An Underground

The summit of Rocky Mountain was vast. Out of the palace, people were living everyday life.

Still, they all were barefoot.

Mao Nianzu was strolling in the street. Not too crowded but lively.

"This Rocky Mountain is the strongest force? In what? In the Zhaoze Long Empire?" asked Mao Nianzu.

Zhaoze Long Empire was the empire he lived in. Tang Chen was the current emperor.

Tian Shen shook his head, saying: "You can say that Rocky Mountain is a sacred place which various forces looked up to. I'm confident that Rocky Mountain is second-to-none in this world."

Listening to the explanation, Mao Nianzu felt like he was listening to a fairy tale. The strongest force... shouldn't it be full of wondrous sights and powerful people?

Because until now, he saw almost everyone in this place had a peaceful, normal life.

Unlike those in the palace, everyone here seemed like going on a vacation.

Had Tian Shen not explained it in advance, Mao Nianzu would think this place was a tourist destination.

Well-preserved nature. Zero violence.

The title 'sacred place' was reluctantly accepted by Mao Nianzu.

"Why is everyone barefoot?"

He couldn't help but ask this again. Tian Shen, however, only gave a faint smile and moved in front of him.

Mao Nianzu couldn't help but follow him.

Moments later, they arrived in front of a rock pile entwined with thick ropes and talismans. At one angle, there's a black door sealed with thick chains and talismans as well.

"Halt!" Two guards stopped them from coming closer. "This is forbidden ground. Please turn around."

Tian Shen nodded and walked away. Mao Nianzu was confused, but he eventually tagged along.

"You must be intentionally visiting that forbidden ground. Why?" asked Mao Nianzu.

He caught no sign of emotions in Tian Shen's face when the guards stated the place was forbidden. Hence, the question.

"That is the reason why we must be barefoot. We'll know why later on."

Mao Nianzu noted this in his mind. Then he looked around. The land and the air.

"No one use power," muttered Mao Nianzu. He only noticed it just now.

Below this summit, many cultivators were flying in the air. Yet, here, all were walking.

He could discern no difference between cultivators and mortals on this summit.

"Indeed. Everyone supposedly receives a warning in advance before we climb the stairs. Using power is forbidden only in this summit region," said Tian Shen.

'So that's how it is. No wonder the sky was devoid of any flying cultivator.' Mao Nianzu thought.

-------

At a majestic hall in the city plaza. On the second day of Mao Nianzu stayed at the Rocky Mountain.

On a lively night. Moon silently illuminated the world.

Tang Chen, the emperor, sat in the middle of the hall. In front of him were many seats and tables. All of which had food and delicacies.

Female servants entered the hall, then stayed beside each seat, respectively. Of course, the seats were only for the emperor's guests.

The banquet has begun!

Leaders of various major forces presented in this hall. They had a bright complexion, accompanied by a beauty next to them.

The emperor sat aloof and cold. His face was sour because his master had ignored him for some time.

Whether from transmission or talismans. Every time The emperor contacted his master, no reply had come yet.

'Master, where are you? Your fame is insane now. I need you for the sake of the empire's glory and to entice these bigshots!' He couldn't help but growl internally.

A few days ago, the emperor quarreled with his master. It was not the first one and not the big one, too, so he didn't think much.

But no news from his master afterward.

Usually, his master left a piece of information to him. Whether he'd gone into seclusion or something of similar importance.

'Did something happen to master?'

Although Tang Chen felt annoyed by the old-fashioned master that unwilling to expand too much of the territory, he still cared his master deep down.

"Your majesty, please let us have the honor to toast with you!" One man cupped his fists, standing in his seat.

The rest followed him, standing and cupping their fists with respect.

Tang Chen lifted his cup, saying with a faint smile: "I'm the one who has the honor."

Not long after, he had to throw the thought of his master to the back of his mind. Because everyone started to send their gifts to him. He had no choice but to pay attention to the current event.

And the banquet was over with no significant moments.

