Chapter 102

Zhao Qiying gazed into the distance and said, "Brother Jiang, there doesn't seem to be any inn nearby. Looks like we'll have to spend the night outdoors."

Saying so, Zhao Qiying looked toward Wang Yuyan.

Of the five women, Wang Yuyan's constitution was the frailest; one careless slip and she might catch a chill.

Although she had learned the "Northern Nether Divine Art," after all she had only just begun.

"Don't worry, just follow me."

Jiang Sishui called out, then took the lead into the depths of the dense forest.

The five women exchanged a glance, then urged their horses to follow.

Arriving at a secluded spot, just as the women were wondering, they saw Jiang Sishui take a chart from his bosom.

Its color was bright yellow, and on the outside it looked similar to an imperial edict, but once unfolded, they realized it was a map.

A huge map, as if it encompassed the entire Central Domain and its surrounding regions.

Only now the map appeared in dark tones, the images on it mostly unreadable, with only a single thin, short route glimmering with light.

The glow was not dazzling, but set against the map's overall gloom, it stood out especially.

Before the women could figure it out, Jiang Sishui tossed the map into the air!

Under the women's astonished gazes, the small map swelled against the wind, growing to three zhang square, then scattered into light that descended and formed a massive light formation on the ground.

The light formation slowly rotated, emanating a subtle, mysterious aura.

The women watched in amazement. Just as they were about to ask, they saw Jiang Sishui already lead his horse into the formation, then smile at them: "Come in quickly."

The women all trusted Jiang Sishui deeply. Although they did not know what this light formation was, they still did as he said without the slightest hesitation.

Once everyone was gathered, the formation's light flickered gently, and the six people and six horses vanished into thin air.

In their place, the light formation turned back into scattered points of starlight, then coalesced once more into a bright yellow map, sinking into the void like a fish slipping into water, vanishing without a trace.

……

The women felt only a soft flash of light, and when they opened their eyes again, the scene before them made them all freeze at once.

"This is… Leigu Mountain? How did we end up back here?"

Looking at the familiar trees and grass around them, all five women were dumbfounded.

Zhao Qiying even cast a discreet glance toward a certain corner, vaguely recalling that Jiang Sishui seemed to have been "working on her" there last night.

At the thought, two flushes of crimson rose on the maiden's jade-white cheeks.

The next moment, the women came to their senses one after another—

It was that map!

At the same time, Jiang Sishui reached out into the void. The void rippled like water, and the bright yellow map broke through the "water," flying into his hand as if it had a spirit of its own.

Such a fantastical entrance stunned the women once again.

Huang Rong was the first to come back to herself. Clinging to Jiang Sishui's arm, she hopped up and down and cooed playfully: "So amazing, give it to me, I want to see, I want to see!"

Jiang Sishui naturally would not refuse. As he handed the chart over, he explained: "It's called 'Hegemon's Imperial Map.' I obtained it by chance, and its function is…"

After a pause, he put it in the simplest terms: "For example, from Leigu Mountain to Mantuo Shanzhuang, every place we pass through will light up the corresponding spot on the map."

"So from now on, through this map, we can travel freely back and forth between any points along this route."

"Mm, to put it most directly, this is a teleportation map!"

A teleportation map?!

The women all stared, dumbfounded. Such a thing actually existed in this world?

Even though they had heard of many incredible things from the diary—such as sword techniques that could freeze time and space, Heavenly God weapons capable of destroying heaven and earth—they still felt shaken at this moment.

A single map, and one could travel freely between any places one had already been!

What kind of heaven-defying treasure was this?

Even the divine artifacts of the Six Great Imperial Dynasties were probably no more than this, right?

Although it lacked the terrifying destructive power of a divine artifact, in terms of value, it was absolutely no less!

And so, the women, already brimming with curiosity, grew even more excited, crowding around Huang Rong and scrambling to touch the "Hegemon's Imperial Map."

"Let me see too."

"Let me touch it."

"Ah, so soft~"

"Hehe, touch here, it's even softer."

The women chattered away, playfully fighting over the map—a delightful sight to behold.

Jiang Sishui was also very satisfied with the reward "Hegemon's Imperial Map 297."

With this thing, traveling back and forth in the future would be far more convenient—equivalent to carrying a "home" with him at all times.

