An hour later, Ao Minhang and He Yiming finally traversed the lengthy passage and emerged back into the Outer Palace.

The moment the Inner Palace gate sealed shut, Ao Minhang let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Brother He, Mr. Bai, and my two Divine Beast brothers, the gates to both the inner and outer palaces are now closed. It will take three months for them to reopen. There are several chambers here; perhaps you should each select one for secluded cultivation."

He Yiming paused slightly. "Cultivate here?"

Ao Minhang was in excellent spirits and chuckled heartily. "Whether Brother He wishes to cultivate in seclusion is entirely up to you. However, if you truly decide to go into isolation, please be sure to awaken in three months, otherwise, we might miss our chance to depart."

He Yiming nodded slightly, yet he harbored no worry that Ao Minhang and his companion would abandon them there.

If they truly attempted such a thing, even if they couldn't leave, they could utterly destroy the crystal cavern within—a loss that the Five Elements Sect absolutely could not sustain.

Ao Minhang nodded to the group and led Ao Borui into one of the rooms.

He Yiming and the others clearly saw the flicker of surprise and delight in Ao Borui's eyes, instantly understanding the true intention behind Ao Minhang’s words.

It appeared the elder intended to have Ao Borui consume the Divine Medicine Nectar here.

Watching the stone door slowly close, He Yiming mused for a moment. "Let's not scatter. It would be best if we all stayed within a single chamber."

Although He Yiming was certain that Ao Minhang would not dare initiate a conflict here—given the collective power of so many Divine Path powerhouses, the crystal palace stood little chance of remaining intact—caution was still necessary. Therefore, he instructed everyone to congregate, preventing them from being picked off individually.

They found the largest available room and everyone filed inside. After closing the door, He Yiming meticulously recounted the purpose of their journey and the events leading to their entry into the Inner Palace.

Now that the Divine Medicine Nectar was secured and they were all inside the crystal palace, Ao Minhang had few options left unless he sought mutual destruction.

Bai Lingba had no interest in the Divine Medicine Nectar, but the White Horse Thunder looked on with wide, beautiful eyes, blinking so frequently that it made He Yiming feel a prickle of unease.

He produced the jade vial and uncapped it. A single drop of the miraculous Divine Medicine Nectar immediately materialized before them.

Though it wasn't the first time seeing it, He Yiming nearly succumbed to its indescribable allure.

This celestial treasure, merely by being observed, possessed a potent power to cleanse the soul. If actually ingested, the resulting effects could be astonishing beyond measure.

Ao Borui’s extreme agitation, considering his status, was further proof of the substance’s true worth.

Bai Lingba’s jewel-like eyes suddenly shot out two intense beams of light, scanning the jade vial. He slowly stated, "I cannot analyze the composition, but it should be of immense benefit to life forms such as yourselves."

He Yiming let out a wry smile. "That is certain, but unfortunately, we only have this single drop." He pondered for a moment, then suddenly his body radiated a five-colored light that instantly spread, permeating every corner of the room.

He did this naturally to shield the room with his own Five Elements power, ensuring that even a Pseudo-God realm expert could not eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Brother Bai, I need to trouble you with something," He Yiming said, his eyes bright and focused.

"What is it?"

"You should possess the means to recall the exact location of this place, correct?" He Yiming asked tentatively.

Here, perhaps only Bai Lingba possessed such an ability. His mastery stemmed from a power entirely alien to this world; only something never before revealed could successfully deceive the highly experienced Ao Minhang.

Bai Lingba looked at him silently for a moment. "I left a marker before entering this place. As long as we remain on this planet, I will never lose our bearing."

He Yiming was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Brother Bai, why would you think to leave a marker here?"

Bai Lingba's eyes flickered, as if processing something deep in thought. After a long pause, he shook his head. "I do not know."

He Yiming, Bao Zhu, and the White Horse Thunder exchanged bewildered glances; this answer was utterly unexpected.

Suddenly, the light in Bai Lingba’s eyes sharpened, as if a realization had struck him. "My marker was left for you."

He Yiming opened his mouth, his expression growing intensely excited as he looked at Bai Lingba with fervent warmth. "Why?"

This question seemed to stump Bai Lingba. For an entity that explained everything through data, such an action certainly lay outside the scope of his ability to rationalize.

Abruptly, Bai Lingba’s body stiffened, as if all strength had drained away, and he pitched backward.

He Yiming's expression shifted. In a blur of movement, he was behind Bai Lingba, steadying his body and gently laying him flat on the ground.

