Chapter 1667: Imminent Peril
Two elders now stood before the doorway where Gu Luolin had once almost fallen to the God-Smiting Bow. One look at their faces, and it was clear that they were the treacherous sort.
Appearances reflected the heart; people who looked like this couldnât possibly be trustworthy.
Or even if they were loyal to someone, in the face of benefits, they would undoubtedly cast aside duty in favor of personal gain
âHuangfu, what are you doing over there?â The elder in green glanced at the elder in black. Theyâd picked up on the nature of this placeâs confusing formation not long after entering.
Based on the order theyâd come in, they ought to go through the door all the way on the left next.
âThereâs someone in this room!â The black-robed elder pointed to the door Ye Zichen and his friends were in.
âSo what? Itâs not like we didnât bump into anyone on our way here. Like just now. Didnât we see others go before us? Letâs just keep going in the proper order. If we act at random, we might waste all the work weâve done so far.â
âOld Man Yuchi, have you gone senile?â The man in the black robes roared. The man in greenâs eyes flashed with displeasure, but before he could argue, the man in black continued, âThe palace is only so big. How can it possibly fit so many rooms?â
âWhen we enter, the doors are all close together, but as soon as we step through, there are another five doors, and the space behind the door is the same size as the previous room. Itâs obvious that each room exists in an independent space!â
âI didnât need you to tell me that!â said the elder in green.
âYouâŠâ The black-robed elder pointed at him. âI really donât know what Zhou Wu saw in you. I already said all that, and you still donât get it?â
These two elders were none other than the heads of two of the four clans Zhou Wu had raised up: the Yuchi and Huangfu Clans.
Yuchi Kong and Huangfu Youming!
Theyâd had a falling out with the God Emperor just before entering the mausoleum, so the fates of their clans now rested upon whether or not they could obtain the transcendent fortune they longed for.
If they succeeded, when they left, their clans were destined to flourish.
But if they failed?
Given Zhou Wuâs tendency to hold a grudge, their clansâ most likely fate was annihilation.
Theyâd made it into the âparadiseâ constructed by the former Demon Emperorâs remnant soul, but they didnât linger there. They chose to traverse the lava right away, and wound up in the snowy mountains before anyone else.
That was why no one had seen either of them in either the paradise or at the foot of the mountain.
Yuchi Kong still didnât understand what Huangfu Youming was getting at. Huangfu Youming sighed deeply, then explained, âSince each room is its own separate space, how could it be possible to sense someone after they enter a room?â
Now, Yuchi Kong finally understood.
Huangfu Youming then pointed to the arrow hole before the doorway. âLook at this hole. Itâs obvious that an arrow fired out from a trap in that room. Every other room has been open to come and go as we please, except for this room, which for some reason, we canât open. You ought to get what Iâm saying now, right?â
âThat room isnât in a separate dimension!â said Yuchi Kong.
Separate dimensions were spaces separate from their planes. The two spaces existed in parallel, without any intercrossing.
But the rooms Yuchi Kongâs group and Ye Zichenâs group occupied were connected.
This meant that they were part of the same space. All the other rooms existed in separate dimensions. Comparing the two, the answer was obviousâŠ
This was the true room, the one theyâd been searching so bitterly for ever since entering the mausoleum!
âYou finally get it!â When he saw that Yuchi Kong had finally opened his eyes, Huangfu Youming shouted viciously.
They were like grasshoppers tied to the same string. Whether they transcended or not, they had to work together if they were to have any hope of ensuring their clansâ safety and future.
Yuchi Kong was, whatever else you might say about him, a prominent figure even among imperial lords. He was a bit stronger than even the patriarch of the destroyed Bai Family.
Huangfu Youming was relatively satisfied with him, as far as allies went.
It was just, his brain was so slow on the uptake that he was a little worried. Perhaps, choosing to collaborate with Yuchi Kong wasnât such a wise choice after all!
âThereâs undoubtedly someone in that room. Perhaps, the transcendent fortune weâve been searching for all this time is inside.â Yuchi Kong was visibly shaken. In truth, heâd been terrified ever since entering the mausoleum; he was worried Zhou Wu would target his clan. He also feared that, if he failed to obtain transcendent fortune, given how irrevocably theyâd severed their ties with Zhou Wu, his clan would have nowhere to go.
On their way here, heâd considered backing out and finding an alternative path forward for his clan, but to his surpriseâŠ
They really did seem fated for transcendence!
âYou ought to have seen that Divine Arbiter girl too,â said Huangfu Youming. âShe entered not long after us. If she picks up on the hint and shows up here, and we have to fight in this small area, we canât possibly beat someone so proficient in the Grand Dao of Space!â
âYou ought to know who is she is to Zhou Wu too! Sheâs his âpillowside ministerâ!â
âSheâs absolutely loyal to Zhou Wu. We turned our backs on him, so she undoubtedly hates us to the bone. Transcendent fortune lies before us; I donât want to see some little girl seize it from right before our eyes!â Huangfu Youmingâs eyes flashed with sinister light. He was vicious by nature.
