"Only the two of them?"
The Bronze Ancient King sat cross-legged in the center of the hall. Fine stardust continuously drifted from his bronze-textured shell, and his voice could not help but carry a hint of bewildered astonishment.
"Yes," Chu Lingyuan replied, his expression grave. He took two steps forward before continuing. "Not only that, but according to Qin Yun, the Hell-Suppressing King is in a coma."
Hearing this, the light in the Bronze Ancient King's eyes blazed even brighter. "A coma?"
"In other words, the only person right now who knows exactly what happened inside the Lost Flame is Qin Yun?"
"That seems to be the case." Chu Lingyuan sighed. The moment he received the news, he knew things had taken a dire turn.
A total of seven Morning Star tier experts had enteredāone from each sect, and two from the Royal Court. Yet, only two had returned. The other five had died inside.
Whether it was the sects or the Royal Court, they would absolutely want to uncover exactly what had transpired.
With the Hell-Suppressing King comatose, Qin Yun was the sole conscious survivor. In an instant, he had become the focal point of everyone's attention.
The verdigris light in the Bronze Ancient King's pupils flickered. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Are we certain the other five are truly dead?"
"That is what Qin Yun claims." Chu Lingyuan was also uncertain.
When a Morning Star tier expert died, their corresponding class's spirituality would trigger a specific reaction. If they had perished long ago, the other sects should have sensed it.
However, the Lost Flame was treacherous and unpredictable. It was entirely possible that it had severed that connection.
Regardless of whether the others were dead or trapped, the returning Qin Yun was inevitably going to be the center of a massive storm.
Then there was the secret of the Lost Flame itself. Did Qin Yun's survival mean he had uncovered its mysteries?
Putting himself in their shoes, if it had been a Morning Star expert from another sect who emerged instead of Qin Yun, Chu Lingyuan would also want to extract every detail of what had happened.
"This is troublesome," the Bronze Ancient King sighed softly.
"Indeed." Chu Lingyuan felt just as helpless. Although the sects supposedly shared a unified front, that was only under the pressure of the Royal Court. They were not truly transparent with one another.
If the Morning Star experts from the other sects were truly dead, the situation would immediately change.
"Did Qin Yun say anything else?"
Chu Lingyuan shook his head. "He said nothing. He only requested to return as quickly as possible."
The Bronze Ancient King pondered for a moment. "How many people know about his reappearance?"
"A significant number, most likely. He abruptly appeared near the central hub of Xichuan alongside the Hell-Suppressing King's body, triggering an energy tide."
"As of now, the Royal Court's people have already taken away the Hell-Suppressing King's body." Chu Lingyuan's expression was grim. "Under these circumstances, a cover-up is impossible."
The Bronze Ancient King nodded. "Lingyuan, go personally and bring Qin Yun back."
"Bring him back completely unharmed," the Ancient King emphasized.
Chu Lingyuan sighed inwardly and replied with deep solemnity, "I understand."
Whatever consequences this might bring, they could deal with them later. Right now, retrieving Qin Yun was the absolute priority.
In truth, the best outcome would have been if something had gone wrong with Qin Yun tooāif he had either died inside or been permanently trapped.
If the Hell-Suppressing King had been the sole survivor, things would be much simpler. The five great sects would have naturally united to demand answers from the Royal Court.
But with Qin Yun emerging as well, he not only indirectly shared the burden of the consequences with the Royal Court, but he could also trigger a slew of other complications.
After accepting the order, Chu Lingyuan did not leave immediately. Instead, he probed tentatively, "Master, what was the situation with the anomaly of the Ancient King Stele just now?"
A trace of worry laced his words.
"It is nothing. Pay it no mind." The Bronze Ancient King shook his head. He knew exactly what Chu Lingyuan was worried about, but this was the only answer he could give.
"And the Flameā" Chu Lingyuan pressed further.
The Bronze Ancient King's tone grew melancholic. "Ever since it was eroded by the Fog Embers in the past, Luo Ting and Lin Feng sacrificed themselves to merge with the fire. Although it was barely reawakened, the influence of the Fog Embers continues to expand."
Chu Lingyuan's heart tightened. "If it continues to deteriorate to the point where it can no longer be suppressed, please let me know, Master."
