Chapter 382: Mutated Miluo Flower, Lu Yuehan's Invitation

Zhao Xing was unaware that Zeng Zhuo, from the Marquis Yetan’s Residence, had led people into the third stage and been blown away by the experimental mushrooms.

The entire third stage was vast, resembling a rectangular plain. Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had carved a narrow vertical path through it, like a dividing line, with mushroom fission bodies scattered on both sides of the path.

The mushroom fission bodies had no connection to him whatsoever.

Furthermore, by the time Zeng Zhuo arrived, Zhao Xing had already gone to resolve Jing Yan's troubles.

After consuming the Earth God Pill and changing his aura and form, Zhao Xing, using the Three Divine Fate Palaces, was essentially another tomb raider entering the area. Exploiting glitches to farm gifts from the tomb owner was a basic operation.

However, after acquiring the Soul-Extraction Divine Ability, Zhao Xing focused on studying it and hadn't returned to collect more items for over two years.

Obtaining a divine ability from the Primal Self Sect was already a great advantage; the rest of the "wool gathering" was left to Jing Yan.

"Normally, if Jing Yan was just 'gathering wool,' he shouldn't encounter any trouble," Zhao Xing mused. "Unless he wanted to eat the sheep. I wonder what kind of trouble he's in."

Zhao Xing hastened his pace, and when he arrived before the tomb palace, things were indeed as he had anticipated.

Jing Yan was in front of the eastern palace, mostly buried underground, with only his head exposed, like a corpse.

"Brother, what's going on with you...?" Zhao Xing didn't advance rashly but transmitted his voice from a distance.

"As you can see, I've been planted in the ground," Jing Yan replied, his tone surprisingly calm despite his predicament.

He truly was an Imperial citizen, stoic in the face of life and death.

"I bypassed the treant statue near this palace, intending to look inside," Jing Yan explained. "But then that treant statue suddenly sank into the ground, pulling me down with it."

Zhao Xing said helplessly, "Didn't I tell you to be cautious? The main tomb to the east is the strongest one."

Jing Yan replied, "The problem is, I only sent my Dao Soldier puppet to investigate, but it trapped my real body instead."

"You mean you were affected by a divine ability similar to transposition?"

"Yes, something like that."

Jing Yan nodded: "The spot where I was originally standing was about as far from you as it is now. Suddenly, the soil seemed to come alive, and the soil, along with the space above it, swapped, exchanging my real body with my Dao Soldier puppet."

Zhao Xing nodded. Fortunately, Jing Yan could still send a Dao Soldier puppet to summon him.

Between the third and fourth stages, they had left a clear, narrow passage.

"Let me take a look first," Zhao Xing said, beginning his observation.

Jing Yan continued, "I can't get out right now; there are three forces hindering me. First, the soil: it seems solidified and possesses extremely strong compressive power, preventing me from breaking free and largely immobilizing my Dao Soldiers. Second, the treant statue underground: it's wrapped around my legs, making physical contact with me, continuously disrupting my ability to gather spiritual energy. Third, there's a powerful gravitational pull from the earth's ley lines; the more I struggle, the deeper I sink. I even tried to cast the Soaring Spirit Art initially, but I couldn't fly out."

While Jing Yan was speaking, Zhao Xing had already surveyed everything, above and below, using different methods and angles.

Moments later, his expression grew grim.

Looking underground, Zhao Xing discovered that Jing Yan's feet had entirely petrified into wood, eroded by countless writhing root tendrils.

He wasn't just entangled; he was being parasitized!

The underground treant was no longer a statue; from its hand-like parts, a parasitic plant had emerged.

Name: Myrrh Flower (Mutated)Quality: RareRealm: Third Stage (Lesser)State: PeakTalent - Hibernation: The Myrrh Flower possesses powerful survival abilities. In extreme environments, it can enter a dormant state, with its life force withered. When it encounters a suitable environment, it quickly revives and breaks out.Talent - Parasitism: As a parasitic species, the Myrrh Flower can silently synchronize with the life essence of its host, quietly parasitizing within its body.Divine Ability - Origin Poison (Lesser): An abnormal talent, acquired later. Origin Poison affects both the physical body and the soul, ultimately gaining complete control over the host.

