Chapter 4161: Yanluo Palace

The Tianji Box is a special immortal artifact protected by powerful seals. To retrieve its contents, these seals must be broken. Any attempt to forcibly destroy the Tianji Box will trigger the seals, which will then obliterate everything inside. Tianji Boxes were relatively common in ancient times, but due to the rarity of their crafting materials, very few are made today.

"What kind of seal is on this Tianji Box?" Wang Yingjie pressed on, considering that the Merman race, despite its decline, had a glorious past and should not be stumped by ordinary seals.

"It's a soul seal! Our Golden Immortal cultivators have tried, but none succeeded," Yu Lang answered truthfully. To obtain this Tianji Box, the Merman race had suffered immense losses, including two Golden Immortals and numerous True Immortals.

It was a rare feat for the Merman race to produce two Golden Immortal cultivators. They had originally hoped to find great opportunities in the Skyfire Purgatory and restore their ancestral glory, but unexpectedly, they encountered the Huochi race and suffered heavy losses.

"Skyfire Purgatory!" Wang Yingjie asked, "Can you tell me how you obtained the Tianji Box? Don't bother if it's inconvenient." He wasn't planning to kill them for their treasure; he simply wanted to know its origin and how Yu Lang had acquired it.

Yu Lang hesitated briefly before answering truthfully.

"The Huochi race!" Wang Yingjie frowned; too many people knowing about this was not a good sign.

He looked at Wang Yunshan, who understood implicitly and explained, "The Huochi race has several Golden Immortal cultivators; their influence is considerable, and they are backed by the Jinchen Clan." The Jinchen Clan is a major power in the Skyfire Sea Region, boasting multiple Grand Unity Golden Immortals.

"The Jinchen Clan!" Wang Yingjie frowned. Ephemeral City had suffered too many losses and had temporarily withdrawn from the Chaos Continent. The Jinchen Clan and the Feng Family had since joined forces to take it over.

Generally, a single Grand Unity Golden Immortal is insufficient to guard a ground city; at least three are required, a standard set by the Nangong Immortal Clan. Some forces, lacking enough Grand Unity Golden Immortals or needing to keep them stationed at their ancestral lands, often ally with other powers to jointly guard a ground city. Any force capable of guarding a ground city independently is truly extraordinary.

"What do you want?" Wang Yingjie asked. "As long as it's not an excessive request, I can grant it."

"This junior hopes that Senior can take me and some of my clansmen away from Scarlet Glaze Market," Yu Lang said cautiously. "The Huochi race is watching us—more accurately, they are watching the Tianji Box." Given the disparity in their cultivation levels, he wasn't in a position to make demands. Asking for too much might make Wang Yingjie perceive him as greedy, but asking for too little would be a significant loss. With the Merman cultivators being targeted by the Huochi race, even numerous treasures would be useless if they couldn't live to enjoy them.

"How many clansmen do you have?" Wang Yingjie asked.

"Tens of thousands," Yu Lang replied, "most are inside spatial Mystic Sky treasures. If Senior Wang doesn't mind, our Merman race is willing to serve you. We are very experienced in cultivating immortal fish and can also cultivate immortal herbs."

Wang Yingjie was slightly taken aback. Was this a proposal to pledge allegiance to the Wang Family?

"The Merman race was originally an affiliated race of the Essence Fire Clan," Wang Yunshan explained. "However, during the recent chaotic beast tides, the Essence Fire Clan suffered heavy losses, was greatly weakened, and could no longer protect the Merman race. The Huochi race has killed a large number of Mermen; they intend to wipe out the Merman race."

Wang Yingjie suddenly understood. No wonder there were so few Mermen left. The Huochi race alone wasn't terrifying, but he feared involving the Jinchen Clan as well. The Huochi race was interested in the Tianji Box, not the Merman race. If the Wang Family obtained the Tianji Box, they would naturally come into conflict with the Huochi race.

"Contact your other clansmen," Wang Yingjie instructed. "Those willing to leave with me, come with me. I can take you out of here and find a place to settle you, provided you do not betray us."

