The Peerless Emperor

Chapter 429: Chapter 430: Source of Clues

According to Wang Gang’s explanation, Lin Qian understood why the Three Elders didn’t appear in the same place as himself.

The chaotic war from ancient times turned this underground world into a battlefield as well, with passages leading below certainly being maintained by an Array.

It was the spatial fluctuations of the passage that were emanating from the Array.

However, the Array that encompassed this underground space, maintaining the proper operation of the entrance and exit, had been affected by the fluctuations of that war. Although it had not been completely destroyed, it was disrupted.

Therefore, after Lin Qian emerged, he saw no exit at all.

The Three Elders who followed him were also appearing in other areas of this underground world. Moreover, due to the disordered Array’s spatial fluctuations, Lin Qian couldn’t locate the Three Elders’ exact positions.

The situation was now quite clear, yet Lin Qian had another matter to worry about.

The broken Array that caused spatial disarray affected the exit of this underground world.

Then, it was inevitable that it would also affect his departure from the underground world.

Furthermore, Lin Qian speculated that it was very likely that, due to the disorder in the Array, the entrance to leave the underground world had already vanished!

If the exit still existed intact, then the race inhabiting this underground world had never left this place.

They might not even be aware that they were living in an underground world. It was only because of his appearance and the contents of ancient texts that Wang Gang was able to guess they were in an underground world.

Judging by Wang Gang’s expression, Lin Qian believed that if he had not appeared, Wang Gang would have thought that the aforementioned content was mere nonsense.

“Lord, are you really from the world above?” Wang Gang asked excitedly, looking at Lin Qian with curiosity.

Facing Wang Gang’s question, Lin Qian nodded affirmatively, “That’s right, I indeed come from a place called the Huaxia Empire in the world above, where I am the ruler of a nation.”

“As for the world you live in, the Ancient Forest World, it is indeed below ground, situated within the Soul Martial Continent.”

After receiving Lin Qian’s definite answer, Wang Gang’s heart was storm-tossed, “So the contents of the ancient texts are all true, the ancients did not deceive me.”

Looking at Barret, his past knowledge completely shattered, he still couldn’t gather his senses and could only blankly stare at Lin Qian, still unwilling to believe this fact.

Now Wang Gang understood why Lin Qian knew why the Human Clan was weak.

Perhaps the Human Clan was extremely strong in the world above?

“This isn’t a good place to talk. Would you honor me by coming to my humble abode so we can discuss further?” Wang Gang suggested, glancing around.

Lin Qian agreed with Wang Gang’s suggestion and nodded, “Indeed, this isn’t the place for conversation; lead the way.”

After Lin Qian agreed, Wang Gang quickly led the way ahead, while Barret followed listlessly beside them.

Anyone whose worldview was shattered would have a hard time coping.

Lin Qian was very understanding of Barret’s feelings, having been bewildered himself when he was reborn in this world as a child.

Almost every night, he would gaze at the bright full moon outside, fantasizing that he was still on Earth.

Yet each time Lin Qian almost succeeded in his fantasy, the sight of the other moon would invade his view and break his self-hypnosis.

The affection of his parents in this life allowed Lin Qian to adjust his mental state within a short period of five years.

Otherwise, Lin Qian even doubted whether he might go mad.

Before long, Lin Qian followed behind Wang Gang and arrived at the house where he lived as the leader.

As the leader of the settlement, although Wang Gang’s house was somewhat larger with two floors and somewhat better than those of the other clan members, it was fitting given that he was the leader of the settlement.

However, it seemed that this two-story building did not quite match his status as the leader.

The first floor of the house was his working area, with the desk piled with various scrolls that concerned matters of the settlement requiring his decision-making and planning as the leader.

As for the surroundings, they were filled with bookshelves packed with tomes of all sorts.

“Perhaps it looks a bit messy, but I really like the feeling of being surrounded by books,” Wang Gang explained with a laugh upon seeing Lin Qian surveying the room.

Lin Qian nodded slightly and said to Wang Gang, “Your Majesty, I have an unfriendly request; I wonder if Leader Wang might accommodate it?”

“Lord, please speak freely.”

“Could I borrow these texts? I will return them intact after our conversation,” Lin Qian asked, referring to the plentiful texts as he spoke to Wang Gang.

Hearing Lin Qian’s request, Wang Gang laughed heartily, “Lord, please feel free to use them; as long as they are returned, all is well. After all, these books are my life.”

“Leader Wang, rest assured that they will be returned to you unscathed later,” Lin Qian assured, and with a broad gesture, all of the texts in the room disappeared instantly.

These texts had been sent to the Huaxia Empire for the Heavenly Art Department to quickly record.

It should be known that these texts contained much about the culture of the Ancient Forest World, and they were of significant help in understanding this underground world.

Seeing Lin Qian sweep away so many texts with a wave of his hand, both Wang Gang and Barret were astounded by his Storage Soul Device.

Afterward, Wang Gang led Lin Qian upstairs, to the room where he lived.

Within this second floor, there was a small meeting room, which was typically used for discussing matters pertaining to the settlement.

After having Lin Qian sit in the seat of honour, Wang Gang made Spiritual Tea, and then he and Barret took their seats to the side.

“Lord, I wonder if you could talk about the situation in the world above?” Once seated, Wang Gang could hardly wait to address Lin Qian, filled with curiosity about the world above.

He really wanted to know whether the world above was just as he had imagined it.

In response to Wang Gang’s eager attitude, Lin Qian smiled and went on to describe in detail the situation of the world above in the Soul Martial Continent to the person before him.

Incidentally, Lin Qian also brought up his own visit to this underground world, wanting to see if Wang Gang might know whether the depletion of Spiritual Energy in the world above had anything to do with the underground.

“That’s not right, Lord; I have never heard of such a thing.” After listening to Lin Qian’s description, Wang Gang kept shaking his head, not believing that there were any strange Arrays within the underground world that absorbed Spiritual Energy.

According to Wang Gang, who considered himself quite well-informed, he had never heard that the Spiritual Energy of their underground world derived from plundering the world above.

“Lord, about the red aura you mentioned—if it contaminates Spirit Wood, doesn’t it look like blood-like veins?” Just then, the usually silent Barret suddenly asked Lin Qian.