Half of the skull was missing, with pale brain matter sparsely clinging to the face.

The withered, blue-black body was in tatters. Through broken bones and damaged flesh, black organs were faintly visible.

Dark green eyeballs stared wide open, completely lifeless.

Xu Qi An couldn’t sense any qi fluctuations within it, indicating that this was now purely a corpse, devoid of any supernatural properties.

The ancient corpse was dead—though strange to describe it that way, it was undeniably true.

Xu Qi An’s pupils contracted to pinpoints as if struck by intense light, and his breathing quickened.

His first thought:

The tomb’s master had returned!

The moment this speculation arose, uncontrollable terror surged through him…

Luo Yu Heng’s eyes gleamed with an ethereal light, which, combined with her cold yet beautiful face, created an enchanting beauty.

She slowly surveyed the main burial chamber, then softly said:

“No remnant souls remain.”

Meaning the ancient corpse had completely vanished.

Though it was a thousands-year-old corpse, it possessed a real soul and, strictly speaking, was a different form of life.

Xu Qi An closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Luo Yu Heng turned to look at him, raising her jade-like hand from within her sleeve to gently grasp his, and asked softly:

“What have you discovered?”

Xu Qi An exhaled and steadied himself:

“There are no signs of battle—the ancient corpse died swiftly and cleanly.

“Three possibilities: either it was killed by someone it knew; or by someone far more powerful who could easily kill it despite the seal;

“Or… someone who was both familiar and incredibly powerful.”

After listening, Luo Yu Heng nodded slightly: “So you suspect the tomb’s master has returned.”

The Imperial Mentor is indeed brilliantly perceptive… Xu Qi An’s expression grew grave:

“Though sealed by Shen Shu and unable to use its power, it still possessed a genuine Second-Grade Dao physical body. While not as robust as a warrior’s body, to destroy it like this…

“At a minimum, it would require a Transcendent realm cultivator—no, even ordinary Third-Grade cultivators might not manage it. Though many Transcendent experts have gathered in Yong Province lately, they had no reason to kill the ancient corpse, nor even the confidence to do so.

“At most, they would have come to investigate and gather information.”

Luo Yu Heng responded with a soft “Mm,” agreeing with his speculation.

Xu Qi An continued: “The ancient corpse once said it was waiting in this underground tomb for its master’s return, to reclaim the destiny energy. That destiny energy, by chance, ended up in my hands…”

At this point, his mood became extremely heavy.

If the ancient corpse died by the tomb master’s hand, then this mysterious Dao practitioner’s attitude was predictable—angry, brutal, unfriendly…

“Don’t worry.”

Luo Yu Heng smiled, speaking like a wise mother:

“Too many debts cease to be troublesome. Offending one powerful figure is problematic, two is fatal, but when you’ve offended three, four, or more, you become quite safe.

“Mm, at least you’ll have bargaining chips.”

This is just like how many deeply indebted major corporations operated in my previous life… Xu Qi An used the cynical thought to relieve his internal pressure.

The Imperial Mentor’s words made sense. No matter who the underground palace’s master was, to deal with him, they would have to get past Luo Yu Heng, past the Observatory Master.

During this, the Buddhist sect might also intervene.

Then, Xu Ping Feng would also voice his opinion:

“What? Do you want to harm my son? No way, only I can kill my son.”

There was also the true owner of the Earth Book fragment—Golden Lotus on the surface, actually the Earth Path’s Dao Leader, but truly an orange cat.

And Principal Zhao Shou, who desperately wanted to restore the Cloud Deer Academy to glory.

And the Gu Tribe who had given him the Seven Fatal Gu, binding him to the karma of sealing the Gu God.

All these were forces and figures deeply connected to him by karma.

“Looking at it differently, the underground palace master’s existence might also be something we can use to our advantage.”

Thinking this way, Xu Qi An felt somewhat calmer.

Ah, hard to know whether to be happy or worried.

Luo Yu Heng said: “When we return to the capital today, if the underground palace’s master means you harm, the Observatory Master will surely give hints, or make arrangements that you can’t yet comprehend.”

Hearing this, Xu Qi An became eager to return to the capital and seek the Observatory Master’s protection.

“Wait a moment.”

He spoke briefly, then gathered stones from around to make a simple stone tomb for the ancient corpse.

After keeping watch for thousands of years, it had finally found release.

…

Outside the ancient tomb.

Miao You Fang sat with his sword sheath as a cushion, chewing on a grass root, and quietly asked Li Ling Su beside him:

“Brother Li, now that I’ve lost the Dragon Qi, will courtesans stop liking me?”

“Courtesans?”

Li Ling Su stood to one side, looking down at him with disdain:

“Is that all you care about?”

This was a playboy’s mockery of a loser.

Miao You Fang carefully examined Li Ling Su, then suddenly said:

“Brother Li, your kidneys are weak.”

