Zhao Xing had no idea that Zeng Zhuo from the Marquis of Yuetan's Mansion had led his team into the Third Trial, only to be blown away by experimental mushrooms.
The entire Third Trial spanned a vast rectangular plain, and when Zhao Xing and Jing Yan passed through, they had carved out a narrow, straight path—like a dividing line—with mushroom spawns scattered on either side. These mushroom spawns had nothing to do with him.
Moreover, by the time Zeng Zhuo arrived, Zhao Xing had already left to handle another issue for Jing Yan.
After consuming the Earth God Pill, which altered his aura and appearance, Zhao Xing had used the Three Divinities Destiny Palace to enter the trial site again, essentially assuming a new identity, like another tomb raider sneaking in to claim the tomb master's treasures. This kind of exploit was practically standard practice.
However, after obtaining the Essence-Stripping Divine Ability, Zhao Xing had focused solely on its research. For more than two years, he hadn't taken anything else.
Grabbing a Divine Ability from the School of Self was already a major gain, so he left the rest of the treasure hunting to Jing Yan.
"Normally speaking, if Jing Yan is just collecting resources, he shouldn't run into any trouble."
"Unless he tries to eat the sheep instead of just shearing it."
"I wonder what kind of mess he's gotten himself into."
Zhao Xing hurried forward, and when he arrived at the tomb palace, his assumptions proved correct.
Jing Yan was trapped in the eastern palace, his body mostly buried underground, with only his head sticking out like a corpse.
"Brother, what's your situation…?"
Zhao Xing didn't rush forward, choosing instead to transmit his voice from a distance.
"As you can see, I've been planted in the ground." Despite being in mortal danger, Jing Yan's tone remained calm.
As expected of an Imperial citizen—they faced life and death with indifference.
"I avoided the Treant Statue in front of the palace and tried to sneak inside."
"But just as I was about to enter, the statue suddenly sank underground, dragging me along with it."
Jing Yan explained what had happened.
Zhao Xing sighed. "Didn't I tell you to be careful? The main tomb in the east is the strongest of them all."
Jing Yan replied, "The problem is, I only sent a Dao Soldier Puppet to scout, but it grabbed my real body instead."
"You mean you got hit by some kind of spatial displacement Divine Ability?"
"Yes, something like that."
Jing Yan nodded. "I was standing at the same distance from the palace as you are now. Then, out of nowhere, the soil came alive, swapping my position with the Dao Soldier Puppet's, along with the space above it."
Zhao Xing nodded thoughtfully. At least Jing Yan had managed to send a Dao Soldier Puppet to call for help.
Between the Third and Fourth Trials, they had left a narrow, open passage.
"I'll take a look first." Zhao Xing began to observe the area.
Jing Yan continued, "Right now, I can't get out—three forces are holding me in place."
"First, the soil. It's solidified, pressing down on me with extreme force, making it impossible to move, and most of my Dao Soldiers are completely immobilized."
"Second, the Treant Statue underground. It's wrapped around my legs, maintaining direct physical contact, constantly interrupting my ability to gather spiritual energy."
"Third, the earth vein's powerful suction. The harder I struggle, the deeper I sink. At first, I tried using Wandering Spirit Heaven, but I couldn't fly out."
As Jing Yan spoke, Zhao Xing was already analyzing the area using different angles and techniques.
Moments later, his expression darkened.
From below ground, Zhao Xing could see that Jing Yan's legs had already been fully petrified into wood, wrapped in countless wriggling roots, steadily corroding his body.
Jing Yan wasn't just restrained—he was being parasitized!
The Treant Statue underground wasn't just a statue anymore. Emerging from its arms, a parasitic plant had begun to grow.
[Name: Mi Luo Flower (Mutated Form)]
[Quality: Rare]
[Realm: Third-Tier (Lesser Divine Ability)]
[State: Peak Condition]
[Talent - Dormancy: The Mi Luo Flower has powerful survival capabilities. In extreme environments, it can enter a lifeless dormancy state and later revive instantly when conditions become suitable, breaking out of its shell.]
[Talent - Parasitism: As a parasitic species, the Mi Luo Flower can synchronize with a host's lifeforce, silently integrating into their body.]
