Chapter 196

Li Zhuiyuan ended his "ghost walking" state and massaged his temples. The young man felt a bit dizzy, but it was still within an acceptable range. Learning always comes with a price. Fortunately, he had a study companion this time.

Zhao Yi's body went limp. Luckily, Tan Wenbin was quick to react, catching him before he could fall straight back and hit his head. The 'Gate of Life and Death' opening and closing repeatedly in a short period was like dancing at the gates of hell again and again, severely taking a toll on one's physical condition. Yet, Zhao Yi was gradually getting used to it. What were once old shackles were now becoming tools at his fingertips, a significant improvement indeed.

"Phew..."

Zhao Yi first reached out cautiously to touch Tan Wenbin's back. Seeing that it wasn't as cold as last time, he then climbed onto him. Tan Wenbin adjusted Zhao Yi on his back and said, "Young Master Zhao is quite skilled at this."

Zhao Yi replied, "I've been sickly since childhood, so I'm used to being carried."

Tan Wenbin said nothing more and carried him down from the platform. Whether an imported mule or a local one, as long as it can turn the millstone, it's a good mule. Zhao Yi had proven his utility and value with his previous performance, naturally earning him the corresponding treatment.

The White Crane Boy knelt on one knee, supporting himself with his trident, struggling to maintain his remaining time. Once is new, twice is familiar. No one is born liking social niceties, but if there's immediate profit to be gained, it doesn't need to be taught; gods are no exception.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to the White Crane Boy, squatted down, and met his gaze. "You've worked hard." This was his teaching session, but it was also the Boy's beating session. The Boy used his last bit of strength to lift his chin slightly: "It's my... duty." After speaking, the Boy vanished. It was like an elderly person, seeing the last person they wished to see at their sickbed, then peacefully passing away.

Lin Shuyou's body swayed. He was very weak, but because he hadn't used the evil-breaking talismans, he wasn't completely paralyzed or unconscious.

"Pop!"

Li Zhuiyuan opened a can of Jianlibao and handed it to Lin Shuyou. Lin Shuyou took it with both hands. Not to show respect, but because he was afraid he couldn't hold it with one hand. He tilted his head back, gulped it down, then lowered his head and let out a long burp, like a hardworking mule snorting contentedly.

Run Sheng thought this while continuing to pull drinks from his bag. Influenced by Old Man Li, everyone's daily worldview had been branded with the mark of a "mule." It was a good thing they had all graduated from high school; otherwise, they might be suspected of plagiarism if they used similar metaphors in a Chinese language exam.

Lin Shuyou smacked his lips, feeling a bit of strength return. This was actually just a psychological effect; a can of drink wasn't some miraculous elixir. It was just that Brother Xiaoyuan drank a lot of it normally, so in his companions' eyes, it had gained a special aura.

Tan Wenbin walked over, carrying Zhao Yi. Run Sheng offered Zhao Yi a can of drink. Zhao Yi took it. Then he saw Run Sheng still staring at him.

Zhao Yi: "It's in my pocket."

Tan Wenbin turned sideways, and Run Sheng reached into the pocket, pulling out several bottles and jars.

Zhao Yi asked, "Can you tell them apart?"

Run Sheng nodded. After receiving two resupplies from Captain Zhao, he was familiar with these precious pills. Exchanging Jianlibao for miraculous elixirs, neither side was really gaining an unfair advantage.

After administering the medicine, Run Sheng turned around and squatted down, signaling Lin Shuyou to climb on his back.

Lin Shuyou: "I can walk by myself."

Run Sheng shook his head: "Rest on my back for a bit and catch your breath. We might still need you later."

Lin Shuyou found this reasonable and climbed onto Run Sheng's back.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to Yin Meng, who was leaning against the coffin, trying to catch her breath. Earlier, she had been worried about her role in the team, but she immediately got a chance to prove her worth. Her anxiety was relieved. Although Yin Meng was poisoned, she felt satisfied internally.

