Chapter 1020 Chaos
At this point, we can't worry about so many things. We must be decisive and ruthless. There can be no ambiguity. Strike first and you'll be in trouble.
At this point, even if Xuan Yuanpo doesn't make a move, someone else will.
The several camps, which were almost clearly divided, began to take action.
Xuanyuan Po roared and charged directly at a cultivator.
Meanwhile, the powerful Bull Demon Clan expert suddenly expanded his body and charged towards a cultivator.
Besides him, the remaining two experts from the Southern Border Witch God Sect also rushed out and attacked a cultivator.
Everyone seemed to have planned it out beforehand, and they acted in perfect unison.
There are currently four martial arts practitioners left. Their survival skills are quite strong; only two of them died in the first round.
Meanwhile, there is still one member left from the Southern Border Witch God Sect, and another expert from the Witchcraft Sect.
On the demon side, there were three remaining: a powerful bull demon, a woman who had flirted with Jiang Bai earlier, and a guy with a blank expression.
On their side, they are outnumbered no matter what.
If we don't unite, we will definitely wipe out those cultivators completely.
However, everyone seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and no one dared to lay a hand on Ye Qingguo.
They each chose their targets, but no one attacked Ye Qingguo, which left Jiang Bai dumbfounded, because it seemed that Jiang Bai was the only one left without an opponent.
"Damn it, this is a scam!"
Jiang Bai thought to himself, knowing that Ye Qingguo was not someone to be trifled with. It wasn't that she was particularly strong, but Jiang Bai felt that even if Ye Qingguo was very powerful, it was already extremely remarkable that she had reached this point.
Despite having this major bug in his system, he's only managed to reach the Heavenly Rank; he's definitely not the most powerful one among these people.
As soon as they exchanged blows, Jiang Bai could tell that, apart from Xuan Yuanpo, there were two other great cultivators, and the strength of that powerful bull was above his own; they had already reached the level of the Middle Heaven Realm.
To be honest, killing himself would be a matter of minutes; Ye Qingguo could never surpass them.
But everyone knows that Ye Qingguo is not someone to be trifled with. Not to mention that the Supreme Dao, ranked first among the Ten Great Immortal Sects, is her own backer, which is a headache for people. Xu Changsheng is not afraid of her, so how could others dare to provoke her?
With so many people around, and given the current situation, if anyone lays a hand on her, how will they explain it when they get out?
Even if you're lucky enough to pass the three trials, once you get out, you'll definitely be forced to kneel down.
So now everyone is looking for their own targets. Those with higher strength naturally take care of those with higher strength. The four experts at the mid-level are fighting fiercely, unleashing their ultimate techniques one after another, creating an atmosphere of earth-shattering chaos.
This place seems to be very special. Neither the ground nor the buildings suffered any damage after such an encounter. I don't know what material they were made of.
"Um..." Jiang Bai wanted to say something to discuss with Ye Qingguo about whether or not they should fight.
Unexpectedly, Ye Qingguo was much more decisive than Jiang Bai. Without even saying a word to Jiang Bai, she directly summoned a magic weapon, a long sword gleaming with a blue light, and charged directly towards a master from the Southern Frontier not far away.
This person seems to be from the Witchcraft Sect or something, Jiang Bai couldn't quite remember, and is currently fighting with another martial artist. As for Ye Qingguo's bodyguard uncle, he's currently having a fierce battle with that powerful bull.
It was agreed that they wouldn't fight each other, which was something Xu Changsheng had instructed them to do before. But now everyone couldn't care less about that. Once the fighting started, if you didn't kill someone, you would die. There was nothing they could do about it.
No matter what Xu Changsheng said, it didn't make much of a difference.
He is powerful, and he might pursue this matter later, even going so far as to destroy the sect and exterminate the family, but this matter... you can't force him to do something he can't do, can you?
With only nine bottles of medicine, what can we do if we don't fight?
We can only wait to die.
No one is willing to sacrifice themselves for others, and we don't know each other well.
However, the fact that no one mentioned quitting speaks volumes about their competitive spirit.
With Ye Qingguo's move, the situation became two against one, and the expert from the Southern Border Witchcraft Sect soon showed signs of defeat.
This made Jiang Bai frown. After thinking for a moment, he also began to help a martial artist besiege a cultivator. It was necessary to maintain a balance of power, otherwise things would become very troublesome.
The three families were originally united against the cultivators. If Jiang Bai went easy on them, the balance would be immediately broken, and the outcome would be unpredictable.
Even if Ye Qingguo doesn't make things difficult for him, what about the others?
Jiang Bai didn't think anyone else would let him off the hook. He was a martial arts practitioner, which made him unpopular, and he had offended quite a few people.
"ah!"
However, Jiang Bai was still a little slow. Just as he had forced the cultivator into a corner, Ye Qingguo had already succeeded and killed him.
With a scream, the expert from the Southern Border Witchcraft Sect died under Ye Qingguo's longsword, his head severed by the flying sword.
The balance was immediately broken.
Damn it!
This scene caused Xuan Yuanpo's expression to change. He then rushed towards a cultivator beside him, ignoring his opponent's entanglement, and killed the cultivator with a single move.
His actions immediately created chaos. Since everyone was evenly matched and had their own opponents, and the cultivation levels were similar, a real fight would inevitably result in mutual destruction, and it wouldn't be easy for anyone to win.
But when someone at the Middle Heaven level found an opportunity to attack others, the others didn't hold back and attacked one after another, killing those around them.
Thus, the situation here becomes extremely complicated.
One by one, the masters fell, and Jiang Bai's opponent was killed by his own companion, but in the blink of an eye, he was killed by another master.
Even Jiang Bai himself was attacked by a Ruyi. If he hadn't reacted quickly enough, he would have been blasted into dust. Fortunately, he dodged in time and only suffered minor injuries.
He lost an arm, but it grew back very quickly; his super regeneration is no joke.
"snort!"
One of the mid-level cultivators snorted coldly, turned around, released a small golden tower to block the powerful bull, and then leaped into the air, transforming into a rainbow as he charged directly towards the bottles of pills.
He abandoned the idea of killing his opponent and decided to strike first.
Having dodged the attack, they first seized the pills, took one bottle, and left.
Realizing something was amiss, he tried to get a second bottle, but unfortunately, Xuan Yuanpo intervened and interrupted him.
With a single punch, he disrupted the opponent's plans, which ironically benefited the powerful bull, who grabbed three bottles and turned to leave.
Now that's great! They got the pill and ate it without hesitation, which made the people around them envious. They abandoned their fighting and rushed towards the bottle.
Chapter 1021 Life and Death
This caused complete chaos. Everyone stopped fighting. Four bottles of medicine were already missing. Xuan Yuanpo was determined to get them, which meant five bottles. The powerful cultivator who was protecting Ye Qingcheng also counted. If Ye Qingcheng was included, then seven bottles would be gone.
This means the remaining people will divide the bottles equally...
This made everyone present very anxious.
One by one they rushed over, and sure enough, Xuan Yuanpo snatched a bottle and was about to make a move, but was interrupted by the one protecting Ye Qingcheng.
With a "bang," a bottle of pills actually... shattered!
This completely stunned everyone around them.
They looked at each other, bewildered.
Before they could react, Xuan Yuanpo attacked again, but the expert protecting Ye Qingcheng intervened, leaving Xuan Yuanpo with no chance to strike. The two began fighting, hitting each other repeatedly, and the fight was fierce.
The fight was fierce and chaotic. The cultivator used a variety of methods, which greatly angered Xuan Yuanpo, who couldn't get his hands on the prize no matter what he tried.
