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

The moon has risen.

Round like a silver plate, it hung above the roof of the old temple. Moonlight streamed through the broken windows, casting dappled shadows throughout the hall. Dust swirled in the beams of light, like a swarm of silent ghosts.

Zhou Yang stood in the center of the hall, holding a newly drawn map in his hand. The pages rustled softly between his slightly trembling fingers. He hadn't slept for two days; dark circles were visible beneath his eyes.

Black Steel crouched behind a pillar, polishing his ghost-head saber. The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, each stroke producing a piercing sound. Behind him stood a dozen elite soldiers from the Garrison Command, each as silent as iron.

Qin Shuang stood by the window, gazing at the night outside. Her fingers pressed lightly on the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. The wind ruffled her hair and brushed against her taut cheeks.

"The plan is simple." Zhou Yang spread the map on the ground, weighing down one corner with a stone. "Liu Zhenhua will come here at midnight tonight. He wants the third fragment."

Black Steel stopped what he was doing, looked up at him, and asked, "How many of us are there?"

"Including you, that makes twenty." Zhou Yang pointed to several red circles on the map. "Your men should ambush here, here, and here. Once Liu Zhenhua's men enter the encirclement, move in immediately."

"Where are the reinforcements?" Qin Shuang turned around.

"There are still fifty men outside the city." Zhou Yang traced the edge of the map with his finger. "They're responsible for dealing with the Heavenly Principle Sect's follow-up forces. Liu Zhenhua won't come alone."

Black Steel stood up, walked to the map, and squatted down. He carefully examined the markings, pointing to several locations with his finger: "The visibility here is poor; it's easy for someone to escape."

"So you need to split your men into two groups." Zhou Yang pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket and poured out a few black chess pieces. "One group will intercept from the front, and the other will attack from the side."

Moonlight shone on the chess pieces, reflecting a soft, eerie glow. Black Steel picked one up, weighing it in his palm: "What's the signal?"

"Three bird calls." Zhou Yang looked out the window. "When the owl cries for the third time, make your move."

Qin Shuang walked to the map and squatted down. Her fingers lightly traced the red lines, as if tracing some unseen path: "And me?"

"Come with me." Zhou Yang looked up at her, his face expressionless. "We need someone to distract the city defense battalion."

"The city defense battalion?" Black Steel frowned. "Why would they get involved?"

"Liu Zhenhua isn't stupid." Zhou Yang stood up and walked into the shadows deep within the hall. "He'll definitely contact the people in the city. Several members of the city defense battalion are his spies."

The sound of metal clashing came from the shadows. Zhou Yang emerged, a black crossbow in his hand. Strange patterns were engraved on the crossbow, faintly visible in the moonlight.

"Qin Shuang, you're in charge of creating chaos in the south of the city." He handed her a crossbow bolt. "Set fire to a few warehouses, or intercept a convoy of soldiers transporting supplies. As long as the commotion is big enough, the city defense battalion won't be able to focus on this area."

Qin Shuang took the crossbow bolt, her fingers tracing the cold shaft: "If we make too much noise, won't we attract the Imperial Guards?"

"The point is to lure out the Embroidered Uniform Guard," Zhou Yang said calmly, "but not the real Embroidered Uniform Guard."

He turned to Black Steel: "How many of your men can wear the uniforms of the Imperial Guard?"

Black Steel thought for a moment: "Five. That should be enough for a while."

"Then let them appear in the east of the city, creating the illusion of a pursuit." Zhou Yang paced back and forth, his boots making a crisp sound on the stone slabs. "Qin Shuang sets fire to the south of the city, while the fake Imperial Guards chase people in the east, thus scattering the city defense battalion's manpower."

The moon rose higher. Moonlight streamed into the hall, illuminating the expressions on everyone's faces. A fierce glint flashed in Hei Gang's eyes, Qin Shuang's brows furrowed slightly, and the others remained silent.

"What about the time?" Qin Shuang asked.

"At three-quarters past Hai hour," Zhou Yang said, looking towards the door. "You all go first; Qin Shuang and I will leave last."

Black Steel stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Understood." He turned to the people behind him, waved, and gestured, "Let's go."

A dozen or so people rose silently and followed Hei Gang toward the side door of the main hall. Their footsteps were light, moving like cats across the stone slabs. The door hinges creaked slightly before quickly disappearing into the night.

Only two people remained in the main hall.

Zhou Yang walked to the offering table, where several items were placed: a torch, a pot of water, and three fragments. The metal pieces gleamed differently in the moonlight, as if they were conversing in hushed tones.

"Do you really have to go alone?" Qin Shuang's voice came from behind.

"The most dangerous place is actually the safest." Zhou Yang picked up a fragment, the cold touch spreading along his fingertips. "Liu Zhenhua thought no one knew about his actions tonight, so his attention would be focused outside."

"But if..."

"There are no 'ifs'," Zhou Yang interrupted her, his voice soft but firm. "This is the fastest way."

He pressed the fragment to his forehead and closed his eyes. The coolness of the metal seeped into his skin, and something slowly became clear in his mind. The routes on the map, the locations of the traps, the entrances to the secret passages... all the information was being pieced together.

Qin Shuang looked at him quietly, without saying anything more. She walked to the door and gazed at the moonlight outside. The night breeze ruffled the hem of her clothes, making a soft rustling sound.

"Zhou Yang," she suddenly said.

He opened his eyes and put down the shard: "Hmm?"

Be careful.

He paused for a moment, then nodded: "Yes."

Time passed slowly. The moon rose to its highest point, its light illuminating the entire hall. Dust motes drifted slowly within the beams of light, like tiny stars frozen in the air.

Zhou Yang packed his things, wrapped the fragments in a cloth, and tucked them into his coat. He checked the dagger again, confirming that the poison was still there. He then felt the rope around his waist; it was sturdy enough.

"It's time to go." He looked at Qin Shuang.

She nodded and picked up the black crossbow: "I'll wait for your news in the south of the city."

If I don't return before dawn...

"I'll wait for you," Qin Shuang interrupted him, turning and walking towards the door. "I'll keep waiting."

The door opened, and moonlight streamed in. Qin Shuang's figure quickly disappeared into the night, leaving only a trail of footprints at the doorway.

Zhou Yang stood there, listening to the sounds of the night outside. In the distance, he heard a few barks from dogs and the faint sound of a night watchman's clapper. He took a deep breath; the air smelled of earth and wild grass.

He walked deeper into the main hall, where there was a secret passage. The entrance was covered by a stone slab, thick with dust. He crouched down, his fingers feeling along the edge of the slab, until he found the protruding mechanism.

With a gentle press, the stone slab made a dull thud and slowly slid away. A dark cave entrance appeared before them, exuding a damp, musty smell.

Zhou Yang lit the torch and jumped down.

The passage was narrow, its walls covered in moss. The firelight illuminated the path ahead, the stone steps leading downwards into the unknown darkness. He could hear his own breathing and the crackling of the burning torch.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a fork in the road appeared ahead. The path on the left was wider, while the one on the right was narrower. He stopped and listened carefully to the sounds from both sides.

A faint gust of wind and a rhythmic dripping sound came from the left. To the right, all was deathly silent; not even the air seemed to move.

He chose the right side.

The passageway narrowed, almost requiring one to turn sideways to pass. The moss on the walls thinned, replaced by strange carvings. In the firelight, these carvings seemed to twist and turn, forming some incomprehensible patterns.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded ahead.

It was very light, but it was definitely there. Zhou Yang immediately extinguished the torch and pressed it against the wall. Darkness instantly swallowed everything; he could only hear his own heartbeat.

