90: At the victory celebration banquet in Chapter 90, Shi Potian made his vow.

The ninth day after the unification of the Yan State, evening.

In the central square of Chaos Valley, a grand celebration banquet was being held.

The square was filled with long wooden tables, piled high with all kinds of delicacies and fine wine—golden, oil-dripping roasted Yao Beast meat, platters of spirit fruits exuding Spiritual Qi, aged vintage brewed with spirit spring water, and various delicacies seized from the warehouses of the three major guilds.

Thirty-six lighting pillars stood around the square, and the "Daylight Stones" embedded on the tops of the pillars emitted a soft, bright light, illuminating the entire square like broad daylight. Even more eye-catching were the dozens of "Streamer Lamps" suspended above the square; these were small gadgets modified by Lu Ming using Formations, capable of changing into seven colors, adding a touch of dreamlike color to the banquet.

Nearly five thousand members of the Heavenly Court gathered together, sitting in areas according to their departments. Members of the four major legions wore standard combat armor, sitting straight with strict discipline; the men of the Hegemon Body Battalion were unrestrained, eating meat and drinking wine in large gulps; members of the Logistics Department, Intelligence Department, R&D Department, and others were relatively casual, chatting and laughing in small groups.

On the podium in the north of the square, there were three long tables. The middle table was occupied by core members such as Lin Ye, Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, Shi Potian, Zhao Wuji, Qin Ruoxue, and Lu Ming. The tables on the left and right were seated with the four major Legion Commanders, department heads, and meritorious members who performed outstandingly in this battle.

The banquet had been going on for an hour, and the atmosphere was heated to the extreme.

"Everyone!" Zhao Wuji stood up with a wine glass, his face glowing, "Today's celebration banquet is to celebrate the Heavenly Court's unification of the Yan State, and also to celebrate each and every one of us—on the Meteorite Plain, with blood and courage, we won this historic victory!"

"This cup is for all the brothers who participated in the battle!"

"Cheers!"

Five thousand people responded in unison, raising their glasses to drink together. Wine splashed, and heroic spirit soared.

After finishing the drink, Zhao Wuji continued: "Next, I want to announce some good news!"

He took out a scroll and read loudly: "First, according to the contribution statistics, all members who participated in the Battle of Meteorite Plain will receive a basic reward: 500,000 EXP, 5,000 Spirit Stones, and 1,000 contribution points!"

As the words fell, cheers erupted in the square. Five million experience points were enough for most players in the Dao Palace Realm to level up! Five thousand Spirit Stones was a huge sum, equivalent to a month's income for ordinary players!

"Second, meritorious members who performed outstandingly will receive extra rewards!" Zhao Wuji continued to read, "The four Legion Commanders, Wang Iron Pillar, Shadow Blade, Fire Dance, and Iron Wall, are each rewarded with one Earth Rank Cultivation Technique, 100,000 Spirit Stones, and 5,000 contribution points!"

"Shi Potian and the Hegemon Body Battalion made great contributions in this battle. Special reward: All members of the Hegemon Body Battalion will have their Spirit Stones doubled (10,000 each). Shi Potian himself is rewarded with one High Grade Earth Rank Cultivation Technique, 200,000 Spirit Stones, and 10,000 contribution points!"

"In addition, for all brothers who died in battle (permanently logged out of the character), the Heavenly Court will give them ten times the compensation for their newly created characters and prioritize their re-entry through the assessment!"

After announcing the rewards, Zhao Wuji put away the scroll and smiled: "Of course, the most practical reward is the land under our feet—the Yan State! From today on, all resources and industries in the seven cities and thirty-six towns of the Yan State belong to the Heavenly Court! They belong to every one of us!"

"Long live the Heavenly Court!"

"Long live the Night Emperor!"

Cheers shook the sky and the earth, rushing straight into the clouds.

Lin Ye sat in the main seat, watching the boiling crowd below with a faint smile on his face. At this moment, complex emotions welled up in his heart—gratitude, emotion, and a trace of imperceptible urgency.

