Chapter 589: The Circular Imperial Decree

"How are there so many people?"

Hao Cang frowned.

The entrance to the Imperial Palace is right above.

But there are far too many people here!

Below, the sea of cultivators is dense—almost all are Nascent Soul, numbering over a hundred thousand.

"Sssss…" Seeing them, He He Pingsheng sucked in a sharp breath.

Damn.

Are all these people here trying to enter the Imperial Palace?

Simply put, they're all hoping someone inside will bring out extra tokens for trade.

How long will it take to get in?

It might take a hundred years just to get inside!

"Esteemed fellow cultivator…" He He Pingsheng turned to a Nascent Soul eighth-layer cultivator beside him, bowed, and asked sincerely: "This humble cultivator seeks a word or two—is it convenient?"

"What do you want to ask?" The man's expression was unfriendly.

He He Pingsheng pulled two high-grade spirit stones from his pocket and handed them over.

The cultivator then chuckled and said: "Fellow cultivator… ask away! As long as I know, I'll tell you everything!"

"Good!" He He Pingsheng asked: "Are you also trying to enter the Imperial Palace?"

"Of course!" the cultivator said. "Who wouldn't want in? Even if you don't gain anything inside, legends say the palace holds countless Dao methods to contemplate—within a hundred years, you could master many!"

"Even breaking through three or five Dao barriers isn't impossible!"

The Yinming Emperor was a Mahayana Emperor from ancient times.

After his death, countless Dao methods must have spilled out.

Perhaps the Dao's origin, or perhaps the Emperor's own collected Dao techniques.

There are many possibilities.

"Let me tell you!" the Nascent Soul cultivator exclaimed enthusiastically: "Legends say the Yinming Imperial Palace contains several Dao Contemplation Stone Forests — enter one, and you can comprehend Dao methods!"

"Ten times easier than outside!"

"All the Dao methods are already there, ready for you to absorb!"

"Then…" He He Pingsheng asked: "How do you get a token?"

As he spoke, he pointed upward at the vortex: "Is the only way to wait for someone from inside to come out?"

"Basically, yes," the Nascent Soul cultivator lowered his voice. "Occasionally, some who enter the palace feel they've hit a dead end, or encounter absolute Dao blindness, or even kill others to seize their tokens—those tokens get brought out."

"Then sold to us!"

"But… you've seen it—there are a hundred thousand people here!"

"Even if someone does come out, who gets the chance to trade?"

"And you might not know this," the Nascent Soul cultivator whispered even lower: "Among these hundred thousand, many are disciples of powerful clans and noble houses."

"You can't even compete with them—their bids are beyond our reach!"

"So over ninety percent of those here aren't here to enter the palace—they just came to watch the spectacle."

"After all, the chance is minuscule!"

He He Pingsheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

If that's true, it really does seem difficult.

Not difficult—it's nearly impossible!

What should I do?

"Is there no other way?" He He Pingsheng also lowered his voice, mimicking the man.

"Hehehe…" The Nascent Soul cultivator chuckled twice. "Fellow cultivator… this isn't something to say lightly. Look—over there, a Void Refinement elder is watching!"

"We can't just blab, can we?"

"If someone overhears, one slap and we'd be reduced to dust!"

He He Pingsheng immediately knew there was a way forward, and pulled out a porcelain vial.

Inside was a single drop of 【Heavenly Pine Xuan Huang Dew】: "Fellow cultivator, this single drop of spiritual essence can instantly fill your dantian—it's Heavenly Pine Xuan Huang Dew!"

"Oh?" The Nascent Soul cultivator's eyes lit up. He happily tucked the vial away and said: "Since you're so generous, I'll risk my life to tell you this!"

As he spoke, the cultivator waved his hand, summoning a white light barrier that enveloped the two of them.

Even then, he wasn't satisfied—he used spiritual sense to whisper within the barrier: "Fellow cultivator… there is a shortcut!"

"But only if you have something that can move the Void Refinement elder!"

He He Pingsheng's heart stirred, and he whispered back: "How so?"

The Nascent Soul cultivator said: "If you're confident you have something valuable, bring it up and let the elder inspect it."

"Of course, don't be obvious—put the item inside a ring."

When the elder's spiritual sense sweeps over it, if she takes interest, she'll find a way to get you in!

He He Pingsheng looked up at the red-robed Void Refinement woman and asked: "You're not lying to me, are you?"

The Nascent Soul cultivator replied: "Why would I lie to you? What benefit would that give me?"

"That's all I'll say—decide for yourself."

With that, he dismissed the barrier, bowed to He He Pingsheng, and walked away.

He He Pingsheng did not immediately approach the Void Refinement woman.

Let me observe first.

After about ten days, a cultivator indeed shot out as a streak of light from the black vortex.

His cultivation base had reached Soul Transformation.

Not Nascent Soul!

He He Pingsheng understood.

The realm permits only Nascent Soul to enter, but there's no restriction on who can exit—you may enter and break through.

Break through, then leave.

But once you exit, even if you hold a token, you cannot re-enter.

"Whoosh…"

The moment the cultivator emerged, he was surrounded by a sea of dark figures.

"Esteemed fellow cultivator, I have a ten-thousand-year spiritual plant!"

"Fellow cultivator, I have an ancient talisman!"

"Fellow cultivator… I have a family heirloom!"

"All of you—get out!" A roar rang out as a peak Soul Transformation cultivator pushed through the crowd to the newcomer's side: "Young fellow, what I offer is exactly what you need!"

He He Pingsheng wanted to join the trade, but he couldn't even push his way through!

Let alone trade.

Within mere breaths, the cultivator's token was traded away; the next man handed it to the red-robed woman above, who inspected it, then stepped directly into the vortex.

Countless onlookers stared with envy.

But it didn't matter.

Wait.

Someone will always come out eventually.

Theoretically, after a Nascent Soul cultivator breaks into Soul Transformation, ninety percent face a condition: Dao Blindness.

There are ten thousand here!

So nine thousand will fall into Dao Blindness.

To avoid dying inside the realm, these nine thousand will choose to exit.

So there's still a chance!

Nine thousand means nine thousand tokens!

Even more.

When these nine thousand tokens change hands, their new owners enter the realm seeking breakthroughs, then pursue Dao contemplation—nine out of ten again fall into Dao Blindness and exit.

This cycle repeats endlessly—there's still a chance.