The footsteps grew closer, then stopped a short distance away. Someone was breathing faintly in the darkness. Zhou Yang gripped his dagger tightly, ready to strike at any moment.

"Who's there?" a hoarse voice asked.

Zhou Yang did not answer. He moved slowly in the darkness, searching for the other person's location.

"Stop hiding, I can hear you," the voice said again. "Come out and let's talk."

Zhou Yang stopped what he was doing. The voice was unfamiliar, but the tone was calm. It didn't sound like someone from the Heavenly Principle Sect.

"Who are you?" he asked.

A soft laugh came from the darkness: "Someone just like you."

Suddenly, the torch blazed, illuminating an area ten meters ahead. A man in a grey robe stood there, holding the torch. His face was hidden in shadow and could not be seen clearly.

"You're here to collect the fragments too?" Zhou Yang's hand didn't leave the dagger.

"Fragments?" The man shook his head. "I'm looking for something else."

He took two steps forward, the firelight illuminating his face. It was a very ordinary face, so ordinary that it was easily forgotten. But his eyes were unusual; his pupils were silver.

"Who are you?" Zhou Yang asked again.

"A witness." The man stopped. "A lot is going to happen tonight, and I've come to see."

Zhou Yang narrowed his eyes: "You know about tonight's plan?"

"I know a little." The man twirled the torch in his hand. "Liu Zhenhua is here. Black Steel's men are lying in ambush, and Qin Shuang is setting fire to the south of the city. You think you're scheming against others, but actually, others are scheming against you too."

Who exactly are you?

"A person who will tell you the truth." The man's torch suddenly went out, and darkness descended once more. "The Heavenly Principle Cult doesn't just want the fragments; they want what lies beneath the Old Temple."

The footsteps faded into the distance, quickly disappearing into the depths of the passage. Zhou Yang stood still, motionless. In the darkness, he touched the shard in his arms, the metallic feel becoming exceptionally clear.

He relit the torch and continued walking.

At the end of the passage was a stone door. Intricate patterns were carved on the door, resembling some kind of ancient script. Zhou Yang examined them carefully and found that these patterns perfectly matched the map in his memory.

He pressed several marks in a specific order, and the stone door made a dull sound as it slowly opened.

Inside was a vast space. Moonlight streamed in through a crack in the ceiling, illuminating the entire hall. In the center of the hall stood a stone platform, upon which rested a black box.

Zhou Yang walked over, his heart beating a little faster.

He reached for the box, when he suddenly heard a noise behind him.

Turning around, Liu Zhenhua stood in the doorway, a long sword in his hand. Behind him followed more than a dozen skilled members of the Heavenly Principle Sect, each exuding a murderous aura.

"Zhou Yang." Liu Zhenhua's voice was cold. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Zhou Yang didn't speak, his hand already reaching for the dagger in his pocket.

"You think your plan is perfect?" Liu Zhenhua took a step forward. "The Black Steel men have been dealt with, and Qin Shuang is now trapped in the south of the city. This hall is just for you and me."

The firelight danced on the wall, casting wildly swaying shadows. Zhou Yang saw smugness in Liu Zhenhua's eyes, and something deeper.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Someone told me," Liu Zhenhua laughed, "that a man in a gray robe."

Zhou Yang's heart sank.

"Now, hand over the fragments." Liu Zhenhua raised his longsword, its tip gleaming coldly in the moonlight. "I can let you die a quick death."

The moon outside shone even brighter. Through the cracks in the ceiling, one could see a sky full of stars. A night breeze swept through the hall, carrying an ominous air.

Zhou Yang slowly retreated, gripping his dagger tightly. He knew that tonight's battle had only just begun.

Intruding into forbidden area

The moon, round like a cast bronze plate, hung above the old hall. Slender pillars cast dappled shadows, and the moss gleamed a dark green in the silvery light. The wind continued to beat on the nanmu wood door outside the hall, as if someone had been knocking for a while and then forgotten what they were saying.

Zhou Yang lifted his foot and stepped onto the not-quite-closed stone steps. The old temple's entrance had long since collapsed, with only a newly dug passage offering a way to bypass the main gate's guards. His palms were dry, only his mind was racing with calculations. The route predicted by the system resembled a cold, impersonal map, with small blue lights flashing in sequence; he simply followed the highlighted points. His steps were short but steady, the dagger pressed tightly against his skin inside his clothing.

He had expected a trap, that an ancient stone statue might suddenly turn. Instead, the ground was scattered with pebbles, and the bronze bells on either side jingled in the wind, their cold ringing serving as a guard. Before the sound subsided, Zhou Yang had already stepped forward, lightly lifting his foot to crush a copper plate covered with wire. The location he had stepped on matched the map he had seen on the system beforehand; he had avoided the trap, and the rope snapped to one side with a low tearing sound.

He ventured deeper into the passage, following the remaining runes on the ceiling, and turned several small paths. Each time he stopped to examine the area, he would reach into the black cloth bag at his waist, take out a small chip, and light it. The faint light of energy danced within the brass frame, like a small sun guiding him in the next direction. In the darkness, only his own footsteps and the faint blue light before him spoke to each other.

Upon reaching the main hall, all sound suddenly fell silent, and the wind ceased its blowing. The ever-growing eeriness etched white lines into the moss-covered pillars. Tragedy curtains hung between the pillars, their edges dusted with gray powder, like smoke mingled with blood mist. The main hall of the old temple, three stories higher than the outside, was deserted. A large stone slab bearing the temple's name had peeled away, the characters "Ci Ning" barely discernible. Moonlight streamed in through the cracks, illuminating the gray dust and old symbols spread on the floor.

Zhou Yang looked at the temple gate; the large wooden plank had been reinforced with iron hoops. He reached out and touched the plank, feeling a chill. He knew Liu Zhenhua was inside. He sidestepped to the right, found a drafty gap, and squeezed in gently. The air pressed against his shoulders, carrying a musty scent. He didn't light a lamp, but groped around using the faint light from the concealed weapon at his waist.

Upon entering the hall, the cold air felt like a layer of water, pressing down on his eardrums. At the center of the main hall stood a dark red altar, encircled by four bronze pillars. The pillars were wrapped with talismans, the inscriptions long faded, leaving only charred marks. A hole in the ceiling allowed moonlight to stream directly onto the altar. It was a piece of dark gray stone, engraved with mysterious patterns. The air rising from the altar was controlled by Liu Zhenhua, like a pillar of light piercing the sky.

Liu Zhenhua, dressed in black, stood to the side of the altar, his hands raised high. Behind him were four inner hall elders, dressed in dark purple robes, their belts adorned with jade pendants of various patterns. The four men sat cross-legged, their palms pressed to the ground, their fingers constantly drawing talismans. The ground was perfectly clean and open, yet it was also subtly torn apart by energy. When Liu Zhenhua saw Zhou Yang, cracks instantly appeared in his eyes.

"How did you get here?" His voice trembled, his Adam's apple bobbing. He lowered his hands, the moonlight illuminating his battle skirt and revealing the veins on his fists and arms. His breath seemed to be squeezed by someone.

"I've prepared a grand gift for you." Zhou Yang's voice was cold beneath its calm. The night wind blew through the layers of palace walls, ruffling his disheveled hair. He walked to the altar, leaning forward to look directly at Liu Zhenhua. "I wonder if Vice Leader Liu will like it."

