"General Xu, those men in black have fled," Ye Xiu managed a clumsy bow, though his gaze remained fixed on the upper story of the pavilion.

Xu Fu quickly helped Ye Xiu up, chuckling, "It seems I have two young heroes in my ranks. May I ask your names?"

"He's Xiong Da, and I'm Xiong Er. We're good brothers!" Old Liu chuckled softly and hastily introduced them to Xu Fu, "My brother and I only joined the General's banner not long ago. We just have strength to spare with no place to apply it. Today's encounter with those villains was the perfect chance to show what we can do."

"Xiong Da... Xiong Er!" Ye Xiu grinned, shooting Old Liu a harsh look. Why couldn't he pick any other names, but ones belonging to two incredibly popular, clumsy bears?

"Hahahaha, heroes truly do come from the young!" Xu Fu was clearly taken aback by the names Xiong Da and Xiong Er, but he quickly composed himself, grasping Ye Xiu's arm to urge him upstairs, "In a time of crisis, I need capable men. Xiong Da, Xiong Er, quickly follow me upstairs so we can discuss matters further."

"Upstairs..." Ye Xiu hadn't expected his objective to be achieved so easily. He glanced at Old Liu, who was already grinning and following behind Xu Fu. "Xiong Er, let's go. Upstairs!"

"Make way!" Old Liu disdainfully brushed past the black-faced guard. He snatched the guard's long sword; the thin blade he held in his other hand had already been secretly activated, slicing the long sword into two segments in an instant. "Pay more attention next time. Don't assume everything can be solved with brute force."

"Yes, yes, yes!" The guard, seeing his single sword severed, was so terrified he dropped to his knees, repeatedly kowtowing. "We bid the two heroes safe passage."

The upper floor was ordinarily decorated, though significantly cleaner than downstairs. Ye Xiu surveyed everything as he ascended the staircase. In the center of the room sat a pure white desk, upon which tea was clearly laid out. At a turn in the room was another chamber, its entrance completely draped in white gauze, through which a faint fragrance drifted with every subtle breeze.

"Quickly serve tea for the two heroes," Xu Fu waved his large sleeve, urging the maids nearby into action. He led Ye Xiu and Old Liu to seats beside the central desk. "Gentlemen, do not be surprised. The person residing in this room is the immortal we invited from the Three Divine Mountains in the Eastern Sea—the Three Immortal Matriarchs."

"The Three Immortal Matriarchs..." Upon hearing this, Ye Xiu felt he had been too rash. Even without the memories of Hong Ling, the current Myriad Demon Empress, she knew him from their time on the Three Divine Mountains. Her palm strike back then was devastating; it forced out all the power of his Triple Transformation, and only after reliving all memories related to the Triple Transformation did he regain his energy. "General Xu, is the Immortal truly inside?"

"Indeed, absolutely certain. Come, sit. I have something I need your assistance with!" Xu Fu adopted a calculating look. Seeing the maids had served the tea, he waved them away. "Disperse. I require a private discussion with these two mighty warriors; no one is to approach."

Old Liu leered at the ancient-looking serving girls as they departed. He took a sip of tea and found the taste entirely wrong. "General Xu, you didn't bring us two brothers here just for tea, did you?"

Xu Fu raised his own cup, smiling faintly, "No matter. We owe our lives to the two strong men for saving us from the black-clad attackers just now. In any case, I, Xu Fu, must offer a toast on behalf of the Great King. However, due to official duties, I must substitute wine with tea."

"As you wish, General." Ye Xiu lifted his cup, finding the ancient tea utterly unremarkable. His entire attention was fixed on the corner room. Every time the white gauze billowed, he felt a pair of eyes watching him from within. The power of the Myriad Demon Empress was immense; he and Old Liu combined likely couldn't face her.

Seeing that both men were straightforward, Xu Fu decided to speak plainly. "I presume you two know why I am conducting this Eastern Tour. Indeed, it is to seek the Elixir of Immortality for the Great King."

"Do you mean the elixir has been found?" Ye Xiu only remembered that Xu Fu had been controlled by the Myriad Demon Empress during their last encounter, after which the army retreated, abandoning any talk of elixirs. Perhaps this Xu Fu was now controlled by the Empress and was trying to probe their true intentions.

"The elixir has not been found, but we have found an immortal. As long as she meets the Great King, she can grant him eternal life." Xu Fu's expression was extremely excited as he spoke. "Do you realize what a magnificent thing this is!"

"Stop the theatrics, General. Just tell us what we need to do," Old Liu was growing impatient. He downed the tea in his cup in one gulp. "From the moment my brother and I arrived here, we decided to follow the General for life. With one word from you, we would brave fire and water, deserving ten thousand deaths, wouldn't we, Xiong Da!"

Ye Xiu was momentarily stunned by Old Liu's question. The name 'Xiong Da' sounded utterly ridiculous to him. Under the pressure of Xu Fu's presence, he could only concur, "Yes, General. We are simple men; just give the command."

