Lin Mu's words visibly eased the chief's worries.
"What I am searching for is something else entirely." Lin Mu explained calmly. "A hidden legacy. Perhaps a sealed inheritance. Perhaps a tomb."
His eyes wandered toward the mural again. "Whatever remains of the Virtuous Calamity Daoist himself."
The chief slowly relaxed and his shoulders visibly loosened.
"I am glad to hear that." He gently patted the crystal. "Our people owe their lives to this treasure."
"I understand." Lin Mu replied sincerely as he truly had no intention of taking it.
Apart from the moral implications, the crystal clearly served a vital function within the prison ecosystem. Removing it would likely doom this entire settlement.
Instead, Lin Mu asked another question. "Have you ever encountered anything resembling a hidden sanctuary or ancient tomb elsewhere within the Mad Demon Depths?"
The chief slowly shook his head. "Nothing like that."
"What about ancient ruins?"
