17: Chapter 17 The Mysterious Key Deep Within the Great Xia Imperial Mausoleum

Just as Su Xuanji expressed her willingness to submit to Xia Jin, the System's notification sounded in his mind once again.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Subjugate the Hehuan Sect.]

[Mission Reward: Three Blades of the Avici Path (Entry-Level), Sixty Years of Cultivation Base]

"This mission was completed quite easily?" A look of joy appeared on Xia Jin's face, but he quickly suppressed it.

He looked at Su Xuanji and said with a faint smile, "Since the Hehuan Sect has submitted to this Prince, there are likely some matters we should sit down and discuss."

Su Xuanji nodded and stepped aside, making a gesture of invitation toward the front. "Your Highness, this place is in disarray and is not fit for receiving guests. Please move to the hall for a detailed discussion."

"Very well." Xia Jin nodded.

The three of them crossed the courtyard and sat down in the main hall.

Lady Lan personally brought out high-quality tea leaves and began brewing. Before long, she presented a cup of clear tea to Xia Jin.

"Your Highness, please have some tea." Lady Lan looked at Xia Jin, her tone a few degrees more intimate than before.

Xia Jin nodded, his gaze falling on Su Xuanji beside him as he spoke bluntly, "Cult Leader Su, please speak clearly. Your Hehuan Sect has joined forces with the Ming Cult and two others to secretly plot against my Great Xia. What exactly is your objective?"

Su Xuanji and Lady Lan exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.

Su Xuanji took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "In truth, the plot of our three sects is all for... something buried deep within the Great Xia Imperial Tombs."

"Hmm? Something inside our Great Xia Imperial Tombs?" A hint of doubt flashed through Xia Jin's eyes. He had never heard of any rare treasures being in the imperial tombs. "Continue."

"To be precise, our goal is a key within the imperial tombs."

"It is said that it was buried in the imperial tombs along with the Founding Great Ancestor of Great Xia," Su Xuanji said seriously.

"A key? What kind of key could make your three sects cooperate? This Prince is quite curious!" Xia Jin looked into Su Xuanji's eyes and pressed for more information.

A flash of fanaticism appeared in Su Xuanji's eyes: "The key to opening the 'Green Lotus' Secret Realm!"

"Green Lotus Secret Realm!?" Xia Jin couldn't help but frown. He had no impression of this so-called Green Lotus Secret Realm and had never heard anyone mention it.

"It is normal that Your Highness has not heard of it." Seeing that Xia Jin seemed to know nothing about the Green Lotus Secret Realm, Lady Lan took over the explanation.

"Because this Green Lotus Secret Realm is rarely mentioned even in the histories of our three great sects! If it weren't for a secret letter left by the previous Cult Leader of the Ming Cult being made public before his death, we would have almost thought it was just a rumor!"

"Correct. It is rumored that eight hundred years ago, a supreme expert of the sword path in the Eastern Profound Continent, Layman Qinglian, left all his wealth—including the Green Lotus Sword Art he cultivated and that green lotus sword—inside a Secret Realm before he passed away!"

"To enter that Secret Realm, unless you possess strength equal to Layman Qinglian, you can only enter through that key." Su Xuanji also nodded, her eyes filled with excitement.

"Your Highness should understand what the things left behind by a supreme expert of the Land Immortal Realm signify! Such treasures are worth any price our three great sects must pay!"

Land Immortal!

Even Xia Jin, who was once a Great Grandmaster, felt his heart shake upon hearing Su Xuanji's words.

In the cultivation System of the Eastern Profound Continent, a Great Grandmaster is almost at the pinnacle of the mortal world, capable of influencing the rise and fall of a nation.

But above the Great Grandmaster, there are also the Xiaoyao Heavenly Realm, the Spirit Wandering Realm, and the highest known Realm currently, the Land Immortal Realm!

Experts of this Realm are said to have transcended mortal shackles, possessing unfathomable Divine Abilities, capable of moving mountains, filling seas, and summoning wind and rain.

"A Secret Realm left by a Land Immortal..." Xia Jin couldn't help but clench his fists, a sharp light flashing in his eyes from time to time.

No wonder these remnants of the demonic cults would take such risks to plot against the Great Xia Imperial Tombs! Such an Opportunity—let alone the Ming Cult and other demonic cults—even their Great Xia Dynasty would have to seize it at any cost once they knew the news!

"Indeed," Su Xuanji affirmed. "If it weren't for this, our Hehuan Sect wouldn't have cooperated with the Ming Cult and other sects!"

"It seems this Prince must thank your Hehuan Sect this time. If not for you, I would still be kept in the dark." Xia Jin's gaze swept over Su Xuanji and Lady Lan as he spoke with a smile.

"Since this key is in my Great Xia, it belongs to my Great Xia. The Green Lotus Secret Realm... such a heaven-shaking Opportunity is destined to fall into this Prince's hands."

"By the way, do you know the subsequent plans of the Ming Cult and the others?" As he spoke, a sharp light flashed in Xia Jin's eyes.

Su Xuanji shook her head with a bitter smile. "To answer Your Highness, that Ming Cult Leader is suspicious by nature. He has not informed us of the specific time of action."

"However, we only know that in about half a month, he will invite another Great Grandmaster to join forces and deal with you, the number one person of the Great Xia Dynasty!"

"Although I do not know who that Great Grandmaster is, Your Highness must still be careful!!" Su Xuanji warned.

"In half a month... inviting another Great Grandmaster to deal with me..." Xia Jin narrowed his eyes slightly, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.

"A pity. If not for the System's existence, I might have actually met my end in some dark corner! But now... humph! Half a month later, let alone two Great Grandmasters joining forces, even if the Ming Cult Leader and all the Great Grandmasters in Great Xia joined forces, what could they do to me!?"

Xia Jin picked up his teacup, pondered for a moment, then looked up at Su Xuanji. "Cult Leader Su, for the coming period, you only need to do one thing."

"Please give your orders, Your Highness." Su Xuanji's expression turned solemn.

"Maintain your contact with the Ming Cult as it is for now; do not let them become suspicious," Xia Jin said slowly. "If they have any new movements, you must contact this Prince immediately."

Su Xuanji nodded. "That is only natural. I will report all news of the Ming Cult to Your Highness promptly."

Xia Jin drained the tea in his cup, then set down the teacup and stood up. "Then it is not convenient for this Prince to stay long. Act according to the plan."

After saying that, he turned and left Lanyue Pavilion.

Watching Xia Jin's departing back, Lady Lan patted Su Xuanji's shoulder. "I say, Lady Cult Leader, what do you think of this Emperor of the Underworld of Great Xia?"

"Hmm!? What do you mean by that?" Su Xuanji was startled for a moment, then frowned.

"Sigh! I've heard that this Emperor of the Underworld is still unmarried. Such a dragon among men—you must seize this Opportunity! Even if not for yourself, do it for our Hehuan Sect!" Lady Lan looked at Su Xuanji with a half-smile.

"Humph! You flirtatious woman, stop talking nonsense! Mind your own business regarding this Cult Leader..." Su Xuanji's ears turned slightly red, and she gave Lady Lan a sharp look before picking up her long sword to start dancing with it again.

"I don't know if she truly doesn't understand or is just pretending. If I weren't a bit older, I'd want to try for myself..." Lady Lan looked at Su Xuanji's sword-dancing figure and couldn't help but shake her head.

...

After Xia Jin returned to the Jin Wang Palace in the imperial palace, he sat cross-legged directly on his Cold Jade Bed.

"System, claim mission rewards," he muttered in his heart.

[Ding! Mission rewards are being distributed...]