The increasingly strong sea breeze blew, and Ye Wen tilted his head back to look at the sky, realizing that without him knowing when it started, this stretch of sea was shrouded in a mass of oppressive dark clouds, resembling the prelude to an approaching storm.

"Looks like the weather is about to turn!"

Artemis paid no mind to the weather; her gaze continuously shifted between the corpse of the Sea Witch Siren and Ye Wen’s face. The fact that Ye Wen had dispatched Siren with barely a lift of his hand had profoundly shocked her, especially since her own ultimate skill had failed to inflict any significant damage on the Sea Witch.

"Could it be... is he truly that powerful?"

In the Moon Goddess's estimation, the most formidable being was her own father, the King of the Gods, Zeus. Although Zeus possessed various flaws and a distinctly disagreeable temperament, his immense power was irrefutable to every deity on Olympus. This was precisely why, despite making countless frustrating decisions after assuming the throne, no one dared to try and depose him.

Next in might were Poseidon, the Sea Emperor, and Hades, the Ruler of the Underworld, both exceptionally potent. Though the true extent of Hades's power remained an enigma—everyone knew the King of the Gods’ elder brother was immensely strong, but to what degree was unknown.

Poseidon, conversely, made no attempt to conceal his strength; his sheer recklessness often surpassed even Zeus’s.

And now, after this moment, Artemis began to suspect that this man before her, hailing from the East, was a power on par with Zeus and Poseidon.

In truth, Ye Wen had not yet reached that echelon of strength. Rather, Ye Wen commanded too many peculiar techniques, among which the Six Paths of Reincarnation was so singular that Siren found herself with virtually no means to retaliate, her full strength completely suppressed.

Had they engaged in a straightforward, grinding battle, even if Ye Wen could have defeated Siren, it would not have been this easy; he would have surely sustained some injury. However, Ye Wen desired a swift conclusion, so he unleashed the Six Paths of Reincarnation with full force, and its power deeply satisfied him: "Looks like I’ve gained another reliable ultimate move!"

He surveyed the surroundings, finally pointing toward a very unassuming reef: "There, there seems to be something." Though he hadn't activated his Glazed Pupils, Ye Wen felt his senses sharpen considerably since mastering these divine eyes. Even without deliberate inspection, he sensed that the spot was unusual.

At a moment like this, one might activate the divine eyes for a closer look, or simply retrieve a detector to confirm. But just as Ye Wen finished speaking, cold raindrops began to fall, landing precisely on the hand he had extended. The icy sensation made him pause, and he turned to look at Artemis.

Although Artemis had recovered somewhat, a large portion of her divine power was depleted, and her complexion hadn't fully stabilized. She appeared slightly frail as she stood there. When the rain began, Artemis didn't even exert her divine power, allowing the chilling drops to soak her shoulders.

"Let's go over there first!"

Waving a hand, Ye Wen took the lead, flying across the gap, his body wreathed in swirling sword light, a necessary precaution against any sudden threat.

Landing before the reef, which seemed about the size of a small three-story villa, Ye Wen quickly located an opening—a cave entrance that wasn't deliberately concealed, but strategically positioned, further hidden by the surrounding rocks, making it impossible to see unless one approached closely.

One could say these reefs served as natural camouflage for the cavern. As Ye Wen stepped inside, the flickering sword light around him brightened, instantly illuminating the dark interior.

Artemis followed in her chariot, entering the cave as well. Immediately after the two passed inside, the rain outside intensified dramatically, virtually becoming a solid curtain of water, which, viewed from the cave, resembled a hanging curtain made of rain.

Artemis casually tossed something, which landed inside the cavern with a dull thud. Ye Wen turned to see that the woman had actually brought Siren’s corpse inside.

Unsure of Artemis’s intentions, Ye Wen felt no urge to press the matter and continued deeper, observing everything within the cave.

After only a quick circuit, he was certain this was the Sea Witch's dwelling. Besides the entrance area, which remained dark and damp, the rest of the space was expansive and surprisingly bright, even furnished with various domestic items, including an exceedingly comfortable large bed.

Another turn led him to a more concealed room. The setup inside made Ye Wen momentarily awkward. Seeing the chaotic arrangement of implements within, he decisively backed out and intercepted Artemis, who was about to enter: "I think it's better if you don't go in there!"

The beautiful Moon Goddess stared straight at Ye Wen until he felt distinctly uncomfortable. Only then did she lift her chin and step inside. However, mere seconds later, she emerged. Although her expression was composed, Ye Wen noticed a faint blush spreading across her previously pale cheeks.

Ye Wen chose to act as if he had seen nothing and continued his search through the cave. Seeing that Ye Wen made no inquiries or mockery, Artemis gradually regained her composure and followed him around the cavern.

