Chapter 32: Shedding All Pretenses of Cordiality

The two people spoke to Chen Chao with inner-voice one after another. Chen Chao felt rather helpless.

He smiled bitterly and replied with inner-voice, "Fellow Daoist Guo, I can't be of help for this sort of thing."

Guo Xi wanted to kill Yan Ruoshui, Yan Ruoshui wanted to kill Guo Xi. Although Chen Chao vaguely knew that these few people were at odds from as early as in the mountain god temple, he did not expect that they were already prepared to attack and kill each other now. It was just that the cultivation realm that he revealed was merely Initial Realm, what could he do?

Chen Chao pondered in silence. His thoughts suddenly drifted from here to the mountain god temple back then.

Guo Xi smiled and said using inner-voice, "What did that b!tch say?"

He looked at Chen Chao. Although he was still smiling, it seemed like if Chen Chao did not speak truthfully, he would be the first to die.

Chen Chao felt very helpless. In the end, he still chose to tell Guo Xi what Yan Ruoshui told him with inner-voice before truthfully.

Guo Xi smiled slightly and asked, "Do you think that what she said will come true in the end?"

Chen Chao smiled bitterly and did not speak. Clearly, he was at a loss on what to do.

Guo Xi glanced at him and no longer spoke with inner-voice. Instead, he turned to Yan Ruoshui and said with a slight smile, "Fairy Yan, are you really not going to use your ultimate move?"

Yan Ruoshui was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Since Fellow Daoist Guo isn't willing to take action, then I can only make a fool of myself."

Guo Xi nodded his head and stood up from next to the pond and took a few steps back.

Yan Ruoshui took an archaic little jade cauldron out of her bosom and placed it before the pond. Then, her two hands formed seals non-stop and wisps of white smoke slowly overflowed from the small jade cauldron. Then, Yan Ruoshui reached out and scooped a handful of water from green pond and poured it into the jade cauldron. The white smoke grew thicker and drifted toward the surroundings.

Looking at this scene, Chen Chao bit the bullet and asked, "Dare I ask Immortal Masters what's behind these mining caves?"

Guo Xi shook his head, "Warden Chen, there's no benefit in you knowing these things."

When he said so, sure enough, Chen Chao stopped asking.

He fell silent.

Before long, Yan Ruoshui kept that archaic little jade cauldron, her face somewhat pale. At this moment, some white fog had gathered in front of a mining cave out of those countless mining caves.

Guo Xi praised, "Fairy Yan is indeed amazing. South Heaven Sect's secret art is also impressive."

Yan Ruoshui was not willing to say much, she said just calmly, "Please go ahead, Fellow Daoist Guo."

Guo Xi nodded his head with satisfaction and stepped into that mining cave first. That snow-white bead was still following him.

Yan Ruoshui followed him in.

Chen Chao was just thinking of catching up when Chi Ganquan suddenly said, "You stay at the back."

Chen Chao nodded his head. He was naturally extremely willing to walk last. This meant that if there were problems later, he could be the first to leave.

However, that girl who he did not know her name this entire time, looked at him and snorted coldly.

Chen Chao frowned slightly and paid it no heed.

The party of five continued on their way.

The mining caves here were much more spacious than before.

Furthermore, the deeper they went in, the more it was so.

Chen Chao knew that even though it looked like they were not going down, ever since they entered the mining cave, they had been extending downward all the way.

Which was also to say that they were likely already deep underground at this moment.

One had to know, it was very hard for those ordinary mining caves to maintain stability when it reached this depth. Unless there was a formation that everyone had long already set up here to maintain stability.

This was absolutely no ordinary mining cave. Because along the way, there were no traces of mining Xuanming Stones at all.

At this point, he remembered the county government files again. It was recorded that this mining cave collapsed not long after they started mining. But looking at it now, the cave-in was likely utter nonsense. What was closer to the truth was that this mining cave was never to mine stones right from the beginning, but had another purpose. The reason why they said that it was a collapse was entirely to hoodwink people.

Perhaps what was in this mining cave was the most important secret in this mine.

These few young qi refiners naturally knew the truth of the matter. But Chen Chao himself could only guess.

Being at the very back of the squad at this moment, what he was thinking about was something extremely important.

These few young qi refiners entered the mine with the tacit consent of the imperial court. Then, did the imperial court know the truth? If they knew, why did they let him accompany them? What was it for?

Thinking up to here, Chen Chao could not help but secretly curse. If the imperial court had long known about this matter, why did they not tell him before? At least he would not have to make wild guesses.

Gritting his teeth, Chen Chao continued ahead.

