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墨書 Inktalez
Mei Shuang looked up in shock, illuminated by the light of the torch. She saw that the Soulbinding Grass, which had originally shrunk back to its place, was now starting to stir as piles of treasure were being brought up.
Her face suddenly turned pale.
Everyone else was focused on the treasure and completely unaware of this detail.
Anriyan must have noticed this earlier, which is why he had just given a warning. However, it was impossible to persuade Nangong Nuo to willingly put down the treasures that had been brought up.
Oh no! This is bad! Staring at the moving Soulbinding Grass, Mei Shuang broke into a sweat.
While Anriyan observed the unusual activity above, he couldn't help but admire Mei Shuang's foresight. He only realized her intentions after coming up and understanding the hidden significance of these treasures being buried here, but it seemed a bit too late.
He knew that the tendrils had just been restrained by the potion, but that would only last for a moment. Once startled a second time, they would surely retaliate wildly, and who knows what major incident might occur here.
He subtly signaled Cong Fei while discreetly escorting Mei Shuang backward, all the while calculating their escape plan.
To outsiders, it appeared they were merely studying the statue of the Founding Ancestor from a distance, which did not attract any particular attention.
In reality, Nangong Nuo had not completely ignored Mei Shuang and Anriyan's words. While he maintained a calm demeanor to boost morale and stabilize his troops, he was secretly anxious inside.
He wasn't foolish; he had seen the chaos upon entering the Underground Palace. It was clear that these rare treasures were not intentionally preserved, but he couldn't figure out their hidden significance at that moment. To avoid prolonged trouble, he could only urge his subordinates to be quick and leave this place as soon as possible.
Just as piles of treasure accumulated at the cave entrance, a sudden scream echoed from within the Underground Palace, followed by the sounds of clashing swords.
Everyone standing above was startled and exchanged worried glances.
Only Nangong Nuo remained calm; his brow furrowed. He ordered those around him, "Elder Huang, go down and take a look. If there are any signs of treachery, kill without mercy!"
Under normal circumstances, he would have assumed that such a situation arose from the greed of those below, leading to infighting over the treasure. After all, this treasure belonged to him, and no one else could covet it! He snorted coldly.
However, as Elder Huang stepped onto the Cloud Ladder, he was taken aback by the scene below.
The entire Underground Palace had lost its original Lustrous Treasures due to the ongoing removal of the treasures, leaving the place dimly lit. Aside from a few torchbearers who had retreated to the walls in anticipation, dozens of black-clad figures were engaged in a fierce battle, swords clashing and blood flying, with people falling left and right.
He panicked and shouted loudly, "Stop! Zhao Prince has ordered that anyone who acts out of greed shall be killed without mercy!"
His voice echoed through the Underground Palace, heavy and hollow, but those fighting remained oblivious, continuing to swing their weapons at each other. Frustrated, he called over one of the torchbearers and exclaimed angrily, "What the hell is going on?"
The torchbearer was equally stunned and stammered, "I don’t know! Everything was fine just a moment ago. While we were packing up the last few piles of things, someone suddenly shouted that there were ghosts, and then they started fighting..."
"Ghosts?"
All of Nangong Nuo's subordinates were seasoned fighters with nerves of steel; they were probably so fierce that even ghosts would avoid them. Hearing this, Elder Huang cursed angrily, "You must be out of your mind! Everyone stop fighting!"
He descended from the Cloud Ladder and rushed forward. The strong smell of blood in the Underground Palace made him feel nauseous. Gritting his teeth against the overwhelming urge to vomit, he reached the front only to find bodies sprawled across the ground in disarray; only a handful of people remained standing.
He hurriedly pulled one of them aside. "Li Tou! We're on the same side; have you lost your mind?!"
The person he called "Li Tou" was yanked away forcefully, his gaze vacant as he gripped his bloodied sword and muttered, "They killed my mother; they killed my mother!"
"Crazy!"
Elder Huang felt a chill run down his spine. He slapped Li Tou across the face. The man jolted awake, confusion etched on his features as he asked, "Elder Huang, what happened? What’s going on?"
Damn it!
Elder Huang felt a chill in his heart and immediately recalled the earlier scene where Mei Shuang had lost her composure in front of a staff. These people must have encountered something similar to what Mei Shuang experienced...
He stepped forward, avoiding the fierce blade, and slapped each person firmly on the face, followed by the sound of swords clattering to the ground.
When he came back to his senses, the remaining individuals looked as if they had been reborn, all dazed and unaware of what had just happened.
Elder Huang glanced back at the scattered treasures and the corpses lying on the ground, feeling a deep sorrow. In just a short time, they had turned on each other, losing two-thirds of their number.
As his gaze swept past, he happened to see the staff that had caused Mei Shuang's earlier embarrassment, now being prodded to the back by Nangong Nuo's sword.
The staff lay horizontally atop a pile of jewels, its beastly head adorned with a blue gem that emitted an eerie glow. Elder Huang's scalp tingled; could this cursed staff be causing trouble?
He dared not think further, fearing more strange occurrences. Moreover, with most of the treasure already collected, this remaining portion was insignificant. Coupled with Anriyan's and Mei Shuang's warnings, he felt increasingly anxious. He called out to the remaining people, "There is definitely something strange here; everyone hurry and retreat!"
