Zhang Chen's underground palace.
"Have all the factions already turned away from me?" Zhang Chen asked after listening to the old butler's account.
"Yes. Too much time has passed, and when you left, Master, you had already resolved to die. You even left behind arrangements for your legacy, all of which suggested that you might never return. Aside from this old servant, no one here believes you will come back. And the one who inherited your legacy possesses considerable strength and has already claimed the largest share here. Everyone now regards him as the prospective master."
"Were the people we saw in the hall carrying out that cult ritual also among them?"
"Yes, but they did not recognize your identity. Only this old servant can confirm your aura. The reason these people knelt before you on one knee was due to the rules established long ago: anyone able to enter this place is considered one of the master's potential inheritors and must be treated as a guest until the final choice is made."
"So you want me to pretend to be a candidate and compete?" Zhang Chen revealed a faint smile.
"I ask that Master please be somewhat understanding of this old servant. At present, this is the only way for Master to reclaim everything. If you appeared before everyone using your former identity, no one would submit to you. They might even question whether you are truly who you claim to be."
Hearing Elder Cai's servile tone and guilt toward him, Zhang Chen burst into hearty laughter and placed one hand on Elder Cai's shoulder.
"It's fine, Elder Cai. You don't need to be so restrained around me. Strictly speaking, I am not your true master. Your master died in battle at the end of the prehistoric era of