Liu Zhenhua moved slightly, his fingers drawing several rapid talismans in the air. The four elders opened their eyes simultaneously, their whites reflecting a deep blue hue. They didn't rise, their bodies seemingly locked in place. Liu Zhenhua roared, leaping forward a step, his fist carrying damp stone dust.

Zhou Yang dodged to the side, stomping his foot and shattering a paving stone. Cracks crawled up to the edge of the altar, scattering dust everywhere. He didn't give his opponent a chance, drawing his short sword from his back; a flash of silver light, and it pierced the air. Liu Zhenhua clasped his hands together, and the energy on the altar instantly transformed into a wave, pushing towards him. The force was like a cat pouncing on him, but Zhou Yang rolled over, lying sideways on the open ground beside the altar, his elbows bracing against the ground, his body sliding along with the force.

He stood up, knowing full well that this battle was a convergence of the "Third Brother's" strength. The four didn't attack; he stepped forward. Liu Zhenhua took a breath, and the thunderous hum on the altar intensified. Suddenly, five clusters of talismanic light appeared behind him, swirling around him. The elders also rose, two of them crossing their palms and waving them, the palm wind carrying low-frequency vibrations.

Zhou Yang raised his hand and slashed, the dagger pressed against his chest gleaming faintly, like a pair of scissors cutting through the air. His movements were as fast as lightning: his left foot stepped onto the edge of the altar, his right foot pushed off the ground, and he launched himself into the air. He spun abruptly in mid-air, the dagger flashing silver, reaching for Liu Zhenhua's arm. In that instant, the surrounding energy was pulled apart, and the elders' hands were instantly twisted.

Liu Zhenhua's pupils contracted slightly as he slammed his palm downwards, imbuing it with the force of wind. He suppressed his energy, but couldn't completely suppress Zhou Yang's slanted trajectory. The instant he was attacked, his shoulder felt a sharp pain, a blur of pain appearing as his shoulder blade split open. His other hand, however, transformed into a blade, slashing towards Zhou Yang's side.

Zhou Yang parried the wind with his short sword and squeezed in. The blade suddenly narrowed, like a sword drawn from a seam of cloth. He leaped through the gap, his toes kicking a corner of the altar, kicking up a wisp of white ash. Liu Zhenhua tried to launch a second attack, but he drew a small talisman from his waist, which flew out and wrapped around Zhou Yang's ankle.

Zhou Yang leaned slightly forward, the talisman tightening, but he snapped it off. He flipped over, sliding backward and landing behind a stone pillar on the other side. The four elders exchanged glances, like seasoned veterans with tacit understanding. The three of them simultaneously chanted incantations, creating a yellow-green halo that surrounded Zhou Yang. The halo contained two or three layers of talismans, intended to neutralize Zhou Yang's rapid movements.

He fixed his gaze on the halo, the moonlight beneath the railing splashing onto his forehead like water droplets. He slowly raised his left hand, his palm revealing a greyish-white mark as if lifting a thin veil. The surrounding runes vibrated with the slight tremor of his hand, as if trying to break free from the elder's control.

"They're all guarding one spot," he whispered, as if to himself. Liu Zhenhua's eyes grew wary; he knew Zhou Yang was looking for an opportunity. At that moment, Zhou Yang suddenly crouched down, dagger in his right hand, one leg slamming into the ground as if collapsing. He twisted his body, his fist shoving towards the talisman that had tripped him. The talisman shattered instantly, symbols scattered, and the force dissipated.

One of the four elders smiled approvingly. He flicked his wrist, and a beam of energy, like a white veil, enveloped Zhou Yang. Zhou Yang leaped backward, hiding behind a pillar. A palm print was left on the pillar. A gust of wind blew, and dust swirled. He felt a cool, damp sweat under his armpits.

"Call them out." Liu Zhenhua struggled to stand up. "Take down the talisman on the altar."

Zhou Yang looked up and saw the talisman on the altar flickering slightly. That was his true objective in coming to the Old Temple. Liu Zhenhua had tried to use the fragment to draw upon divine power, but he hadn't managed to hold it back. A piece of the talisman's edge had been eroded away, like a passage deliberately left by someone. Zhou Yang's own lifespan was a rare bargaining chip in this battle, and his composure told him he had to seize the core of the altar in one fell swoop.

He stomped his left foot and burst out from between the pillars. The elders roared, their figures transforming into several transparent streaks as they pounced on him. As one of them approached, Zhou Yang drew his dagger and stabbed it into an acupoint on the man's leg. The man was instantly rendered lifeless and bent over. Seeing this, the other three surrounded him. At that moment, his right hand pulled a small copper needle from his weapon pouch and hurled it towards the altar.

The copper needle sliced ​​through the air like a thin arrow. Halfway through its distance, it automatically spun, generating an inward pull. Liu Zhenhua noticed this and tried to stop it, reaching out to grab it, but his palm was already raw and blistered. The copper needle pierced a narrow crevice at the edge of the altar, bursting forth with a faint light, and then a burst of talismanic energy was torn apart. The energy on the altar seemed to have been switched on, suddenly reversing and flowing downwards into the ground.

A cloud of black mist erupted from the stone slab beneath the altar, and discarded scrolls were overturned. The four elders were thrown back by the shockwave. Liu Zhenhua's face paled. Zhou Yang seized the opportunity to rush forward, grabbing Liu Zhenhua's wrist and pressing his other hand against the broken part of the talisman. The four could no longer stand and collapsed to the ground. At the center of the altar, a piece of old bronze was revealed, the fragment constantly repairing itself and emitting a faint glow.

What Zhou Yang pulled out was a structure that matched the traces of the fragment. A piece of the talisman shattered, releasing energy, causing the altar to tremble and emit a low rumble. Liu Zhenhua struggled frantically, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He saw Zhou Yang holding the core, his eyes filled with both anger and fear.

"Take it away," Zhou Yang whispered. He could hear the rhythm of his own breathing, like a drumbeat. He saw only the altar and Liu Zhenhua before him, making no attempt to dodge. He temporarily halted his attack, instead subduing the four men to the ground. The elders trembled, as if drained of all their blood.

"I'm late," Liu Zhenhua murmured. Something bobbed in his throat, as if he wanted to say something. Zhou Yang raised the corners of his mouth, reached out and patted the altar, the copper piece gleaming faintly in his palm. He tossed it aside, the copper piece landing next to the broken talisman, mingling with the powder floating in the air.

The moon slowly shifted above the palace roof, its light flickering. A gust of wind blew sand and gravel beyond the distant, broken wall. Zhou Yang loosened the short sword at his waist, his feet no longer pacing. He gazed at Liu Zhenhua, his eyes calm.

Liu Zhenhua stared at him, his Adam's apple bobbing. That night, he had diverted the energy of the old temple elsewhere, and now it had completely collapsed. His breath caught for a second, then he spoke again: "You are not qualified." His voice was like tearing silk, but powerless. Zhou Yang only glanced at him, then turned and walked away. The fragments were warm in his arms, and he memorized the bound voice in his heart.

The moonlight pressed down behind him, casting a long shadow. The aura emanating from the altar finally dissipated, leaving only the shattered talismans scattered on the ground. He stepped out of the temple, the night wind lashing his back like a bucket of cold water. He didn't look back. His steps were slow, yet resolute.

In the darkness outside the door, no one heard him walk out.

The Death of the Vice-Sect Leader

The wind outside the hall stopped.

Liu Zhenhua stared at Zhou Yang, his longsword gleaming blue in the moonlight. Behind him, four black-robed elders spread out in a fan shape, each already gripping their weapons.

"You've chosen the path to heaven, but you won't take it," Liu Zhenhua sneered. "Since you're here, don't even think about leaving."

