Huang Yuan snorted and said, "The reason I invited you is, first and foremost, because you need to enhance your power."

"Secondly, although I was injured during the last exploration of the shattered space, I did manage to understand a portion of the situation within it, giving me confidence for the next exploration."

"Thirdly, Xiao Mu, that kid, agreed that before the next exploration of the shattered space, he would find a way to help increase my power."

"And you—if you explore the shattered space with me, he will also give you the same thing he's giving me."

"Xiao Mu, how come it's always that kid?"

Upon hearing Xiao Mu's name, Yan Qingxu's face suddenly showed a hint of peculiarity.

"What's with the kid? You seem to have some opinions about him," Huang Yuan, sensing the strangeness in Yan Qingxu's tone, couldn't help feeling surprised.

"Opinions? What opinions could I have about that kid? I'm just surprised by his ability to cause trouble," Yan Qingxu shook his head, his face expressing helplessness.

"Cause trouble? What trouble did that kid stir up?" Huang Yuan's eyes suddenly widened. In his mind, Xiao Mu was the epitome of someone who always caused trouble, but he had never expected that this time Xiao Mu had managed to stir up trouble all the way to Floating Sky City.

Yan Qingxu's expression bore a look of being at a loss whether to cry or laugh, "You've been trapped in the shattered space and know nothing about the outside world; it's not your fault."

"Here's what happened—three months ago, Wu Jie from the Ruins of Great Tang applied to the Headquarters to borrow the Human Emperor's authority amulet, planning to use the Human Emperor's authority to suppress Changming Thunder God and strip him of his Divine Spirit Position and Divine Treasures," Yan Qingxu explained.

"Changming!"

Huang Yuan lost his composure, his breath suddenly becoming heavy. Like Changming Thunder God, he was of the Thunder God Position, so he was particularly concerned about Changming, a fully authoritative Thunder God.

"Forget about the Thunder God's Treasures,"

Yan Qingxu, knowing his friend well, could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression, "The Divine Treasures obtained by the Headquarters have already been handed over to the Boundary Wall Guardians by the Divine Phoenix Girl."

"Do you think I'm someone who covets those petty Divine Treasures? Old Yan, after all these years, you still don't understand me," Huang Yuan, feeling disappointed inside, sharply retorted Yan Qingxu.

"Is that so?"

Yan Qingxu, knowing his friend was stubborn, didn't expose him, "During the borrowing process, that kid Xiao Mu did something—I don't know what—and he actually controlled the Human Emperor's authority and even summoned the Human Emperor's Illusion. Consequently, the Divine Phoenix Girl, who provided power to the Human Emperor's stamp, almost had her energy completely drained and has yet to recover."

"Summoned the Human Emperor... Human Emperor's Illusion?"

Huang Yuan's mouth hung open, taking a long time to close it.

As an elder of the Headquarters, he was clear more than anyone what the Human Emperor meant in the human world—it was an existence at the Heavenly God Realm, with power even above the Lord of White Mansion.

And Xiao Mu, even if he just summoned the Human Emperor's Illusion, was enough to be shockingly newsworthy.

"Old Huang, where has your focus gone? The most important thing isn't the Human Emperor's Illusion, but rather that the Divine Phoenix Girl, in the process of the Illusion's summoning, nearly had her energy exhausted..."

Yan Qingxu looked at his friend with a vexed expression, trying to correct his misunderstanding.

Huang Yuan hadn't spoken yet when suddenly...

"Hmph!"

A cold snort rang in Yan Qingxu's ears simultaneously; followed by a thunderous boom, a mountain peak descended upside down from the sky, impaling Yan Qingxu's head directly, pinning him deep underground.

The building collapsed and, apart from Yan Qingxu being pinned underground, Huang Yuan and others swiftly used their Escape Art to retreat to a distance.

A large amount of dust filled the air, turning everyone nearby grimy and dusty.

"Who? Who dares ambush me, come out!"

Yan Qingxu, his head bleeding, crawled out from underground, looking extremely disheveled; he stood beside the overturned mountain and shouted into the sky.

"Shh! Old Yan, keep it down. Someone overheard what you said behind their back just now." Huang Yuan did not get close to Yan Qingxu, opting to stay at a distance to avoid becoming collateral damage, and used a transmitted message to discreetly warn him.

"It's a divine..."

Only then did Yan Qingxu realize who was scheming against him, and his complexion drastically changed.

