Lei Hun stared thoughtfully at the arrow the barbarian had shot into the tree trunk for a while, then asked, "Are you alone?"
The barbarian forced a somber look onto his face: "They're all dead, and I'm the only one still alive."
Mo Rong pouted and said, "Did you kill them all?"
The barbarian said somewhat guiltily, "No, no, not at all. You can't survive without your companions. I won't do a losing proposition like killing my own companions before the outcome is clear." Of course, he wouldn't mention that he was the first to flee when his companions were caught in a fierce battle.
"Your bow and arrow are quite good," Tu Longziyun praised. The barbarian's face showed a proud expression, and he said proudly, "Of course, we barbarians live at sea, and bows and arrows are the most important for water warfare. I, Jiang Tang, am a first-class archer, otherwise I would not dare to participate in this life-or-death gamble."
"Jiang Tang, you still have syrup?" Li Jun kicked him again. Jiang Tang got up, his expression turning fawning: "Of course, you four are much stronger than me. I admit defeat wholeheartedly. I'm out of food. Killing me won't do you any good. Just let me go."
"No, the benefits are far greater." Tu Longziyun and Li Jun exchanged a glance. Their youthful spirits hadn't faded, and they were determined to tease this barbarian a bit. Li Jun looked him up and down and said, "You're quite plump. If the four of us eat sparingly, we can feed you for five or six days..."
Hearing the boy brazenly say he wanted to eat him, cold sweat broke out on Jiang Tang's forehead. He stammered, "No, no, I'm old, my skin and flesh are all worn out, I don't taste good, I don't taste good at all..."
“You’re wrong,” Tu Longziyun said, drooling. “The tougher the skin and flesh, the better it tastes, and the more it can withstand the osmosis. Hehe, we haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Jiang Tang knelt down again with a thud, crying and begging for mercy. Mo Rong couldn't bear it and said, "I was just kidding. You really eat people? It's disgusting."
Hearing Tu Longziyun and Li Jun's unrestrained laughter, Jiang Tang finally realized that he had indeed been deceived. He let out a long breath, and the tears that had been welling up in his eyes disappeared instantly. Li Jun couldn't help but admire the quick change of this barbarian.
All eyes were on Lei Hun's face as to how to deal with this barbarian prisoner.
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Note 1: Yi people: Originally a race living along the coast, they once vied for dominance over all human races in ancient times. After their defeat, they returned to the coast. They belong to the water element (water-based attack and defense are increased by 50% to 100%). Among them is a saying: "Every Yi person is born in water, grows in water, dies in water, and is buried in water." Their powerful aquatic abilities meant that any navy needed Yi people to be considered combat-ready. After the "million ears" incident, some Yi people migrated inland but still lived along rivers and lakes. Fishing is their traditional industry, but with frequent exchanges between continents, long-distance maritime trade created internal conflicts. Whether to choose this new and highly profitable trade or the ancient way of life passed down for thousands of years often became the focus of debate between generations. Interestingly, Yi people often chose a middle path: long-distance maritime trade in their youth and fishing in their later years. In terms of belief, besides religion, they held great reverence for the sea god and the dragon.
Section 3
Carrying everyone's "baggage" on his back, Jiang Tang walked at the very front with trepidation.
"Are you sure there won't be any danger?" This was the tenth time he had asked Lei Hun beside him. Originally intending to ambush Lei Hun's group, he had now become an unofficial member. Under Lei Hun's coercion, he had no choice but to lead the way with Lei Hun.
"The entire forest is arranged in a natural formation, so everyone who enters the forest will inevitably end up together." Seeing his anxious appearance, Lei Hun had to explain, "As long as we follow my instructions, we can avoid those people."
“Once they’ve fought to the last drop, we’ll rob them of their food… That’s a brilliant idea, a worthwhile deal,” Jiang Tang said matter-of-factly, but his worries quickly returned: “But there are many mages participating in this gambling tournament, and you might not be the only one who recognizes this place.”
"Hmph, if every mage knew about this ancient formation that has been lost for thousands of years, then every mage would be a god." Lei Hun grumbled and stabbed Jiang Tang, then fell silent. Jiang Tang could only follow Lei Hun's instructions and clear the way while his mind wandered.
“Something’s strange, there isn’t a single bird or beast in this forest,” Mo Rong said with a chill in her voice.
“What’s so strange about that? There’s not a single fish on the beach,” Jiang Tang interjected. “It’s precisely because there’s nothing to eat around here that it’s become a gambling venue.”
They kept going uphill, and just as Lei Hun had said, they didn't encounter any more enemies. But Li Jun instinctively felt that a terrible danger awaited them, and that this danger was greater than any situation they had encountered before.