The others wanted to step forward, but they didn't dare. These two were both at the Middle Heaven level. Once they got angry, who knew what the situation would be like? If the two of them didn't get the item, and the others went to get it, wouldn't that be courting death?
"You asked for this!" After several fruitless attempts, Xuan Yuanpo glared fiercely at the great cultivator in front of him and roared angrily.
He took out a golden longsword, then a drop of blood fell on it. The next second, he shouted and charged towards the great cultivator.
"Watch out! It's the Emperor's Sword!" Ye Qingcheng's expression changed drastically, and she immediately exclaimed in alarm.
Unfortunately, the great cultivator still couldn't dodge the attack and had his arm severed by a sword. Xuan Yuanpo on the other side wasn't faring much better. This thing seemed extremely difficult to use and caused him great damage. After using it, his face turned deathly pale, and not a drop of blood was shed.
Just then, the mighty bull, who had previously charged into the thick green fog, suddenly returned and launched a surprise attack, killing the master instantly by smashing his head.
"Uncle Lan!" Ye Qingcheng's expression changed instantly, and she exclaimed in surprise, rushing towards the man.
Unfortunately, the Mighty Bull didn't give her a chance to speak and simply vanished, showing no intention of staying any longer.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the two cultivators each seized a bottle of pills and immediately swallowed them. Xuan Yuanpo did the same, not slowing down at all.
He also received a bottle, while the others received nothing.
As for the last bottle, it naturally fell into Jiang Bai's hands. He killed someone and took the bottle of potion.
Those who obtained it swallowed it immediately and entered the poisonous fog as quickly as possible.
Now, there are only four or five people left, but there's only one bottle of medicine, and it's in Jiang Bai's hands. This situation is quite awkward.
At this moment, Ye Qingguo walked over to Uncle Lan, frowning and looking sorrowful. There was even a hint of tears in her eyes, which was quite rare for someone as cold as Ye Qingguo. It seemed that the two had a very close relationship.
Meanwhile, the other three had already set their sights on Jiang Bai.
"Don't be sad. No matter who this person is to you, we can't worry about that now. There's only one bottle of medicine. Either back out, or deal with the others first. Look at those three, they're like wolves. This thing might end up in someone else's hands." Jiang Bai said coldly, narrowing his eyes.
Actually, that's a bit of an exaggeration. Although he didn't eat it, the thing went into his spatial ring the moment he got his hands on it. No one but himself could open that spatial ring, so the thing was already his.
However, we must first resolve these three issues before proceeding.
One against three – a martial arts practitioner and two cultivators – is no easy task.
He wasn't entirely confident of victory, so he brought Ye Qingguo along.
"Hehe, quit? There's no such thing as quitting here. It's either death or forward. Pass the three gates before the palace and leave, otherwise once you enter, it's a dead end."
The old man suddenly chuckled and uttered a sentence that drove everyone around him crazy on the spot.
The three exchanged a glance and attacked Jiang Bai together. Jiang Bai used his martial arts divine power, the Claw of Heaven, to entangle with the three of them, but he wasn't one to be trifled with.
Two magical treasures flew over, with the martial arts practitioner at the forefront. It seemed they were planning to join forces to kill Jiang Bai, this scourge, before fighting over them.
Jiang Bai just thought this martial artist was a bit stupid. This expert from the Martial Saint's Abode had some problems with his head. Didn't he know that there were three cultivators here, including Ye Qingguo? If they joined forces to defeat him, did he think this thing would fall into his hands?
Dream on!
Unfortunately, Jiang Bai didn't have a chance to say anything to them before the three of them surrounded and attacked. Ye Qingguo, who was standing not far away, was stunned for a moment, and then actually made a move.
However, her target wasn't Jiang Bai but someone else. It's unclear what her motivation was, but she made her move at that moment.
It turned out to be helping Jiang Bai.
Both of them were strong among their peers. In addition to a glowing flying sword, Ye Qingguo also had a small golden tower that appeared out of thin air. One attacked and the other defended, and they were in an invincible position. No one knew where this came from.
Anyway, it looks pretty scary.
"The Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda? The Supreme Dao actually let you bring out this supreme treasure?" At that moment, someone looked at Ye Qingguo in shock and exclaimed.
Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bai snapped his neck.
Ye Qingguo is not someone to be trifled with, and neither is Jiang Bai.
Now the situation around them became evenly matched.
In a two-on-two situation, Jiang Bai has a clear advantage.
The two attacked together. Although the opponent struggled, he was no match for their strength. One died under the suppression of the enlarged Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Decree, and the other was crushed to dust by Jiang Bai's Heavenly Claw.
Before the poisonous fog, only Ye Qingguo and Jiang Bai remained, standing facing each other.
For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat cold. Ye Qingguo and Jiang Bai looked at each other, but neither of them spoke.
There is only one pill. Whoever takes it will survive and move forward, while whoever doesn't will likely die here.
However, the two were somewhat related. Because of Ye Qingcheng, neither of them made a move. They just looked at each other quietly, seemingly lost in thought.
"Hehe, now it's interesting, only the two of you are left. It seems you two have some connection. This girl didn't lay a hand on you earlier and even helped you. Now, what's your choice?"
"Should I act like a man and give the other person this chance to survive? Or should I act like a ruthless hero and destroy this beautiful girl? This is a real dilemma. Even I, an old man, am tempted by such a beautiful girl. I don't know if you can bring yourself to do it."
The old man chuckled, standing not far from the two men, watching them with amusement as he spoke.
Chapter 1022 The Usury System
The way he said that clearly meant he wanted the two of them to fight to the death!
This caused the two people standing there to exchange a glance and both frown.
To be honest, neither Ye Qingguo nor Jiang Bai could easily take action against each other because of Ye Qingcheng.
Otherwise, the two would have fought long before this, and the situation wouldn't have become so chaotic.
But now, at this critical juncture of life and death, should we take action or not?
Both of them hesitated.
Even though Jiang Bai is considered ruthless and decisive, Ye Qingguo is as cold as ice, making it difficult to make a move against him in a short time.
"System, is there any way to resolve this predicament?" Jiang Bai asked, frowning.
He hadn't anticipated this situation either; one of the nine bottles of pills had broken, and he never expected things to turn out this way.
Only two people were left, just him and Ye Qingcheng? How could something so unlucky happen?
Left with no other choice, Jiang Bai had to turn to the omniscient and omnipotent system for help.
Hopefully, there's some way to crack the system.
"This? Of course there's a way, many ways. Which one do you want to choose?" The system didn't disappoint Jiang Bai; it could indeed help him solve his current predicament, but...
He talks a lot of nonsense.
"Stop talking nonsense, it's urgent. Just tell me which method is the most cost-effective and simplest!" Jiang Bai knew what kind of person the system was, so he rudely interrupted its nonsense and then asked in a deep voice.
You have to understand, the situation is urgent and it's a matter of life and death. Jiang Bai didn't know how long Ye Qingguo could keep up this standoff. If it weren't for the system, he estimated that he would have made his move soon, let alone Ye Qingguo.
Therefore, he didn't want to waste time arguing with the system and wanted it to provide a quick solution.
"One million prestige points!" the system replied decisively.
"What the heck? Where would I get a million prestige points? Do you have any cheaper options?" Jiang Bai exclaimed immediately. He only had a few hundred thousand prestige points, and that was only because he had killed a few Heavenly Realm cultivators earlier.
Otherwise, he would be penniless. In that situation, where would he get a million reputation points?
The system knows our own financial situation, so what's the point of bringing this up now?
Jiang Bai was furious!
"I know you're broke, but this is already a fair price. You know, one million to save both of your lives, isn't that a great deal?"
