Chapter 492: Lingrong Ze Breaking the Array in One Morning, Treasure Seekers Racing Against Time

“I’m telling you, that big explosion last time produced a famous sword, and in the end, some unknown guy took it.”

“This time, it’s explosions again, and continuous ones at that.”

“Looking at the scale, it’s not inferior to the one when the famous sword appeared.”

“That means, the treasures emerging here must be many famous swords.”

“At the very least, there are many treasures of a similar level to those famous swords.”

“So, follow me, and you won’t go wrong!”

In Bai Ku, a large group was bustling toward Ling Rong Ze.

The leader, a chubby man in white clothes, was full of spirit and spoke with conviction: “In Bai Ku, whenever there’s an explosion, it’s definitely a rare treasure appearing. Whoever gets there first takes the prize.”

“But Brother Hao…”

Following closely was a short, shifty-looking young man who asked hesitantly:

“In Bai Ku, shouldn’t the first thing you think of with explosions be battles?”

“That kind of loud noise lasting so long could very well mean Wang Zuo-level beings are fighting each other.”

“If we go now, isn’t that just walking into death?”

His words clearly echoed the worries in everyone’s minds.

As soon as he spoke, the dozen or so people in the group behind nodded in agreement.

“Ah Tai, that’s where you’re wrong!”

Rong Da Hao patted Zhao Tai on the shoulder and said earnestly: “Fortune favors the bold. Where are treasures without guardians?”

“Precisely because there might be a Wang Zuo battle, we can conclude that the guardians have been drawn away.”

“In this situation, sneaking into their lair first is the way to maximize gains.”

Zhao Tai still hesitated. “But what if? In a Wang Zuo-level battle, whether it’s the guardian or the invader, if even one comes back, can we hold them off?”

Just run if you can’t hold them off!

You might not escape, but I can!

Rong Da Hao rolled his eyes internally, but he didn’t show it on his face.

“You fool!”

“As soon as even one comes back, we stop the operation immediately.”

“In cases like this, if the guardian leaves, it’s either wounded or dead in battle. Even if it returns, with all of you gathered here, we might still have a fighting chance.”

“On the other hand, if it’s the invader who returns…”

Rong Da Hao spread his hands. “We yield! They get the main prize, and we sip some soup. An explosion like this isn’t going to produce just one treasure, right?”

“Who knows, the soil in that Ling Rong Ze might be fragrant.”

“We just need to dig up a handful to grow towering spiritual herbs!”

Everyone felt tempted.

Indeed, fortune favors the bold.

It was this mindset that allowed the chubby man, no matter how silver-tongued, to convince so many people and assemble such a large team.

“But Brother Hao…”

Zhao Tai hesitated again and murmured: “Something that draws a Wang Zuo battle must mean the invader is also Wang Zuo-level.”

“In Bai Ku, Wang Zuo can’t enter!”

“Those who can enter are either smugglers or the rumored targets of the red-clothed ones—the Gui Shou!”

“In this case, would they let us go?”

“Would they spare us, these insignificant ants who’ve seen their face and might expose them?”

Rong Da Hao thought to himself, You sure ask a lot of questions, and they’re all so sharp.

But seeing the people at the back of the group nodding like pecking chickens, he realized he couldn’t brush this off lightly.

“You idiot!”

“If it’s smugglers, would they dare kill so many trial-goers in Bai Ku?”

“Isn’t that just suicide, putting themselves on the red-clothed ones’ kill list?”

“And if it’s a Gui Shou…”

Rong Da Hao felt a twinge in his heart, paused, and sighed: “If it’s a Gui Shou, it’s fate. Whether we survive depends on our luck.”

Seeing everyone suddenly panic, Rong Da Hao realized he’d said too much.

“But!”

He changed his tone: “We have Ling Long Shi!”

“In Bai Ku, Ling Long Shi is the key. As long as we have it, we can contact the red-clothed ones in no time.”

“They’re the natural enemies of Gui Shou!”

“At worst, in a critical moment, crush the Ling Long Shi, and you can save your life.”

“As for Gui Shou…”

He smiled indifferently, as if it were nothing: “If there are that many Gui Shou in Bai Ku and you happen to run into one, well, your luck is just that bad.”

Rong Da Hao turned his head and looked at a woman in a clean white skirt not far from the group, flattering her: “Am I right, Mo Mo?”

This woman in the white skirt, holding a small bronze furnace in one hand, wasn’t stunningly beautiful.

But her demeanor was absolutely unique among all Rong Da Hao had encountered in his travels across the five domains.

That serenity and elegance.

That untouchable, ethereal air like a snow lotus on a high mountain.