The Bronze Ancient King let out a soft sigh. "The Fog Embers are formed from the condensation of Nether Fog mixed with the power of an Eldritch God. Its entire purpose is the 'Fallen Flame'. Once entangled, it clings like maggots to a rotting bone, making it almost impossible to peel away. Even if it is temporarily alleviated, it cannot be eradicated."
"These Fog Embers are potent in spiritual erosion rather than sheer destructive might. Could Su Chen be of some use?"
Chu Lingyuan asked suddenly. The essence of the Fog Embers was corruption. It manifested differently depending on the target, and could even cause the spirituality of a Morning Star expert to fall into depravity.
When Su Chen had first arrived, both he and Qin Yun had entertained this thought. Someone capable of withstanding the erosion of an Eldritch God's power might just provide some much-needed assistance in solving the Flame issue.
However, since the Ancient King had made no moves following the boy's arrival, Chu Lingyuan had eventually tossed the matter to the back of his mind.
But now, a storm was brewing. The peril of the Flame kept the Ancient King tethered to this place. If the incident with Qin Yun truly sparked a crisis, the sect would likely struggle to weather it.
"Su Chen..." The Bronze Ancient King mused before shaking his head. "His tier is still a bit too low. Let's wait until he reaches the Sixth Tier before letting him try."
Seeing that his master already had a plan in mind, Chu Lingyuan said no more. He bowed deeply and took his leave from the Ancient King Hall.
Meanwhile, on the floating island, inside the dining hall, Su Chen was staring at a table piled high with an assortment of delicacies, gleefully stuffing his face.
Halfway through his feast, he casually grabbed the wine bottle from the table and poured himself a glass. The purplish-red liquid rippled within. He threw his head back, downing it in a single gulp, and could not help but sigh in satisfaction. "Having high status is fantastic. I caused such a massive commotion, yet no one even bothered to interrupt me."
He had originally assumed that between the Ancient King Stele and that towering pillar of light, countless people would have flocked here to interrogate him. Yet, up until now, not a single soul had set foot on the island.
Come to think of it, it made sense. He was a Star Seed, after all, and practically half a disciple to the Ancient King. Displaying a few extraordinary traits was to be expected.
'Still, what exactly was the deal with that pillar of light...'
Su Chen still could not wrap his head around it. He planned to head to the Copper Core tomorrow to gather some intel.
"You certainly are taking it easy."
While Su Chen was eating, a somewhat familiar voice suddenly drifted over.
The doors to the dining hall swung open abruptly. A wisp of clear wind glided in, materializing in front of the dining table. It was none other than Qing Cang.
"Senior Brother Qing Cang!" Su Chen exclaimed in surprise, his face lighting up with joy. "You're finally back! Please, have a seat. Sit down."
He enthusiastically stood up and personally pulled out a chair for Qing Cang, vaguely noticing that his Senior Brother's gaze held a hint of deep resentment.
As Qing Cang drew closer, Su Chen caught a strong whiff of alcohol wafting off him. He was slightly taken aback. Had his Senior Brother been drinking before coming here?
Hearing Su Chen call him Senior Brother once again, Qing Cang fell silent for a moment before taking his seat in resignation. "You really gave me a massive surprise."
"Huh? What surprise?" Su Chen asked, completely bewildered.
"What surprise? What exactly is the deal with your talent?! That bunch of bastards on Crimson Thunder Planet, Chong Jingtian and his lot, they deceived me so ruthlessly!"
Perhaps bolstered by the alcohol, Qing Cang's words lacked their usual tact. When he had first discovered that Su Chen was the Chosen One, he had merely felt it was a pity.
Later, upon realizing that Su Chen's strength was outrageously terrifying, he had felt true heartache.
And now, discovering that Su Chen actually possessed a Star Amber tier talent, his regret was eating him alive.
If he had spoken up earlier, there was no way this brat would be calling him Senior Brother. He would be respectfully calling him Master instead!
Because of this, his dissatisfaction with those cunning old foxes on Crimson Thunder Planet only deepened.
How dare they pass off a Star Amber talent as a mere Ink Jade? Were they not afraid he would verify it on the spot?
He also harbored a fair bit of blame toward himself. He had been blinded by the stereotype that desolate planets could never give birth to overly powerful talents, completely forgetting to test the boy himself.