Li Ling Su’s expression changed slightly as he angrily replied: “What nonsense are you spouting?”

“I can tell. After years of wandering jianghu as a warrior, I can immediately see whether someone’s qi and blood are vigorous. You clearly show signs of kidney deficiency.

“Fortunately, it’s not too serious—some rest and recovery will fix it.

“If you don’t believe me, let’s take off our pants and see who can pee farther.”

Li Ling Su snorted coldly: “How vulgar!”

He would never agree to such foolishness—the Holy Son had an image to maintain.

Besides, winning would be fine, but losing? What face would he have left?

Li Miao Zhen, Chu Yuan Zhen, and Master Heng Yuan silently watched the two perform their comedy routine.

Miao You Fang had the characteristic crudeness of jianghu wanderers and the playfulness of youth, heavy with jianghu flavor.

But everyone present was experienced in the jianghu and used to such characters, finding it normal.

After trading a few more barbs with Miao You Fang, Li Ling Su stopped bothering with this low-level cultivator, having realized the other party could always drag him down to the same level and then beat him with experience.

“Junior Sister.”

The Holy Son approached Li Miao Zhen, rubbing his hands together with an ingratiating smile:

“Now that I no longer need to worry about the East sisters’ pursuit, you should return the Earth Book fragment to me, right?”

Li Miao Zhen’s gaze suddenly became evasive as she replied perfunctorily:

“Oh, let’s talk about it later.”

Li Ling Su cast a questioning look at his junior sister: “Why later?”

“How annoying, later means later.”

“No, give me back the Earth Book fragment now.”

“Fine, if you insist.”

Li Miao Zhen took out the Earth Book fragment and gently tipped it, letting an identical jade mirror fall out.

Li Ling Su reached out to catch it, forcing a drop of fresh blood from his fingertip to let the Earth Book recognize its new master.

He remembered his promise—when he had sought Xu Qian’s help to escape from the East sisters, he had promised the contents of his Earth Book fragment as payment.

As a proud person, he would not dishonor an agreement.

Though I don’t have much, between the magical tools, gold and silver, and talismans, it should be worth several thousand silver taels… Li Ling Su reestablished his connection with the Earth Book fragment and sent his consciousness into it.

The fragment space was empty.

? Li Ling Su froze.

Perhaps he wasn’t accessing it correctly… He withdrew his consciousness and entered the Earth Book space again.

Still empty.

Li Ling Su slowly turned his stiff neck toward Li Miao Zhen, “Where’s my silver? Where are my magical tools? Where are my talismans?”

“Sold them!”

Li Miao Zhen’s eyes darted around, avoiding Li Ling Su’s gaze.

“Sold them?”

Li Ling Su’s voice rose several decibels as his eyes widened:

“Who permitted you to sell them? What right did you have to sell my things? What did you sell them for?”

“When I was organizing the guerrilla bandit-suppression army in Cloud Province, I needed money, so I sold your things.” Li Miao Zhen looked somewhat embarrassed.

“Why didn’t you sell your things?” Li Ling Su felt like his head had been struck by lightning several times.

Li Miao Zhen pursed her lips: “When did you get the impression that I saved money?”

She muttered quietly: “I gave all my silver to the poor.”

Li Ling Su was going crazy, his handsome face twitching constantly: “You Heaven Path disgrace!”

Li Miao Zhen flew into a rage: “You’re the Heaven Path disgrace!”

“As the Heaven Path Holy Maiden, instead of properly cultivating the Supreme Forgetting of Emotions, you go off playing hero? If you’re not a disgrace, who is?”

“As the Heaven Path Holy Son, aren’t you running around sleeping with women everywhere, spreading your affections all around? You’re not just a Heaven Path disgrace, you’re also a heartless, faithless man!”

“I’m sincere to every woman, and besides, falling into emotion to transcend emotion is the path of cultivation I’ve comprehended—what would you know about it?”

“Hah, why don’t you tell that to the Heavenly Venerable? If it weren’t for you, would Master and Uncle Master have come down the mountain to catch people?”

“They came down to catch people because you ruined the Heaven Path’s reputation, Flying Swallow Heroine!”

Chu Yuan Zhen and Master Heng Yuan looked at each other in bewilderment.

They knew about Li Miao Zhen’s situation but truly hadn’t expected the Holy Son to be equally problematic.

No wonder, no wonder the Heaven Path’s Ice Majesty Yuan Jun and Xuan Cheng Daoist had personally descended the mountain to capture them.

Not unjustified at all…

Chu Yuan Zhen transmitted: “Who would have thought the Heaven Path would produce such an extraordinary Holy Son and Holy Maiden pair.”

Heng Yuan nodded with a helpless expression, then added after some thought:

“But still better than the Observatory Master.”

Thinking of the Celestial Observatory’s situation, both fell silent.