Soon, they discovered another room. In stark contrast to the comfort of what seemed to be the bedroom and the eerie dimness of the adjacent small room, this area was deplorable—filthy, cluttered, and permeated by a nearly inescapable odor that made Ye Wen frown.

Though a man, he was meticulous about his appearance—as the leader of a sect, his demeanor represented the face of the Shu Mountain Sect, compelling him to value propriety.

Over time, Ye Wen had become quite clean and somewhat particular about his surroundings. Seeing the condition here naturally displeased him, but the presence of some underlying anomaly kept him pressing forward instead of turning back immediately.

Compared to Ye Wen, Artemis found the environment even more repulsive. Ye Wen had experienced hardship before; even if displeased, he wasn't so repulsed as to flee immediately.

Artemis was different. From birth to maturity, she had always stood at the apex, rarely encountering hardship or rough living. She simply could not tolerate such a dreadful environment. Moreover, as a woman, she inherently cherished cleanliness. At that moment, Artemis held up the long skirt of her gown, fearful that the hem might brush against any of the filth here.

Yet, even so, she felt that placing her shoes here was unacceptable. Seeing Ye Wen prepare to venture further in, Artemis was the first to halt her steps: "Are we still going forward? This place is truly awful..."

"Yes, I have a strange feeling about what's ahead. We might have to rest here tonight, so it’s better to investigate thoroughly. If Siren has any companions hidden here, we should eliminate them early!"

Hearing Ye Wen say this, Artemis had little recourse. After all, it was for their mutual safety. Thus, the beautiful Moon Goddess suppressed her loathing and cautiously edged forward, gripping her skirt. If Ye Wen hadn't been maintaining vigilance for any potential ambush, he might have already left the frowning, pouting Moon Goddess far behind.

The deeper they went, the thicker the air became, the acrid smell almost unbearable, even obscuring visibility. Artemis’s narrowed eyes seemed to water from the stimulation of the foul air: "I’ve had enough! I won't go any further! This place is more terrifying than the Underworld; I’d rather face that disgusting pool of blood than stay here another moment!"

Ye Wen shrugged: "You go back first, wait for me in that bedroom." As soon as he spoke, he felt the implication was slightly too intimate, easily misinterpreted.

Fortunately, Artemis, whose mood was already ruined by the terrible environment, didn't register the double meaning. Before Ye Wen could finish his sentence, she spun around and quickly retreated, the sound of her high heels striking the stone floor echoing crisply in the cave before gradually fading from Ye Wen's ears.

"Siren... couldn't you have been a bit more dignified in your choices?"

Although Ye Wen was determined to proceed, he too was struggling with the environment, fostering a deeper resentment toward the place's owner, making him wish he could resurrect the deceased Siren just to torment her through several lifetimes using the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

The twisting, nearly invisible path ahead frustrated Ye Wen, but the stranger feeling in his heart intensified the further he went.

When he finally heard a muffled, low growl—one that signaled warning yet sounded weak—the ever-alert Ye Wen instantly raised a hand, and the Zixiao Sword materialized in his grasp.

The purple radiance was even more dazzling than the sword light surrounding him, painting the pitch-black cave in a vivid violet hue. Clutching the long sword, he took two more steps forward. Turning a corner, Ye Wen saw what was emitting the sound.

It somewhat resembled a dragon's head, possessing a pair of horns, though one was clearly broken, marked with distinct fissures. One of its eyes, like a lion's, was blind. Ye Wen could even discern a clear claw mark running from its forehead down to its cheek, perfectly obscuring the sightless eye.

The remaining functional eye glared wide, fixed on Ye Wen as it emitted muffled, grinding growls. But despite the wide-open gaze, Ye Wen noticed a distinct lack of focus, no fixed point of vision; this creature clearly couldn't perceive its surroundings. The fiercely warning growls seemed habitual.

Ye Wen used his sword light to examine further. The creature was covered in scales, their original color obscured by patches of black, purple, dull earth tone, and a greenish-black hue. It looked decidedly unsightly and utterly wretched.

Its body was extremely thin, but its skeletal structure was considerable. Ye Wen realized at a glance that in its normal state, this creature must have been robust, massive, and imposing! Yet now, it resembled nothing more than a starved, four-legged lizard.

Initially, Ye Wen had suspected he encountered a dragon, but the moment he noticed the creature’s forelegs ended in hooves, he knew he was mistaken.

"What in the world is this thing?"

After much thought, Ye Wen finally recognized the four-legged creature: "A Qilin? Good heavens, what turned you into such a wreck?"

Taking a few steps forward, Ye Wen sheathed his Zixiao Sword, relying only on the sword light emanating from his body to observe the utterly miserable auspicious beast opposite him.

As he did this, the Qilin stopped its dull growling. Its eyes, which had seemed unfocused, gradually regained clarity. After staring at Ye Wen for a moment, an expression of joy flickered in them.