Zhou Yang stood still, glancing down at the fragment in his arms. The black metal piece was warm to the touch, like a piece of burning charcoal.

"I only want the fragments," he said calmly. "Get out of my way."

"What a joke!" Liu Zhenhua brandished his sword. "Attack!"

The elder on the left was the first to strike. He was nearly nine feet tall and wielded a red copper staff, the wind from which it sent dust flying. His strike carried the force of a mountain splitting, aimed straight for Zhou Yang's head.

Zhou Yang didn't move.

He moved the instant the stick fell.

With his right hand gripping the end of the staff, he gently twisted it. The staff, forged from fine iron, snapped in two, the break as clean as if it had been cut with a knife. Before the elder could react, Zhou Yang's fingers were already gripping his throat.

"Click."

With a crisp crack, the nine-foot-tall man collapsed limply to the ground.

The other three elders' expressions changed drastically. In their decades of medical practice, they had never seen anyone break a piece of refined iron with a single twist. Moreover, the attack just now was incredibly fast; they hadn't even seen Zhou Yang's technique clearly.

"Form the formation!" Liu Zhenhua shouted.

The remaining three elders retreated rapidly, forming a triangular formation. They simultaneously channeled their inner energy, and golden runes instantly appeared on the ground. The runes spread like a spiderweb, trapping Zhou Yang in the center.

"That's interesting." Zhou Yang flexed his wrists.

He knew this was the Three Talents Soul-Locking Formation of the Heavenly Principle Sect. The three people's internal energies were interconnected, so attacking one was equivalent to attacking all three. If it were in the past, he might have been more wary.

But it's different now.

"System, burn ten years of your lifespan," he commanded in his mind.

[Received. Current remaining lifespan: 137 years.]

[Begin deducing the cultivation technique: Half-Corpse Scripture - Perfected Realm]

[Deduction complete]

In an instant, it felt as if a chain within his body had snapped. The corpse poison that had accumulated in his meridians erupted completely, surging from his dantian to his limbs and bones. Dense black lines appeared beneath his skin, wriggling like earthworms.

The half-corpse body has fully awakened.

The three elders attacked simultaneously. Their three streams of internal energy merged into a torrent, transforming into a giant golden sword that slashed down. This sword could split mountains and shatter rocks, easily cutting through metal and breaking stones.

Zhou Yang raised his left hand and waved it gently.

The golden greatsword shattered in mid-air, scattering into countless points of light. The three elders simultaneously coughed up blood and retreated violently. Their faces turned deathly pale, as if they had witnessed the most terrifying thing in the world.

"This is impossible..." the leading elder murmured, "The Three Talents Formation has been broken?"

Zhou Yang didn't give them a chance.

He flashed forward, instantly appearing in front of the elder on the left. His right hand formed a claw, plunging directly into the man's chest. His five fingers tightened, crushing his heart with sheer force.

The second elder turned and ran.

Zhou Yang flicked his finger, and a burst of corpse poison shot out, piercing through the man's back. The man ran three steps before collapsing to the ground.

The third person knelt down.

"Spare me..." he kowtowed repeatedly, "I have elderly parents and young children to support, please don't—"

Zhou Yang didn't even glance at him and walked past him.

The corpse poison spread along the soles of his feet, and the man didn't even utter a sound before his entire body turned into black water.

Only Liu Zhenhua remained in the hall.

"You..." Liu Zhenhua's face was ashen, and his hands trembled slightly. He was the vice leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect, a man of high status. When had he ever witnessed such a bloody scene?

Even more deadly was that his four strongest elders couldn't even last three moves against this young man.

"Not fighting anymore?" Zhou Yang walked towards him. "Hand over the fragments."

Liu Zhenhua gritted his teeth and suddenly channeled his inner strength.

The grand array in the center of the hall was officially activated. This was the foundational array that the Heavenly Principle Sect had worshipped for a hundred years, requiring the blood essence of the Vice Sect Leader to activate. The array's power flowed continuously, and the air within the hall began to distort, as if space itself was about to collapse.

"Boy, no matter how strong you are, you can't withstand this millennium of heritage!" Liu Zhenhua laughed wildly, his laughter filled with madness. "Die with me!"

The energy of the grand formation surged wildly, and the runes on the ground began to burn. The entire hall trembled, and blinding golden light shone through the cracks in the bricks.

Zhou Yang stood in the center of the formation and looked up.

"Boring," he said.

Then he moved.

Instead of charging towards the center of the formation, they charged directly towards Liu Zhenhua.

"No—" Liu Zhenhua's eyes widened, "Are you crazy? The core of the formation is right there!"

Zhou Yang's speed was too fast. So fast that the naked eye could only catch a fleeting afterimage. The corpse poison was circulating within his body, and his physique had long surpassed that of an ordinary martial artist.

"Click!"

He grabbed Liu Zhenhua's wrist and twisted it gently.

Liu Zhenhua's right arm was severed instantly.

Immediately afterward, Zhou Yang's fist struck his chest. His heart shattered in an instant, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"You...you dare to..."

Before he could finish speaking, his body went limp and collapsed.

The grand formation, having lost its master, instantly ceased operation. The golden light within the hall rapidly faded, and the tremors stopped.

Zhou Yang stood beside the corpse and glanced down at it.

Liu Zhenhua could never believe that he would die at the hands of an unknown young man. A large splatter of blood lay on the ground, gleaming darkly in the moonlight.

He bent down and pulled another fragment from Liu Zhenhua's arms.

The third piece.

The system notification sounded the moment the fragment was obtained.

[Discovery of Dragon Spine Fragments (Part 3/5)]

Current remaining lifespan: 127 years

Zhou Yang placed the two fragments together. The black metal pieces hummed, seemingly connected in some strange way.

He turned and walked out of the palace gate.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and the world was pitch black. The sound of a night watchman's clapper could be heard in the distance; it was the third watch of the night.

Zhou Yang stepped on the fallen leaves and slowly left the old temple.

His shadow stretched long behind him, leaving a trail of clear footprints on the ground.

When he reached the bottom of the mountain, he looked back.

Flames shot skyward from the direction of the old temple, a consequence of the collapse of the array's core. The flames illuminated half the sky, appearing particularly dazzling in the darkness.

Zhou Yang remained expressionless and turned to leave.

Dragon spine fragments

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and birdsong echoed through the valley. Zhou Yang stood before the ruins of the old temple, holding in his hand a fragment of the altar he had retrieved from the temple. The fragment was heavy, its surface engraved with ancient dragon patterns.

Qin Shuang stepped forward, squinting as she surveyed her surroundings. Her shoulder armor gleamed pale silver in the dim light. She whispered, "There should be more mechanisms here."

Zhou Yang nodded and gently placed the fragment into the cuff of his robe. Then he turned to the side and brushed away the moss on the stone tablet. A thin crack was revealed behind the stone tablet.

Dark red dampness seeped from the crack, carrying a metallic chill. Zhou Yang leaned closer and smelled the stench of putrid blood. The lifespan system on his chest flashed a pale blue light, warning him of danger.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a rope with thin thread attached. The rope was rusted, yet it could still bear weight. Zhou Yang tied the rope to the stone tablet and gently pulled. The stone tablet slowly moved, revealing a hidden stone slab.

The stone slab was smooth as jade, with runes engraved around its edges. The runes were dim, yet seemed to breathe. Qin Shuang reached out to touch it, feeling a slight vibration at her fingertips.

"This is a seal," Qin Shuang said in a low voice. "It must be broken to retrieve the fragment."

