I Can See Through Everything

I Can See Through Everything

Before a vast plaza, ten figures suddenly appeared.

“So this is the secret realm where the Netherworld Palace resides?”

Lu Qing felt the boundless concentration of spiritual energy surrounding him, and in the distance loomed a black, towering palace, as imposing as a mountain.

He instantly understood. This was likely the true headquarters of the Netherworld Palace.

Rumor had long claimed that the Netherworld Palace’s base was not within the Tianyuan Great World, but hidden in a secret realm. Now, it was confirmed.

Not long before, after the trial had ended, a pillar of light had manifested before the cave Lu Qing had temporarily carved out.

At the same time, a voice had sounded directly in his mind, informing him that he had passed the trial. Stepping into the light pillar would allow him to leave the trial space.

That alone was proof enough—the Netherworld Palace was monitoring every move of the trial participants.

Lu Qing betrayed no reaction. After confirming that the light pillar posed no danger, he entered it, and in an instant, he was here.

Scanning his surroundings, he found that the nine others who had also passed the trial stood nearby. Several faces were familiar.

The elephant-trunked man, the Holy Maiden of Bilu Palace, and the Dao Heir of Dao Xu Temple were all among them.

They too had been glancing around, but when they caught sight of Lu Qing, their entire bodies stiffened.

Especially the elephant-trunked man and the Dao Heir—neither could suppress the faint trace of awe that flickered in their eyes.

They had seen with their own eyes the terrifying strength of this ghost-masked youth.

Even though they had already known he was bound to pass the trial, to face him again still made their hearts tremble.

The Holy Maiden of Bilu Palace also revealed mixed emotions.

From the Dao Heir she had already learned of the events that had transpired.

She knew that she had indeed been saved by this mysterious man—and that even the fiendish demon had fallen beneath his hand.

As she hesitated over whether she should go forward and thank him, a shadowy figure manifested before them, drawing every gaze.

“Congratulations, little ones. You have passed the trial and may now become outer members of our Netherworld Palace.”

The speaker wore a savage-beast mask and a black robe. His aura was deep and oppressive, laced with killing intent that made the air hard to breathe.

Everyone’s hearts instantly tightened. This was undoubtedly a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse.

Knowing more was to come, none spoke. They waited in silence.

Sure enough, the beast-masked man flicked his sleeve. Ten black jade tokens appeared out of thin air, each floating before Lu Qing and the others.

“These Netherworld Jade Tokens are your proof of identity. Leave your Soul Imprint within and refine them, and you will be acknowledged as outer members of our Netherworld Palace.”

They each caught their jade token, examined it, then without hesitation left behind their Soul Imprint.

Soon, every face showed astonishment.

“It seems you’ve all discovered the peculiarities of the Netherworld Jade Tokens. Enough—you can study them further after you leave. I hope we will meet again.”

As the Holy Maiden of Bilu Palace and the others were still reeling from the revelations hidden within the tokens, the beast-masked man suddenly flicked his sleeve.

At once, a powerful force seized them. Before they could react, a vortex of space swallowed their figures whole.

Only Lu Qing remained, his jade token in hand, watching warily.

Not only had the others been abruptly teleported away, but he alone was left behind.

Seeing Lu Qing’s cautious look, the beast-masked man laughed heartily. “No need to be tense, boy. You remain because you seized first place in this trial. As promised, there is an additional reward for you.”

“A reward?”

Lu Qing remembered what the little ghost-masked man had said at the beginning of the trial.

He had thought the reward would be given at some formal later stage, not here, outside the true halls of the Netherworld Palace.

“So this is what they mean by ‘outer members.’ Truly distant,” he mused inwardly.

“Yes, a reward. As the trial’s first, according to the rules of the Netherworld Palace, you may claim one. Tell me, boy—do you want a cultivation technique, a magical artifact, or a pill?”

“You mean I can choose?”

Lu Qing’s mind stirred, but he did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, “Senior, may I ask—what level are these techniques, artifacts, and pills?”

“Rest assured. Their value is equal. The technique will be a Nascent Soul Realm cultivation technique. The artifact, a supreme-grade magical artifact. The pill, a high-grade spirit pill.”

Lu Qing fell into thought.

The beast-masked man did not hurry him, waiting patiently. Normally, he would never grant such courtesy to trial participants.

But this ghost-masked youth was different.

He had witnessed Lu Qing’s entire trial within the secret space. He knew exactly how monstrous this youth was.

If Lu Qing stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm, he might well soar like a dragon, becoming a peerless Nascent Soul cultivator.

Better to sow goodwill now.

After some silence, Lu Qing raised his head. “Senior, I wonder if this reward could instead be exchanged for spirit stones?”

“Spirit stones?”

The beast-masked man blinked, taken aback.

