Originally, Ming Qi had thought he could get away with snatching up this rare, thousand-year-old crimson pearl vine, but unfortunately, his luck wasn't so good.
After a small flag rose in one corner of the lake, he saw several other flags with varying luminescence slowly rising from the surface!
This...!
Ming Qi was horrified. One small flag was already overwhelming him. If seven more appeared, wouldn't he be left staring blankly and drooling over the alluring thousand-year-old crimson pearl vine?
The water churned, and a second small flag soon appeared.
Followed by a third, and then a fourth.
Ming Qi stared wide-eyed as the mysterious and powerful small flags continued to rise from the water, his astonishment exceeding.
What was this?
A demonic beast?
Judging from the flags, it's possible this is a powerful formation. The small flags are the ones that control power, but can a demon beast actually set up a formation?
For a moment, Ming Qi was confused. Let's go. The lure of the Ten Thousand Year Crimson Pearl Vine is too great, and Ming Qi desperately needs it right now.
It's conceivable that once Ming Qi uses the Ten Thousand Year Crimson Pearl Vine to advance and reach the Innate realm, his physical limits will be drastically strengthened and elevated once again. His acquired foundation is already near-supernatural, so even he himself doesn't know where his limits lie.
Nine.
Ming Qi saw clearly that when the ninth flag was raised, the water surface finally returned to calm. Clearly, there were nine such small flags.
Nine terrifyingly powerful small flags, distributed at nine different locations around the Ten Thousand Year Crimson Pearl Vine, like nine guardians, fiercely protecting the spiritual herb in the center.
Seize it by force?
Are you kidding? Ming Qi could sense that the pressure from each small flag was stronger than that of an innate expert. If he attacked, it would be like snatching it from the hands of nine innate experts, which was simply impossible.
Forget Ming Qi, even if Meng Ling wasn't injured, a full-strength attack would probably be futile.
Run away?
Ming Qi finally wavered. No matter how tempting and incredible the treasure was, what good would it do if he couldn't reach it?
This was just like gazing at beautiful women on the street. Not only would it strain his eyes, but in the end, he would be the one to suffer.
Gritting his teeth, Ming Qi turned and walked away.
"Do you think you can get away?"
As Ming Qi took a step, he heard a whoosh behind him. A small flag had been firmly planted in the dark cave passage in front of him, crimson red, as if it had just been pulled from a pool of blood.
A skull gleamed atop a small scarlet flag, unleashing a terrifying pressure that was unleashed without reservation. Ming Qi found himself completely blocked by an invisible wall.
Helplessly, he turned his head.
Looking toward the Ten Thousand Years Crimson Pearl Vine, he saw a figure floating there.
A young man in white clothes and white hair, his face grim and expressionless, he floated there like a shadow, even appearing a little transparent.
But Ming Qi didn't assume he was transparent just because he looked a little transparent. The small flag that suddenly flew in front of him, blocking his path, was definitely the product of this somewhat transparent shadow!
"Who are you?"
Ming Qi asked. Honestly, right now, he really wanted to know who this person was.
"Me? Nameless and faceless. But you, having discovered the secrets here, are doomed to die."
The white-clothed figure's voice was calm, devoid of emotion. As he finished speaking, Ming Qi saw two more small flags rise from the water, charging headlong toward him.
Ming Qi's face nearly turned green with rage!
Swish!
Seeing the two swift blades hurtling towards him, Ming Qi's mind stirred. With a flick of his finger, a gray robe appeared on his body.
Puff!
Two muffled thuds echoed, followed by another.
The first two were naturally the sounds of the small flags striking Ming Qi. As for the third, needless to say, it was the sound of Ming Qi being undeniably sent flying and slamming into the stone wall.
He was fortunate to be unharmed and undead.
But the impact had truly left him dizzy and nearly vomiting his internal organs.
"Hmm? What is this...?"
The young man in white's gaze fell upon Ming Qi's gray robe, a rare hint of contemplation in his eyes.
Clearly, this mysterious man in white was somewhat interested in Ming Qi's recent robbery possession.
Ming Qi, however, didn't notice this. He struggled to his feet, ignoring the aches and pains throughout his body as he stared intently at the white figure floating in the air.
Although he had relied on the gray robe to block the opponent's attacks, a true confrontation with him was clearly impossible. He had to find a way to escape.
"Great Destruction Battle Suit?"
At this moment, the man in white suddenly uttered a strange name.
"Great Destruction Battle Suit?"
Ming Qi practically repeated the man in white's words, but he clearly didn't understand what the name referred to.
"It's this robe you're wearing. Although its power is dwindling, the Great Destruction Suit's defense is incredibly formidable. That hasn't changed."
This...
Ming Qi was stunned. He hadn't expected a robe he'd casually collected to be so powerful. Judging by the seriousness of the white-clothed figure's words, it was clear he wasn't just talking nonsense.
