Chapter 197

The morning dew first dampened everything, and then, as the sun rose and evaporated it, it carried away all the clamor of last night.

Fat Jin Ge and his family woke up early to start tidying up the guesthouse they hadn't returned to for a long time.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin also got up early to help Fat Jin Ge tidy up and chat along the way.

Some time ago, Fat Jin Ge's father-in-law-to-be fell ill and was hospitalized, and the hospital even issued a critical condition notice; Fat Jin Ge temporarily put aside his business and took his parents to the hospital to visit.

The good news was that as soon as Fat Jin Ge went to the hospital to visit, the father-in-law-to-be's condition immediately improved, as if he had taken a turn before the gates of hell and was walking back.

This was originally a great thing, but the father-in-law's ten-year-old son, who is Fat Jin Ge's brother-in-law-to-be, heard some custom or story from somewhere and actually ran into the mountains alone to pray for his critically ill father.

The intention was received, but the person could no longer be found.

The reason Fat Jin Ge hadn't been able to return for so long was that he had taken his parents to help his partner and her relatives go into the mountains to find the boy.

Hearing this, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin looked through the guesthouse room window toward the distant Mount Mount Yulongxue.

In the past, when children ran in the mountains, there was really no need to worry too much; they would come back after playing to their heart's content, but how could today's children have such ability?

After searching for many days, there were several times when everyone was ready to give up, and even the mother-in-law-to-be wiped her tears, intending to accept the result, but each time, just as they were about to give up, they found the child's torn clothing, a peace lock, and other lost items.

Fat Jin Ge himself couldn't figure out how a ten-year-old child, without any dry rations, could run so far and so deep.

Finally, in a mountain cave, Fat Jin Ge found the sleeping child, carried him back to reunite with the search party, and came down the mountain.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin noticed that when speaking of this, Fat Jin Ge's speech was a bit hesitant, and his eyes flickered.

Under Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's deliberate questioning, Fat Jin Ge really had no choice but to put down his work, lead Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin to the second-floor ventilation opening, and light a cigarette for each of them:

"Brother, since you want to hear it, I'll tell you. Believe it if you want; if not, just consider it me telling you a story about our Lijiang tourism."

It turned out that Fat Jin Ge had initially gone into the mountains with everyone to search, but while searching, one day, he saw a tall figure holding a little boy, standing on the opposite hilltop looking at him.

The boy's figure looked exactly like his brother-in-law-to-be.

Fat Jin Ge shouted to the others while waving his hands and running forward, but as he ran, he suddenly discovered that the others were gone, and that tall and small figure could no longer be found.

As the searcher, Fat Jin Ge not only lost contact with the others but also got lost himself.

This is hard to imagine; he played in the mountains often when he was a child, and after entering the tourism industry, he often acted as a guide, taking tourists hiking in the mountains.

Originally, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's team's travel itinerary also included this, and hiking certainly didn't mean walking on fixed tourist routes with steps and stone slabs, but rather new paths opened up by the guide himself.

Fat Jin Ge said that he completely lost his sense of direction at that time; even standing on the hillside looking around, he couldn't distinguish the direction, only feeling that the sky above his head and the mountains all around were so unfamiliar.

Fortunately, he had enough dry rations, and combined with his rich wilderness survival experience, he simply looked for his brother-in-law-to-be while finding a way out for himself.

Later, whether it was just at dawn or in the middle of the night, he could always see the tall and small figures standing in the distance watching him.

He began to be afraid, but having no other options, he could only follow the direction they were in each time.

Finally, he entered a valley, and in the middle of the valley was a wide, upward-leading staircase, extending all the way up, with the top being white and hazy, indistinguishable whether it was snow or clouds.

In the corner at the bottom of the stairs, there was a stone temple, the temple door was very small, only allowing one person to squat and enter, but it was very high inside, with a tall and thin stone statue standing there; it was in the shape of a man with a long beard, but there was a tail behind him.

And his brother-in-law-to-be was sleeping under the stone statue.

