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Chapter 387: The New King
🕑 Added 2024-10-24 07:07:24 +0000 UTCHowever, Zhao Yunzhong, the newly appointed king of Huan You Kingdom, glanced behind them and said, "If this truly is the Destruction Stone Mine, then it means we have already exited the formation that was used to seal it..."
He scanned the surroundings carefully before bowing toward the empty air, raising his voice respectfully but with authority, "I am Zhao Yunzhong, the new King of Huan You Kingdom. I humbly request our esteemed allies from Pusi Kingdom to reveal yourselves and meet us."
Hearing his master's sudden voice, Yuan San, who had been rushing to save his son, stopped in his tracks. Only then did he realize what his master had pointed out, and he began to carefully examine the area around him.
Zhao Yunzhong remained poised, standing respectfully, waiting for the cultivator from Pusi Kingdom, who was likely the one who had controlled the powerful formation sealing the mines, to show themselves.
After the formation was completed, the upper-level cultivators of Huan You Kingdom were well aware of its strength. No one had managed to break through it— not even the treacherous remnants who had conspired with the Destruction Stones. For Zhao Yunzhong and Yuan San to have exited the formation so easily, it was likely that the cultivator in charge of the formation had intervened.
Throughout their journey, Zhao Yunzhong had disguised himself as a bodyguard to avoid unnecessary attention. However, now that the cultivator had likely overheard his conversation with Yuan San, there was no need to continue the pretense. Acknowledging his true identity openly would prevent misunderstandings and reduce complications.
Recognizing that his presence had been noticed, Lin Xiao stepped out from the shadows where he had been observing. He approached the two men, bowing slightly and introducing himself, "I am Lin Xiao, Sect Master of Lingxian Sect from Pusi Kingdom. It's an honor to meet you both."
Yuan San, seeing him appear, returned the bow, "I am Yuan Jinsheng, Vice Sect Master of Kongshan Sect of Huan You Kingdom. It's a pleasure to meet Sect Master Lin."
Zhao Yunzhong also greeted Lin Xiao with a polite smile, "So it is the renowned Sect Master Lin of Lingxian Sect. The pleasure is ours."
As the newly established leaders of Huan You Kingdom, both Zhao Yunzhong and Yuan Jinsheng were well-informed about the developments in surrounding nations. With the recent alliance against the remnants of Huan You Kingdom’s old regime, the rise of Lingxian Sect, a relatively new but formidable force in Pusi Kingdom, had quickly spread across the region.
Despite their knowledge, both men were surprised to see that the leader of this rising sect was such a young man. Zhao Yunzhong couldn't help but remark, "I must say, Sect Master Lin, I did not expect you to be so young. Truly, you are a remarkable talent."
After exchanging brief pleasantries, the urgency of the situation took precedence. Yuan Jinsheng, filled with worry for his son, could hardly contain his anxiety, so the three quickly proceeded to the mine entrance where Yuan Jinsheng had sensed his son's presence.
As Yuan Jinsheng prepared to rush into the cave, Zhao Yunzhong quickly held him back, warning, "Are you mad? This mine is filled with Destruction Stones! If you go in now, not only will you fail to save Yingzi, but you will also lose your life!"
Yuan Jinsheng, his face resolute, looked back at Zhao Yunzhong and replied firmly, "Master, I must go. I can't waste time devising plans. Every second counts—if I reach my son just a moment sooner, it might give him a chance to survive."
He gave Zhao Yunzhong a determined look, "You know me, Master. I'm not one for strategy. Leave the planning to you, as always."
With that, without a second thought, Yuan Jinsheng rushed headlong into the mine.
"Brother San—!" Zhao Yunzhong called out, but with his cultivation still at the early Golden Core Stage, he was powerless to stop Yuan Jinsheng, who was significantly stronger. He could only watch as his friend disappeared into the mine’s dark depths.
Though Lin Xiao could have intervened, he chose not to. He didn’t know Yuan Jinsheng well enough, and more importantly, this was a father’s desperate attempt to save his son. Who was he to interfere?
Staring at the ominous mine entrance, Lin Xiao turned to Zhao Yunzhong, his tone calm but decisive, "The only option we have now is to quickly find a way to descend into the mine without being affected by the Destruction Stones."
Zhao Yunzhong, his face filled with sorrow, nodded in agreement.
Both men stood outside the mine, frowning in contemplation. After a few moments, Lin Xiao suddenly had an idea and asked Zhao Yunzhong, "Earlier, Vice Sect Master Yuan said he tracked the group to the formation, but their trail disappeared outside it. Yet, inside the mine, he sensed his son’s presence. Is that correct?"
Zhao Yunzhong nodded, "Yes, that’s right."
Lin Xiao pondered for a moment before forming a hand seal. A faint white mist rose from the ground around them, gradually expanding and forming a large, translucent image of the mine’s subterranean landscape.
The mist revealed numerous intersecting tunnels, and at the center of the labyrinth was a massive underground chamber. Within that chamber, several red glows flickered briefly before vanishing. One particularly bright red glow was moving through a tunnel, slowly but surely making its way toward the central chamber. However, as it neared the chamber, the glow began to dim, eventually disappearing altogether.
Seeing this, Zhao Yunzhong was stunned. "Sect Master Lin, what is this?"
Lin Xiao explained, "When the formation was first established, I embedded a technique within it. This technique silently attaches itself to anyone who enters the formation. It remains dormant to conserve spiritual energy, avoiding detection by the Destruction Stones. When activated, it briefly reveals the target’s location."
He pointed to the central chamber, "The red lights in the central chamber likely represent the remnants of the Destruction Stone Incident that the Alliance Army is hunting."
Lin Xiao continued, "As for this mist, it is another function of the formation, allowing me to map out the entire underground structure. Fortunately, while the Destruction Stones below drain spiritual energy, the surface still contains enough residual energy for the formation to maintain itself."
In truth, Lin Xiao had integrated a Spirit-Gathering Array into the formation. Without it, the natural spiritual energy in the mortal realm would have been insufficient to sustain such a large formation.
Zhao Yunzhong was even more astonished after hearing Lin Xiao’s explanation. Deeply impressed, he exclaimed, "Sect Master Lin, you are truly benevolent! To think you’ve deployed such a powerful formation to seal the Destruction Stone Mines… May I ask, does your Lingxian Sect possess an ancient inheritance?"
Before he could finish his question, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from afar, shaking the earth like a thunderclap!
Both men turned toward the source of the sound, their eyes wide with surprise.
In the distance, a massive cloud of dust and debris shot into the sky, with splinters of trees and rocks flying everywhere amidst the swirling yellow smoke.
Just as they were about to rush over and investigate, Lin Xiao noticed Zhao Yunzhong suddenly clutching his chest in agony. His face contorted in pain before he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
"King Zhao! What’s happening to you?" Lin Xiao quickly supported him, frowning in concern as he leaned Zhao Yunzhong against a nearby boulder.
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