Chapter 1762

Hu Xiaotian had searched every corner of this aircraft, discovering that its main parts had suffered devastating destruction. Based on various signs, he inferred that the aircraft's owner was one of the extraterrestrial visitors from years ago. After their starship crashed into Dakang's Qixia Lake, they escaped in a small craft; two were captured on the spot by Dakang soldiers, deemed monsters and beheaded, while the remaining members managed to flee. One of them wandered here and likely had an important connection with the Wuxian Sect. The blue skull found in the lower hold must be that person's remains; as Guiyi Fu Luo said back then, their lifespans were ultimately limited.

When this Chosen One felt his days were numbered, he sabotaged the vital parts of this escape craft. His original intention was to freeze himself into suspended animation inside the sealed chamber, but something went wrong midway. Soon after the Chosen One entered hibernation, the sealed chamber cracked, and he died in his sleep, never to awaken.

The Wuxian Sect surprisingly managed to keep their composure; even after Hu Xiaotian and Beize Lao Guai had vanished into the underground cavern for a full day and night, they still sent no one to search. Beize Lao Guai concluded that Hu Xiaotian's plans had come to nothing, sighed, and said, "It seems they really intend to trap us here to die."

Hu Xiaotian ignored him, remaining seated with eyes closed in meditation. Although his inner strength was abundant, after so long without food he also felt his stomach growling; he did not have Beize Lao Guai's hearty appetite, which could stomach those moths and poisonous insects.

Beize Lao Guai asked, "Are you planning to just keep waiting here?"

Hu Xiaotian lazily opened his eyes and said, "You've waited a whole year; why do you now lack the patience to wait even a single day?"

Beize Lao Guai said, "If there's clearly no hope, why keep waiting?"

Hu Xiaotian burst out laughing; Beize Lao Guai's impatient demeanor was precisely because hope of escape had been rekindled, transforming his formerly still mind. He tossed the blue translucent skull to Beize Lao Guai and said softly, "Since they've taken the bait, we have no choice but to deploy the lure."

Beize Lao Guai gazed at the blue skull in his hand and asked, "You mean to use this as bait?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded.

Rongshi once again reported to Meizhuang, "Hu Xiaotian and Beize Lao Guai have indeed run out of patience; they've appeared again in the Bone-melting Prison, only this time they're holding something extra."

When Meizhuang heard Rongshi mention the large skull, she snapped her eyes open and exclaimed, "What? They have a skull in their hands?"

Rongshi nodded and said, "Indeed, it's twice the size of a normal skull, blue and translucent; it looks hand‑carved." He didn't believe anyone could actually grow such a skull, and he wondered where Hu Xiaotian and Beize Lao Guai had obtained it. Before they were locked in the Bone-melting Prison, he had observed them closely; their persons could not conceal something this large, so the most likely source was digging it up from within the Prison itself.

Meizhuang's wife could no longer restrain her inner excitement; she stood up: "Come, take me to see!"

Bored, the Old Monster of Bei Ze tossed the Blue Skull up and down in his hand; following Hu Xiaotian's plan, he held this bait and displayed it in the Bone‑melting Prison for half a day, yet no one from the Wuxian Sect appeared. His gaze fell on Hu Xiaotian opposite him, who remained with eyes closed, cultivating his spirit. The Old Monster secretly thought, this kid came here for unknown purpose; if he could obtain his wing armor and light sword, escaping the Wuxian Sect would be easy. Yet he had no confidence to snatch those things from Hu Xiaotian's hands. While he was calculating, he saw Hu Xiaotian suddenly open his eyes.

The Old Monster of Bei Ze thought his thoughts had been seen through, and feeling somewhat guilty, he lowered his gaze.

But he heard Hu Xiaotian say: "It sounds like there's a noise."

As expected, Rong Shi's voice echoed: "Hu Xiaotian, my master promised you a way out."

Hu Xiaotian lazily said: "What trick are you up to now?"

Rong Shi said: "My master promised to let one of you leave this place, but only one of the two can survive."

The Old Monster of Bei Ze watched Hu Xiaotian warily; although he immediately knew this was a Wuxian Sect scheme to divide them, faced with a chance at life, it was inevitable that Hu Xiaotian would be tempted.

Hu Xiaotian chuckled: "Rong Shi, tell her I have no intention of leaving; this Bone‑melting Prison holds so many treasures and secrets, and we won't leave until we've fully uncovered them. As for our life or death, you needn't worry—since I could enter, I can also exit." He stood up, quietly pressed the button on his left wrist, and a pair of metal wings slowly unfurled; to lure Meizhuang's wife into appearing, he still needed to add some more bait.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'll give her an hour to come down and meet me in person to escort us out of the Bone‑melting Prison; otherwise, I'll destroy this skull and the other treasures in this prison."

