95: The Thunder Emperor's lingering regret, the secrets begin to unfold.

Inside the Thunder Emperor Palace, it was dead silent and vast. Gigantic pillars, cast from dark purple thunder crystals, pierced upwards into the unseen depths of gloom, faint electrical arcs flowing on their surfaces, like the pulse of a sleeping giant. The air was dry, carrying the scorched scent of a lightning strike, and the desolation of ages. The black figure that had entered earlier had completely vanished, like a drop of water merging into the ocean.

"System, conduct a full scan of this place's structure, focusing on the palace gate's Seal and the abnormal energy source in the side hall." Lin Xuan issued the command while remaining vigilant. At the same time, the immortal abode pivot token in his palm subtly warmed, feeling a clear pull towards the palace gate, but it showed no reaction to the energy source in the left side hall, which was related to Wangshu.

[Scan in progress... The palace gate's Seal is complex, containing the 'Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Restriction' and 'Bloodline Lock'. Forcibly breaking it will trigger the entire Thunder Emperor Palace's defense mechanism. Detection shows that activation requires a 'Thunder Emperor Token' or specific Bloodline resonance.]

[Analysis of left side hall energy source: Highly compatible with Grand Yin Origin, with faint life reactions and spiritual imprint fluctuations, suspected to be a Legacy or Seal location. Correlation with main quest 'Departure Clue': Low (17%).]

[Warning: Hidden unit (Guixu Cult black figure) detected,Detour approaching the side hall direction, intentions unknown.]

Lin Xuan's gaze sharpened. As expected, the Guixu Cult's people had a clear target and were heading straight for the side hall! What was there that attracted them? Was it related to Wangshu?

"The Guixu Cult members have gone to the side hall; their target is likely something inside." Lin Xuan said in a deep voice, looking at Wangshu, "Senior, the energy in that side hall is of the same Origin as you. Do you know what it is?"

Wangshu's face beneath the white veil showed no change, as she coldly stated, "Moon Mother once had a connection with the Thunder Emperor and left an item here to be nurtured. What it specifically is, I do not know; only by seeing it myself can I find out. This item absolutely cannot fall into the hands of the Guixu Cult." Her tone carried an undeniable resolve, and her figure had already drifted towards the side hall.

Lin Xuan's doubts deepened, but now was not the time to delve into them. "Let's follow, and be careful of ambushes."

Everyone followed Wangshu, passing through the ruins of gigantic pillars, and soon arrived at the entrance of the side hall. The hall door was already damaged, and the interior was dim and deep, with the pure Taiyin Power becoming increasingly clear.

Just as Wangshu was about to step into the hall door, another anomaly occurred!

"Buzz—!"

The entire Thunder Emperor Palace suddenly shook! It wasn't from an external attack, but originated from deep within the palace, a vast, ancient will filled with endless sorrow and anger, like a giant beast that had slept for eons, suddenly awakening!

Immediately after, a blurry, colossal phantom, composed of countless flickering lightning bolts, condensed above the main hall of the palace. The phantom's face was indiscernible, only vaguely identifiable as humanoid, wearing an emperor's crown and draped in a lightning robe, exuding boundless majesty, yet also filled with an aura of incompleteness and annihilation.

"Trespassing... Imperial Palace... disturbing my slumber... the crime... deserves death!"

Fragmented mental thoughts, like thunderous roars, violently slammed into everyone's Sea of Consciousness! Carrying ancient might and chilling killing intent!

"It's the Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought!" Wangshu's voice for the first time carried a hint of solemnity. "His Divine Soul was shattered in the ancient war long ago; this is merely a combination of his obsession and the Origin of thunder, but its power is still not to be underestimated!"

The Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought seemed to sense the aura of living beings, and its colossal thunder-eyes 'looked' towards the side hall. It raised its hand, and a terrifying lightning spear, capable of annihilating a Golden Core cultivator, instantly condensed, spanning the Void Realm, poised to be thrown!

"System! Analyze the Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought's weaknesses and countermeasures!" Lin Xuan urgently shouted.

[Analyzing... Target: Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought (energy aggregate). Energy Rank: Tier 7 (unstable, continuously decaying). Core weakness: Source of obsession (cause of Immortal Palace's collapse), token or specific information can temporarily appease it. Risk of forced confrontation: Extremely high!]

Source of obsession? Cause of Immortal Palace's collapse?

Lin Xuan's mind was enlightened. He suddenly raised the immortal abode pivot token above his head, and at the same time, infused a trace of the 'chapter of the blazing sun' fragment's aura, which he possessed, into it without reservation!

