Origin Immortal Stone! Horrified Zhou Huangye!

Watching Jiang Qianning leave with a spring in her step, Orion couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This girl... he thought, amused. Still, he had hopes that she might surprise him in the future.

With the fate of everyone in Yaowang Valley sealed, Orion was left with a new dilemma: how to gather the tens of millions of luck points needed for an emperor-level lottery. He glanced at the unconscious Zhou Huangye lying on the ground and grinned.

"Ah, lucky me! There's a perfect solution right here," Orion chuckled darkly.

Emperor Qingyun had captured Zhou Huangye earlier, discarding him like an afterthought. If Orion hadn't glanced over by chance, he might have forgotten about him entirely. Now, with the alchemists of Yaowang Valley turned into sword slaves and no longer useful for luck points, Zhou Huangye became Orion's new target.

"Shadow Mo!" Orion called.

A figure emerged from the shadows, kneeling at his feet. "Yes, my lord."

"Kill him while he's down," Orion ordered, sneering. "Take care of the Great Zhou Ancestor before he even wakes up."

Without hesitation, Shadow Mo approached Zhou Huangye, dagger in hand. But as she neared, something caught her eye. She paused and let out a soft exclamation.

"Hm? What's this?" Shadow Mo muttered, lowering her dagger. She rummaged through Zhou Huangye's robes and pulled out a smooth, crystal-like jade.

"Ying Mo, did you find something?" Orion asked, curious.

Ying Mo returned to Orion's side in a flash and presented the jade to him. "My lord, there's a strange aura emanating from Zhou Huangye. I found this stone in his possession."

As an expert in stealth and assassination, Ying Mo was highly attuned to subtle energies, and the moment she neared Zhou Huangye, she sensed something unusual.

Orion took the jade and studied it, releasing his spiritual consciousness to probe its energy. What he found startled him.

"This energy... It's nothing like the spiritual energy we use. It's even more potent," Orion mused, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "This might be quite the treasure."

At that moment, Yuxiang appeared beside him, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the milky white stone.

"My lord, that stone... it looks like the Origin Immortal Stone!" Yuxiang said, her voice filled with astonishment. "But how could such a rare item from the Upper Realm end up in Dongzhou?"

"Origin Immortal Stone?" Orion asked, intrigued.

Yuxiang explained, "The Origin Immortal Stone is incredibly valuable. It's typically found in the Upper Realm and is used by powerful beings to aid in cultivation. For us in the lower world, absorbing the energy from this stone could significantly enhance one's abilities, even increasing the chances of reaching the Martial Emperor stage."

"The Upper Realm... Is that the Immortal Realm?" Orion wondered aloud, recalling something Emperor Qingyun had once mentioned. He knew that the Dongzhou Continent, where they currently resided, was still within the mortal world. Once someone surpassed the Martial Emperor level, they would ascend to the Immortal Realm.

Yuxiang nodded. "Yes, the Upper Realm is where those who ascend after reaching the Martial Emperor level go. The beings there are said to be incredibly powerful."

Orion's mind raced with possibilities. "If Zhou Huangye has an Origin Immortal Stone, does that mean he has a connection with the Upper Realm?"

The thought excited him. The stone's presence hinted that Zhou Huangye, or perhaps the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, might have ties to the Immortal Realm.

Yuxiang, however, cautioned, "It's possible he simply stumbled upon it by chance. Everyone has their own opportunities, after all."

"True enough," Orion admitted. "But let's find out for sure. Wake him up."

With a nod from Orion, Ying Mo stepped forward and slapped Zhou Huangye hard—twice. The blows were so powerful Orion cringed slightly at the violence. Maybe a bit much... he thought, but Ying Mo's method worked. Zhou Huangye groaned, finally waking from his unconscious state.

Disoriented, Zhou Huangye's eyes darted around, alarmed to find himself surrounded by strangers. He quickly assumed a defensive stance, relieved only by the absence of the terrifying aura of the Martial Emperor who had captured him earlier. Perhaps, he thought, he might still have a chance to escape.

But when his eyes landed on Orion, Zhou Huangye froze in shock. His heart sank as he recognized the presence of a half-emperor, radiating power far beyond his own.

"Zhou Huangye, I have a few questions for you," Orion said, his voice calm but commanding.

Zhou Huangye's attention snapped to Orion, and as he studied him, his blood ran cold. What kind of monster is this?! he thought, fear creeping up his spine. The young man standing before him possessed an aura so vast and incomprehensible that Zhou Huangye felt like an insect by comparison. To his horror, he realized that Orion possessed the Holy Body—a rare and legendary constitution that only a few in the world ever attained.

Orion smirked at Zhou Huangye's fearful expression, fully aware of the impact his presence had on the terrified man. It was time to get some answers.