Seeing Lin Qian's inquiry, Jia Gong quickly saluted and reported, "Your Majesty, the Southern Nine Provinces of the Southern Region had just begun to recover, and now we've encountered this issue. We were investigating the cause when we discovered that the blood-red mist seeping from this mountainside was much denser than in other places. Following the strongest concentration, we excavated this area."
"As expected, we uncovered this cave behind the mountainside. The blood-red mist is seeping from it, and the cave leads deep underground."
After listening to Jia Gong's report, Lin Qian stared silently at the cave entrance that descended into the depths.
He had already speculated that this deep cave might hold the key to the anomalies in the Southern Nine Provinces. Perhaps by exploring it, he could find the source of the problem and resolve it.
"I'm going down there myself to take a look," Lin Qian suddenly declared as he gazed into the dark abyss.
Everyone was shocked by his decision. Jia Gong immediately tried to dissuade him, "Your Majesty, we have no idea what's down there. It's too dangerous to go in without knowing the risks."
Lin Qian glared at the cave with fierce determination. "I want to see for myself what exactly is stealing the spiritual energy of the Huaxia Empire. Whoever is behind this has a lot of nerve. Besides, I need the challenge to further my cultivation and strength. Sometimes, living too comfortably isn't a good thing."
"What if something goes wrong down there? What if you're in danger?" Ye Xin quickly interjected, deeply concerned about his safety.
Seeing the worry in Ye Xin's eyes, Lin Qian smiled gently. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
"Then I'm going with you," Ye Xin insisted, unwilling to let him take the risk alone.
Lin Qian shook his head firmly. "No, you can't come with me. If you're there, I'd have to protect you, which would only put me in greater danger. It's better if I go alone."
He spoke the truth—if something went wrong down there, he could always retreat to the Huaxia Empire and avoid mortal danger. But if Ye Xin accompanied him, he wouldn't be able to bring her into the Huaxia Empire, and she would become a liability.
"Your Majesty, the Empress does have a point," Jia Gong added, trying to support Ye Xin's argument. He was terrified of the idea of Lin Qian facing such a risk alone.
Lin Qian was the cornerstone of the entire Huaxia Empire. If anything happened to him, the entire empire could collapse. Jia Gong was more anxious than anyone else about Lin Qian's safety.
"My decision is final. No more objections!" Lin Qian's voice was stern as he looked at Jia Gong, his tone leaving no room for further argument.
Seeing Lin Qian's resolute expression, Jia Gong realized there was no point in trying to persuade him any further.
Lin Qian then turned to Ye Xin, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes with determination. "Trust me!"
Ye Xin sighed, knowing that once Lin Qian made up his mind, there was no changing it. "Alright, just promise me you'll be careful."
Lin Qian chuckled, patting her on the head. "Go find the three elders and give them these tokens. They'll follow me into the cave and watch over me."
He handed Ye Xin three tokens. Understanding his plan, Ye Xin finally felt reassured.
With the three elders secretly following Lin Qian, she was confident that no serious harm would come to him. Even if something did happen, the three elders could quickly come to his aid and protect him.
After giving instructions to Ye Xin, Lin Qian turned to Jia Gong. "I don't want anyone else to know about this place. Your task is to keep it sealed off."
Jia Gong nodded quickly, promising to carry out the orders. He began instructing the others to secure the area tightly, ensuring no unauthorized personnel could enter or leave until Lin Qian returned.
Once everything was in place, Lin Qian took one last look at the dark cave entrance before plunging into it, relying solely on his physical strength without using any soul power.
He avoided using soul power to prevent alerting any potential enemies, but his soul sense remained vigilant, scanning his surroundings for any signs of danger.
Emperor's Vision!
Lin Qian's pupils turned golden, allowing him to see clearly in the otherwise pitch-black cave.
The cave walls were rough, yet it was evident that they had been artificially carved. The downward-sloping tunnel also featured a series of steps, indicating that it had been deliberately constructed.
Although the blood-red mist here was not as dense as the one in the lake at Linhai Province, it still seeped out in considerable amounts.
Given all these factors, Lin Qian was convinced that someone was indeed behind this. He would never believe otherwise.
As Lin Qian ventured deeper into the cave, Ye Xin returned to Linhai Province on the imperial chariot, intending to find the three elders and give them the tokens, asking them to secretly follow Lin Qian into the cave.
Meanwhile, Jia Gong diligently carried out Lin Qian's orders, ensuring that the area remained tightly sealed, allowing no one to leave or enter without the Emperor's permission.
Inside the dark cave, Lin Qian continued his rapid descent, the tunnel's slope growing steeper as he went.
Suddenly, he came to an abrupt stop, his body freezing at the edge of a drop-off.
Before him lay a deep abyss, with no more stairs to follow.
Standing at the brink, Lin Qian peered down into the darkness, unable to see any light. It was as if he were staring into a black hole that devoured everything.
Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Qian leaped into the abyss.
If he didn't have the courage to face the darkness head-on, how could he ever surpass the Life-and-Death Realm and reach the Awakening Realm?
Lin Qian had chosen to enter this cave alone because he needed a challenge to push himself beyond his limits.
He needed to surpass his current self and become stronger—to possess even greater power.