In that split second as Ye Qin saw the seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl with light makeup and simple clothes on the deck of the treasure ship, he finally grasped the origin of this large contingent of cultivators, and his face stiffened. He almost had the urge to turn and flee immediately.

The girl, protected in the center by several Golden Core cultivators on the deck, holding a position of supreme reverence, was none other than Yin Lingsu, the third daughter of the Yin family, a descendant of the Saint Emperor with whom he had a fleeting acquaintance and with whom he had once traded schematics. Ye Qin had almost completely forgotten the Yin sisters, with whom he had only made a single transaction for puppet schematics. He had never expected to encounter this descendant of the Yin family here, in the Sea of Blood, and moreover, while fleeing through the Desolate Spirit Ghost Island. After all, this perilous and inscrutable Sea of Blood was entirely unsuitable for someone with Yin Lingsu's relatively low cultivation.

Of course, Yin Lingsu herself was not terrifying, nor was the thought of her the reason he wanted to flee.

But Yin Lingsu would not be here without reason.

There was only one possibility: the Saint Emperor had come, and was likely on this massive treasure ship, having brought her along.

This sent a chill down Ye Qin’s spine, producing an unknown dread. This was not cowardice; very few cultivators in the East Sea Cultivation World did not fear the Saint Emperor. Even Nascent Soul cultivators held him in awe.

Furthermore, he had quite a few complicated and inextricable grievances with the Saint Emperor, and he wished to avoid any encounter.

"Senior Ye, you still remember me?"

Yin Lingsu spoke, stopping the movements of several Golden Core cultivators who were about to disembark. She pushed aside the guarding Golden Core cultivators and approached the edge of the deck, asking with a hint of pleasant surprise.

"I dare not accept the title of Senior; just call me Big Brother," Ye Qin said, suppressing the impulse to leave. Since the Saint Emperor had brought Yin Lingsu, it was likely he intended to revitalize the Yin family. Yin Lingsu's status and identity were now vastly different; she was no longer the insignificant girl without backing in Immortal Palace City.

"Third Miss, be careful," the old man in the middle stage of Nascent Soul, clad in pale silver robes, coughed a warning as Yin Lingsu moved to the forefront of the deck. However, he did not appear overly worried, clearly confident in his own strength, certain that Ye Qin and his companion could not escape him, nor could they harm Yin Lingsu.

"Elder Song need not worry. This Big Brother Ye has a deep connection with Lingsu and our Ancestor. Just a few days ago, the Ancestor was still speaking of Big Brother Ye’s affairs in North Floating White City." Yin Lingsu smiled.

"If the Palace Master recognizes him, then it is fine," Elder Song said, ceasing his admonishments upon hearing Yin Lingsu mention that their Ancestor also had ties to this Golden Core cultivator before them.

Yin Lingsu descended from the treasure ship and bowed to Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er. "Big Brother Ye, Lingsu must thank you again for your past aid to my Yin family, providing those considerable spirit stones and the Beauty-Retaining Pills. Lingsu will certainly find an opportunity to repay Big Brother's kindness."

"Miss Lingsu speaks too formally. I used spirit stones and Beauty-Retaining Pills to exchange for the schematics you held; it was merely a transaction, each taking what they needed. It scarcely counts as kindness," Ye Qin shook his head, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Though Yin Lingsu before him still appeared as a girl of seventeen or eighteen, her eternally youthful appearance was due to having consumed a Beauty-Retaining Pill in the past. In reality, Yin Lingsu had experienced several decades and was no longer that pure young maiden. Ye Qin certainly would not treat her like a mere girl he could deceive.

Yin Lingsu, however, shook her head earnestly. "To Big Brother Ye, it might have been just a transaction, amounting to little. But for the entire Yin family, this exchange was of immense help. It was precisely these resources that allowed the Yin family to weather many storms over the years. Otherwise, should the family have fallen into ruin, it likely would not have been able to hold on until the Ancestor's return."

Ye Qin remained silent.

Continuing, Yin Lingsu smiled faintly. "When the Ancestor returned, Lingsu mentioned this matter to him. I never expected the Ancestor to know you. He mentioned Big Brother Ye, saying that if my Yin sisters possessed even half of Big Brother’s wit and cunning, the Saint Emperor Palace would indeed have successors worth mentioning..."

Ye Qin felt awkward. Was the Saint Emperor complimenting or criticizing him?

"Husband, who is this younger sister...?" Huangfu Bing'er's eyes flickered as she shifted her gaze between Ye Qin and Yin Lingsu, asking Ye Qin.

Ye Qin quickly recounted to her the transaction he had with this Third Miss Yin. It was such a small matter that he had never mentioned it to Bing'er before.

"A descendant of the Saint Emperor?"

Huangfu Bing'er looked surprised and then turned to Yin Lingsu. "So it is Little Sister Lingsu. I didn't expect you to be so young! My surname is Huangfu; did you use a Beauty-Retaining Pill, Little Sister?"

"Big Sister Huangfu, you are truly beautiful! Being so young, you must have also used a Beauty-Retaining Pill, right?"

Huangfu Bing'er drew Yin Lingsu aside, and the two began chatting intimately, laughing and whispering, appearing as close as sisters who hadn't seen each other in ages, despite it being their first meeting.

Ye Qin, thinking of the Saint Emperor being aboard the treasure ship, felt a growing unease.

The insignia worn by these cultivators was quite familiar; he recalled it was an emblem found on the Saint Emperor's own attire. Seeing the grand formation of this treasure ship, it was clear the Saint Emperor had begun rebuilding the Saint Emperor Palace and had already recruited many Nascent Soul cultivators. His true attitude toward the Saint Emperor himself was hard to fathom.