[Divine Ability - Source Poison (Minor): This is not an innate ability, but one developed over time. Source Poison affects both the body and the soul, eventually fully controlling the host.]
…
When Zhao Xing resurfaced, his face was grim.
Jing Yan raised an eyebrow. "Brother, why do you look like that? Am I done for?"
"Not exactly," Zhao Xing replied. "You still have half a life left."
"That bad?" Jing Yan was taken aback. "I feel like I'm just one step away from breaking free. If you pull me a little, I should be able to get out."
"It's not that simple," Zhao Xing sighed. "The Treant Statue beneath you isn't a dead object—it's alive. It's actually a Mi Luo Flower that's been dormant for who knows how long."
The Mi Luo Flower was a descendant of the Flower Deity Lok'ka Clan, classified as a rare parasitic species. It was also called the 'Corpse Dormant Flower.'
In its mature stage, it was First-Tier, and at its peak, it reached Second-Tier.
But this one was Third-Tier!
This meant that the tomb master had likely modified it using a Divine Ability, allowing it to break past its natural limits and reach Lesser Divine Ability Realm.
The first two talents weren't that terrifying. The third one, however—Source Poison—was the real nightmare.
"For someone to cultivate a plant soldier of this caliber, this Shennong of the School of Self must have been close to the Great Divine Ability Realm, even if he didn't actually reach it."
Zhao Xing pondered.
In his previous life, he had known that the tomb master was Third-Tier, but he wasn't sure whether they had been Lesser Divine Ability Realm or Great Divine Ability Realm—even the official records never specified.
Similarly, the Mi Luo Flower had never been documented in the official archives.
That's why, back then, Zhao Xing never insisted on opening the coffin. He was content with whatever gains he could get, because he understood that some things would never be fully revealed.
"A Third-Tier School of Self Shennong tomb, it certainly lives up to its name. So, do I still have a chance?" Jing Yan asked.
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded. This was exactly when teammates proved their worth. "You're lucky it was me you ran into—anyone else, and you'd be done for."
"Follow my instructions exactly. Stop struggling. Right now, it looks like you can still use your spiritual energy, but in reality, half of it is already under the Mi Luo Flower's control."
"It's synchronizing with your spiritual core. If you keep exerting force, it'll use your own energy circulation to fully analyze you and completely take over in the end."
Jing Yan was skeptical. "Why does this sound like a Mechanist's quantum invasion? Am I being hacked?"
"So if I stay still, it can't fully invade me?"
Zhao Xing shook his head. "That's impossible. It's already releasing toxins, causing pain to force you to move."
"You have to endure it. If we were to put it in numbers, it's already taken control of nearly fifty percent of your core essence."
Jing Yan followed Zhao Xing's advice and stopped struggling against it.
But soon, he gasped sharply.
His body, which had seemed fine just moments ago, was now in excruciating pain!
Pain naturally triggers an instinctive reaction—either circulating spiritual energy to heal or struggling reflexively.
Thanks to Zhao Xing's warning, Jing Yan gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and focused on keeping his mind and spirit stable.
But the Mi Luo Flower intensified the Source Poison.
If Jing Yan's willpower collapsed, he would inevitably become nothing more than nourishment.
This meant Zhao Xing didn't have much time to save him.
He needed to act before Jing Yan's mind broke down.
"What's trapping Jing Yan isn't just the Mi Luo Flower—there are also two formations at work."
"One is the underground palace's array, and the other is the earth vein's solidification array."
"Both are confinement formations."
The School of Earthly Advantage Shennong had a sub-branch occupation specifically for constructing burial sites for humans, known as Tombcraft Shennong, often mockingly referred to as 'Funeral Mages.'
The bad news was that these techniques were clearly the work of the tomb master's ally, a high-level School of Earthly Advantage Shennong. The craftsmanship was top-tier, and since the Moonfall Ancient Kingdom belonged to an entirely different era, Zhao Xing couldn't pinpoint exactly which spells were used.
The good news was that after countless years, these formations had weakened significantly.
The entire Moonfall Mausoleum had surfaced because the formation's deterioration allowed a void river to break through. The same erosion had also affected Southfall No. 88.
If someone else had come, they wouldn't have been able to save Jing Yan.
