Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

It is his portrait, with several medals displayed next to it.

"You brat..."

The father laughed through his tears, "Well done, you didn't bring shame to the Li family..."

Li Yuan quietly looked at his father, the strict father who never praised him even when he got a perfect score. Now, his father was holding his portrait, his shoulders trembling, and large tears were falling onto the photo.

"You are my pride." The father stroked the photos and medals. "You always have been."

"During the fierce hostage rescue operation in Southeast Asia, you survived being shot multiple times and remaining in a coma for six months. Even while recuperating in Southeast Asia, you resolutely accepted a mission and emerged unharmed. How could you suddenly die in an accident while on your return flight via Malaysia, when you were in good health? We demand to see you alive or dead—where are you?"

"dad……"

Li Yuan's throat tightened, and he was about to drift over.

Suddenly, the world spun around.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the main hall of the Myriad Realms Palace.

The golden pupils hovered above the stone steps, silently watching him: "Congratulations, you've passed the third level."

That's it?

Li Yuan was somewhat surprised; compared to the previous two levels, this one was so simple that he could hardly believe it.

But upon closer reflection, it was actually to be expected.

"Three questions, feel free to ask?"

"Yes."

"You can ask me any questions, but think it through before you answer."

There was no emotion in Li's eyes; her answer was mechanical.

"What exactly is the Myriad Realms Palace?"

Li Yuan blurted out the question. This question had been weighing on his mind since the beginning of his transmigration. He had asked it the first time he met Li.

But at that time, they only said that the time was not yet right before they parted.

Li raised his head, his pupils reflecting billions of starlight, the starlight converging and intertwining, like a vast painting.

"The Palace of Myriad Realms originated from the beginning of chaos, and was born from heaven and earth."

Li's voice carried a desolate quality from ancient times. Li Yuan was startled. He had thought that the Myriad Realms Palace had a significant background and was likely a divine-level magic weapon.

But he never expected that it would have such an extraordinary background.

"It was originally the palace of the goddess Nuwa."

"What? You mean... Nuwa?"

Li Yuan was so shocked that he couldn't speak. He had seen this palace in the murals in the underground palace of Locked Dragon City years ago, where it floated above the demon god.

This left him with a lingering suspicion that the Myriad Realms Palace was connected to the Demon God.

But now Li tells him that this is the palace of Nuwa.

This name carries too much weight for the human race, as heavy as an ancient mountain, making it hard for them to breathe.

Li continued.

"Empress Nuwa once stayed here for ten thousand years, and this palace also guarded several realms with her. Later, Empress Nuwa disappeared, and the palace of all realms lost its master, so it began to choose its own master."

"Choose its own master?" Li Yuan was shocked again. "You mean, the Myriad Realms Palace chose me on its own?"

"Then why did it choose me?"

Li Yuan looked confused. He was just an ordinary soldier. Why was he chosen?

Faced with his question, Li's tone unusually showed a slight fluctuation.

"The Myriad Realms Palace possesses its own spirit and will choose its own master. As its spirit, I only know that it chose you, but I do not know why it chose you."

It seems that even Li doesn't know the reason.

Li said slowly, "But there is one thing I can tell you: in the tens of thousands of years since Nuwa disappeared, you have not been the only master chosen by the Myriad Realms Palace."

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat, but upon reflection, it made perfect sense.

He wasn't arrogant enough to think he was some kind of chosen one, a peerless genius, comparable to Nuwa.

"What happened to the previous owners?"

He was genuinely curious; if the Myriad Realms Palace already had a master, it wouldn't have chosen him again.

And where did their former masters go? Will they ever walk the same path again?

"They are all dead, lost in the river of time."

Li's gaze was icy. "Because in the end, no one can truly control the power of the Myriad Realms Palace. Some people are not skilled enough and try to seize it by force, while others are not determined enough and are devoured by the power of the Myriad Realms."

"And some have gone astray, becoming a scourge upon all realms." Li sighed, a hint of weariness in his voice. "Each time, I hope it's the last one."

No wonder Li is always so indifferent; as a spirit of the artifact, he is more like an observer.

It seems they've been disappointed too many times and have become numb.

It seems that the ultimate mission of the Myriad Realms Palace is extremely difficult, and generations of geniuses have failed and perished.

Since those people had failed, what about him? Could he do it? He dared not think about it, but a voice in his heart answered for him: no matter what, he had to try.

Even if he ultimately fails, at least he can have a clear conscience.

"Alright, my second question is about the gods who ascended to heaven in Dragon Lock City back then. How did they all end up connected to the Heavenly Ladder?"

Li's expression changed slightly, his eyes sparkling like stars, seemingly surprised that Li Yuan could ask such a question.

"The Heavenly Ladder is the legendary path that connects all worlds."

"Connecting to all worlds?"

Can there really be such a magical thing in the world?

"Yes, this world is very ancient and special. It was once a transit point for all worlds. From this world, one can travel to all the heavens and myriad worlds."

As Li recounted his story, an ancient secret was revealed: "The Heavenly Ladder is the only passage for the gods. In ancient times, the gods could freely travel between all realms."

"But later, the Heavenly Ladder had a problem, which affected not just one realm, but the entire starry sea."

Li's voice grew increasingly low: "As the chief goddess of all realms, Nuwa had an inescapable responsibility. She ascended the heavenly ladder alone to find a way to restore order, and never returned."

Li Yuan's heart tightened.

"Could it be... that she has perished?"

"I don't know."

Li shook his head. "All I know is that since Nuwa left, the problem with the Heavenly Ladder has become more and more serious. Over the thousands of years since, gods have followed the path she took to search for it, but none of them have returned."

Finally, the remaining gods joined forces to seal the passage to prevent more people from being drawn in.

"Where is the ladder to heaven?"

Li Yuan couldn't help but press for more information.

"I have no idea."

He remained calm.

Li Yuan was taken aback.

"Since the seal was placed, the entrance has been hidden. With the death of the last god, no one has known where the entrance to the Heavenly Ladder is anymore."

After all that talk, Li Yuan was disappointed to find that the Heavenly Ladder was still missing. If he could find it, would it mean that he could find his way home through the Myriad Realms Passage?

He then changed the subject, saying, "However, as far as I know, there may be clues in the sacred lands of the demon race. Their history is far older than that of the human race, passed down from ancient times to the present day, generation after generation. Many ancient secrets have been passed down from generation to generation, among which there may be records about the Heavenly Ladder."

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "The sacred land of the demon race? Could it be located within the Demon Court?"

"No, the legendary Western Ice Plains is where the Starry Sky Demon Emperor came from."

The Demon Emperor of the Stars?

He actually came from the sacred land of the demon race. Could it be that he knows the secret of the Heavenly Ladder?

Li Yuan secretly resolved that he would ask the Demon Emperor Chen Su clearly the next time he saw him. He stopped hesitating and asked the final question.

"My third question is, what exactly happened to the plane I was on? Did you know about this accident beforehand and wait for me at the bottom of the sea, taking me to the Tang Dynasty? Did the others perish or travel to other places? Can I return to the 21st century?"

"You've already asked your question."

"What?!"

Li Yuan was taken aback. After thinking for a moment, he realized that he had indeed asked all three questions.

It seems these are questions he'll have to answer himself, Li Yuan thought with a wry smile.

"Back in the secret realm, do you remember the one thing you promised me?"

Li Yuan nodded. He had indeed reached an agreement with Li that when he was able to do something for Li in the future, he would have to do it.

"Remember."

"Now, I'm sending you to carry out..."