Unifying the Yan State was just the beginning; greater challenges lay ahead. The envoy from the Yaoguang Holy Land had not left long ago, and that "gift" and "requirement" were still on the table. Forces in other main cities must have also received the news and were secretly plotting how to deal with this newly rising behemoth, the Heavenly Court.

But he didn't spoil the fun. He just raised his glass and said to the people around him: "We were able to win this battle because of everyone. I toast everyone with this cup."

"A toast to the Leader!" Everyone said in unison and drank it all at once.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became even more heated.

Some people began to perform to add to the fun—the shield warriors of the Azure Dragon Legion performed the "Shield Formation Dance," and the collision of a hundred tower shields made a rhythmic roar; the mages of the Vermilion Bird Legion used elemental Spells to draw gorgeous patterns in the night sky; the assassins of the White Tiger Legion performed "Shadow Clone," and dozens of afterimages shuttled through the square, dazzling the eyes.

The most exciting was the performance of the Hegemon Body Battalion.

Shi Potian went down to the field himself. He didn't use any weapons, just bare hands. But every punch he swung carried a terrifying sound of wind breaking, and where the fist wind passed, the air was compressed into visible ripples. He smashed a punch into the ground, and a deep pit with a diameter of a zhang appeared on the bluestone-paved square, with cracks spreading several zhang from the pit edge.

"Good!" Everyone cheered in unison.

Shi Potian withdrew his fist, grinned, and showed his white teeth. He walked to the podium and cupped his fists at Lin Ye: "Leader, I don't have anything good to perform, just brute force. How about... I tell everyone a story?"

"Oh?" Lin Ye raised his eyebrows, "What story?"

"About me, about the Hegemon Body, about... why I came to the Yan State, why I joined the Heavenly Court." Shi Potian said solemnly.

The square gradually became quiet.

Everyone was full of curiosity about Shi Potian's Origin. This suddenly appearing, terrifyingly powerful Hegemon Body expert, who brought three hundred equally powerful Hegemon Body dead soldiers, had made a miraculous contribution in the Battle of Meteorite Plain. But his background and his purpose had always been a mystery.

Now, he was going to reveal it himself.

"Sit." Lin Ye pointed to the empty seat beside him.

Shi Potian didn't sit, but stood in front of the podium, facing everyone.

"My story starts from reality." He spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly spreading across the entire square, "In the real world, I came from an ancient martial arts Family—the Shi Family."

"The Shi Family has been passed down for three hundred years. My ancestors were once Martial Champions of the Qing Dynasty. Later, the Family declined, but the martial arts inheritance never broke. By my generation, I was the eldest son. I started practicing horse stance at three, fist techniques at five, mastered eighteen kinds of weapons by ten, and was invincible among my peers by fifteen."

"But martial arts in the real world are, after all, just for fitness. No matter how powerful the fist technique is, it can't block bullets; no matter how fast the speed is, it can't be faster than a car. When I was twenty, I felt that the path of martial arts had come to an end, and I began to be confused, not knowing where to go."

Shi Potian paused, a hint of memory flashing in his eyes: "Then, 'covering the heavens era' launched."

"I originally came in with the mentality of just playing around. I thought that the martial arts in the game should be more powerful than in reality, right? As a result, I was stunned as soon as I came in—this is not martial arts at all, this is immortal cultivation!"

"But I didn't give up. I chose the 'Martial Artist' profession closest to martial arts and started training from the most basic punches and kicks. Strangely enough, the martial arts foundation in reality was actually useful in the game. For the same skill, the power I unleashed was greater than others; for the same attribute, the effect I exerted was better than others."

"I soon stood out, and my level rose rapidly. But the real turning point was in the second month after the server opened."

Shi Potian's voice lowered: "At that time, I was exploring the 'Savage Mountains' at the junction of the Eastern Wilderness and the Central Plains alone, wanting to find some rare Materials. As a result, I accidentally entered an ancient Immortal Cave and triggered a chain trap."