When Zhao Xing emerged, his face was unreservedly grim.

Jing Yan asked, surprised, "Brother, why do you look so bad? Am I beyond saving?"

"Not exactly," Zhao Xing replied. "You've got half a life left."

"That exaggerated?" Jing Yan was taken aback. "I feel like I'm just one last push away from breaking free. If you just give me a slight pull, I can get out."

"It's not that easy," Zhao Xing sighed. "The treant statue beneath you isn't an inanimate object; it's a living Myrrh Flower that has been dormant for who knows how long."

The Myrrh Flower is a descendant of the Goddess Luo Ke's lineage, a rare parasitic species, also known as the 'Corpse Slumber Flower.'

Its mature stage is the First Realm, and its peak is the Second Realm.

This particular plant is at the Third Realm!

This implied it had been modified by the tomb owner's Primal Self divine ability during their lifetime, allowing it to break through life's limitations and reach the Lesser Divine Ability Realm.

The first two talents weren't terrifying; the third, Origin Poison, was.

"To cultivate such a plant soldier, this Primal Self Sect cultivator, even if not at the Great Divine Ability Realm, must be very close," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

In his memories from his previous life, he only knew this was a Third Realm cultivator but wasn't sure if it was a Great or Lesser Divine Ability Realm, and official information hadn't specified.

The Myrrh Flower itself hadn't appeared in official information either.

That's why Zhao Xing hadn't insisted on opening the coffin earlier; gaining anything at all was sufficient, as he knew some things weren't as they appeared.

"A tomb of a Third Realm Primal Self Sect cultivator, it truly lives up to its reputation. Can I still be saved?" Jing Yan asked.

"Yes," Zhao Xing nodded. This was where the importance of a teammate became clear. "You're lucky it's me; anyone else wouldn't be able to save you."

"Do exactly as I say. Don't exert any more force. While you appear to be able to use spiritual energy, half of it is already under the Myrrh Flower's control."

"It's synchronizing with your spiritual energy essence. If you exert more force, it will fully understand you through your spiritual energy circulation and eventually gain complete control over you."

Jing Yan was still somewhat skeptical: "Why does it sound like a mechanic's quantum invasion? Am I being invaded?"

"So if I stay still now, it won't be able to completely invade me?"

Zhao Xing shook his head: "That's impossible. It's releasing toxins to make you feel pain, forcing you to move."

"You must endure it. If there were a progress bar for the invasion, nearly fifty percent of your body's essence would already be under the Myrrh Flower's control."

Jing Yan followed Zhao Xing's instructions and stopped using spiritual energy to struggle.

Soon after, he gasped.

Because his body, which had felt fine before, was now experiencing excruciating pain!

Pain instinctively makes one seek ways to alleviate it, whether by circulating spiritual energy to heal injuries or struggling subconsciously...

Thanks to Zhao Xing's prior warning, Jing Yan endured the pain and remained calm, focusing solely on guarding his sea of consciousness and mind.

But the Myrrh Flower was increasing the intensity of its 'Origin Poison.'

If Jing Yan's will collapsed, he would still ultimately become nourishment for the plant.

Therefore, Zhao Xing had little time left to rescue him.

He had to get him out before Jing Yan broke.

"Apart from the Myrrh Flower, two arrays are trapping Jing Yan," Zhao Xing realized. "One is the underground palace array, and the other is an array that solidifies the earth's ley lines. Both are confinement-type arrays."

The Geomancy Cultivator sect had a specialized branch dedicated to tomb construction for others, known as 'Mausoleum Cultivators,' informally dubbed 'Funeral Mages.'

The bad news was that these techniques were clearly from the tomb owner's Geomancy Cultivator friend, as they were very high-level. Also, since the Ancient Luo Kingdom was from a different era than the present, Zhao Xing couldn't identify the specific spells used.

The good news was that after countless years, the power of these arrays had significantly diminished. The entire Moon Luo Mausoleum had been unearthed by the Void River precisely because its arrays had fallen into disrepair, indicating that the effects were also felt on Southern Luo 88.

