"How do you know?" The young man’s face turned ashen.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Before Mo Qi could answer, his expression turned cold. He asked in a deep voice, "Do you have my father?"

It was the only answer he could come up with.

Knowing his name wasn’t difficult, but as for the words "Cold Cicada Bloodline," only he and his father knew of them in the entire Mountain and Sea Empire.

The young man knew with certainty that his father would never speak of this to an outsider.

For Mo Qi to be able to utter those words, it meant that not only was Wu the Old Ghost his captive, but he must have used some exceptionally cruel means to wrench this top-secret information from his father.

"You’re courting death!"

At this thought, the young man flew into a rage and lunged at Mo Qi.

This was the Imperial Academy, one of the most heavily guarded areas in the Mountain and Sea Empire!

To save his father, there was only one way: kidnap Mo Qi, use him as a hostage, and trade him for his father!

However, the young man quickly discovered that he couldn’t sense the existence of his True Essence, and he couldn’t even use his Domain or Mental Realm.

Without these, relying on his frail physical body alone, he couldn’t even defeat a random Refining Essence Junior Cultivator, let alone Mo Qi.

’I must save my father!’ The young man steeled his heart, preparing to undo the seal suppressing the Cold Cicada Bloodline in his body and trade his life for the power to strike.

"Don’t get the wrong idea!" How could Mo Qi not guess the youth’s thoughts? He quickly called out a warning, "And don’t do anything rash. If you activate the Cold Cicada Bloodline, this incarnation of mine won’t be able to save you!"

"Also, your father is fine. He and I are peers. Technically, you should call me ’uncle.’"

Uh...

As he said this, Mo Qi felt a bit strange.

’How did I get another nephew!’

’Li Yuanhao was one thing, but this guy... if you count the time he was frozen, he’s a bona fide thousand-year-old monster!’

Mo Qi’s words made the young man halt the unsealing process, but he didn’t withdraw his power. Instead, he remained poised to strike, ready to activate his Cold Cicada Bloodline the moment something seemed off.

"How can I believe you?" the young man asked.

Mo Qi shrugged. "What good would lying to you do me?"

"It wouldn’t do you any good, but maybe you’re afraid of death?" The young man clearly wasn’t going to believe Mo Qi so easily.

Mo Qi was amused. ’This guy doesn’t think I’m afraid of his Cold Cicada Bloodline, does he?’

"Did you not hear what I just said? This is just my External Incarnation. Your Cold Cicada Bloodline can’t even harm this incarnation of mine. And even if it could, so what?"

"Incarnation?" The young man was still skeptical.

Mo Qi scratched his head. ’This blockhead must have gotten his brain frostbitten while he was frozen.’

’If I really meant you harm, why would I let you in completely unguarded? And let myself be threatened by you?’

’If it weren’t for Wu the Old Ghost’s sake, I’d really love to slap this idiot.’

"Ever seen a big iron wok?"

Mo Qi’s sudden question completely baffled the young man.

’A big iron wok? Why bring that up all of a sudden?’

Just as the young man was feeling puzzled, his gaze on Mo Qi suddenly went rigid. His eyes went wide, his mouth hung open, and his expression was dazed.

A large black wok appeared before him—a large black wok with a human face!

An External Incarnation could do as it pleased, changing into a thousand different forms.

Turning into a wok? Child’s play!

"What’s with that look? Never seen a wok before?"

Mo Qi’s face appeared on the bottom of the wok, rolling its eyes at the young man.

"Then you must have seen a spatula, right?"

The External Incarnation shimmered and transformed from a wok into a giant spatula.

The young man: "..."

"A bowl?"

CLANG!

Before the young man could even speak, the spatula had turned into a bowl as large as a giant cauldron.

CLANG!

A plate the size of a bathtub.

CLANG!

A pair of ten-foot-long chopsticks, like iron pillars.

...

The External Incarnation continuously changed into various forms, leaving the young man completely dumbfounded.

What could be more bewildering than seeing a living person turn into pots and pans?

He was already beginning to believe Mo Qi.

It wasn’t because he was won over by the display from Mo Qi, but because he felt that anyone who could pull off such a ridiculous stunt was either a simple-minded good person or a complete fool.

But either way, such a person wouldn’t lie to him.

"Um... I believe you, alright? Can you please change back now?"

Seeing Mo Qi seemingly addicted to transforming, constantly changing shapes, the young man couldn’t help but speak up.

How could he have known that the reason Mo Qi had cast aside his dignity to do something so childish was because he was afraid the young man wouldn’t believe him?

If he activated his Cold Cicada Bloodline, the External Incarnation truly wouldn’t be able to save him.

Since he had made a promise to Wu the Old Ghost, Mo Qi would absolutely not let anything happen to the young man.

Just as the External Incarnation was returning to its human form, a powerful wave of Energy erupted from within Mo Qi, ignoring the restrictive seals on the Cultivation Room.

Instead of being alarmed, Mo Qi was delighted.

"Go outside and wait for me. Remember, no matter what happens during this time, you must not activate your bloodline under any circumstances! I have a way to cure you!"

With that, without waiting for the young man’s response, Mo Qi waved his hand and pushed him out of the Cultivation Room.

’The main body is breaking through!’

Closing the door to the Cultivation Room, the External Incarnation sat down cross-legged. The Energy bursting from its body’s surface pulsed erratically, climbing at a terrifying rate.

This moment corresponded precisely to when his main body in the Ancient Ruins had completely recovered from its weakened state.

The main body’s breakthrough had, in turn, triggered a breakthrough for the External Incarnation!

...

「Deep within the Imperial City Palace.」

A massive pool was enveloped by a grand formation. Spiritual light overflowed from within, and the aura of treasures surged to the heavens.

The pool was filled with countless Spirit Medicinal Treasures. Above the water’s surface, the Spiritual Energy was so dense it had almost materialized.

Not only that, but rare and precious Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, usually seen only on rare occasions, were now being dumped into the pool by the bundle, mixing with other supreme treasures.

In the pool, a middle-aged man stood at the center, his entire body covered in terrifying cracks, his flesh withered and dry.

His body was like a bottomless pit, absorbing the Spiritual Energy in the pool’s water in a near-predatory manner.

"Not enough! Still not enough!"

The middle-aged man suddenly opened his bloodshot eyes and let out a hoarse roar.

Just this simple movement caused the cracks on his body to deepen even further.

He looked like a sun-dried clay doll, so fragile it seemed he might crumble to pieces at any moment.

He was none other than the current His Holiness, Li Shimu!

The reason he had become like this was that he was suffering the backlash of receiving a boon of providence.

"Sigh..." A sigh rang out. "Mo’er, you were reckless this time."

"Grand-Uncle?" Li Shimu was taken aback.

Although he couldn’t see the person who spoke, his expression had been replaced by one of reverence.

"Because of your recklessness, a full thirty percent of our Dynasty’s ten-thousand-year accumulation has been depleted, and it still hasn’t been enough to completely offset the backlash!"

Li Shimu pondered for a moment, then raised his head and said, "Grand-Uncle, Mo’er believes it was worth it!"

The voice was silent for a long time before speaking again. "Have you truly decided? There is only one chance, but the price is our entire Li Family!"

Li Shimu nodded forcefully. "I have decided!"

"Very well. We old men will support you with all our might. But before that, you must hurry and heal your wounds!"