"That Immortal Cave should have been the cultivation place of some ancient great power, and the traps were extremely dangerous. I tried my best to break through six layers of traps, but by the seventh layer, I was exhausted and seriously injured. Seeing that I was about to die in the cave, I became ruthless and used my last strength to smash a punch on the stone tablet in the center of the Immortal Cave."

"It was that punch that changed everything."

Shi Potian raised his right hand and looked at his fist: "The stone tablet shattered, and a drop of golden blood flew out from inside. That blood had spirituality and went straight into my body. Then... I passed out."

"When I woke up, I was already outside the Immortal Cave. My injuries were all healed, my level increased by five, and more importantly—I awakened the 'Hegemon Body' Bloodline."

He looked at the crowd: "Later I learned that the Immortal Cave was the inheritance place of the ancient Hegemon Body lineage. That drop of golden blood was the 'Hegemon Blood Origin' left by a Hegemon Body great power. My punch accidentally passed the inheritance test and gained the recognition of the Hegemon Body."

"But the inheritance was incomplete." Shi Potian shook his head, "I only got the basic chapters. The subsequent cultivation methods, advanced secret techniques, and even the location of the Hegemon Body Holy Land were just vague memory fragments. I need to explore it myself and find the complete inheritance."

"So, I started traveling. While leveling up, I was looking for clues about the Hegemon Body. In this process, I met many like-minded brothers—some practiced martial arts in reality, some liked melee combat in the game. I taught them the basic cultivation method of the Hegemon Body, and they were willing to follow me. In this way, the Hegemon Body Battalion was slowly formed."

"We took on mercenary missions everywhere, going where it was dangerous and where there were good things. We used combat to hone ourselves and used life and death to break through limits. In three months, three hundred brothers, all climbed out of the sea of corpses and blood."

Shi Potian said here and looked at Lin Ye: "Then, we heard about the Yan State. We heard that a player named 'Night Emperor' established the force 'Heavenly Court', defeated the three major guilds with fewer against more, and occupied a treasure land like Chaos Valley."

"We were just passing by, wanting to see the excitement. As a result, when we arrived outside Chaos Valley, we just happened to encounter the coalition forces of the three major guilds pressing on the border. I took a look—ho, five hundred against fifteen hundred? Interesting."

"What interested me more was that I felt a special aura from afar." Shi Potian's dark gold right eye glowed slightly, "That is the aura of Chaos. Although it is very weak, the Hegemon Body Bloodline has a natural induction to that supreme power."

"I know, this 'Night Emperor' is not simple."

"So, I took the initiative to contact you." Shi Potian said to Lin Ye, "I proposed that employment agreement. One is to earn some resources, and the other is to see with my own eyes, what kind of ability this person who can make my Hegemon Body Bloodline resonate actually has."

"Then, it was the Battle of Meteorite Plain."

Shi Potian took a deep breath: "In that battle, I saw it. I saw the discipline of the Heavenly Court, the cooperation of the four major legions, and I saw you—Night Emperor, entering the battlefield like entering an empty land, killing through the Imperial Dynasty's army Formation with the strength of one person."

"More importantly, when you used that move 'Chaos Heaven Opening', the Hegemon Blood Origin in my body produced an unprecedented resonance!"

His voice became excited: "At that moment, I understood—the path of the Hegemon Body, relying solely on our own exploration, will not go far. We need a bigger stage, we need stronger opponents, we need... a leader who can lead us to the Peak."

Shi Potian turned around, faced Lin Ye, and knelt on one knee.

This action made the whole square silent instantly.

"Leader Night Emperor." Shi Potian's voice was sonorous and powerful, "I, Shi Potian, as the 321st descendant of the Shi Family, as an awakener of the Hegemon Body Bloodline, hereby make an oath—"

"From today on, I, Shi Potian, and the three hundred brothers of the Hegemon Body Battalion, officially join the Heavenly Court, and will never betray!"