Li Zhuiyuan grabbed Yin Meng's arm with his left hand, drew a dagger from the side of his boot with his right, and made three cuts on her arm. Then he pressed his finger into red mud, quickly drew patterns on her arm, and immediately pressed his thumb down to activate it.

Yin Meng suddenly felt a sharp pain. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, her body only twitching slightly. Black blood quickly flowed out from the three wounds, and a puddle soon collected on the ground. Yin Meng instantly felt much lighter. About 70-80% of the toxins were cleared, and she could even dispel the rest herself. Her recently calmed emotions were instantly replaced by even greater apprehension: "Brother Xiaoyuan, have you learned toxicology?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. Having read so many profound health and wellness scriptures, he still knew some basic, textbook medical theories and pharmacology. Previously, he had no idea how to treat the poisons Yin Meng inflicted upon herself and didn't dare to try. However, the poison "replicated" by the entity inside the coffin was extremely standardized and formulaic, perfectly matching the standard cases he had learned from his books.

"Bandage yourself up."

"Okay." Yin Meng nodded. She flicked a Gu worm from her fingertip. The worm landed on the wound and quickly bit along it with its mouthparts, sealing the wound very neatly. It came with a local anesthetic effect, didn't require stitches to be removed, and worked wonderfully.

After the wound was sealed, Yin Meng looked up at Lin Shuyou on Run Sheng's back. Lin Shuyou quickly shook his head in alarm: "My injuries are all internal; no need for external treatment."

Li Zhuiyuan stood by the coffin, placing his hand against its wall. "Creak... creak... creak..." Faint scraping sounds and extremely subtle vibrations emanated from it. The closed coffin mostly muffled internal and external movements, so these tiny leaked sounds indicated intense frenzy within. The entity lying inside was frantically scratching at the inner walls, in a state of hysteria.

Li Zhuiyuan had specifically warned Yin Meng not to look inside the coffin, fearing it might cause complications. After all, the entity inside was his "teacher for one lesson." During the learning process, Li Zhuiyuan naturally noticed a hidden violence within its doctrines. There was clearly a rule-based restriction here, but the entity inside was evidently exploiting these rules as much as possible, aiming to keep its "students" forever. The teacher was unwilling to be lonely.

Zhao Yi had said earlier that from the moment they chose the puppet stone gate, the seed of greed was planted. A deadly trap doesn't necessarily need an ambush without flaws; it can also be one where you willingly put the noose around your own neck.

Li Zhuiyuan circled the coffin. The carvings and patterns on it were very unusual and hard to match with historical records. This wasn't surprising; complete historical records were a luxury. Even the history of the central plains often had gaps, let alone in the mountains. Many ancient civilizations sprouted, flourished, and withered here, completing their life cycles, but because they didn't connect with the mainstream, they could only remain beautiful in isolation, causing immense shock only when their ruins were unearthed by later generations.

"Clang!"

The coffin began to sink. Li Zhuiyuan stood still, hands clasped over his abdomen, giving a silent farewell to this "teacher." If it had truly been a kind or strict teacher, he might have bowed deeply, but it wasn't. It was more like a prisoner confined here, forced to perform labor.

Once the coffin had fully submerged, the ground beneath their feet reverted to its jade-like appearance. Looking down, they could see the coffin continuing to sink. Soon, countless dense black shadows engulfed it. Without the coffin's movements to distract them, these black shadows became curious about the living people above once more.

Ahead, a section of the stone wall gradually softened. Green light and shadows intertwined, and that area, free of black shadows, looked like a doorway. Li Zhuiyuan walked over and touched it with his palm; his hand could pass through. While there was great danger here, Li Zhuiyuan didn't believe there would be immediate, direct danger, such as crossing the door leading to a fatal trap. Therefore, Li Zhuiyuan was the first to pass through.

Inside, it was an open area. The ground was still made of jade, emitting a green glow, and visibility was very high, both above and below. The scene strongly resembled Shichahai after it froze in winter, except the ice layer would need to be green. The others followed him in. Run Sheng rushed through, feeling that he should scout unknown areas first and that Xiaoyuan shouldn't be so impatient.

Tan Wenbin: "Why is there fake jade everywhere here?"