That faint worldly touch, as if a celestial maiden from the nine heavens had descended reluctantly.

It made her otherwise forgettable face seem extraordinarily refined.

The Rong family had started from ancient times by investing in talent scouting and had gradually become a renowned Tai Xu family on the continent.

Others might be here for Bai Ku or the four swords.

But Rong Da Hao was here to seize this opportunity and befriend these geniuses drawn by the four swords.

Mo Mo was the one he’d identified as the most worthy investment.

As for the others in the group, they were just cannon fodder to buy time when needed.

“Mo Mo?”

Seeing the woman in front of him not responding, Rong Da Hao raised his voice a bit.

“Hmm?”

Mo Mo gently turned back, her gaze falling on the fair-skinned, chubby man.

“Am I right?”

Rong Da Hao leaned forward, seeking affirmation.

“Hmm.”

Mo Mo nodded slightly.

Then, she turned her gaze back to the distance.

“Ling Rong Ze…”

“This chubby man knows the name, so his target must be the ‘San Ri Dong Jie’ too.”

Mo Mo lowered her head, her eyes falling on the white bracelet on her wrist.

There was a clear crack on the milky white bracelet.

It was a sealing bracelet.

A gift from Xu Xiao Shou.

Of course, now that it was cracked, its effects were completely gone.

She still wore it, just holding onto a bit of sentiment.

“That chubby man isn’t simple. I sense the aura of the ‘Gate’ on him. He might be from the negative gate clan on the continent.”

A voice in her mind rang out, stern and murderous: “If you get the chance, kill him first.”

Mo Mo frowned. “I don’t like killing.”

“But he’s also after the ‘San Ri Dong Jie’!”

The gray mist figure said coldly: “His goal, mine, and yours have collided.”

“It’s just your goal.”

Mo Mo didn’t care about the so-called treasure “San Ri Dong Jie” at all.

“I want you to get that heavenly fire for your own strength.”

“Is it for my strength?” Mo Mo smiled.

“It’s for your own good.”

“Is it to better control me?” She shook her head.

The gray mist figure fell silent.

Ever since that time at Tian Xuan Gate when he was badly beaten by Xu Xiao Shou, he’d been in a state of slumber.

When he woke up, this girl had become even more uncooperative.

No matter how he tormented her, she remained the same.

Sometimes, he really wanted to kill this Gui Shou host and find another.

But the “sealing” attribute was hard to come by. How could he easily give up on such a rare body?

“You have a bias against me. If we merge, we’d only become stronger.”

The gray mist figure tried to persuade her.

He was tired.

The “sealing” attribute was too rare; there might not be another Mo Mo in the world.

“Let’s reconcile. I won’t hold the past against you.” He attempted to communicate.

Mo Mo sighed silently.

“How can two tigers share one mountain, let alone one body?”

“My desire for death is already…”

“Foolish!” The gray mist figure roared, interrupting her thoughts. “With me, you can easily reach the peak of this world and control everything you want!”

“Everything…”

Mo Mo murmured.

As her fingers stroked the crack on the bracelet, her lips curved into a smile.

She looked up.

Her gaze seemed to see through to the ruins of the Ba Gong Li in the dimensional rift of Bai Ku.

That was her home.

The cries there were from those she held dear.

“Not everyone is born to love the peak.”

“Some people live just wanting a few close ones to chat with, just wanting a simple, ordinary home.” She voiced her dream.

“Ignorant!” The gray mist figure bellowed. “You’re beyond help!”

Mo Mo showed no sign of anger.

She chose to end the topic.

Her gaze returned to the distance.

“Fine, let’s go. I’ll help you get what you like, okay?”

The gray mist figure quieted down.

“Mo Mo?”

Rong Da Hao moved closer and saw the otherworldly grace in Mo Mo’s eyes.

Strength could be cultivated.

Speech could be trained.

But this innate personality and demeanor weren’t something ordinary people could acquire through effort.

This woman had the potential to become a dragon or a phoenix!

“Mo Mo, shall we go?”

“Let’s go.”

Mo Mo smiled faintly and stepped forward. “Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment and held everyone up.”

“So many people.”

Xu Xiao Shou and Yu Zhi Wen, hidden in the canopy of a Gao Yan Feng tree and concealed by a Tian Ji array, silently watched the crowd below.

Clearly, Bai Ku had plenty of daredevils drawn by the explosions.

And even more who harbored thoughts of sneaking in.

“Looking at the numbers, there are probably several teams, totaling fifty or sixty people.”

“If we include other parts of this great array, about another hundred might have been attracted.”

