Half a Month Later, the Heaven and Earth Cataclysm Descends

"Old Gao, from the look on your face, you must have figured it out by now!"

Eunuch Gao nodded, his face full of worry. "Old Wei, Manager Li believes Jian Xuzi took the Innate Dao Body, which is why he went with the Thirteenth Elder to the Sword Sect to demand the person."

"Now, in the Imperial Capital, another powerhouse has emerged whose Sword Dao skill far surpasses Jian Xuzi's. That Innate Dao Body might not have been taken by Jian Xuzi after all."

"Thinking it over carefully, this person is even more suspicious. I suspect Manager Li may have misjudged the true culprit—this man could be the real mastermind."

Hearing Eunuch Gao's earnest analysis, Eunuch Wei frowned deeply. "Old Gao, this matter is of grave importance. Don't talk nonsense. Are you certain?"

A sharp glint flashed in Eunuch Gao's eyes, and he said with confidence, "Old Wei, think about it. Jian Xuzi is a world-renowned Sword Dao Great Grandmaster. If he wanted to seize the Innate Dao Body, why would he bother using swordsmanship? He was already in the Imperial Capital—anyone would suspect him."

"Given Jian Xuzi's strength, even without revealing his Sword Dao cultivation, he could still have taken the Innate Dao Body from those two Li Clan Ancient Clan disciples."

"Jian Xuzi isn't a fool. How could he not have thought of something so simple?"

Eunuch Wei nodded. Before today, only Jian Xuzi in the Imperial Capital possessed such Sword Dao skill, enough to snatch the Innate Dao Body from that Great Grandmaster-level Li Clan Ancient Clan disciple.

Though some doubts remained, Jian Xuzi was indeed too suspicious. But now that another Sword Dao powerhouse far surpassing Jian Xuzi had appeared in the Imperial Capital, Eunuch Wei gradually began to accept Eunuch Gao's reasoning.

"Old Gao, go on."

Eunuch Wei urged from the side.

Eunuch Gao continued his analysis. "Old Wei, this man is extremely mysterious, with profound cultivation, yet he has never made a name for himself in Great Li."

"By taking the Innate Dao Body and exposing his Sword Dao skill, he likely intended to frame Jian Xuzi and make him take the fall."

"Furthermore, I suspect this man may not be from the Sword Sect!"

Eunuch Wei disagreed with that last point. "Old Gao, Innate Sword Qi can only be cultivated by Sword Sect disciples—that's common knowledge. Aside from Sword Sect people, who else in the world could master such pure Innate Sword Qi?"

Eunuch Gao didn't directly counter Old Wei's doubt but instead asked, "Old Wei, would you have ever thought someone with such profound Sword Dao skill could be so unknown?"

This...

Eunuch Wei fell silent. In his view, no Peerless Powerhouse in the world could truly be nameless. Even those reclusive experts had been unparalleled in their own eras.

This Black Robe Guest who appeared today was truly strange. Could he be the real culprit behind the theft of the Innate Dao Body? Eunuch Wei dared not make that judgment.

"Old Gao, this matter is too important to be taken lightly."

"Let's return to the Purple Gold Pavilion immediately and report this to the Imperial Lord. Whether your speculation is right or wrong, the Imperial Lord should decide."

Eunuch Gao nodded in agreement. The two finished their discussion and promptly headed back to the palace.

After flying at top speed and confirming no strong enemies were following, Ye Jing found a secluded thatched cottage outside the city and placed Yao Qingyin inside.

"Miss, this place is a full hundred li from the Imperial Capital, deep in the mountains, very remote. The Night Watch Division won't find it anytime soon."

"This cottage has everything you need—firewood, rice, oil, salt—enough to sustain you for a long time."

Yao Qingyin felt as if she were still dreaming. Not long ago, she thought she'd spend her life in Heaven Character Number One Prison, eventually turning to dust. Now, in the blink of an eye, she had escaped her cage.

Her eyes brimmed with gratitude. The moment Ye Jing set her down, she knelt and kowtowed. "Thank you, Senior, for saving my life. This great kindness, I will never forget."

Seeing Yao Qingyin perform such a grand bow, Ye Jing quickly helped her up. "No need for that. I only acted because Jian Xuzi entrusted me. If you want to thank someone, thank him."

"Senior Jian Xuzi! Senior, you were entrusted by Senior Jian Xuzi!"

"That's right. Senior Jian Xuzi is a friend of mine. If he hadn't pleaded repeatedly, This Seat wouldn't have risked so much to rescue you from the prison."

Ye Jing didn't want Yao Qingyin's gratitude or indebtedness. By shifting all the credit to Jian Xuzi, he could ease her sense of obligation.

Yao Qingyin knelt again and bowed. "Even so, I still thank Senior for saving my life."

"But Senior, I have an impertinent request to trouble you with."

"Speak freely. If This Seat can manage it, I'll gladly help you with this small favor. If I can't, then I'm powerless."

Having freed Yao Qingyin from the Great Li Heavenly Prison, Ye Jing had fulfilled his promise to Jian Xuzi. In good spirits, he was willing to hear her out.

"It's no trouble, no trouble. With Senior's abilities, this will be easy."

Hearing no reluctance in her savior's tone, joy flickered in Yao Qingyin's eyes. She continued, "Benefactor, could you go to the Mountain God Ruined Temple in the western part of the Imperial Capital and find a young master named Ye Jing?"

Ye Jing! So Yao Qingyin's request was to find him! Ye Jing was curious why she sought him.

Without revealing his identity, he asked, "What urgent matter do you have with this young master Ye Jing?"

"To be honest, Senior, I once made an agreement with Young Master Ye. Given my current situation, I can't go to the Imperial Capital myself, so I must trouble Senior to find him and tell him where I am now."

"In Heaven Character Number One Prison, I heard Lei Wujie say that within half a month at most, the Sixth Heaven and Earth Cataclysm will occur."

"Please rest assured, Senior. Young Master Ye is of noble character and once saved my life. He is completely trustworthy."

A Heaven and Earth Cataclysm in half a month! Ye Jing was surprised. He knew that over the past month, strange phenomena had been appearing frequently across Great Li.

In the Hanlin Academy, he often heard officials discussing which King of Different Surname's domain had produced what Heaven and Earth Rare Treasures.

According to ancient records, these were signs of an impending cataclysm, but the exact date had eluded him.

He never expected such an unexpected gain today!

If his guess was right, Yao Qingyin was looking for him about the Secret Realm.

Half a month. In just half a month, he could enter the Secret Realm with Yao Qingyin and harvest all those Immortal Herbs.

With his godlike alchemy skills and those herbs, his strength would skyrocket. Reaching the Peak of Humanity was highly likely—maybe he could even take a step or two beyond it!