CHAPTER 502: CHAPTER 502: BREAKTHROUGH_1

The valley kept sinking, seemingly about to disappear. The destructive blast was overwhelming, and it had already reached Qin Feiyang. If engulfed by the blast, Qin Feiyang would surely be shattered to pieces!

Finally, Qin Feiyang saw the stone wall clearly. A name was carved on it:

Ling Feng!

Below the name, there was another line of large letters:

Enter the valley and kneel!

When he saw these words, Qin Feiyang stiffened in the air, as if struck by lightning, his head filled with a thunderous noise. Yes! This was the vanished valley in the Death Desert. Because Ling Feng was Ling Yunfei’s father!

Seeing Qin Feiyang standing there, dumbfounded and ignoring the blast before him, the old man became anxious and shouted, "Hide quickly!"

Immediately, Qin Feiyang came to his senses. The wave was practically upon him. His hair stood on end, and the scent of death pervaded the air. Without the slightest hesitation, he quickly hid in the ancient castle.

Seeing Qin Feiyang was safe, the old man finally breathed a sigh of relief. Had they been a moment slower, they probably wouldn’t even have been able to recover his body.

However, the valley had completely sunk into the ground and disappeared without a trace.

"Stay here, I’ll go down and take a look!"

The old man departed with a stern expression, a powerful momentum surrounding him as he plunged towards the depths below.

「Inside the ancient castle!」

Qin Feiyang lowered his head, his expression shadowed.

"Xiao Qinzi, what happened?"

The Wolf King, Fatty, and the others all looked at him in surprise.

Qin Feiyang glanced at them and said solemnly, "Ren Duxing didn’t lie to us. Mu Tianyang has indeed resurrected."

"What?"

Everyone’s expression changed dramatically.

Qin Feiyang said, "I saw the name Ling Feng on the stone wall of the valley."

"Who is Ling Feng?" Lin Yiyi asked, puzzled.

Fatty said, "Ling Feng is Ling Yunfei’s father."

The Wolf King added, "In the past, I, Xiao Qinzi, Feng Ling’er, and Elder Wan were led to that valley by Ling Yunfei."

Lu Hong looked at Qin Feiyang and asked, "Are you sure the name on the stone wall of the valley was Ling Feng?"

Qin Feiyang nodded. Immediately, the hearts of everyone present grew heavy.

Mu Tianyang, the former imperial monarch, renowned as the Tianyang War God, stood at the pinnacle of this continent. The resurrection of such a formidable figure was, without a doubt, a calamity for Spirit State. It was especially dire for them; Mu Tianyang would definitely not let them off. They had not only stolen Mu Tianyang’s Elixir Scripture but also several of his ribs. Such an act would undoubtedly be a tremendous insult to Mu Tianyang, who was once an emperor.

Furthermore, judging by the current situation, it seemed Mu Tianyang had already set his sights on them. Otherwise, the valley wouldn’t have appeared near the State City.

Lu Hong looked at Qin Feiyang. "This matter is not something we can resolve. We must inform the old man and have him report it to the Emperor as soon as possible."

But Qin Feiyang remained silent.

"Boss," Fatty said seriously, "even if you haven’t said it outright, Master Fatty isn’t stupid. I’ve pretty much figured out there must be some misunderstanding between you and your father."

"But Boss, you have to understand, this is no small matter."

"Mu Tianyang hasn’t attacked us yet, which, as Ren Duxing said, is likely because his cultivation has dropped significantly, and he’s being cautious."

"But once he recovers his cultivation, he’ll definitely come after us first."

Qin Feiyang shook his head. "You don’t understand. What’s between him and me isn’t a misunderstanding; it’s something that actually happened."

"Even if it’s a fact, you should prioritize the bigger picture," Fatty urged. "However, no matter what you choose, Master Fatty will always stand by your side."

He chuckled and patted his chest. "When you make it big, just don’t forget about Master Fatty."

Qin Feiyang rolled his eyes at him, thought for a moment, and said, "Let me think about it."

SWISH!

With that, Qin Feiyang left the ancient castle.

Lin Yiyi immediately turned to Fatty, Lu Hong, and the Wolf King, asking, "Is Brother Feiyang from the Imperial Capital?"

Fatty and Lu Hong glanced at each other, seemingly unsure how to answer. Lo Qianxue also looked at Fatty and the others, her eyes filled with doubt.

"I need to cultivate. If you have any questions, ask Fatty," the Wolf King declared, then immediately lay on the ground, closed his eyes, and pretended to doze off.

"Master Fatty is also at a crucial moment of breakthrough. Lu Hong, you handle it," Fatty said, his eyes darting around. He quickly sat down on the spot and made a show of starting to cultivate. However, if one looked closely, it was clear his mind wasn’t entirely focused on it.

The Piercing Beast was even more direct; it simply pretended not to have heard anything.

Looking at the evasive Fatty and the Wolf King, Lu Hong felt rather helpless.

"Sister Lu, please, will you tell me?" Lin Yiyi pleaded.

The behavior of Fatty and the Wolf King was exceptionally odd. Not only was Lin Yiyi’s curiosity thoroughly piqued, but Lo Qianxue’s interest was also stirred.

Lu Hong looked somewhat troubled and said apologetically, "Yiyi, I’d like to tell you, but without Qin Feiyang’s permission, none of us dare speak carelessly. If you really want to know, you should ask him personally."

