Chapter 1010 Damn, Triple Gate?
With a loud roar, thick body hair appeared, and then horns grew on the man's head, revealing black bull horns. His appearance changed completely, and his body continued to expand until he finally became a giant minotaur, about the size of the gate and over forty meters tall. He walked upright, his muscles bulging, like a small mountain, and used all his strength to push the gate.
This scene left Jiang Bai speechless with surprise.
I've seen monsters before, and I've even seen them transform into their true forms. The biggest one was Li Yaoji, who was a full ten meters tall. But compared to this one, he was terrifyingly small. This one... was like a mountain.
As for the exact strength, Jiang Bai didn't know, but he roughly estimated that it should be above his own. Even if Jiang Bai cultivated the "Demon Dragon Suppressing Prison Technique", it couldn't compare. This was due to the difference in size.
"The Mighty Bull? I never imagined that this race still exists! I thought they were extinct during the primordial era!"
Xuanyuan Po was also somewhat surprised, and stood there muttering to himself.
Jiang Bai was completely bewildered by what he said, as he didn't understand some of the secrets and details.
But he was too embarrassed to ask Xuan Yuanpo. With so many people around, Jiang Bai didn't want to appear like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world.
So he spent 300 reputation points to ask the system for advice.
The system quickly provided the answer: "The Mighty Bull is a type of demon, a behemoth among bulls, said to have the power to shake the heavens and the earth. This one has a somewhat diluted bloodline and is not purebred. A purebred Mighty Bull is said to be able to move mountains and rivers, and an adult can be thousands of feet tall. In the primordial world, it once split mountains and moved seas."
"However, they have long been extinct. They belong to one of the oldest demon races. If we have to name a typical one, the prototype in the novel Journey to the West is the Bull Demon King! He is a kind of powerful bull."
Jiang Bai was speechless, never expecting to stumble upon a living fossil.
The Mighty Bull was extraordinary, possessing immense strength. With all its might, the giant gate began to crack and rattle, and even a tiny crack began to appear.
The gap was just too small, only about the thickness of a finger, and not enough for a person to pass through.
This had already exhausted the demon, leaving him panting heavily. Helpless, he stopped and, after catching his breath, roared in a low voice like thunder, "This door is too heavy. I can't open it by myself. It weighs at least hundreds of millions of pounds. A few of you come and help me."
As soon as he said that, people immediately took action. Several demons rushed out, as did several martial arts experts. These were all incredibly strong individuals. As for the cultivators…
They could play around with their magical artifacts, and although they possessed immense power, they were far inferior to the monsters before them. Going over there would only take up space and wouldn't be of much use.
Jiang Bai naturally helped as well. The group of people did their best, and after half an hour of exhaustion, they finally managed to open a gap more than one person wide in the doorway.
This had already exhausted everyone; they were all standing there, drenched in sweat.
However, no one seemed to care what would happen to them. Someone rushed in the moment the gap was opened, which made Jiang Bai want to curse those bastards on the spot.
Unfortunately, before he could even curse, a curse came from inside: "Damn it! Are you kidding me?"
One sentence stunned everyone, and then they all went in. Once inside, Jiang Bai felt quite speechless.
He now understood why tomb raiders were unwilling to come here; the stone door at the entrance, more than ten meters thick and made of some unknown material, was enough to give anyone a headache.
Now, another door appeared in front of Jiang Bai and his group. It was exactly the same as the previous stone door, with similar murals and other decorations, but it was made of pure black iron, making it indestructible, and it was also a size larger than the previous stone door.
"Damn it, isn't this a total rip-off?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but curse under his breath. They had all been exhausted just now.
Now another one has arrived, and the shrunk-up bull's eyes are now bloodshot.
But what's the point of being angry? What's the point of being tired?
After discussing it there, they went back to work, but this time they were really outmatched and couldn't budge the door.
Finally, several experts from the Southern Border Witch God Sect came out, and several cultivators also used some magical artifacts and puppets to help. It took a lot of effort to open the second black iron gate.
"Holy crap! Which bastard designed this thing? How did they even manage to do it? Someone tell me!" Jiang Bai burst into anger as he walked through the gap.
Because another gate appeared before them, exactly the same, with the same murals, but even larger, and the entire gate was made of gold.
The massive gate, spanning over a hundred meters, must have taken an immense amount of gold to build. To be honest, Jiang Bai doubted whether there was even that much gold in the world at the time. He wondered how so much gold could have been poured here to form such a gate.
Jiang Bai was quite envious. At least 10,000 tons of gold. If he could take that much gold out, he would definitely be the richest man in the world. He would take nothing else but this gate, and this trip would be worthwhile.
However, Jiang Bai also knew that this was unrealistic.
He absolutely cannot take this door away. Opening the first two doors had already exhausted everyone, and they had to use all sorts of methods to barely open the second door.
Now this third door has appeared. Do you want to open it?
This is no ordinary difficulty.
"Stop looking, we'll have to open the door no matter what. Let's all help." With a wry smile, a master from the Southern Frontier stepped forward. He wasn't from the Witch God Sect, and it was unclear which sect he belonged to. He walked over, placed his hands on the door, and prepared to push it open.
"ah!"
Unfortunately, the moment his hands touched the door, a scream rang out, and a golden light appeared out of thin air from the door, instantly turning the person in front of him into dust, leaving not even a trace of ashes.
This scene immediately alarmed the people around, who became alert and took out their weapons. They looked around and were quite frightened.
"Jiang Bai, where's the key! This door needs a key to open. These idiots didn't know what was going on and just tried to push it with their bare hands. I couldn't stop them in time, and they died."
A cold voice rang out at this moment; it was Ye Qingguo, who hadn't uttered a sound the whole way.
Chapter 1011 When Paths Meet, the Brave Prevail
These words startled Jiang Bai for a moment. He subconsciously thought of the small key in his spatial ring, but then he secretly shook his head. This thing was an absolute secret to him, and no one could possibly know it.
Ye Qingguo was no exception, because Jiang Bai had never mentioned this matter to Ye Qingcheng.
So the key she was talking about is the large key she found at Li Yaoji's place?
Old Cheng specifically gave me this thing before I came in, but... does this thing really work?
For some reason, Jiang Bai had a doubt in his heart.
However, he was quick to act, taking out the item and handing it over. The person who took the item was not Ye Qingguo, but a middle-aged cultivator. No one knew his background, but he had been following Ye Qingguo from the beginning without saying a word, acting like a bodyguard.
However, due to the different systems, Jiang Bai couldn't discern the person's strength.
It should be quite strong.
The cultivator expressionlessly took the key from Jiang Bai's hand, then walked to the left side of the gate, counted the bricks, and pressed them down on a boulder on the left. The next second, a bronze platform appeared in front of the gate. He inserted the key, and then the gate opened slowly and automatically.
This scene startled Jiang Bai, who subconsciously looked at Ye Qingguo. How did she know how to use the key?
You should know that Jiang Bai had seen Xu Fu's notes and the map of the underground palace, and this was not shown on them.
Jiang Bai then stopped dwelling on the matter and smiled bitterly to himself. He had obtained a miniature version of the key in South Korea and had been so clever as to think that the one on Li Yaoji was fake, while his own might be the real key to the Lishan Mausoleum, the real Qin Emperor's secret key, which he treasured and kept as a precious gem.
In hindsight, it was all just wishful thinking.