An angry, cold huff once again came from high above, and with a certain thought activated, the inverted Great Mountain suddenly flew away.

"Haha! Old Yan, that's what happens when you speak recklessly; better be more careful next time."

Huang Yuan laughed heartily as he moved towards Yan Qingxu. The Divine Phoenix had taken away the inverted Great Mountain, meaning that, for a short time, as long as Yan Qingxu did not continue to invite disaster, he wouldn't get beaten up again.

"Misfortune! I should have known earlier. The one who controls the Seal of Human Emperor, how could he be unaware of someone nearby talking about him? Oh well, this time I'm just unlucky."

Yan Qingxu emerged, covered in dust, leapt up from the spot, and took out several Healing Fruits to eat and mend his injuries.

"Group leader, is it an enemy attack? What should we do now? Do we need to organize our forces to defend? Please give your orders," Yan Qingxu's young assistant deployed the Wood Escape Technique and came over, evidently unaware of what had just transpired.

"Don't panic; it was just an accident. Send someone to rebuild the External Affairs Group's house," Yan Qingxu casually directed his young assistant, without mentioning what exactly had happened.

"Yes."

The young assistant, knowing there must be something amiss but not daring to inquire further, complied and walked off to arrange for people to rebuild the External Affairs Group's house.

"Haha! Old Yan, have you learned your lesson this time? I want to see if you dare talk behind others' backs again," Huang Yuan circled around Yan Qingxu, finding it increasingly humorous to see his friend in such a disheveled state.

"Old Huang, with such severe injuries, if you keep laughing, be careful not to laugh yourself to death."

Yan Qingxu retorted unhappily at Huang Yuan, swiftly changing the topic, "What were you just saying? Xiao Mu is planning to provide you with something before the next expedition to the shattered space to help boost your strength?"

A teasing smile flashed across Huang Yuan's face, clearly aware that Yan Qingxu was trying to change the subject, and smoothly responded, "That's why I want to invite you along. You and I, we both desperately need to enhance our strength. According to my arrangement with Xiao Mu, as long as you join me in exploring the shattered space, whatever he provides for me, he will also offer you an equivalent share. What do you think, Old Yan, want to consider it?"

"This..."

Yan Qingxu fell into hesitation. "Of course I want to go if there's a chance to increase my strength. But the dangers of the shattered space are too great..."

"Cowardly! If you are afraid of death and don't want to go, then I might as well invite Elder Zun or Old Zhu along," Huang Yuan's face flashed with irritation, displeased with Yan Qingxu's indecisiveness, and he scolded him on the spot.

The 'Elder' referred to was Elder Zun from the Great Tang Ruins, and Old Zhu was the leader of the External Affairs Group's second division, Zhu Fuchen.

Both of them, like Yan Qingxu, were friends of Huang Yuan.

"Old Huang, don't rush me, give me some time to think it over—one day, no, two days, I will give you an answer within three days," Yan Qingxu hurriedly grabbed Huang Yuan to discuss when he heard Huang Yuan mention going to find Zun and Zhu Fuchen, becoming anxious again.

"You're always beating around the bush. It wouldn't be a delight. If it weren't for the fact that your Yan family's bloodline is sealed and you're in desperate need of power to break it, needing the strength enhancement more than Elder Zun and Old Zhu, I wouldn't have invited you."

"Make a decision soon, otherwise I'll ask Elder Zun or Old Zhu—they are not as hesitant as you," Huang Yuan scolded Yan Qingxu unhappily but still gave him an opportunity.

"I will."

Yan Qingxu, curious about what Xiao Mu could provide, asked, "Old Huang, what will Xiao Mu provide for us?"

"I don't know; maybe nothing at all," Huang Yuan somewhat angrily responded to Yan Qingxu.

Yan Qingxu paused for a moment, then realizing that Huang Yuan was angry, laughed, "Old Huang, calm down, getting angry isn't good for your health. Let me think it over; I'll respond to you soon."

"I will wait for you for three days at most. If I don't get an answer within three days, I'll go to Elder Zun and Old Zhu," Huang Yuan replied discontentedly to Yan Qingxu, then deployed the Five Elements Escape Technique and left.

Watching Huang Yuan leave, Yan Qingxu stood confounded for a moment, but soon, he left the External Affairs Group preoccupied, heading towards his home.

"Sealed bloodline! Sealed bloodline!"

Yan Qingxu muttered quietly as he walked, arriving unconsciously at his home's doorstep.

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