"Is this the Divine Stone?"
Diao Chan looked at the Divine Stone before her, expecting something special, only to find it was a cubical stone.
This stone, as hard as diamond, was perfectly square, inscribed with profound and intricate runes.
The entire Divine Stone was only a meter tall, but it bore numerous obscure and difficult runes that ordinary people could not comprehend.
Zhou Yan also looked at the Divine Stone, a little surprised. It indeed held a mysterious aura and various formations etched by deities.
He couldn't comprehend it for the moment, so Zhou Yan said, "Let's go back to the inn first."
"Okay." Zhou Yan used his spatial magic to enter, followed by Diao Chan and Zhen Mi.
After Zhou Yan and the others left, they did not take the Eighth Prince with them, but left him behind.
Seeing Zhou Yan and the others depart, Liu Yang coldly looked at the Eighth Prince and then commanded, "Have him executed by slow slicing."
The Brilliance Empire's reputation was ruined because this brat provoked Zhou Yan.
Upon hearing the order, the Eighth Prince, whose face was already ashen, completely fainted.
He had thought he could save his life upon returning to the Brilliance Empire, but this fate was even more tragic.
Execution by slow slicing, ordered by the ancestor of the Brilliance Empire, made the Eighth Prince completely despair.
"Yes!"
Liu Xiaahui also glared angrily at his unworthy son, blaming him for all the trouble caused by provoking a deity. Was he tired of the Brilliance Empire's existence?
"Have this unfilial son brought for torture immediately. Wait, do not let him die. Ensure he stays alive until the very end before killing him!"
Liu Xiaahui was furious; this scoundrel was the source of all their woes.
"Your Majesty, he is your son!" At this moment, Liu Xiaahui's most beloved concubine stepped forward to plead.
"Guards, throw this woman into the cold palace. I never want to see her again!"
The entire Brilliance Empire was almost destroyed, and this detestable woman dared to appear. She was truly seeking death!
"You had better collect all the treasures of the empire as quickly as possible. It is still uncertain whether the Brilliance Empire can survive."
After Liu Yang finished speaking, he disappeared. Whether the Brilliance Empire could survive was no longer his concern, having done his best.
Liu Xiaahui understood the gravity of the situation and immediately issued various commands, ordering the entire empire to collect all top-tier treasures, regardless of their nature.
Liu Xiaahui did not wish for the royal family to be annihilated, so he was exceptionally diligent and personally supervised. Anyone caught hoarding would have their family exterminated and their property confiscated.
Subsequently, the Brilliance Empire publicly announced that there would be no more gatherings for comprehending the Divine Stone.
They claimed to the outside world that the Divine Stone had shattered, but this was a lie that outsiders could not be fooled by.
"Have you heard? The Brilliance Empire is now gathering top treasures from across the empire as an apology."
"That Divine Stone didn't shatter; the Brilliance Empire gave it away as compensation."
"I heard that person is still staying at the inn, and the area is cordoned off. No one can approach."
"That person is truly powerful, capable of killing dozens of demigods with a wave of his hand. The Brilliance Empire has provoked a tough opponent this time."
"Tough opponent? That person is a deity, a true deity! Who wouldn't fear them!"
...
Many people had intended to comprehend the Divine Stone, but now they would never have the chance.
This caused them great regret, yet they were all astonished that Zhou Yan was a powerful being at the deity realm.
Many people connected this deity with the one previously encountered at the demigod peak residence, and soon received confirmation that they were the same person.
Furthermore, they learned that these individuals were heading to the Central Continent and were merely passing through the Brilliance Empire.
Countless people were curious about this deity, but no one knew their origin, only that they should not be offended.
When Ye Xun heard about this, he went to Zhou Yan's room and asked, "You took the Divine Stone."
"I didn't take it; they gave it to me as compensation for provoking me." Zhou Yan replied.
"Is there a difference?" Ye Xun was speechless. He then sat down and began to examine the Divine Stone, saying, "This item is no ordinary thing."
"It appears to be an artifact from the Divine Realm, containing many divine insights and patterns. It will take some time to decipher them."
Zhou Yan looked at the item with satisfaction and then began to carefully comprehend the Divine Stone with Ye Xun.
As for Diao Chan and Zhen Mi, they went out sightseeing, but they were accompanied by numerous powerful guards.
These were dispatched by the Brilliance Empire to protect them, as they feared any foolhardy individual might provoke the two women. They had to be extremely cautious.
Meanwhile, Wang Liyan and the others were stunned upon hearing that Zhou Yan had effortlessly annihilated dozens of demigods and forced the Brilliance Empire to apologize.
"He, he, he is actually a deity-level powerhouse!" Wang Liyan was utterly shocked.
"My heavens, we are actually with a deity! This is a true god-level expert, truly unbelievable."
"If he hadn't displayed such strength, how could we have ever imagined he was so powerful?"
The group became extremely cautious, not even daring to disturb him. They were even worried that people from the Brilliance Empire might target them.
After all, Zhou Yan was brought here by them. If they hadn't brought Zhou Yan and his companions, these events would not have transpired.
However, they believed that the people of the Brilliance Empire would not dare to blame them, as they were struggling to protect themselves.
They were unsure if Zhou Yan would forgive them, and they were currently scrambling to find top treasures to offer as an apology.
Inside the room, Ye Xun extended his spiritual power, continuously comprehending the cube, while Zhou Yan activated his Innate Taiji Diagram to do the same.
Aside from Zhou Yan's group, no one dared to reside in the entire inn.
As Zhou Yan and Ye Xun began to comprehend the Divine Stone, a peculiar divine might emanated from the entire inn. Although Zhou Yan had erected an array barrier around the inn, this divine might still leaked outside.
The area surrounding the inn had already been cleared by the Brilliance Empire's people. When this divine might appeared, the guards stationed nearby were astonished.
They were forced to retreat a considerable distance. Under that divine might, they felt an immense pressure, as if their bodies were being compressed.
As Zhou Yan unfolded his Taiji Array Diagram, his soul entered the cube.
Inside, it resembled a starry river world, with countless resplendent stars forming intricate Dao patterns—a formidable technique.