As night deepened, the East City · Returning Light Heavenly City was not as utterly gloomy as usual. Nine hundred and ninety-nine fragments of crystal walls that had fallen from the universe hung high in the dome, reflecting the ever-burning last rays of light from the Returning Light Cliff into the city. Crimson gold, dark purple, and deep blue spiritual light slowly drifted and flowed along the layered pavilions and palaces.
Deep within the heart of the Hua Lineage compound, the palace where the Grand Elder Hua Yin resides is utterly isolated from the bustling outside world, extremely tranquil. The palace doors are tightly shut, and the clamor and grandeur of the city outside, reaching this place, leaves only a few faint echoes.
Inside the hall, a censer of sandalwood burned quietly, its wisps of smoke drifting leisurely. Hua Yin leaned against the long table, one hand lightly resting on the armrest, the other holding a teacup, his fingertips gently caressing the warm, jade-like rim.
His expression was relaxed and indifferent, his shoulders and back were relaxed and comfortable, and there was not a trace of impatience or anxiety in his eyes. He was completely at ease, with no worries on his mind. He even had time to lower his eyes and watch a few green leaves rise and fall in the tea soup. At that moment, three muffled and heavy knocks suddenly came from outside the tightly closed palace door.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Hua Yin slightly lifted his eyelids, the teacup about to touch his lips suddenly paused, and his voice was calm and even. "Come in."
The palace doors slowly opened from the outside, and a disciple of the Hua Lineage hurried inside. When he reached a few feet away from the long table, he bowed and lowered his head respectfully, and whispered, "Elder, I have followed your orders and found out Qin Yu's current whereabouts."
Since the martial arts tournament ended, Qin Yu has remained at the Chi Lineage without ever stepping outside. His subordinates have already planted spies around the Chi Lineage compound, and all commonly used entrances and exits are guarded around the clock, but so far, he has not been seen.
Hua Yin's fingers, holding the cup, paused slightly.
He gently placed the teacup on the jade table, the bottoms of the cups clinking together with a soft, crisp sound. His brows furrowed slightly, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face, yet his demeanor remained calm and composed. Decades of meticulous planning had cultivated his deep-seated shrewdness; the more unexpected the changes, the less he would reveal his true feelings in front of others.
"Since the martial arts competition ended, have you never gone out?" "Reporting to the Grand Elder, never."
Hua Yin didn't ask any further questions. He tapped the edge of the table lightly with his fingertips, then picked up his teacup again, his tone as calm as ever. "Understood. Continue to monitor from the outside, but do not get close to spy on them, and make sure the Chi Lineage does not notice anything unusual. If there is even the slightest movement, report back to the palace immediately."
"Yes." The disciple bowed again to accept the order, slowly retreated from the hall, and closed the hall door tightly as before. The hall returned to silence. Hua Yin lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea, the nonchalant leisure in his eyes fading slightly.
"Why has Qin Yu been staying here for so long?" His gaze fell on the subtle ripples in his cup, his thoughts drifting. "He's definitely not the type to be confined to the Chi Lineage for long; this is truly strange."
Hua Yin knew that Qin Yu had just won the most prestigious martial arts championship for the Chi Lineage in hundreds of years, and the Chi Lineage treated him as an honored guest, so it was only natural that he would stay for a short period of time. What truly made him wary was that Qin Yu had completely disappeared after the grand event ended.
He had no idea what benefits the Chi Lineage had promised him; he also had no idea where Qin Yu was hiding in the Chi Lineage. If he rashly sent someone to infiltrate and investigate, it would only alert Chi Boqian and his seniors, which would be detrimental to his plans.
Hua Yin remained silent for a moment, then a faint, cold smile slowly curved his lips. "Since I cannot find you..." "Then I will lure you out." He picked up his teacup again, his expression returning to its leisurely state, and quietly sipped his tea. There was no further movement in the hall.
Time flowed slowly, and as dusk deepened, the Returning Light Heavenly City grew ever more prosperous and thriving. The crystal walls high in the sky reflected the returning light, transforming it into a rainbow that stretched across the sky. Countless pavilions and lights illuminated the towering cliffs layer by layer, and cultivators from all races moved between the long streets and the floating corridors, with a constant stream of people.
Deep within an extremely luxurious restaurant in the city, a private room, isolated from both inside and outside surveillance, had been sealed off. The doors and windows were adorned with intricate patterns, preventing any divine sense from prying into their depths; the table was laden with delicacies and fine wines, yet only two people sat inside.
Hua Yin sat upright at the head of the table, his expression calm and composed.
Opposite him, a man in golden robes bowed slightly, his face pale, his Fate Soul essence floating and disordered, far from fully recovered. This man was the only Primordial Dao Clan cultivator who had survived the battle of the Ten Thousand Swords Golden Ruins.
"My lord, everything I have said is true, without a single falsehood. I humbly request your decision." The man in the golden robe remained bowed and stern, not daring to overstep his bounds in the slightest.
Hua Yin did not respond immediately.
He lightly pinched the lid of the cup with two fingers, slowly swirling it around the rim. His gaze fell on the man's face, a hint of doubt in his eyes, and no one could tell how much he believed. He never cared whether the person in front of him was respectful or not; what truly captivated him were the two key pieces of information he had just heard.
First, the Annihilation God Clan. Second, the mysterious ancient box from the Nine Nether Cold Pool. Hua Yin frowned slightly, and finally slowly spoke, "Chen Jinrong, the person you mentioned claims to be from the Annihilation God Clan?"
This golden-robed cultivator was Chen Jinrong.
