Chapter 197

The situation suddenly became incredibly complex. Yet, a decision had to be made immediately.

Li Zhuiyuan's mind raced, analyzing all the pros and cons. He had only two paths before him: one to act, and the other not to. If he were to act, the target would no longer be just the Yu family members; the teacher would also have to be included. Li Zhuiyuan had personally experienced how powerful the teacher was, and he assumed the teacher from the adjacent class would be of similar caliber.

But this didn't mean there was no opportunity. First, the teacher had left its original classroom, effectively leaving its home ground. Second, since this wave began, the sense of rules had been very clear during the struggle for the fragmented jade, and upon entering this place, the rules had almost materialized. Even the most powerful teacher would be constrained by rules here; its abilities likely couldn't be fully unleashed, and even its unauthorized departure was carefully concealed. Yu Miaomiao didn't know it had followed them out, and even A-Yuan, who was possessed by it, was unaware of the changes happening within him. Because the previous A-Yuan still exhibited A-Yuan's own behavioral logic, the teacher had originally intended to remain hidden, had Zhao Yi and Li Zhuiyuan not planned to kill. The look in its eyes now showed it had been cornered by reality and was forced to issue a warning. If it were truly powerful and unrestrained, there would have been no need for this charade; it could have simply slaughtered everyone after leaving the classroom and arriving here. Therefore, if a fight broke out, Li Zhuiyuan would have a chance, as the opponent was clearly constrained.

Of course, there was another possibility: it had a very strong agenda and wanted to hitch a ride, using their status as "guests." Either it wanted to go deeper, or meet someone inside, or even more completely... it wanted to leave with them after the current situation was resolved, to go outside and regain its freedom.

This possibility naturally led to the second path: not acting. The premise for not acting was that the conflict between the two sides had not yet escalated to an irreconcilable point. Li Zhuiyuan's tacit approval of Zhao Yi's 'faking an injury' was because he clearly knew that these two Yu family members lacked the basic qualities to be competent teammates. However, after being possessed by the teacher, these two might actually possess that quality, which was quite paradoxical. Li Zhuiyuan would rather cooperate with the dangerous teacher than have anything to do with the normal Yu family members. However, he still needed to verify whether this teacher was truly reasonable.

Li Zhuiyuan spoke, "It's quite barren and uninteresting here; there's nothing to do but eat and sleep. I'm actually regretting leaving the previous classroom so early. I should have stayed longer, learned more from the master, or explored the environment further. Since you've been there for so long, you must have figured out the rules here, right?"

Yu Miaomiao thought Li Zhuiyuan was yielding in their conversation and immediately responded: "Of course, I learned everything there was to learn. I'm not like you, so timid and afraid of death that you missed this opportunity."

Zhao Yi couldn't help but sneer inwardly. This foolish girl was as self-satisfied as ever. Li's path was clearly more difficult, yet it took less time and incurred fewer losses. Most importantly, he not only learned everything but also made modifications and integrations. However, Zhao Yi knew that Li was not talking to this foolish girl. Zhao Yi was actually observing the teacher's reaction within A-Yuan. He had guessed Li Zhuiyuan's intention, and it was also his own. The difference was that he would choose to directly accept this situation and maintain a good "teacher-student relationship." But Li intended to conduct a test, and if it didn't pass, he genuinely planned to have a major confrontation here. This was the biggest difference between himself and Li. He wasn't lacking in ruthlessness towards himself or enemies in critical moments, but he lacked decisiveness as long as there was still a chance for things to turn around and not fall apart.

The warning in A-Yuan's eyes receded, replaced by a meaningful gaze.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then, for the path ahead, I'll have to trouble you a lot. We can cooperate, for mutual benefit."

Yu Miaomiao: "I already told you, as long as you two listen to me, I'll share the secrets of this place with you. I know much more about it than you do."