But Zhao Xing quickly came up with a solution.
He used the Mysterious Earth Divine Concealment Technique to stealthily enter the ground, then sent a clone to position itself near the formation's core.
At the same time, he took out two identical items.
One was a Vajra Bracelet.
The other was… also a Vajra Bracelet.
During his two-hundred-year-long equipment upgrade spree, Boundary Dharma Wheel had been replaced, and the older Vajra Bracelet had been sold.
But he never got rid of his original Vajra Bracelets. Now, he had one high-grade and one supreme-grade.
The key to the Vajra Bracelet lay in its fixed power output.
Its strength didn't depend on the user—whether you were a novice or a master, its power remained constant.
Unlike Boundary Dharma Wheel, where a skilled user could unleash overwhelming power, while a newbie might barely get any effect.
Zhao Xing's Straw Puppet Techniques weren't fully adapted to the current cosmic cultivation standards—they were still stuck in spiritual energy-based methods, falling behind in the modern era.
But thanks to the Three Divinities Destiny Palace, he could still exert mid-First-Tier strength.
He placed the larger Vajra Bracelet directly onto the underground palace formation, right beneath Jing Yan.
The smaller Vajra Bracelet was positioned five hundred kilometers to the right of Jing Yan.
At this moment, the scene resembled a mine trap, where Jing Yan was stepping on a landmine, and Zhao Xing was using a combat knife to stabilize it.
"The biggest problem is still the Mi Luo Flower."
Zhao Xing observed the Treant Statue.
It had completely transformed—originally gray-black with a stone-like texture, it was now glowing red. Its roots and bark had taken on the appearance of human flesh and muscle.
It didn't have petals.
Despite being called a flower, the Mi Luo Flower never actually blooms.
Instead, its roots intertwine, resembling twisted human muscles woven together like tree branches.
"To break its control, I need to attack from two fronts."
With the plan finalized, Zhao Xing immediately contacted Jing Yan.
"Brother, stay sharp. I need you to work with me on this."
"Say the word."
Jing Yan was as tough as they come—even though the pain was excruciating, he refused to let it show. No matter what, he wouldn't lose face in front of a brother.
"When I count to three, activate the Military Technique Seal to counter the confinement force, then use Wandering Spirit Heaven to fly upward. You need to sever your body from the waist down—everything below must be discarded."
"No problem." Jing Yan nodded.
"One."
"Two."
"Three!!"
Buzz!
Both Vajra Bracelets activated simultaneously.
The two confining forces suppressing Jing Yan weakened by thirty percent instantly.
Jing Yan seized the moment, activating the Military Technique Seal, further reducing the array's power by another forty percent.
In a split second, the formations were neutralized.
Meanwhile, the Mi Luo Flower suffered a double assault—Zhao Xing unleashed millions of Essence-Stripping Divine Needle strikes, paired with the Three Divinities Destiny Palace's soul attacks.
The Mi Luo Flower's will was disrupted, while Essence-Stripping Divine Needles relentlessly stabbed at its parasitic core and Source Poison origin.
The dual assault forced the Mi Luo Flower to loosen its grip on Jing Yan.
But it was only for an instant.
The next moment, Jing Yan's lower body was completely destroyed.
The Mi Luo Flower stopped pretending—it tried to drain Jing Yan's essence as quickly as possible to complete the parasitic process.
Boom!
Jing Yan burst from the earth, engulfed in thunder and flames.
Only half of his body remained.
Boom! Boom!
A black shockwave erupted underground.
Zhao Xing's clone was instantly torn apart, its remains swallowed by the Source Poison.
At this moment, Zhao Xing's main body was running for his life.
Boundary Dharma Wheel had been pushed to its absolute limit.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground churned violently, turning completely black.
Countless sinister tendrils burst forth from the soil, covered in gnashing mouths and grotesque fleshy protrusions.
The Essence-Stripping Divine Ability had completely disrupted the Mi Luo Flower's biological structure.
It had now transformed into a full-fledged abomination.
Zhao Xing didn't dare look back. He only cursed that his Cloud Technique wasn't fast enough.
With a single shift in light, he scooped up Jing Yan, accelerating straight ahead and diving directly into the Corrosive Space.
"Roar—!"