"This is only because of our long-standing relationship. If it were anyone else, I would absolutely ignore him!"
The system chuckled and then added, indicating that it was quite kind and a very loyal friend.
Jiang Bai was speechless at this and said dryly, "I don't have that much prestige right now."
"I know you don't have any, but you can take out a loan. Hmm, your income is stable now, so a few hundred thousand prestige points shouldn't be a problem for you. If you're lucky, you can get them after killing a couple more Heavenly Ranks."
"So, great system, I can lend you some prestige points," the system chuckled.
This greatly intrigued Jiang Bai. How could the stingy system be so kind as to lend him prestige points, allowing him to overdraw them?
He's been dealing with this guy for a long time, and he's got a lot of prestige points; whatever he says goes, there's no chance of a discount.
As for lending him prestige points, that was unheard of. Now that the system was suddenly being so kind, Jiang Bai found it hard to accept and felt that something was wrong.
Unable to resist asking in a low voice, "You would be so kind?"
That hit the nail on the head. The system wasn't really that kind. Hearing Jiang Bai's words, it chuckled and said in a low voice, "Well, it's not that I can't lend prestige points, but I'll have to charge a tiny bit of interest."
"I won't let you take nude photos or make videos of me like those female college students do. We're acquaintances, how can you do that?"
"However, as for interest, we'll definitely have to charge a little bit, 30% weekly interest. What do you think?"
"This is the market price!"
"Holy shit!" Jiang Bai's face immediately darkened. The nonsense the system had said was already enough to make people speechless, but its heart was even more speechless than its words.
Zhou Li is 30%?
Jiang Bai wants to borrow 300,000 reputation points. If he wants to repay it within a week, he will have to pay back at least 390,000 reputation points, of which 90,000 is interest?
Even without compounding interest, just calculating interest on the principal alone would amount to 360,000 per month. And that's with 28 days in a month; if there were two more days, it would be even more.
If interest compoundes...
It's a loan with exorbitant interest rates that I can't repay!
This is a desperate measure, something Jiang Bai is unwilling to do from the bottom of his heart. However, the situation is urgent, and if he doesn't borrow prestige points, he will be in big trouble.
He and Ye Qingguo must die here. Even if Jiang Bai is lucky and strong enough to kill Ye Qingguo, how can he explain it to Ye Qingcheng after he gets out?
This is a minor matter, and the explanations are not important. What's important is that Jiang Bai killed Ye Qingguo. After he gets out, will the people behind Ye Qingguo let him go?
Moreover, Jiang Bai may not be entirely confident of victory.
Therefore, he had to resort to this desperate measure, even if he didn't want to.
Because I was so thirsty that I had no other choice.
"This interest rate is too high! Are you ripping me off? Even loan sharks aren't this ruthless!" Jiang Bai roared.
The system scoffed and said contemptuously to Jiang Bai, "Outdated. This is how P2P works now."
Jiang Bai was speechless at this. In the end, he had no choice but to borrow 300,000 prestige points, hoping to get the money back as soon as possible. He definitely couldn't hold onto such a high-interest loan for too long.
Otherwise, I'll be working for the system for free for the rest of my life.
He had already decided that once he got through this hurdle, he'd better not run into those bastards again. If he couldn't beat them, so be it; if he could, he'd kill them one by one, not caring about any trouble that might come his way after he got out.
Let's pay off this high-interest loan first!
After completing all of this, Jiang Bai said speechlessly, "System, you've already deducted the prestige points, and I still owe you a huge debt. Now you should at least say what the solution is, right?"
"Are you going to give me a brand new bottle of medicine or what?"
"Brand new medicine? Do you know how much this medicine is worth? Brand new? Heh, you're joking, wouldn't I lose money? This thing may make you kill each other, but it's not just a simple antidote."
"It will be of immense benefit to whatever kind of cultivation you pursue!"
Chapter 1023 Tricking People
"If I give you another bottle, I'll go bankrupt!"
"You asked me to help you solve your current problem, but you didn't ask me to give you a bottle of pills. Otherwise, your one million won't be enough!"
Jiang Bai was speechless at the system's words. If it wasn't giving him pills, then what was going on?
Is there another solution to the problem at hand?
However, the system's next sentence almost made Jiang Bai explode with anger.
The system chuckled and said, "Actually, this is simple. This medicine is very effective, and the poisonous fog ahead isn't that strong. If you each take half, you'll be able to get through it safely."
"Although you may suffer some physical pain, it's nothing serious, and you'll recover in no time."
"You son of a bitch!" Jiang Bai couldn't help but curse.
Isn't this just making a fool of myself?
That bastard, damn it, isn't he just setting people up?
With just that one sentence, it demanded a million prestige points?
He even used this excuse to lend himself 300,000 yuan at exorbitant interest rates?
That's absolutely shameless.
Jiang Bai expressed his deep resentment.
Unfortunately, what's done is done, and no matter how much he cursed the system, it ignored him, and he couldn't get back the prestige points it had given him.
Loans with exorbitant interest rates still need to be repaid.
He didn't want to pay it back.
But why doesn't he give it a try?
There's no need to pay him any attention; the system will handle it itself, guaranteeing Jiang Bai will be penniless and work for the system for nothing for the rest of his life.
It's possible that Jiang Bai's strength will not only fail to improve in the future, but may even regress.
So Jiang Bai could only grumble and curse for a while, then took out the pill from his spatial ring, crushed it, split it in two, swallowed one half by himself, and threw the rest to Ye Qingguo.
After tracing a perfect parabola, the pill landed steadily in Ye Qingguo's hands.
"Why?" Ye Qingguo asked Jiang Bai, frowning.
"Why what?" Jiang Bai replied with a smile.
"If I'm not mistaken, what you have in your hand is an extremely high-grade storage ring. Such storage rings are extremely rare even in cultivation sects."
"Without the ability to create space or higher, one simply cannot make such a thing. And such experts have completely disappeared since Qin Shi Huang destroyed Wu."
"With something like this in your possession, the pill is yours to keep. Even if I could kill you, I wouldn't get my hands on the pill."
"In the past, I could have killed you and let the senior experts of the sect decipher the mystery, but that would take a long time. Besides, we are currently in the Lishan Mausoleum and have no way to get out. Why are you giving me this?"
"You need to understand that splitting the pills equally might not work. One pill is enough to safely pass through the poisonous fog ahead, but if we each take half, it won't help me; it might even kill us both inside!"
"Don't you know?"
Jiang Bai's behavior seemed to have greatly surprised Ye Qingguo. The usually cold and reserved Ye Qingguo rarely spoke, and when she was playing the role of Ye Qingcheng, she rarely uttered a single word. However, she spoke a lot now, and her face showed surprise and astonishment.
Jiang Bai's actions were clearly beyond her expectations.
In her mind, even if Jiang Bai didn't kill her, he should have just taken the medicine and continued on his way, right?
This action was clearly unexpected by her.
"Why say all this? It's too late to say anything now. Why don't we go in and try? I guess we can get through. If we can't, I won't have harmed you or made you my own."
"To be honest, I feel like I've made a profit by having such a beautiful woman buried with me when I, Jiang Bai, die."
With a laugh, Jiang Bai left those words and walked straight ahead.
In truth, he really didn't know what to say. He couldn't very well tell Ye Qingguo, "Don't worry about this. I have the system at my fingertips. I've already confirmed it. It'll be alright, we'll definitely get through this."
These are words I could never say aloud, so it's better to act magnanimous and leave a good impression.
As expected, Ye Qingguo looked at Jiang Bai's departing figure with a complicated expression. She glanced at Uncle Lan, the great cultivator at the middle heaven level, lying on the ground, and then followed Jiang Bai's steps into the thick fog.
