The great coral reef sat atop the ocean like a mountain range, with a dignified and stable appearance.

Little did anyone know, it was actually home to a daredevil of the highest order.

With pinpoint accuracy, this individual pierced the Emperor's lung with just one sentence.

Bullseye!

Xuan Ji didn't even have time to see the expression on Sheng Lingyuan's face before he was engulfed in a thick black fog.

Perhaps the last time Sheng Lingyuan was this angry was when he executed King Wei Yu by a death of a thousand cuts.

The demonic energy swallowed up half of the White Jade Palace, and for a moment, darkness enveloped everything.

Everyone was forced to go blind.

The chatty mermaid's song abruptly stopped, and the temperature dropped sharply. The sea froze over, turning into a polar ice cap with jagged glaciers stretching as far as the eye could see. The frozen layer was so thick that people standing on it felt like they were on land!

For the first time, the elite field agents experienced the power of the ancient gods and demons up close during the chaotic battles of that era.

As the black mist swept over them, the icy cold killing intent seemed to seep into every pore, and even the slightest movement could result in being torn apart!

However, Xuan Ji paid no attention to the black mist and charged forward recklessly. The flames on his wings first burned white-hot before suddenly extinguishing, revealing a brilliant color underneath.

Feathers fluttered down onto Sheng Lingyuan, and Xuan Ji was the first to claim the territory.

'Close at hand, yet out of reach'...

Could this be...

Could this be what he had imagined?

Xuan Ji's heart was about to burst out of his chest. He knew all too well how easy it was for people to project their own thoughts onto others.

When he was infatuated with that person, he would always imagine that the other person felt the same way and would read too much into their every word and action.

Xuan Ji constantly reminded himself to restrain these self-indulgent thoughts, lest he become pitiful.

When he noticed that Sheng Lingyuan was deliberately keeping his distance, he had assumed that the emperor was simply very perceptive and had somehow discovered his hidden desires, and was intentionally suppressing them without showing any signs.

Sheng Lingyuan, the feudal emperor, had a common occupational disease - he never spoke clearly and only gave vague hints. He was always cautious and never committed to anything, leaving himself plenty of room to maneuver.

Xuan Ji was fed up with his politician-like hypocrisy and all the little tricks he played. He just wanted the emperor to come down from his throne in the clouds and have an honest conversation with him, even if it was just to say, "Stop daydreaming and get lost."

He never thought... no, he never dared to hope...

Xuan Ji had a pair of hands that could withstand boiling oil and grab hot chestnuts from the fire without getting burned. Over time, he became fearless and daring, and he grabbed the raging demon from behind.

Sheng Lingyuan struggled fiercely and swung an invisible long blade back at him, shouting, "How dare you!"

Even the Demon King with 999 heads once trembled in such a fierce atmosphere, but Xuan Ji, with only one head, proved to be braver than Jiu Xun in a critical moment.

He didn't dodge or hide, instead he kicked and elbowed, locking his arms around Sheng Lingyuan's chest and forcefully twisting the Emperor's chin!

"I must be looking for death," Xuan Ji thought clearly in the center of the storm, "Oh well, then let me die."

The blades formed by the black mist grazed the edges of his wings as he bravely stopped the scolding from the Emperor with lips that were almost burnt.

The chilling intent to kill automatically recoiled upon touching him, and his flesh remained unscathed, but his soul exploded like fireworks across the river.

Without thinking, Sheng Lingyuan closed his teeth slightly.

Before he could bite down, Xuan Ji cut his own tongue on his teeth, and the taste of blood rushed out.

The emperor was stunned by this sudden move, forgetting for a moment that they couldn't draw blood from each other.

With the door to his mind wide open and no defenses, all the pain and longing he had hidden, the burning desire and cautious avoidance, even the deep-seated consciousness that he had buried deep within himself, all of it was suddenly unearthed.

The Heavenly White Jade Palace, which was on the brink of destruction, shrank into a ball in fear. The "path" that had extended out quickly retracted, pulling the four deadly "guests" back in the chaos.