A furious howl erupted from behind, but it was soon muffled by the gray mist.
Zhao Xing let out a long sigh of relief.
They were finally safe.
"Brother, how are you holding up?"
Only now did he have the time to check Jing Yan's condition.
"Heh… Heh heh heh~"
Jing Yan let out a low, eerie chuckle.
Zhao Xing's eyes twitched. Had the Mi Luo Flower's will invaded his mind?
His instincts kicked in—he immediately raised Boundary Dharma Wheel, preparing to strike Jing Yan down if necessary.
"Hey, hey, relax! I was just messing with you!" Jing Yan quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"..."
Zhao Xing was speechless.
"Let me check."
To be safe, Zhao Xing activated Heavenly Sight of the Soul to scan Jing Yan's spiritual state.
After confirming that Jing Yan was indeed just joking, he finally relaxed.
"Brother, your mentality is truly something else." Zhao Xing put away Boundary Dharma Wheel. "Back when you were studying in the Red Empire Star System, your teachers must have loved you, huh?"
Jing Yan raised an eyebrow. "I hear the sarcasm in that."
"But you're not wrong—my teachers couldn't stand me."
"I was never one to follow the rules."
Zhao Xing had already figured that out—Jing Yan was the reckless, thrill-seeking type, someone who thrived on excitement.
It wasn't necessarily a bad trait for a Mechanist—just like how many Shennong were introverted, preferring to interact with plants over people.
"Alright, quit acting tough." Zhao Xing smirked. "Hurry up and heal yourself, I'll stand guard."
Jing Yan didn't say thanks. Instead, he just pounded his chest with one hand—a silent gesture of camaraderie.
It is often said:
"The predecessors plant the trees, the successors enjoy the shade."
But in this world, sometimes the reality was:
"The predecessors plant the trees, the successors get buried under them."
Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had just survived the Mi Luo Flower's rampage.
Meanwhile, the people of the Marquis Yuetan Mansion were suffering under the wrath of the Illusory Star Mushroom.
The three-year deadline was approaching, yet Hong Qi had not received any reports of success.
Instead, he received terrible news—the chief expedition leader, Zeng Zhuo, along with over two hundred elite members, had all gone missing.
With no choice, Hong Qi took a break from commanding the massive boundary warship and personally traveled to the site.
He crossed through the Star Wheel Labyrinth and the Puppet Passage, arriving at the third checkpoint.
At this moment, the highest-ranking officer present was Fate Master Wang Yun.
Wang Yun had been staring into the gray mist for a long time.
Just as Hong Qi arrived, three tattered paper effigies staggered out from the fog, collapsing at Wang Yun's feet.
Wang Yun's face contorted in just the right amount of pain, as if he were deeply affected by the sight.
If Zeng Zhuo had been here, he would have undoubtedly praised Wang Yun's acting skills—the man was a master at performing in front of superiors.
"Explain." Hong Qi's voice was cold.
"Lord Hong," Wang Yun cupped his fists. "Someone entered before us."
"The plants in the mist were clearly planted recently, specifically to hinder later intruders."
"What did you see?"
Wang Yun, as a Fate Master, had also dabbled in starry sky historiography, giving him a unique insight into the past.
This was precisely why he had risen above his peers.
"Forgive my incompetence," Wang Yun said, "I only managed to catch a vague silhouette."
He lifted his hand, and the three paper effigies burst into flames.
The fire burned in a controlled manner, forming a frame of flickering light.
Within the flames, a towering figure could be seen, standing before an enormous mushroom.
Every time he waved his hand, the mushroom morphed, then was tossed away into the distance.
"A Self School Shennong?"
Hong Qi's gaze sharpened.
Among the adventurers roaming the universe, Self School Shennong were among the rarest.
In the high-level Daoist academies of the ancient kingdoms, there was a saying:
"A Self School Shennong is a one-in-a-hundred-thousand rarity—if you encounter one, you're facing an invincible warrior with a hundred-thousand victories."
"What realm is he at?" Hong Qi asked.
Wang Yun pondered. "Considering that he was able to empower the Illusory Star Mushroom to such terrifying levels, my initial assessment is that he's at least in the Lesser Divine Ability Realm."
Hong Qi's expression darkened.
