Chapter 660: Another Bet

"..." Wu Zhen wept.

I really just wanted to prove myself...

Who did I provoke to deserve this?

Although at the critical moment, his true qi burst forth, blocking a portion, his body was still pierced by at least several hundred fine needles, each embedded three-tenths of an inch into his flesh, causing him unbearable pain.

What use was it to say 'be careful' now?

Didn't you also smash it with an iron hammer?

Why can't I do it...

Same position, same force, same technique—yet you opened the passage, while I was stabbed until I look neither human nor ghost...

Tears flowed, muscles all over his body writhed, true qi surged, shaking off all the fine needles embedded in his flesh. He flipped his wrist and took out a gourd of wine.

Back then, Princess Fei'er hadn't used it, so he had kept some 'holy healing medicine.' Now his whole body and face were covered in wounds; if he didn't use it, he might die on the spot.

"These are external injuries, not affecting the internal organs..."

After a moment's thought, based on the conclusion drawn from Master Zhang's words, he uncorked the bottle and poured all the fine wine directly over his body.

"Cough, cough..."

Zhang Xuan on the opposite side of the river witnessed this scene and twitched the corner of his mouth.

He naturally remembered this fine wine—it was the one he had been forced to make by Luo Zhao, Master Feng, and others... It contained his Heavenly Dao true qi, which was fine for healing wounds, but now several days had passed, and the true qi had long dissipated. In short, the gourd now held ordinary wine... Pouring it on wounds must be very painful...

"Ah..."

Before his thought ended, he heard a pig-like scream from across the way. Wu Zhen convulsed as if electrocuted.

The wine made contact with the wounds, like salt being sprinkled on them, nearly causing him to faint.

"Xiao Qi, quickly give him a healing pill, or else... I'm afraid he won't survive!"

Seeing the other party convulse for a while and begin to foam at the mouth, Zhang Xuan turned and instructed.

"Yes!"

Luo Qiqi hurried over, took out a healing pill, pried open his mouth, and fed it to him.

Once the pill entered his body, his complexion improved somewhat.

Although the fine needles piercing his body weren't fatal, their sheer number still caused great harm to the human body.

Even after taking the healing medicine, though there was no serious issue, it had cost him at least half his life. His vision darkened, his mouth was swollen and red, and he was no longer as lively as before.

Standing up, Wu Zhen looked again at Master Zhang not far away and sobbed silently.

You're a liar!

Smashing a stone tablet with an iron hammer, healing external injuries with holy medicine...

Trusting you—what a ghost!

"Let me do it."

Not expecting this Wu Zhen to be so reckless, speaking before finishing his sentence and rushing to break the tablet, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly. He came over with Xing Yuan and others, reached out, and took the Thousand Mechanism Umbrella from him.

With a flick of his wrist, the Thousand Mechanism Spike appeared. Zhang Xuan thrust it straight at the stone tablet before him.

Ding, ding, ding!

Three consecutive strikes, followed by the sound of springs.

Creak! Creak!

The stone tablet slowly opened, turning into a towering portal, just like the previous one.

"Wasn't it supposed to be an iron hammer..."

Wu Zhen swayed.

"Oh, cracking the mechanism requires adapting to the situation. For this stone tablet, the Thousand Mechanism Spike suffices," Zhang Xuan said.

"..." Wu Zhen.

...

Ignoring the already broken Wu Zhen on one side, the crowd approached the portal.

Like the one across the river, behind the portal there was indeed a stone staircase descending beneath the river, its end invisible. Clearly, it led to a different place than the previous portal.

"So there are indeed two underground palaces..."

The crowd's expressions turned serious. Just as they were about to speak, they suddenly felt the bridge shake, heard the sound of a spring, and then a faint voice came.

"Congratulations on opening both portals. However, each person can only choose one to enter. You have the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Once you enter a portal, you cannot retreat, only advance!"

The voice was abrupt, cold, and silent, giving a sense of stiffness.

"It's a [Mechanism Voice Recording]!" Wu Zhen, now momentarily forgetting his resentment, explained.

"Mechanism Voice Recording?" Everyone was puzzled.

"Yes. Some advanced mechanisms can not only create traps as effective as formations but also record human speech, releasing the sound through spring triggers!"

Wu Zhen said.

"Oh!" Zhang Xuan was amazed, but after a moment's thought, he understood.

In his previous life, music boxes played tunes driven by springs. For a Master Artificer of such ingenuity, simulating human speech through similar means should not be difficult.

"Let's set that aside for now and consider how to choose."

Princess Yu Fei'er interrupted Wu Zhen, saying.

"Yes," the crowd responded.

It seemed that the opening of both portals had triggered the recorded message. According to its words, they had to choose between the two portals, and the time limit was the length of one incense stick.

Very urgent.

"How to choose should be determined from the inscriptions on the stone tablets. On this side of the bridge, it says 'Wangxiang Ju' (Homeward Residence), likely left by Senior Wu Yangzi in memory of his homeland. If so, this is probably the underground palace where Senior Wu Yangzi once lived. Meanwhile, 'Wangyou Ju' (Carefree Residence) across the river should be the dwelling of those who imprisoned Senior Wu Yangzi."