Anyone else truly wouldn't have been able to save Jing Yan. But Master Zhao quickly devised a plan.

He used the Profound Earth Divine Concealment to burrow underground, sending a clone to infiltrate near the array's core.

At the same time, he took out two items. One was a Vajra Bracelet, and the other was also a Vajra Bracelet.

During the two centuries he spent upgrading his equipment, his World Law Robe was replaced, and the old one was sold.

But the old Vajra Bracelets weren't discarded; one was now high-grade, and the other was top-grade.

This was mainly due to the nature of the Vajra Bracelets.

They didn't rely heavily on the wielder's ability; their power was constant. Whether you were a novice or an expert, the power unleashed would be the same, unlike the World Law Robe, which had vastly different effects depending on whether it was held by a master or a beginner.

Although Zhao Xing's Strawman Art wasn't strong now, still being in the spiritual energy version and unable to keep up with the cosmic version's demands,

Fortunately, the Three Divine Fate Palaces were powerful enough to allow him to still exert mid-First Realm strength.

The larger Vajra Bracelet was used to jam the underground palace array, beneath Jing Yan.

The smaller Vajra Bracelet was placed five hundred kilometers to Jing Yan's right.

The scene was somewhat akin to Jing Yan stepping on a landmine, with Zhao Xing using a military knife to prop him up.

"The Myrrh Flower is the hardest part," Zhao Xing thought.

Zhao Xing looked at the treant statue. It had completely transformed; originally greyish-black with a stony texture,

It now glowed red, its roots and epidermis resembling human skin and flesh.

It had no petals; though called a 'flower,' the Myrrh Flower did not bloom. Its roots intertwined, resembling human muscles formed by interwoven branches.

"To break its control, a two-pronged approach is necessary."

Once Zhao Xing had a plan, he immediately informed Jing Yan: "Brother, stay alert; I'll need your cooperation next."

"Tell me."

Jing Yan was incredibly tough. Though screaming internally from the pain, he didn't even furrow his brow, determined not to lose face in front of his good brother, even if it meant death.

"I'll count to three. Then, you'll cast the Military Law Seal to resist the confining force, then use Soaring Spirit Art to fly upwards, severing your body from the waist up. Discard everything from your lower half."

"No problem," Jing Yan nodded.

"One.""Two.""Three!!!"

The large and small Vajra Bracelets activated instantly.

The two forces compressing and pulling Jing Yan instantly weakened by thirty percent.

Jing Yan also exerted his strength at this moment, casting the Military Law Seal, further weakening the array's power by forty percent.

The array's problem was resolved in an instant.

Within two seconds, the Myrrh Flower was assaulted by billions of 'Soul-Extraction Needles' from Zhao Xing and soul attacks from the Three Divine Fate Palaces.

The Myrrh Flower's will was disrupted by Zhao Xing, and the Soul-Extraction Needles frantically pierced its core region for 'Parasitism' and 'Origin Poison.'

With the two-pronged attack, it instantly released its suppression of Jing Yan.

But that was only for that single instant.

The next moment, Jing Yan's lower body was completely pulverized. The Myrrh Flower stopped feigning weakness, eager to quickly seize the nutrients and complete its parasitism.

"Boom!"

Jing Yan burst out of the ground amidst thunder and fire.

Only half of his body remained.

"Boom! Boom!"

A black wave erupted underground, instantly shattering Zhao Xing's clone into pieces, which then merged with the 'Origin Poison.'

His main body, at this moment, was frantically escaping.

The World Law Robe was also utilized to its maximum extent.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!"

The soil churned, and the entire ground turned into black earth.

Strange, monstrous tentacles burst out of the ground, adorned with numerous oral appendages and chaotic fleshy tendrils.

The Soul-Extraction Divine Ability had destroyed the Myrrh Flower's basic life structure.

It had now completely transformed into a terrifying monster.

Zhao Xing dared not look back, only wishing the Cloud Law under his feet was faster.

With a single refraction of light, he scooped up Jing Yan and accelerated in a straight line.

He plunged headlong into the corrosive space.

"Roar!"

A roar came from behind, but it was ultimately blocked by the grey mist.

Zhao Xing let out a long breath.

They were finally safe.