The inexplicable tragedy that had occurred in the Underground Palace seemed to stem from some terrifying force compelling them to turn against one another. Each person felt a chill in their hearts and wished to leave this place as soon as possible. Thus, under Elder Huang's lead, fewer than twenty remaining individuals hurried toward Cloud Ladder.
Just as they were about to climb Cloud Ladder, they heard a mournful cry from above the cave entrance, startling them so much that their scalps tingled and their legs trembled.
In just a moment, how had things changed so drastically?
Elder Huang instinctively thought it might be outsiders fighting over the treasures; after all, such wealth could incite envy. He worried for Nangong Nuo's safety and hurriedly stepped onto Cloud Ladder. As he reached the entrance, he saw dark figures swirling outside.
His heart sank heavily; indeed, what the Yamataikoku envoy had said about Soulbinding Grass was proving true once again.
In an instant, one of the Soulbinding Grass vines ensnared a black-clad guardian of the treasure. Where it touched him, white smoke began to rise from his body. They heard a horrifying scream as he struggled a few times before collapsing to the ground.
The Soulbinding Grass was so formidable that it was no wonder even the Yamataikoku envoy feared it. Elder Huang felt his scalp prickle and his face turn pale.
Although he recognized that the figure in black was his close friend, he felt utterly helpless at this moment. His greatest concern was the safety of Nangong Nuo. He shouted, "Zhao Prince, are you alright?"
Not long after Elder Huang received his orders and left, the Soulbinding Grass closest to the treasure could no longer contain itself. The wound that had been sealed with potion by Anriyan seemed to have healed, and it began to stretch toward the treasures. Upon touching them, the Soulbinding Grass recklessly coiled around the treasures, slowly corroding the large bags that contained them.
Fortunately, thanks to Anriyan's warning, Nangong Nuo realized something was wrong just in time. He rolled over a few times and managed to reach the back of the mountain of treasures, narrowly avoiding the poisonous plants.
The black-clad figures beside him were not so fortunate. The Soulbinding Grass had first swirled around the highest treasures without drawing their attention. By the time they reacted, it was already too late. They heard a few screams before several black-clad figures fell to the ground in an instant. The others who managed to escape were drenched in cold sweat, silently praying for mercy.
With white smoke rising from their bodies, they quickly turned black. Such a gruesome death was horrifying and made Mei Shuang's heart race. The toxicity of these plants exceeded her imagination; it was more potent than strong acid.
Even though she tried to remain calm, she couldn't help but tremble at the sight before her.
Reuniting with Nangong Nuo, whose face was dark with anger and unwillingness as he watched the bizarre scene unfold, he noticed that the Soulbinding Grass seemed attracted to the treasures. They extended their tendrils and wrapped around them, creating a chaotic dance that instilled fear in everyone present.
Hearing Elder Huang's anxious shout, Nangong Nuo replied solemnly, "I am fine. What is happening below?"
After Elder Huang briefly explained the situation, everyone felt an even greater sense of dread.
The people who had come were all loyal soldiers of Nangong Nuo. Hearing about the tragic situation caused him deep pain; he suppressed his sorrow and said, "Wait here for now. I'll rescue you once these damned poisonous plants are dealt with."
The sudden loss of dozens of loyal soldiers made his emotions unstable. With red eyes and gritted teeth, he asked Mei Shuang and Anriyan, "What should we do now?"
Mei Shuang, already frightened, needed an outlet for her anger to relieve her tense nerves. She snapped back, "What did I say earlier? I told you not to touch these things, but you wouldn't listen! Now look what you've brought upon us! Huh? What are you doing?!"
Seeing the glint of a blade suddenly appear at her throat made Mei Shuang quickly shut her mouth.
Nangong Nuo held a knife against Mei Shuang's neck, but his gaze was fixed on Anriyan's face. The implication was clear: if they couldn't come up with a solution soon, he would kill this woman first.
The scene before Anriyan tightened his brow. The blade reflected Mei Shuang's pale face, causing him to feel restless as he pondered a solution.
He spoke to Nangong Nuo in a low voice, "Zhao Prince, you have ignored the warnings and now brought about a calamity, sacrificing so many lives for no reason. The only way forward is to unite everyone's strength to break through this situation. What are you doing?!"
Perhaps Anriyan's stern words had an effect, as Nangong Nuo slowly lowered his weapon. However, as he spoke, the Soulbinding Grass around them seemed to multiply, creating a dense mass of black that was both alarming and suffocating. At this moment, even if they wanted to abandon the treasure and flee, it would be nearly impossible. The black Soulbinding Grass had already formed a curtain, blocking their escape.
Beside them, someone despondently suggested, "Would it help if we threw these things back?"
Nangong Nuo immediately retorted, "How would you throw them? Go ahead and try!"
The person fell silent as they gazed at the Soulbinding Grass coiling around the treasure like a venomous snake.
While Anriyan was deep in thought, Mei Shuang suddenly had an idea. She called for Cong Fei to search the nearby stone. Cong Fei, experienced in such matters, began tapping and listening carefully for any sounds.
Inside the Underground Palace, everyone was filled with anxiety. The sense of fear that left them feeling trapped made each person uneasy; they wished they could take flight from this place immediately. Even the usually composed Elder Huang was now frantic.
The Underground Palace was eerie; they could not afford to linger any longer.
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