Yan Luo stood on high, gazing down at the smoke and dust churning across the plaza. The Corpse Flower loomed before Ye Xiu, a giant figure. Vines whipped violently from its limbs, brandishing themselves mockingly toward Ye Xiu: “The Death God lineage are natural combat geniuses; this has nothing to do with experience. Even I, a half-baked Death God, can see that. You shouldn't have any trouble grasping it, right?”

Ye Xiu could faintly hear Yan Luo’s words. He continued to wield the Sky-Miao Sword, circling beneath the Corpse Flower. While his speed couldn't match Old Liu’s Qijing Dao, weaving through the flower's vines was more than sufficient for him.

The Corpse Flower’s bulb seemed unable to hold its patience any longer. It summoned vines from all directions to sweep down, aiming to pin Ye Xiu. But every descending vine was instantly incinerated by the blazing sword in his hand. In a fit of rage, it mobilized all its vines, weaving them into a thick rope to firmly restrain Ye Xiu.

Ye Xiu had been searching for a chance to close the distance with the Corpse Flower. Just then, a massive vine plunged into the ground. He dodged upward, plunging the Sky-Miao Sword into the vine itself. At this moment, his speed distinctly outpaced the vine’s retraction. He used the vine as a direct pathway, scrambling upward until he reached the base of the Corpse Flower’s leg. With a powerful thrust, his Sky-Miao Sword, wreathed in flame, struck precisely where the leg connected to the main bulb. He heaved upward effortlessly, ripping off one of the flower bulb’s great thighs.

Thud… The bulb lost its balance and crashed heavily onto the plaza. However, it was not ready to yield. Vines erupted continuously from the core of the flower, rapidly coalescing into a thick cord, attempting to regrow the severed limb.

“Sky-Miao Sword Intent!” This was the sole technique Ye Xiu had comprehended for the Sky-Miao Sword, the single innate move bestowed by its sword soul. As this technique was unleashed, the crimson light from the entire sword illuminated the world, washing over everything. Where the radiance fell, all the vines were instantly shredded into dust. Ye Xiu seized the opportunity, leaping across the debris to the other side, and neatly severing the bulb’s second thigh.

Thwack, thwack… As its legs fell away, the main bulb smashed heavily into a fissure on the plaza floor. It anchored itself using its two hands, holding its body in place. The flower bulb then slowly opened, spewing saliva that was enough to cover the vast expanse of the plaza.

Ye Xiu, seeing his technique succeed, felt a surge of elation. He leaped again, soaring above the bulb and into the air. At this moment, he unleashed his full Black Flame, holding the Sky-Miao Sword vertically before him: “Let’s see just how tough your bud really is.”

Whoosh! The Corpse Flower bulb saw Ye Xiu plummeting directly toward its core target—the flower bud itself. It commanded the vines in its hands to tightly guard the upper part of the bulb. Simultaneously, vines from all directions linked up to form an impenetrable wall of defense.

“I didn’t expect this thing to fall for a feint!” Ye Xiu was slightly surprised by the bulb’s reaction, but that wasn't the main point. His true goal wasn't to breach the bulb for a fight to the death. His intended target had always been the arms flanking the bulb. In an instant, Ye Xiu altered his trajectory. He swept his sword down against the Corpse Flower’s two arms, severing them instantly.

“Aargh…” Having lost all four limbs, the King of the Corpse Flowers was reduced to just the central bulb. But with only the bulb, it couldn't possibly anchor itself across the wide fissure. A sound of crushing compression followed as the massive entity tumbled like a boulder into the depths of the crack.

“Perfect chance!” Ye Xiu landed precisely, grabbing one of the wildly thrashing vines. He channeled his Black Flame into both hands and used that vine as a fuse, igniting it immediately. In an instant, earth-shattering flames erupted within the impossibly deep fissure. “I don’t need any divine weaponry; with the power of my Death God self, I can eliminate a monster like you.”

The King of the Corpse Flowers shrieked repeatedly. All the vines crawling across the plaza retracted into the fissure, turning to ash. The majestic underground palace city returned to its long-held silence.

“Now you owe me a trip to find Mei Yi, right?” Ye Xiu leveled his sword at Yan Luo, who remained on the rooftop of the palace. He couldn't sense any fighting intent from Yan Luo, suspecting the man still harbored ulterior motives. “You shouldn’t have any more tricks up your sleeve, right?”

Yan Luo moved with fluid grace, leaping down before Ye Xiu. The Yuyu Fengdao in his hand radiated a magnificent, world-shaking aura of dominance: “I imagine that old devil Maya’s forging must be finished by now.”

“Maya, who?” Ye Xiu looked at the dagger oscillating beneath the Yuyu Fengdao. He truly admired Yan Luo’s creativity in weapon design—it was rare to see such a commanding long blade combined with a projectile hidden within. “Don’t try to confuse me; tell me where that woman is!”

Yan Luo recalled the Yuyu Fengdao and moved closer to Ye Xiu. “This is the very heart of Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum. Aren't you interested to see what’s inside?”

Ye Xiu looked toward the palace atop the high platform. It was much smaller than the actual Qin Shi Huang Palace in the real world, but on the Dragon and Serpent Terrace, a grand, elongated palace stood prominently. It possessed a warm, dim glow, flowing water everywhere, and the adoration of a populace. This was the center of the entire catacomb, the subterranean nexus of that era. Qin Shi Huang was taken away and met his end by the Myriad Demon Holy Queen, yet historical records claim the First Emperor died during an eastern tour. Which account held the truth, and which was the lie?