"I am willing to expand the territory for the Heavenly Court, willing to fight bloody battles for the Heavenly Court, and willing to... die for the Heavenly Court!"

"This oath, heaven and earth as witness, the stars as proof. If there is any violation, may the Bloodline backfire and the Divine Soul be destroyed!"

As the words fell, a dark golden brilliance soared from Shi Potian's body into the sky, turning into an ancient rune in the air. The rune rotated slowly, emitting a pressure as heavy as a mountain and as fierce as fire.

That was the Hegemon Blood Oath!

An oath made with the Bloodline Origin, bound by the rules of heaven and earth. Once violated, it would really cause Bloodline backlash and all cultivation to be destroyed!

The whole scene was dead silent.

Everyone was shocked by Shi Potian's determination.

Swearing by Bloodline is the heaviest oath. Under the rules of "covering the heavens era", this kind of oath has absolute binding force, more reliable than any contract.

Lin Ye stood up and walked to Shi Potian.

He didn't help Shi Potian up immediately, but also cut his fingertips, squeezing out a drop of essence blood.

That drop of essence blood was not red, but a gray, chaotic color. The blood floated in the air, exuding an aura that contained everything and evolved everything.

"I, Lin Ye, as the inheritor of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body, accept your oath."

The Chaos essence blood flew toward the Hegemon Blood rune in the air.

The two drops of blood blended together, the gray chaotic color and the dark golden Hegemon Blood color permeated each other, and finally turned into a brand new rune—half Chaos, half Hegemon Blood.

The rune fell and split into two, half into Shi Potian's brow, and half into Lin Ye's palm.

[System Prompt: Player "Shi Potian" has sworn allegiance to you with Hegemon Blood. The oath is notarized by the rules of heaven and earth and cannot be violated.]

[Shi Potian Loyalty: 100 (Diehard)]

[Obtained Special Status: Hegemon Blood Contract (A Bloodline connection has been established between you and Shi Potian; you can sense each other's location and share partial attribute bonuses within a certain range.)]

[Faction Announcement: Hegemon Body inheritor Shi Potian has officially joined the Heavenly Court and made a Bloodline oath!]

[Heavenly Court Morale +10 (Current: 115, Fanatical)]

[Obtained Special Item: Hegemon Body Cultivation Technique - Basic (Complete Version)]

[Hegemon Body Cultivation Technique - Basic: Can be taught to eligible players, granting them the Hegemon Body Bloodline (Elementary), Strength attribute growth +30%, and Defense attribute growth +20%. Learning Requirements: Base Strength attribute ≥ 500, Base Physique attribute ≥ 400.]

[Current number of learners: 0/50 (5 slots can be unlocked monthly)]

System notifications rang out one after another.

Lin Ye helped Shi Potian up: "Brother Shi, from now on, we are true brothers."

"Leader!" Shi Potian said excitedly.

"However, there is a position I would like to entrust to you," Lin Ye said sternly. "Deputy Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall, concurrently serving as Commander of the Hegemon Body Battalion. Are you willing?"

Deputy Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall!

This position meant that Shi Potian would directly enter the core management layer of the Heavenly Court, with a status second only to Lin Ye, Su Qingyue, and other top-level figures!

Moreover, the Azure Dragon Hall was the main melee force of the Heavenly Court, and its style was the most compatible with the Hegemon Body Battalion. Letting Shi Potian concurrently serve as Deputy Hall Master would not only allow him to utilize his strengths but also help the Hegemon Body Battalion better integrate into the Heavenly Court System.

"I am willing!" Shi Potian said without hesitation.

Lin Ye nodded and turned to Wang Iron Pillar below the stage: "Hall Master Wang, what do you think?"

Wang Iron Pillar strode onto the rostrum and cupped his fists at Shi Potian: "I, Wang Iron Pillar, admire Brother Shi's strength and character! The Azure Dragon Hall welcomes you, Brother Shi!"

The two burly men's hands clasped tightly together.

[System Notification: Shi Potian has assumed the position of Deputy Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall.]

