【The Demon King】(Episodes 3-5) Author: Laughter of the Coffin?

This post was last edited by s175366 on 2015-09-24 at 15:14.
Something came up yesterday, so I had to change it to posting one episode instead of the other half. Sorry!

I need about 20 more friends to rate it for me~ Please!

Chapter 1: A Complex and Intertwined Situation

Tonight, Yang Shu was supposed to keep his appointment with Prince Rong, but things rarely go as planned. Just as he was preparing,
an urgent order arrived from the palace. Another incident had occurred on the northwestern frontier: a cavalry force of the Hu people had broken through the blockade, not only
killing the stationed soldiers but also wantonly burning, killing, and looting surrounding villages. The Yang family was traditionally a military family, and Yang
Shu, who held a position in the Ministry of War and commanded one of the most powerful troops in the Great Hua, had no choice but to rush
to the Ministry to discuss a strategy for retreating the troops.

It was said that Prince Ding, who was spending the night in Tongzhou, had also received an urgent message from the Ministry of War. Abandoning his carriage and
the corpses of prisoners, he led his elite troops back to the capital without stopping. When the news arrived from the palace, Yang Shu
was , and his brows immediately furrowed.

The Khitan raids on the western border were nothing new; the Great Hua Kingdom was powerful and prosperous, and such
conflicts had lasted for centuries. However, the Khitans usually only raided when food supplies were scarce in winter. Now
, in the sweltering heat of summer, when the grass should be lush and abundant, they shouldn't be raiding at this time.

Yang Cun quickly understood Yang Shu's confusion. If it were truly just a small group of cavalry
harassing them , the border defenses would naturally have a way to deal with it. But this time, it was an urgent dispatch sent directly to the capital, and an imperial
edict immediately summoned Prince Ding, Prince Zhen, and other powerful
figures in the Ministry
of War. It wasn't hard to see that the claim of a small group of cavalry was largely a ruse; otherwise, there wouldn't have been such a hasty and evasive attempt to cover it up.

Even stranger, although Yang Shu immediately set off for the palace, the invitation from Prince Rong's residence remained valid.

On the western edge of the imperial city, a grand mansion stood, brightly lit by lanterns, exuding an unusual
tranquility. On a wide path, only one carriage moved slowly forward. Although the carriage's exterior was rather ordinary,
a large character "Yang" on the outside simply conveyed the unparalleled status of the person inside.

"My bones are about to fall apart..."

Upon arriving at his destination, Yang Cun stepped off the carriage and immediately stretched uncontrollably. Putting aside everything else, no matter how luxurious an
ancient carriage was, the ride was incredibly bumpy. If the smooth cobblestone roads of the capital were like this
, one could only imagine how much more difficult it was on the muddy paths outside the city.

"This servant welcomes Your Highness, Duke."

Unexpectedly, the gates of the Rong Prince's mansion were tightly closed, and the person guarding outside was not a servant, but an old eunuch in
plain clothes —the same old eunuch who had accepted Yang Cun's money.

"Greetings, Eunuch."

Yang Cun was completely bewildered, not knowing why this old eunuch was there. However, out of politeness
, he still bowed first.

"My lord, this servant has been waiting for you here. It's getting late, please come with me."

The old eunuch chuckled, and with a wave of his hand, a carriage immediately sprang from the shadows of the alley, as if it had been prepared for
a long time.

Although the carriage was very ordinary in appearance, even somewhat rudimentary, Yang
Cun's brows furrowed upon seeing it, based on his extensive knowledge from his previous life. The horses in front were definitely not the small ponies of Han China, but rather tall, magnificent horses from
the Western Regions . These two horses were robust, well-proportioned, and their coats were exceptionally soft, clearly not
domesticated horses that frequently engaged in travel. The carriage itself looked no different from those used by civilians, but the wood was almost entirely top-grade
golden nanmu, incredibly hard and completely impervious to arrows even in an attack. Just considering the materials alone, it was not something
an ordinary person could possess.

Despite his doubts, Yang Cun politely declined the eunuch's offer and slowly boarded the carriage prepared by the old eunuch.
The
insidecarriage it nearly impossible to see outside. Yang Cun could only hear the horses galloping, but
he had no idea which direction they were heading.

The journey was very long. Yang Cun closed his eyes, feeling the trembling of his body and the sounds around him. He could clearly feel that
the horses' hooves were no longer treading on hard flagstones, but on a muddy dirt road. In the capital, there shouldn't
be such muddy roads within the city. Undoubtedly, the carriage had left the city sometime ago, and its current direction seemed
unclear. Yang Cun wasn't sure which way they were going, but judging from the increasing rustling of leaves, the location was
definitely becoming more and more remote.

Yang Cun had gradually become accustomed to the irregular swaying of the carriage, and when it slowly came to a stop
, he actually felt a little uneasy. At this moment, the old eunuch's soft voice came from outside the carriage: "My lord
, we have arrived."

"Hmm!"

Yang Cun's mind raced. From the moment he boarded the carriage, he had a vague idea of what was going on. Stepping
off, he found himself indeed far beyond the capital, in an unknown direction,
surrounded by darkness. They stood before a small bamboo grove.

"My lord, this servant will be waiting here,"

the old eunuch said with his usual obsequious smile, but the panic and servility of the morning were gone, replaced by
a forced, almost suppressed smile. His previously thin frame seemed to
have become noticeably more upright.

"Up in the mountains?"

Yang Cun hesitated, looking at the two flagstone paths before him. He didn't know why
he had followed him here in such a daze. Judging from this, the old eunuch was definitely not as subservient as he had initially thought.
He wondered who was waiting for him; this strange situation made him uneasy.

"Yes, my lord, please,"

the old eunuch smiled, his eyes narrowed, his demeanor remarkably composed, even subtly eerie.

"Thank you, Eunuch."

Yang Cun didn't say much more. Out of instinctive trust and curiosity, he immediately followed the eunuch's instructions and began
walking up the bluestone steps towards the mountain.

"Gentlemen, thank you all."

The old eunuch squinted, watching Yang Cun walk up the mountain step by step. Suddenly, he gave a cold laugh, and three spiritual pills shimmering with purple light appeared
around him . The whisk in his hand seemed to come alive in an instant
, emitting a chilling silver light.

The momentary brilliance was like a shooting star streaking across the night. The old eunuch remained standing calmly, not...
What remained the same was that the previously somewhat fawning smile on his face was now replaced by a cruel indifference. Beside him, the coachman
, the driver, and several roughly dressed servants lay bleeding profusely, some with blood trickling from their brows, others with
ruptured .

Without exception, none of them showed much change in expression after death, as if they were completely
unaware of their impending demise. The moment their bodies fell to the ground, even their facial expressions froze.

"Dispose of them!"

The old eunuch coldly glanced at the corpses beside him, then slowly turned around, his hands behind his back. Suddenly,
dozens of men in black, carrying waist knives, appeared around him. Judging from their steady breathing and heavy footsteps, they were definitely not ordinary
martial arts masters. The men in black silently gathered the corpses on the ground. Facing this brutal slaughter, each of their
expressions was icy cold, just like their silent concealment, devoid of any life.

The narrow, ancient cobblestone path, though weathered and worn, was remarkably smooth. The dim moonlight was
the only illumination for the night's journey, and the trees on either side rustled in the evening breeze, creating a serene,
otherworldly atmosphere . Yet, if one's heart stirred, it resembled the overly dark, desolate wilderness of a horror movie,
a chilling silence pervading every corner.

The ancient stone path led upwards, and Yang Cun, panting, soon
saw change. Before him stood a quaint pavilion, inside which
stood an elderly man in magnificent robes, hands clasped behind his back, silently gazing at the darkness below the cliff. He appeared so lonely in the cold wind, exuding a
powerful, domineering a simple silhouette conveyed an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Yang Cun pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Upon seeing this, Yang Cun's mind skipped a beat. Reaching the steps of the pavilion, he immediately performed a deep, respectful bow.
Even though they had only met once, the feeling and the sense of oppression were all too familiar!

"Rise!"

The old man sighed slowly, turning around to reveal the old emperor's wrinkled face.
Even without the dragon robe, his inexplicable superiority still exuded an imposing aura, and his somewhat thin body
looked particularly forlorn in the night wind.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Yang Cun simply stood up, not daring to ask any further questions. After all, the events of the evening were very strange. He had originally agreed to the
appointment with Prince Rong, but Yang Shu suddenly went to handle military affairs, and after arriving at Prince Rong's residence, he was summoned here to see the emperor.
Each event felt puzzling and unrelated, yet there seemed to be something connecting them.

The border military situation was critical, and the ministers of the Imperial Study, the Ministry of War, and the two princes had already begun to urgently discuss countermeasures. At
such a critical juncture, the old emperor summoned him in such a secluded place. If his purpose was to invite
him to dinner, drinks, and prostitutes for the night, no one would believe it! Yang Cun's mind skipped a beat, and he became extremely
alert .

"Sit,"

the old emperor waved his hand and sat on a stone chair. Yang Cun sat down cautiously, and even with his
usual carefree attitude, he dared not look directly into the old emperor's weathered and clouded eyes. Those eyes, belonging to the emperor, had witnessed
so many years of human life; the majesty within them could not be truly appreciated without face-to-face interaction.

After a moment of silence, the old emperor sighed and said leisurely, "Yang Cun, I originally intended to
host a banquet for you in the Imperial Garden today, but unfortunately, military matters arose suddenly, and I was busy with worldly affairs after court. Only now
have I been able to free myself to speak with you."

"Thank you for your favor, Your Majesty,"

Yang Cun said, expressing his gratitude in a proper manner. In this era, even if the emperor's words were false, they had to be believed. Even if
he made an empty promise, these old-fashioned people would still be deeply moved! Of course, Yang Cun had to put on an act as well,
immediately adopting a look of tearful gratitude.

As for his talk about the Imperial Garden cleansing ceremony and what followed, that's not worth delving into. After all, this emperor
doesn't seem like a foolish ruler. Would he really be so respectful just because he's a descendant of the Yang family from Jiangnan? Nobody
believes . Sometimes, getting stuck on trivial details is a bad habit. For example, Mei Chaofeng's fingernails are so long—how did she wipe her bottom after defecating
? Yang Cun struggled with this question for years in his past life and still couldn't find the answer.

Thinking about this, his mind went blank again. Xiao Zhao's feet are always chained;
how change her underwear? Does she just wear the same pair of underwear without washing it? Or does she go braless?
The former is heavy-handed, the latter is mind-blowing. Amen, Mr. Jin, the questions you left behind are truly profound.

"Alas..."

The old emperor sighed again before he could finish speaking, his face slightly pale. After coughing a few times, his eyes flashed
with a fierce light , tinged with resentment, as he said, "The thought of the Imperial Preceptor's remains being desecrated by thieves still pains me deeply. Although
the Imperial Preceptor is now laid to rest, those petty villains are still at large. It truly grieves me!"

"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences."

Yang Cun wasn't stupid. When faced with the old emperor's deep sorrow, he naturally delivered the best possible
lines.

"Yang Cun, you are a descendant of the Duke of Jing, a loyal and valiant descendant to me. I have a secret edict for you."

The old emperor narrowed his eyes, seemingly seeing through Yang Cun's naive appearance to a shrewd mind
. The exaggerated respect made the old emperor sigh silently, saying nothing more, but instead pulling a scroll of imperial edict from his sleeve
and tossing it to Yang Cun.

"Your subject accepts the decree!"

Yang Cun hurriedly accepted the imperial edict with a look of trepidation. Having watched so many TV dramas,
he understood this rather clichéd rule.

"Do not open it unless absolutely necessary."

The old emperor hesitated, a hint of unspoken worry in his eyes.

He gave Yang Cun a deep look, coughed, and said, "Duke Jingguo, I do not wish for you to be swayed by the intrigues of officialdom
. I have an important matter to entrust to you. Tomorrow morning, I will naturally announce the decree during the court session
. As for the secret edict in your hands, it must not be opened without my permission, or unless it is absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"

"Yang Cun will remember!"

Yang Cun was not stupid. Although he had many questions, seeing the old emperor's serious expression, he naturally
wouldn't ask too many questions in person. He immediately stuffed the imperial edict into his sleeve, then pretended to be innocent
and naive, acting as if he were incredibly obedient.

"You are different from your father."

Seeing Yang Cun's unwavering composure, the old emperor couldn't help but smile kindly, a hint of
reminiscence . "When Mingcheng was young, although he was mature beyond his years and exceptionally refined, he still seemed somewhat immature,
unlike your composed demeanor. Over the years, I have always thought of you, the descendant of a loyal and valiant man. You were frail and sickly from childhood, even your
grandfather worried about you constantly. Now you are such a robust young man; I believe your father, if he knew this in the afterlife, could
rest in peace."

Yang Cun was momentarily at a loss for words. He had never met any of his relatives in this life, and in the old
emperor's kind words, besides memories, he seemed to sense a melancholy. That slight
emotional fluctuation made Yang Cun instinctively feel an inexplicable unease.

"Very well."

The old emperor sighed, saying nothing more. He waved his hand, coughed, and said, "You should go down the mountain first. The capital is
far from peaceful tonight. There's still a long way to go after you get down the mountain..."

"Yang Cun takes his leave."

Yang Cun was filled with doubt. Although he couldn't understand what the old emperor meant, he felt something was
amiss. Of course, he couldn't ask directly, so he could only take his leave with a head full of questions.

The old emperor waved his hand and lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought. Yang Cun, of course, couldn't
say anything more. He immediately bowed and tried to find a way back the way he came. Although there was a little moonlight on the mountain in the dark night,
the pitiful visibility was still maddening. Yang Cun walked for most of the day before returning to the foot of the mountain.

"Damn it, are they going to make me walk back?!"

The foot of the mountain was deserted and there was no one around. Even with Yang Cun's good temper, he couldn't help but curse.

Everywhere was woods and fields, practically deserted, with an extremely wide-open view, but not
a single village in sight, let alone the tall, ancient walls of the capital. The most ridiculous problem was that
the carriage hadn't been able to see the road at all, and they had absolutely no sense of direction. In this desolate situation,
forget about the carriage, they didn't even know where to go. It was no wonder Yang Cun was cursing!

The sky was quite clear, without the hazy grayness of industrial pollution, and the twinkling stars were quite beautiful.
The moon was also very round tonight, as bright as the Mid-Autumn Festival. Under such conditions, bringing a girl for some outdoor fun would be
perfect, but Yang Cun was in such a miserable state that he had no such thoughts. "

Old Emperor, is your brain filled with water or sulfuric acid?! Acting all mysterious,
you didn't even give me a horse! I don't blame you for not having transportation, but why did you make such a fuss about coming here?"