A-Yuan nodded. Yu Miaomiao was jolted. She was being carried in his mouth, and A-Yuan's nod felt like a hypnotic sway to her. Earlier in the classroom, she had been not only battered and bruised but also utterly exhausted. She had pushed through relying on the exhilaration of finally "passing the test," followed by emotional imbalance and anger, then a sense of mortal danger, and finally successfully forcing the other party to concede. Yu Miaomiao felt she had gone through a lot, having done so much, and now she could finally close her eyes and get some sleep; she was truly exhausted. What she didn't notice was a faint yellowish aura emanating from A-Yuan's lips and teeth, covering the back of her head. This was the true reason for her rapid descent into sleep.

The teacher was responding to Li Zhuiyuan's probe in this manner. It meant it could control this foolish girl. Li Zhuiyuan was satisfied with this and nodded back.

The special glint in A-Yuan's eyes vanished, and he reverted to his normal self. He first nervously checked on his young lady, and seeing she was only asleep, he felt relieved. Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the stone door behind them and said, "Come up here and press the door with her hand. We can walk while she sleeps."

A-Yuan raised a hand, pointing to the tent and sleeping bags. This meant he wanted his young lady to rest well first, like they had, before opening the door and proceeding. Zhao Yi deliberately stepped down two stairs and said with a mocking and warning tone: "Can't you see the situation? If it weren't for her knowledge of this place's secrets, and her special identity as a Yu family member, do you think you'd still be qualified to stand before us? We've already shown the utmost tolerance and concession. Don't push your luck!"

A-Yuan clenched his fists. His right hand was a bloody mess, and a large patch of skin and flesh had come off his left hand, exposing bone. He couldn't tolerate anyone speaking to his young lady like that, but his primary duty was to protect her safety. This score could wait until he and his young lady had recovered from their injuries. Given his young lady's temper, these guys wouldn't have a good end. A-Yuan carried Yu Miaomiao in his mouth and walked up the steps.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Tan Wenbin, raised a finger, and shook it. A-Yuan wasn't human and would have sharp hearing; even quiet conversations risked being overheard. To be safe, hand gestures were better. Tan Wenbin understood Brother Xiao Yuan's meaning. He went to talk to Runsheng and the others one by one, first pointing to his mouth, then shaking his hand, signaling everyone to keep what they had seen a secret. The team had great chemistry; everyone nodded and quickly packed up their tents and sleeping bags.

Yu Miaomiao's palm was pressed against the stone door, and the third mark was imprinted.

"Rumble!" The stone door opened. "Gurgle... gurgle... gurgle..." The door was open, but beyond it, nothing was visible—only pitch blackness. Moreover, this blackness seemed to writhe, constantly expanding towards them, gradually bulging out, and a rhythmic pulse could be heard from within.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Be careful."

Zhao Yi: "It's about to burst!"

"Splash!" Like a popped bubble, a torrent of dense black water poured out, akin to a dam releasing its floodgates.

A-Yuan, who had gone to open the door, was at the forefront. He instinctively wanted to stand firm and use his physique to resist the impact, but first, he was severely injured and not in prime condition, and second, his young lady was in front of him. Fearing she couldn't withstand the terrifying water pressure, he immediately turned his back, shielded her in his arms, and was then swept away by the black water. Runsheng's first reaction was to pull Xiao Yuan. Zhao Yi shouted at the top of his lungs, "Save me, save me!" In his current boneless state, he walked like a delicate Yangzhou horse and couldn't withstand the impact of this flood. If no one helped him, he would drown even if he wasn't killed by the waves.

Everything happened too suddenly to be evaded. Everyone was swept away by the surging black water like tiny ants. Amidst the tumbling and spinning, Li Zhuiyuan deliberately used his foot to kick Runsheng beside him. His body couldn't be stabilized, and the water was so black there was no visibility at all, so he could only transmit messages in this crude way. Runsheng understood that Xiao Yuan wanted him to help the others first. Although reluctant and uneasy, Runsheng obediently let go of the young man's hand, opened his air passages, and swam to the other side. This black water would likely fill the entire space quickly, and from the water current's feel, Li Zhuiyuan realized it might also form a vortex in the middle. If he didn't find his companions early on, it would only become more dangerous and harder to leave once the vortex formed.