A hint of disappointment crept onto Lin Yiyi’s face. At the same time, a sense of unease filled her. Could it be that Brother Feiyang doesn’t accept me because he’s from the Imperial Capital and looks down on me? Or is it because... She didn’t dare to think any further. The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became.

Lo Qianxue, standing nearby, witnessed everything and sighed inwardly. She then quietly comforted Lin Yiyi, "Yiyi, don’t overthink things. Your Brother Feiyang isn’t that kind of snobbish person."

"Mm," Lin Yiyi nodded, but inwardly, she struggled to calm down.

「Outside!」

High above the mountain range, Wang Hong and the others were all looking at Qin Feiyang with suspicion.

"It was nothing," Qin Feiyang said, shaking his head with a smile.

Third Young Master Cao frowned. "If it was nothing, why did you rush down? Do you realize you were practically asking to be killed?"

"I’m sorry for making everyone worry," Qin Feiyang said, cupping his hands apologetically.

Third Young Master Cao rolled his eyes at him, then looked down at the shattered earth below. "I wonder if the Boss will be able to catch him," he said worriedly.

Wang Hong and the others also looked down, all wearing expressions of deep concern. Dong Zhengyang, however, would occasionally steal glances at Qin Feiyang.

WHOOSH!

A moment later, the old man emerged from beneath the ground, alone. It was clear without asking that his pursuit had failed.

Wang Hong stepped forward. "Boss, did you get a good look at his face?"

"No." The old man shook his head. "Forget his face, I didn’t even see a hint of a shadow."

Wang Hong said anxiously, "This person’s strength is unfathomable. If we don’t figure out his identity soon, I’m afraid he’ll be an endless source of trouble in the future."

Third Young Master Cao and the others nodded in agreement.

The old man’s stare turned cold as he looked at the ten commanders. "All of you, take your men and search immediately. Even if you have to turn Spirit State upside down, find that valley for me!"

"Yes!" Wang Hong and the others bowed in acknowledgment, then quickly departed through teleportation portals.

The Boss then turned to Jiang Qianqing and Dong Zhengyang. "I have matters to discuss with Qin Feiyang. You two head back first."

The two of them gave Qin Feiyang a look filled with hidden meaning, then each opened a teleportation portal and left.

Soon, only Qin Feiyang and the old man were left.

The old man looked at Qin Feiyang and said in a deep voice, "Boy, be honest with me. Do you know something?"

"Why do you ask?" Qin Feiyang feigned confusion.

The old man said, "Your behavior just now was too strange. You must have sensed something; that’s why you desperately rushed towards the valley."

A glint flashed deep in Qin Feiyang’s eyes. This old man is truly perceptive.

"Old Man, you’re overthinking things," Qin Feiyang said with a smile. "I was just curious why the valley was sinking into the ground. Besides, I wasn’t risking my life. I have the ancient castle to take refuge in if there’s danger."

"Really?" The old man eyed him skeptically.

Qin Feiyang said helplessly, "Even if I had all the courage in the world, I wouldn’t dare lie to you, Old Man!"

The old man stared at him intently for a moment. "Then go back to the Inner Hall. The War of the Nine States is about to begin; don’t go running around anymore."

"Okay." Qin Feiyang smiled, then, as if suddenly remembering something, asked, "Old Man, can I ask you something? Do you know the coordinates for Yun State?"

"Hmm?" The old man frowned. "Why are you asking about that? You’re not thinking of running off to Yun State again, are you?"

Qin Feiyang quickly waved his hands. "No, no! I was just asking out of curiosity."

"Just curious?" The old man looked Qin Feiyang up and down, then shook his head. "I’ve never been to Yun State, so I don’t know its coordinates."

Before Qin Feiyang could even react, the old man turned and vanished into the sky.

He doesn’t know? Qin Feiyang stood there in a daze. Didn’t Yin Yuanming say that the Old Man had been to Spirit State? Wait a minute. It seems Yin Yuanming wasn’t certain that the Old Man had actually been there; he only said he *guessed* the Old Man had. In other words, Yin Yuanming was only speculating. Well, this isn’t urgent anyway.

Qin Feiyang composed himself, looking down at the mountain range below as his mind rapidly calmed. The fog that had shrouded his thoughts finally lifted, and everything became clear.

Without a doubt, the person behind the masked man and Lu Tingting is Mu Tianyang! This also confirms what Ren Duxing said: Mu Tianyang is recruiting forces. But I’m still puzzled. Setting the masked man aside, since his identity is unknown, what about Lu Tingting? I know a bit about her. Her talent is only mediocre. Is she really worth cultivating? No!

Qin Feiyang’s gaze suddenly trembled. I overlooked a crucial point—the Elixir Scripture! Mu Tianyang was its previous owner; he must know all the Elixir Formulas within it like the back of his hand! That naturally includes the Potential Elixir, the Potential Pill, and the Nine-Bend Yellow Dragon Pill! With these Elixir Formulas, even a fool could be transformed into a cultivation prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years! This Mu Tianyang is indeed playing a grand game! However, although Mu Tianyang possesses the Elixir Formulas, he surely lacks the medicinal ingredients. After all, ten thousand years have passed; any ingredients from that era would have long since decayed. If he wants to refine these elixirs, Mu Tianyang must first find a way to gather the necessary medicinal ingredients. This is undoubtedly a good lead!

Qin Feiyang waved his hand, opened a teleportation portal, and stepped through.