"And what do you mean by 'a long way to kill time'? So that's what you meant! I don't mind being
teased by you because I'm of lower status than you, but the problem is I don't even know the way back! Can you be any more outrageous?! Do you want
me to become the first duke in history to get lost and starve to death? That's too pathetic!

" Yang Cun randomly chose a long, winding dirt path and walked along, feeling depressed. Half a day had passed, and there wasn't a single
person in sight. Just as Yang Cun was about to go crazy, a swaying figure suddenly appeared by the riverbank, staggering
towards him. Yang Cun immediately perked up and quickly ran over, bowing and asking, "Brother, may I ask..."

"Oh..."

The newcomer was a burly man in his forties, clearly so drunk he didn't even know his own gender.
He wore ordinary peasant clothes, his eyes were glazed, and his face was flushed with alcohol. Before he could even speak, a strong smell of alcohol
wafted over him.

"Brother, which direction should I go back to the capital?"

Yang Cun, suppressing his nausea, politely asked the disheveled drunkard before him.

"The capital...where is that?"

The drunkard swayed a few times, grinning foolishly, hiccuping as he wobbled, "You...you
're going to the capital?"

"Yes..."

Yang Cun, seeing a glimmer of hope, nodded vigorously.

"I...I don't think I know..."

The drunkard swayed a few times, looking at the sky in a daze, stammering, "I...I don't think I'm
a local. By the way, why...why are there so many moons in the sky here..."

"Brother, I have to go!"

Yang Cun burst into tears, looking at the drunkard's innocent and adorable appearance, and ran off.

"Where are you going, brother?"

The burly man seemed interested in seeing a living person, and even though he couldn't run anymore, he still called out from afar.

"I'm going to fuck your sister!"

Yang Cun's clenched fist trembled, barely suppressing the urge to beat him to death.

"Oh...good news, brother, the more the merrier!"

The drunkard, completely oblivious to the situation, mumbled something before collapsing to the ground, a
satisfied smile on his lips.

Damn it, what kind of luck is this? He keeps running into all sorts of lousy people! Yang Cun cursed inwardly.
Finally he encountered two or three pot menders returning home, and only then did Yang Cun get
directions back to the capital. Tonight was truly unlucky. What should have been an hour's
journey had taken two hours because he'd gone the wrong way. His luck was truly terrible!

After trudging along the muddy road for two hours, Yang Cun's first feeling was exhaustion—he was so tired he was about to faint.

Although it wasn't strenuous exercise, the key issue was the lack of streetlights or other forms of illumination in those days. Even with the
dim moonlight, the road was littered with pebbles and branches, making every step a delicate matter,
a truly mentally torturous experience. But one has to admire the quality of shoes these days; after walking for so long, they
still feel very comfortable.

It was well past midnight, or rather, past midnight, when Yang Cun, dragging his weary body, finally saw the ancient
and imposing walls of the capital. The city gates were already closed, and torches could be faintly seen
flickering on the walls. Even at night, the capital's defenses remained tight, with soldiers tirelessly
patrolling. Upon seeing Yang Cun's unsteady figure approaching, they immediately shouted alertly, "Who's there?"

"You lecherous thief, where do you think you're going?"

At the same time as this powerful shout, an extremely melodious moan rang out, though the voice...
He was furious, but his voice remained alluring, capable of stirring hormones and exuding a captivating charm that seemed to carry a genetic
message .

"Damn it, who called me? How did they know my nickname?" Yang Cun's fatigue vanished instantly, whether
from the seductive voice or from the question itself, he didn't know.

"Guards!"

At that moment, the soldiers on the city wall erupted in commotion. They hadn't been particularly angry before, but now they were all
rushing about,
the swishing of their swords filling the air. Even from a distance, their gleaming blades were clearly visible, showing their alertness.

At that moment, two figures leaped across the city wall like ghosts, taking advantage of a moment of carelessness among the soldiers to jump down
. Yang Cun didn't care about the first figure at all, as it was tall and muscular, clearly a man.
The second figure was different; she wore a long purple gauze dress with flowing black sleeves. In
the moonlight, her graceful figure, tall and sexy curves, and high, firm breasts
were enough to make anyone drool, even without seeing her face clearly.

"I...I'm not..."

the man in black hurriedly protested, but before he could finish speaking, the woman in purple
caught up with him in mid-air. Before he could even explain, she struck him hard on the back with a loud

"bang." It was almost unbelievable that such a sexy and alluring figure possessed such terrifying strength. The two, who had
been floating gracefully in mid-air, were suddenly struck by the woman's palm strike. The black-clad man
was hit like a bomb, his tall body crashing to the ground like a bullet, raising a
cloud of dust. The purple-clad woman in mid-air seemed to be surrounded by a white mist; her flowing
attire, combined with the hazy moonlight, made her appear like Chang'e descending to earth, ethereal and beautiful beyond compare.

"Damn it…"

Yang Cun cursed, as the man almost hit him. He quickly dodged,
feeling a whoosh of wind beside him as a massive object passed by!

A loud, heavy thud echoed. The black-clad man
crashed to the ground, his face obscured, but blood began to slowly flow.
After a few twitches, he lay motionless, unable to even scream. Judging from the situation, she was
definitely dead. If anyone dared to say she had only fainted, looking at the pool of blood on the ground, Yang
Cun would bet his entire fortune on them.

"How dare you!"

Before the woman in black even landed, and before the soldiers on the city wall could react, another sudden change occurred.
A middle-aged man in gray, leading a group of masked men in black, jumped over the city wall in a panic, with a group of
people chasing closely behind! My god, hundreds of gangsters, what a show of force!

"What's going on?"

Yang Cun was immediately filled with questions. Watching the increasingly exciting scene unfold, his mind raced
. His first thought was to stay out of it, and his second was to quickly find a safe place to hide
to avoid being implicated.

"How dare you..."

The general guarding the city was surprised and then furious. After all, this was the capital, under the emperor's nose.
Although guarding was their duty, how many years had it been since they had encountered such an arrogant situation? Seeing so many people leaping over
their heads and flying down the city wall was unacceptable.

"Shuntian Prefecture orders: guard all nine gates! Entry is permitted, but exit is not!"

At that moment, a figure walked onto the city wall. Prince Rong, dressed in a four-clawed python robe, frowned, his face grim,
watching more and more bandits leap over the wall.

"Your Highness..."

The guards immediately knelt and saluted, but their leader, unable to suppress his anger, gritted his teeth and said, "This humble general is willing to lead troops
to capture these bandits. Please grant Your Highness's permission."

"Shuntian Prefecture order, Ministry of War seal, and an imperial edict will arrive tomorrow."

Prince Rong frowned again. Even though he usually had a kind face, the aura of someone born into an imperial family
was still chilling.

"Yes..."

The commander's heart trembled, and he quickly nodded in agreement, ordering the four gates to be on high alert, allowing entry but not exit.

The capital city remained quiet and decadent, but unbeknownst to many, not only the guards at the gates
but also the palace guards were on edge. No one knew what had happened that night, but
all had received orders, and the presence of Prince Rong himself made it a force to be reckoned with. Even more bizarrely, the capital, which should have been
the most peaceful place, was now teeming with masked men in black.

On the open ground outside the city walls, the gray-clad man leading the group landed slowly, and before he could even adjust,
he gritted his teeth and began to flee with his men. The woman in purple merely watched coldly, offering no
resistance. Yang Cun, hiding behind a large tree,
was .

"Kill!"

Suddenly, an ambush seemed to have been laid in the woods. Over a hundred men suddenly emerged from the reeds along the riverbank
, their shouts deafening, their blades gleaming menacingly in the moonlight. They seemed to have been
prepared , their movements silent except for a single, thunderous roar as they charged without hesitation towards the man in gray
. Judging from their footwork and the current situation, they were definitely not fools robbing a roadside robber, but rather elite soldiers who
had .

The two groups quickly clashed, the sounds of battle deafening, swords flashing, and soon, one unlucky fellow, lacking the strength,
fell. Good heavens, this is more exciting than a gangster movie! Yang Cun, hiding behind a tree, watched the sudden
scene unfold, secretly relieved, wiping away cold sweat. He thought to himself, thankfully he had sensed something amiss
and stayed far away. In that vast reed forest, not a single bird had chirped, not even an insect had made a sound. Something
was definitely fishy.

"The dignified Duke Jingguo cowers here, what a disgrace!"

At this moment, a slightly contemptuous sneer suddenly rang out from behind.

"Ah! Who?"

Yang Cun was startled and dodged to the side. After seeing the figure in front of him, he immediately pretended to be calm again .
Yang Cun breathed a sigh of relief and said with a grin, "Sister, do you know how impolite that is! Scaring someone
can be deadly! I'm easily frightened, and if someone gets killed, it won't be good for you."

Before him stood the woman in purple who had just killed the man in black with a single blow. Yang Cun finally got
a . Her graceful figure under the moonlight, her undeniably sexy
and voluptuous body, was enough to make anyone drool. Even under the cover of her flowing dress, her breasts were so full
they seemed about to burst out, her waist was perfectly proportioned, perfectly embodying the concept of a slender waist, and her hips were
firm, perky, and full like ripe peaches, practically bursting with juice! Her proportions were even more perfect than a devilish
figure , making one want to curse the heavens for giving her such perfect measurements; it was practically
unleashing the potential of every lecher in the world.

"Ah, sister, what are you doing here? It's not Mid-Autumn Festival, you didn't come out to admire the moon, did you?"

Yang Cun continued playfully. The woman's face was veiled, so her features were unclear, but her beautiful and incredibly lively
eyes, though cold, were stunning and had an inexplicable familiarity.

"Glib..."

The woman in purple frowned immediately, and with a slight wave of her sleeve, a mist seemed to rise.

"I didn't say anything..."

Yang Cun was startled. Without thinking, he quickly made a complex hand gesture, clasped
his hands together, and rushed towards the direction of the rising mist.

The movement was incredibly gentle and soft, but in that instant, "bang!"—like two
tanks colliding, it was surprisingly heavy. The woman in purple seemed caught off guard,
taking a few steps back before looking at Yang Cun in surprise. She said, somewhat astonished, "You...you don't practice the Yang family's
kung fu."

"Sorry, I don't know any kung fu."

Yang Cun's earlier playful smile vanished, replaced by a cold indifference as he stared at the woman.
He squatted deeply into a horse stance, his palms outstretched, one in front of the other. Surrounding him were three incomparably pure inner cores,
floating silently in the air, seemingly detached from worldly affairs. Yet, their eerie whiteness resembled the finest mutton-fat jade
, breathtakingly beautiful.

"The Yang family's kung fu isn't like this!"

The woman in purple frowned slightly, looking at Yang Cun with a hint of hesitation.

"Then would you like to experience it?"

Yang Cun's eyes turned cold, and white true energy began to emanate from his entire body. Colorless, neither hot nor cold, neither yin nor yang,
it seemed to exist, giving off an extremely strange feeling.

The woman in purple fell silent. Even though her cultivation was far superior to Yang Cun's, who only possessed three cores,
this was had witnessed such a bizarre skill. The white inner core was not only flawless, but its
ethereal quality, almost nonexistent, was utterly unfathomable. Even without a sense of danger, her instincts still made her hesitant to take the risk.

Since the battle between heaven and earth, anyone with the Dao could cultivate an inner core, whether through martial arts or Zen, they
could cultivate their own through enlightenment. The cultivation of the inner core was arguably the best
testament to each person's unique talents. In fact, the color of a person's inner core varied, and it could even be said that it was influenced by factors during cultivation, resulting in
numerous flaws. But she had never heard of anyone cultivating a white inner core, so pure it was almost flawless. This was
too strange. The woman in purple silently stared at the three cores surrounding Yang Cun, utterly perplexed.

"How dare you!"

A furious shout rang out, not loud, even a muffled groan, but its chilling intensity
was absolutely terrifying. As the angry roar rang out, the woman in purple trembled violently, her graceful figure
vanishing without a trace.

A furious explosion erupted; the powerful spiritual energy of the Six Pills was unleashed almost without restraint, a strike carrying the might of heaven and earth
crashing down like a mountain, its power unimaginable. Right before Yang Cun, crimson-yellow true energy
surged , a sudden attack that sent countless flying sand and stones flying, its force no less than any natural disaster.
After the sandstorm dissipated, a massive crater, five meters deep, was revealed on the ground.

"The Prince of Zhen, indeed… no wonder the rumors of his strength, surpassing all others in the top ten…"

The woman in purple had already leaped ten feet away, but now
she faltering. She had clearly dodged the attack carrying the might of heaven and earth, yet even the powerful aftershocks of the true energy
had caused her unexpected harm.

A sandstorm erupted, the deafening roar stunned everyone. The powerful attack drew everyone's attention
. Under the moonlight, the faint yellow sand mist slowly dissipated, revealing a tall, imposing figure.

This man, clad in a long white robe, had a furrowed brow, exuding an immense sense of oppression. His cold expression held a
haughty arrogance, disdainful of all, yet compelling all to look directly at the fury beneath his icy facade. How many could rival such
majesty and power? It was none other than Prince Yang Shu.

"Insulting my uncle, insulting my Yang family… you deserve to die!"

At this moment, extreme rage blazed across Yang Shu's previously calm face. The stunning beauty
before him seemed like a dead man to him. His mind remained completely unmoved, without the slightest hesitation.

"So what if you're the Prince of Zhen?"

The woman in purple was instantly enraged by his disdainful gaze. With a sharp shout, five transparent, water-like
inner cores surrounded her, emanating an indescribable chill! Perhaps it was Yang Shu's arrogant
attitude that was so offensive, not only making her angry but also feeling deeply insulted by the disdain.

"The title of Prince of Zhen is hereditary in the Yang family. How dare you, a commoner, address me like this!"

Yang Shu's brows furrowed deeply, his anger undisguised. The woman's impolite words had
thoroughly shattered the dignity he so deeply cherished.

With a roar, six crimson-yellow inner cores surrounded his body. Unlike the woman's outward display of killing intent,
a steady, powerful, and unyielding pressure enveloped his otherwise refined form, forcing even the soul
to submit to its overwhelming aura.

With a deafening roar, the atmosphere instantly surged to the heavens. Compared to any riot,
the confrontation between the fifth and sixth-level Dan experts was truly earth-shattering. Even though the woman in purple felt a tremor in her heart, she clearly...
Sensing the immense gap in strength between the six Dan masters, he merely smiled, seemingly disregarding the peerless six Dan
experts. That relaxed demeanor enraged Yang Shu even more. With a slight twitch of his hand
, the force felt like an earthquake, the unparalleled intimidation like a collapsing Mount Tai.

The woman in purple, almost suffocating under Yang Shu's overwhelming power, suddenly smiled
a barely perceptible sneer: "Prince Zhen, at this time… you shouldn't have time to entangle with me, right?"

"Don't be so smug!"

