"Evil genius!" Princess Seven shot toward Ye Chen and his companions, barely stopping in time. She bent over, gasping for breath before raising her palm to reveal an ancient metal block - about a finger long and half an inch wide, etched with countless intricate symbols.

"This is from my father. Good thing you weren't too far away," she panted, speaking rapidly between breaths. "It contains the third level of the Flame Mysteries Sect's forbidden knowledge, which has never been shared outside our family. My father was rescued by the Civilization Forces and has regained power over the empire. He gets along very well with the spirit of the Celestial Artifact now, so he wants to reward you with this."

Ye Chen nodded and took it without hesitation, asking casually, "Anything else?"

Princess Seven's eyes widened in shock, her gratitude instantly replaced by irritation as she puffed up like an angry goose. "The third level of the Flame Mysteries Sect's forbidden knowledge has never been given away? Is one piece not enough for you?"

"Not at all," Ye Chen examined the metal block with a careless attitude. "You're giving me this tiny manual, and I'm actually getting robbed here. Since I've already been robbed once, why not be robbed more thoroughly?"

Princess Seven nearly choked on her own breath, roaring in exasperation, "Are you implying my price is less than one little forbidden scroll? This is absurd! Let me tell you - Father knows your devious nature, that's why he only gave you this cheap trinket. If not for that, he'd hand the entire empire over to you!"

Ye Chen nodded in solemn agreement.

The princess gritted her teeth, her cheeks flushed red with suppressed fury as she stamped her foot and glared at him. With a faint smile on his lips, Ye Chen took Gao Zhifan and Yueling and vanished into the distance, giving them only a casual wave goodbye.

Princess Seven watched their retreating figures, her anger dissipating like morning mist to reveal an unexpected pang of longing. She stood there transfixed as their silhouettes dwindled into pinpricks against the horizon.

White Lotus Divine Land.

Crimson Death Mountain.

When the once-mighty Crimson Death Sect was wiped out from Green Water City by the Bai family, a new force emerged here - the Yellow Hell Sect. The mountain itself became known as Hell's Gate Mountain thereafter.

Now at the peak of Hell's Gate Mountain in the sect's grand palace, only seven or eight people sat uneasily within the chamber. Each possessed formidable power - even the weakest was an early-stage quasi-god!

On the golden dragon throne at the hall's far end rested a long table overflowing with wine and delicacies. A white-clothed young man lounged there like royalty, his silken garment gleaming like moonlight that dimmed all other light in the room. He propped one leg over the table, sipping fine vintage while being surrounded by seven or eight breathtaking beauties.

These women appeared barely seventeen yet radiated mature allure - a perfect blend of innocence and seduction. Their curves pressed against his limbs as they poured wine, offered grapes, massaged his legs... treating him like an emperor indulging in life's most extravagant luxuries.

"This wine..." the young man murmured, swirling the goblet with a melancholy gaze. "Few remain worthy to taste such perfection anymore. But even if I had all these vintages, without true companionship, they'd still be hollow." His expression darkened as he sighed unconsciously.

The beauties stiffened slightly at his remark before quickly resuming their flirtatious smiles - they knew better than to take offense when the man who had kicked the sect leader into submission and forced him to beg like a grandfather was in the room.

He gazed beyond the palace doors toward the endless sky, watching clouds drift through memories. "Has everyone been well these past years?" he wondered aloud before turning back to his companion's soft curves for comfort.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open with sharp light. "Someone is approaching," he smiled knowingly as a shadow appeared on the horizon.

White Lotus Divine Land - City Lord Mansion.

A massive figure emerged from the spatial vortex, standing mid-air with nostalgic eyes scanning the unchanged cityscape below.

The seven guards at the portal gaped in disbelief when they saw his sheer physique. Spatial channels required half-god level vessels to navigate; even god-level ships often shattered upon entry into such unstable gravitational fields. To cross this by raw flesh... their minds reeled trying to comprehend what kind of physical prowess could defy natural laws.

Meanwhile, deep within the mansion's study, a middle-aged man in white robes was admiring winter plum blossom paintings when an unseen figure materialized behind him.

"Indeed not equal," came a voice like drifting snowflakes. The startled scholar spun around to see the towering young man with thick eyebrows arched like wings and eyes brimming with cold authority.

"You were here during the Crimson Death Sect days, weren't you?" the stranger asked as he examined the painting before shaking his head. "The plum blossom's spirit is poorly captured. At least nature's harshness is honest compared to humanity's self-made winters."

He placed a hand on the scholar's head just as the man began stammering excuses about stopping a riot years ago.

"Don't lie," said the stranger softly, reading the man's thoughts with unsettling ease. A sickening crack echoed through the room before a body crumpled lifelessly to the floor.

"The tragedy of humanity lies in creating its own suffering," he mused as he vanished into thin air, leaving only his final words behind...

Above Green Water City,

The towering figure materialized again, sending shockwaves rippling across Hell's Gate Mountain's main hall. The white-robed lord smiled knowingly at the incoming energy signature on his mountain.

"The old games begin anew," he whispered before launching a single finger strike into the sky like lighting fireworks.