Liu Yingying couldn’t suppress her curiosity and asked about Qin Yushang’s identity at this moment. The appearance of Qin Yushang made her wary, because the opposing party’s beauty was too high; with an ice-cold purity and ethereal grace, a world-class beauty that could rival the likes of legendary beings. The tone used with Su Jie earlier had made Liu Yingying more alert. "Oh, the White Tiger Hall Master of the Heavenly Patrol Department, but currently a prisoner!" Su Jie shrugged, restrained his aura, sat back in his chair, and replied nonchalantly. "Heavenly Patrol Department?" Taoist Qiu and Liu Yingying were both taken aback at the same time. This identity was beyond their expectations. The Heavenly Patrol Department was the most powerful cultivator institution of the Da Li Dynasty, arguably the most powerful violent institution, its status above hundreds of thousands of military soldiers. Because what the Heavenly Patrol Department controlled primarily belonged to the high-end combat power among cultivators. In the Tianyuan World, where one person could form an army and one could destroy a country, high-end combat power was the truly decisive force. No matter how numerous the lower-level cultivators were, they were nothing more than cannon fodder in front of true powerhouses. The Heavenly Patrol Department had four branches, and White Tiger Hall was one of them. How did such a strong figure from the Heavenly Patrol Department become a prisoner? The intersection between both parties shouldn’t be much. Qin Yushang didn’t speak, for as Su Jie said, her current identity was indeed a prisoner. "Are you going to auction?" Taoist Qiu hesitated a bit, recalling Su Jie’s past operations, he felt that this White Tiger Hall Master in front of him might not be someone that could be handled easily, potentially provoking endless feuds with the Heavenly Patrol Department. Qin Yushang instinctively glanced at Su Jie. She still didn’t understand Su Jie’s purpose for capturing her. "No, no, this time it’s not an auction, I want to use it to exchange for an item." Su Jie waved his hand with a smile, continued under the curious and probing gazes of several people, "The founding emperor of the Da Li Dynasty, Emperor Tianwu Wei Yu, is known by the world as a Void Realm powerhouse. Although I did not live in the same era as this great emperor, I find him enough to be regarded as a kindred spirit. Observing the life of Emperor Tianwu, he pacified the chaotic world, stabilized the Divine Eagle in the north, subdued the Demon Cave in the south, stationed by the East Sea, and as for the west, once the thirty-six countries of the Western Regions all revered the Da Li Dynasty as their suzerain state, paying tribute every year without ceasing, making him a ruler of unparalleled greatness. Though I am of the Demon Path, I have always admired heroes." Su Jie took a sip of tea, and turned the topic to history. As Su Jie said, the Emperor Tianwu Wei Yu who once founded the Da Li Dynasty was definitely a prime example of immense talent. Emperor Tianwu originated from an ordinary cultivation family, at that time, the land of the Da Li Dynasty was divided into three countries, constantly warring against each other. It was Emperor Tianwu Wei Yu who rose from obscurity, relying on outstanding talent and perseverance, step by step established the Da Li Dynasty, becoming a Void Realm emperor. During his lifetime, Emperor Tianwu Wei Yu once led a hundred thousand military soldiers to pacify all directions, the Heavenly Patrol Department had no less than five Purple Mansion Realm strongmen then, plus Wei Yu as the Void Emperor, they dominated the Da Li Dynasty and its surrounding countries. At that time, the countries of the Western Regions had to travel thousands of miles to pay tribute each year, the Divine Eagle Empire, needless to say, was even compelled to abandon the lush grasslands, rushing to the icy Arctic to live a primitive lifestyle. During the reign of Emperor Tianwu Wei Yu, neither the righteous nor the demon sects of the Da Li Dynasty dared to make any disturbances. At that time, whether it was a righteous sect or a demon sect, all had to pay taxes to the Da Li Dynasty using spirit stones or various spiritual materials. The consequence for not paying taxes was being besieged by military soldiers, with the Heavenly Patrol Department collecting the taxes by force; those who resisted would have their sects eradicated. But now, with the fall of Emperor Tianwu, very few sects are willing to pay this tax, and even if they do, they merely maintain appearances, only paying a small portion. For example, Ghost Ridge Palace, has never paid that stuff. The Western Regions countries are now controlled by the newly rising Esoteric Buddhism, and the Divine Eagle Empire is also encroaching southward; these are a series of reactions caused by the decline of the Da Li Dynasty. Essentially, it’s still due to a lack of top powerhouses. If there was a Void Realm powerhouse overseeing, how would the Divine Eagle Empire dare to raid? They wouldn’t even have time to hide. "You have a good eye, but if you seek to become a confidant of the Emperor Tianwu, if he were alive and saw a devil like you causing chaos, I think he’d likely first dispatch troops to eliminate the Ghost Ridge Palace." Seeing Su Jie talk about Emperor Tianwu Wei Yu, Qin Yushang’s face also revealed a few traces of pride and yearning. In terms of cultivation, the Void Realm Emperor Tianwu is the ultimate goal for all cultivators to strive towards. In terms of achievements, unifying the world and establishing the Da Li Dynasty as a grand empire that stood for a millennium is undoubtedly a first-class feat. She grew up in the Heavenly Patrol Department, where learning about history inevitably involves the Tian Wu Emperor. Having been deeply influenced by her surroundings, she naturally recognizes her identity within the Tian Wu Emperor’s Heavenly Patrol Department. Su Jie shook his head and said, "Oh, is that