Emperor Wu Shihuang's handwriting, do not go out of the Milky Way border

"It's good that you're alright."

"You've subdued that extraordinary treasure?"

Huo Luan suddenly remembered the purpose of her trip.

If Ying Zheng failed to obtain the treasure while trying to save him, he would have suffered a huge loss.

However, in his view, the rare treasure was definitely more important than him.

"I'll put it away first. I didn't even have time to see what it was before I came to rescue you."

As Ying Zheng spoke, he took out the extraordinary treasure.

Before them was a jet-black object shaped like a jade seal, like a key to unlock some mechanism.

"What is this dark, unsightly thing?"

"Fire Phoenix asked."

Ying Zheng couldn't figure it out either. It was supposed to be an imperial seal, but what kind of imperial seal was this color?

"I don't know. We went through all this trouble to snatch this thing, and we don't even know what it's for."

Ying Zheng then took out several healing pills and handed them to Huo Luan.

Huo Luan didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to take it.

"Consider it compensation from you."

Huo Luan chuckled cheekily.

Ying Zheng smiled, said nothing, and took a few Dao pills to begin his recovery.

An hour later, Huo Luan had almost recovered, and the two continued to walk deeper into the ancient ruins.

"It seems there are still quite a few things hidden in these ruins. Otherwise, the thing we just grabbed would be of no use."

Ying Zheng said this while observing his surroundings.

Huo Luan nodded, then suddenly remembered something.

"You just said that the place we're in is an ominous place? I didn't feel that way at all."

Ying Zheng didn't know either; he only heard about it from people on the road.

"I heard it from someone else."

The atmosphere at the place where the strange treasure appeared was indeed a bit eerie, but the two of them did not encounter anything unusual.

"I thought you had figured something out, but it turns out it was just hearsay."

"That's what Huo Luan said."

Ying Zheng ignored him and continued walking forward.

Where do we go now?

Huo Luan asked again.

Ying Zheng noticed that Huo Luan was unusually talkative after the great battle.

I should have just let him die there instead of saving him.

"How should I know? I'll just go wherever the road takes me."

Ying Zheng said impatiently.

The Fire Phoenix, however, couldn't calm down. It looked around as if trying to see through the ruins.

"Can't you just shut up for a second? Are you trying to make sure everyone knows you're here?"

Ying Zheng watched the fire phoenixes darting around.

Huo Luan leaned closer and smiled.

"So boring! I really miss Huo Ling'er and the others! I wonder where they are."

Ying Zheng was utterly speechless. This man's mind was completely occupied by Huo Ling'er; he couldn't bear to be apart from her for even a moment.

"Can't you think about anything serious? All you ever think about is Huo Ling'er."

Ying Zheng looked disgusted.

Fire Phoenix didn't care and continued speaking.

"Should we go find her now?"

Ying Zheng sighed. He truly didn't know what charm Huo Ling'er possessed that made Huo Luan so infatuated.

"Have you never seen a woman in your past lives? You're completely captivated by Huo Ling'er."

Huo Luan chuckled.

"It's not as exaggerated as you say. I just think she's a nice person. Don't misunderstand."

Ying Zheng looked at the shameless Huo Luan and had nothing to say.

"Let's just walk around and see. Whether we run into her or not depends entirely on luck. This place is so big, where are we even going to look?"

Ying Zheng said helplessly.

Huo Luan nodded and continued walking forward.

Only then did Ying Zheng begin to seriously examine this ancient ruin.

He hasn't had a proper chance to observe things since he came in.

The weight of the ruins made him realize how immense the power of time is. Humans appear so insignificant in the long river of time.

Fate is just as unpredictable, as if everything is predetermined. All humans can do is follow the way of nature.

Those who try to defy fate are destined to have short-lived success.

Thinking about all this, Ying Zheng suddenly felt that his strength seemed to have improved slightly.

"Could it be that I've grasped a sliver of transcendence? How could my strength have increased so inexplicably?"

Since gaining complete control of the River of Destiny, Ying Zheng's strength has stagnated.

At this moment, I realize the passage of time, and my strength has indeed improved.

The surrounding Dao energy continuously flowed into Ying Zheng's body, as if providing support for his breakthrough.

With the influx of Dao power, Ying Zheng's control over his own strength seemed to have reached a new level.

However, to truly transcend this state, a period of reflection and accumulation is still needed.

Huo Luan hadn't gone far when she suddenly realized that Ying Zheng hadn't followed. She turned around and saw Ying Zheng standing quietly in the same spot, motionless.

Huo Luan immediately returned to Ying Zheng's side, and seeing that his eyes were closed, she did not make a sound to disturb him.