Yang Shu's incredibly powerful true energy finally subsided. He turned to Yang Cun with concerned eyes,
asking somewhat impatiently, "Uncle, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Yang Cun was speechless with shock. The purple-clad woman could
n't discern the face or age of the fifth-level Dan master, but Yang Shu, only a few years older than her, had actually reached the sixth level.
The overwhelming pressure, like a tidal wave, was almost unbearable to her heart when his true energy erupted
. Sixth-level Dan masters were only heard of, never seen, and Yang Shu possessed such unparalleled cultivation
—it was truly terrifying.

Meanwhile, the two groups fighting by the forest edge were nearing their end, leaving behind a
scene . The only survivor was a gray-clad man, panting heavily amidst the corpses. He was also in dire straits;
even as the sole survivor, he was covered in countless wounds, his
clothes almost completely stained red with blood. Though alive, he was on the verge of death.

"Never mind..."

the purple-clad woman murmured, glancing at the scene before letting out a soft sigh. With a turn, she seemed to vanish instantly
. Without that graceful figure, only the indescribable fragrance lingered in the woods from her flowing sleeves, as if
she had never existed, giving an impression of being too ethereal.

"A woman from the Demonic Sect..."

Yang Shu smiled contemptuously, his words tinged with disdain.

"What happened tonight?"

Yang Cun, seeing the gray-clad man panting, covered in blood, quickly asked. Only then did he
realize that this mysterious beauty tonight was none other than the Demonic Sect enchantress he had seen in Tianjin that night! Even though the clothes
were different, the alluring aura remained unchanged. Normally, men should have
a photographic memory for women, especially top-tier beauties, but in reality, Yang Cun had been extremely tense amidst his playful smiles, and had no time to sort through
the hazy memories in his mind.

"Uncle, if there's a chance, Shu'er will escort you into the city first."

Yang Cun frowned, his expression carrying an indescribable sternness, a seriousness Yang Cun had never seen before, so rigid that there
was almost no room for negotiation.

"Suppressing King? Demonic Sect? Haha... The Five Elements of Heaven and Earth..."

The gray-robed man wiped the blood from his lips, looked at Yang Shu, and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Guan Lin..."

At this moment, a group of people chasing behind him ran out and suddenly surrounded the gray-robed man. The leader was
an old man in a Taoist robe, followed by a group of serious-looking but somewhat nervous Taoist disciples.

"Senior Brother..."

The gray-robed man called Guan Lin's eyes suddenly dimmed, then became excited. Looking at
the old man who had caught up with him, he smiled somewhat maniacally.

"You traitor to your master!"

The old man took a step forward, his brows furrowed, full of resentment.

"Haha, all Taoists under heaven strive for strength."

Guan Lin laughed, seemingly shrill and somewhat insane. Seeing that there were nearly a hundred Taoist disciples surrounding him, and apart from the old man
in front of him , the lowest level of them all had the cultivation of the Second Core Formation, his eyes flickered, revealing an
indescribable excitement and a reckless arrogance that seemed to have lost its mind.

"Your master treated you well, yet you sneaked into his palace at night, plotting something wicked!"

The old man's expression hardened, and he roared, "Back when you were homeless, it was your master's kindness and generosity that
took a hundred years ago, his body has been dishonored, and before his bones are even cold
, a traitor like you has appeared. How can we not feel disheartened? How can your master rest in peace? In terms of the Dao, without a teacher, without virtue, without loyalty, and without filial piety
, you are unworthy!"

"Enough!"

Lin Guan's face darkened instantly. His blood-soaked body suddenly found strength, and he gritted his teeth, his face ashen,
and snorted, "Zhang Baocheng, everyone says he is the National Preceptor! Pure and kind-hearted, doing all kinds of benevolent deeds, but he treats his disciples
differently! I have devoted myself to the Dao, studying under him for sixty years, sincerely serving him, yet I have not received a single true teaching! While he
treats the sons of high-ranking officials and nobles well. He is a fame-seeking scoundrel, unworthy to be called a master!"

"Insolence! How dare you insult my master!"

The old man's face paled, and he erupted in fury. With a roar, a surge of true energy rose from the ground, and six
inner cores of different colors floated around him, their power no less than Yang Shu's Six Cores Realm.

"The Grand Preceptor's direct disciple..."

Yang Shu sneered from the side, "Truly living up to his reputation!"

Upon further inquiry, he learned that the gray-robed man named Lin Guan was one of Zhang Baocheng's many disciples, possessing exceptional talent
and deeply favored by the Grand Preceptor during his lifetime, even hailed as the Grand Preceptor's most talented disciple. The old man in the Taoist robe was named
Xiao Ying, the Grand Preceptor Zhang Baocheng's direct disciple and the current Grand Preceptor of the court.

"Not bad!"

Yang Cun remarked, for both Yang Shu's Six Cores Realm surrounding him and Xiao Ying's
outward release of true energy exerted such intense pressure that even breathing would be difficult. He had encountered two Six Cores Realm masters, a rare sight indeed,
in one night ; this night was indeed far from peaceful.

"Kill!"

A commotion erupted within the city. A large group of masked men in black fled in all directions,
many dying in their panic. Judging by their skills, they were no ordinary bandits. Their pursuers
were soldiers from the Shuntian Prefecture.

"Your Highness!"

At that moment, a huge banner bearing the character "Yang" fluttered at the city's edge, and a troop of about a thousand cavalrymen rushed over—
the direct guards of the Yang family.

"Stand by!"

Yang Shu frowned, waving his hand slightly, his gaze fixed on the surrounded forest ranger, seemingly...
Waiting for something.

"What a grand spectacle!"

Yang Cun's mind went blank for a moment as he quickly processed the events of the evening. From the Rong Prince's residence to his meeting with the old emperor,
and then to the timing of his return to the capital, everything seemed preordained.
Yang Shu, who was supposed to be discussing military matters at the Ministry of War tonight, appeared instead, along with that alluring demoness from the Demonic Sect
. The chaotic nature of the capital was truly bewildering.

"Ah..."

At this moment, a scream drew everyone's attention. It turned out that Zhang Baocheng's other disciples could no longer contain themselves and
swarmed to attack Lin Guan. Lin Guan was only thirty years old, but by Zhang Baocheng's side, even without the true teachings, his
talent was extremely high, and he was certainly not incompetent. With a single move, he activated his Five Dan Body Protection, and although he was in a sorry state, he still managed to block
their attacks and even managed to injure two of them.

"Lin Guan, surrender!"

Xiao Ying Daoist roared, his Six Dan Body encircling his body, and azure true energy, like celestial smoke, coiled around his arms and enveloped
his entire body! With a flash, he charged towards the forest ranger, his whisk lashing out at him.

"I've long wanted to test your skills..."

The forest ranger, already overwhelmed and panting, suddenly sensed the terrifying, overwhelming
aura emanating from the crowd! He quickly steadied himself, channeling his most extreme true energy at the Five Core Stages level, and with a roar, threw a punch at Xiao Ying
.

"A mantis trying to stop a chariot..."

Yang Shu coldly watched, scoffing disdainfully.

A deafening "bang!" echoed as hard against hard, the impact was deafening. The forest ranger, trapped in the crowd,
coughed up blood, blasted away by Xiao Ying's attack. He flew several meters before finally managing
to regain his footing, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood and gasping for breath. Xiao Ying's attack was truly
formidable ; even with his best efforts, he had suffered internal injuries. The difference between a single Core Stage and Xiao Ying was immense.

"Traitor!"

Xiao Ying frowned, raised his hands, and relentlessly pursued the forest guard.

"This Xiao Ying feels very strange."

Yang Cun watched this scene, and for some reason, he felt that this disciple of Zhang Baocheng gave off a
bad feeling. Although the forest guard didn't seem like a good person either, Xiao Ying was supposed to be a cultivator, yet his temper was so
fiery and arrogant, showing absolutely no sign of a highly accomplished master.

Yang Shu continued to watch with his hands behind his back, occasionally clenching his fists, as if weighing who would have the upper hand if he and Xiao Ying fought
.

The forest guard was badly injured, blood dripping from his fingertips to the ground. His right arm, which had blocked Xiao Ying's attack, now
hung limply, the entire arm a bloody mess, with some areas even showing the white bone. That attack had
completely crippled his right hand. Lin Guan had been fleeing the city, expending a great deal of energy, and was now at his last gasp. Xiao Ying
, however, continued his relentless assault. With a furious roar, his figure moved with lightning speed, the azure true energy coiling around his hand becoming
even more concentrated. The power of this attack was far greater than the hasty strike from before.

"This guy is too bloodthirsty,"

Yang Shu frowned. There was no need to kill Lin Guan now.

"Haha..."

Lin Guan gasped weakly, glancing at Xiao Ying, who was pressing down on him like a mountain. Suddenly, he let out a shrill laugh
, a hint of madness in his voice: "It seems I'm doomed today. In that case, let me show you
the secrets of Zhang Baocheng's understanding of the heavens!"

With a "boom," following this mad shout, Lin Guan, who had been struggling to the death, was suddenly enveloped in
a soaring golden light. The enormous pillar of light seemed to be crafted from gold, shining brilliantly in the darkness.

As the pillar of light shot into the sky, it instantly
illuminated the entire capital city as if it were daytime, as if dispelling the dark clouds in the night sky.

"This traitor, could it be that he..."

Xiao Ying retreated somewhat awkwardly from his hasty advance, avoiding the towering pillar of light that almost completely surrounded the forest rangers.

"Holy crap, what is that?!"

Yang Cun stared from afar, dumbfounded by the spectacular sight. Even from a distance, he could
clearly feel the immense power contained within the towering golden pillar of light, surpassing even Xiao Ying's and Yang Shu's sixth-stage Dan realm
, so strong that even the earth seemed to tremble. This was definitely not a power that humans could possess.

"Hmph, all sorts of demons and monsters have come!"

Yang Shu closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying the terrifying power, then suddenly frowned and
snorted unhappily.

"It's getting more and more chaotic..."

Yang Cun quickly turned his head to look around, only to find that there seemed to be some other people by the city wall.
The demoness from the Demonic Sect, who had left earlier, was now standing quietly by the moat, looking at the towering pillar of light with a hint of excitement.

"Heaven and earth fight, the five elements emerge, heaven has no restraint, earth bestows true spirit..."

The hoarse voice no longer had the weak feeling it had before; it was very deep, so deep that one could feel
an indescribable gloom in the voice. As the pillar of light slowly contracted and shrank, the voice, which seemed to be slaughtering souls,
became so deep that it no longer contained any life, and it became more and more eerie: "The call comes from the west, the metal sun follows the change
, all gather, descend solemnly..."

"The five elements are born..."

The voice was so deep that Xiao Ying's face gradually changed from anger to solemnity. It
was a power that did not belong to the human world, and its oppressive power was indescribable.

"I didn't expect the power of the five elements to be so wonderful, hahaha..."

A hysterical laugh rang out, and the golden pillar of light and the towering dust began to dissipate! The laughter was tinged with arrogance
, surprise, and madness, seemingly tinged with disbelief and doubt. A jumble of emotions swirled together,
instantly conveying Lin Guan's excitement.

"Earth-given True Spirit, one of the Five Elements, Vajra Seal!"

The light dust slowly dissipated, and Lin Guan reappeared before everyone, appearing as if a celestial being had descended to earth.
A faint golden light enveloped his entire body, making it impossible to look directly at him. His face now resembled that of a
young man , with a fair complexion like jade, a true beauty, and black hair that danced slowly in the air, exuding an indescribable, sinister
charm.

Even more astonishing was that his upper body was completely naked, while his lower body wore golden armor and boots.

Every inch of his upper body was solid muscle, his skin covered in all sorts of patterns and ancient characters
, the meaning of which was incomprehensible, yet each stroke seemed to possess an uncontrollable power about to erupt.
Each character seemed alive, subtly moving along his body, as if about to transform into an ancient beast and
devour humanity.

"So this is the power of the Vajra Seal!"

Lin Guan hummed with a look of ecstasy, his closed eyes slowly opening, revealing that his once jet-black pupils had now
turned a brilliant golden yellow. But as soon as his eyes opened, blood tears slowly streamed down his flawless face, dripping down in
a bizarre manner.

Sensing the anomaly, Lin Guan reached out and wiped the blood tears from his face, calming down slightly from his excitement, and watched
expressionlessly as the blood tears once again seeped into his skin from his palm. Xiao Ying, watching from the side, roughly
understood what was going on and immediately sneered, "Guard Lin, your cultivation is not high, yet you forcibly activated the power of the Five Elements. I'm afraid
you can't control the power of the Vajra Seal at all."

"Yes, Senior Brother is indeed very perceptive."

Guard Lin did not argue, but sneered, "The power of the Vajra Seal is indeed very strong. Forcibly imbuing myself with its power
, I, Guard Lin, am indeed overestimating myself. However, it is more than enough to deal with you."

"The Vajra Seal, one of the Five Elements, has already been in the hands of the Grand Preceptor..."

Yang Shu frowned immediately, surprised, but more disappointed, and even couldn't help but
sigh , seemingly very frustrated.

"You're not looking for the Vajra Seal, are you?"

Yang Cun observed carefully from the side, and suddenly an idea came to mind.

Yang Shu, as the Prince of Zhen, with military power in his hands, his wish was to revitalize the Yang family, not to become a top
expert. So why was he so concerned about the Five Elements artifacts? The theft of Zhang Baocheng's belongings in Tianjin, coupled with the current turmoil in
the capital with his status as the Prince of Zhen, there was absolutely no need for him to take risks, unless he also coveted the power of the Five Elements artifacts.

"Uncle is indeed meticulous."

Yang Shu didn't deny it. He was about to say something more, but then Lin Guan suddenly smiled strangely. The power emanating from
the Vajra Seal seemed to be stirring, forcing him to be on high alert and carefully observe this
battle between disciples of the Imperial Preceptor.

"Disciples, form the formation!"

Xiao Ying saw this and immediately commanded the other disciples to form the Eight Trigrams Formation to surround Lin Guan. Even though some of the dozen or so disciples at the
second , they still quickly surrounded Lin Guan with their footwork
.

The Zhou Tian Xing Dou, Seventy-Two Heavenly Gangs Eight Trigrams Yang Formation was a formation personally taught by the Imperial Preceptor. It wasn't intended for defense
, but rather to make enemies realize the terrifying power of Yin and Yang. However, this formation also had its ominous points, and its combat power
should not be underestimated. Especially with the support of dozens of three-stage masters, the formation would be unstoppable, with four opposing forces!
Although Xiao Ying considered himself a top-tier six-stage master, he dared not be careless in the face of Lin Guan, who already possessed the Vajra Seal
. He personally oversaw the formation's core, and judging from his posture, it seemed he wouldn't rest until he killed Lin Guan.