Zhao Yi: "I now suspect it's some kind of seal."

At the end of the open area, there were stairs. They had to walk from one end to the other first. They began to move forward. There were no objects above; it was bare and clean, but the arrangement below was very intricate. Each section largely followed a layout of a platform with stone chairs and stone cushions below. Some black shadows sat on the platforms, others on the stone chairs and stone cushions below, all sitting upright and solemnly. There were also drifting black shadows moving among them, but without exception, once they took a seat, they would remain still and prim.

The environment below greatly resembled a lecturing scene depicted in ancient paintings. The difference was that the space here was vast, with lecturing areas divided into sections. Walking above felt like school administrators patrolling outside classrooms. Recalling the three optional stone gates at the outermost edge, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but suspect that, historically, someone had built this place into a kind of academy or school, where scriptures were taught and doctrines spread. To do this within one of the Nine Great Secret Realms was, undeniably, a shocking grand undertaking.

However, the outcome seemed less than ideal; the students and teachers who once inhabited this place were all permanently sealed here. The black shadows in the two areas should not be the same kind of people. The number of black shadows here was significantly fewer than before, and these black shadows continued to "listen attentively and study" even after death, showing no curiosity towards living beings. Going by the current school trends, this place seemed like a top-tier "rocket class," while the previous area was like a general, less structured class. Of course, this analogy wasn't entirely accurate; the black shadows outside likely weren't students. Any large ancient construction required immense manpower. Li Zhuiyuan suspected that the numerous black shadows outside, used as "teaching consumables," might have been "laborers." If human sacrifices were used as consumables, then this "academy" would no longer seem grand and righteous, but rather tainted with a layer of thick, dark oppression. Unfortunately, no murals or steles had been found, so the background of this place could only be guessed at for now.

No accidents or incidents occurred. They safely reached the other end, and as they prepared to ascend the stairs, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but stop and look back. Had those two from the Yu family passed the test? If they died inside for failing, that would be quite good. But if they had passed, they should also pass through here. Were they ahead, or had they not emerged yet? After a brief moment of thought, he continued upwards.

The stairs weren't long, and at the top was another large stone door, though this one had no murals and was very clean. It was certainly impossible to push it open. All the doors here were designed to be heavy, solid, and seamless. Even with Run Sheng's qi gates fully open, he wouldn't be able to move it at all. Li Zhuiyuan pressed his palm against the stone door. When he withdrew his hand, the spot where he had touched bore the imprint of the invitation in his palm. But the stone door did not open. Zhao Yi did the same, successfully leaving his own mark, but the stone door remained silent.

Li Zhuiyuan: "We're missing the invitation from a Yu family member."

Tan Wenbin: "If they failed the test and died there, can we still open the door?"

Zhao Yi: "Since we received the invitations and were given a choice of paths, it's impossible for us to get stuck here like this. I think it's because the Yu family hasn't arrived yet, and at the same time, they're not dead yet. If they were already dead, the invitations in our hands should be able to open the door."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and said, "Then let's rest. Brother Run Sheng, Brother Binbin, set up the tents and make some food." A good resting environment helps the injured recover. As long as conditions permit, there's no need to scrimp. Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan had a hunch that the Yu family wouldn't come out so quickly, nor would they die so easily. So, they might have to rest here for a long time.

Tents were pitched, sleeping bags laid out. They cooked some gruel on an alcohol stove, adding dehydrated vegetables and beef bits. The taste wasn't great, but having a warm meal here was enough to make them feel fortunate.

Zhao Yi ate with a spoon, remarking, "You guys are really generous." There was no wood or water here; apart from the ubiquitous fake jade, there were no supplies to be found.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then don't eat it."

Zhao Yi: "How can I not? I contributed too."

After eating, Li Zhuiyuan got into his sleeping bag to rest. Zhao Yi shamelessly tried to squeeze in with him but was rejected by the young man. With no other option, Zhao Yi crawled over to try and squeeze in with Lin Shuyou. Lin Shuyou also refused, but then reluctantly agreed.

