Published: March 2, 2025
Two footsteps echoed through the bright corridor.
"This is the sovereign's secret private treasury. No one can enter without the sovereign's personal presence."
"This is the Supreme Court, where some collections deemed less important by the sovereign are stored."
"Can I go in and take a look?"
"Probably not."
Wen Yu shrugged indifferently.
"This is the Extreme Evil Cave, a place specifically for training future treasure land guardians."
"Here..."
Golden Armor continued introducing, while Wen Yu silently memorized the layout of the Palace of Eternity. However, he soon realized this was futile.
The Palace of Eternity seemed to exist outside the dimensions Wen Yu understood; up, down, left, right here appeared to be hollow terms, devoid of any directional meaning or value.
Seeing this, Golden Armor merely shrugged, adopting a helpless expression.
Witnessing this scene, Wen Yu decisively tucked away his own cautious thoughts.
The two walked quickly, and in no time, they had crossed an unknown distance. The scenery in Wen Yu's eyes kept changing until Golden Armor came to a stop and said, "We're here." It was then that Wen Yu realized he was standing before a grand door.
"The Ruler's Hall, the sovereign's court, study, conference hall, and even the bedroom."
"Now, the sovereign is inside. Please."
Golden Armor gestured for Wen Yu to enter, yet at this moment, Wen Yu hesitated for a moment.
To say he was fearless would be a lie; having emotions means there are things to fear. Faced with the sovereign—a force beyond his control—Wen Yu couldn't help but feel nervous.
It wasn't until Golden Armor made a lip movement, forming the words "Good luck," that Wen Yu took a deep breath. He smiled slightly at Golden Armor, pushed open the grand door, and stepped into the Ruler's Hall.
With a "bang," the door closed behind him.
...
It felt as though he was in an endless starry sky, dazzling light cascading from above, illuminating everything in the Ruler's Hall.
Wen Yu simply overlooked the surrounding decorations, focusing only on what lay ahead.
A figure radiating a soft white light sat high upon the throne, looking down at Wen Yu. In front of him, Tang Haofei lay flat on the ground, seemingly asleep for countless years.
Both awake remained silent for a moment, until Wen Yu lowered his head first.
In a respectful tone, he softly uttered four words.
"I have seen you, my lord."
Bowing his head, it felt as if he was offering his endless loyalty, while the one receiving the gesture remained silent.
After a moment, a gentle voice finally spoke.
"No need for such formalities..."
At this, Wen Yu raised his head to gaze at the sovereign once more.
He saw the white light around the sovereign dissipating, then reassembling. Moments later, an elderly man with gray hair, leaning on a cane, clad in a white robe, and wearing a kind expression, replaced the indistinct light.
Seeing this, Wen Yu's heart instantly felt relieved.
"You've seen this appearance before, right?"
"Yes, you looked like this during the Battlefield of the Two Realms."
"Then, is it pleasing to the eye?"
"Naturally pleasing."
"I thought so too. Perhaps this appearance can ease your tension."
The sovereign's voice was ethereal yet gentle, resembling that of a kindly elder, continuously alleviating Wen Yu's psychological pressure. It must be said, after this brief exchange, Wen Yu felt significantly less stressed.
Thus, the sovereign slowly rose with the aid of his cane, leisurely walking to Wen Yu's side. He first looked at Wen Yu, then at the motionless Tang Haofei on the ground, ultimately letting out a sigh.
"In the decades I’ve been absent... you all have truly done some remarkable things."
As for what those remarkable things were, Wen Yu naturally understood.
He could only smile bitterly.
"To survive, I had no choice."
"Well, that’s excusable; I don’t blame you."
The sovereign nodded, then waved his hand, conjuring two chairs. The sovereign first sat down, then gestured for Wen Yu to do the same.