Chapter 43

“Miss Xu, the two of us still have some strength left. You don’t need to force yourself.” Bai He looked worriedly at Xu Yizhuo, who was crouching in front of the barrier.

Xu Yizhuo: “…”

Wasn’t it just that she had exposed the fact that she was still at the Qi Refining stage? Did they have to distrust her this much?

Xu Yizhuo felt bitter inside, but she also knew Bai He’s reaction was perfectly normal. Even Yu Wangshu nodded in agreement. After all, in their eyes, the one who had ultimately killed the Rongqing Python was still Yu Wangshu’s fatal arrow—though in reality, if Xu Yizhuo had left it alone, the Rongqing Python really would have died from that arrow, but Yu Wangshu and Bai He would also have died from the Rongqing Python’s dying counterattack.

They had not seen Xu Yizhuo use the Fangsheng Lotus Mirror, so it was within Xu Yizhuo’s expectations that they would think she could not break the barrier.

Although she had expected it, she still felt depressed.

Xu Yizhuo said weakly, “Don’t interrupt my train of thought. Let me look a little longer.”

Xu Yizhuo was examining the spiritual energy flow of the formation.

Spiritual energy was the foundation of a formation. If she could sort out its flow, then breaking this formation would no longer be difficult. But after opening her spiritual vision, Xu Yizhuo realized things were not that simple.

What trapped them was a formation entirely different from Konglong Mountain’s maze formation.

When the function differed, the basic structure of the formation also differed, and the flow of spiritual energy would be completely different. Konglong Mountain’s maze formation functioned through confusion, misleading people onto the wrong path. But this formation’s function was confinement, imprisoning those inside it.

The person who laid the formation had sincerely intended to trap Yu Wangshu, Bai He, and the Rongqing Python together. All the formation’s defense was directed inward. Living creatures could freely enter the formation, but they could not simply leave. Either they had to break it violently, break it with skill, or wait for its spiritual energy to run out and disperse on its own.

Xu Yizhuo thought for a long time. Just as Bai He was about to use force to break it, Xu Yizhuo suddenly let out an “ah.”

“I know how to get out!” Xu Yizhuo looked enlightened.

Yu Wangshu, Bai He: “?”

“Can’t we just dig a hole and leave from underground?” Xu Yizhuo looked annoyed with herself. The formation’s spiritual energy flow was practically handing her the reference answer directly. How could she still have thought about it for so long?

The person behind the scenes had indeed put a lot of thought into setting up this formation. Its inward-facing defense was so sturdy that even if Yu Wangshu, Bai He, and the Rongqing Python joined forces, they probably would not have been able to break it. Xu Yizhuo could directly punch through it, but with her current control over her own spiritual power, it was hard to say what else she would punch through besides the formation.

But perhaps precisely because the formation setter had spent all their effort on the inward-facing defense, they had overlooked the ground below.

The formation’s spiritual energy only flowed along the surface. It had not been arranged underground at all!

Xu Yizhuo rummaged through her inventory ​stolen content​for a while and found a must-have tool for lifestyle players—a shovel.

She turned her head and silently looked toward the most reliable labor force present: Bai He.

Once they started digging, they discovered that the formation truly had not seeped underground at all. Even though Yu Wangshu and Bai He currently had no spiritual energy left, as long as they discovered this point, they could smoothly get out of the formation.

Although Bai He was badly injured, his spiritual power was still there. Before long, he had dug a tunnel leading outside the formation.

When they came outside the formation, they even looked confused because leaving had been too easy.

Xu Yizhuo glanced at the sky. The waning moon had already set, and before long, the sun would rise. At this point, she did not plan to rest either, so she called Yu Wangshu and Bai He to hurry down the mountain.

Yu Wangshu and Bai He only wanted to go down the mountain even more urgently than Xu Yizhuo.

At this time, they could not spare much energy to use the Mingxu Guide to find their way through Konglong Mountain, so Xu Yizhuo simply led them in front. Going up the mountain had been quite difficult, but going down was much easier. Experience was one factor, but the more important reason was that Old Li’s sect had a simple map of Konglong Mountain’s maze formation.

Walking in silence all the way made Xu Yizhuo feel somewhat strange. Before long, she curiously asked Yu Wangshu who wanted to harm her.

“It was my younger brother.” When Yu Wangshu said this, her tone was incomparably calm, as if that person was not her younger brother, but a stranger completely unrelated to her.

Xu Yizhuo looked at her in surprise.

The smile that curved Yu Wangshu’s lips carried a trace of coldness. “He and I have the same father but different mothers. We have never had much sibling affection.”

Xu Yizhuo could not help asking, “Even so, why go so far as to use such ruthless methods?”

Yu Wangshu thought for a while before saying, “There are many reasons. First, accumulated resentment. Second, jealousy. Third, family wealth. Fourth, Knocking on the Immortal Gate.”

Xu Yizhuo understood the first three points, but she did not understand the last one. “What is Knocking on the Immortal Gate?”

Yu Wangshu froze for a moment, surprised that Xu Yizhuo actually did not know about Knocking on the Immortal Gate. She quickly hid the emotions in her eyes and explained, “Knocking on the Immortal Gate is one of the cultivation world’s major events. One hundred young cultivators under the age of one hundred compete to determine the champion. The winners can not only obtain a large amount of cultivation resources, but can even directly enter the major immortal sects.”

Yu Wangshu emphasized, “Not as ordinary disciples, but as direct disciples accepted by the immortal sects’ great experts. Those few almost never accept disciples. Knocking on the Immortal Gate is the only chance to take one of them as a master.”

“And,” Yu Wangshu seemed to think of something thrilling. Only after taking a deep breath did she say, “This session of Knocking on the Immortal Gate will be hosted by the master of Shiwai Tower.”

