Chapter 868 Dead End
The white mist surrounding what appeared to be the main hall was even denser than the white mist barrier that Ouyang Rong had encountered when he entered Yunmeng.
Ouyang Rong closed his eyes several times, trying to regain consciousness and escape, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
He simply opened his eyes, and with the shadow of the [Humble Scholar] sword in hand, silently moved forward for a while in the white mist.
At the same time, I am reflecting on my current situation and circumstances.
I had just fallen asleep when the sudden movement of the snow-white longsword was definitely premeditated, judging from the sudden attack of those three sword intents.
In addition, one thing is certain at the moment.
That means he accidentally contracted the virus.
Ouyang Rong glanced around at the white mist, his eyes calm.
This should be a trap to lure the enemy in, or rather, a backup plan by Xue Zhongzhu and her team.
If the three sword intents descend upon him in the dead of night with the aid of the snow-white longsword, and fail to kill him, then we should employ a strategy, like what we are doing now, to lure him over.
Although Ouyang Rong was unaware of the methods Xue Zhongzhu and the others had used to lure him into their scheme.
But one thing is clear: the newcomer is up to no good... Well, it seems he's the one who came, but it's all the same.
Anyway, this misty hall is not a good place.
We should find a way to evacuate as soon as possible.
Ouyang Rong looked up at the [Humble Scholar] who was following him.
I also tried to communicate with the Merit Pagoda.
His expression relaxed slightly; he could enter the Pagoda of Merit.
However, given the current situation and the possibility of danger, Ouyang Rong dared not enter the Tower of Merit or linger for too long. So, he only glanced at the merit points briefly before leaving.
[Merit: 521]
The more than three thousand merits I had accumulated over these days were almost completely used up.
All of it was consumed almost instantly in Ouyang Rong's battle with the three descending sword intents.
That's almost equivalent to a great blessing.
To be honest, he felt a little heartache, but Ouyang Rong wasn't too frustrated or regretful. He would accumulate merit and use it when necessary.
At least the exchange just now was quite enjoyable. The almost universal Merit Purple Mist, replacing the Qi Refiner's spiritual energy, allowed him to attack with confidence and gain the upper hand.
Xue Zhongzhu and the others probably didn't expect his counterattack to be so fierce.
However, his merits have now run out, and the blessing bell is not ringing.
Ouyang Rong pulled himself out of his thoughts and continued exploring the white mist.
We'll have to find another way.
Ouyang Rong remained calm and cautious, and walked for a while with his sword.
At one point, he noticed that the white mist around him was beginning to dissipate, and there was a faint light directly in front of him, as if it were a guide.
Ouyang Rong walked over without hesitation.
Enter the ball of light.
In the next instant, his vision shifted.
Arrived at a place.
Upon seeing the location clearly, Ouyang Rong was taken aback.
...
A solitary island on a vast lake.
The moonlight was bright, and the nightingale sang softly.
In the center of the island stands a cliff, on which stands a grand hall.
The main hall appears pure white from a distance, seemingly made of white marble.
The main hall appeared to have collapsed in half, leaving only a few isolated white jade pillars.
Its style is simple and ancient; it is unknown which dynasty it was built in.
In the moonlight, there was a faint sense of desolation and annihilation.
At this moment, two beautiful figures stood outside the main hall.
Among them, the one slightly taller was a woman in white, barefoot with bells tied to her feet, wearing an elegant Wu-style dress, with a gentle temperament.
The slightly shorter one was a woman with her hair tied in two sideburns on the right, wearing a light green skirt, but not Wu clothing.
At this moment, it was the latter who looked around and asked the woman in white:
"Second Senior Sister, who exactly is this villain that makes Senior Sister need to use the Hall of Mental Cultivation to deal with him?"
Her tone was full of curiosity.
Yu Nianyuan glanced at her and shook his head:
"You saw it when we fought just now. This person is very dangerous and extremely wary. The three of us joined forces, and although we at least reached the level of sword intent, the fact that we were able to adapt to the situation and temporarily repel us shows that we are people with outstanding willpower."
The female ruler with her double-ringed sideburns tilted to the right tilted her head:
"Then there's no need to activate the Hall of Mental Cultivation. If Senior Sister goes in to preside over it, won't she also exhaust herself... Not only will she trap that person, but she'll also be imprisoned, trapping herself as well. Senior Sister will also have to go through the hardship of 'cultivating her mind.' Is it really worth it?"
Yu Nianyuan narrowed his eyes: "Senior Sister knows what she's doing. This boy... is very powerful. Using this method is not a mere trial."
"Is it very impressive?"
The woman with her twin-ringed temples slanted to the right muttered to herself:
"I just saw a blurry figure, a young man, like a frail scholar. Could he be a Confucian Qi cultivator...?"
