You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

"If that's the case, why don't you show yourself?"

Chen Yang's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

"At least let me see what kind of 'being' is telling me this information. It's not very sincere to speak from behind the painting."

The woman's voice trailed off for a moment, tinged with bitterness and resistance.

"Fellow Daoist, please forgive us... Our remnant spirits have long been deeply integrated with the artistic conception of this 'Image Recalling the Past,' almost becoming one with it, and have no independent form to speak of. If we were to manifest it even with difficulty, it would only be a distorted light and shadow, adding to the terror."

Furthermore… our spiritual power is weak; maintaining this conversation is already difficult enough, and appearing now consumes a great deal of energy, which may cause us to dissipate. Please understand, fellow Daoist, and depart quickly.”

"A wisp of a soul, existing solely through the imagery of a painting?"

Chen Yang raised an eyebrow.

"You say you are passively trapped in this picture, driven by your instincts to steal people's spiritual energy in order to protect yourselves?"

"exactly."

The woman's voice was low.

"Endless years, living in a daze, is not what I wanted."

A subtle, enigmatic smile curved Chen Yang's lips.

"If what you say is true, after finding the Dragon Ball fragments, I might be able to try... to take you away from this place."

"leave?"

The woman's voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief and astonishment, which then turned into a deeper bitterness and despair.

"Fellow Daoist, please don't joke. Let's not even talk about how our remnant spirits have already assimilated with the painting's essence, and will scatter upon leaving the painting. Even if we could leave... the path between Yin and Yang is severed, and there is no way to reincarnate. Where can we, these lonely ghosts, go without this object of our sustenance? It would only hasten our annihilation. I understand your intentions, but this... is impossible."

"The path between Yin and Yang is severed, and there is no way to reincarnate?"

Chen Yang chuckled softly.

"It seems your understanding of the world is still stuck in the past. As the Underworld Commander, I have my own means to navigate between Yin and Yang and collect souls. Taking you away from this painting may not necessarily mean certain death."

"The Shadow General?"

The woman's voice was filled with even greater shock, and even trembled slightly.

"You...you are truly a righteous god of the underworld? But...the path between the living and the dead has been severed for so long, and order has collapsed. How could there still be an underworld general with complete authority remaining in the mortal realm? This...this is absolutely impossible!"

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you. It's too complicated to explain."

Chen Yang's tone softened, yet it exuded a powerful confidence.

“I’m just telling you, I mean what I say. If what you said about the Dragon Balls is true, I will try to keep my promise. If you lie to me… hmph, you can imagine the consequences.”

The woman fell silent again for a long time, and the "artistic" energy of the world within the painting seemed to be subtly disrupted by the intense fluctuations in her emotions. After a long while, she finally sighed softly.

"Fellow Daoist, your supernatural powers are vast and your methods unpredictable. I... will tentatively believe you. However, it is not that I am unwilling to believe you, but rather... that I am a remnant spirit."

It's not simply that we're trapped; we're locked in by a deeper layer of 'imprisonment' power within the diagram, fused together with its core restrictions. Even if you possess extraordinary abilities, I fear you wouldn't be able to separate us from this 'root.' Forcing it will only destroy the painting and dissipate its spiritual energy.”

"Whether I can do it or not is my business. You just need to tell me, is the Dragon Ball thing true or false?"

Chen Yang stopped worrying about the possibility of taking her away and went straight to the most crucial question.

"...Absolutely true."

The woman's voice carried a resigned certainty.

"The remains of the 'Dragon Pearl of the Vast Ocean' are the last and most important legacy of the ruined palace. We, the remnant spirits, can sense its approximate location and the faint residual fluctuations; we are absolutely certain of it. If you, fellow Daoist, have the ability to find and take it, it is also its destiny."

"it is good!"

Chen Yang was decisive and efficient.

"In that case, I'll go verify it first. If I find it, I'll return to fulfill my promise. If I don't find it, or if you're lying to me... then this photo will have no reason to exist."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yang no longer hesitated. With a thought, the aftereffects of the "Light-Generating" technique within his body had not yet completely dissipated. He used this technique to stabilize his soul and at the same time activated the Yin Si secret method to anchor his physical body in reality.

As the light and shadow shifted before my eyes, the surrounding houses began to fade and blur rapidly, like an ink painting soaked in water.

The next moment, a dizzying sensation washed over him. Chen Yang abruptly opened his eyes and found himself back in the underground stone chamber, standing before the enormous mural depicting the celestial palace's precious pearl.

