Chapter 896: Collecting Hearts

Yet, their minds were in no way inferior to those of ordinary adults; in fact, they might even surpass them.

Upon hearing Xu Yang's words, the two young children were instinctively swayed. After all, they had just witnessed Xu Yang's true power. The individual before them was doomed. How could someone capable of cleaving even an Ancestral Witch with a single sword be defied by two mere Saint Children?

"Your strength is overwhelming; even Ancestral Witches are no match for you. How could we possibly be qualified to negotiate terms with you? Since you've already made the decision for us, what more is there to say? Please state your demands; we will comply."

The two young children were clever, providing Xu Yang with the answer he most wanted to hear.

Following this, Xu Yang presented them with a single request: to guide his four-person team to their actual destination within the Five Great Forbidden Zones! If they could successfully reach the altar, it would be ideal. Exceeding the mission's requirements would not only ensure Xu Yang wouldn't harm them but would also earn them his exclusive reward.

The two young children exchanged a glance, then shook the rattles in their hands. In an instant, a fixed, light blue spatial formation appeared simultaneously before them. This fixed spatial formation was not for combat; at its center, a light blue, ethereal vortex of water light gathered without dispersing, resembling a tranquil and nimble fountain bubbling up from deep within the earth's veins.

"Lord A-Yang, this is the spatial transfer formation we typically use. From here, we can traverse hundreds of miles directly into the interior of the Five Great Forbidden Zones. However, reaching the altar's core location would be impossible with just our current teleportation array."

Xu Yang patted the backs of the two young children's heads in satisfaction. "Achieving this much already makes me very pleased. I never like to force people; it's your cooperative attitude I value."

"Beyond that, I also want to understand how your Five Great Forbidden Zones store research achievements. Specifically, does each forbidden zone possess its own dedicated storage warehouse? If we cannot immediately reach the core area, then our priority must be to sweep through all the reserve warehouses within the Five Great Forbidden Zones! I want to acquire all your astonishing research achievements from the past ten millennia. For instance, I was quite impressed by the Yun Tong Ancestral Witch's war skeletons. These foundational methods and experimental prototypes usable in combat are what truly interest me, and they represent one of my primary objectives for bringing my team into the Five Great Forbidden Zones."

Hearing Xu Yang's explanation, the two young children immediately broke into satisfied smiles, nodding repeatedly at him.

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency, our transmission channel is not far from the storage warehouse of the Yun Tong Forbidden Zone, one of the Five Great Forbidden Zones. As long as we eliminate any scouts along the way, we can certainly enter the forbidden zone's storage passage discreetly."

"Hahaha, excellent! Without further delay, please lead the way!" The Winter Goddess, growing impatient, promptly urged them forward.

The two young children clasped their hands together, emitting a pale blue light that connected with the spring-like, pale blue formation before them. Soon, utilizing the unique properties of the entire formation, pale blue ripples also appeared on the bodies of Xu Yang's four-person team. In mere moments, all six individuals vanished simultaneously within the teleportation channel. Meanwhile, on the plains battlefield, the remaining thousand-plus Purple Flame Undead survivors also vanished as the formation before them disappeared.

Once their senses recovered, Xu Yang and his three companions soon found themselves in what was known as the heartland of the Yun Tong Forbidden Zone. All the buildings and scenery in this place were strikingly peculiar. It was like a graveyard, yet no tombstones were visible. It resembled a winding jungle, but the vegetation was pitifully sparse. Overall, it conveyed a desolate and eerily cold sensation. Furthermore, the buildings were exceedingly strange, each towering and sharply pointed, resembling standalone spires. There were no signs of bustling crowds as one might expect.

"Your forbidden zone is truly peculiar. Are all the buildings like this? Don't you feel cramped living inside?" Seeing these peculiar buildings resembling large chimneys, the Winter Goddess couldn't help but voice a complaint, yet the two young children appeared entirely unfazed.

"The buildings are designed in this shape to allow our Ancestral Witch people to escape any danger in any situation. While the architectural forms might appear rigid, their practical significance far exceeds what meets the eye."

Soon, one of the young children waved a hand, opening a nearby chimney-like residential building. A fixed, rule-based portal spontaneously appeared at the entrance, and the independent space behind it was far more expansive than its exterior suggested.

"I see. These buildings truly hold hidden depths. Where is the Yun Tong Forbidden Zone's storage warehouse you mentioned?" The Saint Child raised a finger, pointing past the countless towering chimneys to the circular building at the very back.

"It's that circular structure. However, I must warn you, Your Excellencies, this area conceals numerous powerful and diverse monsters—all war machines previously developed by the Yun Tong Ancestral Witch! While their combat capabilities may not match his war skeletons, each possesses unique attributes, making them highly effective for guardianship."

Xu Yang sneered. Upon receiving this information, he immediately instructed his three team members and the two young Saint Children to halt. He himself transformed into a streak of light, instantly shooting out of their immediate vicinity and rapidly approaching the furthest point visible on the horizon.

As expected, surrounding the massive circular building were three mechanical dogs, each as large as a bear, continuously circling and patrolling, vigilant against any unauthorized approach. Xu Yang sneered, and a spherical object suddenly condensed at his fingertip. He threw it downwards. In an instant, the three mechanical dogs simultaneously leaped forward, shattering the sphere to dust on impact.

"Hehehe, machines will always be just machines; they can never replace a true soul. Perhaps this is the fundamental reason why this lineage is destined for decline!" Xu Yang mused. Thinking this, Xu Yang threw three more spheres to different locations, effortlessly luring the three mechanical dogs away from their patrol area.

As the three mechanical dogs sprang forward, Xu Yang unleashed his movement speed to the extreme, transforming into a streak of light and swiftly entering the massive circular storage warehouse before him.