"Also, why is Senior Sister's sword with him? When did it get lost? Could it be related to the battle at Twin Peaks? Who did you encounter in that battle? You and Senior Sister have been so secretive about it since you came back, and Xiao Qi has become like that... Now Senior Sister has even lost Zhi Shuang. Could it be related to this person?"
"But in the battle at Shuangfeng Peak, didn't they summon a dragon and destroy the Buddha statue? Does the pseudo-Zhou court have some other experts on its side?"
The woman, who seemed to be one of the Six Heroines of Yunmeng, bombarded him with a series of questions.
Yu Nianyuan pondered and said:
"It's complicated. I only heard it from my senior sister, and her explanation was rather vague. However... it is indeed related to Xiao Qi, and the connection seems quite significant. Only my senior sister knows the specifics. We'll discuss it after tonight's events are over. Right now, the most urgent task is to contain this boy."
She glanced back at the desolate hall and whispered:
"According to Senior Sister's plan, we don't necessarily need to use the Hall of Mental Cultivation to kill this boy. If that works, all the better. If not, as long as we can trap his Dao Heart, that will suffice..."
The lady with her double-ringed temples slanted to the right asked:
"What if Senior Sister can't be trapped?"
Yu Nianyuan glanced at her and asked in return:
"Then what are we here for? We can just go in together. No matter how strong his will is, can he be as strong as the three of us? Human strength has its limits. Even the most powerful person can't stand up to a single tree."
The sixth lady seemed to be impatient and eager to try, urging:
"Alright, alright, then why are we still waiting outside? Let's go inside."
Yu Nianyuan's figure disappeared from the spot.
The woman with her double-ringed temples tilted to the right looked up and saw that her second senior sister had already leaped onto the roof of the palace, seemingly looking north.
The shadow of a three-legged bird appeared in the clouds under the moon and flew towards us.
It's an insect girl.
"No, don't come in. I'll stay here and help. You wait for the Insect Girl to come. You have more important things to do. Senior Sister will give you some instructions later..."
Yu Nianyuan's gentle voice came through.
...
Ouyang Rong found himself in an underground palace.
The familiar underground palace.
There were three familiar figures around.
They are a withered monk, an old Taoist priest in a crane-feather cloak, and a slender young girl.
Ouyang Rong came to his senses and looked down. He was wearing a scholar's robe, and his forehead was throbbing slightly, as if he had a wound bandaged.
Ouyang Rong suddenly realized that this was the situation when he first woke up and arrived in this world.
He fell into this sacred earth palace at that time.
"Boom—!"
Thunder rumbled overhead.
Ouyang Rong looked up and saw a thunderstorm outside the small skylight in the ceiling of the underground palace.
A rope lay scattered at his feet.
He seemed to have just tried to go outside not long ago, but was frightened by the noise outside.
"Don't you dare go out looking for death."
At this moment, the old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak behind them sneered.
The withered monk also chanted:
"Amitabha Buddha, please come back, benefactor, outside lies boundless hell..."
The slender girl hugged her knees and buried her head, but through the gaps in her arms, a pair of eyes silently watched her.
She was still clutching a sheepskin water pouch in her hand, which seemed to have been handed to someone not long ago.
Ouyang Rong remained where he was, silent and observing his surroundings.
He vaguely understood.
This is what happened that day.
As for why it reappeared...
Ouyang Rong remembered that he had just gotten lost in a strange, misty palace.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the cave entrance.
In the next instant, Ouyang Rong climbed up without hesitation.
The three people behind him stared at him in astonishment.
Even if it happened again, Ouyang Rong would still climb out.
Regardless of why that strange hall could evoke memories in him, Ouyang Rong would still choose the same path again, for no other reason than this!
Just as Ouyang Rong was resolutely climbing towards the upper cave entrance.
"ah."
A weak shout came from above.
Ouyang Rong suddenly stopped and looked down.
He was met with a pair of charming, beautiful young girl's eyes.
She is an embroiderer.
She... couldn't bear to see him leave.
For a moment, Ouyang Rong's eyes were filled with a sense of bewilderment.
But he quickly regained his rationality.
This place cannot be lingered in.
But before he could grit his teeth and climb up again...
In the next instant, Ouyang Rong felt the world spinning around him.
The scene has changed again.
He almost teleported to a place that was incredibly familiar:
Once again, they were in an underground palace, once again being watched by three people, and once again, a violent storm was raging above.
Ouyang Rong landed on the floor again.
Beside him was a rope stained with the blood from his palm.
The old Taoist priest, the monk, and the young girl behind him were still looking at him with different expressions.
It seemed like they were trying to persuade him not to leave.
The scene was exactly the same as before, only it seemed to have regressed a certain amount of time.
Ouyang Rong's chest heaved violently.
A moment later, he stood up all by himself.
With his back to the three men, he stepped forward again, grabbed the rope tightly, and climbed up.
