Chapter 344: Bear the Consequences Yourself

Everyone's gaze focused on Hong Zhengqing.

Hong Zhengqing's face was grim, his expression extremely solemn.

He inhaled deeply, then raised his dagger again and resolutely slashed a deep wound into the palm of his other hand.

In an instant, bright red blood gushed from the wound, staining the entire hand.

Immediately, his blood‑soaked hands pressed tightly against the mysterious, faintly glowing forbidden seal barrier before him.

At that moment, a low, oppressive hum suddenly rang out…

Suddenly, a second mechanical trap surged toward them!

This time it was not something else but countless deadly poison needles, swarming like a locust swarm, covering the sky and earth, unavoidable!

"Watch out!"

The disciples each summoned all their skill to mount defenses, trying to fend off the lethal poison‑needle assault.

For a moment, blades flashed and clanged, and the sound of metal striking rang continuously.

Lu Xiangxiang was kept firmly protected at the center of the crowd, shielded from any threat of harm.

The gray‑robed elder beside them flickered, and with his sleeves fluttering he effortlessly intercepted and neutralized each poison needle that attempted to ambush Hong Zhengqing.

At that moment, a young disciple whose reaction was slightly slower inadvertently got a poison needle lodged in his neck.

Instantly, a searing, bone‑piercing pain spread through his body, and he couldn't help but let out a mournful scream.

The young disciple painfully thrust his trembling right hand to clutch the wound; the toxin began racing along his veins at a terrifying speed, and in the blink of an eye his once fair skin turned a grotesque, eerie bluish‑purple, sending chills down the spine.

"Help me… help me!" the terrified young disciple cried, his voice filled with despair and pleading, echoing all around.

Lu Xiangxiang furrowed her brows, stared at the young disciple, and said, "Open your mouth."

The young disciple, hearing the command, opened his mouth without hesitation.

Lu Xiangxiang thrust a pill into his mouth.

The bitter taste of the pill assaulted him.

Suddenly the numbness faded, and the young disciple instantly wore a look of having survived a calamity, his eyes gratefully meeting Lu Xiangxiang's: "Thank you, Sister Lu!"

The young disciples developed goodwill toward Lu Xiangxiang for her assistance.

Lu Xiangxiang did not miss their change of expression.

Immediately, Lu Xiangxiang shifted her gaze to Hong Zhengqing.

Hong Zhengqing, having lost too much blood, grew increasingly pallid.

The fresh blood from his palms dripped along the forbidden seal barrier onto the ground.

Staining the pristine snow red.

Lu Xiangxiang furrowed her brows.

Hong Zhengqing is of a collateral Hong family bloodline, so he should be able to break the forbidden seal barrier…

Did Yue Liu never consider the collateral Hong line from the start?

Today, regardless, she will break this barrier and enter the treasure vault!

Suddenly, Lu Xiangxiang, the gray‑robed elder, and others seemed to sense something and instantly turned their heads toward a certain direction.

"Roar!"

A deafening beast roar erupted, accompanied by an immensely terrifying pressure that knocked many young disciples flat onto the ground.

Lu Xiangxiang narrowed her eyes.

"Bad!" the male cultivator in white robes' face changed abruptly.

What followed made many of the young disciples present turn pale.

All around, towering snow beasts appeared, so densely packed that they were countless.

A massive sense of oppression surged.

Lu Xiangxiang scanned the area but did not spot the Mountain King.

The snow beast that had just roared was massive, as if a hill itself, bearing a blue crystal mark on its forehead, its beastly eyes glinting with sharp murderous intent.

"Fifth‑Tier Apex." the gray‑robed elder squinted.

"Is it the Mountain King?" the woman in her thirties wearing a white robe turned her head toward Lu Xiangxiang and asked.

Lu Xiangxiang replied, "It's not him."

She immediately stepped forward a few paces and said to the Fifth‑Tier Apex snow beast, "We would like to invite your Mountain King to speak with us."

The Fifth‑Tier Apex snow beast seemed to show a contemptuous expression.

Lu Xiangxiang remained unfazed, and slowly said, "Please convey a message to the Mountain King: the Hong family descendants have arrived."

Upon hearing this, the snow beast withdrew its scornful look, examined them with probing eyes, and finally shifted its gaze to Hong Zhengqing, whose hands were stained red with blood.

It spoke in human words, "Wait."

Having said that, the Fifth‑Tier Apex snow beast turned, bolted in a direction, and vanished from sight in an instant, leaving only a trail of deep and shallow footprints and a swirl of flying snow.

Although that snow beast had left, the others did not retreat, remaining silently in place, though they seemed to sense some pressure and no longer showed any sign of preparing to attack.

Seeing this, the young disciples couldn't help but cast their gazes toward Lu Xiangxiang, eyes filled with admiration and awe.

They hadn't expected Lu Xiangxiang's aura to be so powerful, unflinching even in such a situation.

They thought silently.

Truly worthy of the attention of the Formless Immortal Sovereign.

The gray‑robed elder and his companions were also pleased with her performance.

They waited for about half a quarter‑hour.

The Fifth‑Tier Apex snow beast returned, fixed its gaze on the humans, and spoke in human words: "If the Hong descendants want the treasure, they may open the forbidden seal barrier themselves. If you impersonate the Hong descendants, there is only death."

"You have one hour; if you cannot use the power of your bloodline to open the forbidden seal barrier, you will bear the consequences yourself."

After speaking, the fifth‑tier pinnacle snow beast let out a long howl toward the sky.

Immediately after, all the snow beasts began to retreat, pulling back a great distance.

But they did not truly leave; they kept staring intently at them, poised to strike.

Lu Xiangxiang frowned slightly, turned her head toward Hong Zhengqing, and said, "Senior Brother Hong, I beg you."

Hong Zhengqing's complexion was as pale as paper; he forced a smile and replied softly.

"Alright."

He cut his own palm again, and fresh blood gushed out.

The intense stabbing pain made his brows knit tightly; he clenched his teeth, struggling to suppress it, and then he continued to touch the sealing barrier, this time also channeling his spiritual energy.

Buzz!

The sealing barrier quivered slightly.

Immediately after, the third trap mechanism appeared!

The ground suddenly manifested a formation barrier, and in an instant, lightning struck them like silver serpents!

The young disciples, having learned from the first two traps, were already in strict formation; they swiftly raised their weapons, strenuously repelling these terrifying lightning strikes!

Each lightning strike was comparable to a Golden Core Realm cultivator's full‑force blow!

Therefore, those among them with slightly lower cultivation found the lightning strikes especially arduous to withstand.

At the same time—

Two figures were also closing in on the spot.