"What happened to him?" Bao Zhu cautiously approached, nudging Bai Lingba with its long snout.

Bai Lingba’s dull eyes suddenly brightened once more. In that instant, his gaze seemed vibrant and alive, no longer stiff or mechanical.

As his eyes swept over He Yiming and the others, He Yiming felt a surge of intense emotion. He recognized that look and knew he could never forget it.

Back in the Land of the Dead, just before departing, He Yiming had seen that same spirited glimmer in Bai Lingba’s eyes. It was a quality imbued with what humans call emotion, utterly distinct from mechanical dullness.

However, after just a fleeting moment, the vibrancy in Bai Lingba’s eyes faded completely, vanishing without a trace. A vacant expression took its place. He sat up and stood perfectly straight.

"What happened to me?" Bai Lingba asked woodenly.

He Yiming took a deep breath, forcing a smile onto his face as he placed a hand on Bai Lingba's shoulder. "Nothing," he said slowly. He gazed into those blank eyes, as if making a vow, and enunciated every word: "You will remember..."

The White Horse Thunder let out a long neigh, seemingly affirming He Yiming’s promise.

Bao Zhu’s small eyes darted around a few times. "I just found something good."

He Yiming withdrew his gaze and looked over with an expression tinged with expectation. "What is it?"

If something caught Bao Zhu's attention, it certainly wouldn't be trash. He Yiming’s only worry was that the object of its desire might be impossible to retrieve.

"I don't know either," Bao Zhu said, tilting its head. It seemed to ponder for a long time before concluding, "In there, within those crystal stone walls, there might be another sea bowl."

He Yiming stiffened for a moment, then abruptly stood up. Unconcealed shock flooded his eyes, causing even the five-colored barrier in the room to waver.

Moments later, he managed to regain his composure. "Bao Zhu, are you certain?"

"I should be right," Bao Zhu replied, blinking its small eyes.

Although He Yiming trusted Bao Zhu, this matter was too significant. If there was another sea bowl within the crystal walls, it would imply more Divine Medicine Nectar remained there.

If Ao Minhang had already claimed those, He Yiming certainly wouldn't scheme against a Pseudo-God realm expert. But if there were more Tears of the Crystal that Ao Minhang didn't even know about, those would be truly ownerless—a treasure not taken would be a waste.

Of course, the process of retrieval must remain hidden from the Five Elements Sect; otherwise, Ao Minhang and his faction would fight them to the death.

After deliberating briefly, He Yiming asked, "Bao Zhu, how did you discover it?"

Bao Zhu proudly wiggled its long snout. "I smelled it."

He Yiming frowned. "The Divine Medicine Nectar has no scent. How could you smell it?"

Bao Zhu wrinkled its little nose in frustration, looking quite endearing. After thinking hard for some time, it still shook its head. "I don't know, but I can smell it." It glanced at He Yiming’s body. "I can also smell the Nine Dragon Furnace, the Black Tortoise Shell, and the Five Elements Ring you carry."

He Yiming was utterly speechless. This was clearly Bao Zhu’s innate divine ability, something impossible to explain.

Nodding slowly, He Yiming’s mind began racing.

Bao Zhu scooted closer, displaying an ingratiating smile. "The doors will open in three months. We can go in again then."

He Yiming waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense. Three months from now, Ao Minhang and the others will surely be leaving with us. If you haven't found the Divine Medicine Nectar, fine. But if you truly find extra nectar, hmph, do you think we'll be able to leave safely?"

Bao Zhu's head drooped instantly. It grumbled a few times. "Then what should we do?"

He Yiming stated coldly, "Since Brother Bai could locate this place, we certainly have time to retrieve it later." He paused. "However, we should not return within a year, lest we alert them."

Bao Zhu’s little eyes rotated a few times, finally agreeing with He Yiming’s logic. A mere year—it could wait that long.

"We will divide whatever good things we acquire this time equally among the four of us," Bao Zhu said cheerfully.

"Fine, I will keep custody of it," He Yiming replied immediately and seriously.

Bao Zhu nodded its small head repeatedly, beaming with joy. The White Horse Thunder turned its head, its mouth subtly splitting into what looked like a hidden smile.

Whenever Bao Zhu found treasures, it would hand them over to He Yiming for safekeeping, but ultimately, Bao Zhu rarely benefited from these spoils. This was true for both the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace and the Thunderclap Seed.

Yet, from beginning to end, Bao Zhu never voiced a single complaint. Perhaps this was fate, a kind of fate that defied all explanation.

P.S.: Monthly tickets are critically low; White Crane begs for more monthly votes...