The Blackspine City stood on the western side of the Ebony Mountain range, in the shadow of the single tallest mountain in the world, known as the Celestial Peak.
The city itself was moderately large with 2 great families making this their place of residence and 2 other sects lived close to the city as well, about an hour's travel on a carriage from the city.
When Alex and the rest arrived in the city through teleportation, the city was still in shade from the mountain to the east. Those who were here for the first time couldn't help but peer to the east where the mountain stood up tall like a spike out of the ground.
With all the mountain range still in shadow, marred with black, they truly did look like black spines growing from the ground.
"Please let everyone know we are coming," the Ebony King told his subordinate who quickly went to carry out his information. The King then turned toward Alex and asked them to come along.
Alex wandered through the city with the King, slowly going around the place while making their way to a lodge where they would have to stay for the night.
"I thought we were heading over to the Celestial Peak," Alex said with a hint of confusion on his face.
"Oh, it is better to climb the peak at night so you'll be there right around the morning," the King said. "We will head on over very early in the morning tomorrow."
"Ah!" Alex said. "I did remember reading something great about viewing the sunrise."
"Yes," the Ebony King said excitedly. "It's— no, you'll have to see for yourself. It's incredible."
Once the rooms were purchased for the night and for some reason many more days to come, the King left to visit the two great families of the city while leaving Alex behind in the lodge.
Alex had remained by choice as he did not want to visit any random families. The only place he did want to visit was the Mountain Crushing sect and even that was just to ask a few questions.
They remained in the lodge for nearly 5 hours when the King returned to rest for an hour before telling them that they were to leave for the Mountain Crushing sect then.
The sun was glowing orange on the horizon to the west when Alex and the others arrived at the Mountain Crushing sect. While the sect was half an hour away for carriage, to cultivators it was only a few minutes away by flying.
The Mountain Crushing sect was large but most of it was unused land. They held even more land in the past but had to sell it so they could afford to keep the sect running from what Alex heard along the way.
The Ebony King had once been a disciple of this sect, so he knew a bit more about the sect than outsiders.
An elder man with gray hair and beard walked out to greet the two monarchs, and even from just a glance, Alex could tell that the old man had a body that was stronger than regular cultivators.
The old man welcomed the group of them and they walked inside.
The Ebony King started casually conversing with the man while telling him about Alex. When the old man heard that it was Alex who got the Mountain Crushing artifact, he couldn't help but show a surprised look. As well as a slightly saddened look.
The Ebony King handled his business with finding treasures while some other elders entertained Alex in his absence.
Alex talked with them for a while before getting to business.
"As you know, I bought the Mountain Crushing artifact," he said, catching the attention of the elders who were there. "Could I know who here knows the most of the artifact so I can direct my questions to them?"
The elders looked at each other and one of them spoke. "Everything we can tell about the artifact should have been written in a book we provided along with the artifact. Did you not receive it, Your Majesty?" they asked.
"No, I did," Alex said. "I was hoping to ask questions that weren't answered in the book."
"That would be me then," one of the older elders said. "After Elder Gun went to his final closed cultivation nearly half a century ago, I should be the most fitting to answer your question."
Alex turned toward the man. "I hope you can answer my questions then," he said. "My first question is what is the artifact actually called?"
The various elders gave a confused look and turned to look at the man who spoke.
"We do not know," the man answered. "The artifact has been passed through our sect for thousands and thousands of years, and while our sect has managed to remain, nobody knows how they came to this artifact or what it is called."
"Even the oldest records we have call it the body cultivation artifact of the Mountain Crushing sect, and as such it gained its name," the man said.
Alex had expected as much but had hoped to get more. "So you don't know how it came to the possession of your sect either, do you?" he asked.
The old man shook his head.
Alex expected as much too. The Sundering Sanctum —or as the spirit inside of it liked to call itself, the Playground— was also an Immortal artifact, and from what Alex could remember it telling him, it had come from the Immortal world along with a master that migrated here once the Eternal War had ended.
Alex had guessed that this was the same case as well.
"Then, my final questions," Alex said and everyone paid attention to him. Alex knew it was not the right thing to ask, but eh just couldn't help himself.
"What did you do with the artifact that caused your sect to degrade through the years?" Alex asked.
Everyone suddenly stiffened and eyes darted around the room, looking to see who would speak. Perhaps to see who would dare speak.
Alex waited for a few minutes and sighed as he got no answer. That he had expected too, but he at least wanted something.
The King arrived a few minutes later and it was time to leave. They flew in the dark and Alex told him what he had asked them and hadn't gotten any answer to.
The King remained silent for a while before speaking.
"It is unlikely you will ever get an answer to that," he said softly. "At least, they won't give it willingly away as they were told not to."
Curiosity took over Alex and he looked toward the King for more answers. The king was about to continue speaking, but he held his tongue and the rest of the flight continued in silence.
Alex expected to get no answer that day and went to his room to prepare for his climb to the Celestial Peak.
However, deep at night, a knock came to his door.
"May I come in, Your Majesty," the Ebony king requested.
"Come in."
The King walked in and closed the door. He walked up close to Alex and sat down.
"You wanted to learn why the Mountain Crushing sect fell from grace," the king said. "I came to answer that."