Only the old man, dressed in coarse linen clothes with his hands tucked into his sleeves, squinted at the direction Jiang Bai had left, muttering to himself, "This kid, did he really see something that made him so confident, or is he just genuinely fearless of death?"
"Hehe, interesting, very interesting!"
Having said that, he leaped away and vanished into thin air, disappearing without a trace.
Jiang Bai took the pill, and although he only took half of it, his body felt as if it were being washed by a scalding torrent. He felt full of power, as if a current of energy was constantly flowing through his body, enhancing his strength and continuously improving his physical abilities. He felt refreshed and full of energy.
In just a short while, the surrounding green poisonous fog not only did not cause him any harm, but his cultivation level actually increased by more than double.
Originally, entering the Heavenly Realm was only the initial stage for him, but he stabilized his realm in one fell swoop and took another step forward, which was equivalent to several years of hard work.
This made Jiang Bai think unconsciously, "I only ate half of the pill and it had this effect. What if I ate the whole pill?"
"Could it be that all those people have broken through to a higher realm?"
In fact, Jiang Bai was clearly overthinking it. While these people did gain some benefits and their cultivation levels improved significantly, it would be extremely difficult for them to truly break through to this level.
If a single pill could truly solve everything, then it must be an unparalleled elixir. Otherwise, it wouldn't be offered as a reward for no reason.
Therefore, although those people have all improved, and the extent of their improvement is much greater than Jiang Bai's, none of them have truly broken through to a higher realm.
Jiang Bai was overthinking things.
Jiang Bai and Ye Qingguo walked unhurriedly through the green poisonous fog, feeling no discomfort and speaking nothing. They maintained a distance of about one meter between them as they continued to move forward.
The road ahead was shrouded in a hazy green, making it difficult to see clearly. However, they had scouted this area before and proceeded forward without any major problems.
It's a straight and wide road; anyone who isn't an idiot can walk across it safely.
"Mmm!"
During this time, Ye Qingguo let out a low groan. Jiang Bai looked over and found that some ulcers had appeared on the other party's arm, and his complexion was also starting to look a little abnormal.
Chapter 1024 Another Multiple Choice Question
This made Ye Qingguo's expression quite unpleasant. In contrast, Jiang Bai was much better off, as he didn't find anything seriously wrong.
"Don't worry, we need to get out of here quickly. Half of the pills we've taken should be enough to hold out for a while. We need to speed things up."
Jiang Bai comforted her, then took the lead and sprinted forward. Ye Qingguo hesitated for a moment before following him.
Jiang Bai had previously estimated that the road was only a few kilometers long, and at their speed, they could rush out of it in an instant.
However, for some reason, Jiang Bai and his group seemed to be subject to some kind of restriction, and their speed was noticeably slower.
This caused both of them to develop large and small ulcers on their bodies without their knowledge, making them increasingly listless.
Fortunately, they did not encounter too many difficulties and dangers. Although they suffered some minor injuries, they quickly broke out of the green poisonous fog.
As soon as they rushed out of there, they were bathed in a burst of light, and the poison on their bodies was completely dispelled, leaving them completely recovered.
This surprised Jiang Bai and his companion, who then exchanged a glance.
Before the two of them could speak, a cultivator nearby exclaimed in horror, "How is this possible! How could both of you come here? Wasn't there only one bottle of medicine?"
These words caught their attention. Looking over, they saw the remaining six people staring at them with extremely strange expressions.
The three cultivators, the three demons, and Xuan Yuanpo all stared at the two of them in shock, their faces filled with disbelief!
"Hmph, you bunch of fools, all you think about in this life-or-death situation is your own safety, without even considering that this stuff can be shared. We each took half of the pills, and although we suffered a bit on the way, we still made it through unscathed, didn't we?"
"But you all... in this life-or-death situation, your selfishness has truly broadened my horizons!"
These words made the faces of several people present turn red. The expression of the great cultivator from Yuqing Palace changed drastically on the spot, and he said sternly to Jiang Bai, "Boy, what nonsense are you talking about? Do you really think we wouldn't dare to kill you?"
"So many people have already died, one more death wouldn't be too many."
Upon hearing this, everyone narrowed their eyes, and even Xuan Yuanpo remained silent to help Jiang Bai.
Before this, they were on the same side, but that was before they started fighting. Now there are only a few people left, and everyone is fighting their own battles. Jiang Bai's relationship with him is just so-so, and these words clearly implicated him.
He has no reason to side with Jiang Bai and defend him.
"Human Emperor Family, Heavenly Demon Palace, I, Ye Qingguo, have remembered what you two have done. If we are fortunate enough to leave this time, our Supreme Dao will definitely pay a visit to you both."
Before Jiang Bai could even utter a word, Ye Qingguo coldly said this.
Ye Qingguo said she wouldn't let the matter of Xuan Yuanpo from the Human Emperor family and the powerful bull from the Heavenly Demon Palace sitting together go unpunished.
This caused the two men's expressions to change drastically, and a hint of murderous intent appeared in their pupils. If this were outside, they would naturally not dare to do anything to harm Ye Qingguo.
But now that they're here, if the two of them team up, they'll have an absolute advantage. If they do something, no one can stop them. If Ye Qingguo dies here, they'll naturally be held responsible.
The danger of the Lishan Mausoleum is common knowledge, and no one can really hold them accountable. Are they really expected to risk their lives to ensure Ye Qingguo's safety?
There's no such logic in this world; we're not even on the same side.
The Supreme Dao is troublesome, but the Human Emperor Family and the Heavenly Demon Palace are not necessarily easy to deal with either.
Even if they are too domineering, they can't force people to do things against their will, right?
Unfortunately, their idea was quickly abandoned as soon as it came to mind. The person who had been talking to Jiang Bai and the others earlier reappeared in front of them with a smile: "Hehe, are you arguing? Why don't you stop arguing? Keep going. I haven't seen a scene like this in years."
"It's rare to see such a lively scene at the Lishan Mausoleum. You all continue, don't worry about me."
These words left everyone around speechless. They exchanged glances and, surprisingly, remained silent, each one on high alert.
Ever since this old man appeared, they have suffered continuous casualties. Although he did not directly attack, after these two rounds, only eight of the twenty-eight people remain.
His reappearance, less than a third of the total, is clearly not a good thing.
"Stop arguing? If you're done arguing, then let's begin the third challenge." The old man chuckled and said this when he saw that everyone was silent.
The next second, when Jiang Bai came to his senses, he was shocked to find himself in a gray, hazy space, devoid of any living creatures or scenery.
He tried to leave, but after taking a few steps, it was as if he had hit some walls, making it impossible for him to leave.
The others around him had long since disappeared, which made Jiang Bai somewhat panicked.
He drew his Tiger Soul Blade and held it horizontally in front of his chest, ready to defend himself.
At that very moment, two beams of light suddenly appeared above Jiang Bai's left, and two circular archways appeared in front of Jiang Bai, standing there on the left and right.
This stunned Jiang Bai. Just as he was about to ask the system what was going on, the old man's voice came from all directions out of nowhere: "The third level, hmm, there is an explanation at the door."
"However, I like to talk, so I won't let you see for yourselves. It's actually very simple. The third level is the simplest of all the levels because it's a multiple-choice question."
"There are two gates. The one on the left leads to the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top, and the one on the right leads to the Central Palace."
"You can choose to enter one of the doors to the central palace, where there are countless treasures, including some martial arts manuals collected by Qin Shi Huang after he destroyed Wu, as well as some divine weapons and magical treasures and elixirs from various schools."