"Your Majesty, Thunder Emperor! We are not invaders! We are inheritors of the Immortal Palace's orthodox Legacy, holding the cardinal edict to seek the path home. We hope Your Majesty will see clearly!"

The clear glow of the cardinal edict intertwined with that faint but essentially high aura of the Blazing Sun Immortal Lord, acting like a lighthouse in the dead silent Thunder Emperor Palace!

The lightning spear, about to be thrown, suddenly halted! The Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought's colossal phantom abruptly turned towards Lin Xuan, its hollow thunder-eyes fixed on the cardinal edict in his hand, and that wisp of Blazing Sun aura. The silence of eons was broken, and violent fluctuations surged within the fragmented consciousness, containing nostalgia, grief, and even towering rage!

"cardinal edict... Blazing Sun... it's you... it's you!!" The Remnant Thought let out a painful roar, and lightning raged throughout the entire palace. "If not for your Immortal Palace's internal strife... attracting outer demons... my Dao Legacy... how could it have come to this!!!"

Boom!

Terrifying thunderous pressure descended like a tsunami. Su Wanqing, Qu Feiyan, and Gongsun Yu all grunted, their faces turning pale. Lin Xuan also felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, but he desperately held up the cardinal edict, rapidly processing this astonishing information in his mind!

Immortal Palace's internal strife? Attracting outer demons? Leading to the Thunder Emperor's Dao Legacy being wiped out? Could this Guixu Cult... be related to those so-called 'outer demons'?!

"Your Majesty, calm your anger! The Immortal Palace has collapsed, and the past cannot be undone! Now, outer demons (Guixu Cult) have reappeared, coveting Your Majesty's Legacy. Our purpose in coming here is also to thwart their schemes and continue the Immortal Palace's Dao Legacy!" Lin Xuan, enduring the pressure, spoke loudly, attempting to redirect the Remnant Thought's hatred.

"Outer demons... reappeared?!" The Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought's rage seemed to find a new outlet, suddenly turning towards the side hall. "Coveting Moon Essence... damn them!!!"

It actually temporarily let go of Lin Xuan and the others, redirecting the terrifying condensed lightning spear with destructive fury, firing it at the side hall! Its target was clearly the Guixu Cult black figure who had infiltrated the side hall, and... the side hall itself!

"Not good!" Wangshu's expression changed slightly, and her Moon Essence instantly erupted, attempting to block the lightning spear. She absolutely could not allow the item within the side hall to be destroyed!

Lin Xuan also instantly understood. The Guixu Cult's target was the item in the side hall related to the Moon Mother, and this item seemed extremely important to the Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought, perhaps even connected to his obsession!

"Stop it! Don't let the Remnant Thought destroy the side hall!" Lin Xuan roared, and the frost silence sword instantly unsheathed. Although its icy Sword Qi was antithetical to lightning, it resolutely struck the side of the lightning spear! Su Wanqing, Qu Feiyan, and Gongsun Yu also attacked simultaneously, their four powers jointly meeting that destructive strike!

Rumble—!!!

A massive explosion erupted at the entrance of the side hall, and energy turbulence swept in all directions! The entire side hall door, along with large sections of the surrounding thunder crystal pillars, were pulverized by the shockwave!

Amidst the swirling dust, vaguely visible deep within the side hall, a glowing orb, shaped like an embryo and enveloped in soft moonlight, was slowly pulsating. A disheveled black figure staggered out from the edge of the explosion, seemingly clutching fragments of something in its hand, and quickly disappeared into the shadows.

The Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought let out an unwilling roar, and its phantom swayed, apparently having expended a huge amount of energy in that strike.

Wangshu, meanwhile, stared blankly at the moonlit orb. Her white veil fluttered without wind, and for the first time, intense emotional fluctuations appeared in her clear eyes—a complex mix of shock, realization, and a hint of... despair.

"So... that's how it is..." she murmured softly, her voice barely audible.

Lin Xuan steadied himself, looking at the chaotic side hall entrance, the vanished black figure, the unusually emotional Wangshu, and the Thunder Emperor's Remnant Thought, which had temporarily fallen silent due to excessive energy consumption. Waves of emotion surged in his heart. The Guixu Cult's conspiracy, Wangshu's purpose, the past of the Thunder Emperor Palace, the hidden secrets of the Immortal Palace's collapse... countless clues, at this moment, seemed to have been blasted open by that destructive lightning spear, revealing a crack!