……

Although the "Hegemon's Imperial Map" was wondrous, once the novelty wore off, there wasn't much to it.

After playing their fill, the women returned it to Jiang Sishui. Ah Zhu and Zhao Qiying went to cook, while Ah Bi went to help out.

Wang Yuyan refused to be a "vase" and went along to help as well.

Huang Rong, however, stayed behind, her bright, lively big eyes warily scanning the surroundings.

Seeing no outsiders about, she sidled up mysteriously and bumped Jiang Sishui's shoulder: "Rong'er also has a great treasure. Do you want to see it?"

A great treasure?

Jiang Sishui raised an eyebrow and instinctively glanced at the maiden's chest, his eyes brimming with curiosity.

That glance was naturally noticed by Huang Rong. Stared at by his scorching, searchlight-like gaze, the maiden's body involuntarily grew warm, and then she felt shy and annoyed.

She cupped Jiang Sishui's chin with both hands, tilted his head up to face her, their eyes meeting, and said indignantly: "Hey, where are you looking? I'm talking to you about something serious!"

Jiang Sishui laughed: "Alright, alright, I want to see. Whatever kind of great treasure Rong'er has, I want to see it."

Huang Rong: "……"

Forget it, there's nothing to be done with this thick-skinned fellow.

Not bothering to argue with him, right in front of Jiang Sishui, Huang Rong directly took out the "Kunji Seal."

113 Regarding Rong'er, I have a bold idea……

"This is……" Jiang Sishui started in shock, instantly putting away his flippant grin.

This time he was truly getting serious.

After all, the seal itself was extraordinary in appearance, and it had just been in a flowing-light form, bursting out from Huang Rong's brow!

A treasure that could merge into a human body—no matter how you looked at it, it couldn't possibly be ordinary.

Huang Rong held the seal in her palm, smiling sweetly: "This is called the 'Kunji Seal.' How about it? Pretty, right? Rong'er's luck is certainly no worse than yours."

Jiang Sishui took the seal, examined it carefully for a while, but couldn't make anything of it, so he asked curiously: "It is very pretty, but what does it do?"

Huang Rong tucked her little hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and smiled: "Your map is used for teleportation, while my seal here can protect people."

"Protect people?"

"Yes, as long as I write a person's name on it, that person—no matter at the ends of the earth—will be protected by the seal."

"Really?" Jiang Sishui was somewhat stunned.

If it were truly so, wouldn't this thing be just like the "Sun Shadow Golden Wheel"?

No—if its defensive power could keep up, it would be even more miraculous than the "Sun Shadow Golden Wheel"!

"Of course it's true, why would I lie to you?" Huang Rong replied somewhat indignantly, shooting him a look.

Jiang Sishui asked impatiently: "Then how is its protective power?"

"Well, this……" Huang Rong stroked her chin, thought for a moment, and said: "I don't know the specifics, but it's definitely no weaker than your 'Innate Qi Barrier' today!"

Jiang Sishui's pupils contracted.

No weaker than the "Innate Qi Barrier"?

Although what he had wasn't really "Innate Qi Barrier," he understood what Huang Rong meant—

It could ward off heavenly beings!

Seeing Jiang Sishui's stunned look, Huang Rong said: "Don't believe it? Let me show you."

Saying so, without waiting for Jiang Sishui's reply, Huang Rong grabbed him and ran, then found Zhao Qiying, and the moment she opened her mouth she told the other to take her sword and slash at her.

Zhao Qiying had already learned from Huang Rong about the function of the "Kunji Seal," and also knew she had been looking for a chance to tell Jiang Sishui about the seal's existence.

Today Jiang Sishui had taken out the "Hegemony Emperor's Map," so it seemed she had taken the opportunity to reveal the "Kunji Seal" as well.

Therefore, after pretending to hesitate for a while, and finally under Huang Rong's insistence that "if you don't slash, you're not a good sister," Zhao Qiying thrust her sword over with one strike.

Seeing Huang Rong speak with such conviction, looking thoroughly prepared, Jiang Sishui did not stop her.

Then, he saw with his own eyes that at the instant before the blade reached her body, a layer of protective light barrier unfurled outside Huang Rong's body!