Tang Wushuang had been hunted by Thunder Tiger for a full day and a night. By now, he had already fled deep into the Yunlu Mountain Range, arriving before the Sect Protection Array of the former Thunder God Hall.

As he stared at the Sect Protection Array before him, the pursuing Thunder Tiger caught up, its roars echoing throughout the mountain forest.

After a moment of internal struggle, Tang Wushuang finally gritted his teeth and plunged into the Sect Protection Array. Normally, the Thunder God Hall’s Sect Protection Array would only open on its own for one month each year. Outside of that period, anyone who dared to enter faced almost certain death.

After he rushed into the Sect Protection Array, Tang Wushuang’s figure quickly vanished. Within the inactive array were countless traps, and every step teetered on the edge of life and death.

Only a few moments after Tang Wushuang entered the Sect Protection Array, Thunder Tiger arrived at the spot. Its eyes stared toward the Sect Protection Array of the Thunder Hall. As a Tier Three Demon Beast, Thunder Tiger possessed considerable intelligence; it knew the dangers of the Sect Protection Array.

It paced for a while, leaving only after confirming that Tang Wushuang had truly entered the Sect Protection Array.

After Thunder Tiger left, the three junior class students appeared, looking toward the spot where Tang Wushuang had vanished. One of them spoke, "He entered the Thunder God Hall’s Sect Protection Array? What do we do now?"

Hearing this, the three of them mulled it over for a good while. In the end, they decided to wait there for a month. If Tang Wushuang emerged, they would resume their hunt. If he didn’t, he had likely died inside the Thunder God Hall, and there would be no reason for them to wait any longer.

Having made their decision, the three quickly found hiding spots nearby. They were deep within the Yunlu Mountain Range, the domain of Demon Beasts, so every action had to be taken with extreme caution.

Tang Wushuang’s fate remained unknown. Meanwhile, in the Capital City, Lin Yun had taken some time to rest, and his injuries were now mostly healed. Just then, a eunuch from the Imperial Palace arrived at the Wang Family’s estate to find him. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The Royal Family had heard that Lin Yun’s injuries had healed. That very day, His Holiness invited Lin Yun to the Imperial Palace. As one of the new top ten geniuses on the Yanhuang List, Lin Yun was granted one opportunity to make a request of the Royal Family.

The day had finally arrived. Lin Yun followed the eunuch into the Imperial Palace alone.

At the gates of the Wang Family estate, a carriage reserved for the Royal Family’s exclusive use stood waiting, pulled by four Tier Three Demon Beasts—Barbarian Oxen. This carriage alone was a testament to the Royal Family’s profound foundation.

To use four Tier Three Demon Beasts to pull a carriage was something beyond the means of even the great families of the Capital City. This was the equivalent of having four Primordial Ocean Realm experts.

Riding in the luxurious and comfortable carriage, Lin Yun was taken directly into the Imperial Palace. The entire palace complex was as large as Yunlu County City. After an hour’s journey inside, he finally arrived at the largest hall in the palace: the Purple Gold Hall.

On a massive plaque, twenty meters long and ten meters wide, three glittering golden words seemed to possess a strange Magic Power. As Lin Yun passed beneath the plaque bearing the words "Purple Gold Hall," he was overcome by an illusion.

Within the Illusion Realm, Lin Yun saw what seemed to be a supreme Emperor seated upon the Throne. His very aura was so overwhelming that it created an irresistible urge to kneel and prostrate oneself before him.

The illusion lasted only for a moment before vanishing, but by the time it did, Lin Yun’s back was already drenched in cold sweat.

Guessing what Lin Yun had just experienced, the eunuch leading the way explained, "Young Master Lin, please do not be alarmed. The plaque of the Purple Gold Hall was personally inscribed by the Grand Ancestor Emperor and contains his Martial Arts Realm. Even though that was nearly a thousand years ago, the Grand Ancestor Emperor of that era was a peerless expert whose power far surpassed the Primordial Ocean Realm."

