“To be honest, King Zhao, your presence here does make me feel a mix of emotions. On the one hand, it’s unnerving. It’s as if our temple’s secret realm suddenly became a public outhouse with people coming and going as they please. But on the other hand…” Yuan Cheng sighed, pouring tea as he continued, “It’s oddly comforting. It proves that you’re not some god or Buddha yourself, but merely someone who knows the situation here because they came in person, rather than predicting it and sending a message from thousands of li away.”0

In the temple, Yuan Cheng and Yuan Xing sat with Zhao Changhe, casually drinking tea. Snow-Treading Crow, stood by Zhao Changhe’s side, affectionately nudging his face, clearly proud of having handled the situation on its own. It seemed to take great pride in its newfound autonomy.0

Yue Hongling, meanwhile, was not present—she had gone to enjoy the hot springs.0

The Buddha statue had been removed from the bustling secret realm. Once outside, it still remained motionless, indicating that it had not truly been resurrected. It had only been artificially activated, and after Dark Oblivion had siphoned off its energy, it had reverted to a dormant statue. However,...0