Just how powerful was a Jin Xian's self-destruction? Even if she was already injured, it was still enough for her to display her full strength. Especially in this narrow area where all the power was concentrated, it caused everyone's expression to change.
However, these elites weren't too alarmed because with their sect master present, they weren't worried at all even if it was twice as violent.
Sure enough, the instant that violent blast of air swept up, Sect Master Xue made his move.
He suddenly threw out a blood-colored item that looked like a jade seal. It emitted a dozen red lights in the air that spread out in all directions.
The red lights were extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, they stopped above each of his subordinates' heads. Then, a red pillar of light descended and protected everyone.
As for himself, he wasn't careless either. He also protected himself.
However, he left out one person. It was a woman called Lan Yue.
"Sect Master Xue!"
Lan Yue shouted in despair because she didn't have any protection on her body. However, Sect Master Xue didn't even look at her in the face of her pleas.
She knew that something had gone wrong with the operation just now. They had allowed Yu Zi to put on a show in front of them, allowing her to escape in the end. He had to vent his anger and she, who suggested this, was the sacrificial lamb.
Layers of light rose from Lan Yue's body. She was still trying to make a final struggle.
However, she was already injured. Even if she took pills, she could only barely recover a bit of her strength in the past few days. Even if she used her full strength, how could she resist Yu Zi's final self-destruction?
In just one exchange, the protective barrier outside had completely collapsed. She was instantly turned into ashes in the face of such a violent attack. Not even ashes were left behind.
After half an incense stick of time, the movement inside was forcefully suppressed by Sect Master Xue and the surrounding area was revealed.
At this moment, the small sapling in the middle couldn't escape the storm. Only a few broken and blackened branches were left on the ground to prove its existence.
Fortunately, there was nothing else here besides it. It was just that the ground was a mess.
"Damn it. The next time we meet, I'll take your life." Sect Master Xue looked at the red barrier around him. He knew that he was trapped here and spoke with a sinister expression.
This time, he was completely enraged. The feeling of being played made him furious.
Also, that damned captive actually had such a precious magic treasure hidden on his body. If he had been a little more careful, he would not have been able to cause this.
He took a deep breath, and in the blink of an eye, the anger in his heart was discarded. He had already decided that the next time they met, he would kill the other party.
However, at that moment, he did not move to forcibly break open the spirit formation. He was waiting, waiting for his people to return.
Half an hour later, two figures rushed in from the outside. They were the two elite disciples who hadn't been locked in here before.
"Sect Master Xue, the other party managed to escape. However, we've already found the location where the other party escaped to." One of them looked at Sect Master Xue's ice-cold gaze and immediately reported.
"I'll let you live for two more days."
Even though the other party had escaped, Zhang Xuan had already used Bloodline Tracking on him. As long as he followed the other party's path, he would be able to find him no matter where he went.
"Squeeze over there, I want to break through this defense!"
In Gu Zheng's eyes, the impenetrable barrier would only take him a few more days to break through.
After so many years without anyone maintaining it, the defenses of many of the mechanisms had actually declined by a lot. If they were at their peak, those traps that had been left behind until now would be able to tell them why this place was called hell.
.....
At that moment, Gu Zheng had brought Xing Cai and Lan Yu to a new place.
The entire sky was gray, but they could vaguely see some mountain peaks, halls, rivers, and houses. It was like a mirage in the deep sky far away.
However, this place was deathly silent. Even the air felt oppressive. From time to time, there would be cracks that looked like black gas falling from above.
Those were cracks caused by the instability of the space. Fortunately, after so many years, this path, which was secretly built as a shortcut, still looked sturdy. This made Gu Zheng feel a lot more at ease.
At that moment, they were in a huge plaza. Below them were those kinds of rocks. Here, there was only this path that was getting narrower and narrower.
There was a mountain peak in front of them. At a glance, it was at least several thousand feet tall. It was like a pillar that reached the sky. It was impossible to see the top.
However, halfway up the mountain, there was a ball of yellow light that constantly flickered. It was the only color here.