"Uh..." Su Chen's face showed a flash of awkwardness. He poured some wine for Qing Cang and offered, "The Chief and the others were just being extremely cautious."
"Sigh." Qing Cang let out a long breath, looking utterly dispirited. "If I had known you had a Star Amber tier talent, I wouldn't have even bothered making this trip to the Profound Heaven Sect."
"You mean the Profound Heaven Apparatus? Even if it's just brought back to help the other members, that's still a good thing," Su Chen couldn't help but say.
"Look at you, being all considerate for the sect," Qing Cang shot him a sideways glance, speaking in an irritated tone.
"The sect is my home," Su Chen replied hastily. But then, an idea struck him. Partially to change the subject, and partially to confirm his own suspicions, he asked, "Earlier today, that pillar of light that suddenly erupted from my body... was that caused by the Profound Heaven Apparatus?"
"Mn," Qing Cang nodded. "You're quite sharp. It was indeed the Profound Heaven Apparatus."
"That Lu Huai is as crafty as a ghost. Seeing the Ancient King Stele suddenly act up, he formed plenty of wild theories. Senior Brother Lingyuan used a smokescreen tactic, claiming the anomaly was due to your unique constitution. He was suspicious, so he secretly probed your talent."
"A smokescreen tactic?" Su Chen blanked for a second, a thoughtful look crossing his face. It seemed the sudden flight of the Ancient King Stele had caused far larger ripples than he had imagined.
Having finished his explanation, Qing Cang fixed his gaze intensely on the young man. His tone grew serious. "Tell me the truth. That Ancient King Stele suddenly flying over here... was that your doing, or was it because of some other reason?"
This... Su Chen felt helpless. He obviously could not utter a word about his system panel, so he could only reply vaguely, "I'm not exactly sure what happened either. I was just training in the cultivation room, and then the stele inexplicably flew over."
"You don't know either?" Qing Cang's eyes dimmed, and he muttered to himself, "Could it be that something truly went wrong with Master?"
'Something went wrong with the Ancient King?' Hearing this, Su Chen's mind raced until he finally connected the dots. The sudden relocation of the Ancient King Steleāan unprecedented eventāhad birthed countless rumors in the outside world.
His Star Amber talent had indeed caught many people off guard.
However, it was not as if Star Amber tier talents had never existed before. Even Qin Tianlin had stood beneath the stele without causing such a ridiculous disturbance.
It was incredibly easy to link the stele's anomaly directly to the Ancient King, especially when factoring in the sect's ongoing crisis with the Flame...
This chain of misunderstandings could lead certain individuals to believe that the Ancient King was in peril, prompting the stele to preemptively perform some action far exceeding a mere 'acknowledgment'.
This... Su Chen's expression twitched. What was this, a butterfly effect?
Yet, he was in no position to explain himself. He could only say tactfully, "I'm guessing this stele just realized my potential is extraordinarily unparalleled."
There was no hint of a smile on Qing Cang's face as he sighed, "I certainly hope so."
Seeing Qing Cang's gloomy reaction, Su Chen could not help but ask, "Did something happen?"
The situation regarding the Flame had been ongoing for years. A minor anomaly shouldn't be enough to cause Qing Cang this much distress.
Qing Cang did not hide the truth. Nodding, he revealed, "Qin Yun returned from the Lost Flame, critically injured."
"Venerable Qin Yun?" Hearing this, Su Chen sighed with feeling. "The heavens truly favor the fortunate."
Qing Cang sneered coldly. "Enough. You don't need to put on an act in front of me."
Su Chen felt helpless. It seemed his Senior Brother was in a terribly foul mood right now.
After a pause, Qing Cang's tone turned ice-cold. "He would have been better off dying inside that Lost Flame."
Su Chen's eyelids twitched. Even coming from someone of Qing Cang's status, those words crossed a severe line.
Su Chen had previously looked into the feud between Qing Cang and Qin Yun. It apparently involved a dusty old grudge and another of the Ancient King's disciples.
However, the information circulating within the sect was incredibly vague. He had no real grasp on the specific details.
Promptly, Qing Cang elaborated, "Only two people made it out of the Lost Flame. One is the Hell-Suppressing King, who remains comatose, and the other is Qin Yun, who is severely injured and hovering on the brink of death."
