Cece helped Yu Ziqing out of the pit, and the villagers had also come out.

The village chief looked at Yu Ziqing, his eyes slightly red. He didn't bother giving instructions to others, instead stepping forward to support Yu Ziqing himself.

"Village chief, do we have anything to eat?"

"Yes, yes, we do." The village chief nodded repeatedly, immediately glaring at the foolishly smiling Er Han beside him: "Why don't you hurry up?"

Someone quickly brought over tables and chairs, while others started fires to boil water. They knew Yu Ziqing had a peculiar habit of liking hot water.

Old Yang trotted over to Yu Ziqing, his expression somewhat complicated.

"Don't speak, and don't worry, there's still a bit of food left in the village. There will surely be something to eat."

Yu Ziqing sat there limply, watching the villagers busying themselves, yet no one asked any excessive questions. He couldn't help but grin.

This was the rule they cultivated after mutually relying on each other, a shared understanding among them all.

No one pried into where he had been these past months, nor did they question how Cece had helped him out from the Despair Abyss.

This feeling was great, for everyone trusted him unconditionally, knowing full well they survived because of Yu Ziqing. That was enough—they didn't need to know anything else.

The village chief looked at Yu Ziqing with distress, constantly urging the kitchen aunties to prepare food.

Old Yang stood aside, talking to no one in particular.

"I checked before, ever since the mine fell into the void, all the Jinlan Mushrooms inside had withered away.

That's because those things need rich underground energy to nourish them. Separated from the wilderness's earth, they naturally withered.

This is just like the Jade Tomb here. It had been resting peacefully, waiting for someday to be revived by the world's vitality. Falling into the void, with resurrection hopeless, it naturally was displeased.

Its accumulated power started to erupt, bringing its resting place with us back to the wilderness.

Ziqing, it was unavoidable this time. In the future, don't think of waking the one slumbering in the Jade Tomb."

Old Yang didn't avoid others while speaking, and everyone present heard him.

Yu Ziqing knew Old Yang was worried, for people were inherently curious. If you don't say anything, they would speculate wildly. If you do, they might dismiss it or even respond dismissively.

This was a way to define the incident.

This was the way it was. No matter how you investigate later, it would remain like this. The Starving Ghost King had already fallen back to sleep; no one could argue with that.

The villagers didn't understand, but they weren't afraid, for those starving ghosts didn't harm them. The Starving Ghost King didn't harm them either, but instead brought them back to the wilderness. The village didn't have the habit of judging by appearances. When they saw that large group of starving ghosts, they genuinely felt a sense of familiarity.

Because those starving ghosts might have once been villagers here, some had even saved them before while they were starving ghosts.

But Old Yang was not like the other villagers. He might understand, and he was terrified, fearing the slightest influence might cause unpredictable changes. Hence, he immediately characterized the matter.

Yu Ziqing grinned, glancing at the back hill.

The Jade Tomb was also miserable, having been leeched off its power by the villagers for so long to maintain their health. Now, it had to take the blame once more.

Yes, it was good to take the blame. After all, the Jade Tomb existed because it was associated with great figures in life.

Having such a being sleeping in the village made it much safer here.

Yes, that was the situation, all done by the Starving Ghost King, nothing to do with me, Yu Ziqing.

Seeing Yu Ziqing looking outside, Old Yang added quickly.

"Those powerful people who came before have all left. Surely someone guessed the truth among them and doesn't dare disturb the one sleeping inside the Jade Tomb anymore. Rest assured, our place will be safe for a long time to come."

Safer than Daqian's Imperial City.

Because anyone with a bit of power wouldn't dare approach here anymore, the stronger they were, the less likely they'd dare.

They couldn't afford to risk it or lose.

Just thinking about that terrifying scene from before naturally made Old Yang recall the initial Qi Refiners.

The same as rising one tier each day.

By the tenth day, it had not even reached the eleventh, yet it was more than enough to beat the three guys with the National Guardian Artifacts.

By the twelfth day, it would likely mean ruin for everyone together.

They suffered significant losses this time. Considering previous methods of handling such situations, this place would likely be designated as a Forbidden Land.

As for revenge—not possible—for whom would they seek revenge?

If he guessed correctly, the matter here would immediately be classified as top-secret. Barely anyone would know what truly happened, most could only speculate if perhaps a major disaster resembling the Great Sun reappearing in the wilderness had occurred.

Most people would only see a new mark labeled in the wilderness on the latest maps, marking a Forbidden Land certified by the three Great Divine Dynasties, Daqian, Dali, and Dazhen.

However, it did indeed seem like a Forbidden Land for Qi Refining cultivators...

Not too far off.

Watching Cece feed Yu Ziqing some water, Old Yang shook his head. Ever since he stopped being human, fully turning into a goat, the outrageous things encountered had been more than he had ever imagined.

He used to think this uncharted path he embarked on might be wrong, now he feels he truly found his path.

