Chapter 190

Of the five Heaven-Man level offerings, three are already dead.

The two remaining are based in "Sumeru," with secondary cultivation in "Atom," but lack "Diamond."

To put it bluntly, they are both glass cannons.

Relying on just the two of them, I fear they won't be able to hold Li Miao back for even the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.

"If that Tang fellow hadn't been scared out of his wits, with his poison-coated hidden weapons, there might have been a sliver of a chance to win!"

Wang Zhi gritted his teeth.

The Tang Men legacy is rooted in hidden weapons and poison; practicing such Wu Gong was never about facing enemies head-on. If someone with a brave and fierce temperament were to use it, they would actually fail to use it well.

Driven by his temperament, Offering Tang made a foolish choice between life and death, and as a result, died in vain at the hands of his own people.

Wang Zhi flicked his hand, shaking off the corpse of the Gu insect.

Immediately, he looked at Li Miao and let out a long sigh in his heart.

"Where on earth did he pop out from... Today, I fear there is no stopping him..."

Li Miao unhurriedly shook the blood off his hands and first cast his gaze toward the two offerings, scaring them into taking half a step back, not daring to make a move.

Afterwards, he looked at Wang Zhi.

"Eunuch Wang, do you have any other tricks?"

Li Miao stepped toward the cave.

"If you don't..."

"Then, I'm coming in, okay?"

"Your master's secret is about to be seen by me, okay?"

He deliberately slowed his pace, looking at Wang Zhi with a teasing expression.

The struggle between Heaven-Men, aside from the difference in their respective foundations, is, to put it bluntly, a process of chasing down the opponent's incomplete realms and hammering them hard.

Those without "Diamond" trade injury for life; those without "Sumeru" slowly wear down the opponent's true Qi; those without "Atom" are even easier to deal with—every technique has flaws, and among the five Heaven-Men present, one can always find a martial art to suppress them.

But, Li Miao is different.

Although the "salary" he received after killing the Miao King did not give him a qualitative breakthrough, his speed in switching realms during battle has become even faster.

This is the reliance that allowed Li Miao to dare to crash in even while knowing it was a trap.

If the opponent wants to trade injury for life, they face the sinews and bones of Diamond and the protective true Qi of Sumeru; if the opponent wants to wear Li Miao down, after fighting for a long time, a single "Sumeru" restores it all; if they want to find flaws in his moves, no one knows if Li Miao is currently in the "Atom" state.

Perhaps he is, perhaps he isn't; only when Li Miao's fist lands on one's body does one know.

Coupled with the "salary" Li Miao accumulated over many years of service in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he has created countless techniques unheard of in the Wu Lin, possessing a martial art to break the situation in any scenario.

This is the fundamental reason why Li Miao can press five two-path Heaven-Men and hammer them—he plays dirty.

If the opponent plays scissors, he is a rock;

If the opponent plays paper, he is scissors;

If the opponent plays rock, Li Miao simply stands up and slaps them across the face.

To keep Li Miao here, there are only two ways: either call over a dozen or twenty Heaven-Men and use their lives to drag it out until Li Miao's "eight hours" pass and he falls into a deep sleep; or, there must be a three-path perfected Heaven-Man to suppress Li Miao in every aspect.

Wang Zhi looked at Li Miao with an ugly expression.

Having led offerings to hunt Heaven-Men for many years and being responsible for the secrets here, how could he not see how to defeat Li Miao? The remaining offerings are all sleeping within the Imperial City; even if they received the news, there is no way they could arrive in time.

As for the other way to defeat Li Miao...

In this world, is there really a Heaven-Man capable of suppressing Li Miao?

Others might not know, but Wang Zhi knows.

There is.

And, they are right here within this Imperial Mausoleum.

But, he would rather let Li Miao enter that cave than go and wake "that person" up.

Because the consequences of letting that person wake up might be ten times more severe than failing to stop Li Miao.

Now he can only pin his hopes on Yin Yin Ruihua, plus the five Heaven-Men who rushed over, to block the thieves on that side and not let them break into the tomb within the Xiaolingwei... This is far more important than catching the freak in front of him.

It is hateful that he clearly made perfect preparations... Ten offerings, ten two-path Heaven-Men! How could five of them be drawn away, and how could he happen to run into such a freak!

So be it... so be it!

Wang Zhi's gaze froze, and he suddenly spoke.

"Your Excellency's Wu Gong is truly shocking. No wonder you dared to impersonate Ji Ji Ji Tianrui, take over the Ming Cult's mess, and come alone even knowing this place was a trap."

"Since I cannot stop Your Excellency, I still have one thing to say to you."

Li Miao shrugged, signaling him to continue.

Wang Zhi pondered for a moment and spoke slowly.

"Since Your Excellency has come here, you should roughly know the secret of this place, so I will speak plainly. That's right, the Heaven-Men in this Wu Lin have indeed all been gathered into the imperial court's pocket. But there is a distinction among them."

"Two-path Heaven-Men who have fallen into the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, as long as they are willing to submit to the court, can obtain the secret method to extend their lives, and their sects and families can also receive the court's care, with their descendants having no worries."

"One-path Heaven-Men, however, must be brought here."

Wang Hai had investigated the movements here, which Wang Zhi had already sensed that day. Therefore, he had no intention of hiding it.

"But I must clearly inform Your Excellency that the secret of this place is not something you can investigate."

Wang Zhi said slowly.

"The imperial court has enjoyed the four seas and has stabilized the Central Plains for nearly two hundred years. During this time, it is not as if there haven't been geniuses, nor has there been a lack of stunningly talented Heaven-Men."

"But, the Great Ming is still the Great Ming, and in the Wu Lin, there is not a single Heaven-Man who dares to appear in the world."

"If Your Excellency thinks that defeating five offerings tonight means you can stand on equal footing with the court... then Your Excellency is mistaken."

Wang Zhi slowly reached his hand into his bosom.

"Why doesn't Your Excellency just stop here and leave Shuntian. I have already seen your prowess clearly; the price to pay to kill you is high, but the Great Ming... can afford it."

"I have said all I have to say; Your Excellency, take care of yourself."

"Are you done?"

Li Miao said.

Wang Zhi did not answer, secretly pinching something in his bosom.

"Boring."

Li Miao shook his head and struck down with his fist, smashing the stone slab covering the cave into powder.

At the same time, Wang Zhi's expression sank, and he used force in his hand to crush the object in his bosom.

Bang!

Bang!

With two crisp sounds, the two offerings on the side suddenly turned pale, blood spilled from their mouths and noses, and they tremblingly raised their hands to point at Wang Zhi.

"Eunuch Wang, you—"

Wang Zhi said indifferently.

"The secret of this place is not something you can see."

"Go in peace; the court will take good care of your relatives, wives, and children."

The two offerings collapsed with a thud and made no more sound.

And the moment the cave beneath Li Miao's feet was revealed, a bloody stench suddenly rose.

It was so thick that even Li Miao frowned.

This was truly the first time he had smelled such a thick scent of blood.

Li Miao raised his hand and grabbed into the void.

"Ugh!"

Wang Zhi only felt an irresistible true Qi grab him from the air, and his body flew toward Li Miao uncontrollably.

Slap.

Li Miao gripped the back of Wang Zhi's neck.

"Eunuch Wang, it's dark down there, I'm a little scared."

"I'll have to trouble Eunuch Wang to accompany me inside for a walk."

Li Miao carried Wang Zhi and stepped into the cave.

(End of chapter)