Gao Wu: You have science, and I have magic!

In the stillness of the night, Ye Qingzhou sat quietly in the courtyard of the inn.

Silver Blade lay dozing to one side, while White Sorrow and Flame nestled on his lap for warmth. The jade pendant at his waist was slightly warm, a sign that Xuan Si was resonating with him.

"Owner."

Silver Blade suddenly transmitted a message: "Someone is spying on us."

Ye Qingzhou remained calm and, through Bai You's perception, "saw" the dark figure on the roof. The other party was none other than the black-robed astrologer who had appeared during the day.

Just as he was about to make his move, a white light flashed, and the Xuan Tian Crane flew in from nowhere, slapping the dark figure with its claw.

The man in black robes fled in panic, but was intercepted in mid-air by a golden light. There stood the Imperial Preceptor, his presence serene and imposing.

"The traitors from the Imperial Observatory are indeed connected to the Blood Fiend Sect."

The Imperial Advisor sneered, and a beam of azure light shot out from his jade staff, directly knocking the man in black robes down.

Ye Qingzhou narrowed his eyes. The moment the Grand Preceptor made his move, he clearly saw a flash of bloodlust in Xuan Tianhe's eyes, and the technique was seven parts similar to that of the Blood Fiend Sect.

"Things are getting more and more interesting..."

He gently stroked Bai You's fur, already having made up his mind.

Tomorrow, Princess Mingyue will deliver "that thing" that the Emperor mentioned.

The day after tomorrow, they will set off for the Northern Territory. Before that, he must quickly grasp the full potential of the three Seven Emotions Beasts.

Especially... the Xuanjia Turtle, a demonic beast left behind by her former mother.

At dawn, Princess Mingyue arrived at the inn alone, holding a three-foot-long jade box in her hands. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she had not slept all night.

She gently knocked on the door, her voice like the gentle tinkling of silver bells: "My father ordered me to deliver the eldest princess's belongings."

Ye Qingzhou had already woken up and was resting in the courtyard. Upon hearing this, he immediately got up and opened the door.

Mingyue stepped into the courtyard, placed the jade box on the stone table, and gently stroked the intricate sealing patterns on the box with her fingertips.

"This is the armor my imperial aunt wore back then."

She bit her lip: "For twenty years, no one has been able to open it."

The jade box is pure white, with seven mythical beast patterns engraved on its surface, corresponding to the seven emotions.

The lock has a dragon-shaped groove, which is exactly the same shape as Ye Qingzhou's jade pendant.

"You need to pledge your blood to the master before the seal can be broken."

Mingyue then explained, "Father said that only those who possess both the bloodlines of the seven emotions and the dragon vein can activate this item."

Without hesitation, Ye Qingzhou pricked his fingertip and dripped blood into the groove.

The moment the blood droplet touched the jade box, seven different demonic beast patterns lit up in succession, eventually converging on the dragon-shaped lock. With a soft "click," the box lid slowly opened.

A cool, refreshing fragrance wafted over. Inside the box was a set of silver-white light armor, neatly stacked. The breastplate was engraved with exquisite dragon patterns, and the shoulder armor was shaped like flying feathers, each piece as thin as a cicada's wing.

The most eye-catching feature is the seven gemstones set in the center of the belt, arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper, each a different color.

"Seven Emotions Celestial Crystal..."

Ye Qingzhou lightly touched the gemstone and immediately felt the surging emotional energy contained within it.

Tears welled up in Princess Mingyue's eyes, as if she could see her heroic aunt from years ago.

Ye Qingzhou took a deep breath and slowly took out his battle armor.

To his surprise, the armor, which appeared to be metallic, felt as light as a feather and as soft as silk.

As he placed the breastplate against his chest, the armor suddenly transformed into a stream of light, automatically covering his entire body!
"what!"

Mingyue exclaimed in surprise and stepped back.

As the silver light shimmered, the armor perfectly conformed to every inch of Ye Qingzhou's body curves.

The dragon pattern on the heart-protecting mirror glowed with golden light, resonating with the dragon-shaped Qi vortex at his heart meridian.