The mural's radiance has now subsided, restoring its original ancient appearance, though there seems to be an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible ripple on its surface.

Liu Yu, Huang Zhenren, and Chiyang Zhenjun were gathered around the mural, their faces filled with tension and concern. Upon seeing Chen Yang's sudden "appearance," all three breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sect Master! You've finally come out!"

Liu Yu stepped forward, her beautiful eyes filled with lingering fear.

"I am relieved that the sect leader is safe and sound."

Master Huang stroked his beard and said.

True Lord Chiyang even shouted directly.

"Sect Master, you stayed inside the longest, which worried us terribly! How is it? Have you found anything? That ghost painting didn't do anything to you, did it?"

Chen Yang stretched his slightly stiff neck, feeling the pleasant sensation of his internal energy flowing smoothly again, and shook his head.

"It's alright, I just had a conversation with the spirit in the painting. She said that there might be a treasure deep in these underwater ruins—the remains of the 'Hanhai Dragon Pearl,' the treasure of the 'Hanhai Palace' that was once located here."

"Dragon Ball fragments?"

Master Huang's eyes lit up.

"If that's true, then it's an extraordinary treasure! Even if it's just a remnant, the water elemental power and earth vein spiritual energy it contains must be astonishing!"

Liu Yu also showed an interested expression.

"Sect Master, do you know exactly where it is?"

She said it was located deep within the ruins of the Zhenhai Hall, which is relatively well-preserved.

Chen Yang said.

"Let's go. Now that we're here, we can't leave empty-handed. Let's go look for it."

"Yes! Let's look for it!"

The Crimson Sun True Lord immediately perked up.

"Dragon Ball! Just hearing about it is so exciting!"

Without further delay, the four left the stone chamber containing the murals and, following the approximate location given by the woman, continued deeper into the ruins along a wide passageway that was clearly the main corridor. This passageway was more magnificent than the ones they had passed through before, with exquisite reliefs of marine life and faded glowing runes remaining on the walls on both sides. The floor was paved with large, smooth stone slabs, which, although severely damaged, still revealed their former glory.

The passage descends gently, the air becoming increasingly humid and rich in spiritual energy, carrying a profound and vast aura, as if from an ancient ocean.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, the view suddenly opened up ahead, revealing a soft and dreamlike blue glow.

The four of them stepped out of the passage, and the sight before them made them gasp for breath.

This is an underwater crystal palace that defies description!
The enormous, almost transparent dome, made of an unknown material, completely shut out the deep, dark river above. Beneath the dome lay a vast space, its floor paved with shimmering jade stones of various colors, reflecting the ethereal blue light filtering through the dome, creating a dazzling spectacle.

The dome is supported by massive pillars that require several people to encircle, seemingly carved from natural crystal, with lifelike dragon reliefs entwined around their bodies.

Throughout the palace, many strange aquatic plants grow, emitting a faint glow. Some resemble coral, while others are like swaying seaweed. The misty aura mixed with the faint light creates dreamlike and ethereal "fairy-like" areas.

Although most of the area appears empty and many decorations have been damaged or disappeared, the remaining bases, broken jade railings, and occasional traces of inlaid gemstones all speak to the extreme luxury and extravagance of this place in the past.

"My God...this is truly an underwater dragon palace!"

The Crimson Sun True Lord opened his mouth wide and stared wide-eyed.

Master Huang also clapped his hands in praise.

"A masterpiece of nature! A marvel of craftsmanship! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would hardly have imagined that such a magnificent and fantastical place could be hidden in the underground river! This 'Hanhai Ruins Palace' truly lives up to its name!"

Although Liu Yu did not speak, her eyes were filled with shock as she cautiously observed her surroundings.

Chen Yang's gaze swept over the unreal palace ruins, and he was equally amazed. Compared to the celestial aura of the Xuanyou Cave Heaven he had visited before, this place leaned more towards a dreamlike, magnificent, and mysterious atmosphere belonging to the deep sea and dragons.

Just as they were immersed in the breathtaking scene, they heard soft footsteps coming from the passage behind them.

Then, Huang Zhenren, Liu Yu, and Chiyang Zhenjun emerged from the passage, their faces also filled with shock and curiosity.

It turned out that after the three of them escaped, they did not wait idly in the same spot, but followed the general direction that Chen Yang had explored earlier. However, they took a slightly different path and arrived a step later than Chen Yang.

"metropolitan!"

When Master Huang saw that Chen Yang was already there, he quickly stepped forward, his face filled with admiration.

"Sect Master, you truly live up to your reputation as the leader of our Qingwei Sect! Not only did you escape the predicament first, but you even found this core location before us! I admire you!"

