Ye Xingchen had just experienced a dream—an extremely realistic one, as if he were there in person.

But why would he dream of the past, dream of Empress Lingyao?

Standing in the mirror-smooth stone chamber, Ye Xingchen kept pondering the scene he had just experienced. He even remembered every single sentence clearly, and his mental state grew increasingly chaotic.

There was one point he couldn’t deny—his past self had placed too much importance on the martial path.

After being reborn and becoming a disciple of the Eternal Sect, through gradual contact and daily life, he gradually came to understand that there were indeed many things in this world that needed to be cherished and protected.

Ye Xingchen’s expression became increasingly contorted.

The more he acknowledged what Empress Lingyao had said in the dream, the greater his rage grew, because did this mean she had killed him to deliberately change his past personality and mentality?

“Crack!”

His fists clenched tightly.

Ye Xingchen hated Empress Lingyao—hated her to the bone—so he would not accept any form of whitewashing!

“Mr. Pei, what’s wrong with you again?”

She had just pulled this man back from his painful state, and now he was acting fierce and menacing again, which truly worried Xie Lingyao.

“Exhale!”

Ye Xingchen let out a breath and released his fists.

He still needed to search for treasure—why should he care about a dead woman?

“Didn’t you just enter a dreamscape?”

“Dreamscape?”

Xie Lingyao looked confused.

Ye Xingchen said nothing, muttering to himself.

Obviously, when he stepped on the stone chamber floor just now, he must have triggered some kind of restriction, causing him to fall into a dreamscape of the past. Why wasn’t this woman affected? Could it be ineffective against low-cultivation martial artists?

“Let’s go!”

Ye Xingchen adjusted his mindset and continued forward with Xie Lingyao.

At the other end of the stone chamber was another very long tunnel with many mechanisms and traps inside.

For instance, shooting poisonous arrows, spraying fire and poison, or rolling boulders—any clichéd trap you could think of appeared here. One could see how LOW the designer must be.

“Ding ding ding!”

“Ding ding ding!”

Flying daggers shot forth one after another. Ye Xingchen, clad in battle armor, completely ignored them, striding forward with large steps to meet the blades, his eyes full of disdain.

These level of mechanisms only posed threats to low-cultivation martial artists. For someone at his Truth-Seeking Realm, they couldn’t even count as an itch.

“So amazing.”

Xie Lingyao, following carefully behind, had admiration written all over her face, clearly having completely turned into a little fangirl.

Surrounded by forces from all sides, her life hanging by a thread, a powerful martial artist suddenly appeared to save her from danger and personally protect her while helping her search for treasure. With such a melodramatic yet romantic plot, what girl could resist?

…

After passing through the tunnel filled with mechanisms, another stone chamber appeared. Inside stood eight large pillars carved with lifelike birds and beasts, giving the impression of a palace.

“This should be the end.” Xie Lingyao said.

Since spiritual sense couldn’t be used to investigate, Ye Xingchen could only rely on his naked eyes to look deeper, but discovered no treasure. His brow furrowed tightly as he said, “Are you playing me?”

He had patiently protected this woman all this way for the sake of finding treasure and making some contribution to the sect. But the result… completely empty!

“It shouldn’t be like this.”

Xie Lingyao carefully examined the parchment scroll again, confirming that the final point indicated on it was right here.

“I hate being deceived most, especially by women.” Ye Xingchen’s gaze turned cold and severe. “If we return empty-handed, you will die without an intact corpse.”

Xie Lingyao said, “Perhaps there’s a hidden chamber here. We can search carefully.”

With that, she walked into the stone chamber first.

“Click!”

After taking just a few steps, the stone slab beneath her foot sank, and a boulder carrying some kind of power suddenly dropped from the ceiling.

Xie Lingyao was frightened pale, instinctively turning to look…

“Boom!” Ye Xingchen had already appeared before her, steadily holding up the boulder with one hand.

“Thank you.”

“Get out of the way already!”

“…”

Xie Lingyao hurriedly moved aside. The sunken stone slab beneath her foot returned to normal, and the power enveloping the boulder gradually dissipated.

Ye Xingchen could have easily flung it away but instead moved it with a thought into his spatial ring, reasoning that the stone’s material was extraordinary—he’d bring it back for Master Fan.

“Mr. Pei.”

Xie Lingyao smiled and said, “Taking this stone of exceptional quality means we’re not returning empty-handed, right?”

“I came to find treasure, not to find stones!” Ye Xingchen roared.

Well then.

This guy had also been infected by Gousheng.

Whenever his emotions got agitated, whenever he failed to control them, he immediately transformed into a roaring emperor.

“Puchi!”

Xie Lingyao covered her mouth and laughed.

Since meeting this man, he had constantly worn an aloof expression, as if everyone owed him money. Now he had finally changed his expression—it was actually… quite cute.

This was cute?

If she saw the Night Emperor from years past when drunk, either running to the livestock pens or to Purple Scale Demon King’s bed, wouldn’t that be even cuter?

Ye Xingchen turned around, saying coldly, “Stay behind me.”

“Oh.”

Xie Lingyao quickly walked over and inquired, “Mr. Pei, is Empress Lingyao your enemy?”

“None of your business?”

“I notice that when you mention her, your eyes reveal killing intent.”

“None of your business?”

“…”

Only then did Xie Lingyao sensibly close her mouth and begin seriously observing the stone chamber.

Inside were only a few large pillars, so the two quickly made a circuit and reached the conclusion that there was nothing!

“It shouldn’t be like this!”

Xie Lingyao repeatedly examined the parchment scroll, saying, “The treasure should be here.”

“Try soaking it in water, burning it with fire.”

“What if the patterns get ruined, what if the parchment burns up?”

Don’t say—this was actually quite possible. Referencing Jun Changxiao’s treasure-hunting experiences from years ago, he had imitated plots from TV dramas, and the result… burned to ash.

“Hand it over.”

Ye Xingchen said, “I’ll burn it!”

Xie Lingyao hesitated briefly but still handed over the parchment scroll.

A strange scene occurred!

When Ye Xingchen took the parchment scroll, the patterns carved on it suddenly flashed with luster, instantly illuminating the entire stone chamber.

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

Lines appeared out of thin air on the stone slabs beneath their feet, rapidly spreading throughout the entire stone chamber, as if some ancient formation had existed for eons.

“All under heaven is the King’s land, all within the universe are the King’s subjects!” A resonant chorus suddenly rang out. The originally empty stone chamber, enveloped by various lines, gradually transformed into a magnificent and resplendent great hall!

“…”

Ye Xingchen’s brow furrowed tightly, his gaze locked deadly on the majestic throne ahead, because sitting on it was a male figure wearing an imperial crown and golden armor, looking truly imposing and extraordinary.

Below, a hundred people knelt together.

The shouts echoing through the stone chamber came from their mouths.

“Mr. Pei!”

Xie Lingyao cried out in shock, “It’s you!”

Indeed! That imposing male figure matched Ye Xingchen perfectly in physique, facial features, and even temperament.

Beside the throne sat another graceful and noble woman. Judging by her appearance… Xie Lingyao’s expression gradually froze, finding it hard to believe as she said, “Me?”

—