If they could snatch these two Jade Talismans by surprise, there would be two fewer people to split the treasure behind the stone gate.
It was, without a doubt, a tempting proposition.
The difficult part was how to seize the Jade Talismans with lightning speed before the others could react.
Otherwise, all their efforts would be for naught.
Wang Xingzhi was truly an audacious man, far more of a risk-taker than Fang Cheng.
Or perhaps his obsession with opportunities was simply greater than Fang Cheng's.
Wang Xingzhi's voice transmission continued, "If you're confident, I'll count to three. After three, you both strike together."
"If you're not confident, then we'll just have to split what's inside five ways."
After a moment of silence.
"One… two… three…"
After the count of three, Fang Cheng didn't move.
He was fairly certain he could take the Jade Talisman from the burly man, but… he didn't trust Wang Xingzhi.
'What if he fails to get the Jade Talisman from the purple-skirted woman, and it gets destroyed in the process? Then…'
'It's better to play it safe.'
In the darkness, a clear laugh rang out.
Wang Xingzhi's figure leisurely appeared.
Wen Qianqian also deactivated her Concealing Breath Talisman, and the two of them appeared not far from the stone gate.
The expressions of the purple-skirted woman and the burly man changed instantly. They looked at the three newcomers with vigilance.
Wang Xingzhi smiled faintly. "Fellow Daoists, since fate has brought us together today, why don't we explore this place together?"
The purple-skirted woman's beautiful eyes swept over Wang Xingzhi, Fang Cheng, and Wen Qianqian. A wary look crossed her face as she said coldly, "Fine, but we must all make a Heart Demon Oath."
Wen Qianqian spoke up, "The three of us have just made a Heart Demon Oath. It's no trouble to make another one."
Fang Cheng, however, remained silent, standing there as if he were invisible.
The purple-skirted woman's expression softened slightly. After exchanging a look with the burly man, she said, "Alright. You go first."
With the Jade Talismans as bargaining chips, it didn't matter who went first.
The five of them took turns making the Heart Demon Oath, forming a temporary alliance.
Afterward, the five introduced themselves.
Only then did Fang Cheng learn that the purple-skirted woman was also a Servant Disciple of the Yinluo Sect, named Chen Yu Yan.
The burly man's name was Yang Heng. Like Wen Qianqian, he was a Loose Cultivator who made his living in the Abyssal Marsh.
Among the five, Wang Xingzhi had the most prestigious family background, though it seemed his status within his family wasn't very high.
「A moment later.」
Five glowing Jade Talismans flew toward the stone gate, instantly fitting perfectly into the grooves on its surface.
At once, the Grand Array on the stone gate was fully activated. Spirit Patterns lit up one after another, and waves of profound energy radiated outward.
The stone gate slowly opened.
What appeared before them was a wide avenue paved with white jade. On both sides of the White Jade Dao, massive stone pillars stood in opposing rows every three to five zhang.
Atop each pillar was an inlaid Treasure Bead that emitted a soft white light, illuminating the area behind the stone gate as if it were day.
At the end of the avenue stood a palace of magnificent proportions.
"This place seems to be the Heritage Mansion of a Life Talisman Cultivator."
Wang Xingzhi said, looking at the scene before him.
Chen Yu Yan said, "An ordinary Life Talisman Cultivator probably couldn't have created a Cave Mansion of this scale…"
That meant the treasures within the palace would far exceed their imaginations!
Fang Cheng suppressed his excitement and swept the area with his Divine Sense. He felt a vague sense of unease but couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
His mind was tightly linked to his Red Feather Sword, ready to respond to any sudden incidents at a moment's notice.
"Everyone, let's go!"
With a loud laugh, Wang Xingzhi took the lead. With a flicker of his body, he transformed into a streak of Escape Light and flew toward the distant palace.
Seeing that he was fine, the other four hurriedly followed.
The first to rush into the palace would get to grab an extra treasure!
Fang Cheng intentionally or unintentionally fell to the back, in no rush to be first.
The White Jade Dao was merely a hundred zhang long. With their Cultivation Escape Techniques, they could cross it in the blink of an eye.
However, just as they reached the steps before the grand hall, something unexpected happened!
The Treasure Beads on the last five pillars suddenly flickered and went out, turning pitch-black.
Phantoms of five mountain peaks emerged, forming an array that pressed down on them.
Wang Xingzhi, who was flying at the very front, let out a muffled grunt and suddenly dropped to the ground, sprawling on the White Jade Dao like a toad.
Wen Qianqian and Chen Yu Yan, who were right behind him, fared no better. They fell to the ground in a disheveled state, their faces pale with fright.
Yang Heng gave a low shout, stabilized his body, and landed on both feet with a dull thud.
Fang Cheng, at the very back, saw that things were going wrong. He stopped abruptly and shot backward.
"Heh heh!"
A mocking laugh suddenly came from behind him as a flash of blade light launched a surprise attack, slashing at his back.
As if he had eyes on the back of his head, Fang Cheng didn't even turn around. The Red Feather Sword flew from his sleeve, its light flashing gracefully as it deflected the blade's gleam.
Only then did he turn to look behind him.
But… what greeted him were three more fierce slashes of blade light.
Fang Cheng hurriedly maneuvered his sword's light and managed to block two of the slashes, but he couldn't possibly stop the third.
He could only retreat to dodge.
This retreat brought him right next to Yang Heng!
The next moment, he felt what Wang Xingzhi and the others had just experienced.
An immense and unparalleled pressure fell upon him, instantly pinning him to the ground.
His Magical Power, Divine Sense, and physical body were all suppressed!
The incoming blade light grazed his shoulder as it flew past, nearly severing his right arm…
The Red Feather Sword, having lost its connection to his Magical Power and Divine Sense, was knocked to the ground by the other two blade slashes.
At this moment, above the heads of the five, the phantoms of five great mountains loomed, emanating a heavy, suppressive aura.
Fang Cheng looked up and finally saw the person who had forced him under the mountain phantoms.
The newcomer was a Daoist with a white head of hair and a long white beard. He had the air of an immortal, but his eyes were sinister and flickered restlessly.
The man's Cultivation had shockingly reached the Sixth Layer of Sensing. The waves of Magical Power emanating from him, far stronger than Fang Cheng's, made one feel as if they were being stared down by a ferocious beast.
"Your Sword Technique is decent, but your Cultivation is too low."
The old Daoist glanced at Fang Cheng and commented flatly.
He reached out, grabbed the Red Feather Sword, and casually tossed it into his storage bag.
Next, he looked at Yang Heng and remarked, "A Body Cultivator. To be able to withstand the Five Mountains Prison Suppression Array, your heritage must be quite good."
Then, his gaze fell upon the two women, Wen Qianqian and Chen Yu Yan. A satisfied look appeared on his face as he laughed, "I didn't expect two Top-grade Tripod Furnaces to deliver themselves to my doorstep this time."
Finally, he looked at Wang Xingzhi. After sizing him up and down a few times, he said with delight, "A disciple from a noble family?"
Wang Xingzhi gave a bitter laugh and asked, "Is this a trap you laid?"
The old Daoist stroked his white beard and said leisurely, "That's right. You are the seventh batch of fish I've caught."
A triumphant look appeared on his face. He casually formed a Spell, and several thumb-thick, dark-red vines shot out from behind a stone pillar.
The vines moved like spiritual snakes, instantly entangling the five of them and binding them to the stone pillars.
Whether intentional or not, the vines wrapped around Wen Qianqian and Chen Yu Yan with a few extra flourishes, accentuating the graceful curves of their figures.