Gu Zheng knew that was his destination. Through there, he would be directly teleported to the entrance of the hidden alchemy room.
There was only a stone staircase that led there. It was a faint gray shadow that seemed to be transparent.
This was the projection of the thorny path above, which allowed people to cross this void.
Apart from this, there was no other path. If you wanted to return, there was no other way. The only path was forward.
Following the arrival of Gu Zheng's group, a new change appeared in the gloomy sky. Streaks of black light fell from the sky, each one accurately landing on the gray steps.
The originally illusory staircase was submerged by the light and instantly turned gray. A path that led to the other side appeared.
At this time, the gray fog in space also faded a little, allowing people to see more clearly. In the sky, there was a similar stone staircase that led to the mountain peak in the sky. It was as if everything here was a reflection.
"Where is this?" Xing Cai looked at everything around her and reacted at this time.
She knew that the rapid escape from just now had not completely faded.
"I'm not sure. It was the old man from before who told me. Otherwise, how could we leave that place so quickly? But it looks like we still have to wait for a while." Gu Zheng shook his head and said.
When the black light fell from the sky, a layer of black Qi suddenly rose in front of the staircase, blocking Gu Zheng's path. It was as if it was waiting for all the stairs to transform before opening.
"Pu"
At this time, Lan Yu, who had been meditating on the ground, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, making Gu Zheng and Xing Cai look over.
After spitting out this mouthful of blood, the originally declining aura finally stopped decreasing and began to slowly recover.
"Thank you, Young Master Gu, for saving our lives!" At this time, Lan Yu also opened her eyes and said gratefully to Gu Zheng.
"The one we should thank is that Miss Yu Zi. If it weren't for her sacrifice, we would all have been buried there." Gu Zheng thought of Yu Zi and couldn't help but sigh.
At that time, when the other party opened her mouth to curse, Gu Zheng was also surprised. The other party's expression and tone had indeed deceived him, but the other party's eyes were constantly giving him hints. Only then did Gu Zheng react and finally understand the other party's intentions.
Under the other party's cover, she helped Gu Zheng open a gap. Although it was only for a short moment, it was enough for Gu Zheng to pull Lan Yu and Xing Cai out together.
Gu Zheng also heard the final roar and the shocking explosion clearly. He had already put Sect Master Xue and Lan Yue on his kill list, otherwise, he would have let Yu Zi down.
However, he was still not Sect Master Xue's opponent right now, so he could only escape in a sorry state.
"Indeed, we should thank her. Unfortunately, she's already sacrificed herself!" Xing Cai said with some heartache.
"Cough cough, no matter what, I will definitely help the other party's last wish." Lan Yu coughed twice, a trace of redness appearing on his face as he said resolutely.
"Don't talk about revenge in this state, just keeping your life is already pretty good." Seeing Lan Yu like this, Gu Zheng handed over another Golden Lotus Seed. He had already used one on the way, otherwise, Lan Yu would have died along the way.
"Rest first. When we can leave, I'll wake you up. Sect Master Xue is trapped there. No matter what, he'll be delayed for a few days, so don't worry." Gu Zheng not only said this to Lan Yu, but also to Xing Cai.
She was a bit anxious from the start, and he didn't need to ask to know why.
"Thanks!" Lan Yu didn't hold back. If he held back, he would be going against his own life.
After receiving it, he immediately swallowed it. A trace of golden light appeared outside his body.
The previous Golden Lotus Seed had only healed most of the injuries in his body before losing all of its effects. This Golden Lotus Seed could restore at least 50% of his peak cultivation, which was barely enough to cover his own life.
He didn't ask for anything else. In the end, that Spiritual Medicine almost cost him his life. It seemed that this was the end of his fate. Right now, he only wanted to leave this place.
"You should rest as well. It won't be easy to climb the stairs later. You'll need a lot of strength." Gu Zheng said to Xing Cai, who was looking around.
