If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

Zhou Yang sat in the chair for a long time.

The stench of blood in the courtyard gradually faded, carried away without a trace by the afternoon breeze. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the ground, their intensity shifting.

He opened his eyes, the smile fading and replaced by a calm expression.

The matter of Commander Chen can be put aside for now. It's a problem, but also an opportunity. Compared to this external threat, there's a more pressing mystery weighing on his mind.

Mysterious Master.

This name had haunted him ever since he obtained that black iron plaque. A legendary master whom even the Imperial Guards considered taboo, his belongings would certainly not be just a few martial arts manuals.

Zhou Yang stood up, dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeves, and turned to walk into the house.

His steps were steady, making a slight creaking sound on the wooden floor. He walked through the main room without stopping, heading straight to the wall of books in the inner room.

With a light press of his finger on what appeared to be an ordinary copy of the "Annals of Anyang Prefecture," the wall emitted a dull thud as it slowly slid open, revealing a downward stone staircase.

Chamber of Secrets.

This is his true hiding place.

The stone steps wound downwards, the air thick with the damp chill of earth and stone. Zhou Yang lit an oil lamp in the corner, its dim, flickering light casting a long, thin shadow of him as he moved forward, which twisted and swayed against the wall.

The secret room was small and simply furnished. There was a stone table, a stone chair, and several of his usual weapons hanging on the wall.

He walked to the stone table and took out two things from his pocket.

A completely black iron plaque, cold and heavy to the touch, with only a simple, ancient character "玄" (xuan) engraved on it.

There was also a yellowed parchment, its edges curled and its texture fragile, on which a complex star map was drawn with a peculiar ink.

Both of these items were found in Fang Tian's hiding place. I hadn't had time to examine them carefully before.

Zhou Yang placed the iron plate on the table and then carefully unfolded the parchment. The light from the oil lamp shone on the star map, making the lines seem alive, appearing and disappearing in the shadows.

He stretched out his finger and gently brushed it across the character "玄" (Xuan) on the iron plate. The texture was rough, carrying a quality that had been polished by time.

How do I activate it?

Master Xuanji was a grandmaster of martial arts, and his relics must be related to martial arts. As for himself, his greatest reliance now, apart from the system that burned through his lifespan, was the dragon energy within him that originated from the Dragon Corpse.

A thought arose in Zhou Yang's mind.

He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and began to guide the special power in his dantian.

It was a warm yet slightly scorching current of energy, far more powerful and purer than his own internal energy. With his will, this dragon energy flowed slowly along his meridians, gathering at the tip of his right index finger.

A sharp, needle-like pain shot through my fingertips, and a faint golden halo could be seen on the surface of my skin.

Zhou Yang aimed his finger at the character "玄" on the iron plate and then gently tapped it.

"Sizzle—"

A soft sound, as if hot coals had touched cold water.

The dragon energy flowed into the iron plate without any hindrance.

The once lifeless black iron plaque now seemed to be infused with life. It trembled violently, emitting a deep hum. The character "玄" (Xuan) shone with a dim yet clear light from within.

The light was not dazzling, like a candle flickering in the wind, which could be extinguished at any moment, yet stubbornly burned.

Zhou Yang's eyes narrowed.

There's a response!

He immediately picked up the iron plaque and hung it above the parchment star map.

The light emanating from the character "玄" on the iron plaque shone through below, enveloping the entire star map.

A miracle happened.

The previously dim lines of the star map seemed to be re-soaked in invisible ink, emerging one by one. Then, at several key points on the star map, several tiny points of light lit up.

The brightness of the light spots varied; some were as bright as stars, while others were as dim as fireflies.

Zhou Yang's gaze was fixed on one of the points of light.

He was very familiar with the location of that point of light. The way the star map was marked was unique, but combined with the direction of the mountains and rivers, he recognized it almost at a glance.

Outside Anyang County, there was a place he had once visited—Black Wind Mountain.

Next to the point of light, two smaller characters also appeared.

Branch headquarters.

Zhou Yang's breathing suddenly stopped.

Is Xuanji Zhenren related to the Heavenly Principle Sect?

The thought exploded in his mind like a thunderclap.

He had initially thought that Master Xuanji was merely a reclusive martial arts prodigy, and that Fang Tian had only received a small portion of his inheritance. But now it seemed that things were far more complicated than that.

This iron plaque and this star map seem more like some kind of token or map within the Heavenly Principle Sect.

The Black Wind Mountain branch was his first real battlefield after entering the martial world. There, he killed Fang Tian, ​​obtained the "Mysterious Yin Corpse Dissection Scripture," and was also completely drawn into the karmic entanglement with the Heavenly Principle Sect.

Could it be that all of this was arranged by someone?

Who exactly is Master Xuanji? Is he the founder of the Heavenly Principle Sect? Or is he a high-ranking member who defected?

Zhou Yang picked up the parchment and ran his finger over each of the glowing spots on it. Besides Black Wind Mountain, there were several place names he didn't recognize scattered around the map. Some were marked "Branch," some were "Treasure Trove," and one was marked "Headquarters."

Headquarters!

Zhou Yang's heart beat a few beats faster.

This is no longer just a clue, but a complete treasure map, a map pointing to the heart of the Heavenly Principle Sect!

He suppressed his inner shock and turned his gaze back to the mark on Black Wind Mountain.

Now that he knew Black Wind Mountain was a branch of the Heavenly Principle Sect, everything he saw when he killed Fang Tian had a new interpretation. That cave and those traps were probably just the tip of the iceberg.

Is there an even bigger secret hidden deeper within the branch headquarters?

More cultivation techniques? Rare and precious materials? Or more information about Master Xuanji?

Zhou Yang carefully rolled up the parchment and carefully put it away with the iron plate close to his body. The iron plate's luster had dimmed, and it had turned back into an ordinary piece of black iron.

But he knew that as long as he infused the net with dragon energy, it could be deployed again.

He blew out the oil lamp, and the secret room was once again swallowed by darkness.

Zhou Yang turned around and walked up the stone steps one by one. His steps were heavier than when he came down.

Back in my room, it was already dusk. The last rays of the setting sun gilded the windowpanes.

Zhou Yang walked to the window and opened it.

The evening breeze carried a slight chill, blowing on his face and clearing his chaotic thoughts.

The threat posed by Commander Chen remains, and the aftermath of the death of King Zhao has not yet subsided. Now, another enormous mystery has been added to the list: the Heavenly Principle Sect.

Danger seemed to be surging in from all directions.

But there was no fear in Zhou Yang's eyes; instead, they shone with an astonishing light.

Danger often means opportunity.

The Heavenly Principle Sect, this behemoth, was previously a pursuer to whom he could only hide and flee. But now, he has a key.

A key that can unlock the secrets of this behemoth.

He glanced in the direction of Black Wind Mountain, where the mountains were reduced to a blurry silhouette in the twilight.

One branch headquarters.

Is it a blessed land full of treasures, or a dangerous den of dragons and tigers?

For Zhou Yang, it's all the same.

He'd even dare to dig up a grave if the price was high enough.

The secrets of Master Xuanji and the secrets of the Heavenly Principles Sect are the most tempting price right now.