Emperor Ling Yuan's face was sharply defined like a carved blade, with sword-like eyebrows slanting upwards into his temples, and eyes as deep and cold as an abyss in a winter night.

Facing the people from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion who came to greet him, Emperor Ling Yuan directly sent a voice transmission asking: "Is there someone named Emperor Tian Ning here?"

The person in charge of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion shook his head: "To report to the Emperor, there has never been any Emperor Tian Ning here."

Emperor Ling Yuan said: "Then arrange a quiet place for me to stay."

"Yes. Emperor Ling Yuan, please follow me." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

...

"Swish~" Shortly after the appearance of Emperor Hongshan and Emperor Ling Yuan, other figures quickly appeared in the Mountain and Sea Pavilion.

Upon their arrival, they immediately asked the person in charge if there was a person named "Emperor Tian Ning" here.

This left the person in charge of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, "Tian Zhi," completely baffled.

"Have we ever had someone staying here named Emperor Tian Ning?" Tian Zhi asked his subordinate.

"No." The subordinate shook his head, "Absolutely not."

"Emperor Tian Ning..." Tian Zhi pondered in confusion, "I've never heard of such a person."

"Never mind, you may leave now."

...

The gathered people gradually arrived at the Yuanhai Ancient Country's Yuanhai Star.

Yet at this time, "Emperor Tian Ning" was overwhelmed with pressing concerns.

After encountering an accidental death, Zhao Xing resolutely entered the Yuanhai Ancient Country.

Following the intentions of Qing Yu Zi, or rather the sacred object, he began to search for another "sacred object."

However, to his surprise, his path led him back to the Qingyu Border Star.

"Buzzz~"

The sacred object in Qing Yu Zi's hand vibrated frantically, seemingly eager to head in another direction, while Qing Yu Zi's corpse stood resolute, staring straight ahead.

A sword, a person, seemed to reach a serious disagreement.

"Do you want to go to the Qingyu Border Star?" Zhao Xing asked.

Qing Yu Zi didn't answer, but the gloomy aura around him calmed down, apparently giving a silent affirmation.

Zhao Xing then looked at the ancient sword pointing east: "And where does it want to go?"

"Aren't we supposed to go to the Imperial City?"

Zhao Xing was also somewhat puzzled.

Logically, since the conference was held in the Yuanhai Empire, the altar, sacred objects, etc., should also be within the Yuanhai Empire, or at least nearby.

But the direction the ancient sword pointed to, and the Qingyu Border Star that Qing Yu Zi wanted to go to, were not at all in the direction of the Imperial City.

"I've already arranged with Lu Yuehan to take me into the Imperial City to attend the conference, and now you're saying we shouldn't go?"

"Brother, what exactly do you want to do?" Zhao Xing was somewhat at a loss for words.

Qing Yu Zi wasn't just speaking in riddles, he was outright delivering fatal enigmas.

"I'm really at a loss with you, Old Six..." Zhao Xing, having no choice, took out the Time Page and enveloped the Reincarnation Ancient Sword.

This way, the ancient sword stopped vibrating so intensely.

But Zhao Xing returned to the Qingyu Border Star in the early Shixin epoch, 1723.

The way he returned was quite unique.

When they were still three or four star sectors away from the Qingyu Border Star, Qing Yu Zi suddenly waved his hand, creating a rift in the void.

On the other end of the rift lay a coffin.

"You actually had this up your sleeve, a trick you never taught me..." Zhao Xing muttered, uncertain.

Qing Yu Zi had opened a void passage, similar to Du Yun's methods, shortening the distance.

The coffin on the other end seemed somewhat familiar to Zhao Xing, wasn't it the ice coffin that originally held Old Qing's body?

How did this end up here?

Was it from Qing Yu Zi's burial site?

"Whoosh~" Qing Yu Zi's gloomy aura began to fluctuate again, as if urging Zhao Xing to follow him.

"Since we're already here..." Zhao Xing muttered, following Qing Yu Zi into the void passage.

In this way, he and Qing Yu Zi's body returned to the underground of the Qingyu Border Star.

Zhao Xing had only seen the ice coffin, but he didn't know where it ended up after sinking into the earth.

When he jumped through the void passage and surveyed his surroundings, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Did you build a Reincarnation Altar beneath the Qingyu Border Star? Does your teacher know about this?"

This time Qing Yu Zi finally responded, the cloudy look in his eyes disappeared in an instant, igniting into flames that formed a line of text.

[He knows, but not entirely. The materials were prepared on my instruction, roughly an epoch ago, when I went to the Chenluo Wasteland.]

"Clap clap clap~" Zhao Xing couldn't help but applaud, "Great, you and your teacher have really kept me in the dark, it's quite something."

"I suppose your last words to the Purple Moon Mansion Master didn't overlook me, did they?"

Qing Yu Zi: [Not that detailed, Su Wan'er's final soul trial was deliberately set for you to pass. Without cultivating the Three Gods Fate Palace, you wouldn't have been able to bring me back.]

[I originally intended for Purple Moon to send you some money to settle the cause and effect, but you're already in the game.]

Zhao Xing was rendered speechless. So, the final stage of Su Wan'er's trial was your doing?

You really played the pitiful act convincingly!

"I always wondered why the Purple Moon Mansion Master would give me so much money just for bringing back a corpse."

"But there's one more thing I don't understand."

Qing Yu Zi: [Please, speak your mind]

Zhao Xing pointed around: "You seem to be missing quite a few things here? The Reincarnation Altar is just a framework, your Lifebound Taoist Soldier is missing, the sacrificial items are missing... You can't possibly rely entirely on exploiting the East Extending Ancient Clan's resources, can you?"

Qing Yu Zi remained silent, instead suddenly grabbing the Reincarnation Ancient Sword, leaning back fiercely, and thrusting it into his own chest.

"Squelch~"

The Reincarnation Ancient Sword plunged in through his chest and protruded from his back, still humming incessantly.

"What the heck, what are you doing!" Zhao Xing was startled. He had seen others desecrating corpses, but this was the first time seeing someone desecrating their own.

"If you can't speak, just don't speak. I understand taboo matters, you don't need to go that far."

Upon embedding the sword, Qing Yu Zi's hands were freed, and he stumbled to sit cross-legged on the square altar, then extended a hand into the void, reaching far as if waiting for something.

Zhao Xing followed and approached, as Qing Yu Zi's eye flickered with a line of text: [Can't speak, but do you remember the first test I set?]

"Of course I remember, you..."

"Damn, it can't be."

Zhao Xing's pupils contracted, suddenly as if realizing something.

Qing Yu Zi's mouth curved into a slight smile, as if he had done something proud, flaunting to someone.

[Yes, just as you think. With it, you won't need more treasures.]

Zhao Xing was at a loss for words.

Are you playing for such high stakes, brother?

Qing Yu Zi actually stole a Yanshen Stele?!