Of course, Gu Zheng didn't waste any time. He split a bit of his attention to observe the situation outside, and also began to rest.
In the blink of an eye, two days had passed. At the same time that the black Qi in front of him dissipated, Gu Zheng opened his eyes.
At this moment, the tens of thousands of stairs had all been activated, and the sky returned to its previous state.
"Let's go!"
After waking up Xing Cai and Lan Yu, the three of them didn't hesitate to walk towards the stairs.
"Careful!" Just as Gu Zheng stepped onto the first step, his expression changed slightly, and he suddenly said to the two behind him.
"What's wrong?" The two looked at Gu Zheng, who had only climbed one step, and asked in puzzlement.
"There are restrictions on the stairs. You'll know when you come up. Take a Golden Lotus Seed each. When it's time to use it, don't waste it." Gu Zheng flipped his hand and handed each of them a Golden Lotus Seed. It was better to be careful. At this moment, he only had three Golden Lotus Seeds left.
After the two received them, they carefully stepped on the stairs. At the same time, a huge pressure pressed down on them, as if a small mountain was pressing down on their heads.
Looking at the long stone steps, the two of them sucked in a breath of air. They also understood why Gu Zheng gave them the Golden Lotus Seeds. They didn't need to guess to know the gravity. The further they went, the more terrifying it would be.
"I remember now. My father once told me that there's a secret realm in the Black Dragon Hall. It's used to test those who want to enter. Moreover, there are generous rewards. Could it be that this is it?" Xing Cai suddenly thought of something and quickly said.
"No, this is only a projection of the other party. Moreover, it's the most difficult one. It's a place that tests Jin Xian's peak, so if you can't do it, just activate the equipment on your body. Don't force yourself. I want to pass through here to get the Scarlet Soul Pill, so I have to pass through here." Gu Zheng explained to the two.
"Scarlet Soul Pill!"
Lan Yu exclaimed hoarsely. They didn't expect the other party to know where to store the things here. Didn't they say that apart from the core, nothing else existed outside?
"Your grandfather's friend told me. Someone should have refined pills there before, and succeeded." Thinking of the rich medicinal herbs in the garden, it was obvious why there were so many of them.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Xing Cai said excitedly. She didn't feel that the path was too difficult.
Since it was a test, as long as your strength met the requirements, you would definitely be able to enter.
The three of them continued to climb. Although the gravity wasn't weak, it was just an appetizer for them. In the blink of an eye, the three of them had climbed over a thousand steps.
"The gravity has increased again!" Xing Cai suddenly said.
"Looks like it's increasing after a certain distance. Just be careful." Lan Yu said in a relaxed manner.
Although his strength hadn't recovered, this wasn't enough to make him feel troubled.
A few hours passed, and they had climbed at least half of the way up.
At this moment, they were no longer as relaxed as they were at the beginning. Their expressions became serious. At this moment, they were already under pressure. A layer of faint blue light even appeared on Xing Cai's body to help her reduce the pressure.
At this moment, she had activated the magic power of her set, and was spontaneously resisting the pressure from above, making her feel much more relaxed.
At this speed, even if the pressure increased the higher they climbed, they would probably be able to reach the top in less than half a day.
After all, other than the pressure, those strange tests didn't exist here.
Just as they continued to move forward, Gu Zheng suddenly felt a huge murderous aura coming from behind. Looking back, a dozen people appeared on the platform below. It was Sect Master Xue and the others.
As long as they arrived earlier than Gu Zheng estimated, with the strength of the red barrier, they would be able to delay for a few more days. By that time, they would be long gone.
"Let's see where you're going!" Sect Master Xue looked down and saw the three figures in the distance. He couldn't help but laugh in joy.
At this time, he thought they had already left. He didn't expect them to still be here.
"Sect Master, this place is a little strange." At this moment, an experienced disciple beside him said.
"I can see it. No matter what, catch them now." Sect Master Xue couldn't see the difference in the surroundings. Perhaps it was leading to a hidden place. Otherwise, with Gu Zheng leading the way, he wouldn't have been able to find this place.