Zhou Yang aligned the dragon-shaped fragment in his hand with the rune. The fragment emitted a pale purple halo, like flowing blood. When the halo touched the rune, the rune instantly lit up and emitted a deep hum.

The stone slab trembled slightly, then with a loud crash, the central stone shattered. Shards scattered, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside lay a palm-sized metal fragment, shaped like a dragon scale.

Zhou Yang bent down, his fingers lightly touching the shards. The metal was cold, yet a surge of heat seeped into his fingertips. The heat burned like flames in his blood, stimulating the underlying algorithms of the lifespan system.

Qin Shuang reached in and removed the fragment. A thin layer of silver light clung to her fingertips, and a strange glint flashed in her eyes.

"This is a fragment of the Dragon Spine," Qin Shuang said in a low voice. "It is said that it can activate the ancient dragon soul."

Zhou Yang placed the fragment into a hidden pocket in his sleeve. The pocket was engraved with runes that could temporarily suppress the fragment's energy leakage.

Just then, a mournful horn sounded from the depths of the valley. The sound was like a knife cutting through the air, carrying a bloody echo.

"Someone's coming." Qin Shuang frowned slightly, gripping her longsword, the blade reflecting a cold light in the morning light.

Zhou Yang's lifespan system flashed blue again. System notification: High-intensity life fluctuations detected.

They quickly turned around and saw several warriors clad in black robes rushing out of the forest. Each of them held a dark red longsword, the tip of which dripped a mist that resembled blood.

Qin Shuang charged forward first, her sword tip drawing an arc. The black-robed warrior's armor was slashed open, and blood splattered on the ground.

Zhou Yang then took out the fragment and held it to his chest. The fragment emitted a blinding purple light, and the beam instantly tore through the black mist in front of him.

The beam of light struck a martial artist in the chest, the flashes of blade and fragments mingling. The martial artist let out a mournful cry as his body turned into black smoke.

The other warriors retreated abruptly, their eyes filled with terror. Qin Shuang seized the opportunity to rush towards their commander. The commander was tall and slender, his face veiled, revealing only a pair of cold eyes.

"Dare to trespass on our forbidden area?" the commander asked coldly.

Zhou Yang didn't answer, but simply pressed the fragment to his chest. The fragment's light suddenly intensified, and the entire valley was enveloped in purple lightning.

Lightning struck the ground, cracking rocks and sending dust flying. The commander's veil was torn, revealing a face etched with ancient patterns.

An ancient dragon emblem adorned his face, shimmering with a dark red light. That light seemed to echo the purple glow of the fragments, the two converging in the air to form a rotating ring.

A scorching shockwave erupted from the center of the talisman ring, spreading outwards. The shockwave engulfed all the black-robed warriors, tearing their sleeves to shreds and turning their bodies to ashes.

Seeing a martial artist still struggling, Qin Shuang rushed over, her sword tip pressed against his throat. The martial artist's eyes instantly went vacant, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Are there any others?" Qin Shuang asked in a low voice.

Zhou Yang looked up at the still-burning wreckage. System notification: Lifespan consumed -12% (approximately three years).

He raised an eyebrow and said with a faint smile, "No matter how many there are, they can't stop me."

The light from the fragments then subsided, leaving fine scale-like patterns on his robe sleeves in the purple afterglow.

The valley returned to tranquility, with only the wind blowing through the broken stone pillars.

Qin Shuang handed the fragment to Zhou Yang and said softly, "How should we use it?"

Zhou Yang gently placed the fragment on the stone slab and pressed his finger on the rune. System notification: Activate Dragon Spine Fragment - Temporarily increase internal strength by 30% (lasts five days).

He closed his eyes, feeling the true energy within his body being absorbed by the fragments. The true energy surged in like a tide, and the coldness in his chest was replaced by a warm current.

A burning pain shot through my body, followed by a feeling of relief.

"That's good," Qin Shuang said with a smile, "Now we can deal with the Heavenly Principle Sect's pursuers."

Zhou Yang stood up and shook the dust off his shoulders. A calculating glint flashed in his eyes.

"Go back and report your success first," he said, "and then hide this fragment well."

Qin Shuang nodded and turned to leave. Her silhouette drew a sharp arc in the morning light.

Zhou Yang carefully collected the fragment and placed it into a box inlaid with silver patterns. The inside of the box was engraved with patterns identical to those on a dragon's spine, which could suppress the fragment's energy leakage for a certain period of time.

He took a deep breath of the cold air and felt the lingering warmth of the valley.

The sound of footsteps echoed on the stone slabs, like the beat of an ancient drum.

Back at the carriage at the foot of the mountain, the horses were ready. The coachman neighed softly, urging them to hurry on their way.

Zhou Yang handed the broken pieces to the coachman and whispered, "Don't let anyone see this."

The coachman nodded, his eyes filled with awe.

The wheels turned, dust billowed, and the carriage slowly drove away.

The distant valley was still burning, and embers swayed in the wind.

Zhou Yang looked up at the sky, where the wispy clouds were tinged with golden-red by the rising sun.

He secretly made a mental note: He already had the Dragon Spine Fragment in his hands; the next step was to find out its true purpose.

The sound of wheels faded into the distance, leaving only the sound of the wind to accompany his thoughts.

He gently stroked the box, feeling a slight pulse at his fingertips, like the heartbeat of a dragon.

"Pay more and you'll become an unparalleled evil god," he muttered to himself. "Today, another piece of the puzzle has been added."

The car wound its way through the mountain roads and into the outskirts of the capital. The streets began to bustle, filled with the shouts of vendors.

Qin Shuang's figure had already disappeared into the buildings ahead.

Zhou Yang's gaze was fixed on the city gate ahead, the lamp on his chest still flickering slightly.

He secretly decided that no matter how the Heavenly Principle Sect pursued him, he would use this fragment to gain more power and benefits.

The leaves on the trees rustled in the wind, like silent applause.

Zhou Yang quickened his pace, the sound of hooves echoing on the stone road, carrying him toward the unknown future.

The aftermath of the old palace

The carriage drove into a narrow alley in the south of the city.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a regular clattering sound. Zhou Yang lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, revealing an inconspicuous teahouse at the end of the alley. It was a two-story building, and the two characters "Qingxin" (meaning "pure heart") on the signboard had faded.

Qin Shuang's carriage was parked in the backyard of the teahouse.

Zhou Yang got out of the car and walked straight through the back gate. The courtyard wasn't large, and a stone table was set up under an old locust tree. Qin Shuang was already there, and standing next to her was a man in tight-fitting clothes, Liu San from the Imperial Guard, known for his quick hands and feet.

Qin Shuang's gaze fell on the wooden box in Zhou Yang's hand.

"Where is it?" she asked softly.

Zhou Yang didn't speak, but placed the wooden box on the stone table and pushed it open. Inside were two fragments, lying quietly like two pieces of scrap metal. Liu San's breath hitched, and his eyes were filled with astonishment.

"Take one piece with you and hide it in the safest place," Zhou Yang said to Qin Shuang. "The other one, Lao Liu, you handle it."

He took out another identical wooden box from his pocket, wrapped one of the fragments in cloth, put it inside, and handed it to Liu San.

"Remember, hide them separately. The farther apart, the better," Zhou Yang added.

Liu San took the box as if it were a piece of burning coal, and nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, sir."

"Also, send someone to the old hall." Zhou Yang's tone was unreadable. "Erase all traces. Burn it down or let it collapse, whatever you want, make sure no one can tell that a battle was fought there."

