Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Fu Shan was stunned. His face began to fill with disbelief. He, more than anyone else, was aware of how powerful the Endless Sea Array was. Although he had been prepared to go all-out just now, the truth was that he didn't have much confidence he really could break through, much less bend the rule lines and cause them to disperse on their own.

At this moment, Qin Yu's image in his mind became much larger, and that seemingly ordinary aura also gained a mystical flavor. But as he thought about how this person possessed the inconceivable white sun boundary Demon Body talent, he felt that this could all be reasonably explained. After all, how could a proud son of heaven like this be as simple as he appeared on the surface?

He had already been mistaken before and nearly became a vile evildoer who harmed the entire Holy Nether Guard.

Now that the heavens had given him a chance to correct his mistake, how could he miss out on it?

Fu Shan drew back one step. He cupped his fists together and bowed deeply, "Subordinate Fu Shan greets the Lord Commander!" Unlike when he first met Qin Yu, this greeting contained true respect.

Undying's little tricks had an effect after all. He had helped Qin Yu create a mysterious and formidable image in everyone's minds. Otherwise, while Fu Shan might have bowed his head, it wouldn't have been today and definitely not in front of so many people.

This bow helped Qin Yu establish his dignity and position with the Holy Nether Guard.

Through the layers upon layers of isolating array formations, Yuan Zhen's eyes revealed a complex look. He gently sighed inwardly. He could correctly guess that Fu Shan's actions were a form of apology for his past behavior. He also knew that from this moment on, they were no longer in control of the Holy Nether Guard's future.

He only hoped that the heavens didn't plan on playing any more jokes on them. He hoped that this young Commander in front of them could lift the shackles that wrapped around their bodies and free them from their cage.

"First Lieutenant Yuan Zhen pays respect to the Commander!"

There was the rustling of scaled armor brushing against itself. Yuan Zhen's large figure knelt down as he lowered his proud head.

Yes, it was true, they indeed held a deep enmity towards the Holy Palace. 100,000 years…they had been trapped here for an entire 100,000 years! Just what amazing and ill.u.s.trious characters were their ancestors? Yet they had been stranded in the Endless Sea, unable to take a single step out, until eventually they finally perished here, drowning in their own wretched despair and sorrow. Moreover, how many of their descendants had never been able to see the great sun in the heavens high above, or even take a single breath of fresh and free air?

But in order to strive for a better future for the Holy Nether Guard, all of these grievances could be tossed to the side. As long as the younger generation and their descendants were able to leave this sea, what was the harm in forgetting about the past for a brighter future?

"Second Lieutenant and Third Lieutenant pay their respects to the Commander!"

Behind them, even more Holy Nether Guards fell to their knees, their armor crashing and rumbling for a moment before quieting back down.

The air was suddenly filled with solemnity and respect. A deep momentum rose up! At this moment, wherever one could see around them, only Qin Yu stood tall.

No, to be more precise, there was Qin Yu and another half of a person.

Because Fu Shan was only bowing.

Qin Yu lifted his hand and the purple and blue light began to rapidly fade away. The sun and moon phantoms also disappeared and the rule lines that bent outwards began to restore themselves to how they were in the beginning. His light expression swept over Wang Chao's face that was flushed red with excitement. He thought for a moment and nodded. Disregarding what Wang Chao's thoughts were, if he was able to stand here with Fu Shan, then he had sufficiently earned enough points and Qin Yu really could trust him.

The future would prove just what sort of rich repayment Wang Chao's performance today would bring him.

"Rise."

"Yes, Commander."

Fu Shan straightened himself. "Commander, may I ask exactly what happened and how you entered the secret array?" He carefully looked over Qin Yu and saw that his appearance was complete, without anything resembling injuries. As he thought about the terrifying pill toxins within the secret array, his heart filled with even more awe.

He already believed the words that Wang Chao and the others had said. Since he had decided to stand by Qin Yu's side, then he naturally had to display the correct attitude. No matter who it was that did this or whatever their reason was, they needed to be pulled out in exchange for Qin Yu's forgiveness.

Qin Yu's expression was light. "A day ago, two Holy Nether Guards came to my residence and said there was an important matter that you needed me for. Then, they brought me here."

Fu Shan was furious. "How bold! Commander, rest assured that I will conduct a thorough investigation and catch those two people so you may deal with them!"

Qin Yu shook his head. "There's no need for that." His eyes swerved to the side. "A person's appearance may be changed and their cultivation may be concealed, but they cannot fake their soul aura. I just happen to have a technique that can differentiate between souls. Those two Holy Nether Guards from yesterday are now…right here."

His eyes came to a stop.