With a wry smile, Jiang Bai dismissed the thought and followed the others inside. The next second, an underground palace appeared before Jiang Bai and the others. After they passed through the steps, a massive underground palace stood before them.
Here, countless soldiers and horses are made of ceramic, forming a majestic military town that stretches endlessly, representing at least a million soldiers, all vividly lifelike.
It is far more magnificent than the so-called Eighth Wonder of the World. Above this army formation stands a suspension bridge, cast in steel, with even the floor made of iron. It is about ten meters wide and stretches for thousands of meters, leading straight into the distance.
A cast-iron stone tablet stands nearby: "When two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave shall prevail!"
Such a stone tablet left people bewildered, with a sense of bewilderment. Just as they were about to ponder its mystery, someone had already impatiently walked up to it.
The problem with this kind of thing is that if someone takes the lead, others will get restless and follow suit.
There's nothing wrong with it. The suspension bridge is extremely stable, and walking on it is like walking on flat ground. If it weren't for the million-strong army lying across the ground below, it would really feel like walking on flat ground.
However, this suspension bridge is so magnificent and stands here for a reason. Just as they reached the center, the people in front of them suddenly froze. A military melody suddenly rang out, banners were flying everywhere, weapons were everywhere, and the sound of warhorses seemed to come from afar.
Such a scene left everyone around stunned. Before they could react, thousands of banners were already upon them in the distance.
Leading the group was a middle-aged general clad in armor, a terracotta figure of unknown origin. Behind him were cavalrymen, each exuding an aura of menace, all also made of terracotta.
These terracotta warriors have come to life and are charging towards us.
"Hmph, child's play, Yellow Turban Warrior!" Seeing this, a great cultivator sneered and summoned a huge puppet that descended from the sky and landed directly on the iron chain suspension bridge, blocking the way.
Running like a mountain, it charged straight forward, wanting to crush all these terracotta warriors.
Indeed, it did. The Yellow Turban Warrior charged forward, the puppet's power overwhelming everything, sending the terracotta warriors flying, some even having their outer shells shattered.
Jiang Bai and the others followed behind the Yellow Turban Warrior.
Watching him overcome obstacles and forge ahead.
But they soon discovered that they had underestimated these terracotta warriors, or rather, that they were not terracotta warriors at all.
Instead, they were a group of living dead who somehow created these things back then. When these external terracotta figures broke, the people inside were revealed.
Yes, they are people, living people, yet not people, because their eyes are all bloodshot and expressionless, looking like machines; calling them living dead would be more accurate.
Because they are no longer considered human.
He had no trace of humanity about him, his skin was ashen, and he looked extremely strange.
"These are all living dead, don't hold back, kill them all." I don't know who said this.
But before he could speak, the expert controlling the Yellow Turban Warriors had already made his move. Unfortunately, this time the Yellow Turban Warriors were not as effective as before.
Under the general's leadership, these undead displayed tremendous power. Each of them possessed the strength of a top-tier expert, and some officers were even stronger, reaching the level of peerless masters.
The leading general was a master who was close to the Heavenly Realm. In Jiang Bai's view, he was only one step away from breaking through to the Heavenly Realm.
Unfortunately, they still couldn't get to that point.
In a one-on-one fight, even the Yellow Turban Warriors were no match for that general. Moreover, these people formed some kind of strange formation together, their combined energy and blood made them incredibly powerful. They killed the Yellow Turban Warriors in a single move.
"Ancient military formations? Such things have long been lost. My Human Emperor family only has some fragments. How could someone possess such a thing?"
Xuan Yuanpo of the Human Emperor Family was a discerning person. Legend has it that the Human Emperor created martial arts, and martial arts cultivation was initiated by the Human Emperor. He was the patriarch of all martial arts practitioners. No one understood these things better than the Human Emperor Family.
So he saw it at a glance, and said somewhat flusteredly.
He then gave a bitter laugh and said dryly, "How could I be so stupid? What kind of place is this? What couldn't happen in the Lishan Mausoleum?"
As soon as he finished speaking, screams came from ahead, because the army led by the living dead general had begun to shift its target, heading straight for the cultivator who had made the first move and controlled the Yellow Turban Warrior.
Startled, he quickly took out a magical artifact to try and defend himself.
Unfortunately, the magic weapon was destroyed in an instant, and the person screamed in agony as he was cleaved in two by a beam of red light.
Chapter 1012 Giving Up the Fight
"Everyone be careful! Let's move together and charge!" someone roared.
Since this place is said to be a narrow passage where the brave prevail, then naturally one must rush through. Based on the basic literal meaning, some people believe that as long as one rushes through, it will be safe.
His words inspired everyone to work together.
Having come to this Lishan Mausoleum, although everyone is at odds with each other, each has their own camp, and each fights their own battles, when danger truly strikes, whether for personal gain or for the greater good, no one can hold back at this moment.
They charged out one by one, colliding with the army formation in front of them.
"Ancient military formations can gather the power of everyone and unleash several times the combat power. They are one of the most terrifying formations. When the human race rebelled against the heavens, these ancient military formations played an indispensable role."
"This is the essence of my ancestors' life's work, which was carried forward and developed by the Qin Emperor. It was this that Qin Emperor relied on to unify the six kingdoms."
"I never expected that something like this would be used in the tomb."
"We don't need any powerful experts. A single Heavenly Realm warrior leading the charge, if they can gather 100,000 elite troops, can kill us all in one move. It seems that Lishan Mausoleum is not a place of certain death. The Qin Emperor has shown some mercy."
"This is just a test, not a sure-fire way to kill. Otherwise, we would be dead by now." Standing at the back, Xuan Yuanpo squinted at the distance and whispered these words to Jiang Bai beside him. He didn't make any move himself, just watched the people in front of him fight desperately.
"Not a sure-fire way to kill?" Jiang Bai paused for a moment, narrowed his eyes, and seemed to be deep in thought.
Logically speaking, tombs are of paramount importance. To prevent tomb raiding, traps and formations are set up with the aim of killing anyone who dares to invade, because this is a place where the dead must rest undisturbed.
But judging from Xuan Yuanpo's words, it's clear that the Qin Emperor was holding back, giving them a glimmer of hope.
This... is something that makes one think deeply.
The First Emperor was a man of great talent and ambition; he could not possibly have failed to consider all possibilities. There must have been a profound reason for his actions.
"Let's not talk about that now, getting through is the most important thing!" Jiang Bai said, squinting his eyes. What's the point of talking about this under the circumstances?
Rushing through is the most important thing.
As for whether the First Emperor had other intentions, we can only discuss that later; there's no time to worry about that now.
His words won the approving glances of those around him, and then one by one, they rushed out under Jiang Bai's leadership. Xuan Yuanpo was no exception. He took the lead and punched out a soaring golden dragon, which broke through the many obstacles and killed the leading general on the spot.
The overwhelming power of the celestial position was fully revealed.
This place isn't a dead end; it's just isolated from some petty villains. It's not too dangerous, and attacking it didn't take up too much of the strength of those present.
After all, they were all elite figures from their respective schools and sects. Although some of the most prominent figures stipulated that the minimum requirement was the Great Star rank, there wasn't a single one of them here.
Everyone here is at or above the Heavenly Rank. Those who are not in Heaven are just ants. People below the Heavenly Rank have no right to be here.