"The Heavenly Gang Eight Trigrams Yang Formation... Haha, Senior Brother, you really think highly of me!"

Lin Guan was also under Zhang Baocheng's tutelage, so how could he not recognize this formation? Even with the Vajra Seal, he
understood that the power wasn't entirely his own, so he dared not be arrogant. With a glare, his five mixed-color
inner cores instantly turned golden and surrounded his body, their power even
surpassing .

"Change the formation!"

Xiao Ying roared, carefully observing for a while before finally unable to resist. He suddenly rushed forward,
unleashing the full power of his six-stage inner strength, and hurled the whisk in his hand at Lin Guan.

"Golden power gathers, unite, strengthen defense..."

Lin Guan coldly watched him, a strange smile playing on his lips. With a slight flick of his hand, the space before him
distorted, and a towering wall of bronze and iron appeared out of nowhere.

The heavy blow caused Xiao Ying to feel a sharp pain in his hand; the powerful force had blasted
a ! However, even piercing through the incredibly hard iron wall, this full-force attack not only failed to harm Lin Guan in the slightest,
but also forced him to stagger back several steps. Lin Guan, behind the iron wall, was also in bad shape. Although his feet remained planted firmly,
his body trembled, and he swallowed hard, clearly swallowing blood that was about to spit out.

"The art of war is to kill, break through!"

Lin Guan endured the excruciating pain from activating the Vajra Seal's power. Seeing Xiao Ying and his disciples about to form a battle formation
and attack, he suddenly pointed his hand towards the sky. Thin, silken golden rays instantly rose from the ground,
swirling like a golden cloud.

Golden rays began to swirl and intertwine in mid-air. Though lacking the magnificent
aura of lightning and thunder, the wondrous sight of golden clouds overhead still weighed heavily on everyone's hearts. Some of the more timid disciples even
collapsed to the ground, their faces as white as sheets of paper. This was the first time anyone had witnessed the true power of the Five Elements,
a power so formidable it terrified even the soul. The slightest wavering in one's resolve would tempt them to kneel in submission
.

"Master, Slaughter the Rain of Swords!"

Lin Guan roared, blood trickling uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth. Even so, he endured
the excruciating pain and swung his hand downwards. Instantly, the swirling dark clouds in the sky transformed into countless golden swords!
Each golden blade gleamed with a chilling light, like a sudden downpour,
piercing downwards.

"Uncle, be careful!"

Yang Shu hadn't expected the attack to have such a wide range; even dozens of feet away, the rain of swords was like a forest! He quickly shielded
Yang Cun behind him, his powerful true energy surging from the ground, his six cores surrounding him to form a solid wall of energy,
blocking the barrage of sword attacks.

"Ah..."

Cries of agony rang out. The disciples who had formed the Bagua Formation didn't even have time to activate their formation before being
killed by the dense golden sword rain. Some of the more powerful disciples managed to hold off the attacks for a while, but they still couldn't withstand the
overwhelming onslaught.

"Traitors, you're too arrogant!"

Xiao Ying, protected by his six cores, wasn't seriously injured, but seeing his fellow disciples fall one by one
under the sword rain, and the blood on the ground increasing, his eyes reddened.

After a golden rain of swords, almost none of the disciples in the formation survived. Each body was pierced by
several golden swords, and blood flowed slowly along the ground, almost forming a river of blood. Lin Guan's face
twitched slightly; even with his forced composure, it was clear that forcibly activating this move had caused him
immense damage.

"Vajra Seal, kill..."

Yang Shu's sixth-stage cultivation was incredibly powerful. Protected by his true energy, the golden rain of swords couldn't harm him in the slightest
. The golden swords fell to the ground and disappeared, showing that the power Lin Guan was wielding
posed little threat to a true master like him.

Lin Guan lost control, suddenly kneeling and spitting out a cloud of blood mist! Ultimately, he was only a mortal
; forcibly possessing the power of the Vajra Seal was absolutely unbearable for him.

"Traitor, prepare to die!"

Seeing his disciples lying dead, Xiao Ying's eyes turned red; at this moment, what else mattered? Seeing Lin Guan
kneel on the ground, Xiao Ying lost control and charged forward, his whisk seemingly imbued with all his rage, striking fiercely at Lin Guan's
crown!

"Ah..."

Just as Xiao Ying's attack was about to land, a terrifying golden light suddenly erupted from Lin Guan's body! Lin Guan
roared to the sky, his aura so powerful that it seemed to shake heaven and earth, actually causing
Xiao Ying, a cultivator at the sixth level of the Core Formation, to cough up blood and fly more than ten meters away.

A seemingly endless roar resounded throughout the heavens and earth, like the roar of an ancient divine beast.
As Lin Guan roared to the sky, various patterns on his body suddenly began to float, as if they had come to life in an instant and were trying
to break free from their restraints. The excitement and madness in his golden pupils vanished,
gradually dissipating amidst the frenzied roar, his expressionless eyes looking even more eerie.

"Not good, Lin Guan can no longer suppress the power of the Vajra Seal!"

Xiao Ying fell to the ground, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood. But after seeing Lin Guan's current condition, he was ashen-faced
.

"Uncle, be careful!"

Yang Shu also looked solemn. It seemed that the Vajra Seal was indeed not what he was looking for. At this moment, Yang Shu
had long lost interest in the fight between the disciples of the National Preceptor. He originally wanted to turn around and leave with Yang Cun, but who knew that at this moment, a burst of
golden light , as bright as day. The rampage of the power of the Vajra Seal made him feel uneasy for the first time!

"Damn it, what's going on?"

Yang Cun felt a sudden burst of golden light before his eyes. In his panic, he couldn't help but curse.

"I'm not reconciled..."

Lin Guan's skin was cracking bit by bit, and countless golden lights were flowing out of his body. The ancient
patterns also disappearing bit by bit. It was more like they were turning into golden light from the cracks in his body and running out
. In an instant, it was like a flood that had been released, violently impacting all directions and almost aimlessly beginning to surround the
surrounding space.

"The Vajra Seal's rampage!"

Even the usually composed Yang Shu felt a sudden, unexpected panic.

As he activated his six cores to defend himself, he was instantly enveloped in golden light, unable to react.

Instantly, golden light blazed outside the capital, seemingly engulfing everything. The blinding light made it impossible
to open one's eyes, but everyone could feel the immense power contained within it. Even without sensing its
offensive nature, its strength was unsettling.

"Not good!"

The golden light spread rapidly. The woman in purple, who had been observing from the city wall, reacted, her graceful
figure leaping into the air, trying to escape the golden light's embrace, but it was too late! Her alluring
figure was swallowed by the golden light in an instant.

"Traitor..."

Xiao Ying also showed panic. He tried to clasp his hands together to defend himself with an array, but the spread of the golden light caught him off guard.
Before his curse could even finish, his body was also engulfed by the fierce golden light.

A golden light filled the sky, even more dazzling than daylight. The entire capital was shocked by this light and
awakened by the soaring roar. The early morning panic left the busy people, preoccupied with making a living, completely unaware of
what was happening. Many even thought it was a divine miracle, hastily kneeling and bowing, worshipping the power that made their legs feel
weak .

Chapter Two: The World of the Vajra Seal

The golden light flashed, and under the intense stimulation, Yang Cun couldn't open his eyes. He closed them uncomfortably.

Suddenly, he felt a tremor like the earth shaking, as if the whole world was twisting and swaying. His
body seemed to lose its balance, feeling as if he were floating in mid-air or
struggling very uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he felt the terrifying flashes of the golden light begin to subside and slowly
disappear . Only when his eyelids felt the golden light completely disappear and darkness return did Yang Cun
cautiously move his eyelids and tentatively open his eyes. Perhaps because he had kept his eyes closed for too long, tears
welled up in his eyes, making him feel particularly uncomfortable.

His vision was blurry, and as he wiped away the tears, Yang Cun finally saw
where . The strange sights and unimaginable things around him made Yang Cun stare wide-eyed in shock, unable to
describe it.

The sky was completely cloudless, without the sun or the moon; as far as the eye could see, there was only
a vast expanse of white, a pure white that was eerie. The surrounding scenery made Yang Cun feel even more
unreal. The ground looked like sandy soil, but in fact, the sand was incredibly hard
gold sand , and the stones were pieces of metal.

The trees beside him were reddish-brown like copper, gleaming yellow like gold, and silvery-white like iron, each one like a living tree
, but without exception, the leaves and fruits on the trees were all various kinds of metal. There was not a single living creature or
breath in the world. The entire world was completely silent, devoid of birdsong, fragrance, sound, and smell. It was a deathly stillness
, filled with the cold, metallic feel of the atmosphere, making it impossible to sense any life
or presence.

"It feels strange, doesn't it? This is the world that belongs to Vajra Seal."

At that moment, a voice, slightly mocking yet shrill, rang out from behind, startling Yang Cun.

On a massive, boulder-like metal structure, the bloodless forest guard stared blankly at Yang Cun, then glanced
at the lifeless sky, and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Even its own world
is so cold... It doesn't allow life, it doesn't allow breath, and it doesn't allow any other
consciousness besides itself..."

"You...you're not dead?"

Yang Cun instinctively took a step back, warily eyeing the forest guard before him. Although he seemed to be
the only , his frenzied display of force when he forcibly activated the Vajra Seal was still unsettling. He had no
idea what was happening, so caution was paramount.

"I...I should be dead..."

Lin Guan gave a bitter smile, looking at his palm. "As expected, with my cultivation level, I can't possess
the power of the Vajra Seal. Forcibly activating it backfired, and I'm afraid I'll be imprisoned in its world forever, becoming
a part of it.

" "You're Duke Jing, right?"

Lin Guan sighed helplessly, with a resigned silence. He looked at Yang Cun for a long time, without
any thoughts or the madness he had shown earlier.

"Yes, you've seen me before?"

Yang Cun was quite surprised. He had only been in the capital for a day, and hadn't even seen
many of . Where had this Lin Guan seen him before?

"Hmm, you've come, and the Prince of Zhen has come too..."

Lin Guan didn't answer, closing his eyes, seemingly lost in thought, muttering softly, "It seems it's not just
him, but many other experts have also been brought in..."

"How do we get out?"

Yang Cun didn't want to say much to him. After all, judging from his behavior earlier, this guy wasn't quite normal.
So he didn't beat around the bush, because it seemed unnecessary.

"How are we going to get out of here..."

Lin Guan's words trailed off as he suddenly glanced behind Yang Cun, a strange smile playing on his lips.
"You'd better think about how to survive here first..."

Just as Yang Cun was wondering what was going on, he suddenly felt a sharp, powerful whooshing sound behind him. He
instinctively sensed an indescribable danger and immediately leaped forward, only daring to look back after jumping more than ten meters
. What he saw made him understand what Lin Guan meant by "survival." Behind him stood two
silent monsters.

The two monsters were as tall as a person, their bodies almost identical, without any difference. However,
they were made entirely of metal, and unnecessarily wore golden armor. Their faces wore silver
masks, which, despite deliberately outlining human features, still gave no hint of life. Their
movements were wooden and stiff, each holding a gleaming large sword, as they moved step by step,
approaching Yang Cun.

"Hey, what are these things?"

Yang Cun watched as they walked heavily towards him, each step leaving a
large crater even in the golden sand! Without a doubt, these monsters were made entirely of metal. Though slow, a single blow from them
was no joke.

"Golden Armored Soldiers,"

Lin Guan said with amusement, watching Yang Cun's disheveled state. "I've told you,
the Vajra Seal world doesn't allow any aura or life. These Golden Armored Soldiers
wander aimlessly here forever. Once a living creature appears, they'll swarm towards it, drawn by the scent of life, and
shred it to dust."

"Damn it!"

Yang Cun cursed, dodging the two monsters' clumsy attacks. Although their movements were incredibly
slow, making evasion easy, this constant attrition
was a single, seemingly heavy blow from one of those blades would be fatal.

"You can fight back, like this..."

Lin Guan seemed to find it amusing. Suddenly, a dozen more golden-armored soldiers appeared behind him. Lin Guan
leaped , his five cores swirling around him, and landed in front of one of the soldiers, striking its head with his palm. The golden-armored soldier made no
sound, stiffened, and immediately turned into golden dust, slowly scattering to the ground and being swallowed by the earth.

What was going on? These guys were made entirely of metal, so they should be impervious to blades and spears. Why did Lin Guan seem to kill several of them so easily, in an instant? Yang Cun was also thinking rapidly
while dodging . When he looked at Lin Guan's movements more closely, a sudden realization dawned 　　on him. The golden-armored soldiers were indeed impervious to blades and spears, and their smooth features and armor were unremarkable . However, the only somewhat noticeable feature was a small, inconspicuous dent on the forehead of their helmets. Taking advantage of the moment when the golden-armored soldier attacked at close range, Yang Cun carefully examined the object while dodging. It seemed to be a small seal, the meaning of which was unclear, but judging from Lin Guan's actions, this should be the golden-armored soldier's only weakness. 　　"I understand!" 　　Lin Guan suddenly had a flash of inspiration, channeling his inner strength and striking the golden-armored soldier's forehead with a finger. Sure enough, as soon as the pattern on the seal was destroyed, the golden-armored soldier seemed to lose his life, stiffening his movements, his body slowly turning into a pile of fine gold dust, completely disappearing into the gold-dust-covered ground. 　　"You understand quickly." 　　Lin Guan chuckled, sitting back on the metal stone. Watching Yang Cun deal with two golden-armored soldiers, he pointed behind him and said with a smile, "But these things seem to be increasing. You'll have a lot to do!" 　　Following his finger, good heavens! At least a hundred golden-armored soldiers were densely packed around him from all sides, seemingly mass-produced. Their movements were stiff and slow, but they all uniformly raised their swords, surrounding Yang Cun. Even stranger, they seemed to ignore Lin Guan sitting beside them , swaying past him as if he didn't exist. 　　"Hey, why aren't they attacking you?!" 　　Yang Cun frantically dodged the increasing number of golden-armored soldiers and the deadly swords, watching Lin Guan...

Lin Guan, looking completely at ease, couldn't help but exclaim in confusion.

"I'm already part of the Vajra Seal. In their eyes, I don't exist."

Lin Guan chuckled, casually killing a few more golden-armored soldiers beside him. Even so, the other swarming
soldiers ignored him completely. These mindless creatures certainly wouldn't have the thought of avenging their comrades.

"Damn!"

It's truly enviable and jealous! Yang Cun jumped around, busily dealing with the ever-increasing number of golden-armored
soldiers. Looking at Lin Guan's leisurely appearance beside him, he became increasingly angry.

Lin Guan seemed to enjoy watching the show, occasionally intervening to eliminate some of the soldiers, but it seemed he only did so
to prevent Yang Cun from being completely surrounded. He wanted to see Yang Cun's disheveled state for a while longer, almost like watching a monkey show,
which made him even more annoyed.