A Third-Tier Self School Shennong had beaten them to the prize?
The Marquis Yuetan Mansion wasn't afraid of a mere Third-Tier cultivator, but Shennong of this caliber rarely worked alone.
Most Third-Tier Self School Shennong belonged to powerful factions—it was almost impossible for a lone cultivator to walk the Self School path without a backing to provide the necessary techniques.
If this Shennong had a major organization supporting him, then this was no longer just a simple setback—it was a potential diplomatic issue.
For now, they had to swallow this loss.
"Is Zeng Zhuo still alive?" Hong Qi asked.
"He is."
"Rescue him first, but do not attempt to advance further."
"Understood."
With that, Hong Qi returned to the boundary warship and reported back to Lu Yuehan.
"Miss, our team encountered trouble while exploring the Star Wheel Labyrinth's tomb site…"
He carefully explained the situation to Lu Yuehan.
After listening, a spark of curiosity flickered in Lu Yuehan's eyes.
She had encountered many Self School Shennong in the Marquis Masion, but combat-focused ones were exceedingly rare.
The difference between a combat Self School Shennong and a farming one was simple—
The former specialized in cultivating battle-ready plant life, powerful enough to be classified as biological soldiers.
The latter focused on economic crops, growing medicinal herbs, food, or materials for Daoist weapons—plants with little to no combat capability.
Lu Yuehan asked, "Steward Hong, what do you suggest?"
Hong Qi replied calmly, "There are three choices—retreat, kill for treasure, or make an ally."
Lu Yuehan smiled faintly. "I don't lack money. A mere Third-Tier tomb might not bring much wealth to my family, so killing for treasure isn't necessary. Retreating is also not my style. I can't let my subordinates suffer for nothing. If we can make a connection with a strong cultivator, then this loss wouldn't be in vain."
Hong Qi nodded. "Understood. I'll make the arrangements."
Jing Yan was severely injured. Unfortunately, Zhao Xing couldn't heal him—he was a Shennong, not a physician.
Source Poison had infiltrated his body. Only a specialized medical professional could fully cure it.
Jing Yan did have his own solution—he carried a medical Dao Soldier for such emergencies.
However, Source Poison was at the Divine Ability Realm level. The medical Dao Soldier he brought could only temporarily stabilize his condition.
"To fully recover, I have to return to the exploration base." Jing Yan looked down at his damaged body, where multiple crystal tubes were extracting poison from his flesh. "I got too greedy… The money I made at Southfall 88 is all going to my medical bills. Meanwhile, you're playing it safe, brother."
"Anyone who ventures out will make mistakes sooner or later," Zhao Xing reassured him. "Every setback is a lesson—it's not necessarily a bad thing."
"Well said, well said." Jing Yan laughed. "Adventure is all about risk. But this trip to Southfall 88 wasn't a loss—I got to know you, Zhao Xing. I also saw the Mi Luo Flower, a plant of such wonder. I have no regrets, hahaha."
"You didn't walk away empty-handed either. Once you get out, report this tomb—you can still make some money. I won't take a share," Zhao Xing said.
In tomb discoveries, direct exploration gave the highest rewards, while reporting the tomb only yielded a fraction.
For example, in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, the standard rules dictated that those who provided tomb intelligence could receive 1% to 10% of its total value as a reward and merit points, depending on the detail of the report.
Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had found the entrance, cleared three checkpoints, discovered seven main tombs, and even suffered a beating. These experiences alone made their report valuable.
The least valuable information was simply being the first to point at the Star Wheel Labyrinth and say, "There might be a tomb here." That was worth almost nothing.
The Phantom God Star System was filled with potential tomb sites—the real challenge was finding people brave enough to explore them.
Large-scale expeditions like Lu Yuehan's team faced huge expenses, including soldier wages and casualty compensation. Sometimes, they even lost money on a mission like this.
"Don't refuse your cut." Jing Yan argued, "We've gathered a lot of information about this tomb. If we can get 10% of the profits, that might be worth 10 billion.
"Besides, your Big Vajra Bracelet got left behind in there—you should at least get some compensation."
Based on official estimates, Second-Tier tombs were usually valued at below 10 billion, with higher-value ones being rare.
