Time rewound to an hour earlier, to the moment Ren Ye had just left the Star Gate.
High-Rank Star Gate-Great Qian Dynasty, imperial palace, imperial study.
Palace lanterns flickered. Sandalwood incense curled above a desk draped in yellow cloth, giving off a soothing fragrance.
Emperor Jing of Great Qian wore a dragon robe and sat languidly on his dragon throne, his left hand propping up his cheek, his expression calm.
He looked about fifty, yet showed no signs of aging. His hair was jet-black, his back straight, and his handsome, refined features made him look very approachable.
Below the steps, the leader of the Celestial Surveillance Bureau, the Great Qian Dynasty's state preceptor, paced back and forth through the hall in a white robe.
Even before his sovereign, he kept his hands behind his back, his posture utterly relaxed.
"Your Majesty, the four hidden pawns who returned from Qingliang Prefecture have all 'rested.'" The state preceptor paused and turned to Emperor Jing. "I performed another divination just now, but I still cannot see the ninth layer of Princess Anping's Tomb, nor can I determine what connection that 'Outsider' has with Shenzhou. Heaven's secrets remain hidden; I truly cannot fathom them. Qingliang Prefecture was originally just a small secret realm, and its Heavenly Dao rules are complicated. How could it have drawn such a powerful Supernatural Ability User?"
"If you faced that powerful Supernatural Ability User, what would your chances of winning be?" Emperor Jing asked, his cheek resting on his hand.
"I cannot see them or divine anything about them, so naturally, I would have no chance." The state preceptor slowly shook his head.
Only the emperor and state preceptor occupied the vast imperial study. Even the maids and eunuchs who normally attended them closely had withdrawn to wait a