Hearing this, Lin Yun nodded slightly. His estimation of the Royal Family’s power grew. ’If a mere plaque possesses such power,’ he thought, ’the true depth of their foundation must be truly formidable.’

Upon entering, Lin Yun saw that the massive Purple Gold Hall was divided into an outer and an inner hall. The inner hall was where His Holiness actually conducted the affairs of the state.

The eunuch did not lead him directly into the inner hall. Instead, he asked Lin Yun to wait for a moment in the outer hall while he went inside to announce his arrival.

As he stood outside the doors to the inner hall, he noticed the outer hall was lined on both sides with members of the Forbidden Guard Army, stationed at five-meter intervals. The aura emanating from each one of them revealed, to his surprise, that they were all Martial Artists at the Late Stage of the Qi Sea Realm.

After waiting for about a hundred breaths, Lin Yun was finally granted permission to enter the inner hall.

The inner hall was smaller than the outer hall, but it was decorated in an even more majestic and imposing manner. This was especially true of the elevated Throne, which shimmered with a brilliant Golden Light, inspiring an irrepressible feeling of aspiration in all who saw it.

The dais beneath the Throne was called the Imperial Platform, and it was connected by a staircase of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. Standing below the Imperial Platform, Lin Yun could only vaguely see a figure seated upon the Throne, unable to make out their appearance.

However, the immense pressure emanating from the Imperial Platform convinced Lin Yun that the person on the Throne was none other than the current Emperor of the Yanhuang Country.

Lin Yun harbored no goodwill toward the Royal Family. If not for them, he would never have been separated from his parents. Therefore, when facing the current Emperor—the most powerful man in the Yanhuang Country—Lin Yun only dropped to one knee and said, "Lin Shan pays his respects to His Holiness."

In the Yanhuang Country, there were strict regulations for paying respects to His Holiness. Only those whose Cultivation had reached the Primordial Ocean Realm were granted the privilege of kneeling on one knee. All others who had not reached the Primordial Ocean Realm were required to kneel on both knees when granted an audience.

Seeing Lin Yun kneel on only one knee, the eunuch at his side broke out in a cold sweat. ’This boy is far too audacious!’ he thought. ’How dare he kneel on only one knee before His Holiness?’

"Lin Shan, are you trying to get yourself killed? You haven’t reached the Primordial Ocean Realm, you must kneel on both knees!" the eunuch hissed, frantic with anxiety.

However, Lin Yun acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. He remained on one knee, and instead of lowering his head, he looked directly at the figure upon the Imperial Platform.

’It’s over... this boy...’ the eunuch thought in despair. ’He actually dared to look directly at the Imperial Platform! That’s something even Primordial Ocean Realm experts wouldn’t dare to do!’

As expected, the very instant Lin Yun raised his head, an incomparably tyrannical aura erupted from the Imperial Platform and locked onto him.

The eunuch standing beside Lin Yun was caught in the aftershock of this aura and sent flying several meters, spitting blood as he landed.

"Are you not afraid to die?" a voice boomed, laced with the absolute authority of one who controls everything.

"I do not know what I have done to deserve death," Lin Yun replied, forcing himself to remain calm under the immense pressure.

Silence descended from the Imperial Platform. Just as Lin Yun was on the verge of collapsing, the terrifying aura vanished in an instant, immediately followed by a burst of hearty laughter.

"Hahaha! Excellent! Worthy of your new title as one of the top ten geniuses of the Yanhuang List. Now, speak. What is your request of the Royal Family?"

"I wish to request that the Royal Family’s Earth Level Six-Stars Alchemist treat a latent injury afflicting Wang Tianwen of the Wang Family."

Hearing Lin Yun’s request, the Emperor grew even more curious about him. The top ten geniuses of the Yanhuang List were each entitled to one request from the Royal Family. Over the years, he had heard a wide variety of requests, but they were all, without exception, for personal gain: asking for Spirit Soldiers, cultivation treasures, or an official post.

Never before had anyone, like Lin Yun, used this precious opportunity for the sake of another person.