bookcurios Chapter 143: The Art of Escape
Chapter 143: The Art of Escape
Granny Jinfeng stood before the group, her eyes as sharp as a hawk's as she stared intently at the stone forest ahead. She took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "I suggest we stop here. Going any further could be dangerous."
Upon hearing this, Manniu's lips curled up in a disdainful smile. He was a burly man, his muscles bulging like a wild horse about to break free. He taunted, "Grandma, you're too cautious. These stone pillars are just ordinary stone features. What danger can there be?"
Granny Jinfeng frowned slightly. She looked at Manniu and said with a hint of reproach, "Manniu, don't underestimate this place. We don't know what's hidden here. If we go in too deep, we might run into trouble."
Manniu laughed heartily, his voice echoing in the air like thunder. "Mother-in-law, you are just too timid. I just don't believe this. I want to continue exploring."
Zhang Chulan stood aside, his gaze fixed on the stone pillars. Their rough surfaces seemed to bear witness to the vicissitudes of time. Yet, an inexplicable fear welled up in his heart, as if some unspeakable horror was hidden within those pillars.
At this moment, Zhuge Qing approached the stone pillar and carefully examined the pattern. His eyes gleamed with wisdom, as if he could discern the mystery within. He whispered, "This pattern... could it be the Eight Diagrams?"
Upon hearing this, everyone gathered around and began to discuss. Some of them knew something about the Eight Diagrams Formation, an ancient formation with immense power. However, many knew nothing about it and simply listened to Zhuge Qing's explanation with curiosity.
Manniu looked at Zhuge Qing with a look of disdain on his face: "Humph, what Eight Diagrams? I think you are just talking nonsense."
Zhuge Qing ignored Manniu's taunts and continued to observe the patterns on the stone pillar intently. His fingers gently traced across the stone pillar, as if sensing its pulse.
Suddenly, a shrill scream emanated from the stone pillar. The sound echoed through the air like a ghost, sending chills down one's spine. Everyone was startled and looked toward the stone pillar. They saw Manniu and his companions fleeing back, their faces covered in blood. Their bodies were smeared with dirt and blood, and they looked utterly miserable.
"Inside... inside there are dead bodies!" Manniu's voice trembled, his face filled with fear and shame. He recalled his recent experience, filled with regret and self-blame. He had originally confidently believed that this stone forest was just an ordinary landscape, but now, he was terrified.
Granny Jinfeng looked at Manniu's miserable condition and sneered, "Hmph, I've told you long ago that this stone forest is no ordinary place, but you just don't believe it." Her words were full of sarcasm and blame, making Manniu even more embarrassed.
At this time, Li Qiankun walked to the stone pillar.
He carefully examined the pattern on the stone pillar, his brow furrowed. After a long moment, he slowly spoke, "This stone pillar is in line with the art of Qimen Dunjia, forming a killing array. Once you step inside, the mechanism will be triggered, and you will die without a burial place."
Everyone gasped upon hearing this. Looking at the stone pillars, they felt an inexplicable fear well up in their hearts. They had never heard of the art of Qimen Dunjia before, let alone the power of this killing array.
Li Qiankun looked at the horrified expressions on everyone's faces and said in a deep voice, "We can't move forward blindly any longer. We must find a way to break this killing array."
Zhuge Qing heard this, and a gleam flashed in his eyes: "Maybe I can give it a try."
Li Qiankun looked at Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye with approval in his eyes. He nodded and said, "Okay, you two go in through the gate of life and the gate of death respectively to see what secrets are hidden in this stone pillar."
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye headed off in two different directions. They carefully circumvented the stone pillars, fearing they might trigger some mechanism. Their figures moved back and forth between the pillars like two ethereal ghosts.
After a long moment, Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye emerged from two different directions. Their faces wore a mix of fatigue and excitement. Zhuge Qing whispered, "This is the Eight Diagrams Diagram, indeed. I tried to find a way out, but every path seemed like a dead end. However, I've discovered a pattern: there seems to be some connection between the gates of life and death."