Especially after starting Body Refinement and Demon Transformation, the feeling grows stronger with each passing day.

Life in the village returned to calm again, though colder than before, everyone was pleased.

The Jinlan Mushrooms in the pit all had withered, the village was almost out of food, someone would have to go out searching for more in a few days, but for now, none of this concerned Yu Ziqing.

He was the first one to be taken care of, a decision made by the village chief himself, agreed upon by everyone, indifference to Yu Ziqing's objections.

…

In a side hall of Daqian's Imperial City, Jianzhen recounted the truth, while a nearby historian frantically scribbled.

Once finished, the historian spat a mouthful of fresh blood, spraying it onto the freshly completed historical records. The blood transformed into blood-colored runes, imprinted on each word, then slowly faded away, making each word unalterable from that day on.

"Seal it."

The Emperor Qian, standing with his back to everyone, gave a brief order, and someone immediately took the historical records away for sealing. Ordinary people simply had no access, and even if someone managed to see it, this was the truth.

An eunuch, bearing great nourishing rewards, saw the historian off.

Jianzhen looked at the back of Emperor Qian, cupping his hands respectfully.

"Your servant takes his leave."

"Master Jianzhen." Emperor Qian suddenly spoke, gazing at the map on the jade wall, he asked, "These…"

"This is the truth." Jianzhen interrupted solemnly, halting Emperor Qian's words abruptly.

The imposing image of the Starving Ghost King, climbing steadily with no obstruction, still chilled him to the bone. He couldn't allow any perceptions that might alter the outcome for they could provoke that sleepwalking Starving Ghost King to undertake actions they couldn't bear.

The Starving Ghost King must fall asleep again, waiting for endless eras before there might be a slight chance of awakening once more.

And this 'endless eras later' might be numerous eras ahead, likely not even related to the descendants of everyone present now.

As the saying went, the Starving Ghost clan existed, but the Starving Ghost King had to have fallen asleep.

Jianzhen raised his head, staring at Emperor Qian, unwilling to let him have a single undeserved thought, regardless of the cost.

"I understand," Emperor Qian sighed, mapping a circle with his finger on the jade wall, the designated section dimmed to a black spot.

Among the numerous black spots covering the map wall, some were even within Daqian's borders, all denoted as Forbidden Lands, yet comparing to the wilderness marked Forbidden Land size, only three or four come close.

Jianzhen exhaled in relief, bowed once more, and retreated.

…

Both Dali and Dazhen simultaneously adopted the Dragon Tiger Daoist's statement, designating it as truth.

However, in Dali, there was a slightly different point.

The Phoenix Robe woman, having returned to Dali Court, rested her chin on a single arm, leaning on a low couch, lost in thought.

Beside her, there lay a brazier, its ashes piled high, scarlet-gold flames burning within. After a while, a half-bald Vermilion Bird emerged from the ashes, hovering in the fire listlessly, falling into slumber.

After a long time, she seemed to think of something.

"How many Half-blessed lands are there within Dali's borders?"

"Your highness, only one." A nearby waiting female officer promptly replied: "There are many blessed lands, but Half-blessed lands, forming by chance and coincidence, are exceedingly rare and not very valuable. The single Half-blessed land lies within Duke Lin's fief, and General Gongze is a clan member of Duke Lin's collateral branch."

"Deliver an invitation, I plan to visit the Duke Mansion."

Having mentioned Gong Ze, the mastermind who blasted Jinlan Mine into the void, she reevaluated.

"Was someone living at Jinlan Mine all along?"

"There used to be; we traded Jinlan Ores with them twice."

"Before…"

The woman frowned slightly, naturally understanding the implications of those words.

"Go, dispatch a reliable person to the Wilderness Border to observe if any mortals from the wilderness emerge."

She felt that things weren't so simple. Though she dared not provoke the Starving Ghost King again, upon returning, she spoke with several bigwigs from Lihuo Institute in the Heavenly Mechanism Forbidden Room. Those seniors explicitly informed her that continuing their actions back then would likely lead to uncontrollable, world-devastating disasters.

Fortunately, Dragon Tiger Daoist had encountered the Starving Ghost King in the void and returned in time to stop them.

They even suspected the Dragon Tiger Daoist knew more sensitive details but dared not reveal a word upon his return.

Upon further thought, she decided to change her approach, pondering upon the mortals who once lived in Jinlan Mine, combined with what she saw while overviewing the ground when returning from the wilderness, issuing another command.

"Wield my gold token, draft an Eastern Palace edict, instruct Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue to personally mobilize food and grass, head to the western Wilderness Border for disaster relief, ensure the populace there survives winter smoothly, safeguarding next year's spring plowing, grant him the authority to act expediently, then have the West Desolate Army fully support. This year, within Dali's western borders, if even one person starves, he and Western Desolation General will be held accountable."