"Wait, am I seeing things?"

Seriously doubting his own vision, Ye Wen scrutinized the creature again and finally realized the Qilin was genuinely elated, even attempting to stand—... but as soon as it tried to rise, its entire body collapsed back onto the ground with a thud.

Nevertheless, the Qilin struggled persistently, then managed to shift slightly, revealing what was beneath it: several weapons gleaming with cold light, and a broken corpse whose original appearance was unrecognizable.

"This is..."

Ye Wen's gaze sharpened, settling on the mangled body. The clothes on the corpse were tattered beyond recognition, almost less than rags, but remnants of armor plates still allowed a glimpse of a typically Eastern style of cuirass.

Especially the shoulder guard; one piece remained relatively intact, allowing the engraved patterns to be clearly discerned: "Could this be... Huang Tianhua?"

Ye Wen stepped forward in one stride. The Qilin saw only a blur as a figure materialized beside it. The figure then bent down, reaching out toward the body it had been protecting.

In that instant, the Qilin tensed, displaying vigilance, until it confirmed Ye Wen's hand was merely examining and probing. Only then did its wariness gradually dissipate, and it slumped sideways, collapsing completely.

This startled Ye Wen. Having already confirmed the corpse had lain there for a long time, Ye Wen deliberately glanced at the Qilin. It was then he noticed several chains embedded deep within the beast’s body, the other ends connected to a strange metal block.

Reaching out to grasp one chain, Ye Wen was astonished to find that even with the full force of his effort, the chain did not budge, its sturdiness shocking him.

He then summoned sword energy between two fingers, intending to use its sharpness to sever the chain. But progress was excruciatingly slow. Finally, enraged, Ye Wen channeled his entire cultivation, forcibly ripping the chain apart, then muttered to the Qilin, "Bear with it," before yanking hard, pulling out the portion of the chain embedded in its flesh.

As the chain came free, it only dragged out a mass of black, viscous fluid; not a drop of blood was visible. This sight made Ye Wen frown deeply. He immediately retrieved some medicinal pills from his ring and administered them to the Qilin. Fortunately, the beast was intelligent and understood what was happening, opening its mouth wide to swallow the medicine before lying quietly.

Ye Wen stared at the corpse before him and the Qilin whose life hung in the balance, rubbing his temples. He could reasonably guess the identity of the body: likely Huang Tianhua, whom Siren had mentioned.

He also noticed several magical weapons near the corpse, including two large hammers, a treasured sword, a flying dart, and several nail-shaped artifacts.

Though he didn't know their names, he could discern the value of these items; the fact that they remained as new despite lying there for an unknown duration attested to their rarity.

Ye Wen took out his detector and scanned the artifacts and the corpse, finally connecting with Zheng Ying: "Is Elder Cui nearby?"

Zheng Ying immediately understood that his Master needed to consult the venerable Cui Jun, so he acknowledged and hurried off to find the Gourd Immortal, who was currently causing a ruckus outside.

Soon, Cui Jun’s voice came over the connection: "What can I do for you, Sect Leader Ye?"

Ordinarily, Ye Wen would not disturb him, so the fact that he requested an immediate consultation suggested a serious problem.

As expected, Ye Wen said, "I'm sending you a few pictures; take a look!" Immediately, a series of images appeared before Cui Jun: "This is..."

At first, the damaged state of the corpse prevented immediate identification, but as the pictures of the artifacts were transmitted, Cui Jun connected them to the body and instantly recognized the deceased: "Huang Tianhua?"

Hearing Cui Jun confirm it, Ye Wen exclaimed, "Indeed!"

The Gourd Immortal on the other end sounded astonished: "Where did Sect Leader Ye find the corpse of Huang Tianhua? You know that General Bingling has been missing for many years!"

"On the Aegean Sea, in the lair of the Sea Witch Siren."

"The Sea Witch." Cui Jun often enjoyed studying obscure matters and was well-traveled, so he knew of the Sea Witch Siren. However, he never expected Ye Wen to locate Huang Tianhua's remains there: "This matter..."

Ye Wen sighed: "Regardless, I plan to preserve his body properly and send it back to Shu Mountain. I will have to trouble you seniors with the next steps!"

Huang Tianhua, after all, was a celestial deity. Leaving him abandoned here was unacceptable, and even burying him here was inappropriate. Returning him to the East was mandatory. Ye Wen’s thought was to send him to the Heavenly Court and coordinate with Guan Yu or perhaps Erlang Shen.

However, the Gourd Immortal stated: "I will contact the Great Emperor Tianqi Rensheng of Mount Tai in the East!"

"Who?"

Zheng Ying, aware that Ye Wen didn't know this Mount Tai Great Emperor, interjected: "That’s Huang Tianhua’s father!"