Wang Ye nodded. "I've discovered this pattern, too. Although this Eight Diagrams Formation is complex, it's not unsolvable. As long as we can find the pattern within it, we'll definitely be able to crack it."
Li Qiankun's eyes lit up with approval upon hearing this. He walked over to the stone pillars and carefully examined the patterns. He gently traced his fingers across them, as if sensing their pulse. After a moment, he took a deep breath and waved his hands. As if pulled by an invisible force, the stone pillars retreated to the sides, revealing a passage leading deeper into the cave.
"This is the passage leading to the depths of the stone forest." Li Qiankun's voice was filled with excitement and anticipation. "Let's go."
Granny Jinfeng gazed at the scene before her, a flicker of reminiscence in her eyes. She said slowly, "This... is the core of Central City." Her voice was deep and powerful, as if carrying some indescribable majesty.
"Mother-in-law, have you been here before?" Li Qiankun asked curiously, his eyes lingering on the stone tablet, trying to decipher more information from those ancient words and patterns.
Granny Jinfeng nodded and slowly said, "When I followed the leader here, Central City wasn't what it is today. The leader left his foundation and wisdom here, and we're here to find those treasures."
"Treasure?" Everyone was excited when they heard the words. They imagined those precious items and secret manuals, and their hearts were filled with anticipation.
"Indeed," Granny Jinfeng continued, "The leader left behind many precious items and secret manuals here. They are undoubtedly a great treasure for cultivators like us. These treasures not only contain the leader's hard work and wisdom, but they may also contain some groundbreaking cultivation methods that can help us advance further on our path of cultivation."
Li Qiankun stood aside, looking at the strong figure of Manniu, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew that without Manniu's help, they might never have found this place. He walked forward and said sincerely, "Manniu, thank you."
Manniu waved his hand without saying anything, turned around and led everyone into the depths of the valley.
Xinghua looked at Manniu's back and muttered in dissatisfaction: "What an ungrateful person. He acts alone after getting the map without even telling me." There was a hint of coquettishness and complaint in her tone, but more of it was confusion and dissatisfaction with Manniu's behavior.
Li Qiankun smiled and ignored Xinghua's complaints. He gazed into the depths of the valley, his heart filled with curiosity and anticipation. What secrets did this valley hide? Why did only a very few people know the map here? He turned to Grandma Jinfeng and asked, "Grandma, do you know who the traitor was back then? After all these years, do you have any clues?"
Granny Jinfeng shook her head and said, "I don't know. But after the leader knew the truth, he became extremely crazy, which shows how much influence the traitor had on him." There was a bit of regret and emotion in her tone, as if she was also sad for the leader's experience.
Li Qiankun nodded, his determination to uncover this secret even stronger. He knew that this secret was not only related to the life and death of the leader, but also likely inextricably linked to the mystery of Baoer's identity.
"Mother-in-law, do you think the traitor is still alive?" Li Qiankun asked again.
Granny Jinfeng pondered for a moment and said, "It's hard to say. But since the mercenaries have the map, it means that the traitor may still be alive, or even on Nasen Island." There was some uncertainty and worry in her tone, as if she was also worried about everyone's safety.
Li Qiankun felt a chill run down his spine after hearing Grandma Jinfeng's words. If this traitor was still alive, he would definitely continue searching for the treasure in the valley, potentially even posing a threat to Bao'er. He took a deep breath, turned to Zhuge Qing, and said, "Zhuge Qing, send someone to follow Manniu and the others and see what they're looking for."
Zhuge Qing nodded and immediately arranged for someone to follow Manniu and the others. He knew that although this task was difficult, it was crucial to uncovering the secret.
However, Li Qiankun didn't focus all his energy on tracking Manniu and the others. He knew their main purpose in coming to the valley was to uncover the mystery of Sister Bao'er's identity, not to delve into the mystery of the previous unrest. Therefore, while he arranged for his men to track Manniu and the others, he also began investigating the mystery of Sister Bao'er's identity.