Du Chengfeng first honed that heavy great saber, he was impressed by this Yang Fatty, who knew how to market himself with gimmicks. After all, in a way, they had once walked side by side for some time—but these were people from a long time ago, even several generations of descendants have passed down, so how could he appear here in the Southern Chen’s imperial tomb?

Obviously, the giant in the Southern Chen imperial tomb, or rather the founding Grand Ancestor Emperor of Southern Chen, mastered some unknown secret technique. As for whether this secret technique restrains souls or is similar to the golden-armored deity of the Taiyin Mountain God Temple, he was unsure.

But this Southern Chen’s founding Grand Ancestor Emperor actually survived till now...

"No wonder the steppe people were beaten so badly when they attacked south. Southern Chen doesn’t seem in much of a hurry."

Du Chengfeng suddenly felt that some previously inexplicable doubts were resolved in this moment.

Indeed, there was no hurry. Even if those horseback steppe people fought fiercely in the north, once it came to crossing rivers or lakes, their horses wouldn’t be of much use—even if those steppe people were lucky and managed to cross rivers and lakes without losing much of their forces, when they approached the city, they would see a giant over ten meters tall walking towards them.

The invulnerable giant didn’t even need to use any weapons; it could just run over and trample a slew of them.

Moreover, this giant also mastered other secret techniques.

With such a massive giant guarding them, leave alone the steppe people, perhaps no force could truly shake the royal rule of Great Chen—perhaps this is the true aspect of the "ancient agreement" the old emperor mentioned moments ago, where the Great Chen royal family only needs the giant’s recognition to secure eternal lineage under the giant’s protection.

So, what is the price?

Evidently, it’s not lineage itself. At least from just now when the old emperor died, Du Chengfeng didn’t see a hint of love or care for descendants on the face of the towering Southern Chen Grand Ancestor.

When the huge giant looked at the old emperor, rather than looking at descendants, it was like looking at a mouse, an insect, or some other small creature.

Even as a bystander, Du Chengfeng could feel the indifference.

That gaze was never directed at a fellow being.

So the old emperor died, died swiftly, even if he might have spent his life striving, using all the resources an emperor could, to strengthen himself, the once high and mighty old emperor still lay on the ground, becoming a cold corpse.

The massive giant sat in that equally massive seat carved against the mountain wall, watching the deceased beneath his feet.

Until the young Crown Prince Chen Yu also walked into the imperial tomb.

He brought no retinue, nor any guards. Clearly, this was also part of some agreement—and upon seeing his father had already become a corpse, Crown Prince Chen Yu directly fell to the ground in shock, the glaring bloody red making it impossible for him to muster any strength.

Clearly, that harsh education from the old emperor hadn’t truly given Crown Prince Chen Yu a strong heart; instead, those terrifying slaughters crushed his courage from the start.

But at least this didn’t destroy the feelings a son has for his father.

"Grandfather Emperor! Save my father!"

In that moment, Crown Prince Chen Yu couldn’t even tell the generation difference, only knowing to hold his father’s head, repeatedly kowtowing in front of the massive giant.

"Grandfather Emperor! You can surely do it, right! Save my father! Save him! I beg you!"

"He is already dead."

The massive giant just shook his head.

"Death may perhaps be the most equalizing thing, even I can’t truly resurrect the dead... Go now, bury your father, and don’t forget our agreement."

"Ag-Agreement?"

Crown Prince Chen Yu was stunned.

"Grandfather Emperor, do you mean that I also need to come fight you? I must also come to you like my father did..."

"What else?"

The massive giant glanced at Crown Prince Chen Yu.

"Do you think you can just enjoy the benefits without paying any price? How could there be such a thing."

"This..."

Looking at the old emperor lying on the ground, then at the massive giant sitting in the huge seat, Crown Prince Chen Yu was speechless for a long time.

Clearly, Crown Prince Chen Yu had some understanding of his father’s strength and because of this he couldn’t bring himself to say yes in any way.

His terrifying, powerful, invincible father had fallen to the ground, and if he were to fight this Grand Ancestor Emperor... could he really do it?

"I... I can’t."

Crown Prince Chen Yu lowered his head deeply.

"I can’t, Grandfather Emperor, I really can’t..."

"You can’t?"

The massive giant slightly frowned.

"You actually said you can’t?"

"I can’t, I really can’t..."

Crown Prince Chen Yu desperately kowtowed.

"Grandfather Emperor, I truly can’t, it’s really impossible..."

"You know the consequences of not being able to, right?"

The massive giant’s eyes were indifferent.

"You don’t even want the throne?"

"No more, Grandfather Emperor, I don’t want it anymore, I don’t want anything anymore."

Crown Prince Chen Yu desperately kowtowed, at that moment, the fear of death surpassed everything.

"Grandfather Emperor, I won’t be an emperor, I don’t want anything, I won’t..."

"You think you can just not want it anymore?"

The massive giant shook his head.

Then, a giant droplet of blood fell on Crown Prince Chen Yu.

Though it was only a drop of blood falling on him, Crown Prince Chen Yu let out a hoarse wail, the pain was so immense that it caused the once kneeling Crown Prince Chen Yu to collapse onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

"This drop of blood will keep you alive, since you say you don’t want to be emperor, then live, live until someone can bring me some joy in your stead... If you can’t do that, or try to hide, you know the consequences, I will find you."

These words were spoken with extreme arrogance, but on this massive giant, it was incredibly real.

With such might, is anything impossible?

So, after enduring such extreme pain, Crown Prince Chen Yu eventually got up, took his father’s body out, and buried it in this imperial tomb.

Moreover, the sharp sword left behind by the old emperor was also collected by Crown Prince Chen Yu, keeping it with the weapons that carried his childhood memories, occasionally taking it out to polish, in memory of his strict yet loving father.

Until this sword ended up in Du Chengfeng’s hands.