Qin Shuang understood what he meant. Such a large battle left too many obvious traces. The Heavenly Principle Sect wasn't blind, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard wasn't without spies.

"I will arrange it myself," she said.

Zhou Yang nodded, saying nothing more. He picked up his own fragment, turned, and left. There were no pleasantries, no further explanations. The matter was settled; it was time to go.

Qin Shuang watched his retreating figure, her brows furrowing slightly, but she still waved to Liu San. The two quickly disappeared behind the courtyard gate.

Zhou Yang returned to his residence.

The place wasn't big; it was a small courtyard. The main room was the bedroom, while the side room had been converted into a place for practicing martial arts and storing miscellaneous items. He closed the door and bolted it.

The room was dimly lit. He didn't turn on the light and went straight to the side room. The room contained only a table, a chair, and several weapon racks standing in the corner.

He placed the fragment on the table.

In the darkness, a faint light flickered across the surface of the fragment, as if it were alive. Zhou Yang stretched out his finger and gently touched the edge of the fragment.

It was icy cold, with a metallic sharpness to it.

He closed his eyes, and his heart sank.

"System, deduction."

He didn't speak aloud, but silently recited it in his mind. This was his way of communicating with that mysterious being. The moment the words fell, a chilling sensation spread from his heart, instantly permeating every part of his body.

The darkness before his eyes was dispelled.

A blurry, colossal forge composed of countless rays of light emerged from the depths of his consciousness. He focused his mind on the fragment on the table. The fragment began to vibrate within his consciousness, emitting a low hum.

The buzzing sound grew louder and louder, as if searching for the frequency of its kind.

Zhou Yang felt his life being drained away by an invisible force. It wasn't burning, but a purer form of consumption. His body felt lighter, his skin cold, and his breathing labored. The feeling was terrible, like his soul being slowly ripped from his body.

But he didn't stop.

He suppressed his discomfort and focused all his mental energy on capturing the resonance of the fragments. The frequencies of those vibrations, those faint energy fluctuations, were decomposed and recombined before his eyes, eventually transforming into a complex pattern.

The map is composed of countless fine lines, resembling a circuit diagram or some kind of ancient runes. The ends of the lines point in a vague direction. It is neither a place name nor coordinates, but a representation of a landscape.

A continuous mountain range, dark red in color. Between the mountains lies a vast, dried-up riverbed.

This is the possible location of the fourth fragment.

Zhou Yang suddenly opened his eyes.

A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he managed to grab the table to keep from falling. His forehead was covered in cold sweat, and the back of his clothes was soaked through. The exertion he had just experienced made him feel as if he hadn't slept for three days and three nights.

He was panting heavily when he picked up a pen and a piece of yellow paper from the table. Relying on his memory, he quickly drew the diagram in his mind. His hand trembled slightly, but the lines he drew were exceptionally precise.

After finishing the last stroke, he slumped into his chair.

He looked at the diagrams on the table, then at the fragment. The clues, broken for so long, had finally been pieced together again. The price was at least three years of his life.

Is it worth it?

Zhou Yang twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile that was hard to tell whether it was self-deprecation or smugness. As long as it could bring greater benefits, it was worth it.

He had just put the map away when he heard three soft knocks on the courtyard gate. One long knock followed by two short knocks—a communication signal.

Zhou Yang stood up, walked to the courtyard gate, and asked in a deep voice, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Mouse." A shrill voice came from outside the door.

Zhou Yang opened the door, and a thin, small man slipped in, looking like a real mouse. He kept his head down, not daring to look at Zhou Yang's face.

"My lord, there's news." Mouse took out a wax pill from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

Zhou Yang took the wax pellet, squeezed it open, and found a small roll of paper inside.

He unfolded the note; it contained only a few lines of text.

"All four elders have moved. One went west, and two went south. Also, there is unusual activity in the northern tomb array, as if there is a ritual, but the date is undetermined."

The four elders of the Heavenly Principle Sect finally couldn't sit still any longer. With such heavy losses to the old temple, they couldn't possibly remain silent. Those who went to the west and south were likely there to consolidate their spheres of influence or to track down the person who leaked the information.

The key is the last sentence.

The northern section of the tomb complex.

Zhou Yang tapped the note lightly with his index finger. He had heard some rumors about this place. It was the burial ground for important figures throughout history of the Heavenly Principle Sect, and it was said to be protected by a grand formation, serving as both a cemetery and an important stronghold.

An unusual event, a festival.

The connection between these two words is anything but simple.

"When is the memorial service?" Zhou Yang asked.

"The news hasn't gotten out yet. They're guarding it too tightly." Mouse's voice carried a hint of fear.

Zhou Yang pondered for a moment.

"Go north," he ordered. "Find a way to infiltrate. Whether it's the tomb complex or the surrounding towns, find out the exact date of the festival."

"My lord, it's...very dangerous over there." Mouse's body trembled.

Zhou Yang took out a silver ingot from his pocket and threw it over.

The little mouse hurriedly caught the silver, which felt heavy, and his fear immediately dissipated.

"This is a deposit. After it's done, there will be ten times that amount," Zhou Yang said calmly. "If you don't come back, consider it a final message to me."

He always does this, putting the deal out in the open.

The little mouse clutched the silver coin tightly and nodded vigorously, "Don't worry, sir! I will definitely bring the message back!"

He pulled a black iron plaque from his pocket; it was a token Zhou Yang had given him. "If anything happens, crush it, and my men will come and collect the body."

Zhou Yang took the iron plaque and waved.

The mouse disappeared into the night as quickly as the wind.

The courtyard returned to quiet.

Zhou Yang returned to the house and lit the oil lamp. The dim, yellowish light flickered, casting a long, swaying shadow on the wall.

He spread the paper with the diagram on the table, with a note next to it.

The northern cemetery... a dark red mountain range...

He picked up his pen and drew a heavy circle around the northern part of the map.

Clues seem to be coming together.

He picked up the cold, broken piece of metal from the table and placed it in the firelight. The surface of the piece reflected the flickering light, revealing nothing unusual. But Zhou Yang knew that this piece of "scrap metal" held a huge secret, and also his hope for survival.

A breeze picked up outside the window.

The wind rustled the paper windows. Zhou Yang didn't close the window, letting the night wind blow in, carrying a hint of coolness. He stared at the drawings and notes on the table, motionless, like a statue.

The wick of the oil lamp hissed as it burned, and the flame gradually died down.

Discussion of the embers

The fragments gleamed coldly under the lamplight.

Zhou Yang examined it from all angles more than a dozen times, but couldn't figure it out. It was like a sealed gourd; he couldn't pry it open.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

Qin Shuang pushed open the door and entered, followed by two Imperial Guards covered in blood. Her face was splattered with blood, and her breathing was heavier than usual.

"I've gained something." She slapped a note on the table.

Zhou Yang glanced at it; it depicted the layout of the old palace, with a red circle drawn around a certain spot.

"Dead or alive?"

"Alive. Stubborn to the end, it took some effort." Qin Shuang poured herself a cup of tea and drank it all in one gulp. "That person is an outer agent of the Heavenly Principle Sect, specifically responsible for sending messages to the Old Hall."

"What did you find out?"

"There's a secret passage beneath the old palace that leads to the northern suburbs," Qin Shuang paused, "...the Land of Crimson Moon."

Zhou Yang's brow furrowed. He had seen this name in Fang Tian's notes.

"What else?"

"The scout said there's been some unusual activity there lately. He only knows the general outline," Qin Shuang said, staring at Zhou Yang. "The clues to the Dragon Spine Embers should be there."

Zhou Yang remained silent for a moment, then put the fragment into his pocket.

