Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Qin Han looked up at the moon in the sky, lost in thought.

"Moonlight Shadow, Moonlight Shadow... Could the true purpose of this Unique Treasure be to absorb moonlight energy?"

"Did I bury its potential by keeping it in the Unique Treasure space all this time?"

"I wonder what the Moonlight Shadow will be like once it’s fully unlocked?"

The thought filled him with anticipation.

……

Time passed gradually, and the night slowly faded.

As the moon descended, the unlocking progress of the Moonlight Shadow had reached a staggering 49%.

But without moonlight, the progress came to an abrupt halt.

"Forty-nine percent in one night. At this rate, just one more night with a bit more moonlight should be enough to fully unlock it. That’s not too slow."

……

Around nine in the morning, under the blazing sun, the group successfully entered the Black Stronghold.

The stronghold was located on a relatively flat mountainside at the northernmost part of Thunder Poison Island.

Looking down, they could easily see a vast stretch of open beach, and beyond that lay Thunder Lake.

The stronghold itself was quite large, with countless hexagonal wooden houses arranged in an orderly fashion.

Its population even reached a hundred thousand.

Upon entering, the first thing that caught their eyes was a circular, golden-yellow building at the highest point of the stronghold.

Bathed in sunlight, the entire structure shimmered like a celestial palace.

Following Qin Han’s gaze, Li Yang explained, "My lord, that building up there is the residence the High Priest built for his future wife. Everyone calls it the 'golden house.'"

Qin Han: "Is the entire house made of gold?"

Li Yang: "No. Though Thunder Poison Island has abundant gold reserves, constructing such a large house entirely from pure gold would be impossible. The main structure is stone and wood, but the exterior is covered in gold sheets to make it appear as if it’s solid gold."

"However, I’ve heard that almost all the furnishings inside are made of gold."

Qin Han: "So, that woman is living in the golden house?"

Li Yang: "Yes!"

Qin Han: "And where does the High Priest usually stay?"

Li Yang: "The High Priest typically resides in the former island lord’s mansion, near the golden house. But his movements are unpredictable—he often disappears for days at a time, and no one knows what he’s doing."

Qin Han: "I’ll go inspect the golden house later. You focus on tracking down the High Priest’s whereabouts. Report to me immediately once you find anything."

Li Yang: "Rest assured, my lord. I will complete this task without fail."

……

Passing through a deserted area, Qin Han swiftly stored the gold ore from the cart into his possession.

Then, the group arrived at Li Yang’s residence in the Black Stronghold.

Li Yang’s family wasn’t present—he lived alone here.

The surrounding area was densely wooded, with neighbors spaced far apart, making it a decent temporary base.

After finalizing their plans, Qin Han and Li Yang went their separate ways.

Qin Han wasn’t worried about Li Yang acting alone.

Having witnessed his strength, as long as the man wasn’t a fool, he wouldn’t dare betray him.

Moreover, the Friendly Detection Orb had confirmed Li Yang’s attitude toward him: Fear!

Elder Lei and the other two remained in the house.

Dressed in a guard’s uniform, Qin Han moved through the stronghold unimpeded, with no one questioning his identity.

With remarkable ease, Qin Han arrived at the golden house—a five-story circular building encircled by a stone wall. Over twenty guards patrolled the exterior, but the inner courtyard was sparsely populated. Qin Han moved to the rear of the wall, scaled it effortlessly, and ascended to the fifth floor as if it were level ground, using minimal effort. Since the woman was inside the building, he decided to search from the top down.

However, the moment he slipped silently through the window, he was met with an opulent sight. Before a dressing table made of gold sat a woman in a flowing white gown, her snow-white skin and slender neck accentuating her refined beauty. She gazed into the mirror, lost in melancholy admiration of her own reflection.

Quietly, Qin Han took out the Friendly Detection Orb to investigate.

The lost wife of the Sword Dojo's master: Lan Xin.