Bitter Realm: Have the Four Realms been united today?

Chapter 5 Sinking Domain

Upon hearing this, Mu Yunzhi's usually calm and composed face showed a clear, almost blank, moment of stunned silence for the first time.

Beside the table, Ling Shuangjie's sharp phoenix eyes suddenly widened, her chest surging with anger, and her aura of murderous intent instantly rose.

In her view, this was nothing short of blatant provocation and mockery!

Just as tensions were about to rise, Xuanming's voice rang out again.

"I'm sorry!" His mind was still buzzing, a blankness and fear intertwined, almost robbing him of the ability to organize his thoughts.

He managed to piece together the words only through a fragile, barely held-up rationality.

"I used to live alone... so I was very scared and didn't know how to communicate with people."

He gasped for breath, as if those few words had exhausted his strength, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He dared not look anyone in the eye, his gaze drifting to his tightly clenched, white fingers.

"If... I... said anything wrong just now... I'm sorry... please forgive me..."

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he had used up all the courage he had left to squeeze out an even more difficult and absurd request from deep within his throat, his voice so low and hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

"Could...could you...please...exit...for a moment? Just...for a moment..."

"What trick are you trying to pull now?" Ling Shuangjie's voice suddenly rang out, icy cold, filled with undisguised annoyance and anger.

Her eyes were sharp as knives, as if she wanted to see right through the seemingly timid and incoherent boy in front of her.

She agreed to the strategist's suggestion, but that didn't mean the boy could keep playing tricks on her like this.

Xuanming trembled at the sharpness in Ling Shuangjie's words. His lips twitched, but he ultimately pursed them tightly, not attempting to explain a single word to her.

He was waiting, waiting for the silent man in red, who exuded a suffocating aura, to give an answer.

Xuanming wasn't a blockhead; he certainly sensed the anger of the crowd. He didn't intend to delay or play tricks on them. More than anyone else, he was eager to understand the current situation, to know where he was, and why he had come.

However, after only a few minutes of conversation, General Ling became furious twice, and the expressions of the others were also clearly off.

He knew the problem lay in his damned, insurmountable fear.

But the gazes of the crowd were like a mountain pressing down on his soul, shattering his ability to think.

He simply couldn't calm down, and his responses to the others were merely subconscious.

He knew that continuing like this would only create misunderstandings and anger, waste everyone's time, and make the situation worse.

So, he tried to piece together some rationality from his chaotic thoughts and made this request, which he himself felt was excessive.

But he had no choice; he needed time and space to adjust and recover his emotions, calm himself down, and allow the conversation to continue.

The Soul Burial Emperor and Yue Tianji exchanged a glance, then the Soul Burial Emperor turned and stepped out of the room first.

Seeing that the Soul Burial Emperor had no objections, the others silently followed.

The door slowly closed, like a barrier separating Xuanming from the others into two different worlds.

The room was completely silent.

Xuanming remained in the same posture as when everyone left, his eyes closed, seemingly silent and motionless. Only his gradually stabilizing heartbeat and slowing breathing hinted at some kind of inner transformation.

Outside the door, the Soul Burial Emperor and his entourage stood motionless, the air heavy and oppressive.

Suddenly, the door hinges clicked softly, and a clear, cold voice came from inside:

"Alright, everyone, please come in."

Everyone turned around, their faces showing surprise.

The boy, who had been keeping his head down and avoiding them, now looked up and met their gaze.

Although he looked away for only a moment, his straight back and calm expression were completely different from his previous timid and cowardly demeanor.

Xuanming had no time to pay attention to the astonishment of the crowd. He kept repeating to himself, "They don't know you. They're just passing through." He used this to suppress the urge to escape that surged up again.

Once everyone stepped back into the room, Xuanming had already suppressed his surging fear.

He met several gazes and surprisingly spoke first, his words consisting of an unexpected self-disclosure.

"I'm not good at dealing with people, and I don't understand the intricacies of the situation. If you want to know something, please just ask! I also have some questions I want to clarify."

Ling Shuangjie and Mu Yunzhi exchanged a glance, both seeing obvious surprise in each other's eyes.

Who talks to a stranger like that?

He immediately started by pointing out his weaknesses, revealing all his true and false information.

A clear look of surprise flashed across Yue Tianji's gentle eyes, which quickly settled into a barely perceptible appreciation.

"Your identity." The Soul Burial Emperor's crimson eyes, like molten lava, pierced through the air and locked onto Xuan Ming. After a slight pause, as if recalling Xuan Ming's words about "not being good at communication," the Soul Burial Emperor added:

"Strategist, military general, or commoner?"

"A commoner!" When the Soul Burial Emperor's gaze swept over, Xuanming felt his heart tighten and his breath catch in his throat for a moment.

But he quickly steadied his voice and asked, "Where is this?"

Ling Shuangjie's eyes showed even greater astonishment. This young man hadn't even dared to look at the Soul Burial Emperor a moment ago, but now he actually dared to ask questions.

She couldn't help but wonder if the boy had been switched at birth.

"Sinking Domain, the World of Dust Spreads Its Martial Power." The Soul Burial Emperor's voice remained as cold and unwavering as iron, without a trace of unease or displeasure.

Sinking Domain? Universal Expansion of Military Power?

Xuanming's heart sank suddenly, and he had a bad feeling. This didn't seem to be the ancient times he had guessed!

"Where did you live before?" The Soul Burial Emperor's crimson eyes blazed, giving Xuanming little time to think before immediately throwing out the next question.

"I...I'm an orphan. I've been wandering around without a fixed place to live." Xuanming lowered his eyes, his fingertips unconsciously curling up, his heart pounding like a drum.

He forced himself to remain calm, trying to steer the conversation away from the dangerous situation: "Who...are you?"

A brief silence followed.

Then, Yue Tianji's gentle and calm voice broke the silence. He stepped forward slowly, his words carrying a calming composure: "My name is Yue Tianji, and I am honored to be a strategist under the Soul Emperor."

He turned slightly to the side and led him to his side, "This is General Ling Shuangjie, one of the four great generals of Huan Chen Bu Wu, in charge of military affairs."

Following the introduction, Xuanming looked at the woman in red who had taken care of him earlier, only to be met with her gaze, which was as cold as a knife. His heart tightened, and he quickly lowered his eyes.

Mu Yunzhi smiled slightly, his demeanor gentle, and replied, "I am Mu Yunzhi, serving by the side of the strategist and assisting with paperwork and other trivial matters."

His voice was as gentle as Yue Tianji's, which subtly eased the tense atmosphere.