ragginovel Chapter 238 How did he get in?
Chapter 238 How did he get in?
Chapter 239 How did he get in? (Second Update)
After passing through a dense bamboo forest, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
Before a steep, dark green mountain wall stood a man with his upper body bare.
The man was none other than Yun Xiaocheng!
At this moment, Yun Xiaocheng was covered in sweat, his face filled with fervor and excitement.
He was wielding a thunder hammer crackling with blue-purple lightning, smashing it against the mountain wall in front of him again and again.
Especially on his back, a lifelike blue dragon tattoo appeared.
As he continued to hammer and chisel, the dragon tattoo seemed to come alive, faintly emitting a silent dragon roar, continuously providing him with immense stellar power.
"Has this guy already found his lucky break?"
Jiang Mu hid behind a boulder, watching Yun Xiaocheng's desperate, reckless attitude, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes.
He decided not to leave, and comfortably leaned against the rock, leisurely becoming a supervisor in the shadows.
Let's see what good thing this guy can carve out after all that effort.
When the time comes—we'll just rob it!
What? Opportunities can't be forced?
fart!
Since I, Jiang, have seen it, it means that this thing is destined to be my opportunity!
The sounds of smashing echoed continuously through the valley.
It rains down from sunset to sunrise, and then from sunrise to sunset.
Yun Xiaoxiang was like a tireless pile driver, never taking a break.
But as the chisel went deeper, the look of ecstasy on his face grew stronger. The dragon pattern on his back even began to become three-dimensional, as if it were about to burst through his body.
Jiang Mu tried hard to observe the mountain wall.
After looking at it for a long time, he realized it was just an ordinary stone, without even the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy.
"It seems the guess was correct. Those without official quotas are indeed shielded from sight and perception by the laws of the secret realm. Only those favored by fortuitous opportunities can see the physical manifestation of those opportunities."
Jiang Mu understood, which strengthened her resolve to "buy for free".
He waited patiently.
Finally, as the sun rose again, the thunder hammer in Yun Xiaocheng's hand shattered into dust.
"It's done!"
Yun Xiaocheng's eyes lit up.
He was panting heavily, his hands trembling as he reached into the grooves that had been carved out.
With a flash of fireflies, Yun Xiaocheng carefully pulled out a ginseng-like object about a foot long from the groove. The object emitted a soft white light.
Yun Xiaocheng held the treasure in his hands, his eyes burning with desire.
Unable to hide his ecstatic joy any longer, he threw his head back and laughed heartily.
This item is called the "Nine Apertures Divine Root"!
It aligns with the principle of the "nine orifices" of the human body. Once planted in the body, it will resonate with the owner's eyes, ears, mouth, nose and other nine orifices during its growth, forming an internal cycle.
At that time, the speed of absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth will increase several times over.
For any cultivator who wants to reach a higher star level, this is a treasure that can change their destiny!
After all, the higher one's cultivation level, the more spiritual energy one needs to absorb.
If you absorb information slowly, you will inevitably fall behind.
"This thing looks pretty clean, is it easy to use?"
Just as Yun Xiaocheng was immersed in great joy, a curious voice suddenly came from beside him.
"Of course! This is the legendary Nine Apertures Divine Connection—"
Yun Xiaocheng was about to start showing off, but before he could finish his sentence, his smile froze, and a chill ran from his tailbone straight to the top of his head.
He mechanically turned his head.
He then saw Jiang Mu squatting less than three feet away from him, looking at the treasure in his hand with a curious expression.
His eyes were clear, like those of a curious child.
"Jiang—Jiang Mu!?"
Yun Xiaocheng took two steps back in alarm, rubbing his eyes frantically, thinking he was hallucinating from exhaustion. "You—how did you get here?"
Zhou Yuanzhi clearly said that this kid had been stripped of his trial qualification and had crawled back to Huzhou City like a stray dog!
"Oh, Lord Zhou is too soft-hearted. He said the court has changed its mind and wants me to participate in the trial."
Jiang Mu talked nonsense without batting an eye.
"You got involved again? You're talking nonsense!"
Yun Xiaocheng shook his head vigorously, "That's absolutely impossible! Clearly, only the princess and I entered the secret realm. If the imperial court really changed its mind and allowed you in, how could Lord Zhou not have informed us beforehand?"
"Believe it or not. Otherwise, how do you think I got into this heavily guarded secret place? By crawling through a dog hole?"
Jiang Mu was too lazy to waste words with him. She stood up, stretched out her right hand as if it were a matter of course, and beckoned with her finger. "Come on, don't just stand there. Let me take a closer look at that thing that looks like a white radish."