[Azure Dragon Hall Combat Power increased by: 40% (Obtained Hegemon Body Battalion bonus)]

[Azure Dragon Hall Current Combat Power Rating: Four Extremities Realm Peak (Can contend with ordinary Dragon Transformation Realm Early Stage)]

Combat power increased by 40%!

This boost caused everyone to gasp.

The Azure Dragon Hall was already the strongest melee force among the four major legions of the Heavenly Court. Now, with the addition of the Hegemon Body Battalion, its combat power had directly soared to a level capable of contending with the Early Stage of the Dragon Transformation Realm!

This meant that the Azure Dragon Hall alone was enough to sweep through any hostile force within the Yan State!

"Good! Good! Good!" Zhao Wuji said the word "good" three times in a row. "With Brother Shi joining, the Heavenly Court is like a tiger with wings! This cup must be drunk!"

He personally filled three bowls of wine and handed them to Lin Ye, Shi Potian, and Wang Iron Pillar.

The three of them clinked bowls and drank them in one gulp.

"Refreshing!" Shi Potian wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth and laughed heroically.

The atmosphere became lively once again.

Shi Potian took out a primitive animal skin scroll from his bosom and presented it to Lin Ye with both hands: "Leader, this is the complete version of the 'Hegemon Body Cultivation Technique - Basic Chapter' passed down by my Shi Family. What I taught the brothers before was only a simplified version; this is the true, complete Legacy."

Lin Ye took the scroll and unfolded it to take a look.

The animal skin was made from the hide of an unknown Yao Beast; it felt warm to the touch and was exceptionally tough. The scroll recorded the basic methods of Hegemon Body cultivation in ancient characters, including: Hegemon Blood Guidance Art, Hegemon Body Body Tempering Method, the three stances of Hegemon Fist (Mountain Opening, Earth Splitting, Heaven Breaking), and the unique secret technique of the Hegemon Body, "Hegemon Blood Burning."

Beside the text were vivid human figures, demonstrating the circulation routes of Qi and blood and the key points of the movements during cultivation.

The value of this scroll was immeasurable.

The Hegemon Body was one of the strongest Physiques in ancient times, on par with the Chaos Body, God King Body, Vast Cold Spirit Body, and others. A complete Hegemon Body Legacy was enough to support a Holy Land-level faction!

And now, Shi Potian had offered it to the Heavenly Court.

"This gift is too heavy," Lin Ye said solemnly.

"It's not heavy," Shi Potian shook his head. "In my hands, the Hegemon Body Legacy can only benefit three hundred brothers. But in the hands of the Heavenly Court, it can allow more people with potential to embark on the path of the Hegemon Body. I believe the Leader will allow this Legacy to realize its maximum value."

Lin Ye nodded and handed the scroll to Lu Ming: "Brother Lu, make a copy of this scroll and store it in the highest authority area of the Scripture Pavilion. Also, research it to see if we can combine it with the Heavenly Court's existing resources to formulate a systematic Hegemon Body training plan."

"Understood." Lu Ming took the scroll, excitement appearing in his eyes. As a researcher, being able to come into contact with an ancient Hegemon Body Legacy was a rare Opportunity.

The banquet continued.

With Shi Potian's oath and gift, the atmosphere became even more high-spirited. Everyone took turns to offer toasts, and laughter and cheers were endless.

After drinking a few cups, Lin Ye used the excuse of needing rest to leave the rostrum early.

He did not return to his residence but instead climbed the city wall of Chaos Valley alone.

The night breeze was cool, blowing away the intoxication.

Standing on the ten-zhang-high city wall, one could overlook the night view of the entire valley. The Spirit Gathering Formation at the top of the cultivation tower emitted a faint halo, various medicinal herbs in the Spirit Medicine fields swayed in the moonlight, and people in the camp were still drinking and having fun, with singing and laughter faintly drifting over.

It was a scene of prosperity.

But Lin Ye did not feel relaxed in his heart.