He picked up the child and left with him; on the way out, he could occasionally see the tall and thin figure standing in the distance, so he followed the direction of the figure and soon walked out of there, arriving at the mountain environment he was familiar with.

When the figure appeared for the last time, he knelt down and bowed again and again with his brother-in-law-to-be in the direction of the figure.

The brother-in-law-to-be said he had a long dream, in which Wood Prince took him to many places, giving him food when he was hungry and finding him a bed to sleep in when he was tired, so he didn't suffer much.

After Fat Jin Ge finished speaking, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin asked with a smile:

"Usually, after such stories, there should be some small gifts, like a golden axe or a silver axe?"

Fat Jin Ge waved his hand hurriedly: "How could there be? Being able to find the person back safely is enough to thank heaven and earth; I am already deeply grateful."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin knew he was lying; he must have been given something, or he had picked up something.

If people don't want to say, it's understandable.

After ending the conversation with Fat Jin Ge, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin immediately went to find Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge to report.

As it seems now, staying in the guesthouse without leaving was indeed a very correct step; after the first round of the broken jade competition ended, Fat Jin Ge indeed brought back new clues.

The staircase extending into the sky, whether it is a real building or a mirage, is where he and the others are going in the next stage.

In the room, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan was eating poached eggs with brown sugar.

Conditions are better now; in previous years, this was a high-end tonic that only Wo Sect could eat during childbirth.

Ever since Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan fused that piece of red broken porcelain into his palm, blood mist would always drift out when he cast spells to control formations; this detail was noticed by Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng.

Therefore, every time Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng made a large basin of noodles for himself, he would also make these brown sugar poached eggs for Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan, as he felt this was the most nourishing.

Zhao Yi sat on the floor with a thick bandage on his forehead, and at this moment, he was personally using a needle and thread to sew up his own chest.

Stitch by stitch, he kept moving, as if knitting a mosquito net for that blackened and damaged little heart, and from time to time, he had to pick up scissors to cut away some blackened and rotting flesh.

After Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin entered, he happened to see this scene, feeling in his heart that only his own Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge could still eat normally while facing this scene.

Zhao Yi pulled the thread tight, brought it to his mouth, bit it off with his teeth, and asked:

"Did you ask?"

"Yes." Seeing Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge nod, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin repeated the process he heard from Fat Jin Ge.

Zhao Yi stood up and saw Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan looking at the last egg with a solemn expression.

He picked up the bowl, helped him eat it, drank the brown sugar water in the bowl in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said:

"Wood Prince should be a folk honorific for mountain spirits, wild demons, or mountain, river, and Weiming Weiming Weiming Lake gods; it shouldn't have much to do with the local Wood Prince Mansion, similar to the title of 'Great Immortal' in the Northeast."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Hmm."

Zhao Yi continued: "The scene he described should be true, but because of his position, it's inevitable that there would be some beautification; it sounds like a heavenly palace, but what kind of heavenly palace would have a stone statue with a tail worshipped at the door?

But it should be that place; we must persuade him to take us there.

Giving money alone is not very useful, after all, it involves gods and ghosts.

Like this, let's make a rubbing of the mark on our palms and show it to him; if I'm not mistaken, the thing he obtained should also have a similar mark.

As long as it matches, the matter of leading the way will be easy to talk about."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Hmm."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "I'll go now."

After Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin left, Zhao Yi smiled and said: "Sorry, I've overstepped my bounds a bit."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: "It's fine, you're only useful for this much now."

Zhao Yi: "Heh, hehe."

This is a fact.

If the clue had come a little later, he could have rested with peace of mind.

However, the old matter ended last night, and the news came this morning.

He had no time to recuperate and could only use his broken body to shamelessly push forward.

"Just in case, even if Sun Yan wakes up, it's impossible to take her; as for Xu Ming, he will continue to stay here to heal his wounds."

He, Zhao Yi, knows the rules: guests don't bring guests.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan took out the copper coin sword and asked:

"You said last time that this copper coin sword must be used in conjunction with a set of your Zhao family's techniques to achieve the best effect."