Indeed, everyone in the team was a good swimmer, but this was no ordinary body of water, and there were injured members in the group. After enduring the initial tumbling and spinning, Li Zhuiyuan finally stabilized himself. He didn't wait in place; it was pitch black, and waiting would be meaningless. The young man knew even better that taking care of himself at such a moment was his greatest contribution to the team. Li Zhuiyuan began to swim. His consistent practice of fundamental skills and recent health-preserving boxing made his physical condition far superior to that of an average person. Furthermore, even though he had been tossed and turned by the flood earlier, he always had a spatial map in his mind, so he knew his current location. At this moment, he naturally swam towards the interior of the door.

The water current had wave forms, even underwater. Li Zhuiyuan always leveraged his foresight of the current's momentum to propel himself. Most of the time, he wasn't swimming by his own power but rather selectively going with the flow, at a remarkably fast speed. He didn't even need to remove his hiking backpack to lighten the load. As he passed through the stone door, Li Zhuiyuan clearly perceived two interwoven undercurrents, meaning that not only would there be a vortex, but soon a water barrier would form at the towering, wide-open stone door. However, this barrier would be difficult for others, but for Runsheng, who had learned the 'Qin Family Dragon-Gazing Method', he should be able to penetrate and break through it. After all, Runsheng was one of only two people he was close to who felt more comfortable and at ease in the water than on land; the other was Xue Liangliang.

After passing through the stone door, Li Zhuiyuan didn't continue straight but swam along the edge. Because a fierce vortex had already formed ahead, swimming blindly forward would only lead to being "swallowed." He wasn't sure how long he had swum, but Li Zhuiyuan felt a hard feedback from the water ahead; he just didn't know if it was a rock wall or the shore. Releasing the water current's momentum early to gain leverage, Li Zhuiyuan gently hit the rock wall and immediately surfaced. He hoped the top would be the shore, and not still filled with black water after reaching the surface. As he surfaced, the water ripples above gave clear feedback of open space. He was lucky.

"Splash..." Li Zhuiyuan surfaced, and the emerald glow reappeared. After spending some time under the black water, he now somewhat missed this 'light pollution.' However, although he had reached the shore, the emerald-textured rock wall was smooth and round. The shore platform had a significant drop to the water, and without leverage points, even an adult wouldn't be able to get out of the water here. Li Zhuiyuan lightly waved his right palm, and crystalline ceramic ribbons floated out segment by segment. The young man's eyes narrowed, quickly forming them into continuous arrays. Each formation would only last for a very short time before dissipating, but this was enough for the young man to climb hand over foot. With each upward movement, an old leverage point disappeared and a new one appeared, the timing perfectly managed.

Finally, Li Zhuiyuan climbed ashore, took off his backpack, and began breathing exercises to adjust. Earlier, he could have simply condensed the formations into steps one by one, allowing him to ascend the shore leisurely as if climbing stairs. But compared to such effortless grace, Li Zhuiyuan preferred to conserve his vital energy. If there were a need for a certain image in a special occasion, then so be it, but there was no one around here. Why bother maintaining an unnecessary facade for anyone?

Besides, a faint sense of accomplishment welled up within Li Zhuiyuan. Even though he wasn't an adult and hadn't practiced martial arts, he could still rely on his own strength to navigate these turbulent undercurrents and successfully reach the shore. If he had actually practiced martial arts, this wouldn't have been a great challenge, and naturally, there would be no sense of accomplishment. While breathing, he cherished and nurtured this emotion. Unfortunately, he couldn't hold onto this feeling for long before it vanished. But these occasional sparks of emotion were truly interesting. He feared that once his illness was cured, he might no longer experience such feelings.