The remaining twenty-eight people are all Heavenly Realm experts, including Xuan Yuanpo, a true Middle Heavenly Realm expert from the mysterious and unpredictable Human Emperor family.
The extent of his skill is self-evident.
If Xuanyuan Po has such strength, do others not?
Jiang Bai thought otherwise.
We're not all part of the same system, so it's hard to say how capable the others are right now. However, there might be someone among us who can rival Xuan Yuanpo.
These cultivation sects have existed for countless years, some even claiming to have originated in the primordial era. Although this is clearly boasting, it still reveals their profound foundation.
In such a large group, if there aren't a few truly skilled individuals, what would happen?
Xuanyuan Po is powerful, but that doesn't mean others are any less capable than him; they just haven't shown it yet.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai couldn't help but glance at Ye Qingguo, who was standing not far away in a white dress.
This woman had told me before that her strength was far inferior to mine, and that I was much stronger than her. At the time, I foolishly believed her.
Looking back now, it was perhaps another kind of test she was taking.
Judging from the things Xuan Yuanpo and the others said in the past two days, this youngest saintess of the Supreme Dao, a genius who appears only once every ten thousand years, may not be inferior to him, a celestial master in his twenties.
They were clearly being modest before.
With everyone working together and putting in a lot of effort, they quickly crossed the seemingly endless iron chain suspension bridge.
As Xuanyuan Po said, this is not a deadly trap, but just a small obstacle, designed to prevent unnecessary people from entering and to let in those who are truly qualified.
This is something that should give us pause for thought.
This is clearly not normal, what's going on?
Did you think this was some kind of treasure waiting for someone destined to find it?
This is the Lishan Mausoleum, the tomb of the First Emperor!
It's not a public place that just anyone can come and go as they please, and letting them in... it unconsciously makes people feel a little scared.
"Tell me, why did we get in so easily? Although those things outside seemed terrifying, they killed one of us unexpectedly. Yet we broke through easily when we joined forces. This is clearly not the kind of defense that the First Emperor should have."
There's more than one smart person. While Jiang Bai was deep in thought, someone on the other side had a sudden change in expression and said with great concern.
These words made the faces of those around them turn ugly. Ye Qingguo was the first to step forward, glanced at Jiang Bai, then at Xuan Yuanpo, and said coldly, "Xuan Yuanpo, although we are not on good terms, this First Emperor's Mausoleum is full of strange things. I think we should put aside some of our personal prejudices."
"Even if we don't work together, at least we shouldn't fight each other. What do you think?"
"I agree. What about you guys?" Xuan Yuanpo nodded in response, then glanced at the demons not far away and the experts from the Southern Frontier on his left.
The result was that everyone nodded in agreement.
No matter what your intentions were before, entering this place is like entering a completely different world, where all past grievances and grudges can be temporarily put aside.
Because they must work together to face greater dangers.
The danger comes from the tomb right in front of them.
Having received a positive response, Ye Qingguo led the group into the dark cave.
As soon as they stepped inside, torches suddenly lit up the surroundings, and a dark portal appeared before them.
Black light flashed, and space seemed to distort, spinning continuously within the gate to form a vortex.
Chapter 1013 The Old Man Who Appeared Out of Nowhere
"What...what should we do?" Jiang Bai hesitated for a moment when he saw the scene in front of him. There was obviously no other place to go. There was only this one gate. What should he do now?
"The gate to distorted space leads to another space, which may be a desolate place or not. It's hard to say until we go in."
With narrowed eyes, Xuan Yuanpo spoke with some seriousness.
The Twisted Space Gate, to put it simply, is a gate connecting to another space, which is exactly the same as the cave worlds where these sects and powerful figures reside.
It won't be something exaggerated like crossing the universe; rather, it's about entering a space that exists within a planet.
It's hard to say what kind of place it is. Some may be extinct wastelands, while others may be a vibrant little world. Who can say for sure?
"It seems that Lishan Mausoleum is just as we thought, a hidden underground world." Someone said noncommittally, without showing as much surprise as Jiang Bai.
Before arriving, many people had speculated about this place. Some thought it might be a huge underground palace, but these were just scholars' speculations.
True experts, however, believe that the Lishan Mausoleum may be a hidden underground world, where the true burial place of the First Emperor is located.
However, without entering it, no one can presume to know.
Now that the item is right in front of us, some people's judgments have been proven correct.
Following the group into the room, Jiang Bai felt as if he were surrounded by water ripples. It was dark, but warm and cozy. There was no fear as he had imagined. He floated slowly in the water. After about ten minutes, a light appeared directly in front of Jiang Bai and the others.
The next second, blinding sunlight appeared in front of Jiang Bai, and a brand new world revealed its true nature.
Jiang Bai and his group were in a lush, green plain. In the distance, surrounded by mountains, a massive city stood majestically, its walls tens of feet high, its formidable gates inspiring awe.
A gentle breeze blows, making one feel refreshed and invigorated.
The only strange thing was that the place was not full of life. Although the grass was lush and green, there was no sign of life. It was as if there were no living creatures around, and the deathly silence made people feel depressed.
"Look, what's that!"
Just then, someone suddenly shouted in surprise, pointing to the horizon in the distance.
This drew everyone's attention, including Jiang Bai's; everyone turned their gaze in that direction.
A majestic celestial palace appears and disappears among the clouds above the distant city, as if it were lifted up from thin air and floating among the clouds.
"The Heavenly Palace on the Clouds!" This phrase almost popped into everyone's mind at that moment.
This is the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds. Just as its name suggests, it is a palace floating above the clouds. It is a place that Xu Changsheng strictly forbids them from entering at will.
Unconsciously, Jiang Bai felt a little lost and wanted to go inside to find out what was going on.
He knew that he was not the only one with this thought; there must be many other people who shared it.
However, due to Xu Changsheng's orders, no one dared to express their own thoughts freely.
"Holy crap, what's that? The Twelve Golden Men? They can't have found them so easily, can they?" Just as some people were admiring the Heavenly Palace on the cloud in the distant sky, someone else exclaimed, pointing to the statues standing behind the distant city.
This made everyone look in the direction he was pointing, and they saw twelve golden figures standing tall behind the majestic city gate in the distance, like mountains, under the sunlight.
If you don't look closely, it's really hard to tell that these are twelve golden figures, because they are divided into two rows, standing on both sides of the road in the city. If you don't look at them at an angle, it's hard to make out what they are.
Faced with this situation, not only was the man utterly astonished, but even Jiang Bai felt... it was too simple.
Their purpose in coming here was to find the Twelve Golden Statues. They originally thought they would have to go through many dangers to find them, but unexpectedly, after encountering such a small problem, they actually saw the Twelve Golden Statues.
This is way too easy!
Wasn't it said that Mount Li was fraught with danger? Wasn't it said that this place was fraught with peril?
Isn't there a map too?
Jiang Bai went to great lengths to find this thing. He even looked at it and saw that it was a map of a palace. Jiang Bai thought it must be an underground palace.
Now it seems that damn, that thing was completely useless.
Isn't that nonsense?
Jiang Bai found this situation somewhat unacceptable.
Instead of being happy, they felt a chill in their hearts. It was too abnormal that they had gotten what they wanted so easily.
It's abnormal and terrifying.
The First Emperor wasn't an idiot. He had to go to great lengths to build his mausoleum at Mount Li, and he had a lot of maps and secret keys. Yet a few experts easily broke into it.