Zhao Yi's Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face twitched.

"Teach it to you now?"

"Idle is idle."

"Then you should at least teach me something too."

"Okay."

"Deal!"

Zhao Yi taught Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan the set of techniques specifically for driving the copper coin sword.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan taught Zhao Yi a set of "Heart-Calming and Root-Strengthening Classic," which is used to nourish the body, with a focus on strengthening bedroom secrets.

After receiving the transmission, Zhao Yi's Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face turned red again; if a kettle were placed on his head at this time, it might be able to boil water.

But he couldn't say the boy was dishonest, because the value of this "Heart-Calming and Root-Strengthening Classic" far exceeded the techniques he taught.

After the exchange, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan asked again:

"Does your Zhao family have other interesting techniques, such as your Zhao family's basic manual? Let's continue to exchange, so as not to be bored on the way into the mountains."

"Do you have many more of these bedroom arts in your hands?"

"Yes."

In the basement of Great-Grandfather's house, there are very many such books.

And almost every health book has a volume on bedroom arts.

The ancestors were very honest and did not avoid what the important purpose of health preservation is.

"But, what's the use of me getting so many of these things back?"

"Spreading branches and leaves is also a major family event, isn't it? Your Zhao family members can also save on the expenses of Rehmannia pills."

"That makes sense. But I prefer the 'Qin Family's Dragon-Watching Method' and the 'Liu Family's Qi-Watching Technique'."

"Can the 'Emperor Emperor Fengdu Twelve Dharma Decrees' work?"

"I want it!"

"I only have two or three fragments here; if you want to get the whole thing, you have to go to Emperor Emperor Fengdu to burn incense and set up offerings to ask for it."

Zhao Yi's eyes widened: "Do you have a grudge against the Great Emperor of Emperor Emperor Fengdu?"

The boy's fingertips swayed slightly, and the copper coins twisted according to his rhythm, turning into a sword one moment and a plate the next.

He focused on playing with the copper coins and said no more.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's efficiency was very high; when Fat Jin Ge hugged his brother-in-law-to-be back, he also picked up a gold ingot under the stone statue, and the gold ingot had carved patterns that were exactly the same as the rubbing Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin took to show him.

Fat Jin Ge felt this was the guidance of Wood Prince and agreed to take them into the mountains to that place.

Under Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's instigation, Fat Jin Ge changed the departure date from tomorrow to noon.

This move not only denied Zhao Yi's people time to recover, but also denied the winner of the first piece of jade any chance to catch their breath.

It is unclear whether a banquet can start before everyone has arrived, but if you take your seat early and eat some cold dishes or grab a handful of pistachios, no one should blame you.

After lunch, Fat Jin Ge drove the minibus and set off with everyone on board.

The vehicle was loaded with quite a few local products, which Fat Jin Ge's parents had collected from neighbors in the village to send to their prospective in-laws.

Originally, these were available at home, but they had all been eaten by Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng and the others over these past few days.

They arrived at the prospective in-laws' house first, and Fat Jin Ge carried the gifts inside.

The prospective father-in-law was very hospitable and invited everyone to stay for dinner.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin refused, and took out the student IDs, work IDs, and other documents belonging to himself and the others; anyway, the old man couldn't understand a set of documents stamped with official seals, only knowing that they were a scientific expedition team coming in to survey.

Fat Jin Ge parked the car at his father-in-law's house and originally wanted to remind everyone to prepare their supplies, but seeing that each of them had a large mountaineering backpack with supplies and equipment even more comprehensive than his own, he said nothing more, waved his hand to lead the way, and headed into the mountains.

The mountain path he had cleared himself was not easy to walk.

By nightfall, Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng carried Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan on his back to ensure he could rest.

Zhao Yi said he couldn't walk anymore and begged Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You to carry him, and A You did not refuse.

The group walked until the sky was just beginning to brighten; Fat Jin Ge was already panting and felt extremely exhausted. He looked back at the people behind him and found that even though they were carrying people, they were still full of energy, as if it were nothing at all.