"There are quite a few of them, as well as the Twelve Golden Men, which are your target this time. If you choose this door, you've passed the test and can take away a treasure. You can choose what it is yourself."
"But there's only one. If anyone takes more... hehe, I'm fine, but I reckon you won't be leaving here alive."
"As for the rest, it's simple. The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds is where the Qin Emperor's tomb is located. The Qin Emperor's life essence is there, and the real treasures and benefits are also there."
"If you choose to enter the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds, you can still obtain a treasure from the treasury beforehand. Of course, these treasures are extremely precious. As for what you will get, it is not a matter of your choice, but rather random and depends on your luck. After obtaining these items, you can enter the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds."
"Take whatever you want from there, as long as you have the ability. Of course, there are dangers involved, and... you will not be able to choose the Twelve Golden Men."
"The choice is yours!"
Chapter 1025 Human Greed
What does this mean?
The past two days were so dangerous, and now it's so easy? It's just a multiple-choice question?
Jiang Bai felt a chill run down his spine. Was this thing real or fake?
That simple?
They all came here for the Twelve Golden Men; at least, apart from Jiang Bai, everyone else came for this basic purpose.
Jiang Bai was very curious about what other people would choose.
However, he had no choice but to go to the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top, even though he had a premonition that the benefits of the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top were obviously greater, but there were also dangers.
Jiang Bai was clearly unwilling to do anything dangerous. He was already living a good life, with money, people, and a large group of beautiful girls around him. His strength and influence were also considerable.
It's like enjoying worldly riches for nothing. If it weren't for a mission, who would be willing to take the risk here?
Unfortunately, the system told him that he could not complete the Lishan Mausoleum mission without going to the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top.
He had his reasons, but Jiang Bai was very curious about what choice those people who were full of morality and righteousness, especially Xuan Yuanpo who had spoken so righteously before, would make.
Is it better to forgo the obviously advantageous Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top and instead choose one of the Twelve Golden Men in the Central Palace?
Or should we give up the golden statue, give up all the high-sounding reasons, and then go to the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds to win some worldly riches?
Jiang Bai was genuinely curious about this.
However, his curiosity was soon answered. He entered the gate of the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top and came out into an empty hall. Through the window, he could see that the outside was shrouded in clouds and mist.
They were already standing in the air, in the clouds.
Looking around, all eight people were present.
This scene left everyone who arrived here stunned.
"You demons are truly shameless! Didn't you say you were going to take the Twelve Golden Men? Why are you here at the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top?" At that moment, a cultivator couldn't help but point at the demons opposite and question them.
Unfortunately, he was immediately rebuffed after saying just one sentence: "Well said, our demon race is despicable and shameless, opportunistic and treacherous. Isn't that what you've been promoting for years?"
"This is common knowledge!"
"We don't deny it. On the contrary, it's you who are full of benevolence and morality, each of you acting as if you're doing everything for the public good and taking the world as your responsibility. How come you've all come here? And you even have the nerve to point fingers at us?"
"I've seen plenty of shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as you!"
And so, a war of words broke out. Everyone accused each other of not being willing to make sacrifices and not to retrieve the twelve golden statues. Even if there weren't enough people, retrieving just one would have been good, right? Why wouldn't they do it?
But they completely ignored the fact that they hadn't actually done that.
The main force consisted of demons and cultivators, but soon they were outnumbered and outmatched. Xuan Yuanpo, who was left with only one person, was also drawn into the battle, and for a time, the surrounding scene was chaotic.
Some even pointed the finger at Jiang Bai: "Jiang Bai, why didn't you go and get the Twelve Golden Men? Why did you come to the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds? Is this a place you can just come to?"
"Are you fucking out of your mind? You all come here pretending to be doing this for the country and the people, but you're all just doing it for yourselves? Why don't you go and do it yourselves? You still have the nerve to talk to me? I'm here for personal gain, unlike you bunch of hypocrites. Get the hell out of here! Say another word and I'll kill you!"
Jiang Bai immediately got angry and yelled at the guy who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started shouting at him.
This thing is completely malfunctioning. What did I do to provoke it? Why is it targeting me?
Has he lost his mind? Or does he think he's easy to bully?
However, the arguing soon stopped, because eight platforms appeared in front of them, each with a wooden box on it.
The old man who had spoken earlier reappeared out of nowhere, smiling as he looked at the crowd and said, "The box in front of you contains what you want. One for each of you. It's your reward for passing the three trials before the palace."
"These are all treasures from the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds, rare and precious items collected by the First Emperor. It is your good fortune to be able to obtain them."
One sentence made the eyes of those around him light up, and they couldn't help but look at the box.
Only Jiang Bai asked curiously, "Did you pass the third level so easily?"
"Passed? Of course you passed. But since you chose the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds, hehe, I have to say that passing the first three tests is just child's play. The real danger is just beginning."
"Alas, human nature, greed is the original sin. The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds is the tomb of the First Emperor. Is it really that easy to pass through? Below are just some burial objects. This is the real tomb. If you enter here, you will be disturbing the First Emperor's slumber. The real danger has just begun."
"It's true that you've gained benefits, but leaving will be difficult. There are certainly many other benefits inside, but I'm afraid that few of you will live to claim them."
These words caused the expressions of those around them to change, and they all looked rather unpleasant.
But the old man didn't care about their thoughts at all, and said with a smile, "But this is only human nature. Humans are greedy. Everyone says that the third level is easy, but the third level is actually the most difficult."
"Which is more important, the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds or the Central Palace below? People will naturally ponder this. There are more benefits here and fewer benefits there. If one cannot control their greed, they will naturally choose this place."
"But who could know that of all those who have entered this Heavenly Palace on the Clouds throughout history, only three have ever left: Xiang Ji and two young people."
"Truly wise people know the principle of knowing when to stop. Both Kongming and Liu Ji were smart people. They chose the safest path and went to the central palace, which allowed them to leave here safely."
"In fact, over the years, there have been far more than just these people. There have been at least eight or ten thousand, if not ten thousand. Two thousand years is just a very long time. Countless heroes and great men have emerged from it."
"But in two thousand years, apart from two prudent individuals who prioritized self-preservation and a powerful but foolish idiot, no one has ever ventured out."
"Only two exceptionally talented young people have left here in recent decades. In total, there are only five people."
"Out of these ten thousand or eight thousand people, do you know how many of them passed all three tests?"
Whether it was a sigh or something else, the old man uttered these words and then asked a question in return, as if he were testing the other party or waiting for Jiang Bai and the others to ask him to continue.
Chapter 1026 Heavenly Punishment Talisman
After a long silence, the old man finally couldn't hold back any longer and stood there saying, "Let me tell you, at least two thousand of these people passed through the three trials. Of those two thousand, only two chose the central palace. The rest... hehe, are all in this Heavenly Palace on the Clouds!"
This gave those around them a chill down their spines.
Apart from those two exceptionally talented young people in recent decades, out of two thousand people over two thousand years, only one Xiang Ji has emerged.
Holy crap, just how terrifying is this Heavenly Palace on the Clouds?
You should know that everyone here has passed three tests.
Leaving aside the third hurdle, which anyone can overcome, the first hurdle alone will defeat most people, requiring extremely strong willpower and mental fortitude.
The second hurdle is even more difficult. It's manageable if you're alone, but if there are many people, it becomes a bloodbath. Those who can get through it are truly the best of the best.
Moreover, there is a prerequisite: the Long-Armed Divine Apes must be willing to seek their protection and then give them the Qin Emperor's key!
Those who can be found by the not-so-bright apes must be the most powerful, otherwise they cannot be given protection, which is another prerequisite.