If that were the case, the Lishan Mausoleum would have been destroyed countless times already.
When Qin Shi Huang destroyed Wu, he had countless enemies. He wielded his sword to quell the chaos, and all the feudal lords came from the west. Damn, he had so many enemies!
If the Lishan Mausoleum were so simple, people would have been reduced to ashes countless times over.
"Hehe, so many people here, I haven't seen so many people in many years. Young friends, may I ask what brings you here? Is it for these twelve golden statues or some other object?"
Just as Jiang Bai was deep in thought, a cheerful voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone. They all looked behind them with surprise and uncertainty, even the usually cold Ye Qingguo, her mouth slightly agape, as if she had encountered something extremely surprising.
Looking behind them, they saw an elderly man, dressed in coarse linen clothes, with long hair tied up on his head, a slightly hunched figure, and a face full of wrinkles and spots, who looked to be at least eighty years old, standing there with a smile on his face as he looked at the group of people around him.
This terrified these people.
One by one, they were filled with surprise and doubt, and in an instant they took out all their weapons. Even Jiang Bai was no exception, taking out Tiger Soul and holding it horizontally in front of his chest.
Damn, this is the Lishan Mausoleum, the tomb of the First Emperor!
The ease with which they entered was already unsettling, but now someone suddenly appeared silently behind them all, saying something like that. Isn't that terrifying?
Chapter 1014 Three Barriers Before the Palace
Who are you?
A long sword was already horizontally across his chest, and Xuan Yuanpo asked with extreme vigilance.
The old man's appearance was so strange, so silent and stealthy.
They are all experts; there is not a single one below the Heavenly Realm present. Even in the darkest night, they can sense the movements of people, animals, shrimp, crabs, and fleas within a radius of a thousand meters.
There were dozens of people together, including some with strange methods, both human and demon, yet none of them noticed the old man approaching.
How abnormal is this?
No wonder Xuan Yuanpo reacted this way. Not to mention them, everyone else reacted the same way, as if they had seen a ghost.
"Hehe, young friends, don't panic, don't panic, I mean no harm." The old man stood there and said with a smile, as if he didn't see the swords and magical treasures in front of him at all.
Or perhaps he simply didn't care about these guys waving swords in front of him.
But no one listened to him at all. Instead of relaxing, his words made people even more nervous.
Ignoring the group's neurotic behavior, Jiang Bai acted decisively, putting away his weapons and stepping forward to ask the old man in front of him, "Old man, who are you? What brings you here?"
He could see clearly that the person had appeared here silently, and they hadn't even noticed him if he hadn't spoken. This was enough to prove that the person's strength far surpassed theirs. Under these circumstances, even if they wanted to resist, it would be futile.
It would be better to just give up and see what this old man is up to. After all, he's standing here smiling and talking to us. Even if he has ulterior motives, he won't make a move right away, right?
Otherwise, why waste words? Just wipe them out, and who can do anything about it?
"This young man understands human language. Hehe, well, I'm a human being."
"Damn it, that's like saying nothing at all." Jiang Bai's forehead immediately darkened.
"I know you're a person even without you saying it."
The old man then looked at Jiang Bai and the people behind him and said, "I've lived here for some years. Well, you don't need to know who I am. Just think of me as a guardian of the spirits here."
"No one has entered this Lishan Mausoleum for many years. What are you doing here?"
"That's obvious. Of course, no one has come in for many years. I'm afraid no one has come in since it was built!"
"What are we here for? We're here to search for treasure, why are you asking?" Everyone couldn't help but think this, but no one said a word.
In the end, it was Xuanyuan Po who took the lead. Born into a family of emperors, he had a natural leadership style, liked to take the lead, and liked to lead by example.
Of course, Jiang Bai thought this was a bit silly.
I don't know, isn't it because the nail that sticks out gets hammered down?
However, Xuan Yuanpo's thoughts were clearly different from Jiang Bai's. He stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Old sir, we have our own reasons for entering Lishan Mausoleum and disturbing the mausoleum. The seal of the underground world outside has been loosened. Now, the whole of China is working together to fight against hell, but we are already somewhat powerless."
"Therefore, we have no choice but to enter the Lishan Mausoleum to retrieve the Twelve Golden Statues to suppress the universe. We apologize for any intrusion. We humbly request that you, sir, show us the way for the sake of all living beings."
Jiang Bai was speechless. Listening to Xuan Yuanpo speak made him feel so angry that he got goosebumps. He kept talking about the common people and all that, which was the most annoying thing ever.
Jiang Bai found the old man in front of him more to his liking. Upon hearing this, he immediately scoffed and said with a cold laugh, "I've lived here for many years. Well, how many years exactly? It's hard to say. I was in a deep sleep for many years, but a few years ago, two young men came here and woke me up."
"For the past few decades, I've been sleeping and waking up here all by myself, never going out. What does the outside world have to do with me? What does the fate of all living beings have to do with me?"
"So don't tell me that!"
However, after saying that, he changed the subject and smiled noncommittally, "But I'm really bored here all by myself. If you want to get the Twelve Golden Men or something, I can help you."
"Please enlighten me, sir," Xuan Yuanpo asked with a fist and a bow, his face full of joy.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but narrow his eyes. The old man's words had a hidden meaning. He had been here for who knows how many years.
Damn, who exactly is this old man?
Why are you here?
Two young men from a few years ago? Did someone come here before? Who are these two people?
Jiang Bai couldn't help but seem thoughtful. In fact, many people were pondering these questions.
None of the people who are able to come here are fools; they are all the chosen ones, intelligent individuals, otherwise they could not have reached this point at such a young age.
Some of them have obvious personality flaws, such as being arrogant and disdainful of others, or having a high opinion of themselves and looking down on others, etc. However, without exception, they all suffer from genius syndrome, and none of them are real idiots.
So it was clear that more than one person noticed what the old man was saying; the eyes of everyone present unconsciously began to flicker, and no one knew what they were thinking.
Even with his smiling face right now, who can say that Xuan Yuanpo doesn't have any other thoughts in his mind?
"Hehe, hints and all that? It's very simple. If you want to take the Twelve Golden Statues, it's very simple. Just pass three tests!" the old man chuckled.
"Pass three trials?" Jiang Bai and the others looked completely bewildered.
"Yes, pass three tests! See that city? To enter it, you must enter through the main gate. There are three tests. Once you pass them, you will be able to reach the central palace of the mausoleum."
"The twelve golden statues are right there. If you want to take them, you must pass through the three gates in front of the palace."
The old man chuckled and finally took out his hand from his sleeve, pointing with a withered, yellow finger at the majestic city ahead.
"Is there any other way?" Xuan Yuanpo looked at the majestic city in front of him, frowned, and asked in a low voice.
He didn't know what the Three Passes were, but the fact that they could be set up in the Lishan Mausoleum meant they were no ordinary objects. To say they were without danger would be a lie. He didn't want to get hurt, which is why he asked the question.
But after asking that question, he was met with a disdainful sneer from the old man in front of him.
Chapter 1015 People Who Came In Before
After a cold laugh, the old man said in a strange tone, "Young man, you are young but have good cultivation. I thought you were a smart person. Why do you keep thinking about things that don't require effort to gain anything?"
"The three passes in front of the palace were specially set up by the First Emperor at the Lishan Mausoleum."