Finding a flat spot with a mountain stream, the group stopped to rest and took the opportunity to cook some hot food.

Fat Jin Ge secretly told Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin that after this guiding job was over, he would hand that gold ingot over to the government.

After saying this, Fat Jin Ge began to observe Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's reaction carefully.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin put his arm around Fat Jin Ge's shoulder and said that was up to him, while taking the opportunity to chat with him about his own college entrance exam, university life, and internship work.

He knew clearly that Fat Jin Ge had become suspicious, believing their motives were impure—they might be spies, or they might be here to dig up graves and steal treasures.

Talk of ghosts and gods could only work for a while; once time passed, Fat Jin Ge would surely be able to taste something else.

However, under Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's thoughtful reassurance, Fat Jin Ge eventually believed their identities. With his suspicions dispelled, and after finishing his meal and resting briefly, he regained his energy and led the way for everyone again.

The mountain road was difficult to travel, but the scenery on the mountain was beautiful, especially during the day, with layers of peaks and snow-capped mountains standing proudly.

Because the child and the wounded were being carried and no one was dragging their feet, they traveled day and night and arrived at the spot where Fat Jin Ge had kowtowed last time on the morning of the third day.

"I can't continue to lead the way from here, because next, we have to wait for the appearance of Lord Mu."

Just as Fat Jin Ge finished speaking to the group, he noticed everyone's eyes were looking behind him. He immediately turned his head and saw two figures, one large and one small, on the mountain peak ahead.

"Lord... Lord Mu?"

It was not Lord Mu, but Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao and A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan.

Since they appeared here, it meant they had snatched back the first piece of jade they had lost.

That night, when everyone was bluffing on the homestay terrace to stall for time, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan was actually keeping an eye on the Luo Pan.

The location of the first piece of jade had stopped moving during the final short period, basically not shifting at all.

This meant that an extremely fierce battle had broken out there at that time.

Zhao Yi: "Being brain-damaged is one thing, but they are indeed very strong; they are worthy of being from the legitimate Long Wang family."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "The 'legitimate' part here is open to question."

Zhao Yi: "You noticed it too?"

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes."

"Regarding the Yu family, hasn't your family heard any rumors?"

"You know the situation of the Qin and Liu families; what my family knows probably doesn't even compare to your Jiujiang Zhao family."

"Heh, it's different. We do have more information, but rumors about the top-tier Jianghu families and sects only circulate within that small circle. The briefings and letters your grandmother can receive are things my family's old men aren't qualified to get.

However, matters involving the secrets of the Long Wang family were never easy to inquire about in the first place."

The fact that the Long Wang Qin and Liu families had almost died out was an open secret among the Jianghu elite, but even so, with the old lady in charge, no one dared to act recklessly in the open.

The Yu family had only sealed their gates for sixty years, not been wiped out for sixty years, so naturally, no one dared to get close to check the truth; the cost of this curiosity was simply too high.

But now was not the time to consider the status of the Long Wang family.

Zhao Yi: "Guess what state they are in now."

The Jianghu has never lacked unknown heroes. Even when facing the crowd that night, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan sensed that two people were deducing his formation, and they were deducing it so profoundly that it even surprised him.

If those two were the leaders and everyone else cooperated unconditionally with their command, the maintenance time of his formation would inevitably be greatly shortened.

Later, when the time was up and the team those two belonged to was leaving, they even loudly said "Congratulations."

This was also a recognition of his formation attainments. Since there were no longer any necessary conflicts or contradictions, a sense of mutual appreciation naturally arose.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "They must be injured."

Zhao Yi: "Injury is certain; the main question is how heavy the injuries are."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "That depends on how nonchalant she pretends to be, or how miserable she pretends to be."

Both extremes represent very serious injuries.

Zhao Yi: "Congratulations, you've started to successfully step into her mindset. Just don't fail to get out of it afterwards, haha."