"The Saint Emperor... I wonder if his attitude toward my Lotus Clone differs from his attitude toward my main body. Leaving now seems impossible..."

Just then, Elder Song's brow twitched as if he had received a divine sense transmission. He turned to Yin Lingsu and said, "Third Miss, the Palace Master summons the Ye couple into the ship."

"Yes, understood." Yin Lingsu responded, summoning toward the treasure ship. Immediately, light flowed across the vessel, and a blue rainbow bridge several tens of feet wide cascaded down, stretching right to where Ye Qin and the others stood.

"Big Brother Ye, Big Sister Huangfu, please follow little sister," Yin Lingsu stepped onto the rainbow bridge first.

Ye Qin, knowing that fate, whether good or ill, could not be avoided, stepped onto it without hesitation.

Huangfu Bing'er smiled faintly and followed Ye Qin onto the ship.

The rainbow bridge carrying the three of them then began to move on its own, steadily lifting them toward the treasure ship, moving unhurriedly toward the ship's cabins. The Golden Core cultivators on the deck looked on with astonishment and envy. Being personally summoned by the Palace Master of the Saint Emperor Palace was an exceedingly rare honor.

Ye Qin was stunned upon entering the treasure ship.

From the outside, the vessel looked to be only a few hundred feet long, yet its interior was vast, and it was not a cabin but a miniature cultivation city, complete with all manner of buildings and pavilions.

While chatting casually, Yin Lingsu, Ye Qin, and Huangfu Bing'er were guided by the flowing rainbow bridge to the entrance of a palace adorned with gold and glittering, intricately carved with exquisite luxury. At this moment, the rainbow bridge suddenly retracted, dissolving into blue motes of light that melted into the palace gate.

Simultaneously, the gate stirred and slowly swung open to either side.

Ye Qin glanced inside and saw a platform and steps paved entirely with white jade. The stone carvings on either side depicted various rare birds, strange beasts, clouds, and rivers. The white jade platform was interspersed with miniature spirit mountains, flowing springs, and exotic rare flowers and herbs, creating a sight that was immensely pleasing to the eye. Simultaneously, waves of exotic fragrance wafted over—the scent of spiritual jade. At the very center, atop the white jade steps, stood a magnificent hall shimmering with gold, adorned with coiling dragons and phoenixes, incredibly majestic and grand. Above the main hall, a vermilion plaque bore the four gilded characters: "Treasure Ship Palace."

"Little friend Ye, it has been a long time," a deep, authoritative middle-aged male voice sounded clearly beside Ye Qin's ear.

"The Saint Emperor."

Ye Qin paused slightly, immediately recognizing the owner of that voice. Having arrived here, there was no point in hesitation. Regardless of the Saint Emperor's attitude toward past events, he ultimately had to face him.

Ye Qin took a deep breath and, along with Yin Lingsu and Huangfu Bing'er, ascended the white jade steps and entered the grand hall. Yin Lingsu followed slightly behind Ye Qin and his wife, standing at the foot of the hall with a respectful expression, speaking no further.

"Junior Ye Clan, pays respects to Senior Saint Emperor." Upon entering the hall, Ye Qin bowed neither subserviently nor arrogantly.

"Little friend Ye, you were never so respectful to this Emperor in the past. Is that Silver Guard, which you went to such lengths to acquire, still on your person? Hmph, if that Silver Guard were lost, all your worldly possessions would not be enough to compensate," the voice in the hall said in a deep tone.

"It is still on me," Ye Qin replied quickly, slightly taken aback. Though he still couldn't fathom the Saint Emperor's purpose for summoning him, his heart eased slightly. The Saint Emperor had brought up the matter of the underground palace, suggesting his lingering resentment hadn't dissipated. However, if the Saint Emperor truly meant to vent his anger, there would have been no need for pleasantries; having the Nascent Soul ancestors on the deck seize him would have been much simpler. This showed that while the Saint Emperor's resentment was not gone, he did not intend to harm Ye Qin.

At this moment, Ye Qin raised his head and calmly surveyed the hall. A tall, middle-aged man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, clad in golden robes, sat upon the golden, dragon-coiled throne, observing Ye Qin with a mocking expression, his demeanor profound and inscrutable. This person was the Saint Emperor himself.

The Saint Emperor had not released any oppressive spiritual pressure; otherwise, Ye Qin's mid-stage Golden Core cultivation would likely not have endured it. Beside him stood a life-sized golden armored guard puppet, exquisitely lifelike, holding a sword silently with closed eyes. Behind the dragon-coiled throne stood a golden screen, upon which a golden giant dragon coiled around the emblem of the Saint Emperor Palace.

In the hall, four Nascent Soul cultivators and several dozen Golden Core cultivators stood respectfully. They all held their breath, glancing sideways, shocked and confused as they looked at Ye Qin, wondering what grievances the Saint Emperor held against this youngster to show such rare anger.

Ye Qin, conversely, calmed his mind. Whether the Saint Emperor would demand the Silver Guard back was beyond his reckoning, so he decided not to dwell on it. Instead, his mind drifted to other matters. He rapidly scanned the hall, noting the absence of other Yin family members, with only Yin Lingsu present. Ye Qin mused inwardly. Yin Lingsu, despite being the youngest of the Yin sisters, possessed the highest spiritual acuity and was the most skilled in puppet refining. It seemed highly likely that Yin Lingsu had earned the Saint Emperor's favor, while the other two sisters were not as fortunate.