The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

As soon as Lin Qian spoke, Gao Benli's eyes widened in shock, unable to find words. After a long pause, he furrowed his brow and asked in confusion, "What do you mean, my grandfather is already dead?"

Lin Qian sighed and produced a strange crystal, tossing it onto the table.

Everyone looked at the crystal with curiosity and confusion. The crystal appeared spherical but had a flat surface, rolling until it came to a stop on the table.

"A Light Projection Crystal? Junior Brother, you can get your hands on something like this?" Gao Benli said, astonished, as he looked at Lin Qian.

Unlike the others, who were puzzled by what the crystal was, Gao Benli was shocked that Lin Qian had managed to acquire such a rare item.

"Senior Brother Gao, what is this?" Lei Qian asked curiously, noticing that Gao Benli seemed to recognize the object.

Gao Benli glanced at the Light Projection Crystal and explained to the others, "This device can store and project images, allowing us to view them later. But something like this isn't typically found in a place like Linhai Prefecture."

"This was obtained from the ancient relics," Lin Qian said, pointing at the Light Projection Crystal, revealing its origin.

The Dao Yuan Sect's treasure trove contained a vast array of items from an ancient sect, including this Light Projection Crystal. The Technology Department of the Huaxia Empire had thoroughly analyzed it and was capable of producing similar devices.

Lin Qian extended his hand, and with a small burst of soul power, activated the crystal.

Instantly, energy flowed from the crystal, casting a hazy light above it, forming a three-dimensional image that seemed almost lifelike, as if they were witnessing the scene firsthand.

The projected image displayed a secret valley, a forbidden area within Wanxiang Sect, where Gao Yuefei was known to be secluded. Under the moonlight, they saw Gao Yuefei emerge from the central residence of the valley, hovering in mid-air.

Suspended in the air, Gao Yuefei faced the moon, performing some sort of energy absorption technique. His body was enveloped in a crimson aura, as if he were bathed in a blood mist.

"How could this be? My grandfather's soul power was never like that," Gao Benli said, his voice trembling with emotion as he stood and stared at the image.

Lin Qian also stood and enlarged the image, making Gao Yuefei's figure even clearer.

"This... this is!" Lei Qian gasped, pointing at the figure in shock. "Boss, could it be..."

"Yes, it's the Black Blood Clan. I'm afraid your grandfather is already dead, and this is nothing more than a Blood Corpse controlled by the clan," Lin Qian confirmed, placing a hand on Gao Benli's shoulder. "Senior Brother, I'm sorry for your loss."

As the image gradually faded, the glow of the crystal dimmed. Gao Benli turned to Lin Qian with a look of desperation. "Junior Brother, is this image real?"

Lin Qian met his gaze and solemnly nodded. "Yes, it's real."

The image was compiled from the final moments of the swift soldiers Lin Qian had sent, their observations reconstructed by the Technology Department.

In the image, the faint black aura surrounding Gao Yuefei's crimson energy was unmistakable, the same as the Blood Corpse transformation that Lin Qian and Lei Qian had witnessed before.

"The Black Blood Clan... damn them!" Gao Benli growled, his face contorted with rage as he glared in the direction of the secret valley. "I will destroy that Blood Corpse and give my grandfather peace."

But as Gao Benli prepared to rush out, Lin Qian grabbed his shoulder, holding him back with an iron grip.

"Senior Brother, are you out of your mind? Calm down," Lin Qian said firmly, keeping Gao Benli in place.

Gao Benli turned to him, his face a mix of anger and sorrow. "But my grandfather's body has been desecrated! How can I do nothing?"

"Your grandfather reached the Life and Death Stage. The one who turned him into a Blood Corpse must be powerful. If you rush in now, you'll be walking into a trap," Lin Qian warned. "Even if that Black Blood Clan member isn't there, your grandfather's strength remains. How will you deal with him?"

Gao Benli slowly calmed down, realizing the truth in Lin Qian's words. He sat down in frustration, understanding the situation better.

"So, Junior Brother, what do we do now?" Gao Benli asked, looking to Lin Qian for guidance.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Qian said, "First, the fact that Gao Yuefei, now a Blood Corpse, agreed to align with the Sheng Tian Sect and subordinate our sect to them suggests they've had contact with the Black Blood Clan."

"But this alone isn't enough to prove anything. However, Sheng Tian Sect's leader, Zhang Dingyun, once mentioned that after a certain person arrives, it would be time for their 'filthy bodies' to dominate Linhai Prefecture."

"I'm sure that person is the Black Blood Clan member. This figure hasn't made any moves against Linhai Prefecture's forces, so he must be preparing something. Based on Zhang Dingyun's words, it's clear."

As Lin Qian explained, everyone began to see the connections and nodded in agreement.

"Wait a minute, Boss, you weren't there at the time. How do you know all this?" Lei Qian asked, puzzled.

Ding Zhirong and the others also looked at Lin Qian with curious expressions.

"Did you forget about Elder Zhang Juncheng?" Lin Qian said with a smile.

Zhang Juncheng was the master of the small world and could observe the surroundings through the formation. Lin Qian had monitored the outside world from within, waiting for Zhang Dingyun and the others to leave before revealing himself and giving the storage rings to Hai Zongzhu and Mei Zongzhu.

Realizing this, Lei Qian finally understood.

Seeing Lin Qian and Lei Qian so in sync, Ding Zhirong and the others grew even more curious and continued to press for details.

"Alright, that's enough about that," Lin Qian said, waving off the questions. "What we need to focus on now is that if my deductions are correct, the entire Linhai Prefecture is about to change."