Fat Jin Ge was arranged to stay here; there was a cave nearby, and the group left him some extra supplies, telling him to keep track of the time here and wait for them to come out.

Afterwards, without waiting for the real Lord Mu to appear, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and the others continued to move forward.

With those two from the Yu family there, that Lord Mu probably wouldn't dare to show itself; the tail behind the stone statue almost explicitly indicated its identity.

Most importantly, since the Yu family could get here first, it meant they possessed a method for going deeper, and Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan had long known that the young girl possessed certain information.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao and A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan did not deliberately stay there to wait for people, nor did they deliberately try to hide; instead, they maintained a steady pace.

Before long, the distance between the two sides closed.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao and A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan stopped and turned to wait.

As soon as they stopped, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi got down from Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng and Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You's backs.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng held the Yellow River Shovel and stood at the very front, while Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You gripped his trident, standing at his side.

Originally, this position belonged to Yin Meng, with Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng as the main attacker and defender and Yin Meng providing support, but now, Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You was clearly better suited for this role, while Yin Meng had shifted to compressing the battlefield.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin acted as Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan's guardian and reserve force.

This was the most reasonable tactical configuration for their current team.

The advantage was a very high ceiling; the disadvantage was that they would easily collapse collectively after the fight.

The root cause of this phenomenon was Old Old Old Jiang Shui's special "care" for him.

Having had the opportunity to exchange experiences about "walking the river" with Zhao Yi this time, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan clearly perceived the difference in difficulty between the two sides.

Zhao Yi did not agree with this point; he felt that the difference in difficulty for everyone wasn't that great, and he had almost lost his life last time in Guizhou.

It was just that Zhao Yi didn't know that every time Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan walked the river, it was basically based on outwitting the person who set the challenge, often mastering a great preemptive advantage, which logically should greatly reduce the difficulty of each wave.

And the difficulty after it was reduced was consistent with Zhao Yi's difficulty...

The most obvious example was Xu Xu Yijin.

Because that black-robed person took the initiative to appear in A Li's dream, he had obtained the jade before the wave, which should have been a stable suppression, passing the first round without showing any signs. As a result, two groups of people ended up staying in one homestay, and one of them was Xu Xu Yijin.

Yes, that's right, the ending was that he killed Xu Xu Yijin, but the price was that all his subordinates were overdrawn and unconscious.

Looking at it from another angle, if Xu Xu Yijin had killed them or used them as a shield, wouldn't that be a classic scenario for her to rise to fame by stepping on the Long Wang family?

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao threw something over, and Yin Meng flicked her leather whip to catch it steadily and retrieve it; it was an opened bottle of soda with a straw inserted.

In the farmhouses at the foot of the mountain, although the temperature difference between day and night was large, the daytime was sunny and pleasant, so drinking soda was fine, but this was on the mountain, and snow could still be seen nearby—drinking iced drinks here?

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan handed the soda bottle to Zhao Yi: "You drink it."

Zhao Yi took the bottle, frowned, didn't dare to drink it, and turned to look at Yin Meng behind him.

Yin Meng understood, opened her hands, and her Gu insects flew out, circling the mouth of the soda bottle, then her two antennae crossed quickly, meaning something had been added inside.

Zhao Yi was both angry and amused: "She actually really put poison in the soda."

"Pa!"

The soda bottle was thrown to the side, the bottle shattered, and the liquid inside fell onto the snow, staining the white snow with various colors and emitting an alluring fragrance.

Just smelling a little made one feel a sense of floating like an immortal.

This wasn't poison; it was a tonic, but at certain times, a great tonic is like a great poison—just like how no one would take cold medicine before an important exam.

If this stuff were drunk, it would certainly nourish and restore the body, but the prerequisite was that you would have to sleep for a very long time.

What was the difference between sleeping at such a critical moment and being hit by a deadly poison?

In the distance, Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao stomped her feet in anger and shouted:

"What a precious thing! I kindly took it out to treat you, and if you don't drink it, fine, but why waste it like this!"