Hua Yin gently set down the cup lid, his voice still calm and unwavering. "I have been presiding over the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain for millions of years, and I have never heard of such a clan in the world. Furthermore, is that mysterious ancient box you mentioned truly from the depths of the Nine Nether Cold Pool?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jinrong bowed even lower, his face full of awe, not daring to be negligent in the slightest. "My lord, I would never dare to deceive you. Those people did indeed personally announce their names as the Annihilation God Clan."
Although the subordinates did not touch the ancient box themselves, they appeared in the Nine Nether Cold Pool area. In this battle, those cultivators risked their lives to protect a female cultivator and help her escape with her belongings. If it were just an ordinary mortal object, they would never have gone to such lengths.
At this point, Chen Jinrong's face twitched slightly, and a deep sense of apprehension flashed in his eyes.
The brutal battle at the Ten Thousand Swords Golden Ruins still haunts him. The forbidden power unleashed by the Primordial Mirror at that time instantly annihilated two cultivators, one black and one white. Although he survived by relying on his protective treasure, his Fate Soul essence was severely damaged and he has not yet recovered. If he hadn't been so injured, he would have definitely chased after Zhao Qinglan to the death that day and retrieved that ancient box.
Hua Yin listened quietly without uttering a word. For several True Annihilation Realm cultivators to risk their lives to protect it, and for it to originate from the Nine Nether Cold Pool, this creature and its race are indeed worthy of in-depth investigation.
As for the origins of the Annihilation God Clan that appeared out of nowhere, Hua Yin was in no hurry to draw conclusions. He had no shortage of patience; as long as this clan truly existed in the world, he would eventually be able to thoroughly investigate it.
After a moment's consideration, the doubt in his eyes gradually faded, and the matter settled. "Very well," Hua Yin said calmly. "I will thoroughly investigate the matter of the Annihilation God Clan and the Ancient Box. You have brought back such important information, which is commendable."
As he spoke, he lightly brushed the table with his palm, and a storage bag slid smoothly out of the jade table, stopping steadily in front of Chen Jinrong. Chen Jinrong's eyes lit up slightly, and he quickly caught it with both hands, bowing and thanking him, "Thank you for your generous reward, sir!"
Hua Yin didn't dwell on the matter. He slowly took out two ancient scrolls from his sleeve and gently placed them on the table. "Rest assured and recover from your injuries." His gaze fell on the scrolls, and his tone was calm. "Once your injuries have improved, gather more men. I have an important matter for you to handle later."
Chen Jinrong's expression suddenly turned serious. He composed himself and awaited instructions. Hua Yin gently flicked her finger. With a soft rustling sound, two scrolls slowly unfurled, clearly depicting a man and a woman, their faces and figures rendered with exquisite detail, lifelike and vivid.
Shen Qingchen, Su Qingyuan, and Chen Jinrong quickly glanced at the two portraits, then looked up at Hua Yin, waiting for him to continue.
Hua Yin picked up his teacup, his tone calm and even, revealing no trace of killing intent, yet his words concealed cunning. "These two are both at the True Annihilation Realm · Advanced Stage, belonging to the Chi Lineage. After you return to your clan, select several more cultivators at the True Annihilation Realm · Peak to accompany you."
Chen Jinrong's eyes narrowed, and he instantly understood what he meant.
Hua Yin continued, "In a few days, the Chi Lineage will send a group of disciples to patrol the Azure Wood Divine Forest in the Void Dharma Realm of the Fourth Multidimensional Universe. These two will definitely accompany them."
At this point, Hua Yin finally raised his eyes, his gaze calm yet sharp. "You will go to that location ahead of time." "Choose a secluded spot and set up an ambush." "I don't want their lives." He stared quietly at Chen Jinrong, his tone resolute. "Capture them both alive and unharmed."
Chen Jinrong, having fully grasped the plan, quickly stepped forward, held out both hands, and carefully rolled up the two scrolls, putting them away securely. Hua Yin reiterated, "After you have the person, do not interrogate them privately, nor leak a single word. Send me a message using the Soul Sound Talisman, and I will personally handle the matter."
"Rest assured, sir!" Chen Jinrong bowed deeply and replied in a solemn voice. "Your subordinate will certainly live up to your expectations and capture the two alive." Hua Yin said no more, only waving his hand lightly. "You may leave." Chen Jinrong immediately stood up, bowed deeply to Hua Yin, and turned to slowly leave the private room.
The door to the private room opened a crack, then slowly closed tightly, separating the inside from the outside. Hua Yin sat alone in his original seat, the tea on the table already slightly cold.
He glanced down, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip. His aged and composed face remained calm and expressionless, but deep within his eyes, a dark and cold glint slowly shifted, concealing his scheming.
Hua Yin had no intention of directly confronting the Chi Lineage. The Chi Lineage had just won the martial arts competition and was at the height of their power. Furthermore, Chi Boqian and his seniors valued Qin Yu highly. A head-on confrontation at this moment would only put them in the open, resulting in more harm than good.
Shen Qingchen and Su Qingyuan had witnessed Qin Yu's close relationship with the two of them when Chi Qianyuan was at the Chi Lineage, and they were the best breakthrough point. As long as they captured the two of them, many deadlocks would be easily resolved.
Hua Yin slowly put down his teacup, his eyes dark and deep, all his cunning and scheming hidden beneath a calm and indifferent exterior.
"Qin Yu..." he said softly, with a confident glint in his eyes. "I'd like to see how long you can keep hiding." With that, Hua Yin slowly stood up, straightened his sleeves, pushed open the door of the private room, and quickly disappeared into the bustling crowds of Returning Light Heavenly City.