"Is this ever going to end?!"

Yang Cun, with his three cores swirling around him, kicked out, sending another pile of golden sand crashing to the ground. He was drenched in sweat
, panting heavily, and the three inner cores on his body were growing increasingly dim.

He had lost track of time and how many golden-armored soldiers he had killed, but these guys
seemed endless, impossible to kill completely. Yang Cunxin felt a surge of fear. Although they moved slowly
and couldn't reach him, if this continued, he would eventually run out of true energy, and then he would definitely
die.

"You must have your own special skills, why don't you use them?"

Lin Guan watched from the side, seemingly bored. After all, Yang Cunxin had been using his true energy to kill these golden-armored soldiers
. Anyone with only one inner core could use such a simple method, so it was naturally quite boring.

"What are you looking at? Damn it, why are there so many more again!"

Yang Cunxin didn't even have time to curse. After dealing with one batch, before he could even rest, dozens more golden-armored soldiers
came over, stiffly raising their nearly 100-pound swords and slashing at him.

"The Golden Armored Soldiers are lifeless,"

Lin Guan said sarcastically. "In the world of Vajra Seal, when they die, they turn into a pile of golden sand, but
they will be reborn in less than a day. They will appear endlessly, slaughtering any creature in this world.
So, although they are stiff and slow in the world of Vajra Seal, you will still be killed by them in the end."

"Damn it, I might as well die a quick death!"

Yang Cun was furious. No wonder the killing never ends! These guys can resurrect on the spot with full health! If this
cycle continues, he will definitely be worn down and killed, and being chopped into mincemeat is probably his destined fate.

"Of course, some experts are not afraid of them."

Lin Guan paused for a moment, looked in several directions, and his expression showed admiration, envy, and an indescribable
jealousy.

"Forget it, I might as well die a quick death!"

Just as a new Golden Armored Soldiers surrounded him, Yang Cun hardened his heart, closed his eyes, and decided to take a gamble.
This time, instead of dodging or retaliating, he defiantly sat cross-legged, allowing the golden-armored soldiers to surround him and slowly raise
their incredibly heavy broadswords.

Each sword gleamed with a terrifyingly cold light. The golden-armored soldiers moved slowly, making them easy to dodge, but they also had fatal
weaknesses , though their attack power was not to be underestimated. A single strike could easily cleave a person in two.
Having fought them for so long, Yang Cun naturally knew that the most terrifying aspect of the golden-armored soldiers was their destructive power. A single strike could topple even a
metal tree, let alone a flesh-and-blood body like himself. Therefore, this was a gamble
, a gamble with his own life. Yang Cun felt his heart pounding so hard it was about to explode, and even his temples were
throbbing.

Dozens of golden-armored soldiers slowly surrounded Yang Cun, raising their gleaming
broadswords The blades gleamed with a chilling light. Just as the swords were about to strike,
the previously silent Lin Guan's expression shifted from surprise to panic. He leaped above Yang Cun with lightning speed,
precisely striking the seals on the foreheads of all the soldiers in an instant.

More than ten golden-armored soldiers instantly turned into golden dust and scattered on the ground. Lin Guan gritted his teeth, turned sharply, and dispatched
the remaining pursuing soldiers. Before Yang Cun could react, everything went black, and he
was lifted into the air. He only heard Lin Guan's helpless and deep voice: "Come with me!"

The wind whistled past his ears, and all he saw was darkness. Yang Cun didn't want to open his eyes, but
the physical exertion he had just experienced was too great, and his nerves had been constantly on edge. Now, suddenly relaxing
, he couldn't control himself and fainted. The physical exhaustion was immense, and in fact, his mind was
extremely fatigued.

The scenery was unchanging; even the so-called river flowed gently like mercury. In this world, Lin Guan
seemed to possess inexhaustible power, never tiring. He carried Yang Cun, leaping through the air repeatedly,
dodging the attacks of the golden-armored soldiers. After about half a day, he finally stopped running.

A magnificent golden palace stood before him, its towering golden pillars almost invisible. The entire hall was empty
, devoid of anything else; even the tiles were cold, metallic pieces. Yang Cun was thrown to the ground,
the icy chill shattering his dream. After groaning in discomfort a few times, he finally
succumbed to the cold and reluctantly opened his eyes.

"You're awake. You can really sleep."

Manager Lin stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching Yang Cun. He had been running continuously, yet his face wasn't flushed or out of breath, which
seemed particularly strange.

"Where am I?"

Yang Cun felt a headache coming on, and his vision was blurry. He looked around at his surroundings and asked
in confusion.

"The core of the Vajra Seal."

Manager Lin didn't say much more, and as if to sit down, a pile of golden sand suddenly appeared on the ground, perfectly forming
a grand chair for him to comfortably enjoy.

"Why did you bring me here?"

Despite still being extremely tired, Yang Cun didn't dare to relax his vigilance. In this strange world, he
faced far too many dangers. Not only was he being chased by the golden-armored soldiers, but there was also no food, no water, and...
For a living person, this would be an absolute hell of despair, especially with that seemingly perverted Lin Guan by their side.
It was impossible to be at ease for even a moment.

"The golden-armored soldiers have a single 'kill' character engraved on their foreheads. 'Master kills…'"

Lin Guan didn't answer Yang Cun's question, but instead turned his gaze to the right side of the hall.

Beside the hall was a huge pond, and what was churning in it wasn't water or mercury,
but rather molten metal of various kinds. One could almost see hands
and heads bobbing and surging within the boiling liquid, and the molten metal didn't melt them, but rather seemed to create them.

New golden-armored soldiers, wielding large swords, slowly walked ashore, dripping with molten metal
, walking aimlessly, searching for their sole purpose in this metal-forged world.

"I told you these guys are endless!"

Yang Cun cursed. In the blink of an eye, nearly a hundred golden-armored soldiers had
been resurrected in the iron pool. These things have no consciousness, no soul; they only know how to kill. Even the most powerful masters will eventually be worn down by
them .

"Endless life, perhaps this is the only joy in this world."

Lin Guan sneered, a hint of desolation, resentment, and an indescribable melancholy in his voice.

Each Golden Armored Warrior was born as a non-living being.
Only after a golden light shone down from the sky, etching a seal on their foreheads, did their stiff bodies gain the ability to move. Yang Cun noticed this detail, and the hall
he was in seemed to be a forbidden zone for them. Despite his presence,
not a single Golden Armored Warrior approached. They couldn't possibly not sense his presence, being so close.

"This hall is the Vajra Seal itself."

Lin Guan chuckled, seemingly noticing Yang Cun's confusion, and explained, "Although this world does not allow the existence of
living beings , this hall is the only exception."

"Speak, what exactly are you plotting?"

Yang Cun remained silent for a moment. Although Lin Guan had been beating around the bush, from the moment he appeared, Yang
Cun felt that he was clearly trying to intimidate him, or perhaps he had some kind of request. Otherwise, he would never have bothered
to entangle himself with him until now; this madman isn't the kind of person who's bored.

"Take a look at my inner cores..."

Lin Guan sighed. When his true energy erupted again, it was much weaker. The five inner
cores, originally of different colors, were gradually being eroded into a golden yellow. The one with the weakest true energy was slowly cracking
, almost down to half its original size. Its true energy seemed to have turned into golden dust, falling to the ground bit by bit.

This phenomenon was indeed very strange, but Yang Cun remained silent. Lin Guan watched helplessly as
his inner core was gradually eroded, and said with a hint of desolation, "I told you, I'm already
a part . From the moment I arrived here, I inexplicably learned everything about this place, and my mind suddenly understood
the world of the Vajra Seal. The Vajra Seal is slowly eroding my inner core, and when I'm powerless to resist, I might lose my
consciousness and become its slave."

"Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

Yang Cun looked at him unmoved, because there seemed to be an indescribable excitement in Lin Guan's helplessness,
a restless eagerness similar to his own when he was in a frenzy.

Lin Guan's face suddenly twitched, a fleeting and indescribable pain flashing across his face. He didn't answer directly,
but said somewhat forlornly, "I'll tell you that, but aren't you concerned about the situation of the Town King?"

"What do you mean?"

Yang Cun was puzzled.

"I didn't mean to kidnap you, I just wanted to show you someone who truly possesses the power of the Five Elements."

As the forest guard spoke, drops of mercury suddenly began to float in the air from the cracks in the tiles
, gradually gathering and forming a pool of mercury as bright as a mirror.

The mercury pool rippled like waves, suddenly presenting a strange scene. Still within that
forest full of cold metal, Yang Shu sat calmly cross-legged, his six cores continuously swirling around him, the true energy carrying
a faint sense of substance, forging walls of bronze and iron around him. Hundreds of golden-armored soldiers were swinging their swords at the energy
walls, but they couldn't break through them in the slightest. This group of golden-armored soldiers surged forward like a flood, their numbers
increasing to nearly a thousand.

"Prince Yang Shu's cultivation is so high that even Xiao Ying can't compare,"

Lin Guan said meaningfully. "Such a mature young man, at such a young age, possesses such an unparalleled sixth-stage cultivation
level. No matter how talented he is, he can't achieve this. If he didn't have some miraculous encounter, do you believe he would have such terrifying cultivation at
the age of thirty ?...

"Who knows!"

Yang Cunmin snorted expressionlessly, thinking: Why are you trying to trick me! I probably don't
know much as you do. But thinking about it carefully, what Lin Guan said did make sense.
It was indeed too strange for Yang Shu to have a sixth-stage cultivation level at such a young age. It was rumored that when the Imperial Preceptor Zhang Baocheng passed away, he was always hovering on the edge of the seventh-stage, that
one step away preventing him from ever comprehending the seventh-stage realm. The Imperial Preceptor, hailed as the greatest master in the world,
had only reached the Sixth Dan level after nearly a century of cultivation. It's conceivable that Yang Shu's Sixth Dan level must be based on some inside story: "

The power of the Five Elements... look closely, that's the power so many people dream of."

Lin Guan seemed to have anticipated Yang Cun's answer, his expression remaining largely unchanged as he intently watched
the image on the mercury screen, his words laced with undisguised jealousy.

Yang Cun's gaze was also drawn to the scene. He saw that the number of golden-armored soldiers surrounding Yang Shu was increasing, nearly
reaching a thousand. Those large swords relentlessly hacked at the iron wall surrounding Yang Shu, the earth-
shaking sounds seemingly out of control. So many golden-armored soldiers attacked relentlessly, their mere
trampling almost turning a person into mincemeat. Yang Cun couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. With so many of them, if it were
him, he would probably have been crushed into mincemeat long ago.

"They're here..."

The forest ranger, who had been squinting, meticulously observing every detail, suddenly showed a surge of excitement.

At that moment, Yang Shu in the scene slightly frowned, his eyes slowly opening, coldly and disdainfully
looking at the golden-armored soldiers who surrounded him like a mountain, and the giant swords in their hands. In an instant, it seemed as if...
A fierce wind howled, and a figure even taller than the golden-armored soldiers appeared out of thin air beside Yang Cun. The air seemed to
distort like water. The enormous, inhuman body of the Earth Slave stood woodenly beside Yang Shu.

"Earth Slave, what's he doing here?"

Yang Cun's impression of this giant was too deep. Not only was he fierce, but his intelligence was as low as a child's,
and his temper was extremely fiery—truly an abnormal being, a complete idiot with a temper but no brains.

"Its name is Earth Slave?"

Lin Guan looked at the Earth Slave's massive, mountain-like figure with excitement, laughing loudly, "Why wouldn't it be here?
It's not human at all!"

Earth Slave wasn't human. Yang Cun felt a wave of dizziness. Back in Tianjin, the man in black seemed
to have excitedly said something similar. Before he could even process the questions in his mind, Yang Shu on the screen seemed
to sense someone watching him, suddenly raising his head and staring straight at them. Yang Shu could only see
an empty sky, but at this moment, he keenly sensed something eerie.

"Truly extraordinary!"

Lin Guan laughed excitedly, his eyes even starting to bloodshot.

"Earth Slave, deal with them."

Yang Shu was slightly taken aback, but his expression returned to calm. He slowly stood up and walked forward
, coldly saying, "This isn't just us; there are others in this world."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The Earth Slave nodded arrogantly, looking disdainfully at the golden-armored soldiers covering the mountains. With a roar,
it shouldered into the encirclement of the golden-armored cavalry almost as if they were nothing.

Yang Shu had already witnessed the Earth Slave's strength, but he hadn't expected it to be this powerful. At this moment, its massive
body was surrounded by crimson-yellow true energy, and with its furious roar, its power was dozens of times more terrifying than that of the golden-armored soldiers.
Each strike of its giant sword not only destroyed the seals on their foreheads but also terrifyingly shattered all the soldiers!
All the attacks were heavy and ferocious, each strike almost cleaving several soldiers in two.

Yang Shu walked silently behind them with his eyes closed, his six cores slowly swirling within him, enveloped in true energy. Occasionally,
golden sand would approach, only to be blown away as if by a barrier. Even when a stray soldier managed to swoop down, he didn't even
flinch , not even glancing at it. His six cores flashed with intense light, then released their true energy, seemingly
surrounded by thousands of giant blades, shredding all the golden-armored soldiers who dared to approach.

There was no bloodshed, yet the scene was incredibly awe-inspiring. The earth slaves' charges were as fierce as a mountain crashing down
, while Yang Shu's silent movements, though seemingly small and quiet, were in fact even more terrifying in their stillness
. Any golden-armored soldier that got close was brutally slaughtered. Their stiffness and heaviness made them
seem like giant puppets to Yang Shu, preventing him from even taking them seriously.

Nearly a thousand golden-armored soldiers were annihilated, turning into golden dust in a spectacle comparable to a sandstorm.

Within a hundred paces, all the golden-armored soldiers were slaughtered. The Earth Slave triumphantly
slung his broadsword over his shoulder and hurried after Yang Shu. Yang Shu, however, never opened his eyes. Yang Cun
was puzzled. Didn't this guy watch where he was going? Wasn't he afraid of tripping and falling flat on his face?

"True Yuan Spiritual Qi, hahaha!"

Lin Guan couldn't contain his excitement and laughed hysterically, "Sure enough, King Yang Shu possesses
one of the Five Elements! No wonder he wasn't surprised at all when he came to the Vajra Seal world. While others were in a sorry state, he
still had time to close his eyes and meditate to experience this world, hahaha..."

"The Earth Slave is one of the Five Elements, isn't he?"

Yang Cun pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized.

"That's right, it's Earth, one of the Five Elements,"

Lin Guan said excitedly. "Although I don't know how it transformed into human form, and it seems to possess
its own consciousness, I'm 100% certain from its aura that it is one of the Five Elements artifacts, and it
already has its own sentience."