Standing up, Li Zhuiyuan took a long candle from his bag, first applied patterns with red ink paste, then lit it with a talisman paper. Finally, standing at the water's edge, he held the long candle in his left hand. With his right hand, he broke off a piece from just below the flame, threw it onto the water, then broke off another piece and threw it again... The water in front of him became illuminated as if by a string of simple lotus lanterns. Though they bobbed up and down, they responded to each other, remaining unswept away, fixed in that area. The last segment was placed on the shore by Li Zhuiyuan, who lightly touched the candle flame with his fingertip, causing it to change from yellow to an eerie white. This was a soul-summoning ritual, simplified by the young man and used here as a marker for his companions.

After completing these tasks, Li Zhuiyuan finally had the energy to observe his surroundings. The most striking feature, of course, was the massive depression in the central area, a huge and turbulent vortex. The size of the vortex continuously changed, and the water level varied accordingly. After the water level dropped to a certain point, a long, shimmering white gleam appeared in the distance, starkly prominent against the surrounding emerald green light. Li Zhuiyuan took advantage of three instances of lowered water levels to carefully observe the shimmering white area. It resembled a giant archway, with a long, white jade-like path behind it. Although it was far away and not clearly visible, he could already sense a majestic and imposing aura. To call it a celestial palace would be no exaggeration. He just didn't know if only that section of the archway was well-built, or if it genuinely led to a celestial palace.

At this moment, movement came from under the water ahead. Among the many candle lights, A-Yuan's figure emerged, holding Yu Miaomiao in his arms. Yu Miaomiao, who was already unconscious, became even paler after being unintentionally submerged. The young man's left hand flipped, a copper coin sword appearing in his grasp, and blood mist condensed at his right fingertips, ready to form a spell at any moment. Seeing only Li Zhuiyuan on the shore, a hint of surprise appeared in A-Yuan's eyes, mixed with a savage glint. In that instant, he wanted to act. Even though his condition was very poor, he felt that going up and killing the young man wouldn't be a big problem.

The next moment, he began to run in the water, his body gradually rising above the surface until he was ultimately walking on the water. Finally, he pushed off the water with his toes, leaping onto the shore. Even Li Zhuiyuan had to admit that this guy's physique was truly unimaginable; even the current Runsheng couldn't compare to him in this aspect. His shoes must have been lost underwater, revealing his feet, which were covered in wet, yellowish fur. His feet were long, and he instinctively arched them to grip the ground upon landing. A-Yuan let out a low growl from his throat, like a wild beast pawing the ground before a charge.

Then, his gaze shifted. A sense of age and vicissitude appeared. Li Zhuiyuan knew that A-Yuan was once again controlled by the teacher. After suppressing all reactive impulses, A-Yuan sat down, placing Yu Miaomiao beside him. He opened one hand and gently placed it over the girl's face. This action was to prevent the unconscious girl from suddenly waking up and hearing their conversation. Li Zhuiyuan put away the copper coin sword and recalled the blood mist from his palm. Another major reason he conserved his vital energy was that upon their return, if Runsheng saw that his face was lacking color, he would make him brown sugar poached eggs and then stand by, watching him eat them one by one with a brotherly gaze.

Li Zhuiyuan also sat down and said to A-Yuan, "Shall we talk?"

A-Yuan extended a finger and pressed it against his throat. Then, with a trembling fingertip, a voice emerged. "Very well, let's talk."

"What is this place?"

"Death's prison, a cage from which even death cannot escape."

"Who are you?"

"My surname is Yu, Yu Zangsheng."

"Yu?" Li Zhuiyuan looked at Yu Miaomiao lying beside them.

The other party added, "That's right, I am a Yu family member."

Li Zhuiyuan felt relieved. No wonder Yu Miaomiao had clues about this place; historically, Yu family members had come here and even served as teachers. In other words, Yu Miaomiao was participating in her ancestor's teaching session, and it was her ancestor's exam paper, which she still failed.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You don't seem to like her." Both were surnamed Yu, yet he chose to conceal the possession and not inform her, which clearly defied common sense.

Yu Zangsheng lowered his head and glanced at Yu Miaomiao lying beside him: "Does a beast like her even deserve the surname Yu?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Beast?"