For Third-Tier tombs, their worth ranged from 10 billion to 100 billion, depending on whether they belonged to a Lesser Divine Ability Realm cultivator or a Greater Divine Ability Realm cultivator. Tombs worth more than 100 billion were even rarer.
As for Dao Domain Realm tombs? No set price—their values were simply beyond calculation.
So far, the Phantom God Star System had discovered five Dao Domain Realm tombs. One was found by Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, while the other four belonged to rival kingdoms.
The one discovered by Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom was thanks to King Tianji. He had gone to great lengths to transport an entire Sun Star just to excavate it.
However, the Essence-Stripping Divine Ability Zhao Xing obtained was worth even more.
Perhaps, in the era when this tomb's owner lived, Self School techniques weren't as rare. That's why the tomb's master left it behind so casually.
But in modern times, a Self School Divine Ability could be sold for an astronomical price.
If Zhao Xing chose to sell it, he could instantly earn hundreds of billions, not to mention continuous revenue from licensing it.
In short, he didn't care about a mere 10 billion.
"Cut the nonsense. A man's word is his bond. I said I wouldn't take a cut, and I won't." Zhao Xing laughed. "You shouldn't walk away empty-handed. Take the reward for reporting the tomb, and I'll cover your medical expenses."
Jing Yan nodded and didn't argue anymore.
"When we head back, you'll have to endure a bit." He sighed. "I can't use my military formations right now."
"Do you think that'll stop me?" Zhao Xing smirked. "It's just some Second-Tier Mechanist puppets. Let's go."
Jing Yan followed Zhao Xing as they began their journey back.
But soon, he noticed something strange.
"The path… seems different from before."
He frowned.
"Wait… Why are there so many mushrooms?"
"Wait, wait—are those still Illusory Star Mushroom?!"
Jing Yan was stunned as he gazed into the distance.
"Brother, what the hell have you been doing these past years?"
For over five years, Zhao Xing had been fully dedicated to training his Essence-Stripping Divine Ability.
Since the Corrosive Marsh was perfect for Yin-aligned plant soldiers, he had no idea how many mushrooms had grown within the gray mist.
"Shhh, keep your voice down. Suppress your aura."
"Some Illusory Star Mushroom have exceptionally keen hearing."
"Hearing?" Jing Yan was baffled. Zhao Xing had explicitly said 'hearing', not 'perception'.
What the hell did that mean?
Did the mushrooms… grow ears?!
Jing Yan quickly shut his mouth.
Because he had just spotted a mushroom with ear-like structures—not only that, but its ear flaps were twitching, emitting energy pulses as if listening for echoes.
At that moment, he was speechless.
Even recognizing Illusory Star Mushroom in such an environment was challenging.
But this—this was on a whole different level.
Some of these mushrooms were completely unrecognizable, yet Zhao Xing insisted they were Illusory Star Mushroom.
Even someone as experienced as Jing Yan felt his scalp tingle at the sight of so many strange plant-like lifeforms.
"My father used to say that Self School Shennongs were all lunatics. Back in the empire, I never really believed it, but now… I see it with my own eyes." Jing Yan was secretly shocked.
In the Red Star Empire, even the Self School Shennongs had to follow imperial regulations. Ordinary people had no access to those secret research bases.
What little could be seen on the surface all seemed… relatively normal.
But Zhao Xing was different. He was a self-taught Self School Shennong who trained in the wild without any restrictions.
And now, Jing Yan was finally witnessing the dangerous side of a Self School Shennong.
Even Zhao Xing himself was a little uneasy.
Because he had cultivated Yuanhai Realm, his sensitivity to plant-based life was far greater than Jing Yan's.
"Some of these plant creatures have actually reached the Third-Tier in strength… Did I really create this mess?"
During his cultivation, he had blindly scattered seeds and experimented in a chaotic manner. After years of natural mutation and evolution, he had completely lost track of what these mushrooms had turned into.
"A self-trained Self School Shennong with no structured education… I'm basically playing with fire." Zhao Xing sighed inwardly. "I can't keep doing this recklessly."
It was a miracle that Zeng Zhuo hadn't gotten himself killed yet. Even Zhao Xing, the creator of this mess, was now afraid of it himself!