Hearing this, Bai He also revealed an expression of reverence just like Yu Wangshu.

Only Xu Yizhuo could not share their feelings. She merely thought, the master of Shiwai Tower—isn’t that Jun Yu?

Xu Yizhuo asked, “How do you participate in Knocking on the Immortal Gate?”

“It is already very difficult to obtain a slot now. Miss Xu will probably only be able to participate as a rogue cultivator,” Yu Wangshu said. “In the end, only one hundred people will participate in Knocking on the Immortal Gate. Of these one hundred people, half the slots are divided among the various regions of the cultivation world, while the other half are selected from the Burning Mountain Secret Realm. The Burning Mountain Secret Realm will open two months before Knocking on the Immortal Gate begins. Cultivators who wish to enter may register to participate, but the age limit is also under one hundred, and the cultivator must not already have a slot for Knocking on the Immortal Gate. The immortal sect elders will hide the tokens for participating in Knocking on the Immortal Gate inside the Burning Mountain Secret Realm. The Burning Mountain Secret Realm will open again one month after the cultivators enter. Whoever is holding a token when they leave will be able to participate in Knocking on the Immortal Gate.”

Xu Yizhuo hesitated for a while, then asked, “Then would someone kill people to seize the tokens?”

“Naturally there are such people. Although cultivators who enter the secret realm can crush a teleportation talisman to give up their qualifications and leave, there are always those who do not crush it in time. Every time the secret realm opens, there are deaths and injuries.” Yu Wangshu said coldly, “But deaths and injuries do not only occur inside the secret realm. The same is true outside it.”

Xu Yizhuo suddenly said, “You have a slot?”

Yu Wangshu nodded, confirming Xu Yizhuo’s guess.

“The Yu family only has one slot. If I die, then that slot will naturally fall into Yu Yangjing’s hands.” Yu Wangshu sneered. “He doesn’t dare rely on cultivation to compete with me openly and honorably, but instead uses such shady methods. He has truly broadened my horizons.”

Although Yu Yangjing’s actions were contemptible, this kind of petty person was often the hardest to guard against. From Yu Wangshu’s words, Yu Yangjing’s cultivation was clearly worse than hers, but Yu Wangshu had still almost fallen in Konglong Mountain.

Xu Yizhuo asked, “Why did you only bring one person to Konglong Mountain?”

“I came to Konglong Mountain to look for emberstone to recast my arrows. Because I had come several times before, and because I did not want to make a big show of it, I only planned to find the item and leave quickly.” Yu Wangshu sighed. “I was careless.”

Xu Yizhuo said, “In any case, you’re not dead now. You can still retaliate.”

Yu Wangshu did not immediately respond to Xu Yizhuo’s words.

The sudden silence from her and Bai He made Xu Yizhuo realize that things were not that simple.

After a moment, Yu Wangshu said calmly, “There are very few people in the Yu family who support me. Simply because I am a woman, they believe I will marry out sooner or later, and that Yu Yangjing is the next head of the Yu family. Even if they learn that Yu Yangjing framed me, at most, they will punish him with a few lashes and a few months of confinement, then demand that I endure the matter.”

For a moment, Xu Yizhuo did not know what to say.

She had not expected that in the cultivation world, where strength was supposed to be respected, women would still encounter this kind of problem.

“I will do as they wish.” Yu Wangshu smiled brightly, but there was no smile in her eyes. “The current me still cannot contend against them. But one day, one matter after another, I will repay them all.”

The slot for Knocking on the Immortal Gate was her opportunity. As long as she lived for one more day, she would hold this opportunity tightly in her hands.

When Yu Wangshu spoke again, her tone was much lighter. “Miss Xu, I imagine we will meet again at Knocking on the Immortal Gate someday.”

Xu Yizhuo smiled. “You trust that I can obtain a token that much? I’m only a Qi Refining cultivator.”

Yu Wangshu smiled and said, “Miss’s black sword is no ordinary item. If stolen content Miss Xu says she is merely an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, I will not believe it.”

Yu Wangshu said meaningfully, “This is also my first time seeing someone come and go freely in Konglong Mountain without relying on a Mingxu Guide. I heard that deep within Konglong Mountain, there is a reclusive sect…”

“Stop, stop.” Xu Yizhuo pressed her hands together.

Yu Wangshu could not help laughing. “One must not have the heart to harm others, but one must also not lack the heart to guard against others. Miss Xu should still be more wary of the people around you.”

Xu Yizhuo understood Yu Wangshu’s implied meaning.

Don’t foolishly reveal all your background.

Xu Yizhuo felt somewhat helpless. She was not very good at hiding herself, and she still did not understand this world very well. She did not know exactly what should be hidden and what did not need to be hidden. Just like how she had thought the Xuanwu Sword’s grade was already not that impressive, but from Yu Wangshu’s words, that sword still seemed quite extraordinary.

Xu Yizhuo thought, fortunately, her true strength was high enough.

But if she had not inherited the test account’s stats, Xu Yizhuo would not be this carefree right now either. In the end, it was still because she had confidence and believed that no matter what happened, she could resolve it.

Xu Yizhuo asked Yu Wangshu, “How long until Knocking on the Immortal Gate?”

“Three months,” Yu Wangshu said. “It will be held in Yunwu City.”

Xu Yizhuo said in shock, “That soon?”

Yu Wangshu nodded. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to host Miss Xu as a guest in Xucheng. Yunwu City is some distance from here. Miss had best set off early, or I fear you may not make it to the Burning Mountain Secret Realm.”

Xu Yizhuo covered her face and let out a mournful sigh.

She had to travel again!

Author’s Note:

Xu Yizhuo: After leaving Qingping Town, I’m either traveling or preparing to travel. QAQ