After hearing this, the disciples behind him rushed up the stairs without saying anything.
Just as they were about to reach the top, they suddenly stepped on the ground and flew into the sky, wanting to chase after them.
However, just as they reached the range of the stone steps, a huge suction force came from below. No matter how hard they struggled, their bodies fell down.
A series of muffled sounds came from the world. With how fast they were before, all of them fell heavily.
There was even an elite disciple who accidentally fell down from the stone steps because of his bad position and the fact that he was close to the stone steps when he fell.
That disciple was shocked. When he wanted to fly up, he found that his cultivation had been sealed. He could only grab the air randomly. At this moment, he saw a blood-red tentacle appear at the edge of the stone steps. He was overjoyed. Master was saving him. He was safe now.
However, before he could relax, the tentacle curled back again, as if it had given up on him.
"No!"
A muffled sound came faintly from below. Then, that person's aura disappeared from everyone's perception.
The few disciples who were in a sorry state looked to the side in horror. They even subconsciously gathered in the middle to avoid accidentally falling down.
"Haha, we've been tricked. If you have the ability, come after us." When Gu Zheng discovered it, Xing Cai also felt that something was wrong. When she turned her head, she was shocked to see that one of their people had died for no reason.
On the other hand, Sect Master Xue looked on with a pale face. Just like that, they had lost their first person, and he couldn't even save him.
After hearing the mockery from above, his eyes were about to spit fire. He felt that he, a Grand Heavenly Realm, was being led by the nose by the three people before him.
He didn't know how many years it had been since he was humiliated like this. Now, his lungs were about to explode from anger.
However, the angrier he was, the calmer he felt. He raised his head and looked at the three people above.
At this moment, the three of them were glowing with light and were increasing their speed to climb up.
On the other hand, his own people had also started to climb up. However, no one dared to fly anymore.
"Everyone, go up!"
Sect Master Xue said to the people behind him. Then, he directly rushed up.
As soon as Sect Master Xue stepped up, he felt his body sink. He stood on the black stone steps heavily.
After feeling a little pressure, Sect Master Xue sneered and quickly rushed up.
His speed was so fast that it was beyond Gu Zheng's expectations.
"He's rushing up!" Lan Yu looked behind him and said in a panic.
"Yes, don't save your strength. Follow me and increase your speed!" Gu Zheng's body flashed with a golden light. The gravity on his body became much lighter, and he quickly climbed up.
Even Lan Yu and Xing Cai did the same. They stopped saving their strength and rushed up with a speed that was almost twice as fast as before. It was as if they had returned to their initial speed.
However, it was obvious that Sect Master Xue's speed was even faster. Unless he couldn't fly, he didn't seem to feel any pressure as he quickly approached them.
After only half an hour, Lan Yu and Xing Cai's figures began to slow down at almost the same time. Beads of sweat began to drip down from their foreheads. Their chests were also panting heavily. It was obvious that they were struggling to cope with the increasing pressure.
One of them relied on the increase in strength from equipment, while the other had yet to recover from his injuries. At this moment, they were already two-thirds of the way up. If it was under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be a problem at all.
At this moment, however, there was a murderous god chasing after them. Once he caught up, he probably wouldn't waste any more time with them. He would directly throw them down and die without a burial ground.
However, they couldn't increase their speed at all. Maintaining this speed was already putting their lives on the line.
At this moment, that murderous god had already covered half the distance. He was getting closer and closer to them. The two of them would probably be killed before they could reach the top.
"Both of you, eat the Golden Lotus Seeds. See if you can hold on. When we reach the top, there's a teleportation array. We'll leave immediately!" Gu Zheng immediately said to the two of them.
Now wasn't the time to feel heartache. Even if it was a waste, they had to hold on.
After the two of them heard this, they stuffed the seeds into their mouths without hesitation.
As their auras increased once more, the two of them increased their speed and rushed up.
However, the distance between them and Sect Master Xue was getting closer and closer.
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