"Only two came out?" Su Chen was stunned once again. "What about the others?"
"According to Qin Yun, it is highly likely they are dead."
"Dead?" Su Chen drew in a sharp breath of cold air. "Five Morning Star tier experts dead? Wouldn't the sects and the Royal Court blow their tops over this?"
"Exactly." Anxious worry was etched across Qing Cang's face. "The only ones who know what happened are Qin Yun and the Hell-Suppressing King. If the Hell-Suppressing King never wakes up, everyone's eyes will be glued exclusively to Qin Yun."
Su Chen's expression shifted drastically. If everyone else had perished while those two survived, there was definitely a hidden reason.
How exactly did the others die? Had Qin Yun and the Hell-Suppressing King stabbed them in the back? Was it a ruthless case of sacrificing their allies to save their own skins?
There were simply far too many tangled webs to unravel here, not to mention the grand secret of the Lost Flame itself. Regardless of whether Qin Yun could explain the situation clearly or not, this was a massive mess that he would never be able to wash his hands of.
"If he truly had the sect's best interests at heart, he would commit suicide immediately," Qing Cang declared mercilessly.
Su Chen shook his head. "Suicide? I highly doubt Venerable Qin Yun would be willing to do that."
Qing Cang scoffed. "Of course he wouldn't. No one clings to their pathetic life more desperately than him."
"Isn't there still the Hell-Suppressing King?" Su Chen asked.
"Even if the Hell-Suppressing King is capable of waking up, the Royal Court will never allow it," Qing Cang replied with absolute pessimism.
"What about searching his memories or something similar?" Su Chen probed tentatively.
"Morning Star tier experts have ignited their Morning Fire. Their soul and body are merged into one; an independent spiritual body simply doesn't exist," Qing Cang shook his head.
Su Chen was momentarily stunned. 'So that's how it is.'
Qing Cang exhaled in frustration. "The Ancient King cannot easily leave the Flame. The outside world is already rife with speculation, and the Royal Court has always eyed our sect's Flame with covetous greed. I fear they are going to make a major move this time."
Seeing Su Chen fall silent, Qing Cang's body swayed slightly. Billowing waves of alcohol fumes dispersed from him and vanished into the air. "I've spoken too much. Try not to mind an old man's rambling."
"You're too serious, Senior Brother," Su Chen shook his head.
Qing Cang then changed the subject. "The Profound Heaven Apparatus doesn't work on the Star Amber tier, so you won't be able to use it yourself. However, you are permitted to recommend a few candidates."
Recommend candidates? Su Chen's first thought instantly jumped to Ming Lin. He only possessed an Ink Jade talent, so the Profound Heaven Apparatus would likely provide him with a tremendous boost.
"Thank you, Senior Brother," Su Chen expressed his genuine gratitude. Judging by the value of the Fortune Copper Core, he surmised that even within the Profound Heaven Sect itself, not just anyone was allowed to use this artifact.
Elevating a person's talent also came down to cost-effectiveness. The resources required to upgrade from Ink Jade to a higher tier compared to upgrading from Profound Purple were vastly different in value.
The recommendation slots Qing Cang had handed him were undoubtedly precious beyond measure.
A thought suddenly stirred in Su Chen's mind. Feigning innocent curiosity, he asked, "This Profound Heaven Apparatus can actually elevate a person's innate talent directly? What method does it use?"
"What method?" Qing Cang shot him a look. "What other method could there be? You just stuff the person inside, and that's it."
"It's that simple?"
"Well, it's not exactly simple." Qing Cang shook his head. "There is only one Profound Heaven Apparatus in the entire Dust Star Sea. The fundamental principle behind it is seemingly some kind of 'Reshaping Method'."
He couldn't quite remember the specifics himself. It was just an artifact that was used when neededāmuch like the Fortune Copper Core. Aside from the Ancient King, no one had any clue about its underlying mechanics; it was just insanely complex.
Just as he thought! Su Chen's heart steadied. The 'Profound Heaven Reshaping Method' that the Unsullied had mentioned was, without a doubt, this very Profound Heaven Apparatus.
If he wished to ascend to the Divine Radiance tier of talent, he would have to rely on the power of this Profound Heaven Apparatus.