"He also knew that without an everlasting foundation and an everlasting tomb, even if the Lishan Mausoleum was unprecedented, someone would inevitably enter it and break through its limitations one day."
"The Lishan Mausoleum contains countless rare treasures, martial arts manuals, magical artifacts, and fine silks and satins, all housed in the palace in the center of this city. The twelve golden statues you are looking for are all there!"
"If you could just walk in and take whatever you wanted without any reason, would the Lishan Mausoleum have been preserved to this day? It wouldn't be your turn in the first place, would it?"
"Back then, Xiang Yu, who could uproot mountains and rivers, Zhuge Liang, who was as wise as a demon, and Liu Ji, who slew dragons—weren't they all people who emptied this place long ago? Do you think you have the right to talk to me about wanting to take the Twelve Golden Statues? Dream on!"
"I'm not afraid to tell you, inside the Lishan Mausoleum, those who are destined to enter and pass three trials can take one thing, and that's all."
"As for what to take, that's up to you."
"Anyway, to obtain the Twelve Golden Statues, at least twelve people must enter the three trials and pass them. The rest will not be taken; only one of the Twelve Golden Statues will be selected."
"Of course, whether you can get through the three trials is another matter, and talking about whether or not to take the twelve golden statues is even more pointless and unnecessary. You might not be able to get through them."
One sentence caused everyone around to change color.
These people thought they were the only people to enter the Lishan Mausoleum in two thousand years, but now it seems that this is not the case. Before them, there were other people who had entered the Lishan Mausoleum, and they were all prominent figures. They passed through the three gates in front of the palace and took some things away.
This news was shocking. Everyone, including Jiang Bai, was wondering how these people got here without the Qin Emperor's key.
Or is it that the Qin Emperor's key was not always kept in the hands of Li Yaoji and his Long-Armed Divine Ape clan, but changed hands several times?
But then it returned to their hands?
These things involve many ancient secrets. Jiang Bai and his companions could only speculate and could not know the exact details. But even so, it was astonishing enough.
However, the fact that they entered and only wanted to do one thing caused everyone present to turn pale.
Damn it, I came here to make a name for myself, to achieve success and fame, and to make rapid progress.
Now, if we have to choose only one, who will be the one to sacrifice?
What a joke! We all entered together, and nominally we all came for the Twelve Golden Men. Now, at least twelve people have passed the three trials before the palace, but they can't get anything useful to them. They can only get one of the Twelve Golden Men.
What is the significance of their coming here?
Is this really a market bailout?
"Damn it, Xu Changsheng!" Jiang Bai was the first to react and couldn't help but curse under his breath.
This surprised everyone present, and then they all realized what was going on.
Damn it, Xu Changsheng said before that no gold, silver, jewelry, silk, satin, divine weapons, peerless magic treasures, or unparalleled martial arts techniques could be taken. Only the Twelve Golden Men could be taken, otherwise, the consequences would be borne by the perpetrators.
They thought it was a joke, but now it seems this guy already had some information and knew about the situation here, which is why he said that.
He said he wouldn't pursue the matter and let them take whatever they wanted, which made many people secretly happy at the time. But now it seems... damn it, this was premeditated, because he already knew they could only take one item.
If you take other things, you can't take the Twelve Golden Statues. If you walk out without taking the Twelve Golden Statues... you try it!
Xu Changsheng said he didn't care and wouldn't pursue the matter. Damn it, anyone who believes that is a fool.
Xu Changsheng may not pursue the matter further, but would those influential figures who sent him to retrieve the Twelve Golden Men let them go?
Once inside, you passed the three gates before the palace, but for your own benefit, you took some other things, resulting in the twelve golden statues not being taken out.
This is absolutely a heinous crime!
People are going to die!
At this moment, no one present considered whether they could pass the three trials before the palace.
Those present were quite confident in themselves. They were all the most elite disciples selected from various schools and sects, the youngest and most capable individuals, each a prodigy and a dragon among men.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been sent here. The Three Gates before the Palace may sound scary, but if others can get through them, they certainly can too.
In their eyes, Liu Ji, who slew the dragon, and Xiang Yu, who could uproot mountains and rivers, were all trash. They were just born at the wrong time. Otherwise, if they had been born in the same era, they might not have been any worse than each other!
If those people can get through it, why can't these people get through it?
However, these were clearly overly optimistic views, and even Ye Qingguo's eyes revealed a hint of confidence.
But Jiang Bai wasn't so optimistic. He wondered who would be able to get through.
Xiang Yu, the mighty King of Chu; Zhuge Liang, a strategist of unparalleled wisdom; and Liu Bowen, who claimed to have severed the dragon veins and slaughtered the true dragon.
For thousands of years, only three people have been able to enter and take things away.
Of course, it seems that the two young boys from decades ago that the old man mentioned were also among them.
Aside from these two people, no one else could do this. Just how difficult is that?
Jiang Bai was already somewhat alarmed.
Jiang Bai didn't know how these people got here, nor how they passed the three trials, but he knew that if they could get here, there must be others who could too.
But what about these people? Did they return defeated, or did they perish in the process?
In short, these people are all chosen ones, heroes of our time.
Among them were some exceptionally capable individuals, but where are they now?
The three passes before the palace are far from simple.
"Didn't they say that without the Qin Emperor's key, one couldn't enter the Lishan Mausoleum? How did the people who came in before manage to get in?" Everyone was eager to try and pass through the three checkpoints in front of the palace.
As they pondered how to persuade others to take the Twelve Golden Statues while they themselves took some good stuff, Jiang Bai suddenly asked this question.
"Hey, of course we need the Qin Emperor's key, but how could those little monkeys possibly guard it?"
"Back then, their clan offered this thing up several times to save their lives, allowing people to enter the Lishan Mausoleum and then take it away for safekeeping. This allowed their clan, which was not tolerated by humans and demons, to barely survive."
"These people naturally had already gained power back then, and were chosen by these monkeys to be their backers."
Chapter 1016 Human Hearts
"This was something the First Emperor had foreseen long ago. He gave those little monkeys the Qin Emperor's key with this intention in mind, so that they could lead heroes from all over the world into the palace. Unfortunately, those little monkeys were not very bright and did not understand much."
The old man chuckled, seemingly unsure of his exact identity, but apparently he knew quite a lot.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask, "System, who is this person?"
"Hehe, want to know? Ten million."
"roll!"
Upon hearing this number, Jiang Bai immediately ignored him. "Knowing an identity costs ten million? Aren't you kidding me?"
Squinting, Jiang Bai couldn't help but speculate about the old man's identity, wondering who he was, but unfortunately, he couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried.
He once speculated whether it was the First Emperor.
However, he quickly dismissed the idea, because it was impossible.
Xu Fu's notes clearly record that the First Emperor died.
Moreover, given the character of this emperor who suppressed heaven and earth and dominated the universe, if he had not died, how could he have been willing to give up his eternal legacy and guard this empty tomb alone?
This is clearly illogical.
After thinking for a long time, Jiang Bai still couldn't come up with a solution, so he decided to give up.
Of course, it wasn't that he didn't want to continue his contemplation, but rather that his thoughts were interrupted. Huang Tianfang, who came from the Desolate Martial Plains, chuckled and came over, saying to Jiang Bai, "Brother Jiang Bai, you're so young, the things inside won't be of much use to you."