Zhao Yi couldn't bear to look; how did her brain work, thinking this guy surnamed Li would drink heroically with her here?

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao was dressed neatly, her energy and blood were full, and even her hair was combed very neatly; that young lady's temperament was still intense.

A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan beside her was hunched over, his clothes were torn, and he had many injuries on his body; some places still had things embedded in them that couldn't be removed, and some wounds were deep enough to see bone.

Especially on his forehead, there was a large depression; for an ordinary person, suffering this blow would be fatal, but he was doing okay.

Zhao Yi and Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan looked at each other.

Well, it all matches up.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao was seriously injured, and A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan was also seriously injured.

These two were indeed very strong and had successfully snatched the first piece of jade at the last moment, but they had also paid a great price for it.

If they had snatched a piece of jade early on, given their strength, they wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state; after all, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan had set up a formation that could make pursuers hesitate.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao's lips moved slightly, and she said in a very low voice:

"A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan, don't worry, they definitely can't see through our true situation."

A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan grinned, stuck out his tongue, and licked the hideous wound on the side of his Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face.

In the distance, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan's ears twitched slightly.

He instinctively wanted to analyze this as a trap within a trap, a deliberate smokescreen, but for now, he could only expend great effort to forcibly restrain himself from overthinking.

He told himself over and over in his heart: don't overcomplicate her, she isn't worth it.

Zhao Yi raised his hand and made a gesture of shaking dice.

It meant: let's gamble.

Strike while the iron is hot.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan did not respond.

Zhao Yi deliberately swayed his body again, signaling that he could go up and stage a confrontation, creating a reasonable justification for them to make a move no matter what.

The Heavenly Dao has eyes and exerts a special influence on those in the Profound Sect, but this is still at a manageable stage; however, for the Lamp-Lighters, this influence is exceptionally pronounced, and the karmic backlash is also extremely clear.

Therefore, that night, as long as those surrounding the homestay were not Lamp-Lighters walking the path of the world, they would likely have had to fight another round in the end, even if for no other reason than to vent their frustration.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan believed Zhao Yi had that ability, and he also knew that this guy didn't dare to gamble himself several times and wanted to use his own capital to satisfy his gambling addiction.

But soon, the appearance of a tailed human figure on the slope ahead interrupted this process.

Wood Marquis, had truly appeared.

It was just that, at this moment, Wood Marquis was somewhat dazed, its yellow tail swaying rhythmically on the snow.

It had been controlled.

Zhao Yi gritted his teeth, knowing there was no chance left.

The Yu family had controlled Wood Marquis.

Without it, even with an invitation in hand, one couldn't find the place to attend the banquet.

Of course, Zhao Yi also understood that this guy surnamed Li would certainly not bet everything at this moment; even if the opponent was heavily injured, a centipede dies but never falls, and this gamble had no profit.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao also felt very uncomfortable in her heart; her original intention was to be able to enter the banquet early, but this Wood Marquis was elusive, and if it didn't appear, she couldn't control it.

But just as it appeared and was controlled, they happened to run into the other party, losing this initial advantage.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao spoke up: "Together?"

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan said: "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Mengmeng, throw her an antidote."

Yin Meng: Antidote?

Zhao Yi understood immediately and shouted at once: "He's injured, right? It seems he was also poisoned. It just so happens that my Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge's team has an outstanding physician who is proficient in pharmacology. Now, out of kindness, he bestows upon you good medicine to help you heal!"

Yin Meng understood, took out a poison jar that had just been prepared, tossed it up first, then bound it with a leather whip, and with a flick, the poison jar flew away rapidly.

Physician Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Mengmeng had sent out her own antidote.

A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan kicked a stone with his toe, hitting the poison jar, which shattered in mid-air; a cloud of poison mist fell, not only melting the snow but also corroding a large patch of stone.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao's Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face turned cold.

Zhao Yi clutched his own damaged heart:

"You, you, you, how can you be like this? Haven't you heard of fighting poison with poison? You really are ignorant; like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, failing to recognize a good heart!"

