Lin Yun, in conjunction with his Life Panel, had already guessed at one or two things when he saw Wang Chengqian escape his predicament. That was why he wasn't the least bit worried about his own safety now.
This fearless demeanor, in turn, stunned Wang Chengqian.
Lin Yun could act completely unconcerned about this matter, even treating his own life with utter indifference, but it was clear Wang Chengqian couldn't do the same. Who would have thought this boy could disregard even his own life and death?
"You brat, do you have any idea what you're doing?" Wang Chengqian asked, his voice trembling.
Lin Yun nodded. "Of course. I am perfectly aware of what I'm doing. In any case, you need my help right now. But that doesn't mean you can't kill us. I'm a very greedy person. If there aren't some benefits in it for me, don't even think about getting me to help you."
Lin Yun was completely serious; not a trace of hesitation could be seen in his eyes.
Wang Chengqian was certain. If he didn't play along, this boy would absolutely refuse to cooperate. How did he end up encountering such a difficult character this time?
Even the Chongqing Bird couldn't bear to watch anymore. "Are you really not afraid of this guy killing you? Although he's just a spirit body right now, his physical body must be sealed somewhere."
Lin Yun, of course, knew this.
Wang Chengqian spoke again. "I need to find my original body to leave this damned place. And as it happens, only you can help me with this. Let's make a deal. I can give you many benefits here, according to your requests. Whatever you want, if it exists here, I can give it to you. But you must help me find my body. How about it?"
He looked at Lin Yun, knowing that he only needed to convince this boy. As for Qin Xiyan, the girl was merely Lin Yun's accessory.
"Now that's more like it! Only by doing this can we have a true win-win situation." Lin Yun, who had been acting so high and mighty a moment ago, instantly changed his tune. The speed of his transformation left Wang Chengqian dumbfounded.
Hmph, you damned brat. I'll let you be smug for now. The moment I find my body, I will definitely kill you, Wang Chengqian fumed inwardly, deeply displeased by Lin Yun's arrogant posture. What was his status? Even in his past life, he was a renowned figure. Yet now, he was being manipulated by such a young junior. If word of this got out, he would be laughed to death.
"This isn't the real treasure repository. Follow me. The Nether River Dragon Palace has no shortage of treasures."
Lin Yun followed behind Wang Chengqian without any sign of doubt. The man still wanted to leave this place. Logically, there was no need for him to deceive Lin Yun at this point.
As they were leaving, however, Qin Xiyan, who was following beside them, glanced back at the statue of the Shaxue Dragon King. With her keen perception, she immediately sensed something was wrong. The statue's expression had changed. It was an incredibly subtle shift, but it had definitely changed.
What's going on? Don't tell me this statue isn't dead either? At this thought, Qin Xiyan quickly turned to Lin Yun. "Senior Brother, the statue… I think the statue is still alive."
Lin Yun glanced back. That's probably impossible, right? According to his guess, all of the dragons here should have been killed by Wang Chengqian's group long ago, their bodies cruelly turned into statues to prevent them from ever reincarnating. After so long, they couldn't possibly still be alive. Old foxes like Wang Chengqian only survived by using some secret arts. Lin Yun was just trying to see what this guy had done.
Wang Chengqian also laughed and said, "That's impossible. The Shaxue Dragon Clan was completely wiped out by us back then. The remaining statues pose no threat."
Though he said it casually, Lin Yun could sense that accomplishing this feat back then had not been easy. After all, the Shaxue Dragon Clan had once held a dominant position in the world. How could they have been so easily annihilated?
After Wang Chengqian's explanation, Qin Xiyan felt she couldn't say much more. She just cast another curious glance at the statue. It seemed unchanged.
What none of them noticed was that the moment they left, the expression on the Shaxue Dragon King's face changed once again. The majesty that had been mixed with a touch of benevolence was now replaced by pure, utter cold-bloodedness.
Lin Yun was still communicating with Ezu and the Chongqing Bird in his mind.
"I say, Ezu, if you're really planning something else, it's fine to just say it. We're all locusts on the same rope now. I can help you a bit."
No matter what Lin Yun said, Ezu remained silent. Lin Yun had a feeling this old thing knew something. He had been acting strangely ever since they arrived at the Nether River Dragon Palace.
The Chongqing Bird snorted arrogantly. "This fellow is, after all, from a remnant clan of high antiquity. He should be from the same era as the Shaxue Dragon Clan. Perhaps he even knew these people. But so many years have passed. The ancient remnant clans have long since vanished from the Hidden Dragon Continent. Why be so persistent?"
Ezu still didn't take the bait. He knew these two were trying to provoke him into speaking. But for now, he truly had no intention of doing so.
Meanwhile, under Wang Chengqian's lead, the group soon arrived before an opulent, four-story building. Above the entrance were three large characters.
'Heaven-Hiding Pavilion'
"The Shaxue Dragon Clan back then was truly domineering. It is said they collected all the treasures under heaven," Wang Chengqian said with a smile, standing at the entrance. "It's a pity… in the end, they weren't able to take any of these things with them. I will only take you to see the first floor. As for the rest, you'll have to wait until you've fulfilled my request before I help you further." He glanced at Lin Yun. "The first and second floors have no dangers, but if you want to go any higher, you will need the secret incantation."
This was clearly Wang Chengqian's leverage. With this, he wasn't afraid of being unable to control Lin Yun.
Qin Xiyan glanced at Lin Yun beside her. She naturally understood Wang Chengqian's scheme. But they couldn't care less about it.
The Heaven-Hiding Pavilion was resplendent and magnificent. Just standing at the entrance, they were stunned by its opulent adornments. It was clear the Shaxue Dragon Clan of the past was truly powerful. Yet, even such a mighty ancient clan was defeated by humans. It was said that from this point in time, the ancient remnant clans slowly began to withdraw from the stage of history.
Lin Yun was now extremely curious. What exactly had happened in that lost period of history that led to such a massive change in the Hidden Dragon Continent?
And was this… connected to the Zhenhuang Hall?