When he heard that Zhou Wu wasnât fated to transcend, he turned his back on his former master without hesitation. He didnât even need to use his brain to guess how deeply Zhou Wu must loathe and resent him now.
But he wanted transcendence intensely. Rather, everyone wanted transcendence badly.
The true room was right before them. He wasnât going to let anyone ruin this for him!
âThen what are we waiting for!â Yuchi Kong was just about to take action when Huangfu Youming pulled him back.
âDonât. Since we know that this is the real door, and that there are people inside, so long as we keep watch, they canât possibly escape. What we need to do now is keep an eye on the others outsideâŠâ
âIf we take action here, those who havenât entered other dimensions will be sure to hear the noise and come running.â
âThat is to say, if we fight, we have to be quick about it. Before the sound of battle draws others over, we have to break down the door and dispose of whoeverâs inside.â
âWhat are you trying to say?â Yuchi Kong frowned.
âDonât hold back in the slightest! Fight and end it, as quickly as possible!â
When Yuchi Kong heard that, his expression turned solemn, and he nodded firmly. Then, holding nothing in reserve, he attacked the door.
Bang!
Ye Zichenâs ground heard the blast outside their door clearly. When the two imperial lords attacked the door, they could even see Gou Monanâs face pale as he went all out trying to ward them off.
The joint attack of two imperial lords put an enormous burden on Gou Monanâs body.
âAre they insane? Arenât they afraid of drawing others over?â Gu Luolin glared, eyes wide. The three in the room had heard every word of Yuchi Kong and Huangfu Youmingâs discussion, which is why she knew there were only two of them.
âIâm afraid theyâve steeled themselves to get rid of us as quickly as possible, and that theyâre not concerned about all that other stuff!â Gou Monan gnashed his teeth. Bean-sized beads of sweat dripped down his face, but his hands continued forming seals without pause, endlessly reinforcing the barrier around the door.
Now that people really were trying to barge in through the door, Gu Luolin lost her former gleeful smile. âDo you need me to help?â
âNo need!â Gou Monan cried out. âGo tell Brother Ye the right order. So long as he opens the secret tunnel, weâll be safe inside. Otherwise, even if we can keep them out, the sound will only draw others. Sooner or later, our defenses will break!â
Ye Zichen was still focused on using the five elements to resonate with the paintings. Every time the enemiesâ attacks shook the room, it had an enormous impact on him. He was likely more frantic than anyone else.
But it was just as Gou Monan said: the door would break sooner or later. All he could do now was open the hidden tunnel.
Otherwise, all the imperial lords in the area would show up. In the face of so many such experts, especially experts here in search of transcendence and red-eyed with greed, they were in for trouble. At their cultivation, nevermind taking a share of the spoils; theyâd struggle surviving the chaos of the inevitable battle!
Even if it were just Huangfu Youming and Yuchi Kong, so long as they broke into the room, Ye Zichenâs group was almost certainly doomed.
Given the two imperial lordsâ personalities, there was no way theyâd let the three of them escape alive!
There was no other way out. All they could do now was solve the puzzle and enter the hidden tunnel.
Suddenly, another crisp sound reverberated throughout the room. Ye Zichen hurriedly cried out, âGu Luolin!â
âLightning! Then, the last oneâs thunder!â
The hanging scrolls were solved in order: fire, wind, rain, lightning, thunderâŠ..
Ye Zichenâs five elemental powers coursed through him like mad. Thunder and lightning were the hardest to control, and since the two elemental affinities had much in common, it was difficult to call upon them separately. But who was to say that slipping up wouldnât waste all the hard work theyâd done already? Ye Zichen had no choice but to scrupulously separate the two powers, but by bit.
Crunch!
There was yet another crisp sound. This was the fourth so far. Only the final element remained!
Thud!
The banging at the door continued relentlessly, but that thud wasnât the sound of Yuchi Kong and Huangu Youming breaking the door. Rather, it was the sound of Gou Monan flying back and slamming into the opposite wall.
The impact left him heavily injured, and he coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood.
Even so, he crawled up to his feet and, ignoring his wounds, formed a continuous series of hand seals.
âCough!â His blood poured out nonstop. From Gou Monanâs expression, it seemed heâd already hit his limit.
âOut of the way!â Gu Luolin pulled Gou Monan behind her, then pressed her hands against the door. A halo of jade green energy appeared in her palm. Resisting two imperial lords taking turns to launch explosive attacks against the door wasnât easy. Gu Luolin now felt firsthand just how much pressure Gou Monan had been resisting earlier.
The door was already showing signs of cracking. Gu Luolin still had her hand pressed against the door, but she wouldnât be able to hold out much longer.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a tunnel leading downward opened within the empty white scroll. Ye Zichenâs eyes instantly lit up with delight. âItâs open! Hurry inside!â
Only after he spoke did he notice Gou Monanâs wounds, but he practically didnât even have time to be shocked.
Without so much as another word, Ye Zichen lifted him onto his shoulders, then tossed him into the tunnel. Then, he turned to Gu Luolin, who was still bitterly warding off Yuchi Kong and Huangfu Youmiing. âGu Luolin! Enter the tunnel!â
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