At the border between the third checkpoint and the second checkpoint, in front of a temporary camp, a group of people was waiting.
"Zeng, he's coming out soon," Wang Yun said, glancing at Zeng Zhuo beside him. "Try not to get too excited."
"I'm not excited."
Wang Yun smirked, pressing Zeng Zhuo back into his Spring Blossom Recliner.
Not excited?
You were about to jump up from your medical chair, for god's sake!
"Maybe you should just stay out of sight, Zeng," Wang Yun suggested. "Lord Hong said that Miss wants to meet this Shennong in person."
"Someone, take Lord Zeng back to his room to rest."
Zeng Zhuo opened his mouth as if to argue but eventually gave in and lay back down.
"Fine. Out of sight, out of mind."
Just as Zeng Zhuo was escorted away, Zhao Xing and Jing Yan emerged from the mist.
"Hm? Someone's waiting for us?"
Zhao Xing's expression darkened.
Because he had cultivated so many mushrooms in the Corrosive Mist, and since they had been fighting each other constantly, his Tianyin Bamboo had lost its warning function entirely.
His clone, which was only First-Tier, wouldn't have survived anywhere in this tomb.
Jing Yan's Dao Soldier Puppets could stay alive, but they couldn't transmit messages between different checkpoints. The area was simply too vast to cover everything.
That's why they were only now realizing that people had entered from outside.
"And it looks like they've been waiting for us specifically," Jing Yan noted, his expression turning serious.
Out here, in the wilderness, the most obvious possibility was someone wanting to kill for treasure.
There were no laws or order in Southfall 88.
"Zhao, you should leave first," Jing Yan said. "I'm from the Red Star Empire—maybe they'll spare me."
"Don't talk nonsense," Zhao Xing scoffed. "The empire's influence is big, sure, but it doesn't apply inside a tomb.
"Look at their scale—they've built an entire temporary base here. Does that look like some random group? Do you think they'll be afraid of one lone imperial citizen?"
"Besides, I don't abandon my friends," Jing Yan declared, summoning his Myriad Dao Soldier and boldly stepping in front of Zhao Xing. "If I say you leave first, you leave first!"
Such a proud Imperial citizen…
Zhao Xing glanced at Jing Yan's head and suddenly paused.
"Wait, don't attack yet. We might not need to fight."
He checked Jing Yan's information—his Fortune Level was still Eleventh-Derivation, unchanged.
If this were a true life-or-death crisis, that Fortune Level should have temporarily dropped.
His own Fortune Level was still at Ten-Tier—no change either.
"Put your weapon away. Just follow my lead," Zhao Xing instructed.
Jing Yan hesitated for a moment before finally stowing his Myriad Dao Soldier.
Shh! Shh!
As Zhao Xing flew forward, he soon spotted a waiting group ahead.
It was a well-trained elite unit.
Though they hadn't drawn their weapons, their formation was highly disciplined—ready to form a battle array at any moment.
"They're Yuan Di Troops," Zhao Xing recognized them immediately.
These were one of the twenty military corps stationed at Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's exploration bases.
"Whoever hired them must be either rich or powerful—they'd need at least a marquis' level of authority."
The nobility system included military deployment rights, but hiring a whole corps wasn't just about having money—you also needed the right status.
If an unranked nobody tried to hire them, the troops wouldn't even accept the payment.
Since we're already here, let's just see what happens.
Zhao Xing slowed his pace as he approached.
The one greeting him was Wang Yun, a Fate Officer. He smiled and cupped his hands.
"Under the banner of House Yue Tan, I am Fate Officer Wang Yun. Greetings, esteemed Daoists."
"House Yue Tan?"
Zhao Xing had never heard of it—but Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom was massive.
He returned the gesture.
"I am Zhao Xing, a member of Purple Moon Mansion. This is Jing Yan, a royal from the Red Star Empire."
Zhao Xing's identity was easily verifiable.
Jing Yan, on the other hand…
He was no royal at all.
But in the wild, your status is what you claim it to be.
"Red Star Empire? Purple Moon Mansion?" Wang Yun raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
However, this wasn't the place to ask too many questions.
He quickly got to the point.
"Fate has brought us together. My lady wishes to invite you both for a conversation.
"Would you honor her request?"