After a moment's hesitation, Luo Qiqi said.

"I agree with Qiqi!" Princess Yufei nodded.

Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and the others also responded in unison.

They had already analyzed these matters as soon as they entered this underground area; it could be explained literally, not too difficult.

"I see things differently!"

Zhang Xuan frowned and said.

"What is your esteemed opinion, Teacher?"

Luo Qiqi looked over.

The others also focused their attention.

Since arriving here, this young man had left too many stunning performances; no one now dared to take his words lightly.

"I rather think that 'Forget Worry Residence' is the dwelling left by Senior Wu Yangzi. As for the reason, I can't say clearly!"

Zhang Xuan said.

When he touched the stone tablet, the library only showed who had crafted the mechanism, not explaining the underground palace below, which was related to Wu Yangzi. Thus, this conclusion was also his subjective judgment, without any basis.

"How is that possible!"

Princess Fei'er curled her lips and snorted coldly: "Senior Wu Yangzi was captured for refining artifacts; he must have been filled with grief and indignation, anger would be an understatement. How could he forget his worries?"

"Yes, being captured, the senior would surely miss his homeland; hence 'Long for Home Residence'! I agree with the Sixth Princess!" Xing Yuan nodded.

"Teacher... saying this, have you discovered something?"

Knowing that the teacher would not speak nonsense, Luo Qiqi couldn't help asking.

"I haven't discovered anything, but I have some understanding of calligraphy and painting. Just now, when I looked at the three characters 'Long for Home Residence', they carried a killing aura, which I don't think would be left by a great master of artifact refining. 'Forget Worry Residence', on the other hand, has a calm and peaceful mood, with a profound artistic conception, more like what a master would leave behind. That's why I have this idea."

Zhang Xuan said.

"I have that feeling too..." Ye Qian interjected from the side.

As a five-star calligrapher and painter, he also sensed the mood left by the earlier calligraphy.

"We said before, having a killing aura is normal. Senior Wu Yangzi was captured and imprisoned here; it would be surprising if he didn't have such emotions! 'Forget Worry Residence'... ha, only the captor would be so carefree and calm!"

Princess Fei'er shook her head: "I choose this underground palace!"

She already had a grudge against Zhang Xuan, and now seeing him judge by feeling without any basis, she became emboldened.

"I also choose this underground palace!"

Xing Yuan nodded too.

Wherever Princess Fei'er went, he would follow. Moreover... he also felt her argument was reasonable, while Teacher Zhang's reasoning was insufficient.

"What about you?"

Seeing someone follow her, Princess Fei'er turned to look at Wu Zhen nearby.

"I..."

Wu Zhen hesitated: "I also choose this one!"

Clearly, he also thought she was correct.

"Ye Qian, what about you?"

Seeing another person about to go her way, Princess Fei'er finally felt a sense of victory and looked at the crown prince nearby with satisfaction.

"I... think Teacher Zhang is right..."

Ye Qian nodded, but as he was about to continue, he saw the princess raise her eyebrows, and couldn't help shrinking his neck: "But I still decide to choose this side!"

"That's more like it!"

Seeing this junior brother being sensible, Princess Fei'er nodded with satisfaction, a smile curling at her lips. She looked at Zhang Xuan nearby with a victorious air: "Alright, six people, four have chosen this side. Make your decision quickly!"

Aren't you always winning bets?

Let's see how you win this time!

"I still choose the opposite side." Facing her provocation, Zhang Xuan shook his head, then looked at Luo Qiqi: "Which side do you choose?"

"I..."

Luo Qiqi hesitated: "I'll go with Teacher!"

"Qiqi!"

Unexpectedly, her best friend would undermine her, Yufei raised her delicate brows and quickly tried to dissuade her: "Don't you agree with our earlier guess? That path definitely has nothing to do with Senior Wu Yangzi..."

"Definitely? Do you dare to bet?"

Seeing her say that, Zhang Xuan interrupted her and looked over with a smile.

"Why wouldn't I dare?"

Yufei flicked her sleeves.

This time she had absolute confidence.

"Good, with so many witnesses, I'm not afraid you'll renege. Last time it was ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones; this time it's different, let's make it one high-grade spirit stone..."

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly: "We'll decide the winner based on Senior Wu Yangzi's residence. If the path I choose is correct, you lose and give me one high-grade spirit stone. If not... your maidservant status is canceled, and we'll be even!"

"Fine, if you lose, not only will your maidservant status be canceled, but you'll also return my seven hundred mid-grade spirit stones, and also, and also..."

Princess Yufei gritted her teeth: "Pour wine for me!"

"Alright, I'll pour wine for you!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

"It's settled!"

Princess Yufei sneered coldly: "Just wait to lose! Let's go!"

With that, she was the first to step into the stone gate before her.

Xing Yuan, Ye Qian, Wu Zhen, and the others followed closely.

"Let's go too!"

Seeing them walk up the stone steps and descend, Zhang Xuan said no more. He called Luo Qiqi, crossed the stone bridge, and walked toward the other stone gate.