This time, upon reaching the same height, Ouyang Rong heard that familiar, weak cry.
This time, Ouyang Rong did not turn around, but seemed to hesitate for a moment.
The scene before my eyes suddenly changed.
It went back to the way it was before.
Ouyang Rong leaned back, sitting in place, and turned to look at the slender figure among the three.
He completely ignored the words of the old Taoist priest in his crane-cloak and the monk who did not know the master.
Ouyang Rong quietly looked at the embroiderer who had been avoiding him that day yet seemed reluctant to leave.
He understood what was strange about this grand hall.
It seems to be able to evoke the most vulnerable and hesitant parts of everyone's heart.
Perhaps the person involved doesn't even realize it, and may even feel that doing it again is a wise choice.
However, the judgment method of this strange hall is very strict. If there is even the slightest hesitation or fluctuation... even if you do not turn around, but your heart is moved, then you will fail.
That would take us back to square one and start all over again.
Ouyang Rong looked down at his blood-stained palm.
Putting aside the strangeness of the hall repeatedly questioning people's hearts, it turns out... he wasn't as decisive as he had imagined.
Hearing the embroiderer's weak cry, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
This is not something that can be overcome simply through reason.
It's not about giving you a simple multiple-choice question to answer verbally; it's about immersing you in the experience, making you feel like you're surrounded by life, and simulating the scene over and over again, so that you unconsciously draw yourself into it.
And because the surrounding scenery is so realistic, or rather, it evokes the most genuine reactions from the depths of people's hearts.
Therefore, Ouyang Rong could not deceive it, because one cannot deceive one's own heart.
It's also impossible to be completely rational temporarily, like when answering a question.
Unless they are truly cold-blooded.
From this perspective, it's a dead end, an endless cycle.
Ouyang Rong looked up at the small but distant cave entrance above him.
Although I only tried twice, I know...
He's trapped.
...
Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Yu Nianyuan had already leaped off the roof of the palace and returned to his sixth junior sister's side.
The insect girl arrived and landed on the rooftop where she had been standing.
Yu Nianyuan turned around and spoke loudly into the hall:
"Senior Sister, what's the situation inside?"
The hall seemed empty, making her voice a continuous echo.
A moment later, Xuezhongzhu's weary voice came from inside:
"This child... has fallen for it..."
Her voice was broken, as if interrupted by something, hurried and full of weariness.
"You...you come in...to replace me..."
Yu Nianyuan took a deep breath and, under the watchful gaze of his sixth junior sister, stepped into the hall.
About an incense stick's time later, Xue Zhongzhu's figure emerged from the darkness inside the palace gate and slowly walked out.
A woman with twin buns slanted to the right stepped forward to greet him.
"Senior Sister, are you alright? Your complexion..."
Xue Zhongzhu's beautiful face, with its mixed foreign heritage, was deathly pale. There seemed to be some cold sweat on her forehead, and her slightly curly blonde hair fell from her temples, obscuring a corner of her tightly pursed, pale red lips.
With a wave of his hand, Xuezhongzhu said:
"I'm fine! You can take this."
"This is……"
The girl in the light green dress approached with light steps, took the item handed to her by her senior sister, and examined it.
It resembles a piece of glass or jade.
"This medicinal jade was originally meant to be the sword tassel for Zhi Shuang, but it's not important now. You just need to know that it can resonate with Zhi Shuang."
Xuezhongzhu raised his chin arrogantly, pointing northeast, which was also the direction where someone's bamboo courtyard was located:
"Sixth Junior Sister, take it with you now, ride the Insect Girl, and head in this direction. I can sense that this child and Zhi Shuang are in this direction. If the medicinal jade gets hot, it means they are nearby. The closer they are, the hotter the medicinal jade will be..."
"Follow the guidance of the medicinal jade, find this boy and Zhi Shuang, first seal the boy's dantian cultivation, then dislocate his limbs, and then bring him and Zhi Shuang back to see me!"
The girl in the light green dress tilted her head: "Why..."
"There's no reason why, just do as I say. Don't worry, his mind is currently trapped in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and his body is stuck in place, unable to move."
"Once you find his location, you can easily deal with him. I just don't know how far away he is, but it doesn't matter. Insect Girl can travel a thousand miles a day. We'll hold him off here at the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
The girl in the light green dress shook her head and, in front of Xue Zhongzhu, forcefully swung her small fist:
"That's not what I'm asking, Senior Sister. I'm asking why we only sealed his cultivation and didn't just chop this stinking man's head off with a single sword strike?"
She tilted her head slightly, her tone strange and puzzled:
"After going through so much trouble to catch this sword thief, how could Senior Sister be so soft-hearted? Why keep him alive? He should have been chopped into mincemeat!"
Xue Zhongzhu, who had been arrogant and cold in front of his junior sister, suddenly fell silent.
(End of this chapter)
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