Chapter 2433: Golden Lotus Trap?

Ling Jinbao pondered: "If we kill Shangguan Biao in the Secret Realm, what would happen?"

"There would be serious consequences." Baochi Hai said solemnly, "I hope your companions don't resort to killing lightly."

"What kind of consequences?"

Baochi Hai did not answer directly, but said: "After entering the Secret Realm, combined with what Liu Yisheng said, I and Baochi Shan believe that Shangguan Biao likely sealed the Earth Mother's divine soul within the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm, and most probably, he sealed it within the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus!"

"Did you find the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus?"

"Yes. Not long after we ascended the mountain, we found the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus on a medicinal rock face—a lotus radiating golden light, with a plump seed pod; even if one had never seen it before, one could recognize it at a glance. Baochi Shan and I discussed whether this Secret Realm might have been specially prepared to house the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus, with Shangguan Biao deliberately hiding it in the core area closest to himself."

"Before entering Yujing City, we heard the Earth Mother was extremely irritable, and the fragrance emitted by the dew of this golden lotus could well soothe her mood; but upon entering the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm, we came to think the truth might be even more extraordinary—simply plucking the golden lotus might just unravel Shangguan Biao's secret of controlling the Earth Mother!"

Ling Jinbao gave a thumbs-up: "You two brothers are really bored out of your minds."

Curiosity doesn't just kill cats—it can kill two immortal brothers too.

"Back then, we were recklessly bold, full of youthful vigor, thinking there was nowhere in the world we couldn't go, no secret we couldn't uncover." Baochi Hai gave a wry smile, "Too late to regret now."

"And then, what happened?"

"We hadn't even touched the golden lotus when this matter was already over!"

Ling Jinbao exclaimed in surprise: "Ah? It's over?"

"Yes! It's over!" Baochi Hai said word by word, "We were about to pluck the golden lotus, but before our hands even touched the petals, we were kicked out of the Secret Realm back into reality—opening our eyes to find ourselves surrounded by the Earth Mother and the demon horde!"

"You mean the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus is the mechanism?" Ling Jinbao thought with growing dread.

"Yes, as soon as an outsider touches it—no, not even needs to touch it; merely touching the hidden barrier around the golden lotus will cause the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm to eject the person!" Baochi Hai said solemnly, "I've been trapped in the city for years, and I've thought about this for years. The Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm is a past episode from Shangguan Biao's youth. Since it's a past event, it has a beginning and an end, a start and a finish—it must eventually conclude."

He paused: "I and Baochi Shan have also explored many ancient sites; occasionally, some secret realms are cyclical and repetitive. I suspect the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm is of this kind."

This question is beyond Ling Jinbao's depth: "So what happens after the Secret Realm naturally ends?"

"After a period of time, it will mostly restart." Baochi Hai said, "But once the Secret Realm ends or is interrupted, or once outsiders are ejected from it, those outsiders will naturally fall back into reality."

"Since this is Shangguan Biao's most important Secret Realm, he must know everything that happens inside it like the back of his hand, and he must know when outsiders intrude." Baochi Hai gave a bitter laugh, "But he doesn't need to show himself—he only needs to set a trap, lure intruders into plucking the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus, and these intruders will naturally be rebounded back into reality, falling into the encirclement he has prepared!"

Ling Jinbao felt a chill rise in his heart, recalling the successive waves of demon troops rushing toward Duzhi Mountain.

Shangguan Biao indeed already knew outsiders had entered the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm!

Is he intending to repeat his old tricks, using the same method he once used against the Baochi brothers to deal with these new infiltrators!

As long as the Tiger-Wing General and Mingke Immortal misjudge and also go to pluck the golden lotus, they will immediately be kicked back into reality and fall into the multiple layers of encirclement in Yujing City!

"Why doesn't he just kill people inside the Secret Realm, instead of ejecting the outsiders first and then attacking them?" Ling Jinbao's eyes flashed, "Is there something inconvenient inside the Secret Realm?"

"I don't know." Baochi Hai said softly, "I only hope your companions are smarter than we were back then."

Ling Jinbao instinctively clenched his fists: "I must get the information into the Secret Realm as soon as possible."

"Useless." Baochi Hai shook his head, "Shangguan Biao's Secret Realm will block all internal and external communication—no divine abilities, techniques, or curses will work, and even some laws in reality are isolated by the Secret Realm and cannot take effect."

Ling Jinbao, how could you not know it's troublesome?

There was also an eyeball spider resting in his collar, originally left for communication, but after those three entered the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm, the eyeball spider lost contact with Zhu Xiuer.

Evidently, even the powerful talent of the cave-dwelling spider queen cannot penetrate Shangguan Biao's Secret Realm barrier.

What to do? Ling Jinbao stared at the nightmare before him, then suddenly said: "Right, if Shangguan Biao can occupy the magpie's nest and control the Earth Mother's body, what use is there in retaining the Earth Mother's essence and soul?"

Anyway, Shangguan Biao has already taken her place—why not destroy this essence and soul, thus avoiding many future troubles?

"Impossible, of course impossible!" Baochi Hai laughed through tears, then recalled this fellow wasn't yet an immortal, "Like such stubborn stones and plants turned into spirits—once their 'essence and soul' are completely scattered, the shell loses its vitality; it can still be used for alchemy or forging, but if you want it to run amok all over Yujing City, that won't work."

"Sometimes even when taken for forging, a skilled artisan will still preserve the material's essence and soul, making the resulting artifact's divine abilities and effects different."

Ling Jinbao understood, then added: "After your failure, have you seen any other infiltrating adventurers here?"

"Of course, just those who passed through here—there were two groups." Baochi Hai pointed to the crack before him, "Within half a day, their heads were hung on the city gate, and within two days, some demon stole and ate them."

"Did you warn them?"

"No." Baochi Hai shook his head, "They didn't even know the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm existed, their chance of success was zero, and helping them only brought me trouble."

If the Earth Mother, by following vines and touching gourds, happens to reach his head, this lonely soul that has clung to life for over two thousand years will also be put to an end.

"Why help us?"

"Times have changed." Baochi Hai said softly, "The demons in Yujing City are now unprecedentedly tense. Two demons hiding in an alley, slacking off, talked about the Earth Mother's coveted Secret Realm and the Ling Mountain immortals' attack, seeming not optimistic. For so many years, Yujing City's strength has been unshakable, but if you succeed this time, I too will... be freed."

He paused, then added: "Moreover, among you, I sensed an extremely powerful aura from one person."

"Us?"

"Not you." This point, Baochi Hai could confirm, "Pang Yuanhao is vast and surging, yet unusually restrained. Moreover, his soul is condensed and tough, far surpassing ordinary immortals. I want to know, who is he?"