"From now on, you may come and go as you please," Qiu Ze said calmly.
Hearing this, Shi Cangying was overjoyed. He knew Qiu Ze was truly treating him as the Sect Master of the Thousand Leaves Sect — though, of course, this was predicated on his complete submission. Had he harbored any rebellious thoughts, Shi Cangying was certain he would die a miserable death.
Qiu Ze's ascension to the Emperor Realm was hardly good news for any sect, but for Shi Cangying, preserving his own life was the most pressing concern.
The experts from Tianji Hall and several other sects stood behind Qiu Ze as well. Watching him lord over everyone with casual authority, they felt a bitter mix of envy, jealousy, and hatred. This was the prestige of the Emperor Realm — simply standing here was enough to make everyone else hold their breath.
These experts secretly seethed with resentment. Why couldn't the one who had broken through to the Emperor Realm have been them instead of that old fossil Qiu Ze?
Just then, an elder hurried over and cupped his fists behind Qiu Ze, reporting: "Palace Master, Ye Hen refuses to reveal how to enter the valley."
Before Qiu Ze could respond, Ruan Hongbo of Tianji Hall was already cursing: "That old man Ye Hen doesn't know what's good for him. Palace Master Qiu showed great mercy by sparing his life, and yet he remains this obstinate."
Mu Guan of Baiyun Tower chimed in: "Indeed. Ye Hen is refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. Palace Master Qiu needn't be courteous with him. If we all attack together, I'm sure we can break through that valley's formation."
As he spoke, he struck an eager, ready-to-fight posture.
Qiu Ze said flatly: "Do you have any idea how long the Thousand Leaves Sect has been passed down? Even some of the top sects in the Southern Domain today cannot necessarily match the Thousand Leaves Sect in terms of heritage. The formation inside this valley was personally laid down by a mighty figure tens of thousands of years ago. Even I have no confidence in breaking through it, let alone the likes of you."
His expression was laced with mockery and contempt, but Mu Guan and the others didn't dare offer the slightest rebuttal. They could only smile sheepishly.
"What does Sect Master Shi think?" Qiu Ze turned his head to look at Shi Cangying.
Shi Cangying pondered for a moment, then said gravely: "Ye Hen is a tough old bone. I worked alongside him for many years and know his temperament well enough. Forget torture — even if you killed him outright, he would never reveal the method to break the formation!"
"Oh? You think so highly of Ye Hen?" Qiu Ze regarded Shi Cangying with some surprise.
Shi Cangying said solemnly: "He's nothing more than a stubborn old mule. If he weren't, our Thousand Leaves Sect wouldn't have fallen to this state—"
"Enough. I have no interest in your Thousand Leaves Sect's affairs. Just tell me how to break the formation." Qiu Ze cut him off impatiently.
Shi Cangying said: "Since we can't get anywhere with Ye Hen, why not try finding a breakthrough point through someone else..." At this point, he let out a cunning smile. "Ye Hen and his daughter have relied on each other all these years. Their bond is anything but ordinary."
Qiu Ze glanced at him, his eyes glinting with deep, unfathomable light.
Shi Cangying's heart lurched. Thinking he had misspoken, he broke into a cold sweat under Qiu Ze's gaze and was growing increasingly uneasy — when Qiu Ze suddenly smiled and said: "Sect Master Shi, that Ye Jinghan girl was practically raised under your nose, wasn't she? Don't you feel even a shred of pity?"
Shi Cangying's expression turned solemn. "That girl doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. She dared to stand in the way of Palace Master Qiu's great cause of unification — of course she must pay the price. Precisely because I am her elder, I wish for her to grow up sooner. This is also a test of her character."
"So you're doing this for her own good?" The corner of Qiu Ze's lips curled upward, his smile tinged with derision.
Shi Cangying said earnestly: "I harbor only the best of intentions. I hope she can understand that."
Ruan Hongbo and the others, listening from the side, were all drenched in cold sweat. They kept stealing glances at Shi Cangying, as though only now seeing his true face. At the same time, they felt a pang of sorrow for Ye Hen, who had harbored such a monster by his side all these years. But then again, they were enemies of the Thousand Leaves Sect now — they had neither the standing nor the inclination to sympathize.
"Very well. I'll leave this matter to you. I trust Sect Master Shi won't disappoint me!" Qiu Ze smiled coolly.
"I will do my utmost!" Shi Cangying cupped his fists and said firmly. Then he turned and waved toward the back, shouting: "Bring them up!"
In the blink of an eye, Ye Hen and several sect elders who had remained loyal to him were brought to the mouth of the valley. The moment they arrived, they hurled a torrent of curses and insults at Shi Cangying, their eyes bloodshot with rage, wishing they could tear him apart with their bare hands. Shi Cangying, however, remained completely unmoved — his expression as placid as still water, as though he hadn't heard a thing. With perfect composure, he called out into the valley: "Nephew Ye, open your eyes and take a good look. Do you see who these people are?"
His voice boomed across the landscape, clearly carrying deep into the valley.
Shortly after his words fell, the scenery within the valley suddenly shifted. In the blink of an eye, the illusion formation that had been maintained for tens of thousands of years was dispelled, and the true appearance of the valley was revealed before everyone's eyes.
Looking ahead, the figures of Ye Jinghan, Chi Yue, and the others were clearly visible — only a few hundred zhang away from Shi Cangying and his group. And beside them, there stood a formation base platform.
"Mm?" Qiu Ze's eyes narrowed as he stared fixedly at that platform. The next instant, he exclaimed in a low voice: "A spatial formation?"
With his eyesight, he could naturally tell that the base platform was a spatial formation — ancient and weathered, clearly dating back an impossibly long time. What he couldn't understand, however, was how such a thing existed inside this valley.
Where did this formation lead to?