Xu Xiao Shou eyed the people wandering due to the fog array, chuckling to himself.

What good is a large number? This is a great array that even Xiao Yu pondered for a long time and couldn’t fully understand.

You little spirit array masters won’t break it—heck, you might still be stuck here when the Bai Ku Lou wakes up.

“Is it ready?”

Xu Xiao Shou turned to Yu Zhi Wen and asked softly.

Xiao Yu was clearly focused again, her profile strikingly attractive.

But this time, she didn’t take long.

With her previous experience observing the great array, she quickly grasped it.

“Almost.”

Yu Zhi Wen wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, smoothed her hair back, and whispered: “But if I break this array, the spirit array masters here aren’t pushovers; they’ll notice some clues.”

“Following the trail, they could figure it out soon.”

“Do you want to…”

Yu Zhi Wen paused and suggested: “Set up another great array to trap them?”

Xu Xiao Shou was startled.

He hadn’t expected Xiao Yu to have such a bold idea.

If they trapped them with a great array, once the spirit array here was broken, it would wake the Bai Ku Lou. When that big guy arrived, wouldn’t it mean dozens of corpses?

“The idea is good, but let’s not go that far.”

“This Ling Rong Ze is vast, and we don’t know what dangers are inside. Let these people go in first—they can scout the way for us.”

Inside?

Yu Zhi Wen’s expression shifted: “You can see inside?”

Xu Xiao Shou felt a bit awkward.

Of course, he could see inside.

But admitting it would be like confessing that he was the one who lured the Bai Ku Lou out.

“Break the array.”

He chose to change the subject.

Though he had “Textile Mastery,” breaking an array in a dangerous place like Bai Ku required full concentration, and without a protector by his side, Xu Xiao Shou didn’t dare try.

Was Xiao Yu a great power? Only in spirit arrays.

In a real fight, without prior setup, Xu Xiao Shou felt they’d just end up as two more corpses here.

“Understood.”

Yu Zhi Wen thoughtfully withdrew her gaze, not dwelling on it, and waved her hands to form seals in the void.

“Any progress?”

Before the Ling Rong Ze great array, a group had gathered, including seven spirit array masters.

These old folks were sweating profusely from observation, but they hadn’t gotten anywhere useful.

Clearly, even with a spirit array grandmaster present, a great array involving Tian Ji techniques was beyond what ordinary spirit array masters encountered daily.

They had no experience.

“A bit of a lead. Let me explore more.” The lead white-haired old man said, continuing to block out external noise and immerse himself in the red and pink fog.

“Buzz—”

Suddenly, the spirit array trembled, startling everyone.

“Something’s happening?”

“Senior Zheng’s move is truly extraordinary. In just a few hours, he’s already on the verge of breaking this great array.”

“Great! The treasures inside are ours!”

“This array must hold some profound secrets. With Senior Zheng’s help, we’re tagging along.”

“By the rules, if we find treasures, Senior Zheng gets first pick.”

“Yes, yes. Finally, no more waiting—this wait was killing me with anxiety…”

“Senior Zheng is amazing!”

Discussions erupted.

The white-haired old man called Zheng turned back in confusion and looked at the other spirit array masters.

“Everyone, any progress?”

“None…”

“None…”

“None…”

Outsiders might think it was Old Zheng’s doing, but these spirit array masters knew their own limits.

Without three to five days, they might not even scratch the surface of this array. How could Zheng have figured it out so quickly?

“Old Zheng, you…”

Zheng shook his head subtly and waved his hand. “Everyone, stay calm. The array will break soon…”

“Buzz—”

Before he finished, the red and pink fog array trembled again without anyone acting.

After this tremor, the fog actually thinned considerably.

“This…”

Everyone was stunned.

No one made a move, yet the array opened itself?

“Senior Zheng is incredible!”

“Who knew you could trigger the great array’s mysteries without seals—that’s total control!”

“Yes, if you study it more, you might even use this great array to fight enemies!”

“Yeah, yeah, Senior Zheng is awesome.”

Zheng’s face showed a subtle embarrassment.

Who the hell is messing with this?

I wasn’t even done talking—give me some face!

He raised his voice: “Everyone, take a break. I just need another two or three hours to definitely break this array…”

“Boom!”

As soon as he spoke, the great array boomed.

In the next second, the red and pink fog, towering hundreds of zhang high, dissipated in the roar, forming several large passages wide enough for five carriages side by side.

Everyone: “…”

Didn’t you say two or three hours?

After a brief daze, everyone reacted.

“Senior Zheng is so humble. He clearly broke the array but said it so modestly.”

