The events that unfolded later were more or less what Xu Xin imagined.
Though the palace was still a stone palace at the time, it was filled with various traps. Despite Qin Fuâs strong spiritual power, he remained vulnerable. He was attacked at the fourth trap and suffered a fatal injury.
Luckily, the passive burst state allowed him to recover, and with his spiritual power greatly enhanced once again, he managed to bypass all the traps and reached the third level thanks to his extraordinary reflexes.
"The trap at the entrance stairs on the third level nearly killed me..." Qin Fu remembered the situation at the time, his mouth twitching, "Itâs fortunate then that my spiritual power was strong, and luck was on my side. Although I was gravely injured, I still got through. Those palace traps are utterly absurd."
After arriving on the third level, he saw that door and immediately recalled the ancient bronze knife he had given to Xu Xin.
Coincidentally, Xu Xin had called him just then, intending to inform him of what was happening inside the palace, but the voice message was intermittent and barely conveyed anything.
"Thatâs basically it." Qin Fu shrugged and laughed, "I guess Iâm a hero this time, huh? If I hadnât gone exploring, you guys wouldnât have found that place."
The results indeed proved it so.
If he hadnât insisted on going out to explore and then got lost, Xu Xin and the others wouldnât have gone out looking for him, nor would they have found such a place in the underground world.
Moreover, he was the one who brought back that ancient bronze knife.
Speaking of... he had brought the ancient bronze knife back from the altar...
And Ji Chaoyangâs side also had an altar.
Could it be... thereâs a secret hidden underground there as well?
However, this matter can only be addressed once this catastrophe is over.
At this moment, Lou FeiâEr swung down from her treehouse and walked over: "Why are you standing here all the time? Waiting for me?"
She had already tidied everything up, and her skin had become extremely smooth like everyone elseâs.
She was quite satisfied with her current look, with a smile in her eyes.
"Yes, accompany me to find Shi Wanyun. Qin Fu, you go rest first."
"...Oh, okay."
Upon hearing Shi Wanyunâs name, Qin Fu raised an eyebrow.
He glanced at the treehouse where Shi Wanyun had just appeared, but he didnât ask much, showing an expression of interest before turning to walk back to his own treehouse.
Lou FeiâEr also walked alongside Xu Xin, heading towards Shi Wanyunâs treehouse.
"What are your thoughts now?"
"Hmm? I feel great." Lou FeiâEr touched her cheek and said with satisfaction, "My skin really improved a lot!"
"..."
"Ah, you mean what I want to do now? Same as before." Lou FeiâEr glanced at him and chuckled playfully, "If you still want to be my master, Iâm happy to oblige."
Xu Xin shook his head.
It seems thereâs no need to worry about this one.
Who would have thought, she had long stopped being affected by Xu Xinâs words, but she acted so convincingly, always obediently doing whatever he said, never giving him reason to doubt.
"Anyway, just treat me as the same person as before, thereâs no difference, Iâm sticking around here regardless." Lou FeiâEr kicked a pebble away with a nudge of her foot, "Youâre the strongest survivor. Who else would I follow?"
Xu Xin laughed: "Alright, then come with me to find Shi Wanyun, keep an eye on her actions. She might not have entered a weakened state."
"Okay, I got it!"
The two arrived at the foot of the treehouse, and Xu Xin controlled the treehouse roots to take them inside.
Shi Wanyun was sitting by the bed at the time and was completely unsurprised by their entrance.
She smiled gently: "Entering a young ladyâs room without notice is not a polite thing to do."
"Young lady? Do you mean yourself?" Lou FeiâEr walked forward and pushed her shoulder.
Shi Wanyun was immediately pushed onto the bed, letting out a muffled groan.
Xu Xin squinted his eyes.
She indeed seems to be in a weakened state?
Or just pretending?
He walked over, sat on the chair beside the bed: "You should know what Iâm here for. Tell me everything you know."
Shi Wanyun struggled to prop herself up on the bed and whispered: "Before that, may I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
She looked at Xu Xin and Lou FeiâEr, "Why have the both of you changed so much, and..."
She pointed at Lou FeiâErâs collarbone: "Why is the blood pattern on her chest gone?"
Shi Wanyunâs clothing was also quite low-cut, revealing a large area of fair skin marked with a blood pattern.
Lou FeiâEr glanced at Xu Xin, saw him nod, and immediately raised her arm. The blood pattern on the back of her hand and wrist had completely disappeared: "Because I injected a gene medicine."
"Gene medicine?" Shi Wanyunâs eyes moved.
"This gene medicine is the most powerful treasure left in Crystal City. Itâs a medicine that can completely eliminate blood pattern control." Lou FeiâEr said as she tugged at her collar to show Shi Wanyun, "After injecting this medicine, the blood pattern mutation will disappear directly from the body. Um... but unfortunately, the powers brought by the blood pattern will also vanish."
Saying this, she sighed, showing some regret on her face: "Now, Iâm just an ordinary person."
Xu Xinâs gaze shifted.
Lou FeiâEr was lying, helping him test Shi Wanyun?
Claiming to be an ordinary person to lower the opponentâs guard?
He remained silent, watching Shi Wanyunâs reaction.
"The blood pattern mutation will disappear directly?" Shi Wanyunâs eyes widened, "Wait... so youâre not under Xu Xinâs control anymore?"
"Of course, the blood pattern mutation is gone, how could I be under control." Lou FeiâEr adjusted her collar, "But I still have to listen to him, Iâm just an ordinary person now. If he gets unhappy, Iâd be in trouble, feels worse than before..."
"...Whether ordinary or not isnât the point!" Shi Wanyunâs voice suddenly rose, "Is what you said true? Can it really make the blood pattern mutation disappear directly and not be controlled?"
"Youâve seen it yourself, right?" Lou FeiâEr tugged at her collar, "What, want me to strip to show you? Do I need to lie to you?"
"..." Shi Wanyunâs throat moved, slowly turning her head to look at Xu Xin, "How much of this medicine do you have?"
"Why, do you want it?" Xu Xin looked at her.
"...If you truly have this medicine and give me an injection, I promise I will tell you everything I know." Shi Wanyun stared at him, emphasizing every word clearly.
...So itâs true.
Seems like sheâs truly controlled by those creatures on the planetâs other side...
This test was very successful.