Ye Qin found himself under the strange scrutiny of the Golden Armored Guard, Ma Dongyan, and Chu Hui, which made him feel uneasy and inwardly miserable.

What he had just said was entirely true, not a single word false, yet he hadn't told the whole story. His single-spirit root potential was indeed twenty points, but all five elemental roots were the same, bringing his total potential to one hundred points. Though each individual aspect was mediocre, the sum total was rather high.

The Holy Emperor required a physical body with a single-spirit root potential exceeding eighty points for his (seizing a body for rebirth), allowing him to leave this subterranean imperial mausoleum. Logically, the Golden Armored Guard shouldn't have any interest in his particular body.

Just as Ye Qin was lost in anxious thought, his limbs growing cold and stiff (Computer Novel Site: //.), the Golden Armored Guard seated upon the throne finally spoke:

“You two, what items do you wish to present to this Emperor? Approach and allow this Emperor to inspect them.”

Chu Hui, the Cult Master of the Three Origins Sect, swiftly advanced more than ten paces, retrieving two storage bags from his robes and presenting them. “Your Majesty, this is but a small token of my junior’s regard. May the Holy Emperor deign to accept it!”

The Golden Armored Guard’s scarlet eyes swept over Chu Hui at close range, probing his spirit root potential. Then, he accepted the two bulging storage bags and briefly examined their contents.

Following this, the Golden Armored Guard and Chu Hui exchanged private, whispered messages, discussing what reward Chu Hui sought in return.

“What do you desire?”

“Your Majesty, this junior desires the technique of the... Nascent Soul art...”

“Oh?”

After a considerable pause, their conversation concluded. Although no one knew whether Chu Hui had obtained some piece of intelligence or a secret technique from the Golden Armored Guard, judging by the smile on Chu Hui’s face, he seemed quite satisfied with the outcome of his visit.

At this juncture, only Ye Qin remained without presenting an offering.

Under the cold, sharp gaze of the Golden Armored Guard, Ye Qin forced himself forward, taking out a storage bag containing several stalks of precious spirit herbs. “Your Majesty, this junior wishes to use these alchemy materials to obtain a secret technique that can enhance the Nascent Soul.” Ye Qin stated.

He was nearly consumed by regret. If he had known the situation would be like this, he never should have forced his way into this underground mausoleum with Shi Hanyang and Ma Dongyan.

“Step forward and let this Emperor examine your spirit roots!”

The Golden Armored Guard sat rigidly upon the high throne, resembling an iceberg, his voice issuing forth as cold and unyielding as stone.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Ye Qin took a deep breath and stepped forward, seemingly intending to approach closer. Suddenly, he thrust off the ground, sharply twisting his body, and flung a glimmering flying sword from his sleeve, urging it toward the main hall exit in a swift arc.

Ye Qin dared not risk letting the Golden Armored Guard probe his spirit root potential.

Ma Dongyan and Chu Hui were manageable; even if they harbored suspicions, they might not necessarily wish him ill. But the Golden Armored Guard was different; he already harbored thoughts of seizing a body. What if the Golden Armored Guard suddenly became fixated on his physique? This concerned his very life and destiny.

After careful deliberation, Ye Qin could only make a bold decision.

Escape!

Ye Qin was unsure how far he could flee. This underground mausoleum was the Holy Emperor’s territory; it was extremely difficult for outsiders to contend with him here. But he refused to deliver himself into the Holy Emperor’s hands to become mere meat on someone else’s slab. Even a rabbit struggles and thrashes before death; how much more a living man.

Ma Dongyan and Chu Hui were visibly stunned when Ye Qin suddenly turned and fled. They couldn't fathom why the Golden Armored Guard merely asked Ye Qin to approach a few steps for inspection, yet he chose to flee outright.

Could it be... that Ye Qin’s single-spirit root potential surpassed eighty?

But that was impossible.

A cultivator of that caliber would be a core asset—a protected object—in any immortal cultivation sect, with expectations of reaching the Golden Core stage. Such a person would never casually venture into such a dangerous place.

They were far more inclined to believe Ye Qin possessed a potential of twenty-five than believe he could reach eighty points.

The first to react was the Golden Armored Guard.