Liu Yu also walked over, her eyes shining.

"The sect leader's supernatural powers are beyond my reach. Is this place... the core of the 'Han Hai Ruins Palace'?"

The Crimson Sun True Lord even circled the nearest crystal pillar twice, marveling at it.

"Goodness, if we could move that pillar back, it would be so impressive! Sect Master, have you noticed anything? Where is that damn Dragon Ball?"

Chen Yang looked at the three people who had gathered around him, his expression unchanged, and briefly recounted the information he had received from the woman in the painting.

"...According to that remnant spirit, the Dragon Ball fragments are located deep within this palace, beneath the ruins of a place called 'Zhenhai Hall,' protected by remaining restrictions. It will be more efficient for us to split up and search for the entrance. Be careful; if you find anything, do not touch it rashly, notify the others first."

"Dragon Ball!"

Master Huang's eyes shone even brighter.

"Very well! I will go and search for the whereabouts of the 'Zhenhai Palace'!"

Liu Yu nodded as well.

"My subordinate understands."

She looked around.

"Although the palace is damaged, its layout is still vaguely discernible. The widest jade avenue in the center should lead to the main hall. Since the 'Zhenhai Hall' is the core, it is very likely located near or below the main hall."

The Crimson Sun True Lord was eager to get started.

"Find it! Dig three feet into the ground if you have to!"

Chen Yang agreed with Liu Yu's assessment.

“Elder Liu is right. The three of you can carefully search along both sides of the main path and the surrounding area for any suspicious entrances, hidden doors, or energy anomalies. I’ll go inside the main hall and see if I can find any clues.”

"Yes! Sect Master, please be careful."

The three responded in unison and immediately split up to carry out their tasks. Master Huang headed towards the ruins of the side hall on the left, Liu Yu explored the remains of the corridor and garden on the right, while Master Chiyang began searching near some large decorative stones and collapsed beams and pillars.

Chen Yang walked alone along the wide central avenue paved with whole pieces of warm white jade, heading towards the deepest part of the palace.

At the end of the avenue stood a magnificent palace, dilapidated yet still imposing. The palace doors were long gone, leaving only the tall doorframes. The interior was extremely empty, the floor covered with a thick layer of dust that had accumulated over countless years.

At the deepest point, there is a wide platform several feet above the ground, on which sits a huge "dragon throne" carved from some kind of deep blue crystal. The back of the throne is high and carved with nine coiled dragons in different poses.

Even covered in dust, it still exudes an invisible majesty. In front of the dragon throne, there is a large table of the same material.

"This should be the main hall of the ruined palace."

Chen Yang walked into the hall, his footsteps echoing in the empty space.

His gaze swept over the dragon throne and the table, which were empty and unremarkable.

He then inspected the main load-bearing pillars and walls inside the hall. Although there were reliefs on them, they were mostly symbolic cloud patterns, water ripples, and auspicious beasts, without any indicative information or hidden mechanisms.

Undeterred, Chen Yang left the main hall and headed towards a side entrance. Passing through an archway, he found himself in a series of interconnected side halls and intricate corridors and rooms.

The damage here is even more severe; the roofs of many rooms have collapsed, leaving only ruins.

He walked through these ruins and saw more traces of life from the past—

Broken jade pots, rusted lampstands, scattered fragments of jewelry, and even some skeletons that had long since turned to dust, their clothes worn and rusted weapons lying around them, clearly indicated that a battle or disaster had taken place here.

Valuable items had indeed been swept away long ago, or completely obliterated by time. In a room resembling a study, Chen Yang saw several overturned bookshelves and scattered, disorganized remains of books, long since turned to mush.

There were also some jade slips that were carelessly discarded. When one probed them with divine sense, they were either blank or left with only some vague and messy fragments of information, which were of no value.

"Sure enough, the most valuable things have probably already been taken by someone else."

Chen Yang thought to himself that he believed the woman in the painting's words that "the remains of the dragon pearl are the only treasure" even more.

He continued deeper and came to a relatively well-preserved rear hall area.

The walls and roof here are relatively well preserved, and the furnishings inside the hall are also somewhat intact. There is a huge jade table, on which are scattered some miscellaneous items and fragments of books that have been moved around.

Chen Yang walked to the table and casually flipped through it, but found nothing. Just as he was about to leave, his gaze inadvertently swept across one side of the wall in the hall.

That wall looked no different from the others around it, also constructed of bluish-gray boulders with some simple decorative stripes. (End of Chapter)