"Take me to the old temple."

---

The old temple is located twenty miles south of the city; it is an abandoned Taoist temple.

The White Lotus sect once had an incense hall here, but it was burned down by the government. Now only a few charred walls remain, and ashes fall from them when the wind blows.

Qin Shuang cleared the area beforehand. Twenty Imperial Guards hid in the nearby woods, leaving only a few trusted confidants at the scene.

Zhou Yang stood in the ruins, looking around.

"Where is the secret passage?"

Qin Shuang pointed to the blackened ground: "The spies told me it's right below where the incense master used to live. Our people have already dug it up."

The three approached the scorched earth. After lifting a few broken bricks, they indeed revealed a dark hole.

Zhou Yang squatted down, took out the glowing fluorite, and shone it down.

The path led about three zhang deep into the darkness, its winding steps mingling with a musty smell mixed with an indescribable fishy odor.

"The smell of blood." Zhou Yang sniffed.

Qin Shuang nodded: "Someone has gone down there in the last few days."

Zhou Yang stood up and dusted off his hands.

"Let's go back first. The secret passage is there, we can't escape. Let's get things done tonight."

---

It was late at night when we returned to the camp.

Zhou Yang had Qin Shuang send everyone away, and he stayed in the tent alone, fiddling with the stones he had brought back from the old palace.

He set up a simple sound transmission array.

It was called an array, but it was really just a few stones arranged in a specific direction, with the fragment in the middle. Zhou Yang bit his fingertip and dripped a drop of blood onto it.

The fragment jolted.

He waited for half an hour, constantly adjusting the position of the stone. The vibrations of the fragment became more and more regular, and eventually they even faintly matched a certain frequency spectrum.

"Found it," Zhou Yang said in a low voice.

A line of text appeared on the system panel: [The resonance point of the half-cup of remnant soul has been confirmed, located deep within the Crimson Moon ley line in the northern suburbs.]

Zhou Yang stared at the line of text for a while, then turned it off.

Qin Shuang just happened to lift the curtain and come in.

"How is it?"

"The resonance point does exist. What we need is in the Crimson Moon Land." Zhou Yang stood up and stretched his stiff neck. "But the risks are unknown."

"Is it worth the risk?"

"It's worth it." Zhou Yang said without hesitation.

Qin Shuang nodded. She knew Zhou Yang was the kind of person who never did anything that didn't make him a profit. If he said it was worth it, then it was worth it.

"When do we set off?"

"The day after tomorrow. Go discreetly, don't bring too many people." Zhou Yang looked at her, "Make the arrangements."

Qin Shuang responded and turned to relay the order.

As she reached the door, she suddenly stopped: "What about the capital? The Heavenly Principle Sect has been making frequent moves lately; I'm afraid they've gotten wind of it."

"Have spies keep an eye on things," Zhou Yang pondered. "You pick a few trustworthy members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and have them infiltrate the capital. Report any suspicious activity immediately."

"it is good."

After Qin Shuang left, Zhou Yang sat alone in the tent.

He took out the fragment and examined it under the lamplight for a while. The patterns on the fragment were faintly visible in the light and shadow, like some kind of ancient script.

"Dragonspine Embers..."

Zhou Yang read the word aloud and put it away.

---

Two days later, the group quietly left the camp.

Qin Shuang brought six skilled men, while Zhou Yang only brought three knives. They looked like an ordinary group of merchants heading north to do business.

The Crimson Moon Desert is located 300 miles north of the city and is a notorious dead zone.

Legend has it that the area was once an oasis, but for some unknown reason, it turned into yellow sand overnight. Of the caravans that passed through there, eight out of ten never returned.

Zhou Yang rode his horse at the very front of the procession.

Qin Shuang followed behind, occasionally glancing back at her brothers.

"What are you thinking about?" She spurred her horse closer.

"I'm wondering if I can come back alive," Zhou Yang said calmly.

Qin Shuang glanced at him: "You're afraid too?"

"I'm not so afraid as I'd say I am," Zhou Yang smiled. "It's just that after all this fuss, there should be some kind of explanation."

"What do you mean?"

"Secrets, they'll eventually come to light."

Qin Shuang didn't say anything more.

The group traveled on the official road for two hours before turning onto a secluded path.

The entrance to the Crimson Moon Desert is already in sight.

---

Meanwhile, in the capital city.

The Tianli Sect branch received a secret letter.

The secret message contained only four words: "The fish has been caught in the net."

A moment later, a carrier pigeon soared into the sky and flew towards the northern suburbs.

The desert wind has risen.

Undercurrents in the Capital

The nights in the capital are deeper than elsewhere.

Zhou Yang huddled on the beam of the City God Temple, covered in cobwebs. It was still three miles from the imperial city, yet he could faintly hear the water clock ticking from within the palace walls.

As he counted to the third, the temple door creaked open.

An old man selling tofu entered, carrying an empty carrying pole, his steps hurried. The old man went straight behind the statue of the deity, reached under the incense table, and pulled out an oil paper package.

Zhou Yang didn't move. He was waiting for someone.

Another incense stick burned, and another person entered the temple. This person was dressed in short clothes with a dirty cloth belt around his waist, looking like a porter. He went straight to the incense table, placed three copper coins, and kowtowed.

"How's business?" the porter asked without looking up.

"The same as always." The old man came out from behind the statue and threw the oil paper package on the table.

The porter picked up the paper package, weighed it in his hand, and turned to leave.

Zhou Yang then quietly slid down from the roof beam, landing silently. He walked to the incense table, where a piece of paper remained, pressed down by the porter when he kowtowed.

It reads: Tomorrow at noon, at the West Market.

This was the information channel Qin Shuang gave him. Simple and discreet, just like when the two of them were in Anyang County.

Zhou Yang tore the note into pieces, stuffed it into his mouth, and swallowed it. The old tofu man was someone he had planted, specifically to deliver messages. And that porter was probably one of Qin Shuang's men.

The next day, Zhou Yang changed his identity. He became a candied hawthorn seller, squatting at the West Market entrance all morning.

As noon approached, the crowd suddenly became restless.

A troop of soldiers led the way, followed by several eunuchs carrying large boxes. The procession headed east, towards the palace.

Zhou Yang narrowed his eyes. He recognized the leading eunuch as the deputy chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department. He rarely came out, but today he was personally escorting the shipment; the contents of the box were no ordinary item.

He caught up with the group, keeping a distance of three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

The procession entered the palace, and Zhou Yang could no longer follow. He turned into a nearby alley, took out a piece of silver, and handed it to a beggar squatting against the wall.

"Which palace did that group of people go to?"

The beggar took the silver, his eyes lighting up. "Sir, it looks like they went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Every year at this time, they send sacrificial vessels there."

Zhou Yang nodded and turned to leave.

Imperial Ancestral Temple. Sacrificial rites. Sacrificial vessels.

Several words swirled in his mind. The imperial court was about to hold a sacrificial ceremony, and it was a major event. At such a time, the Heavenly Principle Sect certainly wouldn't be idle.

That evening, Zhou Yang went to the City God Temple again.

This time he brought two jugs of wine and a bag of peanuts. He sat on the roof beam, drinking and observing.

Just after midnight, an unexpected person came to the temple.

The man was dressed in the flying fish robe of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with an embroidered spring knife at his waist, and walked with a swagger. Zhou Yang recognized him; he was a captain under Qin Shuang, named Zhao Liu.

Zhao Liu walked around the temple, left something on the incense table, and then left.

Zhou Yang waited until he was far away before getting down.