The powerless black mist dissipated suddenly, and Sheng Lingyuan, who had regained his senses, twisted Xuan Ji's wrist and knocked him out with an elbow.

Xuan Ji followed his force and floated weightlessly in the air. His huge wings opened up, and he slid a distance in mid-air before landing on a snow-white coral reef. He wiped his fingers on his rosy lips, and his family emblem and feathers shimmered with the same fiery color, dazzling to the eye.

If he had a cannon to blast him into the sky, he could push the Golden Crow down and become the sun himself.

Sheng Lingyuan was trembling all over, unable to distinguish whether he was furious or unable to control his emotions.

The taste of the bird filled his mouth and nose, and he couldn't speak, afraid of accidentally swallowing the poisonous substance that could seal his throat with blood.

After recovering from the suppressed memory that had frightened him, the Emperor's migraine had not occurred for a while.

But now, the quiet nerve in his brain couldn't take it anymore and began to twitch uncontrollably.

Just as Sheng Lingyuan was trying to gather all his scattered thoughts, he 'heard' Xuan Ji say directly in his mind, "I've finished reading it."

At that moment, there was a slight sound not far away, and Yan Qiushan and his group were also brought into the Heavenly White Jade Palace.

Yan Qiushan couldn't understand the language of the merfolk. He had no idea what was going on and only knew that the merfolk had said something they shouldn't have, which angered the other person.

It almost caused the 4,000-year-old Heavenly White Jade Palace to become a condemned building. Then, somehow, the other person calmed down and the deadly black mist dissipated.

Yan Qiushan found himself inexplicably inside the palace.

His first reaction was not to look around, but to lower his head and look at the wooden doll in his arms.

When he saw it, his heart skipped a beat. The doll was "dead," lifeless, and limp in his arms, with its flexible joints hanging down.

"Zhi Chun! Zhi Chun..." A familiar hand reached out in front of him, hesitatingly waving in front of his eyes.

Yan Qiushan held his breath and slowly reached out to grab it... but he grabbed nothing. The hand looked like a lifelike 3D projection, visible but untouchable.

Yan Qiushan slowly followed the hand up to find the owner of the arm and hand.

Zhi Chun...long-lost Zhi Chun, half-kneeling just an arm's length away from him, as if within reach.

His hair was soft, and his features were just as soft.

In Yan Qiushan's pupils, he saw his own reflection.

For a moment, Zhi Chun couldn't bear it and had to look away, tears welling up in his eyes.

With outsiders present, Xuan Ji retracted his wings, which had been spread out, and hung them low-key on his back, not retracting his shoulder blades. His wings had poked holes in his shirt, and the smell of it suggested that some parts might have been burnt.

If he fully retracted his wings, he would have to show his back, which would be a kind of performance art.

He wasn't shy, but mainly in front of Lingyuan, he had to show himself elegantly, not in a comical way.

'I understand exactly how he feels,' Xuan Ji glanced at Zhi Chun, his emotions pouring out to Sheng Lingyuan without reservation, "Others fantasize about climbing to the top of the world, carving their names on monuments, and becoming rich and powerful. We, on the other hand...this kind of 'existence' also has an unattainable fantasy."

"I dream of one day seeing my reflection in your eyes. With just one glance, I would do anything, no matter how many times I have to risk my life..."

"Shut up!" Sheng Lingyuan couldn't take it anymore.

The usually composed emperor's chest visibly heaved with anger.

After a moment of silence, he could only curse, "Absurd!"

After cursing, he started reciting the ancient texts in his mind, took control of his thoughts, and walked away without looking or listening.

'Your Majesty, these past few days you have abandoned your previous gentle demeanor,' thought Xuan Ji to himself.

However, despite being scolded and beaten, he felt more and more invigorated, as if he was on a journey of a thousand miles with the finish line in sight.

Suddenly, he felt as though his three thousand years of life had been lived in vain, leaving behind nothing but dust. But with a single cleansing, he was almost transformed back into the reckless youth he once was.