Rong Shi fell silent at once, while the Old Monster of Bei Ze breathed a sigh of relief; from Hu Xiaotian's response, it seemed he had no intention of harming him.

Not long after, a cold voice sounded: "Hu Xiaotian, do you know what fate befalls those who have threatened me in this world?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "The main character finally deigns to show herself; I don't know, nor am I interested in knowing. If you truly want to kill me, just bring it on."

Meizhuang's wife said: "Killing you would be too lenient; don't forget, Xi Yan is still in my hands—I can direct all my resentment toward you onto her, making you watch her suffer torment to the point of death while being powerless; then the pain you endure will be worse than death." Indeed, as the Wuxian Sect leader, she knew Hu Xiaotian's weakness and repaid him in kind.

Hu Xiaotian sighed: "If that's the case, go ahead and try; we'll fight to the death, breaking the nets. If she dies, I'll have everyone in your Wuxian Sect bury her with them, including your old lover Ren Tianqing—I'll exterminate every dog and every toad in your Wuxian Sect."

Meizhuang's wife sneered: "You think I don't dare?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "You're not unwilling; you just haven't been stupid enough to go that far."

Meizhuang coldly said: "I'll have Rong Shi come get you." Upon hearing this, the Old Monster of Bei Ze was overjoyed—Hu Xiaotian indeed had a plan, forcing Meizhuang to choose retreat.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm not going anywhere; I'll wait right here. If you refuse to come, in an hour I'll destroy this skull."

Meizhuang snapped: "Don't push your luck!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "By the way, bring Xi Yan along; if I don't see her, I'll destroy this skull just the same."

The Old Monster of Bei Ze secretly sighed: this kid really came for a woman—risking so much to infiltrate the Wuxian Sect's headquarters for one woman is hardly worth it. Yet he couldn't help but admire Hu Xiaotian's courage; even the Wuxian Sect leader, such a ruthless figure, had to yield.

Time ticked by second by second; seeing the agreed hour about to pass, Hu Xiaotian already heard the commotion from afar, dense as falling rain. The Old Monster of Bei Ze's expression shifted abruptly, and he whispered: "Poisonous insects!"

Hu Xiaotian remained calm: "You handle the poisonous insects; I'll take care of the rest."

The Old Monster of Bei Ze nodded and handed the transparent skull in his hand to Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian said: "People need some trust between them; you hold onto it." Seeing that the Old Monster of Bei Ze had always doubted him, leaving the Blue Skull in his hand was also a way to prove his sincere intent to cooperate, at least for now, with no harmful intent.

The Old Monster of Bei Ze pressed his lips, thinking secretly: this guy is indeed shrewd—he's trying to win my trust this way.

The sound like falling rain grew nearer; the two looked up and saw black beetles the size of fists crawling along the road ahead. The Old Monster of Bei Ze said: "Gold‑eating worms—this thing is extremely wicked, capable of devouring steel."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Are you preparing to grind us into countless pieces?"

The swarm of gold‑eating worms, like a black tide, halted about five zhang away from them; three figures approached from the distance, and wherever they passed, the worms scattered, clearing a narrow path three chi wide.

Leading them was Meizhuang's wife; to her left stood her disciple Rong Shi, and to her right stood the Wuxian Sect elder Ying.

Hu Xiaotian didn't see Xi Yan's figure, secretly disappointed; he coldly stared at Meizhuang's wife and said: "Sect leader, it seems you've forgotten my terms."

Meizhuang gave a bewitching smile, her phoenix eyes scrutinizing Hu Xiaotian; seeing the black wing armor on his body, her gaze shone brightly as she softly said: "Young Master Hu, you're indeed impertinent—this set of wing armor is the Wuxian Sect's treasured heirloom, and you've donned it directly without asking the owner?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "First come, first served—just the natural order of things."

Meizhuang's wife didn't see that Blue Skull; her gaze shifted to the Old Monster of Bei Ze, only to find his body covered in Iron‑thread Golden‑worm insects, forming a tough carapace. She sighed: "Who would have thought the lord of the world‑renowned Variegated Gate would willingly be a lackey to a junior—don't you forget how many of your disciples have died at his hands?"

The Old Monster of Bei Ze knew she was deliberately provoking his hatred toward Hu Xiaotian, so he simply pretended to be deaf and dumb, saying nothing.

Hu Xiaotian said: "The sect leader is indeed silver‑tongued; let's get straight to the point—return Xi Yan to me, and I'll give you the skull."

Meizhuang's wife chuckled: "What qualifications do you have to negotiate terms with me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I have no interest in bargaining; since you won't hand over the person, I have no choice but to destroy the skull." He gave the Old Monster of Bei Ze a look, and the Old Monster produced the skull, gripping it with both hands as if to crush it.

Meizhuang's wife exclaimed: "Wait! (To be continued~^~)"