It let out a cold snort, waved a hand, and the long sword on the ground shot out with a swoosh, transforming into an irresistible golden rainbow beam aimed at the fleeing Ye Qin. It was so fast that in the blink of an eye, it caught up to him.

“Hmph!...”

Ye Qin felt a surge of golden energy strike his lower back, followed by a searing, heart-rending pain in his abdomen, almost knocking him from the flying sword. But he merely grunted, biting his lip so hard he prevented the gush of vital blood from spraying out. He controlled the flying sword and bolted through the palace corridor. To stay meant certain death; fleeing was the only option.

“What are you two still standing there for? Go and bring him back! Remember, do not damage his physical body; this shell might prove useful to this Emperor.”

The Golden Armored Guard recalled his golden sword and remained as unmoving as a mountain upon his throne, issuing commands. That strike had used only a minuscule fraction of his power, merely injuring Ye Qin. Otherwise, a single sword strike might have erased Ye Qin from this world entirely.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“We two juniors will capture him immediately!”

Ma Dongyan and Chu Hui, having witnessed the strike, were inwardly horrified. The strength of a Ninth-Rank Golden Armored Guard puppet was beyond their ability to resist. Dreading disobedience, they hastily accepted the order and spurred their swords out in pursuit.

Once all the cultivators had vacated the main hall, the Golden Armored Guard slowly rose and walked step by step to the sacrificial altar before the Black Ice Jade Coffin, gently stroking the icy surface.

Inside the coffin lay a tall, golden figure.

“This old man has slept too long in this dark earth. It is time to walk about and see my former ‘old friends.’ As long as you remain on the Central Continent, no matter where you hide, this old man will settle accounts with you.”

The Golden Armored Guard grasped the heavy long sword and walked slowly toward the palace exit.

Ma Dongyan and Chu Hui burst out of the palace gates one after the other, arriving outside the inner court. Ma Dongyan swept his divine sense over the area for several miles surrounding the palace but found no trace of Ye Qin—not even bloodstains or scent—which caused him slight surprise.

It seemed Ye Qin’s speed in escaping and the sophistication of his concealment arts were higher than he had imagined.

However, Ma Dongyan was still sufficiently confident. For a mere cultivator in the early Foundation Establishment stage, and one who was injured at that, to escape the grasp of two late Foundation Establishment cultivators was nearly impossible.

He immediately devised a strategy.

“Brother Chu, you search the north, and I will search the south. Find that brat quickly!”

Chu Hui, however, did not move. A cold, detached smile played on his lips as he produced a small banner-like magical artifact.

Ma Dongyan, unable to command the Cult Master of the Three Origins Sect, frowned slightly.

“Brother Chu, what are you doing?”

“Brother Ma, I should be asking you—why are you in such a hurry to help the Holy Emperor leave? The Four Immortal Cultivation Realms—the Chaos Lands, the Spirit Mist, the Sky Dome Plain, and the Myriad Moon Lake—are locked in mutual attacks. The cultivation world is in turmoil, which is the best time for us cultivators from the Chaos Lands to reap the benefits. Why not profit from the chaos? If the Holy Emperor gets out, all four realms will surely be subjugated by him. Our minor sects and underlings will certainly fall under his jurisdiction and constraints. Where then will there be any pleasure for you and me?” Chu Hui stated coldly.

“The path to the Immortal Dao is incredibly remote. Relying solely on our own strength, when will we have the chance to form a Golden Core? Shi Hanyang paid a colossal price, painstakingly gathering and refining the spirit medicines for the Core Formation Pill, and still has to refine the pill. It is likely all for naught; he still might not reach the Core Formation stage. If we can rely on the Holy Emperor, things will be completely different. With his assistance, it will certainly be twice the result with half the effort. This is a shortcut. Brother Chu, do you not desire to tread the path to the Golden Core?” Ma Dongyan stated seriously.

“Hmph! Your words sound good. Today, the Holy Emperor is trapped here, and he needs your effort to help him escape, so naturally, he shows you a pleasant demeanor. Once he is truly out later, do you think an Origin Soul cultivator like him will remember the favor owed to a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like you? By then, he might not even recall who you are. Slaughtering the donkey once the grinding is done, sacrificing the hound after the hare is caught—I’ve seen such things happen often. Who doesn't want to reach the Golden Core realm? But pinning one’s hope for Core Formation on the Holy Emperor is perhaps too wishful thinking,” Chu Hui sneered, inclining his fist in a salute.