"Brother, how are you?"

Only then did he have time to observe Jing Yan's condition.

"Hehehe."

Jing Yan let out a strange laugh.

Zhao Xing was startled, thinking the Myrrh Flower's will had invaded Jing Yan's mind. He subconsciously aimed his World Law Robe at Jing Yan.

"Whoa, whoa, don't shoot, I'm just kidding!" Jing Yan quickly raised his hands.

Zhao Xing was speechless.

"Let me check you."

To be cautious, Zhao Xing still used his Soul Heavenly Sight to check him over.

Only when he realized Jing Yan was indeed joking did he truly relax.

"Brother, you have such a good mindset," Zhao Xing said, putting away his World Law Robe. "When you were studying in the Beiye galaxy, your teachers must have liked you very much, right?"

Jing Yan raised an eyebrow. "I get it, you're being sarcastic."

"But you're not wrong; my teachers in Beiye genuinely didn't like me."

"I'm not the type to follow rules."

Zhao Xing also understood that Jing Yan was the kind of person with a lively personality, who enjoyed seeking thrills, and whose ideas were wildly imaginative.

It wasn't a bad trait for a mechanic. Just as many cultivators were introverted, disliked socializing, and preferred dealing with plants.

"Alright, don't force it," Zhao Xing said. "Heal your injuries quickly; I'll guard you."

Jing Yan didn't say thank you, merely thumped his chest with one hand, everything conveyed without words.

As the saying goes, one generation plants the trees, and the next enjoys the shade.

But in this world, it could also be that one generation plants the trees, and the next shivers in the cold.

Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had been thoroughly beaten by the Myrrh Flower.

The people from the Marquis Yetan's Residence, on the other hand, had been beaten by the Illusory Star Mushrooms.

With the three-year deadline approaching, Hong Qi not only hadn't received good news about the clearance,

But instead, he received bad news: Zeng Zhuo, the person in charge, and over two hundred core members were all missing.

Hong Qi took time out from the large World Ark to make a trip.

He traversed the Star Wheel Maze and the Puppet Grand Road, arriving before the third stage.

At this point, the highest-ranking person in charge here was the Fate Master Wang Yun.

Wang Yun had been observing the grey mist for a long time.

When Hong Qi arrived, three incomplete paper figures stumbled out of the grey mist and fell before Wang Yun.

Wang Yun, at just the right moment, showed a hint of pain.

If Zeng Zhuo had been there, he would surely have exclaimed, "Lord Wang is truly brilliant!"

In terms of ability to perform in front of superiors, Wang Yun was practically at the Great Divine Ability Realm!

"What happened?" Hong Qi asked.

"Lord Hong, someone got in before us," Wang Yun said, bowing. "There are many newly planted plant entities in the mist, deliberately placed in this stage to obstruct latecomers."

"What did you see?"

Wang Yun, as a Fate Master, also cultivated some spells from Void Historians, possessing means to observe the past.

It was precisely because of this that he could stand out among other Fate Masters.

"This subordinate's skills are lacking; I only saw a blurry figure," Wang Yun said, pointing his hand. The three paper figure remnants burst into flames.

The flames burned methodically, forming a frame of fire.

In the fiery glow, a towering back stood before a giant mushroom.

With each wave of his hand, the mushroom changed and was flung into the distance.

"A Primal Self Sect cultivator?" Hong Qi's eyes narrowed.

Among the adventurers traversing the cosmos, Primal Self Sect cultivators were considered the fewest.

In the high-level Daoist academies within the ancient kingdoms, a saying circulated: "Primal Self Sect cultivators are hard to encounter even in a hundred thousand events; meeting one means encountering an invincible powerhouse with a hundred thousand victories!"

"What realm?" Hong Qi asked.

Wang Yun pondered, "He was able to make the Illusory Star Mushrooms possess such terrifying power. My preliminary assessment is that he's at least at the Lesser Divine Ability Realm."

Hong Qi frowned.

A Third Realm Primal Self Sect cultivator had actually gotten a head start?

The Marquis Yetan's Residence wasn't afraid of a mere Third Realm cultivator, but Third Realm Primal Self cultivators usually allied with major powers. Lone wolf cultivators following the Primal Self path were rare, as they couldn't even learn the cultivation methods without joining a faction.