Good deeds truly pay off, Ming Qi thought, when the white-clothed figure added, "If you hand over this Great Destruction Suit to me, I'll spare your life."
What?!?
Ming Qi was stunned. It seemed he hadn't even finished celebrating when he was about to trade this incredibly powerful treasure for his life?
Ming Qi couldn't describe the depth of this dilemma.
However, he had a clear understanding of the situation. Even if he didn't give him this Great Destruction Suit, he would eventually kill him and take it.
"Do you mean what you say?"
Ming Qi acted decisively and reluctantly gave it up.
No matter how great a treasure is, it's not as important as a life.
"My word is mine!"
said the man in white.
Mie Shen?
Hearing this awe-inspiring name, Ming Qi was genuinely taken aback. This guy seemed quite influential; just such a powerful name alone would have made him famous.
"Mie Shen..."
Before Ming Qi could speak, a woman's voice rang out.
Meng Ling woke up. At the sound of the word "Mie Shen," she awoke and emerged directly from the ring.
"Are you Mie Shen?"
As Meng Ling appeared, she looked at the man in white floating in the air and asked.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Meng Ling's sudden appearance, Mie Shen was startled, his face suddenly filled with shock.
"It's you? Really you?"
Mie Shen's emotions were clearly growing agitated, as if he had encountered something truly catastrophic.
"Who... am I?"
Meng Ling said in a daze. "I only remember knowing Mie Shen, but I can't remember who I am."
Meng Ling spoke with some pain.
Hearing Meng Ling's words, Mie Shen's face became even more surprised and confused.
After a long moment, he regained his composure and said, "You've lost your memory, Xiao Ling. Back then, we followed Master Wushuang to conquer the End of Antiquity... Well, forget it. When you fully awaken, you'll naturally remember everything."
Mie Shen stopped talking mid-sentence, a sense of reluctance to recall the past.
After hearing Mie Shen's words, Meng Ling didn't press further. Everything that needed to be known would be known naturally, and when it was time to remember, it would be fully remembered. It seemed there was no need to search for it.
"Are you friends?"
Mie Shen looked at the somewhat bewildered Ming Qi and asked.
"Yes."
Ming Qi's answer to this question was absolutely straightforward.
"Then it's okay to let you know my identity. Like Meng Ling, I'm an ancient demon soldier. My true form is called the Nine-Nine God-Slaying Flag."
Ancient demon soldier!
Ming Qi's heart skipped a beat. He had always puzzled over Meng Ling's origins. Now that Mie Shen had said that he and Meng Ling were both ancient demon soldiers, Meng Ling must also be an ancient demon soldier who had cultivated to adulthood.
Ancient demon soldier—that was truly a shocking term. Although Ming Qi had countless speculations and ideas before, he had never imagined that Meng Ling had actually cultivated from a magical weapon.
Any magical weapon that reaches the level of a sacred artifact will give birth to a weapon soul. This newly born weapon soul is completely controlled and driven by the magic weapon's owner. However, during this process, the weapon soul continuously awakens its intelligence and completes its soul. After countless years, the weapon soul becomes complete and develops its own thoughts. Only then can it be considered a demon soldier.
Both Mie Shen and Meng Ling have undoubtedly undergone long years of cultivation.
It could be said that cultivating a demon soldier is far more difficult than cultivating a demon beast.
"You haven't lost your memories like Meng Ling?"
Ming Qi asked.
Mie Shen could clearly recall events from tens of thousands of years ago, clearly maintaining his memory.
"Yes," Mie Shen replied. "But my strength couldn't withstand the erosion of time, and it's now dwindling. Otherwise, I wouldn't have remained dormant here for a thousand years."
A thousand years!
Ming Qi gasped. Staying in such a dark place for a thousand years was worse than death. At this point, he even felt a little sympathy for Mie Shen's plight.
Mie Shen ignored Ming Qi and looked at Meng Ling. "This thousand-year-old crimson pearl vine can nourish my soul and unleash my potential. My strength will recover faster here. Xiao Ling, do you want to stay here too?"
"Stay?"
Meng Ling seemed still lost in her fragmented memories. When Mie Shen asked her to stay, she subconsciously repeated the question.
"Yes, we'll use the power of this thousand-year-old crimson pearl vine to speed up our recovery," Mieshen said firmly. "Once we recover, we can follow Master Wushuang again and help him restore the Divine Weapon Sect!"
"Master Wushuang? Divine Weapon Sect?"
Meng Ling's expression was a little dazed, and she subconsciously repeated the two names.
Divine Weapon Sect, Master Wushuang—deep down in her heart, she seemed to have known them, but now she couldn't remember them.
Silence, Meng Ling was silent.
A hint of fanaticism flickered in Mieshen's eyes.
However, at this moment, Ming Qi's heart was restless. Would Meng Ling stay?