so? I actually think that the Tian Wu Emperor and I are of the same kind. During his century-long reign, he oppressed not only the Demon Path; countless righteous sects were eradicated during the pacification of the Demon Cave." "Perhaps so, but the dead cannot be brought back to life. If the Tian Wu Emperor were alive, he would never have allowed you demonic and righteous paths, including the neighboring countries, to be so arrogant and domineering." Qin Yushang lightly bit her red lips. If not for the Tian Wu Emperor’s mysterious death, having only ruled for a short century, the decline of the Da Li Dynasty wouldn’t have happened. It might have even annexed the surrounding countries and unified the entire continent. It’s known that Purple Mansion Cultivators who refine the Yang God can easily live over a thousand years, not to mention the Void Realm powerhouses. The mysterious death of the Tian Wu Emperor, who was then at his peak and unmatched, became an unresolved mystery. Only the royal family might know something, but they were all deeply apprehensive. "Therefore, the Da Li Dynasty needs a strongman, a force powerful enough to suppress everything, only then can the empire, surrounded by external threats, have a chance at stability." Su Jie smiled and pointed at Qin Yushang: "I’ve heard that the Tian Wu Emperor left behind a legacy, with many insights from his lifetime pointing directly to the grand path of the Void Realm, guarded by the Da Li Royal Family, the Wei Family. I wonder if you, being meticulously raised as a heavenly beauty by the Heavenly Patrol Department, could exchange for some of that legacy." "So that’s what you’re after, give up, it’s impossible." Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩 Hearing Su Jie, Qin Yushang finally understood his scheme of trying to use her to obtain information on the Void Realm’s heritage. "A Taoist Platform Realm genius with considerable hope of advancing to the Purple Mansion Realm, exchanging for some insignificant information. After all, the Da Li Royal Family can’t cultivate the Void Realm now. Those documents are just collecting dust, better to put them to use by securing a future Purple Mansion powerhouse." "I am important to the Heavenly Patrol Department, but not that significant to the Da Li Royal Family. Ultimately, as long as I don’t become a Purple Mansion, I remain merely a Seventh Realm strong one of the Daoist Platform. The legacy and insights left by the Tian Wu Emperor are the foundation of the royal family, even if I were a Purple Mansion, they wouldn’t exchange them. They fear losing me, a genius, less than they fear you rising. Once you become a Hollow, who in this world could stop you? By then, wouldn’t the Da Li Royal Family have to yield their empire and lands?" Qin Yushang spoke straightforwardly, acknowledging Su Jie’s terrifying talent. Based on documents collected by the Heavenly Patrol Department, Su Jie, though only in his early thirties, had already achieved the rank of a Purple Mansion Cultivator. Generally, for an immortal seed cherished by a sect, reaching the Taoist Platform Realm at this age is already remarkable; the Purple Mansion is something beyond aspiration. Yet Su Jie is such an anomaly. And if this inherently talented Su Jie were to be granted the legacy and insights from the Void Realm of the Tian Wu Emperor, and indeed refined into a Hollow, he would definitely be the first to turn around and wipe out the Da Li Royal Family, usurping them. "You make some sense, but without trying, how can you know if it works? Maybe the Da Li Royal Family values you, and either way, I’m at no loss." Su Jie laughed heartily, disregarding Qin Yushang’s warnings. Qin Yushang was merely an idle piece in his game. Success was favorable, but her failure did not cost Su Jie anything. "Wait, are you trying to use me as bait to sow discord between the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Da Li Royal Family?" Suddenly, Qin Yushang was struck by a thought, recalling Su Jie’s prior suggestion of clearing out traitors from the Heavenly Patrol Department, revealing Su Jie’s deeper malicious intent. "Oh, you actually figured that out, quite clever, aren’t you?" Su Jie looked at Qin Yushang with some surprise. Over the past few days, through intentional and unintentional probing and information from the Desire Sect, he had already grasped Qin Yushang’s background. Currently known as the strongest person in the Da Li Dynasty, the Director of the Heavenly Patrol Department, Zhang Qingcang, was Qin Yushang’s master, and she was a peerless talent of this generation in the Heavenly Patrol Department, cultivated with great effort. If the relationship between the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Da Li Royal Family could be soured, both of which are currently Su Jie’s enemies, the Heavenly Patrol Department is the most concentrated pool of high-end combat strength of Da Li Dynasty, with the Director being a seasoned Purple Mansion, likely possessing late-stage cultivation of the Purple Mansion. While the Da Li Royal Family has declined, they likely still hold some cards, possibly left by the Tian Wu Emperor Wei Yu. The combined strength of both is that of a camel leaner than a horse. If they part ways, Su Jie would face significantly less pressure in pursuing his ambitions. Obviously, Su Jie’s confidence to attempt this lies in the Heavenly Patrol Department’s current difficulty to spare attention, as Su Jie is not overly fearful of them. With the Blood Sea Devouring Sky Demon Skill in hand, if he can’t win, he can still escape; time is forever on Su Jie’s side. "You really are a devil." Qin Yushang gritted her teeth, deeply worried about Su Jie’s sinister intentions. She understood her master’s disposition very well and was equally concerned about any inappropriate intentions that the Da Li Royal Family might develop. Su Jie cupped his hands and said with a wide smile, "Thank you for the compliment, so let’s wait for good news."