Shortly after the arrival of the Fire Phoenix, Ying Zheng slowly opened his eyes.

Why did you suddenly stop here?

Huo Luan looked at Ying Zheng, who had opened his eyes, and asked.

"Just now I vaguely caught a glimpse of an opportunity for transcendence, so I stopped to contemplate it carefully."

Upon hearing Ying Zheng say that he had already touched the threshold of transcendence, Huo Luan was immediately astonished.

"You've actually reached such a level? What have you realized?"

At this moment, Ying Zheng was in a mysterious state that was difficult to describe, and the insights he gained were simply beyond words.

"I can't explain it clearly, I just have a vague feeling about it."

Ying Zheng spoke slowly.

Huo Luan stopped asking questions after hearing this, because he understood that one should not be too ambitious in cultivation, and he had not even fully comprehended the information that Ying Zheng had given him.

"In that case, let's keep moving forward."

Huo Luan said to Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng nodded, then strode forward.

After walking for dozens of miles, the man and the bird suddenly came into view a majestic and continuous mountain range.

"Let's go in and take a look, see if we can find any opportunities."

Ying Zheng spoke to the fire phoenix beside him.

Having said that, he set off towards the mountain range.

Along the way, Ying Zheng continuously used his Dao power to nourish the black jade seal within his body, trying to glean some insights from it, but so far he has gained nothing.

Ying Zheng was not in a hurry, because he knew that such things could not be rushed.

When Ying Zheng and Huo Luan arrived at the foot of the mountain, a large crowd had already gathered there.

Ying Zheng walked up to a cultivator, gently patted his shoulder, and asked.

"Fellow Daoists, what are you all doing gathered here?"

The cultivator turned his head, glanced at Ying Zheng, and replied.

"There's a door ahead, and we're all stuck outside, unable to get in. But there's a faint aura emanating from inside, drawing us in."

Ying Zheng turned his gaze to the door, which seemed to be covered with layers of restrictions, preventing everyone from entering.

However, Ying Zheng soon discovered that there seemed to be a groove on the door, as if something was needed to open it.

Have you tried to go inside?

Ying Zheng then asked the cultivator a question.

The cultivator sighed and pointed to the door.

"We tried everything, but we couldn't get in. There's a square notch on the door; it must require something specific to open it."

Hearing the cultivator's words, Ying Zheng nodded and then returned to Huo Luan's side. "It seems that what we just obtained is the key to open this door."

Looking at Ying Zheng's calm and composed expression, Huo Luan believed what he said.

"Are you serious? Shall we go over and give it a try?"

Huo Luan said to Ying Zheng impatiently.

Ying Zheng smiled, then pulled Huo Luan to the door.

Just as Ying Zheng and Huo Luan reached the door, a cultivator behind them spoke to the person next to him.

"Another one who won't give up. There's no way to get through this door; he'll just be looking around anyway."

The person next to him nodded.

"They clearly don't want us to get in; they're not leaving us any way out."

These words drew unanimous agreement from the surrounding cultivators.

Ying Zheng stood in front of the door, staring at the square groove, and then took out the black jade seal.

He aimed the jade seal at the groove, wanting to see if it was indeed the key to open the door.

Just as Ying Zheng affixed the jade seal to the door, it was sucked directly into the groove.

Upon seeing this, Ying Zheng's face lit up with joy.

"So this really is the key to open this door. It seems our trip was worthwhile."

Seeing this, Huo Luan smiled and said to Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng nodded at him.

As the jade seal was sucked into the groove, the door in front of it slowly opened.

The cultivators nearby rushed towards the door as soon as it was opened.

"I didn't expect him to actually open it. It seems that the opportunity inside this door will eventually fall into our hands."

The cultivator who had previously mocked Ying Zheng for not being able to open the door said.

As soon as the door opened, Huo Luan tried to pull Ying Zheng inside, but Ying Zheng stopped her.

As soon as the door opened, everyone rushed forward, jostling to get inside.

Huo Luan looked at Ying Zheng with a puzzled expression and asked.

"Ying Zheng, the door is open, why won't you let me in? They're going to rob all the treasures inside!"

Ying Zheng, however, spoke calmly to Huo Luan.

"You think this ancient ruin is just a place for us to pick up treasures for free? There must be some hidden secrets here. Let them go in and explore first."

Upon hearing this, Huo Luan immediately calmed down.

Many dangers lurk in these ancient ruins; the ancients would never allow their descendants to easily obtain what they left behind.

In some places, the cost of life is so high, which is why Ying Zheng did not allow him to enter rashly.