Two Holy Nether Guard squad captains lowered their heads. Their bodies were entirely still but sweat had already gushed out all over them, drenching their armor.

A dense chill rose up from the depths of their hearts, spreading through their limbs and bones and making them feel as if they fell into an icy hell.

Fu Shan looked over, following Qin Yu's gaze. The corners of his eyes gently twitched and he took a deep breath and coldly shouted, "You two, come out!"

The two squad leaders marched forward, "Subordinates Xu Wei, Xu Hu, greet the Commander and Vice Commander!"

Fu Shan was expressionless. "Do you two plan on speaking yourselves, or do I have to hand down the punishment of the Holy Nether Guard?"

Xu Wei and Xu Hu trembled. They fell to their knees, "We acknowledge our guilt. We are willing to die as an apology!"

The punishment of the Holy Nether Guard…this was a fate more frightening than death. As for denying it, they never thought of this to begin with. Since Qin Yu had already locked onto them, as long as people sincerely investigated into them, their seemingly safe arrangements would all be torn apart.

The two lifted their hands to strike their own foreheads!

Sometimes suicide was a grace in itself.

But before the crushing strikes of these two men were able to land, their hands were bounced back by invisible strength.

Fu Shan's eyes flashed with unwillingness before immediately turning cold and callous. "Men, take Xu Wei and Xu Hu away. Toss them into the jail so that the Lord Commander can personally deal with them later!" He couldn't allow these two people to commit suicide because he needed to give the Lord Commander a way to vent his anger and indignation. No matter how much he didn't want to do this, he no longer had any choice.

Qin Yu lifted a hand. "Wait a moment. I very much want to know, just why did you plot to murder me?" He paused briefly and continued, "If you speak the truth, you may be given leniency."

Xu Wei bitterly said, "We have no idea who it was working behind the scenes." To be given a little leniency, was that to be given a happy death? Qin Yu didn't allow them to die so they didn't dare to try and commit suicide anymore. Otherwise, if his anger was to be vented upon their family, that was truly the most horrifying possibility.

Unfortunately they really didn't know anything. From beginning to end, they were just pawns in another person's game.

Who willingly wanted to be a chess piece? Yet they had no other choice.

Qin Yu shook his head. "I don't want to know who directed you to harm me." This was because he didn't need evidence at all. His heart told him that whoever would obtain the greatest benefits from his death would be the one who tried to murder him. He already had an idea in his mind.

"Just say why you agreed to work for them."

Xu Wei clenched his teeth. "It is to save my mother!"

Fu Shan's body visibly trembled.

Qin Yu maintained his composure as he succinctly asked, "Be specific."

Xu Hu loudly said, "My mother is grievously ill and must be treated with pills from the outside! They agreed to give us brothers the pills needed to cure our mother, so that is the reason why we agreed to harm you! Since we have been caught, if you want to kill or torture us, do whatever it is you please. But Lord Commander, please do not play jokes with us brothers anymore!"

The atmosphere clearly changed. The originally shocked and silent eyes suddenly revealed unwillingness, pain, and even deep resentment.

There was surely another story behind all of this.

Qin Yu looked towards Fu Shan.

Fu Shan sighed. He began to explain, "Commander hasn't been in the Endless Sea for too long, so there are some secrets of Holy Nether City that you are still unaware of. The Holy Nether Guard is to be forever stranded here if we are not given permission to leave. Countless generations have lived in the deep sea for 100,000 years, and while we may live in Holy Nether City, it still remains a land different from the outside world.

"For some unknown reason, there is the chance of a severe gradual collapse syndrome appearing within the ranks of the Holy Nether Guard and their family members. Once this illness appears, unless there is a special pill refined from a special type of hyacinth grass found in the outside world, the person will be bedridden with that lingering disease until they eventually succ.u.mb to weakness and die."

Speaking to here, Fu Shan's expression was especially heavy. "In these last 10,000 years, this collapse syndrome has been appearing more and more. Roughly estimating, at least 400,000 people have died of this disease already."

Qin Yu knew of this hyacinth grass. It was a relatively common spirit plant found in the outside world; its value was probably several thousand spirit stones. But in exchange for a life, it wasn't comparable at all.

Yet it was the lack of such a common spirit plant that had caused the Holy Nether Guard to lose 400,000 lives. If someone said that there wasn't another reason behind it, he wouldn't have believed them at all.

No wonder the Holy Nether Guard held such a deep resentment towards the Holy Palace. Qin Yu even felt admiration towards Fu Shan and the others that they could see the bigger picture and didn't brutally attack him upon seeing him.

Qin Yu finally understood the situation. Someone had offered hyacinth grass as a reward and Xu Wei and Xu Hu who loved their mother dearly had been caught in their net.