The arrival of the Sacred Emperor Palace's inspector was like a massive boulder hurled into Greenstone Valley, stirring ripples far beyond the ordinary.
On the top floor of the Many Treasures Pavilion, inside a heavily guarded meditation chamber.
The golden-armored general—Inspector Jin Sheng—had removed his armor and changed into everyday robes patterned with dark gold. He sat in the seat of honor. Before him, Old Man Greenstone stood with his hands lowered, his respectful manner tinged with an almost imperceptible distance.
"Valley Master Greenstone, I have come for two main reasons." Jin Sheng's voice was low, carrying unquestionable authority. "First, by decree of His Majesty the Sacred Emperor, I am to inspect the various regions, purge the disloyal, and restore law and discipline. In this Blood-Baleful Wasteland, fish and dragons mingle, and banditry runs rampant. Though your Greenstone Valley maintains neutrality in name, as far as I know, you are not entirely without dealings with the Blood Skull Stronghold and similar factions, are you?"
His gaze flashed like lightning as he stared directly at Old Man Greenstone.
Old Man Greenstone inwardly stiffened, but his expression remained unchanged. Cupping his hands, he said, "Inspector Jin, please judge fairly. Survival in the wasteland is difficult. I maintain this valley only to offer passing cultivators a thread of hope for survival. I merely preserve outward harmony with the various factions to protect ourselves. There is absolutely no collusion. As for eliminating the bandits, I will naturally cooperate with you to the fullest, Inspector."
Jin Sheng gave a noncommittal hum, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. "I hope so. As for the second matter... recently, the Sacred Emperor Palace's Heavenwatch Office detected abnormal spatial fluctuations along the fringes of the Blood-Baleful Wasteland. They suspect something foreign has descended. This concerns the stability of our realm, and His Majesty takes it very seriously. You have lived here for many years. Have you noticed anything unusual? Or any unfamiliar faces appearing?"
Spatial fluctuations? Something foreign descending?
Old Man Greenstone's heart gave a violent jolt. He immediately thought of Ye Chen and his companions! Their auras were far too pure, utterly at odds with the Primordial Realm. Could it be...
His expression remained steady as he pondered aloud, "Abnormal spatial fluctuations... my cultivation is shallow, and I detected nothing. As for unfamiliar faces, countless cultivators travel through the wasteland every day. What sort of people do you mean, Inspector?"
Jin Sheng stared at him for a moment, as though trying to read something from his face. Finally, he said mildly, "If you noticed nothing, then leave it at that. I will investigate personally. You may withdraw. Have detailed records of the valley and the surrounding factions from recent years brought to me."
"Yes. I take my leave." Old Man Greenstone bowed and withdrew from the chamber, a trace of cold sweat already seeping down his back. He knew the Sacred Emperor Palace's methods well. If Ye Chen and his companions truly had anything to do with that "foreign thing," Greenstone Valley would likely be dragged into the whirlpool as well.
Inside the chamber, Jin Sheng's gaze was unfathomable. He had not entirely believed Old Man Greenstone's words. Those abnormal spatial fluctuations had been faint and brief, but the Heavenwatch Office could not have been mistaken. And then there was that young man standing on the inn's upper floor when he entered the valley...
"Jin Wu," he called.
A commander of the silver-armored guards entered at his summons. "What are your orders, my lord?"
"Find out whether any unusual figures have appeared in the valley recently. In particular... anyone with a pure aura that is utterly at odds with the wasteland's baleful energy," Jin Sheng instructed. "Focus on that group at the Guests Return Inn."
"Yes!" Jin Wu accepted his orders and left.
Meanwhile, in the small courtyard of the Guests Return Inn.
Ye Chen was listening to Mo Yu's report.
"Young Master, after the inspector took up residence in the Many Treasures Pavilion, he immediately summoned Old Man Greenstone. Their conversation remains unknown, but Old Man Greenstone looked grave when he came out. Afterward, a commander of the silver-armored guards left the pavilion with several men. They seem to be gathering information, and their target... is very likely us." Mo Yu's voice came from the shadows.
Ye Chen nodded, unsurprised. When his gaze had met Jin Sheng's yesterday, he had known the man would not overlook him so easily.
"It doesn't matter. Let them investigate." Ye Chen was entirely unconcerned. "We happen to need a better understanding of how this inspector operates anyway."
What concerned him more was the progress of Ye Xiaoshan's research.
"Young Master! I've made a major discovery!" Ye Xiaoshan came running excitedly, holding a freshly drawn sheet of beast-hide paper covered in intricate lines and markings. "By combining the fragment, the direction indicated by the Black Iron Piece's resonance, and the geographical jade slips of the wasteland we bought these past few days, I've worked through the calculations repeatedly. I can now be fairly certain that the third location—or rather, the stronger source of resonance—is deep inside Black Wind Mountain, where the Blood Skull Stronghold has its headquarters, in a place called the Demon-Burying Abyss!"
"The Demon-Burying Abyss?" Ye Chen took the beast-hide paper. The terrain of Black Wind Mountain was marked on it, with one abyssal region prominently circled, exuding an ominous air.
"Yes! According to the jade slips, it is the remnant of an ancient battlefield, thick with baleful energy. They say a fiend once fell there, hence the name Demon-Burying Abyss. Ordinary cultivators don't dare venture deep inside. Even the people of the Blood Skull Stronghold only operate around its edges," Ye Xiaoshan explained. "The fragment and the Black Iron Piece point there, which means it is extremely likely to contain another fragment, perhaps even more!"
The Demon-Burying Abyss, an ancient battlefield, a fallen fiend... Ye Chen lightly tapped the mark with his finger. It did fit the ancient, extraordinary aura of the Nameless Fragment and the Black Iron Piece.