“Everyone, charge! While the guardian is away, let’s grab its treasures.”

“Charge!”

In response, dozens of figures rushed forward.

Toward the giant gate, they vanished in an instant.

“Wait, no, don’t!”

Zheng panicked.

This array opened so strangely—maybe the guardian hadn’t left as everyone thought.

Instead, it might have opened the gate for a feast.

But watching those people disappear without a trace, not even bothering to reform temporary teams, what could he say?

In the face of treasure, who cares about alliances?

“What fools!”

“This array isn’t safe to enter!”

Zheng said, glancing at the other reluctant spirit array masters, then lifted his robe and dashed forward.

“Hey, wait for me.”

“How do we get in?”

Yu Zhi Wen turned her head.

“Of course, on foot.”

Xu Xiao Shou took the lead and flew out.

No point hiding now.

Once inside, no one would notice two extra ants.

On the contrary, seeing a few more figures trying to snatch treasures would seem normal!

Yu Zhi Wen quickly caught on.

She’d been scared witless by the repeated chases from the Bai Ku Lou, fixated on playing the fisherman.

But Ling Rong Ze wasn’t a place where treasures would fly out on their own.

“Which way?”

Watching the crowd scatter inside the array to search for treasures, Yu Zhi Wen asked again.

Xu Xiao Shou seemed even more sensitive than her Xing Tong.

Every time, whether spotting treasures or enemies, he was always one step ahead.

“Straight west.”

Xu Xiao Shou said directly, without explanation.

He’d already scouted this place with his perception earlier.

The outer areas were mostly barren, like the outside.

But the Bai Ku Lou’s dwelling was different.

Under that guy, Xu Xiao Shou had seen sporadic spiritual herbs growing.

And that was just sporadic!

If they found the Bai Ku Lou’s guarded spot, they might reap a big harvest.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…”

Clearly, many shared Xu Xiao Shou’s thoughts.

Even in a treasure land, the outer goods were always of lower quality than the depths.

So, those who prided themselves on their abilities scorned scavenging the outskirts.

Their goal was the end of Ling Rong Ze!

They sped along.

Yu Zhi Wen’s Xing Tong soon detected something off.

Far to the left on their path, a strange icy chill emanated.

Bai Ku was a fire-attribute space.

Where would such special cold come from?

And among Ling Rong Ze’s treasures, one was rumored to be the cold-flame “San Ri Dong Jie.”

So, what that icy chill implied was obvious.

“Xu Xiao Shou, that San Ri Dong Jie…”

“Remember that direction.”

Xu Xiao Shou replied without looking back.

Yu Zhi Wen was surprised.

So urgent? Giving up on the absolute treasure possibly in Ling Rong Ze?

“People are already heading there.”

She reminded him.

That small group flying deeper had real strength and could sense the unusual cold.

In Bai Ku’s scorching heat, a cold presence—even without knowing the treasure, you could guess it was extraordinary just by thinking.

So, most turned direction.

“No rush.”

Xu Xiao Shou showed no interest and continued resolutely toward the Bai Ku Lou’s dwelling.

Everyone was blinded by treasures.

Only he faintly sensed the ground trembling slightly.

The tremors were faint.

But they didn’t escape his perception.

That meant the Bai Ku Lou must have been awakened by the array breaking.

It was leaping step by step toward here.

Time was of the essence!

What was this unfamiliar “San Ri Dong Jie” to him? Xu Xiao Shou didn’t care.

He wanted the “Jin Zhao Great Fire Seed.”

With that, his strength would skyrocket.

And since killing the Bai Ku Lou wasn’t feasible now, his only hope was for other “Jin Zhao Great Fire Seeds” in its lair.

Based on past experiences.

Such big creatures always had eggs or young nearby.

If he could grab something like that before the Bai Ku Lou arrived…

Maybe his “Bai Yan” and “Long Rong Realm” would be sorted.

“Bai Yan…”

Thinking of the Bai Ku Lou’s Bai Yan, which could overpower Wang Zuo-level spirit refiners, Xu Xiao Shou’s mouth watered.

Even if there was nothing, dreams were worth having.

What if? What if there was a “Jin Zhao Great Fire Seed,” or the absolute fire-attribute treasures the Bai Ku Lou had collected in Bai Ku?

“Charge!”

Yu Zhi Wen saw Xu Xiao Shou’s determination and stopped persuading.

This guy had changed completely since entering Bai Ku and sleeping in the cave.

From a lost soul to someone with clear goals.

Turning back for “San Ri Dong Jie” would be smart.

But following Xu Xiao Shou wouldn’t disappoint.

There might even be miracles.

“Charge!”