Chapter 117: Heavenly Mystery Appears, Chaos Green Lotus Gives Life

The imperial edict was issued, offering a reward to the world, and the ripples it caused far exceeded Huangfu Hao’s expectations. Not only did various factions within the Tianyuan Dynasty stir at the news, but even some surrounding alien races and reclusive sects sent envoys, either to provide clues in good faith or to use this as an opportunity to probe the dynasty’s true strength.

Within the Imperial Medical Bureau, all sorts of strange elixirs, folk remedies, and even witchcraft techniques emerged one after another, but most were helpless against the strange and complex injuries of Lin Xuan. A few potent, aggressive medicines even nearly accelerated the fading of his life force, frightening the old alchemist into strictly ordering a screening; none were allowed near unless they were proven to have miraculous effects.

Huangfu Hao kept watch outside the quiet room day and night. Aside from handling government affairs, he spent almost all his time there, the worry and exhaustion between his brows growing deeper by the day. The dynasty had just been stabilized, with powerful ministers obstructing him from within and the hidden threat of demonic disaster from without, yet his greatest reliance, Lin Xuan, remained unconscious. The pressure was like a mountain.

On this day, Eunuch Wei quietly arrived at the quiet room, dismissed the attendants, and whispered to Huangfu Hao, "Your Highness, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion requests an audience outside, saying there is an urgent matter concerning the injuries of Daoist friend Lin."

"The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion?" Huangfu Hao’s spirits lifted. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion was transcendent and mysterious, and its Pavilion Master was even more elusive. If he had come in person, perhaps there was truly a glimmer of hope! "Invite him in at once!"

A moment later, that Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, dressed in a white star-patterned Daoist robe with a blurred face, appeared silently in the quiet room, as if he had been there all along.

"Since the Pavilion Master has come in person, is there a way to save Brother Lin?" Huangfu Hao asked urgently, not even bothering with pleasantries.

The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion’s gaze fell upon Lin Xuan on the couch. His blurred face seemed to ripple as he said slowly, "Young friend Lin’s Dao injury stems from forcibly drawing upon the origin of chaos, resulting in a backlash, compounded by demonic energy eroding his roots. It cannot be resolved by ordinary means. The power of medicine has reached its limit."

Huangfu Hao’s heart sank.

But the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion changed the subject: "However, there is a rare treasure in heaven and earth that might be worth a try."

"What is it?" Huangfu Hao hurriedly pressed.

"The Chaos Green Lotus," the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion uttered the four words.

"The Chaos Green Lotus?" Both Huangfu Hao and Eunuch Wei at his side looked puzzled; they had never heard of this item.

"The Chaos Green Lotus is not of this world," the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion explained. "Legend says it was formed from a wisp of primordial life force nurtured in the Chaos Sea at the beginning of heaven and earth. It contains the most fundamental power of creation, capable of reshaping the Dao foundation, nourishing the soul, and purifying all evil. If one can obtain a single petal or a strand of its lotus root, there is a seventy percent chance of healing young friend Lin’s injuries."

Hope reignited in Huangfu Hao’s eyes: "Where is this item? I... I will send men to search for it immediately!"

The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion shook his head: "This item is ethereal and hard to find; only its name remains in ancient texts. I do not know its exact location either. However..."

He paused, his gaze seeming to pierce through the void toward the south: "According to astrological calculations and records in ancient, fragmented scrolls, the last sign of the Chaos Green Lotus appearing pointed to the depths of the 'Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range' in the south, a forbidden zone called the 'Eye of Return to Ruins.' But that is a forbidden land of the demon race, extremely dangerous, and those records are already three thousand years old."

The Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range! The Eye of Return to Ruins!

Huangfu Hao gasped. That was a place a hundred times more dangerous than the Southern Wilderness Ancient Domain; even a Soul Transformation cultivator would face nine deaths for every one life if they trespassed there! Moreover, with the passage of time, three thousand years had passed; whether the Chaos Green Lotus still existed was an unknown.

The hope was slim, nearly non-existent.

But this was the only clue currently available!

Huangfu Hao was silent for a moment, his gaze gradually becoming firm: "Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, I must not give up! I will..."

"Your Highness, you must not!" Eunuch Wei hurriedly dissuaded him, "The safety of the dynasty rests upon you; how can you lightly enter such a dangerous place? This old servant is willing to go in your stead!"