Run Sheng said to Yin Meng, "You're poisoned, so go rest too. Zhuangzhuang and I will stand guard."

"Okay." Before going to sleep, Yin Meng pulled out salt and pepper peanuts, chocolate, shredded squid, and flower cakes from her bag, giving them to Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin to snack on while they stood guard. Tan Wenbin didn't stand on ceremony, opening a packet and starting to eat.

Run Sheng, puzzled, took out a compressed biscuit: "You weren't full just now?"

Tan Wenbin: "I was full."

Run Sheng: "Then why carry stones up the mountain?"

Tan Wenbin: "My mouth feels bland; just adding some flavor. You want some too?"

Run Sheng shook his head. He wasn't deliberately saving snacks for Yin Meng; he genuinely didn't have the habit of eating snacks. In the past, when he ran a shop at school, he would only eat those that were just expired to avoid waste.

Initially, Li Zhuiyuan only intended to take a short nap, hoping to recover whatever little energy he could. However, the Yu family members just wouldn't pass the test or die, dragging out the time. Finally, Li Zhuiyuan simply let go completely and slept as if it were a normal night.

As he slept, he heard sounds near his ear, as if someone was giving a lecture. He only knew someone was speaking, but couldn't make out the content. Li Zhuiyuan knew he was dreaming. It wasn't 'ghost walking,' entering a dream, or the effect of a formation; it was a simple case of "what you think about by day, you dream about by night." It was probably related to the unique environment here, where one's spiritual perception seemed to become very active. If he were truly pulled into a dream below and could learn something, Li Zhuiyuan might carefully nurture this dream to see if he could attend a class. But since it was just a simple dream, there was no need to let it disturb his rest. The young man decisively pulled himself out of the dream and continued sleeping.

Waking up from sleep, he felt refreshed and invigorated. Yesterday's fatigue was completely swept away; this recovery speed was truly astonishing. Beside him, Lin Shuyou and Zhao Yi were sleeping soundly, curled up together. Fearing he would have to act as a study companion again, Zhao Yi hadn't bothered to reseal the 'Gate of Life and Death' on his forehead. With his breathing, the gate was subtly opening and closing. The wisps of death qi drawn out by this caused Lin Shuyou, who was sleeping beside him, to have his eyelids constantly twitching with the rhythm. It was likely the death qi triggering Shuyou's vertical pupil warning, but knowing it wasn't an enemy, he only retained basic instinctive reactions.

Tan Wenbin was sleeping in Yin Meng's sleeping bag. She had already woken up and gone to relieve the guard. Li Zhuiyuan stood up, grabbed a bottle of water, and walked to the stairs, sitting down while drinking. After a long while, a yawn came from behind him. Zhao Yi walked over awkwardly. As he approached Li Zhuiyuan, he even reached out to steady himself by putting a hand on the young man's shoulder before sitting down comfortably. Li Zhuiyuan handed him the half-empty bottle of water, which Zhao Yi took and drank.

"This place really is restorative," Zhao Yi remarked, "The effect of just one sleep is very obvious." Zhao Yi felt this clearly too.

"Mm."

"Is that big idiot girl from the Yu family still taking her test?"

"Maybe a re-sit."

Zhao Yi: "That idiotic girl is truly stupid yet incredibly strong."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I should have given you to her earlier. That way, she would have gotten two votes, making the difficulty at least double, and you two could have perished together inside."

Zhao Yi: "With me there, maybe she would have passed the test and come out much sooner."

Li Zhuiyuan: "She might not have listened to your advice."

Zhao Yi: "That's true."

Just then, a small patch of shifting light and shadow appeared on the distant stone wall. Li Zhuiyuan stood up. Zhao Yi reached out and grabbed the young man's arm, standing up with him. Run Sheng tapped his Yellow River Shovel on the steps, waking Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou.