"Unlike me, I'm almost two hundred years old and I'm only at the Heavenly Realm. My lifespan is almost over. In another hundred years or so, I'll be dead. But with your level, it's really hard to break through."
"This trip to Lishan Mausoleum is an opportunity; there must be something inside that can help me overcome my obstacles."
"However, we cannot leave out the Twelve Golden Statues. Among us martial artists, someone must take them, otherwise we will be looked down upon. Just now, Xuan Yuanpo and the others were muttering about calculating based on the number of people."
"There are thirty of us in total, but now there are only twenty-eight. However, we should at least take twenty percent. Considering many issues, we need to take two golden statues out of the six martial arts practitioners to make it barely acceptable."
"How about we go in later, and you take the golden statue? Consider it helping your brother out."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow and sneered inwardly.
Human nature! We haven't even entered the picture yet, and they're already scheming?
After entering, they took the golden statue, while the others went to get divine weapons, peerless magic treasures, elixirs, and unparalleled martial arts.
What's the point of him? What's he doing here? Is he just risking his life for nothing? Does this guy think he's stupid?
Before Jiang Bai could refuse, Huang Tianfang quickly added, "Of course, I won't let my brother suffer a loss. I'll definitely share the benefits with you, and we can study the ultimate techniques together."
"If it's some kind of miracle cure, I'll use it first, and then I'll find a way to replenish it for you, brother!"
"Hehe." Jiang Bai chuckled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Seeing the other party looking at him nervously, he casually replied, "If we can get in, we'll talk about it then."
Huang Tianfang was clearly somewhat dissatisfied with this answer, but he also knew that it was a bit unreasonable to ask someone to do something they wouldn't want done to themselves.
Making someone risk their life to make a wasted trip is indeed a bit excessive. He wasn't very familiar with Jiang Bai; they had only known each other for a short time. Although they addressed each other as brothers, they weren't that close.
Now, if he were to ask someone to retrieve the golden statue, he would benefit. Jiang Bai isn't stupid, so naturally, he wouldn't agree immediately.
But there's no rush, Jiang Bai didn't explicitly refuse, did he?
It's best to talk about these things after we're inside.
In fact, this scene was not only observed in Jiang Bai's area, but also among the crowd not far away.
The experts from the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect wanted other witch sects to take on the task of retrieving the golden man, but the other side wanted the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect to take on the task. They were currently discussing it in hushed tones, but judging from their expressions, they were already blushing.
The demons were a bit better off; they were more united and calmer. They also had the fewest numbers. A few of them started whispering among themselves, as if they had reached some kind of agreement. After all, there were only four of them, so it was easier to divide them up.
Moreover, the demon race is a place where strength speaks, so it's obvious that the one with the lowest cultivation level will be the one who suffers.
Jiang Bai noticed that one of the middle-aged demons had a gloomy expression, and figured he was the unlucky one who had been assigned to the task.
He was powerless to resist his powerful companions and could only stand there with a gloomy expression.
The real chaos was among the cultivators, who were the most numerous and came from different sects, each fighting their own battles.
There are two factions within the sect: the Ten Great Immortal Sects and those other than the Ten Great Immortal Sects. There is also internal struggle within the Ten Great Immortal Sects, and this time they have the largest number of members and want the most golden statues.
Therefore, they are shirking responsibility and bickering, and things have become quite unmanageable. This camp is now in a state of disarray.
However, there is one very unusual thing: they shirk responsibility and argue with each other, each trying to make the other sacrifice so that they can get the benefits, and they have fabricated all sorts of reasons that leave people speechless.
But none of these people ever tried to pin the matter on Ye Qingguo. She stood there like an outsider, watching the people in front of her fight, her brows furrowing from time to time.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but sigh at this, realizing that the human heart is indeed the most complex and terrifying thing.
No matter how well they speak or how strong their relationship is, they will immediately fall apart when faced with conflicting interests.
The old man's few words completely threw the thirty people into disarray, and no one paid any attention to him anymore. They all fought each other for their own interests.
This made Jiang Bai unconsciously look at the old man, only to find that he seemed to have anticipated this situation, standing at the edge of the crowd with his hands in his pockets, smiling as he watched everything unfold.
He tilted his head, listening intently, as if he were particularly appreciative of everything before him.
These people were bickering and shirking responsibility, arguing heatedly for their own interests, which made Jiang Bai frown frequently.
They argued for over an hour without reaching a conclusion, and in the end, they still couldn't decide who would sacrifice and who would benefit after entering the system.
This made Jiang Bai lose his temper. He stood there and shouted angrily, "Alright, I said that's enough. Do you really think you can get through these three trials before the palace?"
"What's the point of saying all this now? What if you can't get through this? Can't you get through these three hurdles before arguing here?"
Chapter 1017 Struggling to Move Forward
Jiang Bai's words drew the attention of those around him, and they all fell silent.
Because Jiang Bai's words make sense. We haven't even passed the three passes before the palace yet, so who can guarantee that we'll definitely be able to get through them?
No matter how well they discuss it, it's like a boundless river that can't take root. What's the point of them arguing here if someone falls down on the road?
Everyone present was quite confident in themselves; without an invincible spirit, they wouldn't have reached this point.
But when it comes to other people... I'm a little uneasy.
Scholars often belittle each other, and so do martial artists. They often think they are the best in the world and look down on others. This kind of thing happens all the time.
That's why everyone wisely shut up and stopped arguing. One of them stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Jiang Bai is right about that. We can go inside first and then discuss who should take the twelve golden statues."
This statement was agreed upon by many people. So, guided by the old man, the group arrived at the entrance of the magnificent city in front of them. As soon as they arrived at the gate, they saw a huge stone tablet standing there.
The sign above reads four large characters: "Difficult to move forward."
This surprised everyone for a moment, and then they looked at each other, not understanding what the meaning of having such a stone tablet standing at the entrance was.
Everyone looked at the old man, hoping he would give an explanation.
The old man stood there with a smile and said in a low voice, "It's extremely difficult to walk. Don't you understand what I mean? Getting inside is incredibly difficult. It's thousands of steps from the outside to the inside of this city gate, and each step is more difficult than the last."
"If you can get through, then keep going; if you can't, then stop. That's why it's called 'difficult to take a step.'"
The old man's words were simple, but few people believed them.
You don't know him well. Anyone who would readily believe a few words from a stranger would be a complete fool.
However, given the current situation, it seems that if we don't believe it, we can't think of any special methods. So, after thinking about it, someone still took a small step forward.
"No problem! I'm perfectly fine!"
A master from the southern border stepped forward and exclaimed with great surprise, showing that he had indeed become quite bold.
Hmm, maybe my brain isn't working properly.
Anyway, he was the first one to walk out.
Without any problems, he slowly walked inside, step by step, until he had taken seven or eight steps. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "This place is getting heavier and heavier as I walk. Although it doesn't affect me much, and I didn't even notice it before, it's starting to smell now."
His words actually put people at ease. Everyone present was a master with an extraordinary background. There were similar tests in the sects, which were simply a way to train people's physical strength and willpower.
Each place has a different name, but their effects are about the same. I never expected there to be a similar place here.
"I thought it was something amazing, something that would be difficult to even move around in? Hehe, isn't this just like the gravity ladder in our sect? I know this thing like the back of my hand."