The Seven Emotions Stone bursts forth with dazzling brilliance, illuminating the entire courtyard in a dreamlike state.

Ye Qingzhou closed his eyes and sensed the information flow from the armor. This armor was no ordinary item; it was the "Seven Emotions Armor," a natal magic weapon that his mother had crafted using the power of the Seven Emotions Qi and the Dragon Vein.

Each part incorporates the essence of a demonic beast, and can change form according to the master's will.

Even more astonishingly, a memory is sealed within the armor...

In the illusion, a young woman in white stood before the Golden Palace, followed by seven demonic beasts of various shapes. She held a miniature Seven Emotions Cauldron in one hand, demonstrating some kind of secret technique.

The emperor and his ministers were completely mesmerized, except for one person who stood in the shadows with an eerie light in his eyes—it was the imperial advisor in his youth!

"A light boat?"

The moon's voice pulled him back to reality.

Ye Qingzhou opened his eyes and found that the battle armor had returned to normal, turning into a close-fitting silver-white outfit, with only the wrist guards and boots still retaining some scale patterns.

"Incredible..."

Mingyue gently stroked the cuff of the armor, "It has recognized you as its master."

With a thought, Ye Qingzhou instantly donned his armor, which then transformed him back into his everyday clothes. He noticed a hint of melancholy in Mingyue's eyes, in addition to her astonishment.

"Did the princess also try to open the jade box?"

Mingyue nodded slightly: "When I was little, I often secretly tried it... My imperial aunt was the person I admired most."

She hesitated for a moment, then added, "My father said that this journey to the northern border would be extremely dangerous, and that I should stay in the capital. But..."

"But do you want to come along?"

"Although I am not skilled in combat, I am well-versed in royal texts."

A determined light shone in Mingyue's eyes. Though not particularly bold, she was not a coward. "Each marker in the Seven Emotions Secret Realm contains an ancient riddle that requires a specific method to solve."

Ye Qingzhou pondered for a moment. Mingyue's knowledge of the secret realm could indeed be helpful, but taking her, a princess, on this adventure...

"I will consider it, but it requires His Majesty's approval."

Mingyue's eyes lit up, and she was about to speak when hurried footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. A Golden Feather Guard rushed over and bowed to Ye Qingzhou: "Your Highness, the Imperial Preceptor requests your immediate attention at the Observatory. The Xuanjia Turtle has shown unusual activity!"

The observatory is located at the highest point of the Imperial Observatory and is entirely constructed of obsidian.

When Ye Qingzhou arrived, the Imperial Preceptor was standing in the center of the platform, with Xuan Tianhe perched on his shoulder.

The Xuanjia Turtle was placed at the center of a complex star map formation, and the patterns on its shell gleamed with a faint blue light under the moonlight.

"On the night of the full moon, the Xuanjia Turtle's prophetic abilities will reach their peak."

The Imperial Advisor gestured for Ye Qingzhou to come closer, "It seems to be trying to tell us something."

Ye Qingzhou squatted down and infused the Qi of "Thought" into the tortoise shell.

The Xuanjia Turtle slowly raised its head, its eyes shooting out two beams of blue light that intertwined in the air to form words: "Seven emotions gather, dragon blood boils, the secret realm is about to open, the truth will be revealed."

Below the text, the phantom images of seven demonic beasts appeared, three of which had already solidified.

The flames of anger represent "anger," the white sorrow represents "worry," and the black-armored tortoise itself represents "thought."

The remaining four phantoms were blurry, but the outlines of a bird, a monkey, a snake, and a tiger could be vaguely discerned.

"It seems you need to collect all seven types of Seven Emotions Demon Beasts."

The Imperial Advisor pondered for a moment, "They correspond exactly to the seven marker points of the secret realm."

Ye Qingzhou nodded, but suddenly noticed Bai You restlessly fidgeting at his feet.

Through the connection of "worry," he sensed the wariness emanating from the little fox—it had detected some deeply hidden malice. Ye Qingzhou observed the Grand Preceptor without showing any emotion. The Xuan Tianhe remained quietly perched on the old man's shoulder, but when he focused his attention, he clearly saw a flash of bloodlust in the crane's eyes, exactly the same as the night before.