"They're coming this way,"

Lin Guan chuckled, as if watching Yang Shu and the Earth Slave slaughter the Golden Armored Soldiers was a great pleasure. Especially
when the Earth Slave furiously shredded all the approaching Golden Armored Soldiers, his eyes gleamed green, seemingly envious of this
brutal and irresistible power.

It turned out that since arriving in the world of the Vajra Seal, Yang Shu had been searching for Yang Cun's whereabouts with all his might. Sitting cross-legged, eyes
closed in meditation, possessing one of the Five Elements, he could sense everything in this world faster than anyone else. Those
Golden Armored Soldiers, which were difficult for ordinary people to resist, were nothing more than a swarm of uninvited flies to him. The Earth Slave, on the other hand,
appeared alone to fight the enemy. From this, Lin Guan was 100% certain that Yang Shu hadn't taken this matter seriously, because the Earth Slave
was still in human form and couldn't possibly unleash the power that a Five Elements artifact should have.

"Prince Yang Shu, tsk tsk, not simple at all!"

Lin Guan stared intently at the image on the mercury, his eyes gleaming with a golden light that sent chills down Yang Cun's spine. Could this guy
be involved in a 3? That look and gaze were far too affectionate!

"He should be here soon..."

Lin Guan muttered to himself, his eyes suddenly hardening as he gritted his teeth and said, "I want to see
how Xiao Ying is doing now."

The image on the mercury pool shifted, revealing the same cold, lifeless metal forest, the same golden-armored soldiers
tirelessly wielding their swords. However, this time the protagonist on the image had changed; it was none other than the current Imperial Advisor, Xiao Ying.

He was now tattered and panting heavily, looking extremely disheveled. He seemed to
be at his last gasp; unable to breathe, blood dripped from his right arm, the empty sleeve clearly indicating that his
right arm had been severed in his extreme exhaustion.

The number of golden-armored soldiers surrounding him was so vast that it seemed endless, with constantly moving soldiers and their raised swords
visible . Xiao Ying had almost no time to rest,
nor did he relax for a moment. Even though he had found the soldiers' weakness and was specifically targeting the marks on their foreheads,
their astonishing numbers had nearly exhausted him. His six inner cores were already dim and lifeless, so fragile that
they looked like they could shatter at any moment.

"You did this, didn't you!"

Looking at the terrifying number of the soldiers, Yang Cun couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

"Yes, I told you, I've become part of the Vajra Seal!"

Lin Guan's face was somewhat ferocious, his eyes filled with resentment as he stared at Xiao Ying, who was stubbornly resisting on the screen. He sneered
, "I can control a portion of the golden-armored soldiers, making them all gather over to Xiao Ying! I want him
to die a gruesome death , I want his soul to remain in this world forever, I want to torture him, I want him to be unable to reincarnate
, I want him to be a slave to this world forever.

"I want him... to never be reborn in this world!"

Lin Guan's emotions grew more and more agitated as he shouted, and after a final hysterical roar, the ferocity on his face
was terrifying.

In the mercury pool, Xiao Ying's arm, which had been severed and was still warm, had almost been hacked into
a pulp , and Lin Guan, watching this scene, laughed more and more madly. Amidst his laughter, he couldn't help but shed two
lines of tears, a mixture of ecstasy and indescribable sorrow. His eyes were filled with unspeakable
hatred as he looked at Xiao Ying, a hatred so intense that he almost bit his gums until they bled, even though he was no longer a living person of flesh and blood.

"His death is only a matter of time!"

Lin Guan laughed and cried for a long time before his emotions finally calmed down.
He glanced at Yang Cun beside him and still couldn't help but laugh wildly: "He's not the Prince of Zhen, he doesn't understand the world of the Vajra Seal. Haha,
the first disciple, a Six-Dan master, so what? In the end, he still has to die in front of me, without a complete corpse!
Haha ..."

The scene on the mercury pool shifted to a cold metal forest, where everyone else caught in the blast died
under the blades of the golden-armored soldiers. Among them were the disciples of the Imperial Preceptor who rushed to the scene, the soldiers guarding the city, and
even many of Yang family's direct descendants. Their terror, their grotesque expressions, their soul-deep fear—you could almost feel the gruesome scenes emanating from
their cold corpses, making Yang Cun feel
nauseous, yet he could clearly sense the fear they felt in this world.

"There's another survivor?"

Lin Guan Er, examining all the living people brought into this world, suddenly felt a pang of doubt.

A bizarre scene suddenly appeared on the screen of the mercury pool. The golden-armored soldiers were still swaying stiffly,
but they were lifeless and didn't seem as agitated. However, the strangest thing was that beside a stream of mercury,
a living person was clearly in front of them, yet the golden-armored soldiers, instinctively killing all living things, seemed not to
see , walking right past her without the slightest reaction.

And that woman was none other than the demoness from the demonic sect, whom he had met twice before. Now she sat cross-legged, showing no trace of
arrogance or swagger. Purple robes and black sleeves floated slowly around her, her face still obscured
by the veil . What was different was the presence of a misty, water-like substance gathering around her. It seemed to have created a barrier within a ten-meter radius, completely isolating her from everything outside, as if she were submerged in water. 　　"This woman…" 　　Lin Guan was also filled with doubt, frowning as he watched this unbelievable scene. 　　Upon closer inspection, five unusual inner cores formed the foundation of this barrier on the ground, cast from golden sand. Each inner core seemed to be cast from ice or water—pure, transparent, and flawlessly beautiful. 　　Each inner core gently and quietly emanated pure true energy, spreading a peaceful aura in this violent world , omnipresently protecting the woman, or rather, completely isolating her from this world. 　　"This woman is very strange..." 　　Lin Guan was immediately filled with doubt. The purple-clad woman's Five Elements cultivation was no match for the attacks of the golden-armored soldiers. Even Xiao Ying, whose cultivation was stronger than hers, couldn't withstand it, let alone her? What kind of technique did she use to be able to steal the sky and hide her aura in the Vajra Seal world? It was simply unbelievable. 　　"This girl is so relaxed." 　　Yang Cun gritted his teeth in anger. He had been in a terrible state just now, but she was sitting there as calmly as a mountain. What was even more infuriating was that those golden-armored soldiers were like blind men, walking past her without even noticing. The Five Elements weapon theory was already ridiculous enough, but did those golden-armored soldiers have some kind of glaucoma or cataracts mixed in with their hair ? 　　"The demoness of the Demonic Sect once comprehended the Five Elements Realm; such insights are not surprising." 　　At this moment, a cold voice rang out, its chill tinged with barely suppressed anger. Not only Yang Cun , but even the Forest Guard, who always thought he knew everything, was startled. His mind trembled, and the once perfectly flat mercury pool suddenly shattered with a "splash," disappearing again through the cracks in the bricks and merging into the world of the Vajra Seal before he could even observe the demoness's condition. The 　　voice came from the entrance of the main hall. Looking up, the newcomer was none other than the distant Prince Yang Shu! However, unlike his calm demeanor when comprehending the world of the Vajra Seal, he now approached with a face full of rage. With each step he took, it seemed as if the earth itself was shaking. His six inner cores, were now violently agitated, their crimson-yellow true energy swirling around him like ferocious beasts. 　　"Forest Guard, it's you." 　　Yang Shu's words were icy cold, yet in an instant, he released a power that was intolerable to the world. In an instant, the crimson -yellow true energy not only enveloped his entire body, but under the shroud of the golden palace , it even seemed poised to soar into the sky. Wherever the true energy swept, not only were the golden-armored soldiers shattered, but even the seemingly impregnable palace trembled under its overwhelming power. 　　"Yang Shu, are you alright?" 　　Yang Cun felt as if his heart was being crushed, his soul feeling as weak as if it were being blown away. At this moment , the pressure emanating from the usually refined and polite Prince was so intense that it was almost unbearable. Even with his Three Core Formations protecting him, Yang Cun suddenly had a crystal-clear feeling that his pitiful Three Core Formations were nothing more than a pathetic ant before him. 　　"Uncle!" 　　Yang Shu was suddenly taken aback, and his previously raging true energy instinctively began to subside. Seeing Yang Cun beside him, who was now pale and covered in cold sweat, he hurriedly restrained his raging true energy and said with undisguised joy, "Uncle..."

"Father was unharmed, I was so worried!"

"N-nothing!"

Yang Cun finally felt his breathing become a little easier. No way! Nothing? The moment he walked in,
the terrifying pressure alone, even without Yang Shu's intervention, could have almost obliterated his soul in
an instant .

"Uncle, I was reckless!"

Yang Shu quickly helped Yang Cun up, feeling an immense warmth spread through his arm. The powerful true energy
not only instantly made Yang Cun feel comfortable, but also swept away the fatigue from the battle with the golden-armored soldiers
.

"Prince Zhen, you're not simple!"

Lin Guan stood with his hands behind his back, recalling Yang Shu's imposing aura just moments before, and now seeing Yang Shu's panicked appearance,
he couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing. Even though he appeared calm and composed, the cold sweat on his
forehead clearly showed that the overwhelming pressure had instilled a deep-seated fear in even someone like him, who was in Vajra Seal form.

"Guard Lin, how do we get out?"

Yang Shu didn't say much upon hearing this, only giving him a cold glance.

"Get out? Is that even possible?"

Guard Lin smiled coldly, showing no fear. The high and mighty status of the Town King was far less
terrifying than possessing the power of one of the Five Elements at present.

"Is that so? If we destroy this world, will we no longer be bound by the Vajra Seal?"

Yang Shu ignored his contemptuous smile, his eyes turning cold, and his words were even more chilling.

"Why? Earth, one of the Five Elements? Or your Earth Slave? Haha..."

Guard Lin suddenly laughed arrogantly, pointing at Yang Cun and saying somewhat insanely, "You can try the Five Elements Returning to Spirit. Even if your
Earth Slave returns to its original form, it will still be trapped in this world of the Vajra Seal. There is no water, no food.
Even if you, the Town King, are strong, you are still just a mortal, and you will die here one day! Trapped here, even if your
Earth Slave transforms, it still cannot break through the binding of the Vajra Seal."

"Really?"

Yang Shu paused, asking in a low voice. No one answered, yet in an instant, he seemed to
have received an answer, a fleeting look of dejection crossing his face. After a moment of silence, he glanced at Lin
Guan and said coldly, "I know you don't want to be devoured by the Vajra Seal. If I destroy your five cores now, rendering you
completely powerless to resist, then you will be the Vajra Seal's slave forever, and you will have no choice. I just want to know
how to get out."

"Was it that earth slave who told you?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Guan's face turned deathly pale, as if he had been preparing for a long time but couldn't find the words, looking at Yang Shu with
a mixture of helplessness and anger.

"Only? Do you have the right to say that?"

Yang Shu's originally cold eyes flashed with anger, and when he looked at Lin Guan again, a hint of indescribable rage flickered in his deep eyes
. It was as if a friend had been insulted, making him extremely displeased.

"I can send everyone out..."

Lin Guan remained silent for a long time, then suddenly gave a somewhat mournful laugh, saying, "But there are two conditions. One is that you, Prince Zhen,
must be able to do it; the other is that I want Duke Jing to stay here with me for a while."

"I can't do it!"

Yang Shu's face was grim, and he shook his head decisively, sneering, "My uncle is an elder of the Yang family,
a Duke of the rank. How can he be threatened by a lowly wretch like you!"

"Then we'll see how capable you, Prince Zhen, are!"

Lin Guan's expression turned cold as he looked at the boundless metallic world, saying with a hint of mockery, "You can let
your earth slaves try to return to their original form and unleash their full power. The power of one of the Five Elements is indeed unparalleled in the world, but
wielded by your mortal body, how can you possibly contend with this world of the Vajra Seal?"

"So what?"

Yang Shu's expression turned cold, his true energy subtly surging. Without hesitation, he snorted, "With the Five Elements protecting me
, what do I have to fear? I'll destroy your five cores first, then you'll be a soulless slave to this Vajra Seal. I
have plenty of time to unravel its mysteries, and perhaps even seize this spiritual artifact!"

"Well done, Prince Zhen, so arrogant!"

Lin Guan's expression only paused slightly before he clapped his hands, laughing hysterically, saying with a hint of mockery,
"With your cultivation and your already sentient earth slave, I completely believe you won't be trapped to death by the Vajra Seal
, but..."

Lin Guan paused slightly, glanced at Yang Cun, a victorious smile on his face, and said smugly,
"Lord Jingguo is probably not as capable as you. Even if you use your true energy to protect him, once this
hall is released from its confinement, the swarming golden-armored soldiers will inevitably injure the Duke's golden body. Moreover,
this..." " Without water or food, the Duke, a mere mortal, lacks the protection of the Five Elements. He cannot withstand the impact of your full-force
activation of the earth's power. When you leave, you'll likely have to take his corpse with you."

"Uncle..."

Yang Shu paused, speechless. Lin Guan had voiced his greatest concern, and even the usually calm and proud Yang Shu had to
consider the reality of this problem. He himself could indeed survive in this Vajra Seal world, and even find an opportunity
to comprehend the power of the Vajra Seal and break through, but Yang Cun did not have his strength and would certainly die if he stayed here
.

"Lin Guan, what exactly do you want?"

Being used as a bargaining chip in such a special situation made Yang Cun, who had just calmed
down feel intensely uncomfortable. It was true that his previous life was full of hardships, but it had also given Yang Cun an
almost pathological stubbornness. Although he could compromise most of the time, and even live a humble life,
when he truly felt extremely dissatisfied, he would not tolerate any compromise.

"My death is simple, but I won't let you off easy!"

Normally gentle and jovial, Yang Cun's face was now icy, his gaze devoid of emotion as he stared at the forest steward.
Although his days were numbered, Yang Shu's concern for him was evident to all, even the awkward formalities he received showed Yang Cun
the true meaning of kinship and filial piety. If he were to become a burden now, Yang Cun would
rather liability.

"Your Excellency, there's no need for such rash words!"

The forest ranger was somewhat surprised, then immediately gave a disdainful smile, seemingly disbelieving that the seemingly cunning Yang Cun would have such
resolve.

"Is that so? Then you're welcome to try!"

Yang Cun was getting angry, genuinely angry. The respect and protection Yang Shu had shown him along the way—
even though they had never lived in this world, that kinship was real. As an orphan,
Yang Cun felt awkward, but he cherished this special bond immensely. He would even die for
Yang Shu, but he absolutely could not become a burden to him.

"Uncle..."

Yang Shu, standing to the side, was also somewhat taken aback. The previously somewhat cynical Yang Cun now displayed a resolute determination that
frightened him. In an instant, he understood that Yang Cun's words were no joke. This
seemingly cowardly elder, even if it meant mutual destruction, would not choose compromise at this moment.

Beneath that playful face lay a resolute determination even more arrogant than Yang Shu's.