The people who came here were all heroes and outstanding figures of their time, but out of two thousand people, only one Xiang Ji emerged.
The level of danger here is evident.
This sent a chill down the spines of everyone present. Some began to regret their actions, their faces turning pale. Their desire to open the treasure and reap the benefits diminished considerably.
However, this was only a minority; on the contrary, many more people revealed a fierce fighting spirit in their eyes.
It is clear that they are extremely confident in themselves, believing that they are no worse than anyone else.
Since it's not a certain death situation, if some people can get through it, they can too.
Jiang Bai ignored them and walked up to one of the boxes. He gently touched it, and the light on the box disappeared. The next second, Jiang Bai got the box.
His actions prompted others to follow suit. Those who reacted quickly grabbed their own boxes and then tried to take others', but unfortunately, they were instantly reduced to ashes with a miserable cry as soon as they touched the second box, and their own boxes disappeared along with them.
The old man standing there sneered disdainfully, "I already said, one for each person, why are you so greedy?"
"Little did they know that sometimes being too greedy is tantamount to courting death!"
This made the people around feel even colder. There were fewer and fewer people left, only seven. No one dared to covet other people's things anymore, and they could only choose their own boxes.
Although the scene before them changed again after everyone had chosen what was best for them, Jiang Bai found himself in the clouds, in the middle of a white marble corridor, surrounded by mist.
Apart from the fiery red sun in the sky, all that could be seen was white mist and a palace radiating golden light in the distance.
At this point, there were no further prompts, and Jiang Bai knew that the old man probably wouldn't say anything more. If he wanted to get out of here, he could only rely on his own strength.
As for the system...
Come on, Jiang Bai has already borrowed so much. If he wants to borrow again, the system has to agree. Without prestige points, the system is completely useless and has no purpose whatsoever!
Instead of pinning your hopes on the system, it's better to rely on yourself and on the wooden box in your own hands.
As the wooden box was slowly opened, a flash of light appeared inside, and a crystal-clear talisman appeared before Jiang Bai.
There was also a line of small print on the top of the box: "Heavenly Punishment Talisman Record!"
Furthermore, a detailed introduction was given to this item, letting Jiang Bai know that this Heavenly Punishment Talisman came from a powerful Taoist master, the outstanding figure in the immortal path, Mount Tai, who had once broken through the primordial spirit and cultivated a cave heaven, equivalent to the Tai Tian position.
It can invoke the power of divine punishment to destroy all enemies, possessing the power to destroy the world.
Of course, this is a bit of an exaggeration, but it must be incredibly powerful.
This talisman can be bound to its owner by a drop of blood, and can be used three times. After three uses, it will automatically dissipate.
As for its true power, Jiang Bai didn't know; he would only know after trying it.
Unfortunately, there is no opportunity for Jiang Bai to conduct the experiment now.
He wasn't so despicable as to act out of thin air; that would be a sign of utter stupidity. Something kept in the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds must be a treasure of the First Emperor.
Any one of these items you pick out is an earth-shattering masterpiece. This thing can only be used three times, making it a typical consumable. If Jiang Bai were to use it now and release it out of thin air, wouldn't that be idiotic?
After putting away his belongings, Jiang Bai slowly walked forward along the pure white jade-carved corridor in front of him.
He seemed somewhat aimless, because he didn't know what the point of his presence was. As he walked, he unconsciously pondered what benefits others had received and what they were doing now.
Unfortunately, he was destined to have no results. After thinking about it for a while, Jiang Bai stopped thinking about it because he had more critical issues to face.
That was the passageway before him, this white jade corridor. He had been walking for who knows how long, at least twenty minutes.
But the fog still loomed ahead, and the golden palace in the distance still stood there, as if Jiang Bai had not approached at all.
"Something's not right. The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds isn't this big!" Jiang Bai realized something was wrong and stood there, frowning as he muttered to himself.
He had observed the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds and made extensive estimates beforehand, and it was indeed a magnificent palace complex.
I don't know the principle behind it, but it floats in the clouds, majestic and magnificent.
But it's not like Jiang Bai could walk for twenty minutes in just one corridor and still seem to have not moved.
This is clearly not normal.
"Is this a maze?" After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai came to this conclusion, which put him in a difficult position.
Jiang Bai is least skilled at solving mazes and the like.
It's not that he's stupid, but rather that mazes and similar structures often follow certain patterns, especially ancient mazes, which were often built upon principles based on the Five Elements, the Eight Trigrams, astrology, and so on.
While the styles and methods may differ, and the methods may be simple or complex, the underlying principles remain the same.
Unfortunately, Jiang Bai didn't understand this stuff. Although he had read a few books on the subject, he had only skimmed through them. Moreover, all of those books were written by modern people, and the authors probably hadn't even fully grasped the true essence of Chinese culture themselves.
Or perhaps they simply cannot obtain such a mysterious and unpredictable inheritance.
Are you hoping those things will solve the maze?
Isn't that nonsense?
Chapter 1027 Who exactly is it?
Wandering aimlessly through the clouds, Jiang Bai searched for a long time but couldn't find the exit, and couldn't help but feel a little worried.
Because he realized that he was still so far away from the palace ahead.
If we keep walking aimlessly like this, who knows when we'll ever get out of here?
Just then, a figure appeared in front of them, making Jiang Bai immediately on guard.
Their relationship was already terrible, and now they were in this gloomy place with less than three meters of visibility, all alone. If they were killed, they would be completely helpless.
If it were anyone else, it wouldn't be so bad, but if it were one of the remaining three experts at the mid-level, it would be a huge problem.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai not only took out the Tiger Soul Blade, but also took out the Heavenly Punishment Talisman that he had just put away, preparing to give anyone who dared to mess with him a good beating.
Soon, a figure appeared in front of Jiang Bai, also holding a weapon with wary eyes. However, when the two looked at each other, they both breathed a sigh of relief and then put down their weapons.
"Jiang Bai! Why haven't you left yet? With your position, you should be able to enter the Heavenly Palace of the Clouds very soon!" Ye Qingguo was clearly taken aback when she saw Jiang Bai, and then said with great curiosity.
"This godforsaken place is the same everywhere, and there's a hollow space on the side with only one corridor to walk through. There are so many forks in the corridors, I can't get out at all," Jiang Bai said with a wry smile.
It's easier said than done; he'll have to actually get there!
Clearly, he doesn't have the ability; otherwise, he would have left long ago. Everyone knows that those who go in first get the benefits first.
"You don't know?" Ye Qingguo was stunned for a moment, looking at Jiang Bai in front of him with surprise.
This left Jiang Bai stunned. He knew? Know what?
Jiang Bai said he didn't understand.
"Know what?" Jiang Bai asked, looking puzzled and curious.
There's a hidden meaning in Ye Qingguo's words.
"You didn't know?" came the question again, with a thoughtful expression.
This scene left Jiang Bai utterly bewildered, almost going crazy, wondering what this girl was trying to do!
"I really don't know!" Jiang Bai's tone became more forceful, indicating that he didn't understand what she was saying at all.
"Since you didn't know, why did you share half of the pills with me before, making me think that Xu Changsheng had told you something that made you so confident!"
"I found it strange at the time. If Xu Changsheng had said something to you, you shouldn't have reacted that way. But if he hadn't said anything to you, you actually knew to share the pills with me!"
"Jiang Bai, you're really bold! You dare to act recklessly without any confidence!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Ye Qingguo's eyes as she looked at Jiang Bai with a strange expression and said this.
One sentence made Jiang Bai's face turn red. He realized that he seemed to have misunderstood before. Ye Qingguo said so many words at that time not because he was moved or surprised.