"Your Excellency, Imperial Advisor."

Ye Qingzhou asked casually, "Were you also my mother's teacher back then?"

The Imperial Advisor's fingers trembled almost imperceptibly: "The Princess is exceptionally talented; I merely offered a few pointers."

Just then, the Xuanjia Turtle suddenly trembled violently, and the character "思" (si, meaning "think") on its shell shone brightly. A new piece of information was forcibly injected into Ye Qingzhou's mind—fragments of memories that his mother had sealed inside the Xuanjia Turtle years ago.

In the video, the mother is having a heated argument with someone.

The person had their back to the camera, but the jade staff peeking out from their sleeve was clearly visible...

"Imperial Advisor, be careful!"

Ye Qingzhou suddenly turned to the side, and a jet of blood grazed his cheek, corroding a deep pit in the floor of the observatory.

Looking up, I saw that the night sky had been covered by dark clouds, and there were faint flashes of blood in the clouds.

"The Blood Fiend Sect's 'Thousand-Mile Blood Arrow'!"

The Imperial Advisor's expression changed drastically. "How dare they make a move in the capital?"

The Xuan Tian Crane let out a long cry, spread its wings, and took flight, forming a protective barrier above the Star Gazing Platform. More blood arrows shot down from the clouds, striking the barrier with a piercing hissing sound.

Ye Qingzhou quickly recalled the Xuanjia Turtle, and the Seven Emotions Armor automatically covered his entire body.

He tried to summon the Silver Blade, but found that he could not establish contact with the distant dragon wolf, as if he was isolated from external senses by the protective array of the imperial city.

"We have to leave immediately!"

The Imperial Advisor gritted his teeth and said, "The Blood Fiend Sect has resorted to desperate measures!"

Upon hearing the news, the emperor rushed over and immediately ordered the journey to begin ahead of schedule.

Half an hour later, a silver-white flying boat hovered above the imperial city. The hull was covered with runes for wind and fire protection, and the bow was a dragon head statue with its head raised and roaring.

"The Wind-Riding Boat, the fastest flying magical vessel of the royal family."

The Imperial Advisor explained, "We can reach the northern border in three days."

Ye Qingzhou stood on the deck, watching the outline of the imperial city gradually recede into the distance.

Princess Mingyue ultimately couldn't come along, but before leaving, she gave him a jade slip containing her research findings on the first marker.

Silver Blade was placed in the cargo hold, alongside the flying ship's guardian beasts. Raging Flame perched on Ye Qingzhou's shoulder, while Bai You nestled in his arms. The Xuanjia Turtle, a tattoo on his right arm, could be summoned at any time.

"The northern climate is harsh; be prepared."

The Imperial Advisor walked to his side, "Especially in the snowy areas, fourth-tier snow demons often appear."

Ye Qingzhou nodded, but his gaze unconsciously fell on Xuan Tianhe.

The elegant white crane stood atop the mast, seemingly on guard, but in the occasional moments when it turned its head, a faint bloodlust could be seen in its eyes.

As night fell, the airship entered the snow and ice zone on the edge of the northern border. A fierce wind howled, and heavy snow lashed against the hull, reducing visibility to less than ten feet.

The Imperial Advisor personally piloted the flying boat, and the seven Golden Feather Guards took their positions.

Ye Qingzhou was adjusting his breathing inside the cabin when he suddenly felt a pang of anxiety. Bai You pricked up his ears, sensing a strong sense of crisis. Almost simultaneously, the airship shook violently, and the Golden Feather Guards outside cried out in alarm, "Enemy attack!"

Ye Qingzhou rushed out of the cabin, and the sight before him made him gasp for breath, because the flying boat was being attacked by a group of giant apes that were completely white! These snow apes were three zhang tall, and each one was riding a raging wind and snow. They were all fourth-order demonic beasts!

"Snow Demon Ape!"

The imperial advisor shouted from the control panel, "They shouldn't be here!"

Even more terrifying, a black-robed figure could be vaguely seen standing in mid-air amidst the wind and snow, holding a blood-red whip in his hand. Each swing of the whip provoked the Snow Demon Ape to become even more ferocious.