What he feared was that this person had a significant background or powerful backing.

For now, they had to silently swallow this loss.

"Is Zeng Zhuo still alive?" Hong Qi asked.

"He is."

"Rescue the people first, but don't venture further."

"Understood."

Hong Qi made the trip, then returned to the World Ark to report to Lu Yuehan.

"My Lady, when our people were exploring the tomb in the Star Wheel Maze..."

Hong Qi recounted the events to Lu Yuehan.

After listening, a hint of curiosity flashed in Lu Yuehan's eyes.

She had seen many farming-type Primal Self Sect cultivators at the Marquis's Residence, but combat-oriented ones were rare.

The difference between combat-oriented and farming-oriented Primal Self Sect cultivators lay in the former specifically cultivating lethal plant life, which were called 'soldiers' due to their strong combat power.

The latter cultivated economic plant life, which had little combat power and were mainly used for growing medicinal herbs, food, or Dao Soldier materials.

Lu Yuehan asked, "Steward Hong, do you have any suggestions?"

Hong Qi calmly replied, "There are only three choices: retreat, kill for treasure, or befriend the hero."

Lu Yuehan smiled faintly: "I am not short on money, and a small Third Realm tomb might not bring much wealth to our family, so killing for treasure is unnecessary."

"Retreating now also doesn't suit my style. My subordinates shouldn't suffer in vain. If we can befriend a master, then this loss won't be for nothing."

Hong Qi nodded: "I understand. I'll make the arrangements."

Jing Yan had suffered severe injuries that Zhao Xing couldn't heal; he was a cultivator, not a physician.

With the Origin Poison in his body, only a specialized medical professional could ensure full recovery.

Jing Yan himself had a solution; he carried a specialized medical Dao Soldier with him.

However, since the Origin Poison was at the divine ability level, the medical Dao Soldier Jing Yan carried could only temporarily manage the injuries.

"To fully recover, I'll have to return to the exploration base," Jing Yan said, looking at his mutilated body, from which many crystal tubes continuously extracted poison. "I shouldn't have been so greedy. All the money I earned from Southern Luo 88 will be spent on treatment. You're the steady one, brother."

"Everyone makes mistakes when they venture out," Zhao Xing comforted him. "Learning from a fall isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"You're right, that makes a lot of sense," Jing Yan laughed. "Adventure means doing risky things. Meeting you, Brother Zhao, on this trip to Southern Luo 88 has been the greatest gain, and seeing a wondrous plant like the Myrrh Flower has made this journey worthwhile, ha ha ha."

"It's not like you got nothing," Zhao Xing said. "After you leave, report this tomb, and you can still make a good sum. I won't take a share of that money."

Discovering an ancient tomb and exploring it oneself was the most profitable method at the time; reporting it yielded considerably less.

For example, according to the official rules of the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom, providing information would grant a bonus of 1 to 10 percent of the tomb's value, plus merit points, depending on how detailed the intelligence was.

Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had found the entrance, passed through three stages, discovered seven main tombs, and even had the experience of being severely attacked. All of this counted as valuable intelligence.

The least valuable information was simply pointing to the Star Wheel Maze and saying there might be a tomb there, which didn't earn much money at all.

The Illusory God Galaxy was full of tombs and suspected tomb sites; such information was never lacking. What was scarce were people brave enough to take risks.

For large expeditions like Lu Yuehan's, excavating a tomb on Southern Luo 88 might even result in a loss, as the salaries and pensions for their subordinates were not cheap.

"Don't say you won't take a share," Jing Yan said. "We've gathered a lot of information about this tomb. We should be able to get a ten percent share of the profits. If it's considered a Great Divine Ability Realm tomb, ten percent could easily be a billion."

"You left your large and small Vajra Bracelets there; you should at least be compensated."

According to the current officially summarized patterns, tombs of the Second Realm typically had a value below one billion, and those above one billion were rare.

The value of Third Realm tombs typically fluctuated between one billion and ten billion, with the specific range depending on whether it was a Lesser or Great Divine Ability Realm tomb. Grand tombs valued over ten billion were also rare.