"Captain Yan, let's go!" Xuan Ji called out to Yan Qiushan and the others, not particularly concerned with being composed. "We're almost at the land of the weapon spirits, and they're legitimate tool refiners. They don't use the same ways as those slave owners who refine living sacrifices. Who knows, they might have a way to help you rebuild Zhi Chun's body. Once we're there, you can stay and watch for as long as you want! Don't dawdle!"

Walking through a long corridor, they finally arrived at the main entrance of the Heavenly White Jade Palace. The door was made of white jade and adorned with coral and pearls. The ancient Mountain language was used to write the four big characters "Heavenly White Jade Palace" on it.

The Heavenly White Jade Palace had its own consciousness and was just cleaned up by Sheng Lingyuan.

It trembled at the sight of the emperor and dared not let the emperor himself knock on the door. Like an automatic sensor, as soon as Sheng Lingyuan lifted his eyes, the door creaked open on its own, respectfully welcoming the guests inside.

The ordinary coral reefs have many gaps, but the Heavenly White Jade Palace's large coral is a strange kind. Only the outer circle is rough, and as you go further in, the gaps on the coral reef become smaller, making it look denser and more natural.

Once you enter the main hall, it's almost impossible to tell whether it's artificial or natural. It's all one piece, with the floor and walls having a color between sheep fat jade and white agate, and smooth enough to reflect light.

Carved on the dome are various mermaids, each with a different expression, angry or happy, vivid and lifelike.

They are so realistic that it's hard to tell whether it's the craftsmanship or some secret technique that turned living mermaids into snow-white specimens. It's a bit creepy to look at.

The grand hall - according to human understanding, it should be similar to an ancestral temple, except that the tablets are not erected here. There are many human-sized holes in the walls, each with a silent "artifact" placed inside. At first glance, it looks a bit like a museum display stand.

Not only weapons, but also ancient musical instruments, bronze mirrors, jade fans, and other objects, all exquisite and beautiful.

The ancient Mountain people were born in the Heavenly White Jade Palace, grew up watching the mermaids, and was also a talented and skilled clan, carving "exquisite" into their bones.

But when Sheng Lingyuan looked around, he felt that most of these objects lacked spirit.

"Your Majesty, Vermilion Bird Young Master, and these two young friends," an old voice rang out.

A ghostly old man appeared on a large clock on the wall, with white hair and his lower body still inside the clock.

He nodded to the guests and said, "I apologize for not being able to greet you properly due to my old age and physical limitations. I am the twelfth generation leader of this clan of sinners, and I have not left this clock for nearly five thousand years. I can no longer use my legs."

As a spirit of an artifact, Zhi Chun was very sensitive to the aura of other artifacts. Unlike Xuan Ji, who was originally a demon sword, the artifact spirit here gave him a very familiar feeling.

He couldn't help but ask, "What happened to your legs?"

"Their gone." The old man inside the clock smiled kindly at him. "We stay inside our artifacts all year round and rarely show ourselves. After a long time, we forget the feeling of our body and the corresponding parts disappear. The eleven ancestors before me have already returned to the sea, otherwise it wouldn't be my turn to receive you all."

His words struck everyone's blind spot of knowledge.

What kind of bizarre death is this?

Aren't clock spirits supposed to disappear when the clock breaks down?

How can the clock spirit here disappear when the clock is intact?

Is there really such a big difference in quality between the genuine and the fake?

"The tools we use for refining in our clan are made from the voluntary sacrifice of mermaid's life essence. The mermaid's heart is known as the eternal heart, which never changes and can last as long as the heavens and earth. Therefore, the tools we refine can also last for a long time, without rust or dullness, for millions of years." The twelfth generation clan leader explained slowly.

"Our tradition is to go to our friendly mermaid neighbors and ask for some life essence before our physical bodies decay. We use it to forge an artifact body, and when the tool is completed, we sacrifice ourselves to the furnace and endure the fires. We preserve our own consciousness in the tool and enter the scripture hall, where we occasionally help our own descendants and teach the children about the scriptures. If there is ever a problem in our clan, we are the last line of defense."

