The Young Master's estate was Jiang Chen's territory. If he wanted to avoid prying eyes, it was no difficult task.
Returning to the secret chamber within the Young Master's estate, Jiang Chen sat cross-legged and contemplated the nine Nine Palaces Illusory Maps within his sea of consciousness. Each of these nine maps represented a different illusion technique—a wall of void.
And these nine Nine Palaces Illusory Maps represented the crystallization of Senior Marquis Hong's lifelong mastery of illusion divine abilities. Now that this inheritance had been passed to Jiang Chen, he could clearly feel Senior Marquis Hong's encouragement toward the young man.
"Heh, Senior Marquis Hong is quite the character. He clearly hopes challengers will pass his Third Palace, yet he insists on putting on a cold and aloof demeanor..."
Jiang Chen contemplated the nine Nine Palaces Illusory Maps, slowly visualizing, slowly comprehending.
These Nine Palaces Illusory Maps truly embodied the essence of Senior Marquis Hong's illusion arts.
What delighted Jiang Chen the most was not merely the Nine Palaces Illusory Maps, but also those seven Illusory Puppets. These seven Illusory Puppets were clearly refined from Senior Marquis Hong's own essence.
Each Illusory Puppet radiated a formidable aura, containing tremendous abilities and formidable combat power.
This reminded Jiang Chen of the Soldier-Forming Prayer Beads he had once used.
They were absolutely of the same ingenuity. Jiang Chen's Soldier-Forming Prayer Beads—how many people had drooled over them with envy.
However, these seven Illusory Puppets were clearly far more powerful than the Soldier-Forming Prayer Beads, at least several grades higher in level.
"These Illusory Puppets must be Senior Marquis Hong's masterpieces from the ancient era—reliable combat power. Having obtained these Illusory Puppets, I must make good use of them."
The process of passing the Third Palace had been much smoother than Jiang Chen had imagined.
The generous rewards also required some time for him to digest.
He secluded himself in the secret chamber for several days, consolidating his cultivation and fully assimilating the Nine Palaces Illusory Maps and Illusory Puppets as his own before he was satisfied.
At the same time, Jiang Chen sat cross-legged in meditation for several more days.
His spiritual consciousness was currently in a highly active state. And that chain seal within his sea of consciousness—sometimes active, sometimes dormant—was also in a turbulent period.
For Jiang Chen, this was not necessarily a bad thing.
However, until he had fully mastered this chain seal, Jiang Chen still harbored a measure of wariness.
Because the power and potential contained within this chain seal were simply terrifying. Even Jiang Chen did not dare to forcibly probe it at this point.
All he could do now was follow his heart's guidance and let nature take its course.
When the chain seal offered him assistance, he accepted it with composure. If the chain seal remained dormant for a time, Jiang Chen would absolutely not try to force it into action.
Toward this chain seal, Jiang Chen always maintained a sense of reverence.
"Father, when the myriad heavens shattered in my previous life, what secrets did you arrange within my sea of consciousness? Is this chain seal a karmic thread from my past life?"
Jiang Chen's mind was filled with questions.
All in all, approximately fifteen days later, Jiang Chen emerged from seclusion once again.
This was the minimum timeframe Jiang Chen had committed to.
"Young Master, you've actually come out of seclusion?" Upon seeing Jiang Chen emerge, the subordinates at the Young Master's estate were both surprised and delighted.
Jiang Chen swept his gaze across them and noticed that worry seemed to linger between their brows. He asked, "In just half a month, what has happened in the outside world?"
The Emperor in the Well sighed. "Allow me to explain."
The others all nodded. At this point, the Emperor in the Well was probably the best person to clearly articulate the situation.
Of course, Jiang Chen's emergence from seclusion still lifted everyone's spirits.
Because every time Jiang Chen entered and emerged from seclusion, it meant his martial cultivation had achieved another tremendous breakthrough.
Everyone was sizing him up, seemingly wanting to gauge the gains from his seclusion. Yet when their gazes fell upon Jiang Chen, it was like stones dropped into the ocean—they could discern absolutely nothing about his depth.
Each of them felt a chill. They knew Jiang Chen was powerful now, but they hadn't expected that, given their own cultivation levels, they could no longer perceive the extent of his strength.
What did that imply?
"Don't worry, everyone. Brother Hui, take your time." Jiang Chen's current mindset was actually much calmer than it had been before.
The Emperor in the Well sighed. "Although you've only been in seclusion for half a month, not long ago, someone attacked the territory of the Lunar Temple and ambushed the Kuman Barbarian prince stationed there. It seems the Kuman Barbarian prince was severely injured—his life hangs in the balance."
"Oh? Who was so valiant and fierce?" Jiang Chen was quite surprised. This should be good news, so why did they all look so worried, unable to hide their anxiety?
Could it be that the Kuman Barbarian prince's tribe had escalated their invasion of the human territories in retaliation?
Even if that were the case, it would merely be a matter of facing soldiers with generals and stopping water with earth—a problem to be dealt with as it came. The current Glazed Royal City had been through countless battles—who would fear such things?
"If we only consider the assassination of the Kuman Barbarian prince, it is indeed good news. However, the assassin acted in your name, Young Master Jiang Chen. They proclaimed that our Glazed Royal City would uphold justice, would not surrender a single city or town of human territory, and swore to fight the invaders to the death—to defend every inch of our human domain."
The Emperor in the Well sighed once more at this point.