No idea how long had passed, a cliff appeared before their eyes.

In the endless underground, there was actually a cliff when the passageway reached this place?

The cliff was very wide and could accommodate several people standing shoulder to shoulder. Guo Xi's snow-white bead floated above the cliff. It was still bright, but it could not illuminate this cliff. At least, they were unable to see clearly what was in the abyss.

Chen Chao discovered that these people's expressions became rather heavy at this moment.

There was some excitement between Yan Ruoshui's brows.

Guo Xi was still very calm.

"It depends on Fellow Daoist Guo now."

Yan Ruoshui smiled, like a delicate and beautiful flower.

Guo Xi nodded his head, then reached out his hand. Motes of earth-yellow light fell from his body, spreading into the abyss.

Those lights were exactly the same as what they saw on that mountain god idol in the mountain god temple.

Before long, the sound of a languid dragon roar actually came from the bottom of the cliff.

Chen Chao suddenly raised his head.

Motes of yellow light started emerging from beneath the cliff.

This time, it could be seen with the naked eye.

Guo Xi was still calm, but Yan Ruoshui already started laughing.

She started laughing again.

Guo Xi turned to Chen Chao and asked, "Do you know what this is?"

Chen Chao was taken aback, somewhat dazed. Although he was a cultivator too, he was a martial artist. Other than being more skilled in killing demons, he did not have that many methods. His understanding of the world was definitely limited too. Xie Nandu had talked to him a lot before and told him many things.

But, there were still countless unknowns waiting for him to understand.

Guo Xi said on his own, "This is a dragon vein, also known as national blessing. However, this isn't the main vein."

"Each dynasty will give birth to a dragon vein after founding the country. This dragon vein will shoulder the destiny of a dynasty. Qi refiners cultivate with heaven and earth destiny as a supplement. We naturally covet the destiny of a dynasty greatly. In fact, qi refiners have played extremely important roles in the succession of dynasties."

Chen Chao frowned and said, "If this is a dragon vein, why wouldn't our imperial court guard it strictly? Instead, they let you guys in!"

Guo Xi shook his head and said, "Do you think that your imperial astronomers' qi refiners are remarkable characters? What ranking can they have among qi refiner lineages in the world? How can they clearly see the mysteries involved? A bunch of mediocre talents, they merely think that there's a profound vein underground here, that's all. How would they know that there's also a dragon vein under the profound vein!"

"They built this mine to hoodwink people, thinking that it's some amazing trick. But in reality, it's laughable to the extreme. The profound vein has dried up now, they naturally think that there's nothing good in this mine. When they heard that we were coming, they didn't care either. But, who would know that what we're seeking weren't these?"

Guo Xi slowly stated the purpose of this trip, his eyes all smiles.

"This dragon vein is our goal!"

Chen Chao's expression was ugly. How could he have imagined that there was still such a layer in this matter?

But, did Warden Li knew about this matter?!

"Warden Chen, do you think that you can still live after learning this secret?"

Guo Xi stared at Chen Chao and said with a smile, "I'm from the Three Streams Manor, it's an extremely important sect among the southern qi refiner lineages. I actually don't have any ill intent toward you. As for the aftermath consequences, I can bear it too. Let's make a deal. I know that your realm is definitely not just Initial Realm, help me out here. These guys have long wanted to kill me, I want to kill this b!tch too. You and I will join hands and kill them. After that, I'll let you go. How about it?"

"I don't need you to do much either, help me tie down that pair of apprentice brother and sister. After I kill this b!tch, I'll go find trouble with them."

The space suddenly became tense.

Yan Ruoshui still wanted to say something when Guo Xi already started smiling again, "Since this b!tch wants to kill me, it's already a major problem regarding how to explain to Three Streams Manor. She won't let a martial artist like you off. Because no outsiders can know about this matter."

Yan Ruoshui's smile had yet to dissipate, but at this moment, it immediately froze on her face.

Chi Ganquan had a stupefied look.

In the next moment, Yan Ruoshui shouted, "Do it!"

Following this voice, the bronze mirror in Chi Ganquan's bosom suddenly floated out and hovered in front of him. Streams of light poured out and shone at Guo Xi!

Yan Ruoshui began to summon that armored immortal again.

While that woman who had been silent all along gave a cold laugh at this moment. After her apprentice brother and Yan Ruoshui attacked in succession, she raised her hands and swung out, and streams of white light shot out from her sleeves.

Guo Xi floated above the abyss. Waving his sleeves to block the light shot out from the bronze mirror, he laughed coldly, "Slut, you want to kill me? I'm afraid that you're asking for trouble!"