Yu Zangsheng: "The situation in the family must have changed."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You mean, something happened to the Yu family?"

Yu Zangsheng: "The fact that she can even 'walk the river' proves that there are more beasts than humans in the family now." As he spoke, Yu Zangsheng's fingertips began to tremble: "Heh heh... heh heh heh..." His laughter held a hint of desolation.

Li Zhuiyuan: "From what era are you?"

Yu Zangsheng: "This place is ancient, but my existence isn't that old. It was like this when I arrived."

"Then what is the meaning of this place's existence?"

"I sought the answer to that very question, which is why I ultimately became trapped here."

Li Zhuiyuan felt that Yu Zangsheng hadn't told the full truth.

"Boy, why is Zhao Wuyang's Treasured Cauldron and Exorcism Sword in your hands?"

"During 'river walking,' I received a relic from the Zhao family's Dragon King to help me suppress evil." This copper coin sword had been personally sealed by Zhao Wuyang under a stone tablet and hadn't reappeared. Therefore, Yu Zangsheng must have been a contemporary of Zhao Wuyang.

"He didn't give it to his own descendants but left it for you? Boy, you're not simple. Zhao Wuyang achieved the status of Dragon King, and this item is deeply intertwined with his karma, possessing the Dragon King's blessings. Even if he said he wouldn't give it to his descendants, it would likely end up in their hands. Unless his descendants were truly worthless, it would be very difficult for others to get their hands on it."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Perhaps that's why a Dragon King is a Dragon King."

Upon hearing this, Yu Zangsheng's eyes immediately widened: "Are you really surnamed Li?" He should be able to access A-Yuan's memories.

"I am Li."

Yu Zangsheng extended his hand, pointed at Li Zhuiyuan, then flicked his own forehead, before patting Yu Miaomiao's face with his palm: "Beasts are beasts. A little cunning, but mostly conceited. Two fools, who can't even discern their opponent's true identity, yet they're self-satisfied and boastful about being Yu family members."

Li Zhuiyuan fell silent. It seemed his previous remark had directly confirmed some background identity for Yu Zangsheng.

"Hum! Hum! Hum!" At that moment, a bell chimed from the shimmering white area in the distance.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "There are still people there."

Yu Zangsheng: "You'll know once you go in yourself, won't you?" After speaking, Yu Zangsheng's gaze swept across the black water. He picked Yu Miaomiao up again and stood up. Li Zhuiyuan also stood up, the copper coin sword once again in his hand, his right hand enveloped in a mist of blood. Yu Zangsheng closed his eyes, and A-Yuan opened his. The transition was seamless, and A-Yuan was completely unaware. Li Zhuiyuan knew that Yu Zangsheng was using the Yu family's true Beast-Controlling Art, which could not only control a beast's perception but even alter its cognition. Like a single leaf indicating autumn, it showed the terrifying power of this unique Yu family art.

However, just as A-Yuan was about to attempt to act, Runsheng's figure emerged from the surface of the lake. Zhao Yi and Lin Shuyou clung to Runsheng like two octopuses, one in front and one behind. Seeing only Brother Xiao Yuan and A-Yuan on the shore, Lin Shuyou immediately spat a mouthful of water forcefully at Zhao Yi. "Pfft!" Zhao Yi, groggy and dazed, was splutter-woken and immediately realized something. He and Lin Shuyou released their hold, detaching from Runsheng. Runsheng's 'qi-gate' opened, and he quickly came ashore, standing in front of Xiao Yuan. A-Yuan ceased his agitation and instantly quieted down. He knew that in his current state, he could only try his luck against the young man; he couldn't withstand a group attack.