“Let’s go see what the most rebellious member of my Yuyu Fengdao Alliance has forged,” Yan Luo said, walking ahead onto the steps. He moved easily, his tone devoid of any hint of conspiracy.

“Who is this Maya you speak of?” Ye Xiu gripped the Sky-Miao Sword tightly. After everything he’d been through, he trusted almost no one besides Old Liu. “Is he one of your Yuyu Fengdao Alliance members? A fellow weapon enthusiast like Bing Ao, Dao Kuang, or Jian Chi?”

Yan Luo shook his head and walked toward the massive gate carved with dragon and serpent emblems atop the palace: “Maya is no ordinary person. His lineage descends from Fuxi.”

“A descendant of Fuxi—a Bone Gatherer, or perhaps from the Sun-Blind Clan!” Hearing this, Ye Xiu immediately thought of the past masters of the Bone Sect across the Paifang Realm, like Fa Liangluo, who possessed the Profound Heaven Root Bone. The Bone Sect was intricately linked to the Death Kingdom, and now, here in Qin Shi Huang’s tomb, were there members of the Bone Sect as well?

“It seems you know quite a bit,” Yan Luo glanced back at Ye Xiu before kicking open the heavy door. “Maya is the Bone Gatherer you mentioned. Of course, his other identity is the finest defensive smith in my Yuyu Fengdao Alliance.”

The moment the door opened, the interior was dazzlingly bright. It truly resembled an imperial palace, covered in all manner of exquisite apparatus. Several towering golden pillars supported the entire structure. Dragons and serpents coiled around these pillars, but strangely, behind them were not the emperor's thrones one might expect in a palace, but complex mechanical devices never before seen.

“Defensive smith? Is this not where the First Emperor’s tomb lies?” Ye Xiu was stunned by the sight. He stepped forward, scanning the scene. Various zombies were moving about, though they were not as violent as the ones outside. Some held hammers, striking iron blocks; others lifted steel to immerse it in a pool of fire. This place was clearly an armory.

“Ye Xiu, you’ve finally arrived.” A familiar voice flew out from within. Mei Yi skipped over joyfully, throwing her arms around Ye Xiu. “I knew you wouldn't abandon me, hahaha! You still won’t admit you cared about me!”

“Mei Yi.” The stone settled in Ye Xiu’s heart, and he hugged Mei Yi tightly. He looked bewilderedly toward Yan Luo beside him and asked, “What exactly is going on here?”

Mei Yi’s clothes were noticeably less lustrous than before, her skirt stained with soot, but this did nothing to diminish her exquisite, perfect figure: “I told you, Senior Yan Luo and Senior Maya are both capable talents of our Yuyu Fengdao Alliance. How could they possibly harm me?”

“But, but Old Liu—we don’t know where he went.” Mei Yi’s safety eased Ye Xiu, but Old Liu, thrown into the sky by that disorientation, remained a worry. “In any case, I’m glad you’re alright.”

“What! Already prioritizing romance over friendship?” Just then, Old Liu burst through, dusty and weary. He shoved Ye Xiu’s shoulder and laughed heartily. “Good lad, we’ve been separated for such a short time, and you already thought I was dead!”

“Old Liu, what is all this…” Ye Xiu was utterly perplexed. He shoved Old Liu away with a palm and scolded, “Damn it, what is going on? You all better find someone to explain this to me quickly.”

Yan Luo looked at Ye Xiu’s confused expression, lowered the Yuyu Fengdao in his hand, and patiently explained: “In truth, none of us in the Yuyu Fengdao Alliance intended you harm. We simply did not wish for a divine weapon to fall into the hands of an outsider without reason.”

Ye Xiu shot Yan Luo a glare. He realized now that no one he had encountered since entering the mausoleum had intended to kill him; the only true danger had been within the Four-Story Pagoda Realms. “Why did you capture Mei Yi, and why use such bizarre methods to subdue Old Liu?”

“Senior Yan Luo just wanted me to help forge something!” Mei Yi chirped happily, looping her arm around Ye Xiu’s waist, her front pressed almost entirely against him. “Senior Maya has something that needs crafting, and since I excel at forging, they sought me out.”

“Then what about you?” Ye Xiu pointed at Old Liu, as no matter how he looked at it, Old Liu didn't seem like the type to manufacture divine weapons.

Old Liu stuck out his tongue, clearly about to boast shamelessly: “This whole thing goes back to the connection between my Ancient Strange Beast Path and the Bone Gatherers.”

“The Ancient Strange Path has a link to the Bone Gatherers?” The complex web of clan relationships was giving Ye Xiu a headache. Initially, he only wanted to trace the roots of the Death God lineage. Then, the Death God became linked to the Myriad Demon Holy Queen, which in turn connected to the master of the Death Kingdom and the Bone Sect. Now, the Bone Gatherers were entangled with the Ancient Strange Path—it was becoming impossible to sort out.

“Perhaps the old ghost Maya should explain this to you. Come out, old ghost!” Yan Luo called out loudly. The entire room, which had been humming with activity, suddenly fell dead silent. “I trust your ultimate defense has succeeded by now.”

“Heh, old ghost Yan Luo! Is it finally time for the ultimate strike against the ultimate defense?” The voice was low and gravelly. A frail, stick-thin old man, leaning on a cane, emerged from the darkness. His cheeks were hollowed, his cheekbones prominent; describing him as skeletal would not be an exaggeration. “Shall we begin now?”

“Hey, hey, hey! Who is this person? Is he the defensive smith Maya from your Yuyu Fengdao Alliance?” Ye Xiu was slowly beginning to piece things together. He threw up his hands and roared at the four figures present, “Can any of you step forward and explain this whole mess to me one more time?”