# 1403
Chapter 1403 Meeting Underground
Hearing Huo Qubing's voice again, Lin Qiye was stunned.
"Only me?"
The other members of the Night Watch squad turned to look at him. Lin Qiye nodded and walked straight toward the crack in the ground.
As Lin Qiye jumped down, thick layers of earth passed before his eyes. In the darkness below, a dazzling golden light flickered and rapidly expanded in his vision.
A scorching, powerful aura enveloped him entirely. Beneath his feet was like a burning furnace—the deeper he descended, the more breathless he became.
After falling for several dozen seconds, Lin Qiye's feet touched the ground. Looking up from this position, the crack in the ground was almost invisible to the naked eye...
General Huo Qubing had struck from so deep beneath the surface?
Lin Qiye was deeply shocked.
He surveyed his surroundings—a vast naturally-formed cavern. At its center, a golden river surged forth from the darkness, resembling a roaring dragon as it swept across above Lin Qiye's head.
Before this river, Lin Qiye's form appeared as insignificant as an ant.
"This is the complete manifestation of Great Xia's national fortune..." Lin Qiye murmured, gazing at the torrent of national fortune.
"Lin Qiye."
A voice emerged from the torrent. A rock-like figure stood there, draped in tattered armor, standing atop the national fortune current and gazing down at Lin Qiye.
Before him, the blood-stained spear stood like a stabilising pillar amidst the churning national fortune.
Lin Qiye immediately bowed respectfully:
"Junior Lin Qiye, pays respects to the Marquis!"
"No need." Huo Qubing spoke calmly, his eyes fixed on Lin Qiye as if observing him.
After a brief silence, Lin Qiye couldn't help but ask:
"Marquis, may I ask why you summoned me...?"
"No urgent matter... This Marquis simply wishes to see you."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qiye stood frozen.
See me?
What is there to see about me?
As Lin Qiye was about to speak again, Huo Qubing continued: "Have you and Jialan gotten married?"
"...Jialan?"
Lin Qiye's confusion deepened.
How could Huo Qubing know about the relationship between Jialan and himself?
"...Not yet, she's still sleeping." Lin Qiye paused, then ventured to ask, "May I inquire, how does the Marquis know of Jialan?"
Huo Qubing gazed at Lin Qiye with a complex expression. After a moment, he shook his head:
"This Marquis has known Jialan for several thousand years... Since you two haven't married yet, it's likely that the time hasn't come.
How have you and your brothers been faring on the island?"
"We've been doing very well on the island, thank you for your concern, Marquis."
Huo Qubing stood atop the national fortune current and nodded slightly. "Very well... You may return now."
Already?
Lin Qiye stood dumbfounded for quite a while. Even with a heart full of questions, he couldn't bring himself to ask. He obediently bowed: "Junior takes his leave."
Just as Lin Qiye was about to turn and leave, Huo Qubing, standing atop the national fortune current, gazing at his retreating back, opened his lips once more:
"Lin Qiye, This Marquis shall give you one more piece of advice."
Lin Qiye stopped in his tracks.
Huo Qubing's voice echoed in his ears: "...A thousand sails raised, all become clouds and mist; walking barefoot through the wilderness, ask of your original heart."
"A thousand sails raised, all become clouds and mist; walking barefoot through the wilderness, ask of your original heart?" Lin Qiye murmured, repeating the words. Even though he didn't understand why Huo Qubing was giving him this advice, he politely bowed: "Thank you, Marquis."
Lin Qiye's figure flickered and departed from the national fortune current, disappearing through the crack in the ground.
At the edge of the underground cavern, Gongyang Wan, dressed in court attire, slowly emerged. Gazing at Lin Qiye's departing figure, she softly asked:
"Marquis, will he understand what you meant?"
Huo Qubing withdrew his gaze and gradually closed his eyes, saying indifferently: "When he should understand... he naturally will."
...
Lin Qiye's figure returned to the surface, and Baili Pangpang and the others immediately crowded around him with curiosity.
"Qiqiye, what did General Huo say to you?"
Lin Qiye's expression was somewhat odd. After hesitating for a moment, he still said: "He asked... if Jialan and I got married?"
"...What the hell?" Baili Pangpang said suspiciously. "Can't tell it, General Huo is actually the gossiping type?"
"Anything else?" An Qingyu asked incredulously.
"Then he asked how we've been doing on the island, and that was it."
Cao Yuan pondered for a moment. "It seems that after guarding here for several thousand years... even General Huo might feel a bit bored."
Just as they were talking, Li Kengqiang emerged from the depths of the forest, walking over unhurriedly with a smile:
"What? Already met the Marquis?"
"Already met him."
"Gun-ge, did you guys know there were people watching this island all along? Letting us run wild all these days was just a cover to make them lower their guard?" Baili Pangpang couldn't help but ask upon seeing Li Kengqiang.
"It is and it isn't." Li Kengqiang shrugged. "The 'Heart Trial' training... really is just like that."
"By the way, what's the deal with this Moon槐?" An Qingyu's gaze swept over the spot where the Black Crocodile had been. "This is a complete Divine Beast clan—how is he commanding them, and how did they silently enter Great Xia?"
"These creatures are called Makara." Li Kengqiang explained. "Makara are a type of Divine Beast from Indian mythology. Though their frontal combat strength isn't strong, they possess extremely strong concealment abilities and vision comparable to long-distance sight. They're very suitable for infiltration operations. I estimate they were sent into Great Xia long ago and have been hiding in some oceanic trench. Without searching carefully, they're basically impossible to find.
As for Moon槐... do you guys know Brahma?"
"The Supreme God of the Indian Temple, Brahma?" Cao Yuan said in surprise.
"Yes, Brahma is India's Supreme God and one of the creator gods. Legend has it that he is both the creator and destroyer of this world... Legends always have exaggerated elements, so just take it as something to keep in mind.
However, Brahma does indeed possess powers similar to a creator. He can conjure matter from nothingness and return existing matter to nothingness.
It is said that during the Great Mist Disaster a hundred years ago, the three Indian Supreme Gods, in order to preserve the Heavenly Temple, ordered the sacrifice of their people through secret arts. Although Brahma felt不忍, for the continuation of the divine realm, he still performed the sacrifice.
After that, Brahma's conscience was tormented, and his divine soul became unstable. With no alternative, he severed his own soul, dividing himself into two halves—one inheriting the creative force, becoming a purely benevolent good god, while the other bore his evil intentions and guilt, inheriting the power of dissolution and becoming a world-destroying evil god.
The Creative Brahma and the Destructive Brahma fought each other for months. In the end, the former prevailed, with a clear heart continuing to govern the Heavenly Temple, while the latter was defeated and fled into the mist.
Over these hundred years, the Destructive Brahma has had no trace of activity. The only agent representing him... is Moon槐."