Lei Hun kept his lips tightly pressed together, and Mo Rong's expression seemed somewhat strange for some reason. Only Tu Long Zi Yun seemed to be getting more and more excited. Li Jun was certain that these three were hiding something from him, and this was precisely the purpose of their trip. Now he was certain that Lei Hun's visit was definitely not for the gambling money in Haiping City.
Jiang Tang, who was walking at the front, suddenly cheered and said, "What a great deal! We're finally out of this damned forest!"
Li Jun rushed forward, but he found that Lei Hun, Mo Rong, and Tu Long Zi Yun seemed afraid to stay in the forest any longer, and they ran even faster than him.
The group rushed out of the woods and were stunned by the sight before them.
A towering archway stood, its immense weight supported by four massive stone pillars, each as thick as a person's embrace. The pillars were carved with coiling, soaring dragons, their forms seemingly poised for flight. The upward-reaching edges were adorned with exquisite patterns, though their height obscured their view. At the very top was a dragon pearl the size of a fist, its gaze fixed intently on the pearl, as if it were about to burst forth from the pillars to seize it. The entire archway spanned a stone staircase leading up the hilltop, disappearing into the mist after a few steps. An imposing aura emanated from the archway; this masterpiece of craftsmanship was unparalleled by any other archway Li Jun had ever seen.
"Truly magnificent!" Mo Rong exclaimed sincerely, craning her neck.
Lei Hun sighed inwardly. This archway, standing here, seemed to possess its own spirit, as if it had come alive. But he knew very well that what would astonish everyone even more was yet to come.
"Wait a moment." Lei Hun stopped everyone's impulse to move forward, and Kai Yong silently prayed. Golden light gradually emanated from around him, and the range of the light grew larger and larger until it stopped at a certain range.
Lei Hun took a breath and said wearily, "Don't go outside the golden light."
Although they couldn't identify the spell, everyone knew it was far beyond the capabilities of a mere scholar. Lei Hun had surprised them many times before, but this time he made them reconsider their strength.
Protected by the golden light, the group stepped through the archway. As they passed through, a powerful pressure pressed down on the golden light. Everyone could feel a tightness in their chests, but the golden light only contracted slightly before bouncing back.
As they ascended the stone steps, the group was enveloped in mist. The dark green mist met the golden light, producing a hissing, corrosive sound. They could barely see the path beneath their feet. Jiang Tang deliberately bent down to touch the ground, resulting in him almost unable to straighten up.
"Don't look down." Li Jun almost kicked him. The golden light was already small, and everyone was crammed together on the narrow stone steps. If anyone stopped, the people behind them would be unable to move forward.
"Below...below..."
"If you don't leave now, I'll throw you into the poisonous fog," Tu Longziyun threatened, and Jiang Tang trembled as he moved forward.
The dark green mist increasingly eroded the golden light, constantly shifting and flickering like flames. The golden light was gradually eroded away, forcing everyone to huddle closer together.
"I've lost money... I've lost money... I've lost everything..." Muttering to himself, Jiang Tang mustered his courage and continued forward. Finally, the green clouds in front of him began to thin, and Jiang Tang cheered.
Lei Hun let out a long breath, and the golden light vanished. The group finally crossed the bridge spanning the abyss, and his golden light magic withstood the test of the green cloud poisonous fire. While others only heard a hissing sound from the light and clouds, he could feel the powerful corrosive force attacking his spiritual power inch by inch.
"Let's take a break," Mo Rong suggested, secretly observing his expression. To conceal her true feelings, she sighed, "Phew, I'm tired."
Exhausted, Lei Hun sat on a clean rock, wiping the sweat from his brow. After closing his eyes and meditating for a moment, he took out a red pill from his pocket and put it in his mouth.
The pill dissolved upon contact with water. After a while, Lei Hun felt his spiritual power had recovered considerably, so he released the golden light a second time.
The group began to follow him forward, and before them lay a huge cave entrance. Jiang Tang had long wanted to go inside, but he was worried about the dangers without the protection of the golden light. Now that he was inside the cave, he couldn't help but look around curiously.
The cave walls reflected a dazzling brilliance under the golden light, and only after entering did the group discover that the walls were entirely made of pure natural crystal. Only the floor beneath their feet was meticulously carved white marble, with intricate patterns engraved on it.
Mo Rong suddenly rushed to the front and said, "Be careful, there are Shu Yue's marks carved on this floor."
Jiang Tang immediately stopped. Mo Rong carefully observed the marble slab, and after a moment she said, "Follow me, and be careful not to step on the other slabs."