Lin Di and Yun Yunyan were both stunned as they looked at the thousand individuals kneeling before them. They were speechless for a long time, unable to comprehend what was happening.
These people, all possessing the peak of the Life and Death Realm, had perfectly restrained their auras. If Lin Di and Yun Yunyan hadn't seen them with their own eyes, they wouldn't have noticed their presence at all.
Who were these people? Why were they showing such respect to them, addressing them as the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager? It sounded like something related to an empire, but Lin Di and Yun Yunyan were certain they had no connection to any such entity.
They couldn't make sense of the situation, but they remained cautious, as the scenario felt too strange to accept so easily.
Unbeknownst to them, a figure dressed in the blue and white robes of the Yun Clan was hiding nearby, observing everything. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he whispered to himself, "I've found them! Lin Di and Yun Yunyan have finally been found!"
Suddenly, the Yun Clan member felt a tightness in his chest, a powerful sense of danger overwhelming him. Without hesitation, he bolted from his hiding spot, but as he rushed out, he realized something strange.
There was no one else around.
"Not good!" His heart sank as he realized he had exposed himself by rushing out. He was now visible to Lin Di and Yun Yunyan.
Sure enough, standing near the Boundary Tree, Lin Di and Yun Yunyan spotted the Yun Clan member dashing out from behind a spiritwood tree.
"Yun Clan scum!" Lin Di's eyes narrowed, and a murderous intent flashed in his gaze. Despite the Yun Clan member being only at the fifth stage of the Awakening Realm, letting him escape could lead to the Yun Clan being alerted, which would be disastrous.
Suddenly, a soft, chilling voice whispered from behind the Yun Clan member, "Looking for me?"
A dense black mist rose from the shadows at his back, and a figure materialized behind him. In the figure's hands were two slender, dark daggers, poised to strike.
The attack was lightning fast, giving the Yun Clan member no time to react. One dagger severed the protective soul energy around his body, and the second sliced through his throat.
The skillful and rapid strike ended the Yun Clan member's life in an instant, and his lifeless body collapsed to the ground.
Lin Di, having witnessed the entire scene, felt a sense of gravity. Although the short-haired man clad in a dark robe and light armor appeared to be at the sixth stage of the Awakening Realm, his assassination technique was nothing short of extraordinary.
The way he emerged from the shadows behind the Yun Clan member was particularly uncanny and elusive, making Lin Di marvel at his skill.
"Who are they?" Lin Di frowned as the figure approached him and Yun Yunyan. Based on the circumstances, these individuals didn't seem to be enemies.
The short-haired man, now standing before Lin Di and Yun Yunyan, knelt on one knee and respectfully saluted them. "Su Qianchen, Shadow General of the Hua Xia Empire, greets the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager."
The man who had just eliminated the Yun Clan member was none other than Su Qianchen, a general in the Hua Xia Empire, known for his mastery of assassination, capable of striking without warning like a ghost.
"Another one!" Lin Di muttered to himself, astonished. The people surrounding him, as well as this soul warrior with remarkable abilities, were all saluting him and Yun Yunyan, addressing them with titles that didn't make sense.
Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Yun Yunyan was the first to ask, "Why are you saluting us and calling us Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager? We've never met you before."
Su Qianchen respectfully replied, "Your Highness, as the mother of the Emperor, you are the Empress Dowager of the Hua Xia Empire. And you, being the father of the Emperor, are the Emperor Emeritus. The Emperor instructed us to search for you in Ten Thousand Medicines and Spiritwood Valley, and we have finally found you."
"You… You mean our son? The Emperor you speak of… Is it Lin Qian?" Yun Yunyan gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief.
"Indeed, your son is the supreme ruler of our Hua Xia Empire, the embodiment of the Empire's will, the Righteous Emperor of Martial Might," Su Qianchen said, his eyes gleaming with fervor and reverence as he mentioned Lin Qian's name.
Lin Di scrutinized Su Qianchen's expression and found no hint of deceit. His sincerity was undeniable.
Exchanging a look with Yun Yunyan, they both saw the shock mirrored in each other's eyes.
What had happened to their son in their absence?
Su Qianchen then conveyed another message, "Emperor Emeritus, Empress Dowager, the Emperor also wished for me to inform you that the former Duke—Her Highness's father—has already been cured. You need not worry about his condition."
Hearing that her father, Yun Fan, had been healed, a huge weight lifted off Yun Yunyan's chest. She had been constantly anxious about his injuries, but now knowing he was safe brought her immense relief.
"So all of this—your Emperor's reckless behavior—was just to draw us out and find us?" Lin Di frowned, questioning Su Qianchen.
Su Qianchen nodded. "Indeed, Emperor Emeritus. That was part of the plan. However, the Emperor also intends to eliminate the Yun Clan members within Ten Thousand Medicines and Spiritwood Valley."
"Eliminate them all? This kid really knows how to stir things up. The Yun Clan has sent ten soul warriors at the Transcendence Realm to the valley. These are beings far stronger than anyone at the Awakening Realm. What is he thinking? The Extreme Cold Zone is the perfect battleground for the Yun Clan!" Lin Di sighed, shaking his head at his son's recklessness.
"Do you know where your troublesome Emperor is now?" Lin Di asked Su Qianchen.
Su Qianchen nodded. "Yes, we know the Emperor's location. In fact, he instructed us to head to the Extreme Cold Zone once we found you and the Empress Dowager, to aid him."
With a nod, Lin Di and Yun Yunyan agreed, following Su Qianchen as he led the way.
Though Lin Di's expression remained composed, deep inside, he was filled with excitement at the thought of reuniting with his son. Yun Yunyan's joy, however, was plainly visible on her face.
Meanwhile, in the Extreme Cold Zone of Ten Thousand Medicines and Spiritwood Valley, Lin Qian was currently being pursued by the Yun Clan.
At least, that's how it appeared to outsiders. But was it truly the case?