A cultivator chuckled, stepped forward, and followed him inside, seemingly quite knowledgeable about the object.
Not only him, but everyone around him followed him in with smiles on their faces.
They were familiar with this; these things existed in every sect, it was old news, nothing new.
Jiang Bai felt a little uneasy seeing the old man's smiling face, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it, so he went inside.
I took the first step with trepidation, but felt nothing at all.
Jiang Bai wasn't too worried at that moment. He followed them inside, taking one step, two steps, and more than ten steps. He felt no pressure at all, just as the person had said before, there was nothing to worry about here.
Although it added some weight, it was completely within Jiang Bai and the others' tolerance.
Jiang Bai felt that with each step he took, his weight seemed to increase a little. But this was nothing to be afraid of. More than ten steps only required a force of a thousand catties. Jiang Bai's body was capable of carrying mountains and lifting peaks, so what was this little bit of weight?
Looking ahead, some people had already taken nearly a hundred steps, with relaxed smiles on their faces, as if it was nothing serious. Some frowned slightly, but continued forward.
This reassured Jiang Bai, who felt confident that there was no danger within a hundred paces.
Jiang Bai walked in quickly. He wasn't the fastest walker, nor was he the most careful. He was somewhere in the middle, neither fast nor slow, and just kept walking.
When Jiang Bai was a hundred paces away, his body suddenly felt heavy. The force here was over 100,000 jin, which made Jiang Bai feel pressure. However, it was not unbearable, and this weight was still nothing.
However, thinking about the distance of a thousand steps, Jiang Bai had a bad feeling. The journey would not be easy; every step would be difficult and not simple.
However, these difficulties were no obstacle for them. They continued forward, for these were truly outstanding individuals, and these challenges were nothing to them.
As Jiang Bai continued forward, when he reached four hundred steps, the weight of a million jin (approximately 500 catties) was already pressing down on him, making him feel very pressured. He frowned, his expression solemn, as were the others.
Just then, a young man walking in front suddenly changed his expression. He had already walked 650 steps and was leading the way, but he accidentally fell down, screamed, and could not get up again.
He struggled several times but couldn't get up, which left everyone stunned.
"What's going on? Why can't I get up? Damn it! What's happening?" the young man exclaimed.
"I forgot to tell you, you can't fall down or rest here. If anyone stops, they'll be just like him, unable to get up. Well, I can't say they'll absolutely be unable to get up, but it will be much more strenuous than before, and time is limited."
Just then, the old man, who was standing five hundred paces away and still had a relaxed and carefree smile on his face, chuckled and said this to everyone.
"What if you can't get up when the time comes?" someone couldn't help but ask.
"Can't get up? Heh." The old man chuckled, a sinister smile on his face. Just then, the young man who had been lying down screamed and turned into a bloody mess, becoming a bloody pulp.
"You can't get up, that's how you'll be. You must get up within ten breaths, or you'll be turned into mincemeat!"
The old man blinked and said noncommittally.
"I'm not going! I'm quitting! You guys go ahead!"
Faced with this situation, some people immediately chickened out. A middle-aged man who was close to the young man stepped forward and said with a look of panic on his face.
His strength was only about the same as this young man's. This young man was no good and died there. He didn't think he could get by!
Chapter 1018 One Step, One Life
You have to understand, this road is more than a thousand steps long, and people die within 650 steps. Based on the previous situation, the pressure increases sharply every now and then, so it won't be easy to keep going.
He lacked confidence.
Although the young man who died earlier was somewhat careless in causing this situation, if he had been more careful, he could definitely have gone further. But... what if the pressure becomes even greater later? What if he couldn't handle it?
As someone who values his life, he didn't want to die there!
After saying that, the middle-aged man turned around and walked away, but as soon as he took a step, a red light appeared out of nowhere in the sky and instantly annihilated him into dust. He was not even as good as the young man before. At least the young man was turned into mincemeat and left something behind, but he was left with nothing.
This scene caused the expressions of everyone present to change.
"Hehe, I forgot to tell you, this road can only go forward, not backward. I'm an old man and my memory isn't good. I just forgot about that."
"Once you embark on this arduous path, it's either death or it's over, it's that simple!"
The old man chuckled, his expression really irritating, making people grit their teeth in hatred, but no one dared to say anything bad about him.
If this were outside, someone might have already made a move against him. But here, everyone is keeping to themselves. This old man's background is too mysterious. They can't figure out his methods or strength. If they act recklessly, they'll only suffer the consequences.
Left with no other choice, the crowd could only glare at him resentfully and grit their teeth as they continued forward.
However, everyone was extra careful at this time, and nothing like what happened before happened again as they made their way through.
Upon reaching a distance of eight hundred paces, no one had encountered any trouble. However, everyone became extremely cautious at this point, with fine beads of sweat appearing on their foreheads. This was because the force here was already immense, and some cultivators could no longer withstand it, resorting to using magical artifacts for assistance.
They were a little cautious at first, but later they found that magical artifacts were not prohibited here, which made things a little easier for them.
Otherwise, how can you compare your physical strength with those martial arts practitioners?
This is utter nonsense!
Even if all of them were combined, they wouldn't be as good as one martial arts practitioner.
Even so, each of them has endured immense pressure to get to this point.
Jiang Bai was no exception. Regardless of others, he was under considerable pressure. However, he was practicing the "Demon Dragon Suppressing Prison Technique," which made him far stronger than ordinary people. It was true that he was under some pressure and quite tired, but it hadn't reached the point where he couldn't bear it.
Before he knew it, Jiang Bai had gritted his teeth and walked nine hundred steps. He had to stop and pant heavily. There was someone ahead of him who was dozens of steps ahead, and Ye Qingguo was on his left.
There's already at least 10,000 tons of pressure here, and nobody's having an easy time.
"How are you? Can you keep going?" Jiang Bai asked noncommittally, looking at Ye Qingguo, who was breathing heavily.
He didn't care if others died here, but Ye Qingguo was an exception. After all, she was Ye Qingcheng's older sister, and the two looked exactly alike. If something happened to her, it would be the same as if Ye Qingcheng had an accident in front of him. Jiang Bai couldn't help but care more.
"Everyone says I'm a genius saintess of the Supreme Dao, a talent that only appears once every thousand years. Am I so easily defeated?" Ye Qingguo chuckled upon hearing this, wiped away her sweat, and said in a low voice, her tone still somewhat cold.
"You contacted me before, asking for a spot from me. Was it for someone else? Did you get it? Is he here now?"
Jiang Bai asked noncommittally.
These words earned him only a cold look from Ye Qingguo, as if warning him not to speak carelessly, before she simply said, "No."
He turned and walked forward, which surprised Jiang Bai for a moment, then he smiled and followed.
Nine hundred and fifty steps is a major hurdle. Some people collapse the moment they cross that step and never get up again, turning into mincemeat on the spot. This made the people present feel the most direct pressure for the first time.
He was the first, but certainly not the last. He died at a distance of 950 steps, but others continued onward.
Nine hundred and sixty steps, nine hundred and sixty-five steps, nine hundred and seventy steps, nine hundred and eighty steps, nine hundred and ninety steps. Every few steps, someone would succumb to the immense pressure and perish on the spot.
Blood was splattered everywhere, and cries of agony filled the air.
Some people tried to retreat, and without exception, they were instantly reduced to ashes. Just as the old man said, there was no room for retreat here; anyone who wanted to retreat was courting death.
