Chapter 401: Breaking Through (Third Update)

“You can come out now, he has already left.”

Situ Xingchen said softly.

Not far behind her, a ripple appeared in the void, and then, an old man stepped out from within.

It was precisely Elder Lian Ning.

“I truly do not know how Rong Jin has managed to sit steadily in this position of Crown Prince for so many years.”

Elder Lian Ning’s tone was mocking.

“Does he really think that, relying on his own strength, he can truly enter the Imperial Mausoleum and obtain what he desires?”

“He is, after all, the ‘Chosen One.’ I suppose he must be somewhat different from others,” Situ Xingchen said indifferently.

Elder Lian Ning glanced at her and smiled. “It seems, Your Highness, that you do not hold this identity of Rong Jin in very high regard?”

“Of course not. I simply look down on Rong Jin himself.”

So what if he were the Chosen One?

Rong Jin might not even have the luck to succeed!

Elder Lian Ning turned back to look in the direction where Rong Jin had disappeared and said thoughtfully

“What you say makes a lot of sense. I truly do not know how a person like Rong Jin could be the Chosen One.”

Situ Xingchen curled her lips into a cold smile.

If she hadn't heard those words from the Empress with her own ears, and hadn't seen the scene in Seven-Cornered Alley with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed it either.

“Although Rong Jin is incompetent, but... am I not already here?” Situ Xingchen brushed a strand of hair away from her ear, a cold light flashing through her eyes that were usually as clear as autumn waters. “With my help, he naturally has nothing to worry about.”

Elder Lian Ning bowed his head.

“What are Your Highness's plans now? Will you stay here to observe the changes, or—”

“To the Imperial Mausoleum,” Situ Xingchen said decisively.

Understanding her intent, Elder Lian Ning waved his sleeve. A cloud of white mist drifted out, enveloping the figures of the two.

A moment later, their figures vanished from the spot.

***

On the other side, Rong Jin was already heading toward Sijin Peak alone.

Upon approaching, he quickly discovered that the guards here were actually stricter than usual.

He wondered what on earth had happened at the Imperial Mausoleum...

Rong Jin thought to himself as he proceeded cautiously.

The surroundings were silent. The further he went, the more clearly he could hear his own heartbeat.

In his mind, the words Situ Xingchen had spoken were constantly replaying.

“...Within the Imperial Mausoleum lies a supreme treasure passed down for a thousand years. It is said that the treasure was obtained inadvertently by the ancestors of the Yaochen Kingdom. However, because they could never fully unravel the secrets of that treasure, no one else knew that such a supreme treasure was held in their hands and eventually brought into the Imperial Mausoleum.”

“Historically, only each successive Emperor of the Yaochen Kingdom has been qualified to know this matter. Her Majesty the Empress did not know either, until one year, during the Heaven-Worshiping Ceremony at Sijin Peak, a divine miracle appeared. Only then did she learn of this matter and confirm that you, Your Highness the Crown Prince, are the Chosen One, destined to one day enter the Imperial Mausoleum, obtain that treasure, and become its new master.”

“Once that supreme treasure is obtained and its secrets are unraveled, one can attain heaven-defying power!”

Rong Jin swallowed hard, looking at Sijin Peak with undisguised longing and excitement in his eyes.

Heaven-defying power!

Just those four words were enough to excite anyone!

Even though it had been quite a while since he heard those words, every time Rong Jin thought of them, he could not suppress the wild joy in his heart.

In his twenty-plus years of life, he never knew that such a massive opportunity actually resided within him!

His Mother Empress was really something, keeping it from him for so long!

If he had known about this earlier, he would have definitely come sooner!

Recently, he had suffered one blow after another, to the point where he almost thought he had no hope of making a comeback.

Who would have thought that there was actually such a trump card!

At this thought, a trace of dissatisfaction toward the Empress actually arose in the depths of Rong Jin's heart.

Since he was the Chosen One, why hadn't Mother told him sooner? Instead, she waited until today, until he had fallen into a desperate situation, before she was willing to speak?

Coincidentally, with the incident at the Imperial Mausoleum, it was even more inconvenient for him to enter the mausoleum quietly.

“You guys go check over there! The rest of you, follow me!”

Suddenly, a troop of men approached.

Rong Jin immediately hid his figure carefully, even concealing his aura.

Just then, the cry of a crane echoed from the sky.

Rong Jin frowned.

Has Father arrived!?

This makes things even more troublesome...

If Situ Xingchen had come with him, perhaps she could have helped him lure these people away...

But that was just a thought.

If he had to do it again, he would still have left Situ Xingchen behind.

His personality had always been suspicious, and since the matter involved was so important, he would never feel at ease letting her follow him.

After waiting in place for a while and confirming that the patrolling guards had left, he finally proceeded forward cautiously again.

In this manner, despite the perils along the way, Rong Jin eventually arrived successfully at the foot of Sijin Peak.

Looking at the barrier before him and feeling the powerful pressure emanating from it, Rong Jin's mouth went dry, and he couldn't help but lick his lips nervously.

Then, he took out a box and murmured in a low voice

“Mother, you must help me this time...”

Having said that, he carefully opened the box.

A jade-carved seal lay quietly inside.

He picked the object up and then slowly infused it with a stream of Origin Power!

Starlight gradually began to glow upon the seal! Finally, it actually formed a strange pattern!

If Emperor Jiawen were here, he would know that the pattern on this was exactly the same as the key to the Sijin Peak barrier in his hands!

The box the Empress had carefully hidden contained only this one item!

This was something she had painstakingly copied from Emperor Jiawen in secret and then had someone carve privately.

She had hidden it for so many years just for this day!

*Buzz!*

Ripples suddenly surged upon the barrier!

Then, an entrance appeared before Rong Jin!

His heart beat wildly, almost leaping out of his mouth!

Immediately, his figure flashed, and he entered the barrier!

He did not see that after he entered, the barrier did not close immediately; instead, it rippled with strange patterns.

It was as if a gust of wind had passed through.

After another moment, a faint light surfaced on the barrier, and it finally closed again.

Everything returned to tranquility.

At this moment, a troop of men happened to pass by. Seeing that the barrier was intact, they did not stop and continued forward.

***

Inside the Imperial Mausoleum, Chu Liuyue sat upon the throne.

The golden walls from all directions had been built high and finally stopped just as they were about to touch that river.

The entire space seemed to have frozen, with only the barrier surrounding Chu Liuyue burning frantically.

Chu Liuyue estimated that fifteen minutes had passed, but because the power of this barrier was too strong, progress was very slow.

After a long while, a crack finally appeared on the barrier in front of her!

*Crack!*

The barrier shattered!

(End of Chapter)