The Yu family members had emerged. Both of them were covered in bite marks, almost beyond recognition. A-Yuan was hunched over, walking on all fours, and Yu Miaomiao was being carried in his mouth. Seeing this, Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi exchanged glances. They had originally planned to find a way to trick the Yu family here. It turned out that some people didn't need to be plotted against; even following the normal process, they could exhaust themselves to their last breath.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Yu Miaomiao opened her eyes. Seeing the tents, alcohol stove, and various opened but unfinished snacks above, a hint of venomous resentment appeared in her eyes. Why should she nearly die to get out while they were having a picnic and resting here? You people, you really deserve to die! Although the girl was too severely injured to walk, she clearly and unmistakably radiated killing intent at that moment. This killing intent was so blatant that even Yin Meng noticed it!

A-Yuan gently shook his head, also shaking Yu Miaomiao, who was in his mouth. He hoped his young lady would sober up and pay attention to the current situation. Zhao Yi swayed as he walked down. He couldn't stand it anymore; he was going to "feign injury." Today, it's either her or me! Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Run Sheng, who understood. He followed closely behind Zhao Yi, fearing that Zhao Yi might actually risk his life while "feigning injury."

The venomous resentment in Yu Miaomiao's eyes quickly vanished, replaced by a complex, multi-layered fear. Li Zhuiyuan had long suspected if something was wrong with the Yu family. Even if the family itself wasn't problematic, Yu Miaomiao certainly was. Something else resided within her, and after merging, it filled her whole being with a sense of contradiction. Previously, Miss Yu's arrogance and untamed wildness had unified, making her exceptionally contemptuous of everything. Now, it was her human and bestial survival instincts that had reached a new consensus. Such people often lacked wisdom in daily life but had intact survival instincts.

Yu Miaomiao spoke: "I know the secrets of this place. I can reveal them to you, but I demand that you..."

Zhao Yi continued walking down. Li Zhuiyuan didn't respond. Even at this point, she was still thinking of bargaining. Secrets were important, but they could figure them out on their own eventually. Her absence was more important to them. If the Yu family were replaced by any other team, even if they had their own hidden agendas and needed to be wary of each other, it would still be fine, and they could cooperate normally. Because everyone could have a basic consensus on when to scheme and compete internally, and when they must unite against external forces to pursue common interests. But she simply didn't have that sense. She was like a landmine, ready to explode at any moment, not only destroying herself but also taking everyone else with her. Li Zhuiyuan couldn't even understand why the Yu family would send her to "walk the river." How could someone like her become a Dragon King?

But just then, A-Yuan, who was carrying Yu Miaomiao in his mouth, had a change in his eyes. His gaze had always been simple and clear, like a servant with no strong opinions, caring only for his young lady. Now, his eyes held depth, warning, and threat. If it were just these, it wouldn't be strange; a loyal servant exploding with temper to protect their master at such a moment was understandable. But the problem was, why did his eyes possess a sense of ancient time? And as he revealed this gaze, the black shadows below the jade wall, who had been "attending class diligently," all looked up.

Yu Miaomiao, still being carried, had a limited view and couldn't see the change in her servant's eyes or the changes in the black shadows below, so she continued to yell: "You'd better think about the consequences if you touch me!"

Zhao Yi stopped. He turned and looked at Li Zhuiyuan on the stairs behind him. Clearly, he had figured it out. After meeting the young man's serious gaze, Zhao Yi knew that the young man's judgment matched his own. Yu Miaomiao, seeing this, thought her threats and inducements had worked, and she let out a smug snort through her nose.

Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi thought simultaneously: This idiot girl, she has no idea?

Earlier in the "Puppet Classroom," Li Zhuiyuan had already sensed the intentions of the "teacher" inside the coffin. But it was truly a case of "teaching the apprentice starving the master." Li Zhuiyuan never gave the entity in the coffin any opportunity from beginning to end, leaving it to frantically scratch at the inner walls of the coffin in impotent rage. That entity was already so powerful under the classroom's rules and restrictions. How terrifying would it be if it escaped the classroom and lost its rule-bound shackles?

However, Li Zhuiyuan had originally only thought that the two Yu family members were unintelligent and exceptionally greedy, which was why they had been held back so long in a classroom that was only "one vote" in difficulty, finally emerging covered in wounds.

But who would have known...They were so foolish......that they actually brought out the teacher from their class!