Yun Xiaocheng shuddered and hid the Divine Root behind his back.
"Clang clang clang"
The sword case on his back was wide open.
Dozens of fierce flying swords roared out, swirling around him like a peacock spreading its tail, their tips pointing directly at Jiang Mu.
Yun Xiaocheng stared coldly at Jiang Mu, his voice sharp but weak: "Jiang Mu! I don't care what despicable means you used to get here. Now that you're in, go find your own opportunities, don't waste your time here!"
"Opportunity? I've been looking for it."
Jiang Mu pointed to the treasure that Yun Xiaocheng had hidden behind his back, "Look, I've already found it, haven't I?"
"?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Xiaocheng felt a surge of blood rushing to his chest, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Do you even have any shame?!
"Jiang Mu!"
Yun Xiaocheng's face darkened completely, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Do you even understand the rules of the secret realm? Lord Zhou said when he came that if the opportunity has not yet appeared, and the two of them see it at the same time, they can naturally compete for it based on their own abilities."
But now!
I have personally unearthed this opportunity, and I have imprinted it with my divine consciousness, making it acknowledge me as its master.
Even if you forcibly take it now, it's just a piece of useless wood to you. What use would it be?
"I don't care, I just want to take it if I like it."
Jiang Mu drew the Blood Mad Blade, its tip pointing diagonally at the ground, dark red blood flowing along its blade like blood plasma.
"you"
"Give it to me!"
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Mu's eyes, and he took a step forward.
"boom!"
A blood-red blade of energy, several meters long, slashed down towards Yun Xiaocheng's head.
Yun Xiaocheng's expression changed drastically.
He had experienced Jiang Mu's terrifying, unreasonable fighting power firsthand and dared not confront him head-on.
"Sword and Shield!"
Yun Xiaocheng roared, and the dozens of flying swords swirling around him instantly merged into one, transforming into a giant sword shield with flowing light, which stood horizontally in front of him.
"clang-!"
The deafening sound of the impact echoed through the valley.
The sword and shield trembled violently under the bombardment of the blood-red blade energy, and their surfaces were immediately covered with spiderweb-like cracks.
Yun Xiaocheng let out a muffled groan, forced back more than ten steps by the force of the impact.
"Jiang Mu, I'll take you down with me!"
With bloodshot eyes, Yun Xiaocheng summoned his flying sword once more, hurtling towards Jiang Mu.
After the flying sword was thrust out, he suddenly turned around and ran wildly into the distance, clearly trying to escape.
Jiang Mu raised his left hand: "The God-Trapping Cage!"
"Buzz"
The golden light bar firmly pinned Yunxiao to the spot.
He tried desperately to break free of the cage, but to no avail.
Jiang Mu, carrying a knife, walked step by step to the outside of the cage.
Seeing Jiang Mu closing in step by step, Yun Xiaocheng panicked completely, roaring with bluster but no fear, "Jiang Mu, if you dare to touch me, my Ten Thousand Swords Sect will use all its strength to make you pay! Lord Zhou will also definitely pursue this to the end!"
Jiang Mu stopped outside the cage, her eyes icy: "Just based on the time you deliberately tried to kill me with sword energy in the wilderness, you were already a dead man in my eyes."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Mu gripped the knife with both hands and raised it high.
The dark red blade energy compressed on the blade's edge, eventually condensing into a thin, thread-like scarlet bloodline.
Yun Xiaocheng let out a desperate scream.
The instant the [Binding God Cage] disappeared, a crimson line of blood pierced into Yun Xiaocheng's body.
There was no gushing blood, no severed limbs.
Yun Xiaocheng's screams came to an abrupt halt.
The instant the blood streaked across his body, it suddenly transformed into countless specks of light, which quickly dissipated into the air.
He left behind only one sentence: "Jiang Mu, I swear I will not rest until I avenge this!"
"No-!"
Jiang Mu stared at the dissipating glow, slightly taken aback: "So it was some kind of life-saving technique like an incarnation talisman—it seems he was forcibly teleported out of the secret realm. Probably that old woman Zhou Yuanzhi secretly gave him this life-saving trump card."
Jiang Mu didn't feel any regret, since she had already achieved her goal.
He reached out and caught the [Nine Apertures Divine Root] that had fallen from Yun Xiaocheng's body.
Just as Yun Xiaocheng had said before, this treasure, having already been imprinted with divine consciousness, was now like a piece of withered wood in Jiang Mu's hands, dull and without any spiritual energy fluctuations.