Li Zhuiyuan patted Runsheng's arm: "Brother Runsheng, pull those two out." Runsheng swallowed, then finally nodded, pulling Zhao Yi and Lin Shuyou, both injured, onto the shore. No sooner had they finished here than a "corpse" floated into view in the distance: Tan Wenbin. "Splash..." Beside Tan Wenbin's "corpse," a head popped up. Flipping his hair back, it was Yin Meng. Although Yin Meng had been detoxified, his body was still quite weak in the short term, so he used Tan Wenbin as a makeshift raft, clinging to Tan Wenbin's "corpse" as he drifted along. Tan Wenbin wasn't dead, but he was indeed playing dead. Because at this moment, not moving was the best choice. Everything could be left to his two adopted sons to direct. Anyway, underwater in the pitch black, he couldn't even find a direction. It was better to relax and play dead, taking the "yin corpse" route. Some deeply resentful deceased naturally had an instinct to gravitate towards those they were closest to in life. Tan Wenbin was using this principle.

Yin Meng got to shore first, while Tan Wenbin still had his eyes closed. Runsheng used a shovel to pull Binbin ashore. Lin Shuyou asked with concern, "Brother Xiao Yuan, will Brother Bin be alright?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Pinch his nose, cover his mouth."

"Okay." Lin Shuyou squatted down and pinched Tan Wenbin's nose. Just as he was about to ask Brother Xiao Yuan what to do next, he saw Tan Wenbin's face swell up on the ground, and his eyes suddenly opened. Lin Shuyou immediately released him, and Tan Wenbin began to gasp for air.

Lin Shuyou asked excitedly, "Brother Xiao Yuan, what's the principle behind this?"

Li Zhuiyuan calmly said, "He was asleep."

Lin Shuyou: "Ah..."

After gasping for breath, Tan Wenbin stood up and began rubbing his body. Every time he had close contact with his adopted sons, his body would grow cold; he had almost frozen into hibernation in the water.

After a brief rest, everyone started walking towards the shimmering white area. As they got closer, they realized the white wasn't white jade but a type of stone, which, influenced by the unique environment here, had been polished over many years, appearing as if covered in a thick layer of luminous powder. The archway was massive, with a plaque hanging above, inscribed: "Ascension Tower." On both sides were couplets: "Ethereal mist encircles the jade tower; divine light shines upon the splendid terrace." Li Zhuiyuan didn't see any ethereal mist or divine light, but the pervasive desire for immortality was palpable. But regardless, after all the commotion—from arriving in Lijiang, staying in a guesthouse, contending for fragmented jade, to now—the true purpose of this trip and this wave was finally before them.

The one in A-Li's dream said they wanted to invite him to witness their entire clan ascend. Li Zhuiyuan was very curious about what kind of ascension method it would be. The young man didn't believe in immortals in this world. Those powerful and long-lived beings didn't resemble the traditional image of immortals. People live long, they grow old, and if they don't die after getting very old and continue to live, they will become ugly.

Beneath the archway, a formation was set up, protecting the celestial palace behind it. This was a very high-spec and grand formation, and Li Zhuiyuan was awestruck while observing it. The black water served as its core, providing continuous sustenance to the formation, while the buildings behind acted as its bones, supporting its structure. And faintly, this formation echoed and combined with a certain rhythm of this secret realm, achieving a state of "you in me, me in you." Li Zhuiyuan couldn't break this formation. All he could do was slightly increase his survival rate when risking his life to charge through it. However, when everyone truly reached the archway, the marks on the palms of Li Zhuiyuan, Zhao Yi, and Yu Miaomiao disappeared. The archway had no visible door, yet everyone's ears seemed to hear a door opening at that moment. The formation opened. The invitation's final purpose was here. Li Zhuiyuan glanced at A-Yuan. It seemed Yu Zangsheng had secretly hidden within him precisely to pass through this formation.

Behind the archway was a wide, long white path, and beyond this path, both sides were pitch black. Tan Wenbin asked Yin Meng for an empty can and threw it down. They heard no splash, nor even an echo. This path truly seemed suspended in an abyss. Tan Wenbin couldn't help but exclaim, "How much manpower and resources must it have taken to build a place like this!"