The Merman race was certainly wary of the Wang Family killing them to silence them. If anything happened to Yu Lang, news of the Wang Family acquiring the Tianji Box would likely spread quickly. However, he had no intention of silencing them and was willing to take a portion of the Merman race with him.

"Yes, thank you, Senior," Yu Lang agreed, then turned and left.

"Yunshan," Wang Yingjie instructed, "have Li Yue send people to spread rumors. Say that a certain power obtained a Tianji Box containing a top-grade immortal artifact and a Primordial Spirit Treasure. You can spread more false information, linking it to the Skyfire Purgatory or an ancient cultivator's cave-dwelling, understand?"

Li Yue, Wang Yunshan's Dao companion, originated from a rogue cultivator background. She is now the Deputy Head of the Dark Hall, gathering intelligence in the Skyfire Sea Region. As the Wang Family grew stronger, the Commerce Hall and Dark Hall had stationed personnel in multiple sea regions to collect cultivation resources and gather intelligence. By spreading false information now, if anyone claimed in the future that the Wang Family had obtained the Tianji Box, few would believe it. The Wang Family could then easily clarify that it was a rumor, as seeing something firsthand is different from merely hearing about it.

"Understood," Wang Yunshan replied, nodding in comprehension.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yu Lang returned with over a hundred clansmen. Some clansmen remained in the market; their purpose was to spread news of the Wang Family acquiring the Tianji Box if the Wang Family decided to kill them and seize the treasure—this was one of their few remaining contingencies. Many more clansmen were housed within spatial Mystic Sky treasures. Leaving the Skyfire Sea Region this time, they had no idea when they might return. However, if the Merman race didn't depart soon, they would inevitably be annihilated by the Huochi race.

"I'm heading to the Chaos Continent anyway; you can come with me!" Wang Yingjie said. "Let's set off early to avoid any complications."

Yu Lang took out a golden orb and handed it to Wang Yingjie, saying, "This junior's clansmen are all inside the Mystic Fish Pearl. From now on, our Merman race is willing to dedicate our lives to the Wang Family, no matter the sacrifice." The other Mermen bowed in unison and declared in one voice, "We shall dedicate our lives, no matter the sacrifice."

The Essence Fire Clan could not protect the Merman race, and the Shangguan Family disdained them. Their only option now was to seek refuge with the Wang Family, hoping they would be treated kindly.

"As long as you serve our family well, we will not treat you unfairly," Wang Yingjie said. "Come with me!" He put away the Mystic Fish Pearl, waved his hand, and walked out, with the Wang Family members, Yu Lang, and the others quickly following.

After leaving the market, Wang Yingjie summoned a dragon boat shimmering with blue light, featuring a thirty-six-story pavilion. Wang Yingjie stepped onto it, followed by Yu Lang and the others.

"Go!" Wang Yingjie cast a spell, and the blue dragon boat immediately flared with brilliant blue light, transforming into a streak of light that pierced the sky and vanished into the horizon.

In a secluded small courtyard with green tiles, a pot-bellied old man in a golden robe and a full-figured young woman in a purple dress were conversing in a stone pavilion.

"Fellow Daoist Sun," the young woman in the purple dress said with a frown, "the Merman race has left with the cultivators of the Green Lotus Wang Family. They must have handed the Tianji Box to the Wang Family cultivators." Her head was wrinkled, her skin, hair, and eyes were red, and her ears were small. She was a Huochi race cultivator.

"What's inside the Tianji Box?" the old man in the golden robe asked. "If I don't even know what it is, how can I intercept and kill them?"

"I wish I knew," the young woman in the purple dress said, puzzled. "It must be something good; ordinary items wouldn't need to be stored in a Tianji Box. Perhaps it's the relic of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, or even a Primordial Spirit Treasure. Your Yama Palace has considerable influence; surely you don't fear the Wang Family?"

"Madam Zhu," the old man in the golden robe said meaningfully, "how our Yama Palace conducts its affairs is not for you to dictate. I understand, and I will handle it. You may leave. Regarding my identity, you'd best not speak carelessly, or even the Jinchen Clan won't be able to protect your Huochi race."

"Fellow Daoist Sun, rest assured," the young woman in the purple dress replied, "this concubine knows what to say and what not to say." She then rose and left.