Instead, she was testing him, and he had patted his chest and assured her, as if he had done something great. Now it seems... Ye Qingguo already knew about sharing the food.
"Forehead..."
Jiang Bai opened his mouth, but he really didn't know what to say, and felt a little embarrassed.
Then, instead of dwelling on the matter, she asked curiously, "How did you and Xu Changsheng know about the situation inside?"
"Twenty-five years ago, two young men came here. They obtained the Qin Emperor's secret key and followed some people to the Lishan Mausoleum."
"However, because the battle was too fierce, there were countless deaths and injuries, and the two young people were delayed because of fighting with others. By the time they realized what was happening, there was only one bottle of pills left for the second level."
"The two were very good friends at the time, so they were both trying to pass the buck and give the other the chance to survive."
"Unfortunately, no one is willing to accept it."
"In the end, the two of them decided to take a gamble, shared the pills, and surprisingly, they walked out of the poisonous fog." Ye Qingguo glanced at Jiang Bai and stood there slowly saying, his eyes looking into the distance as if he were lost in thought.
"One of these two people is Xu Changsheng, and the other is...?"
"My father!" Ye Qingguo said calmly, though there was an undeniable element of pride and arrogance in his words.
"That old man said before that only three people have left the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top in the past two thousand years. One of them was Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, and the other two were young people from decades ago."
"You mean, it's your father and Xu Changsheng?" Jiang Bai asked in astonishment.
These two are already comparable to Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu, who was a descendant of Qin Shi Huang, stirred up the world, shocked all living beings in the Three Realms, and was besieged and killed by many cultivators and martial artists at the Wujiang River. No wonder these two are so powerful.
Jiang Bai didn't know how powerful Ye Qingcheng's father was, and had never heard of him, but judging from the way the people around him were wary of him, he knew that Ye Qingcheng was no ordinary person.
As for Xu Changsheng...
Damn, he's a monster. He's unbeatable, cutting down eighteen streets without a worthy opponent. No one else can compare to him.
Before this, when the old man mentioned this, Jiang Bai had speculated that one of them might be Xu Changsheng, and now it seems that it really was him.
"Yes, that's right! But..." Ye Qingguo nodded, his brows furrowed as he spoke.
"But what?" Jiang Bai was very happy, not understanding why Ye Qingguo had such an expression.
Since Xu Changsheng and her father were able to leave the Cloud Palace back then, and they dared to bring Ye Qingguo along, it means they had already told Ye Qingguo the secrets and tricks, and calculated that if Ye Qingguo followed their instructions, she would not be in any danger, but would instead gain a lot of benefits.
This trip to the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top with Ye Qingguo should go smoothly without any unexpected events.
Why does Ye Qingguo seem so preoccupied?
This is not normal.
"However, when they came twenty-five years ago, they hadn't seen that old man before!"
One sentence made Jiang Bai's expression change drastically, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
Damn, this old man wasn't here 25 years ago?
How did he suddenly appear? And how did he end up at the Lishan Mausoleum, and how does he know so much about what's going on here?
Judging from his previous words, he has an extraordinary understanding of this place; he knows everything about the situation and its history.
If he knows this so clearly, he must have been here for many years. But Ye Qingguo said that there was no such old man 25 years ago. So who is he?
Chapter 1028 Puppet White Tiger
"Could it be that it just happened that it didn't happen the time twenty-five years ago?" Jiang Bai asked cautiously.
"According to the accounts of a few people who were able to leave the Lishan Mausoleum, including the private notes left by Liu Ji, the one who slew the dragon, there was no mention of that old man in them."
"You know, Liu Ji was meticulous and recorded many things in his private notes. This naturally included the important Lishan Mausoleum. He had been there and even wrote down everything about it very clearly, but he never mentioned this old gentleman."
"You saw his performance just now. If he really existed back then, why wouldn't Liu Ji have written it down?"
Ye Qingcheng said in a low voice.
"So you mean this old man appeared later? After that incident twenty-five years ago?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
"Yes, very likely. Back then, my father and Xu Changsheng not only went to the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top, but they also found Xiang Ji but still couldn't find the main tomb chamber or see that magnificent coffin."
"Something seemed to have happened at the time, and the two of them left in a hurry. My father never talked about it, and to this day, what happened there is still a mystery. Before I came, he told me most of the route and how to avoid the dangers, but he didn't tell me about the situation there."
"I know he doesn't want me to go there."
"Now that I think about it, the appearance of this old man may be related to their mistaken entry into the main tomb chamber back then. However... what happened there, I'm afraid only the parties involved know," Ye Qingguo said in a deep voice.
She also wanted to find someone to vent her inner tension. After guessing the result, she had been feeling uneasy. Otherwise, given her personality, she wouldn't have talked so much nonsense with Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai remained silent, unsure of what to say, so he wisely kept quiet and stood there listening to Ye Qingguo's words.
After the other party finished speaking, he said, "Let's not talk about this now. What's meant to be will be. We should get out of here first."
Jiang Bai's suggestion was agreed upon by Ye Qingguo, who nodded and took out a roulette wheel and a map from her spatial bag. After looking at them for a while, Ye Qingguo said to Jiang Bai, "Come with me."
They left with Jiang Bai and walked back and forth in the corridor carved from white marble deep in the clouds. After a while, they finally passed through the extremely troublesome foggy area and arrived at the entrance of a magnificent palace.
Looking down from below, the Cloud Palace seemed magnificent and imposing, even though it was far away. But the feeling was immense. Now, standing here and looking down, Jiang Bai felt as if they were at least ten thousand meters in the air, and the palace in front of them became exceptionally grand and spectacular.
The enormous hall, hundreds of meters high, stretches as far as the eye can see, a continuous expanse of palace buildings. One can only imagine the immense amount of manpower and resources required to build it.
It must be a number that would leave everyone speechless.
In front of the main gate of this palace, where Jiang Bai and his group were, was a huge square, several times larger than the square in front of the Forbidden City in the capital, and it was entirely paved with jade.
Two white tigers, each about ten meters tall, stand in the center, inspiring awe and fear.
"Western Heavenly Gate!" Four characters hung above the palace, written in bold, powerful strokes that instilled a sense of awe.
"Let's go." Once we got here, Jiang Bai wanted to step forward and see what lay beyond the magnificent palace gates!
Unfortunately, just as he made a move, Ye Qingguo stopped him with a wave of his hand: "Don't rush! The Four Heavenly Gates are located in four different directions. My father and the others used the Eastern Heavenly Gate! It's not the same place as here."
"They're pretty much the same and won't change much, but watch out for the two sculptures at the entrance."
Her words sent a chill down Jiang Bai's spine, but it was too late. The two enormous white tigers opened their eyes, their eyes flashing red, and their bodies trembled slowly.
"Hurry! Reaching the door means you're safe! Remember, don't get entangled in a fight. Their strength is comparable to the intruders, but they are immune to all magic and indestructible. They can't be killed!" Ye Qingguo exclaimed in alarm, her expression changing.
Ignoring Jiang Bai, he held the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda above his head, spinning it continuously, and leaped towards the door.
It wasn't that she wasn't being considerate; it was simply that her strength was limited, and she couldn't help Jiang Bai. If she forced herself to help both of them, it would inevitably cause everyone to suffer. It was better to rush over first and then activate her magic weapon to help Jiang Bai.
This is her true feeling at this moment.
"roar!"
The enormous white tiger seemed to be some kind of puppet, possessing immense strength and swiftness. The saying "dragons follow the clouds, tigers follow the wind" was absolutely true. As soon as it made its move, it displayed its incredible speed, rushing towards Jiang Bai.
Sharp claws, swish, swish!