On the incense table was a wooden plaque with the words "Blood Shadow Guard, Dragon Spine Pursuit Team, Qingqiu Ancient Well" engraved on the back.

Zhou Yang's fingers traced over the engravings.

The Blood Shadow Guards were a secret unit of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, specializing in dealing with cults. The Dragon Spine Pursuit Team... he'd heard of that name before; it was an organization within the Heavenly Principle Sect specifically tasked with tracking down fragments of the Dragon Spine.

The two groups are to travel together to Qingqiu Ancient Well.

It's located in the northern suburbs of the capital, an abandoned ancient well. Legend has it that a princess once threw herself into it, and it was abandoned afterward. Zhou Yang used to play there when he was a child; the well was bottomless, and you could throw stones in and not hear a sound for ages.

Why choose that location?

Zhou Yang recalled the secret order he had received a few days ago: the imperial court was to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony. The Heavenly Principle Sect had been secretly infiltrating the court for years, and they certainly wouldn't let this opportunity pass them by.

The Blood Shadow Guards and the Dragon Spine Pursuit Team are escorting the sacrificial artifacts together... This isn't right. Why would the Embroidered Uniform Guards cooperate with the Heavenly Principle Sect?

Unless... someone is impersonating him.

Zhou Yang immediately thought of a possibility. Members of the Heavenly Principle Sect disguised themselves as Imperial Guards and infiltrated the palace. Then, under the guise of the Dragon Spine Pursuit Team, they transported away the real sacrificial artifacts.

Qingqiu Ancient Well is a transit point.

He wanted to verify this hypothesis.

On the third day, Zhou Yang got up very early. He went to the northern suburbs and hid in the woods near the Qingqiu Ancient Well.

This place is desolate; there isn't even a decent road. The wellhead is overgrown with weeds, and a few crooked trees grow from the cracks in the rocks.

Zhou Yang waited for two full hours before he heard footsteps.

Two groups of people arrived.

The first group was indeed the Imperial Guards, led by a stranger, but his flying fish robes were exquisitely crafted and likely genuine. They were carrying three large boxes.

The second group came from another direction, all dressed in black with their faces covered. The leader had a token hanging from his waist, which Zhou Yang couldn't see clearly, but he could feel that familiar, chilling aura.

They are members of the Heavenly Principle Sect.

The two groups met at the wellhead.

"Did you bring the things?" the man in black asked, his voice hoarse.

"Act according to the agreement," said the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The man in black waved, and his men stepped forward to inspect the box. After confirming that everything was in order, they carried the box toward the ancient well.

Zhou Yang frowned. Something was wrong. If they were fake Imperial Guards, they wouldn't be this cautious. If the Heavenly Principle Cult wanted to steal something, they wouldn't be engaging in such a peaceful transaction.

Could it really be a collaboration?

He continued to observe.

The men in black placed the box into the well, but strangely, it didn't sink; instead, it remained at the well's edge. One of the men in black jumped into the well, and moments later, the box disappeared.

It's like there's some kind of mechanism at the bottom of the well.

Zhou Yang's heart sank. There was something wrong with this well.

He recalled a legend he had heard as a child, that the ancient well in Qingqiu connected to the underworld. Now it seemed that it might be connected to some stronghold of the Heavenly Principle Sect.

The two teams completed their missions and departed.

Zhou Yang didn't follow. He had more important things to do.

That evening, he sent a message to Qin Shuang through the old beggar: tomorrow at noon, at the teahouse in the south of the city.

He had to tell her about the discovery in person.

The next day at noon, Zhou Yang arrived at the teahouse first. He asked for a seat by the window and ordered a pot of tea.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Qin Shuang arrived. She was dressed in a simple cloth dress, with light makeup on her face, looking like an ordinary young lady.

"Is the information reliable?" Qin Shuang sat down, her voice very low.

"I saw it with my own eyes." Zhou Yang pushed the teacup forward. "The Heavenly Principle Sect and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are indeed cooperating."

"Impossible." Qin Shuang shook her head. "There's no mole within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I've investigated."

"Then it wasn't an inside job," Zhou Yang said. "It was someone above giving orders."

Qin Shuang paused for a moment as she held the teacup.

"you mean..."

"There are people in the imperial court colluding with the Heavenly Principle Sect," Zhou Yang stated directly. "The sacrificial ceremony is a pretext; they want to use this opportunity to smuggle something out of the capital."

"What is that?"

"I don't know. But it's definitely related to the Dragon Spine fragments." Zhou Yang looked out the window. "The Dragon Spine Hunting Team is specifically responsible for this."

Qin Shuang fell silent.

She took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth. "There is indeed a very special sacrificial artifact in the palace. It's a jade disc, said to be a sacred object from the previous dynasty."

"Jade disc?" Zhou Yang thought of something.

"Yes, there's a hole in the middle of the jade disc, and its shape is quite strange," Qin Shuang pointed with her finger, "like a gap in a jigsaw puzzle."

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat. He took out the fragment of the dragon's spine from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The shape of the fragment perfectly matched the notch Qin Shuang had gestured.

"That's it." Qin Shuang's eyes lit up.

"Is that jade disc in the Imperial Ancestral Temple?" Zhou Yang asked.

"Yes, but the security is very tight."

"No need to rob them." Zhou Yang collected the fragments. "We already know their plan."

"What plan?"

"They want to transport the jade disc out of the capital, via the Qingqiu Ancient Well," Zhou Yang said. "We can start there."

Qin Shuang shook her head: "It's too risky. That place is definitely a key location for the Heavenly Principle Sect."

"So we can't force our way in," Zhou Yang laughed. "We have to let them bring it out themselves."

He leaned closer to Qin Shuang and whispered his plan.

Qin Shuang's eyes grew brighter and brighter after hearing this.

Is it feasible?

"It's worth a try," Zhou Yang said, taking a sip of tea. "After all, we've been through so much already."

Qin Shuang looked at him and suddenly said, "You're afraid too?"

Zhou Yang paused for a moment: "I'm not afraid. I just feel there should be some explanation."

"What do you mean?"

"Secrets, after all, have to be exposed eventually."

Qin Shuang didn't say anything more, but simply finished drinking the tea in her cup.

The two got up and left, one after the other, exiting the teahouse. As they parted ways on the street, Qin Shuang suddenly turned back and whispered:

Be careful.

Zhou Yang nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

Back at the City God Temple, Zhou Yang climbed onto the roof beam again. He took out the fragment from his pocket and examined it carefully in the moonlight.

The edges of the fragment are worn, indicating its great age. However, the patterns on it are still clear, resembling some ancient script.

He thought of Fang Tian, ​​the leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect who died at his hands. It was Fang Tian who gave him this fragment, and also this trouble.

Now, this trouble is finally coming to an end.

Once he obtains that jade disc and pieces together the complete dragon spine, he will know all the secrets.

This includes this system, and everything in this world.

Zhou Yang carefully put away the fragments and closed his eyes.

The night breeze blew in through the broken window, carrying the scent of incense from the temple. He recalled the first time he met Qin Shuang, the days in Anyang County, and all that had happened along the way.

It's almost over.

He had this feeling in his heart, a very strong one.

Like the calm before the storm, all the clues are beginning to converge, and all the foreshadowing is coming to an end.

The Heavenly Principle Sect, the Imperial Court, the Dragon Spine Fragment, and his lifespan system.

All of this will come to an end.

Zhou Yang opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the imperial city.

The place was brightly lit, like a giant beast lying in wait.

In the darkness, even more eyes are watching.

This grand drama is finally coming to an end.