"Follow me."

After a long silence, Lin Guan looked at Yang Cun's cold face, sighed, and slowly
walked towards . Yang Cun and Yang Shu exchanged a glance, their eyes conveying a message they understood but didn't quite grasp, and immediately
followed him out.

"The world of Vajra Seal, this is the only exit."

Lin Guan's expression turned solemn as he reached the back of the main hall.

He seemed resentful yet helpless as he looked at Yang Cun.

Behind the main hall, instead of the expected metal forest, lay a deathly silent pool of mercury. This
seemingly endless pool was anything but calm; occasionally, it churned like waves, revealing molten
lava bubbling with flames at its bottom. Beneath its placid exterior, there was a sense that it was about to erupt into the sky,
blotting out the heavens and earth.

"This must be the origin of Vajra Seal?"

Yang Shu stood closer, examining the mercury pool, his brow furrowing deeply, a flicker of doubt in his voice.

"Yes, the origin of the Vajra Seal..."

Lin Guan stared expressionlessly at the enormous mercury pool before him, a hint of sarcasm in his smile. "Prince, the power of
the Vajra Seal itself is immense. Even if your Earth Slave were fully transformed, it might not be able to resist it!"

"Speak, what do you want me to do?"

Yang Cun stood to the side, his heart filled with awe as he gazed at the vast mercury pool. His initial raging anger
subsided slightly, his mind racing, his heart filled with unresolved questions.

"Your Excellency is indeed exceptionally intelligent!"

Lin Guan gave Yang Cun a meaningful look, his words tinged with sincere admiration.

"I don't have time to waste with you!"

Yang Cun's tone was icy. The sudden change was solely due to the fact that Yang Shu's brows furrowed and a sense of helplessness appeared
the instant . In that instant, Yang Cun was
100% certain that even if Yang Shu had the strength to escape, he wasn't confident he could take him with him.

"I'll say it again, Duke, please stay with me for a while..."

Lin Guan said, his eyes fixed on Yang Shu. His eyes held an unwavering
resolve.

"How dare you!"

Yang Shu's face darkened, his anger rising. "My uncle, the esteemed Duke Jing, cannot be threatened by a traitor like you
! Yang Shu is a descendant of the Yang family, and I will not tolerate such insults!"

"Duke, it's all up to you."

Lin Guan didn't say more, perhaps understanding Yang Shu's arrogant nature. He didn't look at Yang
Shu, leaving the decision entirely to Yang Cun.

"Even if Yang Shu's soul returns here, I will not allow you to dishonor my Yang family!"

Yang Shu erupted in fury, his crimson-yellow true energy surging from the ground with a soaring momentum. The
space around him distorted, and the tall figure of the enraged Earth Slave appeared, his large sword pointed directly at Lin Guan.

"Is that so? Having witnessed the power of the Five Elements, I, Lin Guan, will die in peace!"

Lin Guan's expression turned cold, and the Five Pills, which had been almost weathered away by the golden erosion, once again enveloped his body.
That true energy, unlike that of a human, seemed to faintly stir the Mercury Sea. Yang Shu's sudden attack caused
the world of the Vajra Seal to feel restless and turbulent for the first time.

Yang Cun silently looked at them, at the boundless Mercury Sea before him, and began to ponder the
fate of this matter that almost determined his life.

"Prince Zhen, I know what you want."

Lin Guan fell silent, and facing Yang Shu's determination, a compromised yet smug smile suddenly appeared on his lips
, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Yang Shu.

"So what?"

Prince Zhen was an extremely proud man, how could he compromise in the face of such a vague and ethereal threat?

"I can promise you, I will help you find what you want."

Lin Guan sighed helplessly, and just as he was about to speak, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he felt an extraordinary
power begin to erupt, his expression immediately becoming solemn.

"To be forced to this point by a mere Six-Dan Realm cultivator... the power of the Five Elements is indeed beyond the resistance of a mortal body."

Yang Shu felt a sudden surge of power erupt from his gradually weakening aura, and couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

Chapter 3: Escape
The morning in the capital was bustling with activity as the city's inhabitants
began their day's work in the first light of dawn, but a sense of unease lingered on their faces. Every merchant and laborer deliberately avoided
the west gate of the capital, their expressions as solemn as if they were fleeing a flood or a ferocious beast, more like avoiding a plague.

At the west gate of the capital, the strange situation continued. The yellow light remained dazzling, even
in broad daylight, stealing the sun's brilliance. The people didn't know what had happened that night,
but this persistent eeriness was terrifying, especially with the heavy troops amassed at the west gate, causing
increasingly chaotic rumors to circulate among the people who couldn't even approach it.

The golden light was surrounded by a densely packed army of heavily armed guards, including experts from the Shuntian Prefecture of the capital and the Imperial City.
But most conspicuously present were not only them, but also the disciples and grand-disciples of the Imperial Advisor Zhang Baocheng. Each of them seemed to have
exhausted all means, their faces filled with worry, yet they couldn't find any way to break through. The golden light before them was as impregnable as a fortress.
Even with their extraordinary abilities, the power of the Five Elements artifacts was still beyond their control.

All the groups waited helplessly in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. Compared to the leisurely pace of the other groups,
two groups were extremely tense, their faces expressionless, anxious, and solemn. One group consisted of
the direct descendants of the Yang family from the Prince Zhen's Mansion, while the other was a group of servants from the Yang family of Jiangnan who had rushed there overnight. Led by Wang Dong
, the former retainers and direct descendants of the Duke of Jing, who had scattered in all directions, gathered again, praying anxiously and helplessly for the safety of
their only descendant.

The atmosphere at the West Gate was eerie, so heavy it was suffocating. With the lives of the two Yang family descendants and the current
Imperial Preceptor's fate unknown, no one dared to relax their guard. Even with the help of many extraordinary individuals
, this was the Vajra Seal, one of the Five Elements; how many people in the world could glimpse its secrets?
There was no other way but to wait.

At midday, when the sun was at its most scorching, many had already sought refuge in the woods for shade. However, the
two family soldiers remained, their faces grave,
guarding the most dangerous spot closest to the golden light, braving the blazing sun. Even facing a mysterious and unknown force, everyone felt fear, yet they all possessed an unwavering
resolve , unwilling to leave for a moment.

"Old Master, are you alright?"

The commander of the Yang family army approached the Jiangnan Yang family camp, carrying a water-soaked leather bag. His words were
respectful , yet tinged with a sense of helplessness. After enduring half a month of this, even the strongest man would eventually
give out. The stubbornness in the white-haired old man before him filled him with both admiration and fear that he might suffer even the slightest mishap.

"I'm fine. Have the brothers all eaten?"

Wang Dong's eyes were bloodshot, his voice low and deep, his lips cracked in
countless places. Although nearing middle age, his physique was no less impressive than that of a young man.

Once news of the strange events in the capital spread, even though the court, fearing unrest, attempted to conceal it,
how long ? The missing were not ordinary nobles; a prince, a duke, and the newly appointed imperial advisor—
all three were simultaneously engulfed by the light of the Vajra Seal. Such an event naturally caused a sensation throughout the land. Not to mention the Zhenwang Mansion's centuries-old influence in
the capital , even Xiao Ying, as Zhang Baocheng's top disciple,
had countless students, followers, and fellow disciples. With relatives and old friends gathering, it would be strange if things didn't escalate.

Meanwhile, Wang Dong, upon hearing the news in Jiangnan, couldn't sit still either. Although it was a
time misfortune, he immediately jumped up, disregarding his children's and grandchildren's worries, and contacted
other former members of the Yang family to rush to the capital. While most of these people were nearing sixty, they were mostly
veteran generals with numerous battle achievements. The Ministry of War, seeing this, dared not neglect their duties and could only helplessly allow these loyal old men to
wait . Their only prayer was that one or two wouldn't die from exhaustion, otherwise, it would be difficult to explain to the Yang family.

"Old Master, why don't you go and rest for a while?"

Yang Tongbao, the commander of the Yang family's direct line and bestowed with the Yang family's surname, came over. Seeing the group of veterans with
their faces ashen and pale, he felt a little worried.

"No need, I'll stay here and guard!"

Wang Dong's eyes were full of determination. He looked around and a glint of vigilance flashed in his eyes. At this moment, he was
accompanied not only by the old generals of the Duke's Mansion, but also by many young juniors. It was not hard to see that these loyal
old men were also extremely panicked this time.

"Gentlemen, there's no need to worry. The Duke and the Prince of Zhen are blessed by Heaven; they should be alright."

Prince Rong, Zhao Yuanqing, led his elite guards to the side. Seeing the Yang family's somewhat gloomy silence
, he quickly offered words of comfort, though his polite words carried a hint of helplessness.

"Look! What's that?"

Just then, the soldiers at the front of the circle erupted in commotion, instantly
rousing .

Within the vast circle of light, the dazzling golden light rippled like water, with
extremely discordant waves beginning to tremble chaotically, as if struggling. As the golden light's ripples
grew increasingly chaotic, suddenly, a figure leaped out as if fleeing. His clothes were tattered, and his
entire was a bloody mess, almost unrecognizable.

As soon as the bloodied figure fell to the ground, a large group of Imperial Preceptor disciples immediately surrounded him. Emerging from the golden light was none other than
Xiao Ying Daoist, who had been swallowed by the Vajra Seal! At this moment, almost every part of his body was intact; he was panting heavily, barely
clinging to . His right arm was severed, and his body was riddled with wounds, leaving not a single patch of undamaged flesh
. His face was deathly pale, and he lay on the ground, disheveled and barely clinging to life.

"Senior Brother!"

"Master!"

The disciples gathered together, calling out incessantly, but Xiao Ying was deathly pale. He could only glance
at before continuing to gasp for breath, seemingly too weak even to speak. His near-death experience and his current condition left him
with no strength to say anything more. His head lolled to the side, and he immediately fainted.

"Quickly, take him to the palace! Summon the imperial physician!"

Prince Rong's heart sank at the sight, and he immediately ordered Xiao Ying to be taken directly to the palace.

Xiao Ying, who had miraculously survived, was escorted back to the palace by his disciples. They waited for three days and three nights. Although he emerged in
a gruesome state, his near-death experience still rekindled a glimmer of hope in their hearts. Yang Tongbao's face showed a hint
of hope as he comforted him, saying, "The Imperial Preceptor Xiao has escaped. With Your Highness's cultivation level, I believe you will be blessed with good fortune."

"Let's hope so!"

Wang Dong remained silent. For them, who had fought all their lives, cultivation level and the Five Elements were too distant concepts.
Now the greatest hope of these veterans was that their young master would be safe and sound, after all, he was the only heir of the Yang family in Jiangnan.
If anything happened to him, even if they committed suicide to atone for their sins, they would have no face to face their patriarch in the afterlife.

Half a month passed, and the golden light still shone brightly, dazzling even in the darkness. The Yang family's
men continued to guard the golden light tirelessly, eating dry rations. The appearance of Xiao's camp gave people a glimmer of
hope , but after the Imperial Preceptor Xiao emerged, he was seriously injured and remained unconscious. Even with the imperial physicians treating him,
his condition seemed far from optimistic. He had not woken up and it seemed he was on the verge of death, so
no .

Escaping from the Six-Dan Realm was incredibly difficult, a near-death experience, and this miserable state cast
a dark cloud over everyone's hearts. If even Xiao Ying, with his cultivation level, suffered such a tragic fate, the consequences for the others who had been devoured were unimaginable. Hope dwindled in
an instant , but everyone could only force themselves to believe that the other two would be safe.

Dawn approached, and the capital city was utterly silent. The power of the Vajra Seal seemed to inspire not only worship
but also the very creatures of the forest. The vast forest was eerily quiet, without a single bird's song, and
incredibly gloomy. Many veterans, their bodies unable to withstand the strain,
returned to the city to rest under Yang Tongbao's somewhat forceful insistence. Wang Dong and a few other vigorous veterans remained
, their eyes bloodshot from exhaustion, unable to sleep even when they managed a short nap.

Meanwhile, news of an emergency on the border forced Prince Rong and Prince Ding to return to the Ministry of War. So much time had passed, and
those who had previously offered their concern seemed to believe that the Prince of Zhen and the Duke of Jing were likely
doomed
. The high-ranking officials who had once been present, dressed in their court robes, were now nowhere to be seen. Perhaps this was the fickle nature of human relationships; the saying "when people leave, the tea cools" seemed to be an eternal law of officialdom. Currently, only the direct descendants of the Yang family remained loyal and waiting.

At midnight, just as people were drifting off to sleep, half-awake, the earth suddenly shook violently, as
if earthquake had begun. In an instant, it seemed that the entire land—mountains, plains, and dense forests
—responded to this sudden upheaval with roaring sounds. The heavens and earth trembled, and even the sun, moon, and stars seemed to hide behind
dark clouds, shaking violently. That profound power instantly shattered everyone's dreams.

"What's going on..."

The Yang family members were all jolted awake, frantically trying to stand up, but they felt as if the earth were shaking
violently, the sky and earth changing color, the intense shock almost shattering their souls.

"Ah!"

At this moment, a long roar containing terrifying power erupted from within the golden light, soaring straight into the sky.

The serene golden light, which had remained unshaken by any powerful figures over the past half month, leaving them all shaking their heads and sighing in despair ,

suddenly began to tremble as if struggling
. A reddish-yellow light began to erupt and expand within the golden light. A
power comparable to the Vajra Seal began to shake the world, the soaring true essence and spiritual energy almost unstoppable by the heavens
, making the already awe-inspiring light of the Vajra Seal even more terrifying.

"What's going on?"

Wang Dong and his men were forced back almost to the city wall by the terrifying power. At this moment, not only the Yang family
felt the terror of that power, but even the soldiers on the city wall began to lose their footing. One by one, fear was on their faces as they watched the reddish
-yellow true energy gradually expand into golden light. Their legs went weak, and some even knelt down uncontrollably.

"That voice is His Highness..."

Yang Tongbao felt the terrifying aura so oppressive that even his breathing stopped, but upon closer listening to the soaring
roar, the familiar majesty, and the familiar sense of respect, he was overjoyed.

The heavens and earth shook, and the sun, moon, and stars were almost completely covered by dark clouds, as if even the heavens could not bear to watch
the struggle between these terrifying powers. The ancient city shook under this terrible impact, the earth trembled, and no one dared to feel at ease.

The ancient and thick city walls could hardly withstand this impact.
Sand and dust were blown up, as if even this ancient city, scarred by swords and spears, was showing its submission to this terrifying power
.

"Earth Shakes..."

Just as the crimson-yellow true energy gradually gained the upper hand, a deep and resolute roar resounded once more.
It was none other than the cold and oppressive voice of King Yang Shu.

