Chapter 3

Day 27 of the Transmigration.

In the morning, the sun was bright and clear.

It was the fifth day since Zhao Huizhong returned to the State of Qin.

He had already met with his predecessor's parents, the King and Queen of Qin.

Over the past few days, Zhao Huizhong couldn't help but feel anxious. The journey back to Qin had given him a deeper understanding of this world.

At first, he thought it was ancient China, but after witnessing powers that transcended science, he dismissed that idea.

However, with the information he had gathered over the past few days, he was now quite confused.

He couldn't tell if this was indeed ancient China.

This world was very different from his preconceived notions, yet some things were undeniably real.

For example, the city of Xianyang and the Xianyang Palace, which were once part of ancient China, were indeed present, but their grandeur and continuous halls seemed more like something from a myth.

Could this be a fantasy version of the Warring States period?

What went wrong?

Zhao Huizhong's thoughts raced, but his face remained calm.

He was sitting in a grand hall of the Xianyang Palace, next to his adoptive mother, the famous woman in Chinese history, Queen Zhao Ji of King Zhuangxiang of Qin.

In the history Zhao Huizhong knew, Zhao Ji was clearly a woman of questionable morals.

But at least at this moment, her maternal affection for Zhao Huizhong was genuine.

Whenever she asked about his experiences as a hostage in Zhao over the years, she would sob and cry, her face streaked with tears.

Zhao Huizhong observed her silently. Zhao Ji was indeed a beauty, with almond eyes and a peach-like face, exuding charm and grace.

Her features were delicate, with only her slightly fuller lips adding to her allure, which did nothing to diminish her beauty. No wonder she could captivate King Zhuangxiang.

This world has the State of Qin, King Zhuangxiang, and Zhao Ji. Who is my predecessor?

Qin Shi Huang?

But the name, age, and historical events clearly don't match.

According to Chinese history, when Qin Shi Huang was fifteen, King Zhuangxiang was already dead.

Since Zhao Huizhong returned to Qin, he and his adoptive mother had spent a lot of time together, and their relationship had become quite close.

As Zhao Ji spoke, she tightly held Zhao Huizhong's hand, her face still wet with tears, and her eyes full of affection as she looked at her fake son.

While they were talking, a eunuch came in and said, "The King has finished his official duties and is on his way."

Soon, the King of Qin, King Zhuangxiang, dressed in a black robe, walked steadily into the hall.

According to Chinese history, King Zhuangxiang was Qin Shi Huang's father.

But in this world, Zhao Huizhong was no longer sure about the specifics.

The King of Qin was slightly taller than average, with a clear and refined face, exuding a scholarly and gentle demeanor. As the ruler of a nation, he lacked the usual air of authority and power, but he was approachable.

When Zhao Ji saw King Zhuangxiang, her face lit up with joy, and she stood up to greet him, affectionately holding his arm, clearly showing their close relationship.

The three of them met and engaged in a warm conversation.

King Zhuangxiang had no airs of a ruler and did not hide his emotions. When he talked about Zhao Huizhong's years as a hostage in Zhao, his face showed sorrow and guilt.

"Huier, you have been a hostage in Zhao for many years. They must have mistreated you. Do you feel any discomfort?"

Zhao Huizhong thought to himself: When I first transmigrated, this body was in terrible condition, like a terminally ill patient. Otherwise, my predecessor wouldn't have died. But after I took over, I could clearly feel that this body was gradually improving, as if it had been cleansed by some power... or perhaps because of 'it.'

King Zhuangxiang reached out and grasped his wrist, a thread of black energy extending from his fingertips and entering Zhao Huizhong's body.

"So, the ruler of a nation is also a cultivator in this world?"

Zhao Huizhong felt the cold energy from King Zhuangxiang quickly circulate through his body.

After a moment, King Zhuangxiang withdrew his hand, his face showing surprise. "Huier's body seems to be in good condition?"

He thought for a moment and then said, "Send for the royal physician."

After a hundred breaths, Zhao Huizhong underwent a professional medical examination.

The royal physician was elderly, with white hair and a vigorous spirit, dressed in a long robe, and his face was respectful.

He quickly led King Zhuangxiang aside and said, "I can confirm that there are no serious injuries in your body, but your essence is depleted, likely due to some scheme during your time as a hostage in Zhao. Currently, it does not pose a significant threat to your health, but it may prevent you from practicing longevity techniques."

King Zhuangxiang's face changed. "You mean Huier cannot cultivate? Is there any way to remedy this?"

The elderly physician pondered for a long time. "The Crown Prince's essence is severely depleted. Even with efforts to restore it, it will be difficult to fully recover."

King Zhuangxiang, not giving up, said, "You may leave for now. I will give you two days to carefully consider ways to help the Crown Prince recover."

After the old physician left, King Zhuangxiang thought for a moment and then said, "Huier, come with me to the ancestral temple."

Zhao Ji was surprised. "Huier has only been back for a few days. Why must he go to the ancestral temple?"

"The ancestral temple is the foundation of our clan. I am bringing Huier there for his own good," King Zhuangxiang explained, then turned and led Zhao Huizhong out of the hall.

Fifteen minutes later, King Zhuangxiang and Zhao Huizhong arrived at a hall in the rear area of the Xianyang Palace.

As they entered the building, Zhao Huizhong's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Stepping into the hall was like entering another world.

He heard roars and screams in his ears, causing his head to throb.

King Zhuangxiang waved his hand, and a thread of black energy enveloped him, providing some relief, but he still felt a sense of unease.

He began to observe the hall.

The interior walls were massive and green, towering so high that they seemed to reach the sky, at least thirty zhang (about 100 meters) tall. Standing beneath them, one felt like an ant.

What was shocking was that from the outside, the hall appeared ordinary and was certainly not thirty zhang tall.

This suggested that the inside and outside of the hall were in different spatial dimensions!

Zhao Huizhong's thoughts raced as he continued to observe, and he saw even more astonishing things.

On the left side of the green wall, there were murals.

Strangely, the murals were not static but dynamic, as if they were alive.

In the center of the mural, there was a massive, horned humanoid creature, enveloped in black energy, bound by a stone chain.

It roared and struggled in the mural, tearing at the chain, as if it had been doing so for centuries.

The roars Zhao Huizhong heard upon entering were from this 'monster' in the mural.

"Prince, there is no need to fear. The demonic soul in the mural is only a remnant of its former self.

It has been imprisoned for a long time, and its power is far from enough to break free. In the past, it could roar and struggle daily, but now it can only do so every few days. I apologize for not being more careful, causing you distress.

It will eventually dissipate completely."

King Zhuangxiang stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm and reassuring.

Zhao Huizhong: "Father, do you mean that the demonic soul in the stone wall once truly existed? It has been weakened over time after being sealed?"

"I am not entirely sure, but that is what the ancestral records state."

King Zhuangxiang continued, "I brought you here to show you the true secret of our clan's rise. Only here can you see the original text of the Immortal Platform. If you gain something from it, it might help heal your internal ailments."