As for Dao Domain Realm? Their value was immeasurable, and the official authorities hadn't disclosed specific figures.

Currently, only five Dao Domain Realm tombs had been found in the Illusory God Galaxy: one discovered by the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom and the other four by other ancient kingdom factions.

The one who discovered the Dao Domain Realm tomb for the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom was King Tianji. That's why he exerted great effort to transport the Star of the Sun here.

However, the 'Soul-Extraction Divine Ability' that Zhao Xing obtained was extremely valuable!

Perhaps the era of the Ancient Luo Kingdom was different from the current Barren Domain Era; it's possible that the secret arts of the Primal Self Sect weren't hard to find back then, which is why the tomb owner so casually gave it away.

Nowadays, the divine abilities of the Primal Self Sect could fetch astronomical prices. If Zhao Xing were willing to sell, according to current popular selling methods, he could immediately receive tens of billions, and then continuously receive a share of subsequent sales.

Therefore, he simply didn't care for such small sums of money.

"Enough with the nonsense. A man of honor keeps his word; what I say, I stick to," Zhao Xing chuckled. "You can't have come all this way for nothing. The reward for reporting this information is yours, and I'll cover your medical expenses."

Jing Yan nodded, no longer arguing with Zhao Xing.

"You'll have to endure a bit on the way back; I can no longer cast the Military Law Seal."

"Will that stop me?" Zhao Xing laughed. "They're just mere Second Realm mechanical puppets. Let's go."

Jing Yan followed behind Zhao Xing, beginning their journey back.

However, he noticed that the path back seemed somewhat different from before.

"Why are there so many more mushrooms?"

"Hiss, are those still Illusory Star Mushrooms?" Jing Yan looked at the distance in shock.

"Brother, what on earth have you been doing these past few years?"

For over five years, Zhao Xing had been completely engrossed in cultivating the Soul-Extraction Divine Ability.

Since the corrosive swamp was highly suitable for Yin-aligned soldier types to survive, Zhao Xing himself had no idea how many mushrooms were now in the grey mist.

"Shh, keep your voice down, conceal your aura."

"Some Illusory Star Mushrooms have very acute hearing."

"Hearing?" Jing Yan found this somewhat absurd, as Zhao Xing explicitly mentioned 'hearing' rather than 'perception.'

What did that mean? Did mushrooms grow ears now?

Jing Yan said no more, for he actually saw mushrooms with ear-like organs, their auricles even moving and emitting primal energy fluctuations, seemingly receiving echoes.

Those that could still be recognized as Illusory Star Mushrooms were considered good.

Some were completely unrecognizable, yet Zhao Xing insisted they were Illusory Star Mushrooms.

Even though Jing Yan was well-traveled and knowledgeable, seeing so many bizarre plant entities made his scalp tingle.

"My father said Primal Self Sect cultivators are all freaks. I didn't think so when I was in the Empire, but now my eyes have truly been opened," Jing Yan secretly marveled.

Primal Self Sect cultivators within the Crimson Star Empire had to abide by Imperial rules; ordinary people simply couldn't access their secret research bases.

Those that could be seen were at least outwardly normal.

Someone like Zhao Xing, a self-taught Primal Self Sect cultivator who started halfway and operated in the wilderness, naturally had no qualms.

So now, Jing Yan witnessed the dangerous side of Primal Self Sect cultivators.

Zhao Xing himself also felt a little terrified.

Because he cultivated the 'Yuanhai Realm,' his perception of plant life was stronger than Jing Yan's.

"Some of these plant entities even have Third Realm strength. Did I really create all this?"

After years of chaotic cultivation and development, he himself didn't know what these mushrooms had evolved into.

"For a Primal Self Sect cultivator like me, without standardized teaching, self-cultivation is truly too dangerous," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "I can't mess around like this anymore in the future."

It would have been unreasonable for Zeng Zhuo *not* to crash. Zhao Xing, the instigator, was himself terrified!

At the junction between the third and second stages, in front of a temporarily erected camp.

"Brother Zeng, he's about to come out," Wang Yun said, looking at Zeng Zhuo next to him. "Don't get too agitated."