Lin Shuyou: "There are carvings on the stone slabs ahead." This was the first time they had encountered something with historical records since entering this place. The stone slabs on the ground varied in size, but their arrangement was harmonious, not chaotic, rather enhancing a sense of overall unity. Some slabs depicted a person leading a procession of carriages and horses to pay homage, likely lords or nobles, whose attire indicated various eras and regions. The secrets here were merely absent from historical records, but for some people throughout different eras, they were not secrets. However, the records of these lords and nobles were only on small stone slabs, while medium slabs recorded small groups of people or individuals. Some could clearly be identified as members of the Xuanmen (Mystical Gate) sects, with their ritual artifacts also carved. The large stone slabs all featured single figures, who, despite varying in age, gender, and attire, without exception, exuded an ethereal and transcendent aura. They were likely prominent figures from different periods.

On one large stone slab, Li Zhuiyuan saw a person with a white tiger following behind them. A-Yuan excitedly "ah-ah-ah," likely recognizing an ancestor. Yu Miaomiao was "woken up" by the noise. She should have been awake much earlier but had been deliberately pretending to sleep, maintaining an unchanged breathing rate throughout, making her act very realistic. Li Zhuiyuan didn't detect any flaws, but he just knew she was pretending. Because during their brief earlier conversation with Yu Zangsheng, Yu Zangsheng had deliberately covered the girl's face with his hand precisely to prevent her cunning tricks.

Upon seeing the large stone slab, Yu Miaomiao immediately got out of A-Yuan's arms and bowed to the figure on the slab. Li Zhuiyuan thought he must be Yu Zangsheng. What Yu Miaomiao didn't know was that the very person she was bowing to was currently hidden inside A-Yuan, right behind her. The ancestor she revered had just called her a beast. Well, not just her; he had cursed the entire Yu family. But this stone slab also confirmed one thing: Yu Zangsheng had indeed not told the whole truth. Why did he specifically come here, and why did he become trapped here as a "teacher"?

The records on the stone slabs were incredibly rich. They walked on them for a long time, yet still hadn't reached the end of the carvings. Instead, along both sides of this suspended white path, graceful figures appeared. They stood facing each other along the edges of the white path, uniformly spaced and meticulous, seemingly endless as far as the eye could see. Some were playing musical instruments of various kinds, while others were dancing in diverse styles. As they walked through the middle, it was as if they were being welcomed, and there was indeed an air of celestial palace solemnity, making it worthy of being called an earthly paradise.

Lin Shuyou's vertical pupils continuously scanned over them, then his face showed reluctance. In reality, when dispelling the illusions, one could see that beside the white path, at equal intervals, small altars were placed, each topped with a bronze mirror. Inside the altars were their ashes, and the bronze mirrors reflected their former selves. This ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere was, surprisingly, created in this manner. The only comforting thought was that there was no lingering resentment on them, meaning they hadn't died from being tormented. It was fortunate, otherwise, chilling winds would be dancing and ghostly wails would be echoing along this celestial palace's imperial path.

Li Zhuiyuan had an excellent memory and recalled all the stone carvings they had passed. He then realized that the clothing characteristics of these dancers and courtesans could all be matched to figures on earlier stone slabs. They only appeared on the small stone slabs. The smaller the slab, the more figures were carved, mostly depicting lords and nobles leading large groups of people. They were brought here. Although they seemed numerous on this white path, they were actually only a small portion represented in the crude group depictions on the smaller stone slabs. It wasn't a burial sacrifice, at least not a forced one.

Earlier in the classroom, Li Zhuiyuan had also used dark shadows to create puppets. At the time, he noticed that the shadows were effective, free of resentment or malevolent energy, and the resulting puppets were purer and had a higher success rate. At that time, he had merely thought it was due to the long-term immersion in the emerald liquid, which had erased any resentment. After all, large-scale zombie tides were often accompanied by slaughter and harm, making it impossible for no resentment to breed. But these dancers and courtesans here also had none, and they hadn't been immersed.

Zhao Yi: "Brother Zhuiyuan, when you made those puppets before, did the black shadows have any resentment?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "No, they were very clean."

Zhao Yi: "So, they... all willingly died here?"

Li Zhuiyuan was silent for a moment, then nodded. Because this was the only explanation.