While on Chen Chao this side, as early as when Guo Xi said that sentence, he already detected that something was wrong. When this woman attacked at this time, Chen Chao turned around and ran outside without any hesitation. It was just that he had just run out several dozen feet when he collided with an invisible air wall, forcibly stopping him in place. Only when he reached his hand out, did he confirm that this place was already sealed off. One could not easily leave.

When the woman rushed in front of him, Chen Chao just dodged the woman's killing move, acting a little panicky.

The armored immortal behind Yan Ruoshui had already gradually appeared. She who had summoned this immortal again had a solemn expression.

When she was conversing with Chen Chao with inner-voice previously, she was also talking to Chi Ganquan at the same time.

It was then, that she completely convinced Chi Ganquan two people. The three people joined forces to eliminate this Three Streams Manor's young qi refiner.

As for Guo Xi, how would he know?

Yan Ruoshui no longer had time to ponder this question at this time. After summoning the immortal, she said in a cold voice, "Kill him for me!"

That previous dynasty's great general nodded woodenly. At this moment, he suddenly swung his fist and smashed it forward!

It threw a punch out!

Endless gale winds bellowed here, making people momentarily unable to differentiate whether it came from the abyss or somewhere else.

Guo Xi laughed coldly. That compass he had been holding in his hand immediately flew out and hovered in front of him.

It constructed an unbelievably sturdy and powerful air wall.

Streams of white light wandered above the abyss and then converged.

That immortal's fist landed on that powerful air wall. But it only trembled a little and failed to truly penetrate it.

Chi Ganquan picked up that bronze mirror and leaped up, arriving in midair. A dazzling white light immediately erupted from the bronze mirror and crashed into Guo Xi like a snow-white giant python.

But after that, it was similarly blocked by the barrier constructed by that compass.

The three qi refiners attacked each other; a majestic and grand panorama.

Chen Chao was continuously dodging that woman's attack in the passageway.

On several occasions, he deliberately let the woman's white light land on that invisible barrier. But the final result was that it still failed to penetrate.

Chen Chao's heart turned cold.

Regardless of Yan Ruoshui who spoke before, or Guo Xi who seemed amicable, Chen Chao felt that the four people here would not let him off.

Since they came to snatch a section of the Great Liang Dynasty's dragon vein, how could they possibly let the news leak?

Which was also to say that no matter what, he would definitely be viewed as a must-kill target by them.

Chen Chao's heart sank. This was indeed a certain-death situation.

Even if he had already plotted some schemes prior to this, how could he have thought that the end result would be like this?

Dodging a stream of white light from that woman's sleeve, Chen Chao reached out and gripped his saber hilt. But soon, he let go again.

There was no chance of survival in the current situation.

"Immortal Master Yan, I've thought things through, I'm willing to join hands with you and kill this Immortal Master Guo!"

Chen Chao seemingly dodged that woman's attack flusteredly, then he immediately expressed his thoughts.

Without waiting for Yan Ruoshui to speak, the woman already sneered and said first, "Fairy Yan, this person is bound to be a backstabber, he can't be trusted. A boorish martial artist, if he's killed, so be it. He's of no help!"

When Yan Ruoshui heard this, she nodded her head too and did not say anything.

She had already figured things out in this short while. The reason why Guo Xi knew what she was thinking, was because this person informed him about it.

"Fairy Yan, I genuinely want to help you guys!"

Hearing this, Chen Chao secretly cursed her for being a crazy woman. But when he opened his mouth, he was still full of sincerity.

How could they be so stupid?

From the start until now, regardless of whether was it what Yan Ruoshui or this woman showed, there was only the word stupid. If it was Chen Chao, he would eliminate Guo Xi no matter what before talking about other things. But these two crazy women were far inferior to Guo Xi in terms of cunningness.

At this moment, Guo Xi who was being targeted by the two laughed loudly and said, "I already said long ago, these people won't let you off. Why don't you join forces with me and kill these b!tches!"

Chen Chao said helplessly, "Immortal Masters, I only want to keep my pathetic life. Why won't you give me any chance?"

Chi Ganquan who had been silent all along said contemptuously, "Uncouth martial artist, you shouldn't be alive in the first place!"

Chi Ganquan furrowed his brows and quietly cussed Chi Ganquan's 18 generations of ancestors.

"Immortal Master Guo, I've thought things through. You're a good guy, I was hit by that woman's illusion previously and didn't think things through for a moment. I've thought things through now, I want to help you!"

Chen Chao looked at Guo Xi and yelled, still looking so sincere.