"Excellent, excellent. With those words from you both, I, Xu Fu, shall speak freely," Xu Fu looked as though he had just secured two top generals. He spoke with solemnity: "The greatest threat to the King achieving immortality is Crown Prince Hu Hai. I suspect the men in black just now were the Prince's faction. Therefore, there will surely be further risks as we enter Xianyang, and we require the firm assistance of you two."

"The Crown Prince wants to kill the King." Old Liu found the logic amusing. It was obvious; if the First Emperor achieved eternal life, the Crown Prince would remain a Crown Prince forever. Who in the world would desire the First Emperor's death more than Crown Prince Hu Hai?

Xu Fu's eyes sharpened as he pointed toward the white-gauze room. "Although the Three Immortal Matriarchs possess boundless power, they care little for the hustle and bustle of the mortal world. Until she meets the King, she will not reveal her abilities. Thus, during this period, your protection is required."

"Strange..." Ye Xiu considered this, glancing again at the room. Did the Myriad Demon Empress really need escorts to meet someone? That Ji Jiang from before appeared out of thin air and directly bestowed a drop of the Underworld King's Heart Blood upon Han Xin, transforming him into a Death God. Why would she need protection?

Old Liu clearly noticed Ye Xiu's hesitation and quickly stepped in, "That's naturally no problem. My brother and I only have this brute strength. To be able to follow the General in such a great undertaking, we will certainly give our all. Isn't that right, Xiong Da?"

"Yes... yes..." Ye Xiu quickly chimed in his thanks. He began to feel that his presence in the Qin Dynasty was part of some hidden arrangement. Why would the Myriad Demon Empress be here? What was she planning with Qin Shi Huang? Where was Ou Yezi at this time? Based on the timeline, Ou Yezi should have long since been transformed into a Death God by the Myriad Demon Empress.

"Lord Xu!" At that moment, a charming, sweet voice drifted from behind the white gauze. That wave of fragrance seemed to possess eyes, finding the noses of everyone present. It drifted over them, unhurriedly. "Is everything settled outside?"

Hearing the voice of the Three Immortal Matriarch, Xu Fu dared not delay. He backed away slightly, waving his hands to signal the others to remain silent. "Immortal Matriarch, everything is concluded. We sincerely apologize for disturbing your rest."

"No matter. I see Lord Xu is receiving guests," The Three Immortal Matriarch surprisingly stepped out of the room. Clad in snow-white garments, with delicate eyebrows, sharp eyes, and skin like jade, smooth and whiter than frost, she possessed a captivating, almost eerie beauty within the white gauze.

"Mo Xi..." Ye Xiu certainly recognized that figure. It was the mural within the Nine Poisonous Fiend Array, and the very image of Hong Ling before she vanished from the mountaintop. He glanced at Old Liu and saw the man utterly entranced. "Perhaps she recognizes us. Since the Myriad Demon Empress's power is extraordinary, we must prepare to flee at any moment."

"Flee? Why flee when there's a beauty to look at? What if she's Hong Ling?" Old Liu was more optimistic. He recalled that Hong Ling was merely cute back then; after transforming into Mo Xi, she had gained an abundance of seductive allure.

"Immortal Matriarch, please," Xu Fu bowed his head as if attending an emperor, extending his hand to lead the Three Immortal Matriarch out to stand before them before introducing them. "These are the personal bodyguards I recently recruited. They will ensure the Three Immortal Matriarch is safely delivered to the capital, Xianyang. Please rest assured, Matriarch."

"Oh, it's you two," The eyes of the Three Immortal Matriarch were full of seductive charm. She scanned the two men without a hint of artifice. "Thank you both for your service on the road."

Ye Xiu stared, momentarily forgetting to return the bow. The Myriad Demon Empress didn't recognize him? They had clearly clashed before. What was happening? Had time and space become tangled? Was there a realm even the Myriad Demon Empress couldn't breach?

"Matriarch, do not worry," Old Liu grabbed Ye Xiu's arm, and together they bowed. "We will certainly escort both the Matriarch and General Xu safely back to Xianyang."

"Yes," Ye Xiu nodded, genuinely confused by the intricacies of the situation.

After a night of reorganization and rest, the majority of the contingent was lost. The men in black were clearly well-prepared; their weapons were actually coated with poison—a testament to their malicious intent. At dawn, Ye Xiu and Old Liu were clad in gleaming Dragon Head Armor, mounted on fine horses. As Old Liu mounted, he deliberately made the guard from yesterday act as a stepstool beneath him.

"Hey, can you even ride?" Ye Xiu had tried riding a few times before, and while he couldn't maneuver like in the movies, it was manageable. Seeing Old Liu looking so nervous made him want to laugh. "Could it be the fortune-teller has never ridden a horse?"

Old Liu pulled the reins and patted the horse's head. "What nonsense are you spouting? Have you forgotten my ability to communicate with ancient mythical beasts? Setting aside everything else, I'm quite good at conversing with these animals. Trust me, I can make your horse run with just a few words!"

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