After the hall was empty, Tang Cheng immediately called out to one servant.

A man in a golden armor kneeled before him, patiently waiting for him to speak.

"Is there any news from my master?" asked Tang Chen.

A yellow parchment appeared out of nowhere, then landed on Tang Chen's right palm.

The golden-armored man respectfully said: "There's a strange occurrence in the vicinity of the plaza. Four business areas turn into nothingness in one night."

Tang Chen opened the parchment with a frown, saying, "What does it have to do with my master?"

"Three areas are flipped in the same night. But in the last place, it's only one victim with a wound that has a similar characteristic of Supreme Elder's technique." The man hurriedly explained.

"Does it turn into nothingness as well?" asked Tang Chen.

"The workers receive a prior warning, so no victim aside from this one. And as they step outside, they faint. Later—"

"A prior warning? From who?" Tang Chen cut the explanation.

"According to the report, they feel like they want to go outside. Their workplace has collapsed when they wake up," said the man.

Tang Chen fell into his thought after the explanation.

After that, he stood up and commanded the man: "Guide me to the last place."

The man lowered his body and shot outside, followed by the emperor with his grand aura.

Moments later.

At Okaka Restaurant.

Many guards were stationed in the barrier set quite large around it. No one was allowed to enter it. The area was devoid of any passersby.

Tang Chen, the emperor in a golden robe, carefully scrutinized a corpse of a tall, muscle man with a short beard.

However, the head and body were separated.

Eyes wide open. A small, needle-like hole formed on the forehead. Tang Chen's eyes were gazing into this particular hole.

"It might not be him. It's unlikely done by my master," said Tang Chen. He observed the room he was in: many boxes, scrolls, and papers scattered here and there.

"At a glance, the technique looks like my master's. But logically speaking, killing this weakling needs one move for him," Tang Chen continued.

The golden-armored man listened attentively. He stared at one particular corner of a flower painting with an almost invisible trace of blood.

Curiously, he tapped the corner, and the table suddenly split into two.

Tang Chen went alert, exuding a frightening aura that suffocated the man, but he quickly retracted it after seeing the man's signal.

The gap between the table had stairs that led downward. Immediately after retracting the aura, Tang Chen entered this place. It was a narrow place with almost no light. For an emperor like him, this was trivial.

Soon, he arrived at a narrow place: three bookshelves, one table, and one chair. Snapping his fingers, Tang Chen observed the surrounding.

"To think there's a place that slips from my divine sense. Can you sense it outside?" said Tang Chen.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I can't sense it as well," the man replied. Afterward, Tang Chen commanded to investigate this underground place.

Thus, they began to skim through the papers on the bookshelf.

To begin with, there were few papers, so it wouldn't take a long time to finish reading all.

Yet, after three papers, the man's eyes shrunk in disbelief. He subconsciously beamed at Tang Chen and hurriedly withdrew his gaze.

Sensing the unusual gaze, Tang Chen looked back and found the nervous man seriously reading the paper in his hand.

"What's the problem?" asked Tang Chen.

"No, your majesty. Everything's clear." The man hurriedly answered.

Frankly speaking, the man knew that his master - the emperor - caught his unusual behavior. It would be hard to hide it, anyway. But he couldn't help it.

How could he hide this sudden revelation he had just read..?

Trying to compose himself, the man read the same paper but on a different side. While pondering how to get out of the situation he was in.

Tang Chen paid no special attention and continued his reading. However, his keen sense was bothered by the shaky breath of the man.

Putting the paper down on the table, Tang Chen said: "Speak. What's bothering your mind?"

With great difficulty, the man shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"Let me see what you read." Tang Chen tried to snatch the paper in the man's hands, but the man took a step back as a reflex, preventing him from taking the paper away.

"I apologize, Your Majesty. Here's the paper." The man hurriedly handed the paper, realizing that he had no choice anyway.

Giving a look of confusion, Tang Chen flicked the paper and then read the content.