Chapter 84

After several dozen breaths, all the wooden boats fell into the dark river beneath the cliff.

The sound of flowing water reached their ears, while the iron chains that had originally bound the wooden boats were struck by gusts of force, successively detaching from the boats, then quickly writhing and tightening before vanishing into the sky above the dark river.

Not long after, another sound of breaking the air came; one jade tablet after another flew out from the darkness, falling accurately toward the wooden boats floating in the dark river.

Li Yuanling reached out, catching a jade tablet that was about to fall into the wooden boat.

She lowered her head to take a look, discovering the characters "twenty-one" written on the jade tablet, along with many extremely fine boat patterns drawn upon it; among them, forty patterns were dyed with points of glowing light.

This meant that the number of their wooden boat was twenty-one, and after successfully passing the first trial, the number of patterns obtained was forty.

At this moment, Li Musheng raised his head to glance at the jade tablet and said:

"There are words on the back of the jade tablet; it should be the rules for the second trial."

Hearing this, Li Yuanling immediately flipped the jade tablet in her hand, her gaze sweeping quickly across it as she murmured softly:

"After entering the lake of dark currents, maintain the candle flame on the boat without extinguishing it; at the same time, you may seize jade tablets from other wooden boats. For every jade tablet obtained, one pattern is added."

"The duration of this trial is half a double-hour. If the candle flame is extinguished once, it may be relit within three breaths, but ten patterns must be deducted. The ten wooden boats with the highest final pattern count may enter the final trial."

At the same time, thirty wooden boats flowed along the dark river toward the depths, and before long arrived at a dim underground lake.

The lake's surface area was extremely vast, and seven dark rivers connected to it from all four directions.

From the ends of the dark rivers, thirty wooden boats with lit candles slowly sailed in as well, all merging into the underground lake before their eyes.

In an instant, the lake was covered with flat boats floating, each emitting a dim yellow candlelight, resembling countless prayer lanterns drifting with the waves.

"There are two hundred and ten wooden boats in total; this scene is truly magnificent."

Li Yuanling held the jade tablet, scanning the extremely vast underground lake before her; the surrounding candlelight was dotted here and there, as if she were immersed in a dark starry river above the sky.

To be honest, although she had long heard from the young masters and young ladies of some princes and nobles in the Imperial Capital that this place was the largest dark river in the entire Shangyang City.

Yet, seeing the scene before her with her own eyes for the first time, she was still stunned.

Li Musheng also glanced around, and finally a somewhat satisfied expression appeared on his face; he nodded and said:

"This sworn sister is not too much of a scam; being able to see such a scenery means the trip was not in vain."

Hearing this, Li Yuanling pouted.

However, considering that Li Musheng would still be needed to stabilize the candle flame next, she restrained herself from refuting him and instead spoke:

"According to the rules on the jade tablet, there will undoubtedly be a fierce battle ahead. In a moment, you only need to maintain the candle flame without extinguishing it; leave the matter of seizing jade tablets to this Princess."

Li Musheng said nothing, stroking his chin as he looked at the other person, then slowly nodded:

"Sworn sister, it seems you still want a bit of game experience."

Hearing this, Li Yuanling's delicate brows furrowed slightly; she looked at Li Musheng with suspicion and asked:

"What game experience? Why don't I understand what you are saying?"

Li Musheng waved his hand and chuckled:

"Game experience is your sense of participation in this trial."

"Of course, you don't need to understand; after all, I am not someone who doesn't understand human affairs. When you no longer need game experience, I will see it at a glance."

Hearing this, Li Yuanling seemed to understand some of Li Musheng's meaning, yet also seemed not to understand.

However, she was full of energy now, thinking only of seizing more jade tablets, so she did not ponder deeply; instead, she gripped the jade tablet tightly and vigilantly observed the nearby wooden boats.

Doing this was partly to guard against surprise attacks from people on other wooden boats, and partly to secretly search for targets to strike, preparing to pick some soft persimmons to squeeze first.

At the same time, in another corner area of the underground lake, on a wooden boat with a lit candle, a man and a woman sat facing each other.

The woman wore magnificent palace robes, sitting cross-legged on a soft cushion on the wooden boat, her face covered by a light veil.

Through the half-covered veil, her delicate eyebrows and eyes were faintly revealed; her gaze shifted, sparkling with charm, seeming both full of romantic allure and tender affection, pitiful and moving...

Opposite the woman sat a prodigal young master in brocade robes and splendid attire; in his hand he waved a folding fan painted with a picture of a lady, and he asked:

"Holy Maiden, as soon as you returned to Shangyang City, you dragged me here. Now that I have successfully helped you pass the first trial flawlessly, shouldn't you tell me the reason now?"

Hearing this, the woman gazed at the other person with lingering affection in her eyes and brows, yet her voice was cold and chilling as she said:

"Does this count as helping me?"

"If you cannot even handle such a small matter, I think there is no need to continue testing your status as the Holy Son."

Upon hearing this, Zhang He immediately displayed a flattering smile, waving his hands repeatedly and saying:

"Holy Maiden, do not be angry; I was only joking. If you do not let me be the Holy Son, how can I be honest with you in the future and cultivate the Six Desires Scripture together?"

Han Meiyan glanced at the other person, and her tone instantly shifted from chilling to seductive as she said:

"Then you must listen to me carefully. Know that within the Holy Sect, there are not a few people eyeing the position of Holy Son; you could be replaced at any moment."

Hearing this, Zhang He suddenly displayed an obsessed expression on his face and immediately nodded vigorously like a pestle pounding garlic:

"I will certainly follow the Holy Maiden's lead and become the most obedient loyal dog."

However, as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly shook his head vigorously; realizing something, he hurriedly waved his hands:

"No, no, those words were not spoken by me; they do not count."

Han Meiyan's gaze was indifferent; she looked at Zhang He once and slowly nodded:

"Your 'Undying Blood Holy Art' is practiced quite well; even after being struck by my 'Alluring Gaze, Smoke-Walking', you recovered so quickly. You truly deserve the special physique I selected in you."

Hearing this, Zhang He's face changed for a moment; he immediately clasped his hands in salute, his expression looking extremely sincere:

"Thanks to the Holy Maiden's discerning eye for gems, you discovered me from the vast sea of people; otherwise, if I were still the prodigal I was before, I would have been buried long ago."

Han Meiyan nodded lightly, yet the next moment she asked:

"I heard from Song Shan that you once sought him out, asking him to assassinate that Imperial Prince of Great Li who was lost among the common people?"

Zhang He's eyes shifted slightly, then he nodded:

"Indeed, this happened, but he arrived too late. Seeing that the five Wudaoda Sect Grand Masters who had ambushed the target were all killed on the spot, he immediately became a turtle with its head withdrawn and did not dare to continue the attack."

Hearing this, Han Meiyan's eyes darkened, and she spoke coldly:

"I captured a high official of the Tianjin Guard at great cost. You meddled with my people; should you not be punished?"

Zhang He's expression shifted. At that moment, Han Meiyan gazed at the underground lake before her and said:

"I came to Fuzhou City for one thing. If you can help me obtain it, I will spare you from punishment."

(End of this chapter)