"It seems we have no choice but to pay the Blood Skull Stronghold a visit." A gleam of determination flashed in Ye Chen's eyes.
Just then, a commotion arose outside the courtyard, mingled with the metallic clang of silver armor.
"We serve under the Sacred Emperor Palace's inspector and have orders to conduct an inspection! Those inside, come out and answer!" an arrogant voice called from beyond the courtyard gate.
They're here. Ye Chen and Emperor Xuanwu exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of understanding in the other's eyes.
Ye Chen rose, straightened his robes, and said calmly to the others, "Come. Let's meet this 'envoy' of the Sacred Emperor Palace."
The courtyard gate opened, revealing the silver-armored guard commander named Jin Wu standing outside with four silver-armored guards in the Nascent Soul Realm, their expressions stern. Quite a few cultivators had already gathered at a distance to watch, pointing and whispering among themselves.
Jin Wu swept his gaze over Ye Chen and the others, lingering briefly on Emperor Xuanwu's profound aura and Ye Yun's fully exposed edge. He was inwardly startled, but remembering that the Sacred Emperor Palace stood behind him, he regained his confidence.
"Are you the one in charge here?" Jin Wu looked at Ye Chen, his tone that of a superior interrogating someone beneath him.
Ye Chen's expression was placid. "And if I am?"
"By the inspector's orders, we are verifying identities. State your name, your origins, and why you came to Greenstone Valley!" Jin Wu demanded sharply.
Ye Chen smiled. Rather than answering directly, he asked with interest, "Since when has the Sacred Emperor Palace required anyone coming to the Blood-Baleful Wasteland to report their identity to you? Has this entire wasteland come under the Sacred Emperor's jurisdiction?"
Jin Wu's expression darkened. "Insolence!" The Sacred Emperor Palace rules the Primordial Realm and inspects all its lands. Of course we have the authority to question you! Your conduct is suspicious. If you refuse to give an honest account, don't blame me for arresting you for interrogation!"
The four silver-armored guards behind him stepped forward together. Their Nascent Soul Realm auras joined into a single wave, pressing toward Ye Chen and his companions.
At the sight, Shi Meng's eyes widened, and he was about to erupt, but Ye Chen raised a hand to stop him.
Looking at Jin Wu, fierce on the outside but fainthearted within, Ye Chen shook his head, a hint of pity in his voice. "A mere early-stage Spirit Transformation cultivator, with a few Nascent Soul cultivators at his back, dares to shout in my presence? Even your Inspector Jin wouldn't dare speak to me like this if he came in person."
His voice was not loud, yet it exploded like thunder in everyone's ears!
Jin Wu's expression changed drastically, shock and anger mingling on his face. "You... you dare insult the inspector?!"
He had never imagined that the other party would be so arrogant as to disregard even an inspector at the Spirit Transformation Late Stage!
"Insult him?" Ye Chen chuckled and took one step forward.
No earth-shaking surge of power erupted, but a formless, intangible pressure that seemed to stand above all creation spread like a rising tide!
Jin Wu and the four silver-armored guards felt their bodies constrict, as though they had sunk into an invisible mire. Even the circulation of spiritual energy within them became painfully sluggish! To their horror, they discovered that before this pressure, they were as helpless as infants, unable to muster even the thought of resisting!
Thud! Thud!
The four Nascent Soul Realm silver-armored guards were the first to buckle. Their legs gave way, and they dropped straight to their knees, their faces deathly pale and sweat pouring down like rain!
Jin Wu also trembled violently from head to toe. He barely managed to remain standing, but all color had drained from his face. His gaze upon Ye Chen was filled with horror and disbelief!
What... what cultivation was this?! How could pressure alone leave Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation cultivators like them utterly powerless to resist?!
The cultivators watching from afar were all dumbstruck, silent as crows with their beaks sealed. All they had seen was the Sacred Emperor Palace's men storming over to demand answers. Then the young man leading the other group had taken a single step, without even lifting a hand, and the palace's men were either kneeling or trembling?
Who exactly was this young man?! Did he not even regard the Sacred Emperor Palace?
Ye Chen looked at Jin Wu, who was barely holding himself upright, and spoke calmly. "Go back and tell Jin Sheng that if he wants to investigate my identity, he can come himself. As for you..."
His gaze swept over the silver-armored guards kneeling on the ground and the deathly pale Jin Wu.
"Scram."
A single word fell from his lips, as though his command itself became law.
Jin Wu and his men felt an irresistible force strike them. Their bodies flew backward beyond their control, tumbling like gourds along the ground and landing in a wretched heap dozens of yards away in the middle of the street, drawing a chorus of startled cries.
Jin Wu struggled to his feet and cast a shocked, fearful glance at Ye Chen. Not daring to utter another word, he fled with his men, scrambling and stumbling away as an uproar rose from the onlookers.
As though he had done nothing of consequence, Ye Chen turned and returned to the courtyard. The gate slowly closed, shutting out every shocked and uncertain gaze.
The news spread through Greenstone Valley as though it had sprouted wings.
The Sacred Emperor Palace inspector's subordinates had proved utterly helpless before a mysterious young man and fled in disgrace!
Everyone realized that the skies above Greenstone Valley might truly be about to change. And at the center of the storm stood the seemingly ordinary little courtyard of the Guests Return Inn.
On the top floor of the Many Treasures Pavilion, after receiving Jin Wu's humiliating report, Jin Sheng abruptly crushed the jade cup in his hand, icy light shooting from his eyes!
"Good! Very good! I'll see just who this mighty figure is, to dare show such contempt for the heavenly authority of my Sacred Emperor Palace!"
Before you continue