Sure enough, Wan Dulong immediately showed anger upon hearing it.
Which little fellow dares to be so insolent?
He glanced at Li Chaoxuan, and his face brightened considerably.
At least you know how to handle things.
"Come in," he said, already abandoning his accusatory posture.
Li Chaoxuan accompanied Wan Dulong inside, offered him fragrant tea, dismissed the others, and began to speak without waiting for Wan Dulong to ask questions, naturally putting all the blame on Shi Hao.
—This child, relying on his beast taming talent and possessing a powerful monster, became arrogant and volunteered to check the accounts, aiming to showcase his abilities and gain recognition from higher-ups.
After listening, Wan Dulong’s face turned grim.
Good boy, you want to climb up, but you actually plan to use the old man as a stepping stone?
He laughed coldly inside, dealing with a third-tier palace disciple was easy as pie for him.
He instructed Li Chaoxuan to order Shi Hao to carry out a mission, just so he could go to the trouble of dealing with Shi Hao personally.
It’s better to do it himself than leave a handle for others.
Li Chaoxuan immediately complied and arranged for Shi Hao to continue checking the accounts.
Shi Hao said nothing, took his Purple Gold Rat and set off.
Then, Li Chaoxuan was surprised to find that not only did Shi Hao return alive, but he was completely unharmed.
Huh, what’s going on?
Did Wan Dulong actually not make a move?
Not long after, Wan Dulong also returned and attacked Li Chaoxuan furiously.
Damn it, caused him so much trouble.
When he attacked Shi Hao, who would have thought that Shi Hao’s beast pet was incredibly powerful and easily defeated him, leaving him in utter despair.
As a result, he naturally hated Li Chaoxuan to death.
Being hated to death by a member of the Founding King Court, can Li Chaoxuan live long?
A few days later, he suddenly died from illness.
Just a Self-Observation disciple, basically insignificant among ten-star forces, his death isn’t even a ripple?
At the beginning of the month, the second-tier palace also sent envoys for assessments, and as long as the performance was excellent, one could be promoted to the second-tier palace.
This happens once a month, naturally, it’s impossible for talents to appear every time, on the contrary, a few years may only produce one, which is logical. However, because Shi Hao was present this time, things were different.
Letting the Purple Gold Rat bite a couple of people, Shi Hao was naturally selected to be sent to the second-tier palace.
Wan Dulong, already doubting his life after being tormented by the Purple Gold Rat, not only didn’t dare to cause Shi Hao trouble but also had to protect him diligently.
With this insider’s help, Shi Hao quickly became a key disciple for cultivation in the second-tier palace, as long as he performed well in the tri-monthly assessment, he could enter the first-tier palace.
For Wan Dulong, he also wanted Shi Hao to be sent away sooner, or it would be like having an ancestor riding on his neck, so uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Shi Hao arrived this month, which was already the third month of the tri-monthly assessment, so within two weeks, he got to participate in the first-tier palace assessment and, relying on his "Beast Control" talent, he was smoothly chosen by the first-tier palace.
He was just one step away from the master palace of the Fire Silkworm Palace.
Coincidentally, only a few days after Shi Hao entered the first-tier palace, a significant event occurred.
An ancient relic was discovered on the border between the Fire Silkworm Palace and the Ice Wheel Hall. After the two ten-star forces fought over it, they decided to develop it jointly, as entering it wasn’t just about scavenging treasures, but required each party’s own means.
Because the value assessment of this relic was not high, it naturally didn’t attract much attention, with several first-tier palaces sending personnel to enter and engage with Ice Wheel Hall in a contest.
Shi Hao was also chosen because he was a "Beast Tamer," and should any monsters appear in the relic, his talent could come in handy.
He remained low-key, followed the team, and ventured into the relic.
It was a palace complex buried underground, likely from an ancient dynasty. Given it’s a dynasty, at best it would have a guardian even reaching the Saintly Position, so it’s natural that it wouldn’t attract significant attention, with a few first-tier palaces sending some personnel being enough.
But as soon as Shi Hao entered, he sensed something was amiss.
Too eerie, it seemed more like purgatory than the human world—even though he hadn’t entered the underworld, his several brushes with death had given him a deeper understanding of it than others.
Such coldness was akin to death.
Others felt nothing amiss, only finding the place a bit excessively cold.
"It’s so cold!" A girl in the team hugged herself, showing a pitiful expression.
Instantly, the males in the team were excessively attentive, with some summoning the Fire Element to form blazing flames to raise the temperature, others taking out armor to offer to the girl, and still others offering comforting words.
This was naturally because the girl was exceptionally beautiful, stirring the males to vie for her attention, hoping to gain the beauty’s favor.
Her name was Chu Yuan, self-cultivation level of Self-Observation, and among the group, not considered low at all. Therefore, with beauty paired with impressive martial arts talent, she naturally attracted the men’s desire.
There were also two other females in the team, although not ugly, they couldn’t compare to her, both showing expressions of disdain.
Shi Hao was indifferent, as the team was led by three Great Sacrificial Heaven experts, he didn’t dare reveal his domain, only scanning with his Divine Sense to figure out why it’s so cold here.
Seeing Shi Hao ignore her, Chu Yuan showed a slight displeasure.
—Among the men in the entire team, aside from the three leading experts, Shi Hao alone didn’t pay her any attention, and it wasn’t the first time. She had tried to subtly charm him multiple times before, yet Shi Hao entirely ignored her.
Who do you think you are, to treat me with disinterest?
She cultivated hatred, secretly deciding to incite others against Shi Hao if the opportunity arose.
Ice Wheel Hall had also sent people, but both parties merely exchanged glances before forming their groups to explore the palace complex.
Without any profit disputes, naturally, there wasn’t going to be any conflict.
"Act separately. If you encounter Ice Wheel Hall people, win the fight or escape if defeated," the three leaders instructed.
The team of about a hundred split up, searching various rooms within the palace.
Shi Hao had his Purple Gold Rat, unwilling to form partnerships with anyone.
"Isn’t this place strange?" he asked.
The Purple Gold Rat nodded: "The Yin energy is too strong; it’s really not a good place."
Shi Hao didn’t waste time, merely sensing the aura, heading toward the area with the densest Yin energy.
That should be the Source of Netherworld Energy.
Soon, they arrived at a garden, which was the center of Yin energy in the entire palace.
Shi Hao initially thought it’d be a tomb; however, it was anything but.
Shi Hao was astonished to discover a stele stood unexpectedly in this garden.