“If the news that Brother Ma is attempting to help the Holy Emperor escape becomes known to the cultivators of the Four Realms, Brother Ma will likely become an enemy of all four. The Holy Emperor certainly has no shortage of enemies who held grudges against him back then. Not only will Brother Ma gain no benefit, but he will also invite immense trouble. As for capturing that brat, Brother Ma can handle it as he sees fit. I advise you to think twice before acting, lest you meet a fate with no burial ground. My brother, I have already obtained what I desired. We shall meet again. Farewell!” With that, Chu Hui rolled up his small banner artifact and transformed into a streak of red light, vanishing amidst the ruins of the city under a whirlwind.

“You!”

Ma Dongyan was so angry his teeth ached. He had an impulse to kill Chu Hui and silence him, preventing the news from leaking. But Chu Hui was an eighth-rank Foundation Establishment cultivator; his strength was not weak, and robbing and killing him quickly would be an extremely difficult feat.

If Ye Qin suddenly appeared mid-fight to aid Chu Hui, Ma Dongyan would instead be put on the defensive, left watching Chu Hui fly away.

Ma Dongyan sighed softly.

Unlike sect masters like Shi Hanyang or Chu Hui who had subordinates, he was a hidden cultivator who had practiced alone his entire life, suffering the hardships of solitary cultivation for over a hundred years. He understood perfectly that reaching the Core Formation stage through his own efforts was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Therefore, from the moment he entered the mausoleum, he had firmly decided to rely on the Origin Soul cultivator, the Holy Emperor, to secure an opportunity for Core Formation.

“Even if it means becoming an enemy to the cultivators of the Four Realms, I will not hesitate.”

Ma Dongyan searched everywhere in the city ruins but could find no trace of Ye Qin, causing him to curse loudly in frustration.

“Damn it, where did this brat hide?!”

He refused to believe Ye Qin could escape the underground mausoleum. Leaving the mausoleum required traversing the long Earth Flame Barrier. Ye Qin was seriously injured; if he recklessly entered the barrier, he would surely perish in a sea of fire. The Golden Armored Guard’s strike had been calibrated precisely—injuring Ye Qin enough to prevent his escape but not enough to kill him. Thus, Ye Qin must still be recuperating among the ruins of the imperial city, waiting until his injuries healed somewhat before daring to leave.

Ma Dongyan’s guess was correct.

After fleeing the palace, Ye Qin could barely sustain his sword flight. He concealed his tracks and immediately burrowed into the ruins in a corner of the city, burying himself a meter deep in the rubble, entering a state of profound oblivion, utterly still. Even his heartbeat had nearly ceased as he focused on healing at the fastest possible rate while suppressing his aura. His current state was no different from that of a dead log or a piece of stone. It would be very, very difficult for Ma Dongyan to find him.

Three days later.

Ma Dongyan voluntarily gave up the search, no longer looking for Ye Qin’s whereabouts, but planning to return to the surface. He had been underground for over four days, and the magma tide was about to rise, which would seal the underground passage again. It would take forty or fifty years for it to reopen. If he remained, it would be tantamount to seeking death.

“Your Majesty, that brat is hidden somewhere within the mausoleum. This junior must now return to the surface to search for a cultivator with a single-spirit root potential exceeding eighty points. I will return later to help Your Majesty escape.” Ma Dongyan reported dejectedly to the Golden Armored Guard before taking his leave.

“Go. This Emperor will search for that brat personally; he cannot escape this Emperor’s grasp. If you can find a suitable shell on the surface for this Emperor, this Emperor will certainly reward you generously. Whatever you desire, this Emperor will satisfy you.” The Golden Armored Guard’s voice was as cold as ever, yet the content offered Ma Dongyan a measure of comfort.

The Golden Armored Guard added one more point: “Furthermore, the matter of this Emperor seeking a physical body must not be leaked; it must be conducted in strict secrecy, or it may attract trouble.”

Ma Dongyan’s body stiffened slightly, and he nodded reluctantly.