"The Blood Fiend Sect can actually control fourth-tier demonic beasts?"

Ye Qingzhou looked surprised.

"This kind of manipulation..."

The Imperial Advisor's expression was grave. "It's a sacrificial enhancement! That blood whip is forged from the essence of living people, capable of temporarily boosting the strength of demonic beasts!"

A snow demon ape leaped onto the deck, its giant paw slapping towards Ye Qingzhou.

The raging flames immediately soared up, spewing out a golden-red line of fire. The flames collided with the snow palm, erupting into a large amount of steam. The snow demon ape staggered back in pain, but quickly pounced again.

Ye Qingzhou circulated his "Anger" Qi, and the wrist guards of the Seven Emotions Armor glowed red.

He then unleashed a punch, the wind from which flames surged and layered, forming a terrifying force like a raging torrent, instantly forcing the Snow Demon Ape back dozens of steps!
"Master, be careful!"

Bai You suddenly screamed.

Suddenly, another snow demon ape attacked from the side, its sharp claws aimed straight for Ye Qingzhou's throat.

At the critical moment, a dark shadow flashed by—it was the Xuanjia Turtle.

The character "思" (si, meaning "think") on the tortoise shell that appeared out of nowhere shone brightly, forming a semi-transparent barrier.

Dang~
The sharp claws struck the barrier, producing a metallic clang.

The Xuanjia Turtle let out a low growl, and Ye Qingzhou suddenly saw a scene from the next three seconds in his mind—the Snow Demon Ape would dodge to the left, and then…

Without hesitation, he lunged forward to the right, narrowly avoiding the Snow Demon Ape's attack trajectory, and with a backhand "Surprising Finger," struck its weak spot under its armpit. The Snow Demon Ape screamed and fell off the flying boat.

"Predicting the future?"

Ye Qingzhou looked at the Xuanjia Turtle with surprise, "This is the ability of 'Thinking'?"

The battle intensified. Five snow demon apes simultaneously attacked the flying boat, causing it to tilt. The Imperial Advisor struggled to maintain control from the console, while Xuan Tianhe was locked in combat with the black-robed man, but was clearly at a disadvantage.

“This won’t work!”

Ye Qingzhou decided to take a risky move. He fully activated the Seven Emotions Qi, frantically injecting the Qi of "Anger" into the body of the raging flame.

The little firebird's size exploded, and the flames on its feathers gradually turned pure gold. When the energy reached a critical point, the raging flames let out a clear, long cry, transforming into a golden beam that shot straight into the sky!
"Vermilion Bird True Fire!"

Golden fire rain fell from the sky, each drop hitting the Snow Demon Ape with pinpoint accuracy.

These fourth-tier demonic beasts let out mournful howls and turned to ashes in the holy flames. Seeing the situation was dire, the black-robed man turned to flee, but Xuan Tianhe severed his right arm with a single feather blade strike!
"what!"

The man in black robes screamed and fell into the depths of the snowstorm.

The joy of victory was short-lived, as the flames of anger plummeted from the sky.

Ye Qingzhou hurriedly caught it and found that the little guy had fallen into a coma, and its feathers were dull and lifeless.

"Excessive depletion of one's vital energy." The Imperial Advisor shook his head after examining the patient. "It needs time to recover."

The airship was severely damaged, but it could still fly with difficulty.

The Grand Master decided to proceed at full speed, aiming to reach the first marker before dawn.

Ye Qingzhou carried Nu Yan back into the cabin, with the Xuanjia Turtle and Bai You guarding him. Through the connection of "thought," he sensed that more fragments of memory were sealed inside the turtle shell, but specific conditions were required to unlock them.

"What secrets did the mother of the original incarnation leave behind?"

He gently stroked the tortoise shell, lost in thought.

Outside the window, the wind and snow gradually subsided.

On the distant horizon, the outline of a majestic snow-capped mountain can be faintly seen—that is the location of the first marker on the map: Frost Peak.

From the direction where the black-robed man fell, a streak of blood silently seeped into the snow, spreading towards the mountain peak… (End of Chapter)