Zhi Chun's gaze swept over the tool bodies quietly displayed on the wall. "But not everyone can become a weapon spirit, right?"

"It's true," said the twelfth generation clan leader. "To become a spiritual tool, one must first endure the pain of being burned by fierce flames and preserve one's consciousness. I dare say that our clan's crafting skills are unmatched. However, when it comes to cultivating the Dao, we lack some natural talent. Only one in ten can endure the process and succeed.

"Once successful, it means a lifetime of never resting, sending off generation after generation to protect the entire clan. Some of our predecessors have watched their loved ones and friends pass away one by one, and even the younger generations they had a chance encounter with have all died. They refuse to reincarnate as a tool and slowly cut off ties with the mortal world, eventually becoming completely isolated."

He passed away without regret, willingly enduring pain to protect future generations, until everything related to himself slowly disappeared, as if he had been metabolized by the world, achieving success and retiring, leaving behind a beautiful body.

This was the true origin of the weapon spirit.

Zhi Chun was stunned by what he heard.

Yan Qiushan was more practical in his concern: "Elder, can a damaged sword spirit be repaired?"

The old man, who claimed to be the twelfth generation clan leader, looked at him and then at Zhi Chun, as if he could see through his thoughts: "The spirit of the weapon that is born with a soul... sigh, refining weapons is a dead end, how could it be misused like this? Fool, fool!

"But the spirit of the weapon that is born with a soul is not so dependent on the body of the weapon, which is a good thing. The bodies of the weapons that you cultivators refine are too fragile. If it were an ordinary spirit of the weapon, it might have already shattered with the weapon body."

Yan Qiushan nervously pursed his lips, and even Sheng Lingyuan raised his head slightly.

After thinking for a moment, the twelfth generation patriarch said, "Due to the limitations of the Heavenly Dao technique, it is very difficult for a spirit to turn back into a living being, but... it's not impossible."

"I am willing to give anything, even my life..." Yan Qiushan exclaimed.

Zhi Chun became anxious, "Nonsense! How dare you!"

The twelfth generation patriarch looked at them with a sense of emotion, "I never expected that our sinful clan would have such descendants... Ah, young people, while the Heavenly Dao technique cannot be violated, there is still a law called 'Heaven does not abandon people.' The Great Way of Heaven may still have a way out, not to mention other methods. I am not very knowledgeable about these side paths, but if you are not in a hurry, you can go and look through our clan's classics."

"Please show me the way!" Yan Qiushan eagerly asked.

"Have you seen the chief of the mermaid tribe above your head?" said the twelfth generation chief.

Several people followed his finger and saw that he was pointing at those snow-white mermaid reliefs, among which there was one who was different from the others.

"Wait, what's going on with the one in the center...is that a pair of legs?" Xuan Ji had the sharpest eyes and immediately noticed the "mermaid" sitting on the reef in the middle.

His upper body was as beautiful as a mythical elf, just like the other mermaids, but his lower body was two straight human legs that naturally hung down.

The reason why it wasn't conspicuous was that his "legs" also had scales like a fish tail.

He lowered his eyes, held his hands up to his chest, palms facing up, and held a fist-sized precious pearl.

The twelfth generation patriarch looked up at the statue of the mermaid, unable to discern its expression. He seemed to be filled with a sense of nostalgia as he softly said, "The Tower of Classics is in the most precious pearl in the hands of the mermaid chief."

Without hesitation, Yan Qiushan had already taken out a talisman that could send him up there.

But before he could tear it open, he was stopped by the telepathic connection of Sheng Lingyuan and Xuan Ji, who each held onto one of his shoulders and pinned him in place.

"Senior, I..." Yan Qiushan began to speak, but his metal forging technique had probably recognized its creator and obediently followed Sheng Lingyuan's force, sinking down and keeping its master in place.

The emperor, who had been silently reciting ancient scriptures in his mind, sneered, "You're asking for death, aren't you? You could have just said so. I'll send you on your way, it's no trouble. Playing tricks on young people in front of me, are you afraid that you'll die too comfortably?"