Chapter 239: Chapter 236: Interesting Things

"Everyone watches me, comparing me to others. It’s as if I’d be disgracing the four words ’Young Prince of the Kaosan’ if I couldn’t dominate my generation and become the leader of the younger generation."

"Ever since I can remember, I’ve never felt glory—only endless, crushing pressure."

Li Yuanhao’s voice was filled with helplessness and exhaustion.

"So, I can only cultivate, cultivate, and cultivate, without a moment’s rest! I don’t dare slack off or waste a single minute. Others can rest, have fun, and do whatever they want, but I can’t."

"Because if I fail, I won’t just be losing my own face, but also the face of my father, the King of Kaosan!"

Hearing Li Yuanhao’s words, Mo Qi couldn’t help but sigh. ’Even the children of powerful families have their own struggles and pain. Sometimes, just being a normal person is its own kind of blessing.’

Li Yuanhao continued, "I know I shouldn’t live my life just to meet others’ expectations, but I don’t have a choice. To be honest, I’m sick of this life, and I’m going to change it!"

"The only way is to make myself stronger in a short amount of time!"

Li Yuanhao’s tone grew agitated.

"Once, I went to the Imperial Palace’s Library Pavilion to borrow some books and happened to find an Ancient Scripture. It described a set of Ancient Ruins said to contain a Precious Treasure that could allow a person to become an Immortal in a single leap. I was tempted."

"Who would have thought the Ancient Ruins would be so dangerous? I couldn’t even get through the entrance. I only glanced at it from a distance before some strange power invaded my body, forcing me to retreat."

"Ever since then, that power has been like a maggot boring into my bones, coiled up in my Dantian, feeding on my Cultivation and growing stronger. I was helpless against it, and I didn’t dare tell my father."

"But now, it’s fine! Your ’Elixir’ saved me, and that power is gone!"

Mo Qi listened quietly, taking a light sip of his tea.

’Ancient Ruins? A treasure that can grant immortality? Interesting.’

"Uncle, Yuanhao came this time hoping you would explore these Ancient Ruins with me. With your Elixir, we won’t have to fear that power. We’ll definitely be able to get inside," Li Yuanhao said, revealing his true purpose.

Mo Qi put down his teacup and gave Li Yuanhao a strange look. "Are you joking?"

Although the Ancient Ruins Li Yuanhao mentioned had successfully piqued his curiosity, opportunity and risk were directly proportional.

’If a magical place like those Ancient Ruins truly exists, it’s definitely not something I can handle at my current level.’

’My strength is still far from sufficient.’

Mo Qi was at least self-aware enough to know that.

"Yuanhao is not joking," Li Yuanhao said seriously.

"Then I’ll tell you, also not joking, that this is not up for discussion. I won’t go with you, and you’re forbidden from going either!"

’The outside of the ruins alone is guarded by Extremely Yin Energy to keep people out. Heaven knows what other horrors are lurking inside.’

’Li Yuanhao only survived by sheer luck. If even a little more of that Extremely Yin Energy had invaded his body, he probably would have died on the spot.’

Unless absolutely necessary, Mo Qi wasn’t about to take a risk he had no confidence in winning.

He had a decent impression of the King of Kaosan, and Li Yuanhao respectfully called him "Uncle." For both personal and logical reasons, he couldn’t let the young man go off and get himself killed.

Seeing Mo Qi’s flat refusal, Li Yuanhao grew anxious.

"Uncle, Yuanhao has looked through a lot of information! As long as we’re careful, once we successfully enter the Ancient Ruins, it’s almost completely safe inside!"

Mo Qi sneered inwardly. ’Are you the fool, or am I?’

’No danger?’

’If it were really safe, it would have been picked clean by others long ago. What makes you think there’d be anything left for us?’

Mo Qi could see that Li Yuanhao was clearly grasping at straws, so desperate to get stronger that he had lost his reason.