The crimson-yellow true energy gradually stirred and erupted, beginning to occupy every corner of the golden light, obscuring
its originally breathtaking brilliance. With this roar, a deafening "bang" resounded, as if heaven and earth
had collided , and the entire sky seemed unable to control even the stars. A massive explosion, accompanied by an
astonishingly powerful shockwave, began to erupt in all directions. The force was so great that not only did everyone kneel in fear, but even
trees as thick as bowls were uprooted.

The golden light exploded, instantly sending sand and stones flying, a fierce wind arose, and the entire earth cracked open, seemingly
unable such terrifying power. The Yang family members, hiding beneath the city wall, frantically covered their heads and dodged. The explosive force
was unprecedented; small stones and fire pits on the wall collapsed. Several careless
soldiers, seemingly never expecting such a thing, were blown off the wall by the violent gusts of wind
, their fates unknown.

The golden light vanished completely from the world, as if it had never existed. For the first time, the capital city felt
darkness, but in its place rose a soaring crimson-yellow true energy, powerful and astonishing, even
surpassing the radiance of the Vajra Seal. The terrifying power felt like a mountain pressing down,
making it impossible to look directly at; even breathing felt suffocating under its pressure.

Within the crimson-yellow true energy, a figure gradually became clearer in the haze, the flying sand and stones making
everything appear utterly desolate. The area where the golden light of the Vajra Seal had originally been blasted open by the violent explosion, creating
a massive crater five feet long. Smoke billowed from the crater, and soaring crimson-yellow true energy, carrying sand and mist, made everything
appear both terrifying and incredibly mysterious.

"Your Highness... Your Excellency..."

As the power gradually weakened and the oppressive feeling that had forced them to kneel gradually disappeared, Yang Tongbao and Wang
Dong finally calmed themselves, suppressing their fear, and rushed to the crater, their faces filled with joy and anticipation as they looked at the figure
emerging .

"The Vajra Seal... truly powerful..."

The smoke slowly dissipated, and Yang Shu's tall figure finally appeared before them. However, his face was bloodless, deathly
pale. Even though his eagle-like eyebrows and sword-like eyes remained resolute, his icy expression now held an unprecedented weariness and
pain.

"Your Highness, Your Excellency, are you alright!"

Wang Dong was immediately overjoyed, his face flushed as he looked at the body carried on Yang Shu's shoulder—so tall
, so familiar—it was none other than the unconscious Yang Cun.

Yang Shu shifted slightly, his solemn expression suddenly changing, his brows furrowing, and he could no longer control his body.
Feeling unwell, he coughed up a mouthful of blood mist, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground. Yang
Cun, who was on his shoulder, also fell to the ground, the two almost simultaneously.

"Your Highness! Your Excellency!"

Yang Tongbao and Wang Dong panicked immediately, and a large group of Yang family members rushed into the pit.

Inside the Prince Zhen's mansion, unlike its usual solemn and quiet atmosphere, the mansion was filled with worried old men and
servants who dared not speak due to the silent atmosphere. The side rooms in the backyard remained silent, even
deathly silent.

In addition to the servants of the Yang family, there were many people dressed in palace robes, and a large group of imperial physicians
were busy , but they were all covered in sweat and had helpless expressions on their faces. Even so, they dared not
slacken their efforts in the slightest. Because those Yang family members who had been waiting without removing their armor were all
looking at , a kind of expectation that made them restless.

In the two main rooms, one lay Prince Zhen, Yang Shu, and the other lay Duke Jing, Yang Cun.
A day and a night had passed since their return, yet both remained in a deep sleep, showing no signs of waking. There were no
obvious external injuries, yet both were unconscious.

"What's the situation?"

Prince Rong stood with his hands behind his back in the west hall, his face filled with worry and a hint of coldness. Prince Rong rarely showed such
displeasure; that day, he had been shuttling between the Ministry of War and the Prince Zhen's residence, clearly indicating
a close personal relationship with Yang Shu.

"Reporting to Your Highness and the two gentlemen,"

the chief imperial physician, his face covered in cold sweat, knelt obsequiously, "they have no external injuries, but
when my colleagues and I tried to take their pulses, we couldn't detect any. There was a beat, but it was irregular, irregular and
contrary to normal bodily rhythms. Such a strange occurrence is something we've never heard of in our lives."

"Absurd!"

Prince Rong's expression turned cold; the usually amiable Prince Rong revealed an anger no one had ever seen before.

"Every word I have spoken is true, I dare not deceive you!"

The chief imperial physician was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and immediately knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head again. Although Prince Rong
was usually very good-tempered, when he really got angry, he was more terrifying than anyone else, and even a frown could give
the feeling of imperial wrath.

"Brother Rong, why are you so angry?
It is inevitable . What is so surprising?"

At this moment, a middle-aged man with an elegant demeanor walked in through the door. Dressed in fine clothes, but
accompanied , he was none other than Prince Ding, Zhao Yuanming, the most powerful prince in the court and the one who held military power.

"When will my brother return to the capital? Why didn't you tell your foolish brother?"

Prince Rong waved away the imperial physician after recognizing the person. Seeing that the elegant Prince Rong's face could not hide
a trace of fatigue, Prince Ding's lips inadvertently flashed a sinister smile, but he immediately resumed his harmless appearance.

"Hearing of the trouble on the frontier, I, your foolish brother, rushed back to the capital overnight."

Even though he looked tired, Prince Ding still mustered his spirits and said, "Last night, when I entered the palace, Father was very worried about
what had happened . Before dawn, he specially ordered Yuanming to come and visit them. Alas, Father's health has been poor lately. I only hope
that Prince Zhen and Duke Jing are safe and sound, so that he can be at ease."

"Father's kindness and benevolence are truly a blessing to us subjects,"

Prince Rong said, feigning emotion, and began to sigh softly .

The two sat down separately, and after tea was served, they began to chat idly. The two brothers appeared amicable
, a blessing to the court in the eyes of outsiders, but their conversation was actually quite complex.
Everyone that the man would not have a good end. Strangely, Prince Rong didn't ask about it,
and Prince Ding didn't mention it, as if the matter had never happened. The two men's conversation revolved entirely around the two injured men
, their expressions so intense they seemed to want to burst into tears to express their sincerity—a sentiment that felt both genuine and strange.

Watching their conversation, their faces etched with heartache and sighs, one wondered if they were actually surnamed Yang or Zhao.

Their pained expressions were truly chilling; it was almost as if they wished the two men were dead, so they
could stage a grand funeral, a dramatic display of grief for the loss of a virtuous person—that would be the perfect ending.

Amidst their distracted chatter, a sudden commotion erupted at the door. Amidst the butler's flustered greeting,
a young man in lavish attire, yet brimming with arrogance, strode in. His fair face bore
the weariness and weakness of wine and women; tall yet thin, his steps quick but frivolous,
he possessed the air of a spoiled brat, yet his opulent clothing gave him an air of nobility, unlike the typical frivolous and reckless
individual.

Surrounded by a group of eunuchs, the young man walked to the front of the hall. Upon seeing Prince Ding and Prince Rong, he visibly paused, his brow
furrowing as if displeased. However, he quickly bowed politely, saying, "
Nephew Qinli greets your two uncles."

"Your subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Prince Rong and Prince Ding exchanged a glance, their expressions revealing no emotion. They immediately knelt
, bowing to their young nephew with the respect due to a subject to his ruler. Their expressions were solemn and loyal, befitting
true virtuous ministers.

"Uncles, please rise, this is too much for Qinli!"

Crown Prince Zhao Qinli, seemingly flattered, quickly told them to rise, but made no
move to help them up, even revealing a smug smile on his lips.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

The two rose directly, showing little restraint.

"Your nephew, on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor, has specially brought this thousand-year-old ginseng to sustain the lives of Prince Zhen and the Duke... oh no, to
nourish their bodies and minds."

The Crown Prince's frivolousness was evident in his words, even revealing the banter he had exchanged with the eunuchs along the way.
For a moment, both princes looked somewhat embarrassed, while the servants of the Yang family dared not speak out,
helplessly gritting their teeth as they watched this absurd Crown Prince.

"Prince Zhen is deeply grateful for His Majesty's favor and will surely be thankful for this divine grace."

Anyone could say such polite things, and Prince Rong immediately adopted a grateful demeanor, even though these rewards were not for him. Prince Ding, standing to the side, smiled without saying a word, almost shaking his head
at the sight of this debauched Crown Prince . 　　"Oh, with this favor bestowed, then your nephew will take his leave."

Zhao Qinli seemed absent-minded as well. After exchanging pleasantries, he didn't even bother to stand still,
abandoning the basic etiquette of visiting a sick person. He immediately ran off with a group of obsequious eunuchs,
whispering about playing and courtesans as he went, his excitement and haste utterly baffling.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is indeed extraordinary," Prince Rong said

awkwardly, shaking his head as he watched him hurry away.

"Yes, extraordinary," Prince Ding

added meaningfully, a hint of disdain creeping onto his face.

The two princes, who had been exchanging polite words, glanced at each other, sharing the same feelings and thoughts,
yet neither voiced them. They quickly changed the subject, praising the Emperor's boundless grace, remaining as harmonious as ever.

Having been busy all day, Prince Ding, weary from his journey and burdened with worries, seeing no sign of the two men waking,
could only take his leave early. He returned to the palace to report in the late afternoon and then immediately went back to his residence to rest. Prince Rong
stayed until evening, but then an urgent document arrived from the Ministry of War, leaving him no time to think
. After instructing the imperial physicians who had been taking care of him, he had no choice but to rush back to the Ministry of War to attend to his duties.

The quiet garden in front of the main hall was densely packed with people. Besides the guards of the Prince's personal guards, most of them
were veterans of the Yang family from Jiangnan. Seeing that no one else was around, Wang Dong could no longer control himself. His face contorted with rage, he said, "This
Crown Prince is utterly reckless! Not only is he completely insincere, but he also utters such unlucky words! He's utterly rude!"

"Grandpa, keep your voice down..."

Yang Tongbao's expression changed instantly. He quickly stopped Wang Dong's complaint, saying with a wry smile, "While this Crown Prince
is indeed absurd, it's still disrespectful for us to discuss him in private. Our Yang family is currently in a difficult situation; it's
best not to give anyone cause for gossip."

"But I just can't stand it!"

Wang Dong said through gritted teeth, his face still contorted with anger. "It's already unfortunate that
our patriarch, our Duke—weren't they all killed in battle? Tell me, how many
people from your Zhenwang lineage have sacrificed for the country? Which family has died on the battlefield more than our Yang family? The Yang family is full of loyal and brave men. Doesn't he fear that his frivolous
words will chill the hearts of the people?"

"Sigh..."

Yang Tongbao gave a bitter smile, unsure of what to say. This old man had a fiery temper;
who wasn't slick and worldly after living in the capital for so long? Even those who truly hated someone to the bone still possessed a degree of superficial smoothness. Who would
so openly speak ill of a member of the royal family, especially the future emperor's grandson?

Late at night, the old soldiers in the courtyard were finally persuaded to rest. Only the women and maids waited patiently in the back.

As the moon rose above the willow branches, the maids in the Prince's quarters, already exhausted, suddenly began yawning.
Overwhelmed by fatigue, even trying to stay awake, they couldn't control their mental exhaustion, and one by one, they slumped into a deep
sleep. Although they were very self-disciplined, this inexplicable drowsiness was something they couldn't usually resist.

The maids were all fast asleep when a huge and terrifying body twisted and appeared in the empty
room. Its size was like a small mountain, and its head almost hit the high roof beam. Ignoring the
sleeping , it went straight to the bedside and asked in a suppressed, fearful voice, "Your Highness, are you alright now?"

"Earth Slave..."

Yang Shu, dressed in plain clothes on the sickbed, still kept his eyes closed, sighing weakly and filled with disappointment. His voice
was dejected as he said, "I'm alright, but this time, Lin Guan stole the Vajra Seal—not what I
wanted ." "Your Highness!"

Earth Slave sat cross-legged by the bed, his face serious as he snorted, "I know you're disappointed, but
wasn't that what we went to Tianjin for? Lin Guan's matter proves that Zhang Guoshi truly knows the location of the Five Elements.
Since that's the case, it means there's still hope, so what's there to worry about?"

"Earth Slave, you still don't understand..."

Yang Shu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and empty, his voice weak and filled with
helplessness . The renowned Prince Zhen, wielding the power of one of the Five Elements, was already unparalleled in the world, yet his sigh now sounded
so desolate and helpless.

"Fine, if you say I don't understand, then I don't understand!"

The Earth Slave sat cross-legged on the ground, looking unwilling but not refuting. Its enormous body almost blocked
the candlelight , and at this moment it looked more like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Uncle should be alright, right?"

Yang Shu smiled wryly, looking at the mountain-sized Earth Slave before him.

"That little fox... I don't know!"

The Earth Slave pouted defiantly.

"Uncle is exceptionally intelligent, alas, what a pity... alas."

Yang Shu didn't know what to say. The Earth Slave's personality was like a child's; even though it was
one of the Five Elements, it had a lovable, unrestrained nature. It clearly couldn't stand Yang Shu's respect for Yang Cun; it seemed that its
master's polite treatment of Yang Cun made it very uncomfortable, and at this moment it looked a bit like a little punching bag.

"Your Highness, someone has arrived!"

The Earth Slave, which had been sitting silently for a long time, suddenly brightened up and said in a chilling tone.

"I know, he's an old friend of my uncle's. Don't disturb him."

Yang Shu looked exhausted and didn't say much. Seeing the Earth Slave's restless look, he immediately stopped him sternly
, "Alright, I know that person means no harm. You don't need to make trouble.
We'll talk ."

"You're so easygoing!"

The Earth Slave sat back down angrily and complained, "That guy isn't a big deal to me
. You forcibly used your true essence and spiritual energy to bring him back. I don't mind, but was it worth it?
I don't understand what true energy is for you humans, but was it necessary to fight so recklessly with the Vajra Seal for him? With your strength
, breaking free from the Vajra Seal's restraints wouldn't be difficult. Why force yourself to use the power of the five elements to
contend ?"

"You don't understand..."

Yang Shu smiled bitterly, his meridians aching so much that he could barely move. His eyes were helpless yet resolute as he stared
blankly at the sky, seemingly burdened with many thoughts, yet unsure of who to confide in.

"I don't think those people are any good, and I'm afraid you're not the only one who thinks the same way, are you?"

The Earth Slave paused for a moment, his figure slowly twisting and disappearing, but his voice was tinged with anger as he said, "Anyway, I don't understand your
human affairs, I only know that living like this is exhausting! What kind of king are you? The Yang family has more than just you
living, is it really necessary to be so tired?" "

You understand me, you don't understand... Sigh..."

Yang Shu sighed bitterly, watching the Earth Slave vent his dissatisfaction like a child.

His mind went blank for a moment, and he seemed to recall the scenes from their first encounter.

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