“You sure have a whole lot of questions. Your wife will really be dead if you continue dawdling here,” remarked Mi Li.
Zu An’s heart palpitated in unease when he recalled the situation Chu Chuyan was in. Not daring to waste any more time, he leaped into the air and grabbed the metal chain with one hand and the Tai’e Sword with the other.
The moment his hand came into contact with the sword’s handle, his entire body suddenly jerked, and his mind was plunged into chaos. By the time he finally snapped out of it, he realized that he was no longer in the underground palace but a resplendent hall.
He couldn’t construe words that could aptly describe just how grand the hall was. It made him feel incomparably insignificant, as if he was no more than a speck of dust before everything else.
“You’re here,” an authoritative voice suddenly sounded.
Zu An immediately turned his gaze over. A Dragon Throne was placed at the forefront of the hall, and a black-robed man was seated upright on top of it. His very presence was overpowering, as if everything in the world was under his thumb.
Woah, his disposition is indeed top-notch. He’s able to look cool just by sitting there. If only I could learn half of his skills—no, even 10% would suffice—I would be the coolest kid on the street!
“Who are you?” asked Zu An with narrowed eyes.
The man seated on the Dragon Throne had his appearance veiled by a layer of mist, making it impossible to discern his looks. However, Zu An soon noticed the Five-clawed Golden Dragon[1] embroidered on the man’s black robe, and a thought surfaced in his mind. “You are the Founding Sovereign Emperor?”
“It matters not who I am,” replied the name donned in the dragon robe. “What’s important is that you’re here.”
Zu An gulped.
What the hell is going on here? Has he found out that I’m intending to save his empress, so he’s going to kill me now? Wait a moment, I even teased Mi Li earlier on! Could he have been spying on me all this while? Goddamnit, I’m a goner then!
The man wearing the dragon robe rose to his feet, which sent Zu An retreating several steps out of fear. It was just that this hall was freakishly huge, such that he was unable to find the exit even after scanning the area.
“You need not fear. I don’t plan to take your life.” Seeing right through Zu An’s worries, the man wearing the dragon robe said. “A man who can overcome the Human, Earth, and Heaven Seal is one who is wise and blessed with luck. You’re worthy of the undertaking.”
“Regarding that… I’m still lacking in terms of training, so I fear that I’m going to let down your expectations. Why don’t you find another person instead?” asked Zu An hesitantly.
Given how gravely the man wearing the dragon robe was speaking, he figured that the other party was going to issue an incredibly difficult mission. It’s probably something that will require me to charge through the fields of hell or something. No way I’m going to do that!
“Very well,” replied the man in the dragon robe.
Zu An was surprised, not expecting the other party to be so easy to negotiate with. He quickly added, “Since that’s the case, I’ll be taking my leave now.”
After saying those words, he turned around and quickly speed walked away.
However, the resounding roar of a dragon suddenly sounded—the man in the dragon robe had drawn his sword. Puffs of smoke was stirring in front of Zu An, and vaguely he seemed to see an entire army staring quietly at him.
A descent of his sword, and all nobles shall rush westward[2]!
For some reason, Zu An couldn’t help but remember a poem he had read in his previous life.
It was then that the man spoke with cold authority, “No one in the world can reject me. The only fate that awaits those who dares is death!”
“I-I was just joking earlier! Elder, please feel free to ask anything of me! Be it scaling a mountain of swords or descending in a sea of flames, I’ll do it without batting an eyelid!” Zu An immediately changed his words right away.
A black object suddenly flew in Zu An’s direction, and he subconsciously reached out to grab hold of it. It was only after catching it that he realized that it was a sword. When he raised his head once more, he realized that the man in the dragon robe wasn’t holding onto anything anymore.
The sword Zu An was holding right now was the same one that the man in the dragon robe had unsheathed earlier, and upon closer examination, he realized that it was actually the Tai’e Sword!
“With Tai’e in hand, seek out West Houndhill[3], and you’ll know what you must do,” said the man in the dragon robe.
1. The Five-clawed Golden Dragon is a symbol reserved specifically only for the emperor.
2. This is a description praising Qin Shihuang, saying that all nobles would rush to Xianyang to submit to the Qin Country at his orders.
3. This is the place where Qin Feizi’s father, Da Luo, lived with his brothers. Qin Feizi is the founding king of the Qin Country.