Shi Potian's joining was certainly a good thing, but it also meant greater responsibility. With three hundred Hegemon Body elites and the complete Hegemon Body Legacy, the Heavenly Court's combat power had indeed increased significantly. However, the consumption would also increase accordingly.

Hegemon Body cultivation required a large amount of resources, especially Body Tempering Medicinal Pills and Heaven And Earth Treasures. The demand for three hundred people was not a small amount.

Not to mention that the Heavenly Court would need to expand its army, train more elites, and build more facilities... Each item required massive resources.

Although the output of the Yan State was considerable, it was still not enough to support the rapid development of the Heavenly Court.

"I need to find a way to increase revenue," Lin Ye muttered to himself.

Besides resources, there was also external pressure.

The olive branch (or rather, the soft knife) from the Yaoguang Holy Land had already been extended, and a response was needed in a month. Forces from other main cities were surely restless as well. And there were the three major guilds; were they really willing to withdraw from the Yan State? Would they defect to other forces and make a comeback?

These problems all needed to be planned for in advance.

"Leader." A voice came from behind him.

Lin Ye turned around; it was Su Qingyue.

She had changed out of her daytime armor and was wearing a moon-white dress with wide sleeves, the hem of which fluttered slightly in the night breeze, like a Fairy from the Moon Palace descending to the mortal world.

"Why aren't you at the banquet?" Lin Ye asked.

"Seeing you leave the banquet early, I was a bit worried." Su Qingyue walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "Are you thinking about Shi Potian?"

"Not just that," Lin Ye looked into the distance. "I am thinking about where the Heavenly Court should go next."

Su Qingyue was silent for a moment, then said softly: "You have already done very well. In three months, starting from nothing, unifying the Yan State, with five thousand elites under your command... This is already a miracle."

"But it's still not enough," Lin Ye shook his head. "The Spiritual Qi concentration in Chaos Valley is +300%, and the top floor of the cultivation tower can even reach +1000%. Under such conditions, logically, we should be able to Cultivate more Four Extremities Realm experts. But in reality, except for a few of us in the core, the Heavenly Court does not have more than twenty Four Extremities Realm experts."

"This is because the time is too short," Su Qingyue said. "It has only been three months since the server opened, and most players are still groping in the Dao Palace Realm. Being able to have thirty or fifty Four Extremities Realm experts is already quite rare."

"I know," Lin Ye nodded. "So I am wondering whether to open the 'Time Secret Realm'."

"Time Secret Realm?" Su Qingyue was taken aback.

"Yes," Lin Ye explained. "In the settings of the 'covering the heavens era', there are some special areas where the flow of time is different from the outside world. One day in the outside world could be ten days, or even a month, in the Secret Realm. If we can find such a Secret Realm and let the elites of the Heavenly Court go in to Cultivate, we can greatly shorten the growth cycle."

Su Qingyue's eyes lit up: "Are there such places?"

"Yes," Lin Ye affirmed. "In my past life... I heard about a few places. One of the most famous ones is in the depths of the 'Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land', called the 'Space-Time Rift'. The time flow there is ten times that of the outside world, but it is extremely dangerous, with ancient Restrictions and space-time turbulence."

"There is another one in the bottom layer of the 'Primal Ancient Mine', called the 'Time Erosion Mine'. The time flow is five times faster, and it is relatively safer, but one needs to resist 'Time Erosion'—staying inside for too long will cause Lifespan to drain faster."

"Additionally, top-tier forces like the Yaoguang Holy Land must definitely have their own time Secret Realms. If we could borrow one..."

Speaking up to this point, Lin Ye paused.

Borrowing a Holy Land's Secret Realm? Easier said than done.

"There will always be a way," Su Qingyue took his hand. "You are not alone. The five thousand brothers of the Heavenly Court, and I, will all walk with you."

Lin Ye felt warmth in his heart and held her hand back: "Thank you, Qingyue."

The two stood on the city wall like this, looking at the starry sky, silent for a long time.

I don't know how much time had passed when Qin Ruoxue hurried up the city wall.