Just then, screams of agony came from inside the door.

"what!"

Hearing this sound, Huo Luan secretly rejoiced that she hadn't rushed in, otherwise she might be the one who perished right now.

"We can go in now. They've scouted the way out pretty much, so let's be careful."

Ying Zheng said to Huo Luan.

Immediately, Ying Zheng pulled Huo Luan towards the door.

As soon as you enter this gate, the view opens up, revealing a hidden world inside.

The space here is much larger than it appears from the outside, as if the entire interior of the mountain has been hollowed out.

The interior was brightly lit, the light seemingly preserved from ancient times, quietly awaiting the arrival of future generations.

"Ying Zheng, why do I feel there's something sinister about this place?"

Although the interior appeared bright and spacious, Huo Luan felt a strange sense of danger rising within her.

Ying Zheng also sensed that there were many hidden auras within the door.

It was as if these auras would burst forth at any moment and kill them on the spot.

"Be careful, there might be many traps in here."

Ying Zheng spoke to the fire phoenix beside him.

Huo Luan nodded and then hid behind Ying Zheng.

In Huo Luan's mind, Ying Zheng was powerful, and she felt safer staying behind him.

Ying Zheng noticed this, smiled, said nothing more, and continued walking forward.

Before us lay an incredibly smooth and unobstructed road.

"Where are those people who came in earlier? Did they leave so quickly?"

"This is what Huo Luan said, standing behind Ying Zheng."

Ying Zheng and Huo Luan walked along this avenue, but couldn't see a single person. The screams they had just heard had vanished without a trace, leaving not even bones behind.

The atmosphere was unusually eerie, and Huo Luan couldn't help but shiver.

Ying Zheng also felt that those people seemed to have vanished into thin air, as if they had entered another world.

"Perhaps they were moving too fast, or they discovered some treasure and all headed that way."

Ying Zheng noticed Huo Luan's unease and comforted her.

Huo Luan also secretly cheered herself up, telling herself that there was no problem here, and bolstered her courage.

Ying Zheng stopped, looked at Huo Luan, patted him on the back, and said.

"Now that you're here at these ruins, don't be afraid. If you're so timid, the treasure won't jump right up to you."

Huo Luan nodded, composed herself, and walked to Ying Zheng's side, saying...

"Okay, I understand. I won't be cowardly anymore. At worst, it's just death. I'm indifferent to life and death. Let's go!"

The sudden change in Huo Luan's attitude caught Ying Zheng off guard, and he then smiled.

"Let's go then."

After Ying Zheng finished speaking, he and Huo Luan walked forward together.

In the blink of an eye, Ying Zheng and Huo Luan had been inside the door for half an hour, but they had found nothing.

Suddenly, Ying Zheng stopped and reached out to feel around on the wall beside him, then gently tapped it.

Seeing that Ying Zheng had stopped, Huo Luan came to his side.

"Did you find anything?"

Ying Zheng nodded. After exploring the area just now, he had already realized that there was a hidden world behind this wall.

Ying Zheng immediately punched the wall, but the wall only trembled slightly and then did not change anything else.

Seeing this, Ying Zheng unleashed several more punches. Under his relentless attacks, the wall in front of him was finally blasted open.

After the wall was broken open, a narrow passage was revealed inside.

The Fire Phoenix was astonished by what it saw.

"It seems this cave hasn't been discovered yet. Let's go in and check it out."

Ying Zheng said to Huo Luan.

Huo Luan nodded and followed Ying Zheng deeper into the cave.

As soon as they entered the cave, they discovered that the walls on both sides were covered with various runes, as if they were recording something.

Ying Zheng reached out and touched the runes on the wall.

The moment his hand touched the wall, the runes began to flow and emit a dazzling light.

Upon seeing this, Ying Zheng quickly withdrew his hand.

However, as soon as his hand left the wall, the runes returned to their previous calm.

This scene amazed Ying Zheng, so he put his hand back on the wall, and sure enough, the same thing happened again.

"How is this going?"

Huo Luan asked Ying Zheng, puzzled.

"I'm not sure either. Let's keep digging deeper and see when we get back."

Ying Zheng withdrew his hand and said to Huo Luan.

As the two ventured deeper, a coffin suddenly appeared before them.

"Looks like we've come to the wrong place."

Huo Luan looked at the coffin in front of her and couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Ying Zheng shook his head.

"Search the area and see if anything has been left behind."

After saying that, Ying Zheng walked straight ahead.

The Fire Phoenix approached the coffin, wanting to see if any treasures were hidden inside.

He pushed aside the stone slab covering the coffin, revealing a well-preserved body. (End of Chapter)