"So what if you've accepted a master?"
Jiang Mu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Once it's in my hands, even a stone will obediently transform into my shape!"
He immediately mobilized the demonic energy in his body's demonic trough and forcefully injected it into the [Nine Apertures Divine Root] through his palm.
Since "divinity" does not recognize him, he will use "demonicity" to forcibly corrupt it!
As the demonic energy continued to erode and cleanse, the jade-like ginseng began to tremble.
At first, it seemed to want to resist, but under Jiang Mu's unreasonable and overwhelming demonic energy, it could only hold on for less than half a cup of tea before the original owner's divine consciousness imprint was completely erased.
Finally, amidst a blinding purplish-black light, the divine object completely succumbed, obediently clinging to Jiang Mu's arm.
Jiang Mu activated his cultivation technique.
The Nine Apertures Divine Root transformed into a white phantom and entered his body.
It eventually connected with his nine orifices.
Immediately afterwards, a complete cycle of spiritual energy formed within the body.
"call-
""
Jiang Mu exhaled a breath of stale air.
He could clearly feel the spiritual energy of the surrounding world flowing into his body through these nine orifices at a speed several times faster than before.
"Yes, it's definitely good stuff."
"Brother Yun is such a good person. He helped me mine for three days and three nights. Thank you for your hard work."
Jiang Mu nodded in satisfaction.
Now, the troublesome Yun Xiaocheng has been forcibly sent out of the secret realm.
Then, in this creation field of the Fallen Soul Swamp, only the high and mighty Princess Xiang Xiuxiu remains.
Jiang Mu finally understood the absurd rules of this secret realm.
Without the official recognition granted by the imperial court, he would be considered an unregistered person blacklisted by the Heavenly Dao, and would have no way to gain any favor from the opportunities in this secret realm, not even be able to see them.
Since fate won't grant it, we'll have to resort to robbery.
"Your Highness, I've come to collect the rent."
Jiang Mu moved swiftly and began searching for Xiang Xiuxiu's whereabouts in the secret realm.
Outside the secret realm of the Fallen Soul Swamp, on a high platform enveloped by layers of concealing formations and defensive barriers.
A gentle breeze carries the fragrance of tea.
Zhou Yuanzhi was sitting upright at a small table, holding a teapot in her delicate hands and pouring boiling tea into a cup.
Sitting opposite her was an elderly man dressed in loose black clothes.
He was engrossed in playing chess.
The old man had an ordinary appearance, but his body was surrounded by dark, demonic energy.
This person was a demonic cultivator secretly planted here by the imperial court to guard the sun-facing entrance to this secret realm.
"Is there really no hope for that kid named Jiang Mu?"
The old man in black picked up a black chess piece, placed it on the chessboard, and casually asked a question.
Zhou Yuanzhi lowered her beautiful eyes, blew on the tender bud floating in the cup, and sighed helplessly: "It's broken. Its foundation has been completely locked. Even with extraordinary abilities, it will be difficult to advance further. What a pity for such a promising seedling."
The old man in black frowned slightly, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes: "What exactly happened to him? The General Headquarters has always valued talent above all else, how could they so decisively abandon a prodigy?"
Zhou Yuanzhi remained silent, only taking a small sip of tea.
This matter involves the secrets of the garrison commander, Shangguan Luoxue.
The headquarters had given strict orders, so she naturally couldn't reveal a single word to anyone.
Seeing that Zhou Yuanzhi did not answer, the old man in black did not press the matter further.
He picked up his teacup and changed the subject: "Speaking of which, things haven't been peaceful in this Fallen Soul Swamp lately. Some time ago, I vaguely sensed the aura of a tenth-tier great demon lingering at the edge of the swamp near the array's core, but it left later."
"Tenth rank?"
Zhou Yuanzhi raised her eyes and asked, "What kind of monster is it?"
The old man in black shook his head: "I don't know. I went to investigate that area afterward, but found nothing. I don't know which ignorant demon it was."
"Won't this affect the secret realm trial?"
A hint of worry appeared between Zhou Yuanzhi's brows.
Although Jiang Mu was eliminated from this trial, there is still a princess among them, and no mistakes can be tolerated.
"Don't worry, absolutely not."
The old man in black said confidently, "The entrance to the secret realm is reinforced by a powerful formation. Unless the enemy launches a strong attack, they will not be able to detect what lies inside."
Zhou Yuanzhi felt slightly relieved, but then something occurred to her, and she hesitated, saying, "Could it be that Valley Master Ye from No Return Valley?"