Before reaching the destination, a fight wouldn't break out, but that didn't hinder him from making a response here; it had no practical effect, but at least they could disgust each other.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan shouted: "You lead the way ahead. Even if we are attending a banquet, we must uphold the heart of guarding the righteous path. We suspect that the host's actions violate the Heavenly Dao and are just about to go and investigate. We hope you are not in cahoots with them, trying to help them cover it up."

Hearing this, Zhao Yi blinked, not expecting that this guy surnamed Li was also so adept at guarding the righteous path.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao's chest heaved: "Since it is a banquet for the three families, we should naturally go together."

After speaking, she turned and continued to advance with A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and the others followed behind.

As for that Wood Marquis, who was very likely transformed from some kind of mountain spirit, it walked at the very front to lead the way.

During the journey, the surrounding scenery changed constantly; the environment seen from afar was only discovered to have changed when you truly stepped foot here.

But Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan did not detect any aura of formations here, and the Feng Shui layout was also chaotic and muddled.

Therefore, this place should belong to the category of nature's ingenious craftsmanship, which is the so-called Secret Realm.

No one suggested a rest, and everyone kept walking.

Finally, when they walked into the night, they saw the valley mentioned in Fat Jin Ge's account.

There were indeed wide steps extending from the front, but Fat Jin Ge must have arrived during the day, so what he saw was a sense of ethereal immortality; but now it was night, the stone steps were deep and secluded, the surroundings were dim, and there were even faint sounds like weeping and complaining.

A small temple stood there, appearing out of place with its surroundings.

This should have been built later.

A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan waved his hand, releasing the control over Wood Marquis. Wood Marquis knelt on the ground, its body trembling, blood constantly overflowing from its eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. In the gaze it turned back to look at the crowd, there was deep resentment.

Zhao Yi sighed helplessly: "This has hated us along with them."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "It must have found this treasure land to reside and cultivate in; this is indeed an unprovoked disaster."

It was able to send Fat Jin Ge's brother-in-law away safely, following the righteous path of doing good, but what it got in return was the Yu family's tyranny.

Zhao Yi and Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan both suspected whether something had happened to the Yu family, and it was based on this, because with the Long Wang family's style of conduct, they wouldn't be so crude and overbearing in the details.

A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan seemed to glare at Wood Marquis, and Wood Marquis was terrified, immediately kneeling down and kowtowing to A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan to beg for mercy.

This should be some kind of natural suppression, and also the reason why the Yu family can control monsters.

A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan let out a low growl in his throat, and Wood Marquis turned and burrowed into its small temple.

Immediately, Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao looked back at Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and the others, stepped onto the steps, and A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan followed closely behind.

When Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan passed that small temple, he saw Wood Marquis curled up at the low temple entrance, trembling. Its human appearance was fading, yellow fur was emerging on its Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face, and its eyes were becoming rounder and rounder.

Its true form was a weasel.

At this moment, in its eyes, there was both fear and resentment.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan looked at it and said to it: "You are human."

The weasel was stunned, then its body trembled, and the fur on its Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face gradually faded.

When Zhao Yi passed by, he also added: "You are human."

The weasel's eyes slowly became like human eyes.

It knelt down again, the resentment in its eyes disappeared, leaving only gratitude.

When the crowd reached the steps, Zhao Yi smiled and said: "I didn't notice, your heart is quite soft."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan answered very calmly: "It saved Fat Jin Ge and that child, which allowed us to know about this place; this is a piece of karma."

Zhao Yi: "After this is over, when we have time, let's communicate properly about these things; I feel you are keeping things from me."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Sure, trade it with the Nine Rivers Zhao Basic Formula."

The steps were very secluded and dense, but not too long. When they reached the platform, three large stone gates appeared in front.

The stone gates were embedded in the rock wall, integrated with the mountain peak, carved with different murals, simple and ancient.

The murals were weathered, and although mottled, they still retained their charm, and it was clear what was painted.

But the more one looked closely, the more alarming it became.

