Chapter 949: Sudden Appearance

Han Li ignored the suction force from the bronze tree, carefully examined the white beam of light at the treetop, and turned over thoughts in his mind.

He noticed that the array patterns on it were somewhat different from those he had seen in the previous temple, but they still originated from the same source, so deciphering them was not too difficult.

Thus, he took out the Starry River Brush from his bosom and began to draw talisman patterns around the beam of light.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Although Han Li had not yet reached that level, he was much faster than before, and in no time, he finished the inscription.

As a white light rippled out, the beam dissipated, and the blood-colored key naturally fell into Han Li's hand.

At the same time, the suction force from the strange bronze tree also disappeared.

"You're asking for death..." Shao Ying, thinking he had been tricked by Han Li and Chen Yang, flew into a rage.

He kicked off the branch with both legs, breaking off a piece of the bronze branch, and lunged at Han Li.

The latter, however, had already taken Shi Chuankong and flown down ahead of time.

Before Shao Ying could pursue again, Han Li held the key in one hand, raised it above his head, and shouted loudly:

"Don't push your luck. If you try to snatch it by force, I'll crush this thing, and we'll all end up with nothing."

At these words, Shao Ying indeed hesitated, not daring to act rashly. He stood at the treetop, looking down at Han Li with a grim face.

The others who had been fighting in the hall also stopped and retreated to the sides.

"Fellow Daoist Li, since you've chosen to stand by, why get involved?" Fu Jian frowned, his gaze unfriendly.

Han Li held the key, standing with his hands behind his back, offering no explanation.

"It seems the people of Qingyang City don't need your interference, City Lord Fu, in how they do things, right?" Chen Yang chuckled.

"Cough... Fellow Daoist Fu, it seems we fell for their bitter ploy from the start, mistaking their internal strife for real, not knowing it was just a show for us..." Qin Yuan coughed lightly and said.

"Kid, you dare to toy with us? Are you sure you'd rather destroy the key and have a falling out with us?" Shao Ying said viciously.

"Shao Ying, what nonsense are you talking?" Just then, another angry shout came from outside the temple.

Immediately after, four figures walked in from outside.

The two at the forefront were a nondescript middle-aged man and a short, stout old man, both seemingly unremarkable, yet instantly capturing everyone's attention in the hall.

For these two were none other than E Kuai, the city lord of Xuan City, and Madam Liuhua.

Behind them followed a handsome pair of young men and women clad in bone armor, who were none other than Zhu Ziyuan and Zhu Ziqing, the siblings.

Chen Yang's expression changed slightly at E Kuai's sudden appearance, and he couldn't help but step back half a pace. Han Li noticed this and grew more puzzled.

"Greetings, City Lord E..." The crowd stepped forward to pay their respects.

"City Lord, I..." Shao Ying stepped forward and bowed, about to speak, but E Kuai's face turned cold, and he swung his sleeve, knocking him to the ground.

After getting up, Shao Ying quickly bowed again, not daring to say another word. Qin Yuan and the others, seeing this, also changed expressions, their eyes showing fear.

Han Li, seeing this, tightened his grip on the blood-colored key and discreetly studied E Kuai's face, weighing in his mind whether to hand over the key or threaten to destroy it again.

E Kuai's expression was slightly solemn. When his gaze swept over Han Li and the others, a hint of approval showed in his eyes. When he saw Shi Chuankong standing behind Han Li, he was only slightly surprised and didn't react much.

But when his gaze fell on Qin Yuan and the others, his face immediately darkened, and he sneered:

"City Lords Qin and Fu, you two are quite capable. Before even touching a hair of the secret treasure, you've already started infighting. What, do you enjoy killing each other so much?"

"I wouldn't dare. I only wanted to keep the key in my hands to later present to City Lord E. I was just too eager to claim merit, which led to conflict with Fellow Daoist Sun and Fellow Daoist Chen..." Qin Yuan quickly explained.

"Heh, Fellow Daoist Qin, your tongue is quite glib now. No more panting or coughing?" Sun Tu mocked with a laugh.

"Seizing the key depends on one's ability. If it were a contest with Gui City, I would not only not object but would even reward you. But your infighting is truly inexcusable." E Kuai's expression softened slightly, as if his anger had subsided, and he spoke.

"This was due to our momentary greed for merit. We will compensate Baiyan and Qingyang cities later. I hope the City Lord will forgive us." Fu Jian followed Qin Yuan's lead, seizing on the phrase 'eager to claim merit,' and quickly said.

"Considering it was for the greater plan of Xuan City, I'll let it slide for now. When we return, you must properly apologize to Fellow Daoists Sun and Chen. Since the key is now in Qingyang City's possession, let Fellow Daoist Li keep it for now. No one is to harbor any thoughts of snatching it. We still need to cooperate fully to obtain the treasure." E Kuai pondered for a moment and said.