"Wei Ban, I know of your loyalty." Huangfu Hao patted the old eunuch’s shoulder, his tone brooking no argument, "But this matter concerns Brother Lin’s life and the future of resisting the Abyss of Ruins; I must go myself. As for the dynasty’s affairs, they shall be managed by the cabinet and a few loyal old ministers for the time being. With the dragon aura upon me, those petty villains will not dare to act rashly!"

He had already made up his mind to personally head to the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range to find that ethereal Chaos Green Lotus!

"Your Highness..." Eunuch Wei still wanted to persuade him otherwise.

Just then, a flurry of footsteps came from outside the quiet room. A commander of the secret guards rushed in, knelt on one knee, and said with a grave expression: "Reporting to Your Highness, according to the intelligence gathered from all sides and the interrogation of captured demonic puppets, it has been preliminarily determined that the breaking of the imperial palace seal and the descent of demonic consciousness is... is inseparable from the Zhao family!"

"What?!" Huangfu Hao’s expression changed violently, and a chilling murderous intent instantly permeated the quiet room! "Is the evidence conclusive?"

"There is a confession from a demonic puppet who saw a guest of the Zhao family appearing near the seal with a mysterious person. Furthermore, before the demonic disaster broke out, the Zhao family secretly mobilized a large amount of resources, and their behavior was abnormal. Although there is no direct evidence pointing to Zhao Song, various signs indicate that the Zhao family was at least aware, or even... a participant!" the secret guard commander said in a low voice.

"A fine Zhao family! A fine Zhao Song!" Huangfu Hao laughed in extreme anger, cold light shooting from his eyes, "To fight for power and profit, they dared to collude with the Demonic Abyss, wreak havoc in the imperial capital, and cause the death of my imperial father and the suffering of billions of lives! This hatred is irreconcilable!"

He had previously suspected that the outbreak of the demonic disaster was too suspicious. How could the imperial palace seal be so sturdy and yet be broken so easily? As expected, there was a mole!

"Your Highness, shall we take Zhao Song into custody immediately?" Eunuch Wei’s eyes were also filled with murderous intent.

Huangfu Hao forced himself to calm down and took a deep breath: "No, acting now would alert the enemy. Without ironclad evidence, and given the Zhao family’s deeply rooted influence, it would easily trigger internal chaos. Monitor them in secret and collect ironclad evidence! When I return from the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range, I will settle the score with them... one by one!"

He looked at Lin Xuan on the couch, then glanced at the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, and bowed: "Pavilion Master, I hope you can secretly look after the situation in the imperial capital. Both saving Brother Lin and investigating the traitor will take time."

The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion nodded slightly: "It is my duty. Your journey, Your Highness, will be extremely dangerous. Remember, the Eye of Return to Ruins cannot be conquered by force alone; it requires karmic affinity. Also, I gift this to you; it may protect your safety."

He took out an ancient jade talisman carved with tortoise shell patterns and handed it to Huangfu Hao.

"Many thanks, Pavilion Master!" Huangfu Hao received it solemnly.

Without delay, Huangfu Hao immediately made secret arrangements for the regency, entrusting state affairs to a few trusted old ministers and Eunuch Wei, while publicly announcing that he was going into seclusion to stabilize the dragon aura.

That night, a barely perceptible dragon-shaped light of escape quietly left the imperial capital, heading toward the treacherous and unpredictable Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range in the south.

Inside the quiet room, silence returned once more.

The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion walked to Lin Xuan’s couch, looking at his pale yet still calm face. Beneath his blurred features, he seemed to let out an almost inaudible sigh.

"Chaos Green Lotus... Eye of Return to Ruins... Little one, your tribulation is also your karmic affinity..."

He extended a finger, and a point of clear radiance from his fingertip sank into the center of Lin Xuan’s brow, temporarily stabilizing the soul fire that was about to be extinguished completely.

"The rest depends on the will of heaven, and... the determination of that new Emperor."

Having said this, his figure slowly faded, like ink dissolving in water, and disappeared.

Only the Green Phoenix Feng Xi remained, faithfully guarding its master’s side, occasionally emitting low, mournful cries, as if calling out to the sleeping soul.

The night in the imperial capital remained long. The journey to the south had already begun. And the enemies hiding in the shadows were also stirring.