Zhao Yi: "I saw many people I've met recently, and also people I've tricked to death."

In the past few days, Zhao Yi had been very active and had come into contact with many people.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan hadn't met many people, but he also saw five familiar people on the murals: Xu Xu Yijin and the four who lived on the second floor and were killed on the first night.

The images of those who died in this struggle for the broken jade were all rubbed onto it.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan remembered one night, at the place where Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin buried Xu Xu Yijin and the others, several phantom shadows appeared.

At that time, Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao should have let A Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan try to attack the phantom shadows, but it didn't achieve any results.

On the left stone gate, the images of the dead were very violent, like beasts on all fours, biting and fighting.

On the middle stone gate, the images of the dead were quiet and peaceful, even somewhat dull, lining up in neat rows, following one after another.

On the right stone gate, the dead were divided into several layers from top to bottom, some holding hands, some standing alone, with a very strong formation.

Zhao Yi: "Oh~"

After the "oh," Zhao Yi stopped talking, because he knew that what he could see, the youth beside him could also see.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept over the three stone gates again, from left to right, representing: Beast Taming, Puppetry, and Formations.

What is this, the host's hospitality?

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan's eyes showed contemplation; if this really was one of the Nine Great Secret Realms, it meant that this area had existed for a very long time, but the black-robed zombie in A Li's dream had a grudge against the ancestor Long Wang, and it also said that the whole clan would ascend here.

So, did someone occupy this Secret Realm later and build this place?

Behind the three gates, it certainly didn't imply inheritance; it should represent some kind of danger after entering, but fortune and misfortune always depend on each other; whatever danger you encounter, you also have the opportunity to obtain some kind of chance within that corresponding danger.

The Heavenly Dao likes to slap you and then give you a sweet date; this place should be the location for the sweet date.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao placed her palm on the leftmost stone gate, the mark was triggered, and the stone gate slowly rotated, opening one-third.

As a member of the Yu family, she naturally chose Beast Taming.

However, she didn't rush to go in, but turned to look at Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi:

"Let's make a deal; choose this gate, and you can ask me for whatever you want."

The gate only opened one-third; she could go in, but she wasn't satisfied yet.

This meant that the three invitations could all open the three gates, but to different degrees.

More votes meant an increased level of danger, but the opportunity would also increase.

No wonder she took the initiative to come to him and demanded to be the boss; it turned out she wanted to collect votes here.

Seeing Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi didn't react, Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao spoke again: "Long Wang Yu, I owe you this favor!"

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan couldn't be bothered to look at her.

Zhao Yi clutched his heart.

Yu Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Zeng Miaomiao said bitterly: "Remember, it's you who refused to accept a kindness!"

After she finished speaking, she stepped into the first door, and Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan followed her inside.

Zhao Yi said, "This place is not bad; it's nourishing."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan replied, "Mm."

Immediately after, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan looked at Zhao Yi and said, "You choose first."

Zhao Yi pointed to his bandaged brow, where the seam of his Life-Death Gate was located:

"If I have to choose, I would definitely choose the formation; it offers the greatest benefit to me, and I could really savor it."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan said, "Fine, go ahead."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You set Zhao Yi down from his back.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin, like a greeter, made a gesture to lead the way for him:

"Young Master Zhao, please."

"Hahahahaha!"

Zhao Yi laughed until his heart ached.

In his current sickly state, and without any companions, he feared that if he entered alone, any simple formation could easily crush him to death.

"I'm joking, I'm joking, I'll definitely choose the puppet.

My Brother Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan is young and cannot practice martial arts yet; if he could master some kind of high-level puppet technique, that would be a tremendous benefit!"

As he spoke, he trotted up himself and pressed his palm against the stone door, which opened one-third of the way.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan also walked up and pressed his palm against it; the stone door continued to open, reaching two-thirds of the way.

Xu Xu Yijin's puppet technique was quite useless to him, and could even be described as flashy but ineffective.

He hoped that what was inside would not disappoint him.

"Let's go in."

(End of this chapter)