A conflict of interest turned into a matter of claiming merit. Although Sun Tu and the others were dissatisfied, they said no more.

"City Lord E, since you have arrived, there is no reason for me to keep the key. It should naturally be handed over to you." Han Li stepped forward, opened his palm, and said.

"Perhaps you don't know, but there are five blood-colored keys in total. Only when combined can they open a forbidden area deep in the Great Ruins and obtain the treasure within. A single key is of little use. Since Fellow Daoist Li obtained this key, let him keep it until we reach the treasure site." E Kuai glanced at the key but did not take it, instead saying with a smile.

Han Li, upon hearing this, did not insist further and put the key into his bosom.

"Thump, thump, thump"

Another rapid heartbeat sound came. This blood-colored key seemed to resonate with the previous one, both beating like hearts simultaneously.

Then, another stream of heat flowed from the blood-colored key into Han Li's body.

With this pulsation, a surge of heat seeped from the blood-colored key into his body. Han Li instantly felt not only his blood energy surging rapidly but also his Star Power being mobilized.

The mysterious aperture on his body that was about to open finally opened at that moment.

Overjoyed, Han Li quickly suppressed the surging blood energy and Star Power, not daring to reveal his change.

Even so, everyone noticed something amiss and looked at him.

"May I ask, City Lord E, what exactly is the treasure deep in the Great Ruins?" Han Li asked calmly, trying to divert everyone's attention.

"According to ancient legends, deep in the Great Ruins lies a skeleton with boundless power, a true supreme treasure capable of overturning heaven and earth. Anyone who can reach it and see the skeleton will gain immense benefits." E Kuai said slowly.

Something that E Kuai considered immensely beneficial was naturally far beyond ordinary items.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed slightly, with varying degrees of longing and greed in their eyes.

Han Li, however, was intrigued, thinking of the 'Accumulated Scale Holy Skeleton' mentioned by Shi Chuankong. But according to him, E Kuai seemed to have other purposes here, though what they were remained unknown.

He quietly glanced at Shi Chuankong, who looked indifferent, then turned his gaze to Chen Yang.

At that moment, Chen Yang's expression was somewhat unsettled, with deep worry in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, tell me the truth. Do you know something?" Han Li transmitted his voice to Shi Chuankong.

After waiting for a while, Chen Yang did not respond.

"Is what City Lord E said true or false?" Han Li transmitted again.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I do have something to hide from you, but I have my reasons. I cannot tell you now..." Chen Yang finally replied via voice transmission.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, you have threatened me once before. If you cannot be honest now, let's cancel our cooperation altogether." Han Li's tone turned cold as he transmitted.

"This... Fine, since you insist on knowing, I won't hide it. Originally, I was not from Qingyang City but from Xuan City. My brother Chen Lie and I were both spies trained under the city lord's mansion, destined to be sent to infiltrate other cities. To qualify for this task, we underwent rigorous training. In the final assessment, we were each sent to assassinate someone. Success would bring abundant cultivation resources and advanced Xuan cultivation techniques. But no one expected that the targets we were assigned were each other..." Chen Yang hesitated for a moment, then transmitted.

"Mutual slaughter?" Han Li frowned slightly upon hearing this.

"Yes. E Kuai sent Shao Ying to monitor us. We had no choice... In the end, I survived..." Chen Yang paused, then said with difficulty.

"Your entanglements with him are none of my concern. To survive in this Accumulated Scale Void Realm, I can cooperate with you. But if you want to challenge E Kuai now, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock. I won't accompany you to die." Han Li said after a brief deliberation.

"Of course... Besides, I don't plan to confront E Kuai now. What I'm doing now, like you, is just to survive..." Chen Yang sighed heavily, somewhat helplessly.

"Then what E Kuai said just now..." Han Li's heart stirred, and he asked.

"It doesn't matter much whether it's true or false now, since no one has ever really found it. But according to legend, it is as he said: deep in the Great Ruins lies a skeleton containing infinite energy. Even obtaining just a small finger bone and refining it into the body can greatly increase physical cultivation and even the number of mysterious apertures. It is truly a divine object for us Xuan cultivators." Chen Yang thought for a moment and explained.

Han Li was about to say something more when E Kuai's voice rang out:

"Fellow Daoist Li, since you have the blood-colored key, let's set off immediately for the treasure site. If the people from Gui City get there first, it would be a loss."

"Since the treasure site requires five keys to open, and we have one, even if the Gui City people arrive first, they can't open it, right?" Sun Tu frowned and asked.

"Gui City is not like Xuan City. They are skilled in puppet arts and may have other methods." Madam Liuhua, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.