"I'm not agitated."

A slight curve appeared at the corner of Wang Yun's mouth as he gently pressed Zeng Zhuo back into his Spring Bloom chair.

Still saying he wasn't agitated?

You were about to stand up from the medical chair!

"Perhaps Brother Zeng, you should excuse yourself," Wang Yun said. "Lord Hong mentioned that our young lady wishes to meet this cultivator."

"Someone, escort Lord Zeng back to his room to rest." Zeng Zhuo opened his mouth but ultimately lay down obediently.

Never mind, out of sight, out of mind. Just after Zeng Zhuo was escorted away,

Zhao Xing and Jing Yan also emerged from the mist.

"Hmm? Someone's here?" Zhao Xing's expression darkened.

Because there were too many mushrooms previously planted in the corrosive mist, and they were fighting among themselves, the increased activity rendered his Heavenly Sound Bamboo almost useless as a warning system.

His clone only possessed First Realm strength and couldn't survive in any of the stages. While Jing Yan's Dao Soldier puppets could survive, they couldn't transmit messages between different stages, and the area was too vast to cover entirely. Thus, they only now realized people had entered from outside.

"And it looks like they're specifically waiting for us," Jing Yan's expression also grew serious. In such a wilderness, the only possibility he could think of was murder for treasure. There was no law or order to speak of on Southern Luo 88.

"Brother Zhao, you go first in a moment," Jing Yan said. "I'm from the Crimson Star Empire; maybe they'll let me go."

"Stop spouting nonsense," Zhao Xing retorted. "The Empire's influence is great, but it won't be effective inside a tomb. Look at their scale; building a temporary base here, do they look like an ordinary force? Will they fear a lone Imperial citizen like you?"

"In any case, there's no way I, Jing Yan, would let my brother cover my retreat." Jing Yan drew his Myriad Law Dao Soldier and boldly flew in front of Zhao Xing: "If I tell you to go first, then go."

Truly, an Imperial citizen determined to be strong throughout his life.

Zhao Xing looked at the top of Jing Yan's head: "Wait, don't act yet. We might not need to fight."

He glanced at Jing Yan's information; his Manifestation Eleven luck hadn't changed.

If it were a life-or-death crisis, his luck should have temporarily dropped a level by now.

His own hadn't changed either; it was still Rank Ten.

"Put your weapons away and listen to me." Zhao Xing stepped past Jing Yan.

Jing Yan thought about it and, after considering, put away his Myriad Law Dao Soldier.

"Swish, swish."

As Zhao Xing flew forward for a distance, a team was waiting ahead.

It was clearly a well-trained elite unit. Although they hadn't drawn their weapons, their formation was meticulous, ready to form an array at any moment.

"It's the Yuan Mansion Army," Zhao Xing recognized. Those people belonged to one of the twenty legions of the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom stationed at the exploration base.

"Only the wealthy or noble can mobilize the Yuan Mansion Army. They must at least have the authority of a Marquis."

Noble titles included the authority to mobilize armies. Although a certain sum of money had to be paid, not everyone was qualified to spend that money; people without status wouldn't even be accepted.

Since they were already here, Zhao Xing decided to take it easy. As he approached, he slowly reduced his speed.

The one who greeted Zhao Xing was the Fate Master Wang Yun. He smiled, cupped his hands, and said, "Under the Marquis Yetan's Residence, official Wang Yun, greetings to both fellow Daoists."

Marquis Yetan? Zhao Xing had never heard of him; after all, the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom was vast.

He cupped his hands in return and said, "Zhao Xing, a member of the Purple God Manor, greets fellow Daoist Wang. This is Jing Yan, a royal member of the Crimson Star Empire."

Zhao Xing's identity could be easily verified, but Jing Yan was different.

He wasn't royalty at all, but when traveling, one's identity was what one claimed it to be.

"Crimson Star Empire, Purple God Manor?" Wang Yun felt a bit surprised.

However, this wasn't the place for lengthy discussions, so he didn't ask further and quickly stated his intentions.

"Meeting is fate. Our young lady wishes to invite fellow Daoists for a talk. Would the two of you be willing to grace us with your presence?"