Just as he was about to refuse again and tell the King of Kaosan about this, a piece of information shared from his original body made him change his mind.

"Yuanhao, where are these Ancient Ruins you mentioned located?" Mo Qi asked.

Li Yuanhao was overjoyed. "Uncle, you agree?"

"Don’t get ahead of yourself. Answer my question."

"Yes, yes!" Li Yuanhao suppressed his excitement, took out a map, and spread it open in front of Mo Qi, pointing to a large mountain marked with a red dot.

"This is a nameless, desolate mountain, located over thirty thousand li north of the Imperial City. The entrance to the Ancient Ruins is here, and the ruins themselves are situated deep underground."

Mo Qi pondered for a moment.

"Thirty thousand li away, north of the Imperial City... Isn’t that Wolf Fang Sect territory?"

"Yes, it is the Wolf Fang Sect," Li Yuanhao nodded.

He assumed Mo Qi was worried the Wolf Fang Sect might object, so he said proudly, "Don’t worry, Uncle. All land under heaven belongs to the Empire. Forget just visiting the Ancient Ruins—even if we wanted to enter the Wolf Fang Sect’s Secret Realm, they wouldn’t dare utter a single word of protest."

He had no idea, however, that after hearing this, Mo Qi’s mind was on something else entirely.

"You’re saying we can enter the Wolf Fang Sect’s Secret Realm?" The corners of Mo Qi’s mouth curled up. ’An unexpected bonus.’

"Of course! Within the borders of the Mountain and Sea Empire, aside from the forbidden areas of the Imperial Palace, there is nowhere we can’t go!"

"But Uncle, the Secret Realm of a minor Sect like Wolf Fang isn’t anything special. If you’re interested, the Empire has three major Secret Realms you can choose from. Any one of them is ten times better than Wolf Fang’s!"

’The Wolf Fang Sect is a minor Sect!’

The number of people in the entire Mountain and Sea Empire qualified to say such a thing could be counted on one hand.

Mo Qi smiled and shook his head. "There are some things you don’t understand. Don’t speak so casually."

It wasn’t that he was interested in the Secret Realm, but that the Nether Soul Flame was.

Just then, Mo Qi sensed an acquaintance appear outside his residence, looking anxious and unsettled.

’Heh, things are getting more and more interesting.’

Mo Qi had a vague guess as to the visitor’s purpose.

’Does the Blessed One truly live here?’

Outside the residence, the visitor took a deep breath, his heart racing.

He hadn’t been this nervous even when he first became a Sect Leader.

The matter he needed to discuss with the Blessed One would directly determine his life, his death, his future—and even the very survival of his entire Sect!

He was the Wolf Fang Sect’s Leader, Zhang Shao!

After extensive inquiries, Wang Chen and Yan Hong had finally confirmed Mo Qi’s residence.

Zhang Shao was responsible for coming to pledge allegiance and convince the Blessed One to take them under his wing.

As long as they could become followers of the Blessed One, the Qian Family would surely hesitate to act for fear of offending a greater power and wouldn’t dare hunt them down in retaliation.

Not only that, but under the Blessed One’s protection, they could attain an extremely high status and receive immense benefits.

They might even be able to avenge the humiliation they suffered at the hands of the Qian Family in the near future!

It was a plan that could achieve three goals at once!

Unfortunately, imagination is always beautiful, but reality is always cruel.

If Zhang Shao knew that the Blessed One he sought was actually Mo Qi, one could only wonder what he would think.

"Zhang Shao, you may enter!"

Just as Zhang Shao’s mind was racing, the voice of the External Incarnation sounded in his ear.

Zhang Shao froze for a moment, then rejoiced inwardly.

’I don’t know if the owner of this voice is the Blessed One, but since he knows who I am and took the initiative to let me in, it means I have a chance!’

PS: Many of you are probably confused about the "Immortal" Realm. Don’t worry, this realm is a general term, and it will be explained soon. For now, you can think of it as a state of powerful existence that surpasses the Void Realm.