Zhao Yi: "Then what exactly drew them to willingly die here?" After asking this question, Zhao Yi and Li Zhuiyuan looked back together. After walking for so long, the pure white and sacred archway was barely visible as a blurry shadow.

For, ascension to immortality!

When the silhouette of a twelve-story tall tower appeared ahead, it signaled that the long white path was finally nearing its end. Twelve stories wasn't particularly tall, but because it stood alone here, if one included the unfathomable depths below, the tower was impossibly towering. Atop the tower was a bell; the chimes they had heard earlier originated from here. It was astonishing that the sound could carry so far, not only past the white path and the archway but also through the tumultuous roar of the vortex. All doors and windows on the other eleven floors were tightly shut, giving a solemn and stern appearance.

In front of the tower was a plaza, shaped like a convex "凸". At the uppermost flat section, there was an ornate canopy pavilion. Its four eaves extended outward in an exaggerated manner, shielding like a colossal umbrella. They were densely adorned with various colorful paintings, depicting myriad immortal legends and story characters, truly encompassing everything. Beneath the pavilion, a table was set with a lavish feast. Tan Wenbin, seeing this, immediately looked disgusted, remembering how, when he first followed Brother Xiao Yuan and Runsheng around, he was ignorant and ate a lot of questionable things. Heaven knew what those delicacies on the table actually were! Runsheng's nose repeatedly sniffed vigorously. Although still some distance away, he couldn't help but salivate, constantly swallowing.

Stepping onto the platform, and looking from its edge into the sloped recesses on either side, they discovered countless prostrate corpses within, all perfectly preserved as if alive, and all in kneeling or praying postures, with varying details of their gestures. They were stacked in layers, one person kneeling on another, and simultaneously being knelt upon by the layer above. While not perfectly fitted, there was a sense of orderly arrangement, adhering strictly to a first-come, first-served basis, with everyone in their designated spot. The clothing and accessories on these kneeling corpses were all meticulously crafted from exquisite materials, supremely luxurious.

Yu Miaomiao's eyes gleamed. Although severely injured, she became completely exhilarated after arriving here. Zhao Yi pointed to the kneeling corpse pits on both sides and said, "Train hard seats." Then, he pointed to the tall tower: "First-class sleeper car."

They eventually entered the pavilion. The dishes on the table inside were still steaming, making the scene incredibly bizarre. Without a word, Tan Wenbin first applied a 'Heart-Cleansing Talisman' to himself. After ruling out the possibility of being possessed and hallucinating, he confirmed that the dishes were indeed steaming. "I originally thought 'attending a banquet' or 'eating a feast' were just expressions. Is there really a host here cooking for us?"

Yu Miaomiao gave Tan Wenbin a disdainful glance and said: "What an ignorant fellow! There's no host. The environment here is special; even corpses can be preserved, let alone dishes. Moreover, there's underground fire hidden beneath that stone table, connected with formation patterns, providing continuous heat waves, which causes the white steam to rise. If there truly were a host waiting for us here, why are there nine stone chairs around the dining table when there are clearly eight of us? Why didn't the host remove one beforehand?"

Tan Wenbin: "Doesn't the host also need to sit down?"

Yu Miaomiao sneered, "Hmph, there's no main seat reserved at all. This is clearly a headless banquet setup."

Tan Wenbin looked at Zhao Yi, who nodded. "Oh, so there's that saying." Tan Wenbin counted the stone chairs again; there were indeed nine. Actually, it also made sense: Li Zhuiyuan's group had six people, and Yu Miaomiao's side had three, totaling exactly nine chairs.

"Buzz!!" The bell suddenly chimed again. Everyone was startled and instinctively looked up at the top floor of the tall tower. No one was seen ringing the bell. It seemed to be shaking on its own due to an internal formation, ringing at regular intervals. Phew... Everyone except Li Zhuiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. Including Yu Miaomiao, who had previously been so certain there was no host here.

But just as everyone's hearts settled, at the top floor window, a human face emerged.