"Leader, there is urgent intelligence." Her expression was grave.

"Speak."

"Two things," Qin Ruoxue said quickly. "First, scouts from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion in other main cities of the Eastern Wilderness have sent back news—the 'Chu Alliance' of the Chu State, the 'Qitian Society' of the Qi State, the 'Han Wang Sect' of the Han State, the 'Zhao Family Chamber of Commerce' of the Zhao State, the 'Wei Wu Soldiers' of the Wei State, and the 'Great Qin Iron Cavalry' of the Qin State, these largest player forces of the six states, held a secret meeting three days ago."

"The meeting place was in 'Zhongzhou City', brokered by the 'Zhongzhou Chamber of Commerce'. The specific details are unknown, but according to snippets of information sent back by insiders, they seem to be discussing... forming a 'Six Kingdoms Alliance' to jointly deal with the 'threat from the Yan State'."

The Six Kingdoms Alliance!

Lin Ye's eyes turned cold.

It had really come.

The Heavenly Court's unification of the Yan State had broken the balance of power in the seven major city areas of the Eastern Wilderness. It was inevitable that the other six states would feel threatened and unite.

"What about the second thing?" Lin Ye asked.

"The second thing..." Qin Ruoxue paused. "It's about Shi Potian."

"Hmm?"

"While organizing the intelligence left behind by the three major guilds, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion discovered some records about the Shi Family." Qin Ruoxue handed over a Jade Slip. "According to these records, the Shi Family... might not be simple."

Lin Ye took the Jade Slip and probed it with his Divine Sense.

The information in the Jade Slip was scattered, but when pieced together, it pointed to a shocking fact—

The Shi Family, in reality, might be an "Ancient Martial Hidden Family" that had been passed down for hundreds of years. Such families usually kept a low profile but had a profound background, mastering some legacies that exceeded ordinary people's understanding.

More importantly, the Jade Slip mentioned that the ancestors of the Shi Family might be related to a certain "Ancient Ruin". The location of that ruin was right... within the Yan State!

"A ruin..." Lin Ye frowned.

"Yes," Qin Ruoxue nodded. "According to the records, in the late Qing Dynasty, the ancestors of the Shi Family were ordered to protect a batch of 'extraterrestrial meteorites'. Those meteorites later went missing, but the Shi Family has always kept clues to finding their whereabouts."

"Extraterrestrial meteorites..." Lin Ye's heart stirred. "Could it be... Star Meteorite Iron?"

Star Meteorite Iron, produced in the Meteorite Plain, was a top-grade material for refining star-type Magic Treasures. Could the meteorites protected by the Shi Family's ancestors be the raw ore of Star Meteorite Iron?

If that was the case, then Shi Potian's choice to come to the Yan State might not be a coincidence.

He was looking for the ancestral Legacy that had been lost!

"Keep this matter a secret for now," Lin Ye put away the Jade Slip. "Do not tell Shi Potian; wait until we have investigated it clearly."

"Understood." Qin Ruoxue nodded and left.

Lin Ye stood on the city wall, looking at the night sky.

The stars twinkled, as if telling ancient secrets.

The meteorites passed down by the Shi Family, the Awakening of the Hegemon Body Bloodline, the Ancient Ruins within the Yan State... These clues all seemed to point in the same direction.

"Star Ruins... Hegemon Body Holy Land... Shi Family Ruins..."

"It seems the waters of the Yan State are deeper than I thought."

He turned around and looked at the still lively victory banquet in the valley.

Shi Potian was drinking with Wang Iron Pillar; the two burly men each held a jar, drinking heartily, while the people around cheered in unison.

Looking at this scene, a smile appeared on the corner of Lin Ye's mouth.

No matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, at least for this moment, they were together.

That was enough.

"Let's go," he said to Su Qingyue. "It's time to return. There is more to do tomorrow."

The two walked down the city wall and merged into the night.

And behind them, the laughter and cheers of the victory banquet still echoed in the night sky.

A new chapter was about to begin.