The old man in black sneered: "Ye Wujun? Although her poison skills are troublesome, she has always been very afraid of death and rarely comes out, hiding in the Valley of No Return."
It shouldn't be her.
Zhou Yuanzhi nodded slightly and fell into deep thought.
Just then.
"boom!"
The secret realm gate on the high platform, formed from spiritual light, suddenly trembled.
Ripples spread outwards in concentric circles, like waves on water.
Immediately afterwards, a blood-covered blue figure flew out of the portal and crashed heavily onto the stone.
"puff--!"
The man coughed up a mouthful of blood as soon as he landed.
"Yun Xiaocheng!?"
Zhou Yuanzhi suddenly stood up, her face full of astonishment.
Yun Xiaocheng's hair was disheveled, and he was clutching a broken piece of sword tightly in his arms. His face was ashen.
"What happened? Why are you out here?"
Zhou Yuanzhi walked over quickly, her jade fingers tapping and sealing the major acupoints on his body, while simultaneously stuffing a healing pill into his mouth.
Yun Xiaocheng clutched his chest, panting heavily, his eyes filled with resentment as he looked at Zhou Yuanzhi: "Lord Zhou, since Jiang Mu has been allowed to participate in the trial again by the General Headquarters, why didn't you tell us beforehand? If we had been prepared, I wouldn't have ended up like this!"
"What? Jiang Mu?"
Zhou Yuanzhi was completely bewildered, her phoenix eyes filled with absurdity. "How could he possibly be inside?"
Yun Xiaocheng gritted his teeth and endured the excruciating pain as he got up from the ground.
He glanced down at his broken flying sword, which he cherished as his life, and trembled with heartache. He said bitterly, "That madman Jiang Mu suddenly appeared, not only ambushing me but also stealing my opportunity. Lord Zhou, don't tell me you didn't know he went in."
"That's impossible!"
Zhou Yuanzhi was even more bewildered, her brows furrowed tightly. "The Chief Commander hasn't reinstated his trial qualification at all. Explain in detail, what exactly happened?"
Seeing that Zhou Yuanzhi was not faking it, Yun Xiao suppressed his anger and recounted the whole story.
After listening to the story, Zhou Yuanzhi and the old man in black looked at each other in bewilderment.
They both saw shock in each other's eyes.
How did this guy suddenly appear?
A moment later, the old man in black let out a chilling laugh, stroking his beard as he said, "I understand. That brat Jiang Mu must have gone to the Valley of No Return to seek Ye Wujun's help. Hmph, in the entire Fallen Soul Swamp, besides myself, only Ye Wujun holds the key to the secret realm!"
Zhou Yuanzhi's face turned extremely ugly, and a chilling murderous intent flashed in her charming eyes: "It seems that this kid is resentful because he was disqualified, so he deliberately ran in to cause trouble and get revenge. I underestimated his ability to scheme."
"I just don't understand why that woman, Ye Wujun, would risk offending the imperial court to help him?"
"It's alright, it's pointless to help anyway."
The old man in black sneered repeatedly, saying disdainfully, "Back then, in order to prevent people from the Valley of No Return from sneaking across, I had already set up a restriction in the laws of opportunity within the secret realm."
Those not recognized by the imperial court are like the blind and deaf when they enter; they cannot be influenced by any opportunities or destiny.
"But he stole my treasure!"
Yun Xiaocheng was so frustrated that tears almost fell from his eyes. That was the Nine Aperture Divine Root that could change his fate!
The old man in black glanced at him and asked, "Before you were robbed of that treasure, did you imprint your own divine sense on it?"
"Of course, I have already bound myself to it with my blood and refined it with my divine sense," Yun Xiaocheng quickly replied.
"That's even better!"
The old man in black said with certainty, "Once a rare and precious treasure recognizes its owner, unless the original owner dies, it will be nothing more than a useless stone in someone else's hands."
Even if Jiang Mu took it, it would be a waste; not only would he not be able to absorb a single trace of spiritual energy, but he would also be repelled by the treasure.
He patted Yun Xiaocheng on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, once the trial is over, I will personally take action and retrieve the treasure from him intact and return it to you."
.
Yun Xiaocheng was still somewhat doubtful, and swallowed hard: "Senior, he—he really wouldn't turn my treasure into his own, would he? That kid is very strange."
"Absolutely impossible!"
The old man in black waved his sleeve and said coldly, "How could a mere fifth-realm cultivator whose foundation has been destroyed erase the mark of recognition? If that treasure can truly become his, I'll stand upside down and swallow three pounds of dung on the spot!"
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