With just those two moves, Jiang Bai was so frightened that he hurriedly retreated, unable to advance. However, his chest was still breached by the opponent. A fingertip touched Jiang Bai, leaving his chest a bloody mess.
Compared to his miserable state, Ye Qingguo was in a much better condition. With the Supreme Dao Treasure protecting her, Ye Qingguo was able to move forward freely. The golden pagoda automatically emitted a golden light to protect Ye Qingguo and prevent her from suffering any harm.
Even the fierce puppets couldn't break through the defense, but this seemed to put considerable pressure on Ye Qingguo, making her move extremely slowly, step by step with difficulty, not as easy and free as others imagined.
But at least he wasn't as miserable as Jiang Bai!
Jiang Bai used every trick in the book at this moment, including the Seven Limits, the Claw of Heaven, and the Frost Fist, but the puppet white tiger, just as Ye Qingcheng had said, was almost impossible to break through. It remained unharmed and still full of life.
Even if Jiang Bai knocks the opponent away, the opponent only crashes to the ground and then quickly gets up, making him a perfect example of someone who is indestructible.
This slowed down Jiang Bai's progress. He was constantly entangled and couldn't leave the area. After fighting for a long time, while Ye Qingguo had already walked more than halfway out, Jiang Bai had only taken a few steps forward, making it seem as if he hadn't moved at all.
Unable to break free from the entanglement, and even after his attack on Ye Qingguo failed, Jiang Bai finally suffered when another white tiger puppet rushed over.
His entire body was covered in blood and gore. If he were a normal person, he would have died several times over. Fortunately, he was not a normal person and had extraordinary regenerative abilities, which prevented him from being cut into pieces like tofu.
Chapter 1029 My Father Was Young Back Then
Even so, Jiang Bai was covered in wounds, with not a single part of his body unscathed, making him a pitiful sight.
Fortunately, Ye Qingguo had already reached his destination. Just as Jiang Bai was about to give up, a small, golden tower suddenly appeared above Jiang Bai's head, sheltering him from the wind and rain and blocking all attacks.
This put Jiang Bai at ease, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Under the protection of the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda, Jiang Bai quickly recovered and safely passed through this ordeal.
The two then slowly walked into the room. There was a specific way to open the door. Ye Qingguo was an experienced person. He told Jiang Bai to push the door open forcefully and then quickly lie down. At that moment, countless weapons shot out from inside.
These weapons, gleaming with golden light and radiating a chilling aura, shot out and plunged straight into the ground where Jiang Bai had just stood.
This terrified Jiang Bai.
You should know that Jiang Bai fought those two puppets so fiercely that the sky darkened, but he didn't damage the area at all. Yet this weapon shot out from inside and managed to pierce a hole in the ground, which shows just how powerful it is.
That wasn't the end of it; more and more things happened afterward.
For example, they went inside and found a deadly trap hidden in one of the walls.
For example, they passed by a formation with Bagua patterns and got lost there. If it weren't for Ye Qingguo, Jiang Bai definitely wouldn't have been able to find his way out.
For example, you might encounter a resurrected undead who stands there and asks several incredibly bizarre questions. This guy is at least at the mid-level of the Heavenly Realm, or even higher. If you answer even slightly wrong, you'll probably lose your life.
Along the way, there were countless hardships and dangers. Jiang Bai felt fortunate that he was with Ye Qingguo. If he had been left to go on his own, he might not have been able to make it through. Of course... if he had enough prestige points, none of this would have been a problem.
The problem is that he didn't.
This gave Jiang Bai a new idea and a new perspective. He learned from his mistakes and resolved to be extremely careful in the future, to save up some prestige points for any eventuality, and never to fall into such a predicament as he was now.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at a room that was empty and looked like a place where treasures were stored.
But now it's mostly empty.
There were actually a few lines of small characters on the wall.
The first line is in seal script, with a powerful inscription in smaller characters: "Treasury of treasures, only three-tenths will be taken, the remainder will be left to those with affinity—Xiang Ji".
This surprised Jiang Bai, as it was clearly written on the document.
Surprisingly, the mighty King Xiang Yu did not take everything from this place, but only took 30%.
He seemed to be quite principled and benevolent, which surprised Jiang Bai for a moment. However, he then smiled. This person seemed to be just like that: rough, reckless, and domineering, but he seemed to have strong principles. Otherwise, he wouldn't have committed suicide at Wujiang back then.
However, if he only took 30%, why is this treasure vault, which is over a thousand square meters in size, completely empty?
Who exactly did this?
Jiang Bai couldn't help but look around, and then he noticed that there was another line of text on the wall, this time in simplified Chinese. On the left side of the wall, it read: "Of the three thousand rivers, I take only one ladleful; with a three-foot sword, I can defeat the world—Xu Changsheng!"
The calligraphy here is quite ethereal, like the work of a celestial being, exuding an otherworldly aura. It's not hard to guess that Xu Changsheng also took something from here back then, but only a weapon, which should be a longsword.
It's just unknown what kind of weapon gave him such confidence to write such words. Of course... it might not be because of the weapon; his invincibility might come from within himself.
But he only took one item; what about the rest?
Soon, Jiang Bai noticed that someone had written another line of words on the roof beam, a line of domineering handwriting: "The two are so pedantic that they swept away all the treasures. If you're not satisfied, come find me—Ye Jingshen!"
Ye Jingshen?
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously turned his head to look at Ye Qingguo beside him, his face full of strangeness.
If he wasn't mistaken, this Ye Jingshen should be Ye Qingguo's father, right?
He... emptied this place back then?
Damn it! That's really ruthless. They didn't leave anyone a single thing, and even left these two sentences. Do their families know how arrogant they are?
Hmm, judging from Ye Qingguo's expression, it seems she knows.
Seeing Jiang Bai's strange look, even the usually cold and aloof Ye Qingguo blushed slightly and coughed twice before saying, "Back then... my father was still young."
Feeling rather embarrassed, he made up this excuse to fob Jiang Bai off.
"He took everything by himself, so what did he need you for?"
Jiang Bai asked, somewhat annoyed.
He risked his life to come here, and although Ye Qingguo helped him a lot, he also suffered a lot. Now that he's here, it's time to take his benefits and leave, but he's been told that all the benefits have already been taken away.
Twenty-five years ago, it was all wiped out by a guy named Ye Jingshen. How could Jiang Bai bear this?
This is not something that Ye Qingguo can simply brush off with the excuse that her father was young back then.
"Uh… that's what my father originally did. After he finished writing this, he cleared everything away. Coincidentally, there was a space ring similar to yours at the time, with a lot of capacity, which was just enough for him."
"However, Xu Changsheng stopped him at the time. He told my father that one should not go to extremes and should leave something for future generations. So... after his persuasion, my father left behind three treasures."
"Looking back now, my father was still a bit young. The three treasures he left behind turned out to be the most precious treasures. At the time, he only thought they were broken and didn't realize their value, so he just left them here."
"Unexpectedly, I later discovered by chance in ancient texts that these three items had extraordinary origins. One of them was of great use to us cultivators, so..."
After coughing lightly twice, Ye Qingguo continued to answer Jiang Bai's question awkwardly. He probably felt that what he said was a bit too much. They had taken all the good things, and now they were still greedy and wanted more. It was a bit too much to take everything into their own pocket.
No wonder Ye Qingguo dared to guarantee me that if I gave up my spot, I would receive benefits no less than those from entering the Lishan Mausoleum.
So all the good stuff is in their house.
"So, your greedy old man felt something was off the more he thought about it, and, feeling resentful, sent you here so you could take the rest of your things back with you?" Jiang Bai rolled his eyes and asked irritably.