At this moment, countless people are regretting their decision. Asking them to walk over under these circumstances is clearly asking too much.
But anyone who retreats will die.
In this situation, things are truly difficult and heartbreaking, causing immense distress.
I wanted to slap myself and teach myself a lesson for being so greedy.
Unfortunately, there's no going back in this world, and it's clearly too late to regret it now.
They had no choice but to grit their teeth and push forward.
It has been proven that when people face death, they often unleash extraordinary power. Even masters at the Heavenly Rank are no exception. Under the threat of death, they unleash unimaginable power.
They pressed forward with their heads down, gritting their teeth. Even with sweat pouring down their faces and bloodshot eyes, they didn't stop, just desperately moving forward.
Before he knew it, he had reached 990 steps. The pressure increased again here. With each step, he would fall. Jiang Bai felt his skin was about to burst, and blood was seeping out. His bones were cracking all over his body.
He really wanted to give up; the feeling was just too unbearable.
Every step was incredibly difficult; the phrase "every step was arduous" felt extremely apt to him. Walking here was a complete challenge to his own limits.
Moreover, the pressure applied here varies significantly depending on the strength of the individuals involved.
Look at Xuan Yuanpo, he doesn't look much better than Jiang Bai. Blood is stuck in the corner of his mouth, and he is trembling all over. Blood and sweat are mixed together.
But now, they have no choice but to rush to the front. There are only a few steps left. Now is the final sprint. They can't fall behind no matter what.
They couldn't afford to fall here. Although with every step they took, someone would fall, and with every step forward, a life would be sacrificed, they couldn't care less about that now. They couldn't care about anyone else; they could only care about themselves.
This is the only thing they should do right now, and the only thing they can do!
Chapter 1019 Mutual Killing
"I'll risk it all!"
When they reached the 995th step, some people had already passed through the city gate and were lying on the ground, panting heavily, while others had collapsed beside Jiang Bai.
The last few steps!
He gritted his teeth, wanting to rush over in one breath.
Unfortunately, that wasn't possible. He simply took a step forward, causing the man to kneel down on the spot. Fortunately, only one leg was on the ground, and he didn't fall completely down. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been easy for him to get up.
The scene startled him, and he dared not do anything reckless again. He gritted his teeth and moved forward step by step, nine hundred and ninety-seven, nine hundred and ninety-eight, nine hundred and ninety-nine.
At the last step, Jiang Bai almost collapsed. The immense pressure made him unable to lift his head, and he had no strength left in his body. He just gritted his teeth and rushed through. After passing through the city gate, the pressure suddenly decreased, but he no longer had any strength left to struggle.
Lying on the ground, panting heavily, he couldn't care less about anything else anymore.
After a long while, when Jiang Bai stood up after resting, he was shocked to find that of the twenty-eight people in the group, exactly eighteen had come, and ten had died on the way to the first level.
Those who came over were all exhausted, some of them seriously injured, and they were taking medicine and sitting cross-legged to heal their wounds.
No one said anything about letting others take the Twelve Golden Statues while they themselves took some benefits.
Now we've only passed the first hurdle; there are only eighteen people left.
Including Huang Tianfang, who had previously told Jiang Bai to go and get the Twelve Golden Men while he went to get the benefits and promised not to treat Jiang Bai unfairly!
He collapsed along with the others on the path leading through here, falling at the 998th step. He was only two steps away from crossing the obstacle, but he couldn't hold on and died there.
Such a scene evokes a sense of things having changed and people being gone, leaving one feeling chilled to the bone.
"Hehe, so many of you actually made it through the first stage? I thought at least half of you would be lost, but eighteen of you made it through. It seems you're all quite good; you must have been carefully selected to get here."
The old man reappeared in front of Jiang Bai and the others at some point, chuckling as if he had seen something interesting.
This made the people around him turn red with rage, looking at the old man as if they wanted to tear him apart, but he didn't care at all, as if he didn't see it, and just stood there with a smile on his face.
It makes people grit their teeth in hatred.
"Who exactly are you and why are you lying to us?" someone finally couldn't help but ask.
Unfortunately, he was completely ignored by the old man.
Without even glancing at him, the old man looked around and said, "You people are lucky to have made it here. Every step is difficult and tests your perseverance. To be honest, those who have made it are people with exceptional perseverance."
"Actually, no matter what your cultivation level or cultivation system is, the pressure you are under is many times greater than your own. Without immense perseverance, it would be impossible to get through this. To be honest, you are at a disadvantage because your cultivation level is too high."
"For an ordinary person, the pressure would be at most a thousand pounds. Of course, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to get here anyway, so this is a complete refutation."
"However, no matter how you got here, you should be rewarded for coming this time."
The old man smiled as he looked at the wide stone path in front of Jiang Bai and the others. Just then, a stone platform rose from the ground and appeared in front of Jiang Bai and the others.
"Of course, to receive a reward, you must pay a price."
"See that stone platform ahead? Go over there. Anyone under two hundred years old with a cultivation level above the Great Star Realm can receive benefits. If you're over that age or your cultivation level isn't high enough, then you're doomed!"
"This is also your second test!"
These words startled everyone present. They exchanged glances, all seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
What the hell does this mean? Is this really a request?
This is almost identical to the requirements for some prominent figures to be included in the Lishan Mausoleum.
In other words, those old guys knew there would be this level inside?
What else do they know? Who exactly were they who came here?
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that such a requirement is given, exactly the same as the requirement of the second level?
This is clearly not normal!
As for cultivation level, everyone present must have met it, otherwise they wouldn't be here. As for youth, as long as there's no faking it, it's definitely sufficient.
This brought smiles to the faces of those who had just endured hardships.
They could easily meet such a simple requirement; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to get here.
So the first person walked over, looking relaxed, and easily made it across.
Then the second, third, and eighteenth people easily passed the second level.
The old man was taken aback by the scene, then smiled and shook his head, saying, "I forgot, you all came here prepared, and so many of you at once. It seems someone leaked information about this place."
"But they revealed all this, didn't they say what the second challenge is exactly? Why are you all so happy?"
Upon hearing this, the faces of the people who had been beaming with joy suddenly changed, and they realized something.
As he spoke, the stone platform fell from the sky and then rose again, with nine bottles of pills on it.
The old man standing there chuckled and said, "The second challenge is actually quite simple. I forgot to tell you your names: Mutual Kill!"
"These nine bottles of pills are, in your words, miraculous elixirs. Once taken, they will all have a strong effect on increasing your cultivation. Martial artists can strengthen their physical bodies and improve their cultivation, cultivators can nourish their primordial spirit and increase their magical power, and even demons will benefit from them."
"However, the quantity of this stuff is a bit small. Generally, it's distributed per person, so two people can take one bottle."
"Only by consuming what's inside can you reach the third level! If you don't, there's a strange poison on the road ahead; anyone who smells it, touches it, or doesn't have this elixir will die!"
As they spoke, a bluish mist immediately appeared on the stone path leading directly to the palace gate in front of Jiang Bai and the others, filling the entire street and stretching as far as the eye could see.
Only the area where they were located was free of the poisonous fog.
This scene caused the expressions of those around them to change abruptly.
"Jiang Bai, make your move!"
Xuanyuan Po shouted and was the first to rush out, heading straight for a cultivator in the distance to begin his attack.