“Yes. This junior is in particular need of spirit stones. Might it be possible?”

“It is possible. But think carefully. Treasures of the Netherworld Palace cannot be bought outside, no matter how many stones you have. If you exchange now, you will not get such value again.”

“My mind is set. I ask senior to grant this.”

The beast-masked man studied him deeply, then finally nodded. “Very well. As long as you do not regret it later.”

He produced a storage pouch and tossed it over.

“Inside are three thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Check them.”

“Many thanks, senior.”

Lu Qing accepted the pouch and put it away without counting.

The beast-masked man ignored the gesture. “Now the reward is yours. Do you have other questions?”

Lu Qing thought briefly, then shook his head. “No, senior.”

He had plenty of doubts, but knew better than to ask. If the other did not volunteer answers, prying could trigger taboos.

In any case, his goals for this trial had been met.

“Since you have nothing more, then prepare to depart. Boy, make good use of your Netherworld Jade Token. If your assassination rank rises high enough, perhaps we shall meet again.”

With a sweep of his sleeve, spatial power wrapped around Lu Qing and drew him into a vortex.

He offered no resistance, allowing it to take him.

From beginning to end, the beast-masked man never demanded that he remove his ghost mask.

When Lu Qing’s figure vanished, the beast-masked man stood motionless.

A breeze stirred. More than ten shadowy figures appeared behind him—the same mysterious observers who had watched the entire trial unfold.

“Well? Meeting him in person, what do you think?” one asked.

“Unfathomable,” the beast-masked man replied, shaking his head. “It is as though he is shrouded in mist. Even my divination techniques cannot trace his origin. He must possess some extraordinary treasure that veils causality.”

“I told you already. His origins are cloaked. With such a youth, how could those behind him not protect him from prying eyes?”

“Still, it had to be tested to be certain.”

“Perhaps this is why that Lord did not take him as a disciple.”

At these words, silence fell.

Indeed, it puzzled them.

By all rights, with the ghost-masked youth’s monstrous talent, that Lord should have shown interest.

Yet, apart from instructing them to follow protocol, no further orders had come.

Could it truly be that the forces behind this youth were so daunting that even that Lord hesitated?

The thought made every figure tremble inwardly.

They knew well how mighty that Lord was—an existence standing at the very peak, even across several immortal domains.

If even he was wary, then the ghost-masked youth’s backing must be terrifying indeed.

The air grew heavy until at last, one spoke haltingly. “It seems that Lord seeks a disciple not in the Tianyuan Great World. Other worlds too are holding trials. Perhaps he will choose from there.”

“Likely so.” The others nodded.

Yet when they recalled Lu Qing’s strike that felled Cang Jue within the trial space, a trace of doubt crept into their hearts.

Could any genius from another world truly surpass this ghost-masked youth?

As their thoughts churned, deep within the black palace two figures sat across from one another, a black and a white, playing a leisurely game of chess.

“Youying, did you not wish to take a disciple? That youth’s talent is something neither of us has ever seen. Why not seize him?”

The white figure set down a stone and smiled softly.

“Indeed, his talent is monstrous. Even my own direct disciples, at the Golden Core Realm, were far inferior.”

The black figure placed his piece with calm.

“But you too saw it. He is cloaked in fog. Even we cannot pierce it.

“Such a one must either be shielded by a great power… or he is an anomaly born of immense destiny.

“Either way, he is not someone we should rashly entangle ourselves with.”

“You are right. For even our eyes to fail to read his origin… something is amiss.” The white figure nodded.

“These are troubled times. Such anomalies are beyond control. One day, he could drag us into his storm. Who can say whether that would be fortune or disaster?” The black figure sighed.

Truthfully, watching Lu Qing’s performance had stirred his heart.

When he himself was at the Golden Core Realm, he had barely matched such feats.

Which meant Lu Qing’s potential was to one day stand where he now stood.

That would be an immense boon in facing the looming calamity.

Yet the fog around him was too dire a risk.

Such an anomaly would always stir upheaval, always draw storms around himself.

While weak, it mattered little. But when he reached the Nascent Soul Realm, who knew what chaos he might ignite?

And with calamity drawing ever nearer, perhaps he was destined to be its spark.

The black figure dared not take the risk.

“Still, you claimed your instincts told you to take another disciple. If not him, then who?” the white figure asked curiously.

At their level, such impulses were rare—and never baseless.

“Yes. I have someone else in mind. A girl. Her talent cannot compare to his, but her constitution is rare. She is perfectly suited to inherit my lineage’s techniques. A destined fit.”

“Oh? Then I must see her. For you to deem her worthy, she must indeed be extraordinary.”

“You shall. The other trial has ended. Let us go.”

“Very well.”

Their voices faded as their figures vanished, leaving only the unfinished chessboard behind.