319: Fellow villager~

"Not bad. Thank you for your hard work, Minister Shang."

As soon as the excavation was complete, Helian Jinming's applause sounded from behind Shang Yu.

"Your Majesty, this... the Hundred Corpse Tomb is buried quite deep."

Shang Yu said after bowing.

"The original hundred zhang was a misjudgment. There seems to be something below that affected the Mountain Mover Ghost's detection ability."

"In reality, the Hundred Corpse Tomb is twenty-six li deep. It's thanks to Your Majesty's help that all this earth and stone could be moved out."

These words were not insincere at all. If Helian Jinming hadn't inserted those tubes into him, Shang Yu would have died of exhaustion before he could dig it out.

Moreover, through this experience, Shang Yu also felt an incomparable fear of Helian Jinming's unfathomable strength.

Continuously supporting the Mountain Mover Ghost for seven days and nights, Helian Jinming didn't even pant, appearing incredibly relaxed.

"Since the Hundred Corpse Tomb has appeared, Minister Shang can now rest."

Helian Jinming turned to look at the pale-faced Shang Yu.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Shang Yu let out a long breath. He had thought Helian Jinming would discard him after he was no longer useful.

"Return to the Dragon Vein and rest well." Helian Jinming's smile suddenly became eerie. He lightly tapped Shang Yu's forehead with his finger.

"Wh-...?"

Before Shang Yu could react, a terrifying suction force came from the tubes connected to him.

"Ah ah ah!"

Shang Yu's flesh and blood were sucked into the pipes, and even his bones were crushed and drawn in.

"Helian Jinming! You! Why?"

These were Shang Yu's last words in the world.

"Why?" Helian Jinming smacked his lips in satisfaction, collecting all the pipes.

"The power of your Aristocratic Families was bestowed by me. Do I need your permission to take it back?"

"If I, the Emperor, didn't disdain such a lowly act, would I have let you live until now?"

"A good-for-nothing who could have his clan exterminated, keeping you alive is just a waste."

Helian Jinming sneered and strode towards the giant pit.

"Is this the Hundred Corpse Tomb, the legendary source of the Dragon Vein..."

Helian Jinming's eyes were filled with longing as he stepped into the giant pit.

Soon, Helian Jinming stepped onto a layer of shining metal ground, identical to the ruins where Chen Heng was.

"What a pity. This material, originating from the desolate era, is not something I can break."

Helian Jinming caressed the metal ground, muttering to himself.

"Black Guard."

"Present."

A figure completely wrapped in black cloth emerged from Helian Jinming's shadow.

"Spread the news of the Hundred Corpse Tomb's appearance. I want everyone in the world to know."

"No matter who, no matter their origin, no matter their strength, no matter their race, I want everyone to know!"

"Heh heh, I refuse to believe that with this method of dissemination, you still won't know?"

"Unless you run to that cursed place, the Chengtian Empire, it will be hard for you not to come!"

"Also, leave your Clone in Qiyang City. If Chen Heng doesn't come after a month, spread the news that the key to the Hundred Corpse Tomb is on him."

"Yes." The Black Guard nodded and vanished into the shadows in the blink of an eye.

"Come on, I want to see how strong someone who can forcibly snatch Chang Yutian's treasure is..."

---

At this moment, Chen Heng had no idea that Helian Jinming was plotting against him behind his back.

If Chen Heng knew, he probably wouldn't even wait for Helian Jinming to find him; he would directly kill his way to the Divine Capital.

"Does this place have no end?"

The group walked through the endless passage. Besides the echo of their footsteps, there was no other sound around them.

"How would I know? That old geezer Qing Changsheng said he got his Way of Reaching Heaven here."

Chen Heng shrugged, not telling Bai Jun and Luo Shuo what the words on the right side of the passage meant.

"If you can understand, walk this way."

Chen Heng was now absolutely certain that this place was 99% created by his Fellow Countryman.

Perhaps the Hundred Corpse Tomb was also something he had tinkered with.

Chen Heng's vigilance was now at its highest. He was still unsure if this 'Fellow Countryman' of his was still alive.

But for now, it seemed like this guy was probably no longer around, and his attitude towards a fellow 'Fellow Countryman' could be described as friendly.

After walking for a while longer, seven Fork in the road appeared before the three.

"Big Brother Chen, there are those characters here again!" Bai Jun quickly ran over, studying the characters carved on the wall.

Chen Heng stepped forward and looked at the characters in front of these passages.

The leftmost passage was labeled "Storage Room."

In order, they were: "Restroom."

"Dead End."

"If you can understand, take this path."

"Path of Certain Death."

"If you're stubborn and confident in your strength, you can check this path."

"Testing Ground."

Chen Heng now deeply suspected that his 'Fellow Countryman' might have obtained some 'Ant' System; otherwise, why would he dig so many branching paths in this place... "Let's go, take this path first."

Chen Heng lifted his foot and walked towards the "Storage Room."

Either this place had been abandoned, or his 'Fellow Countryman' was gone.

Anyway, there must be good things waiting for him in that storage room.

Bai Jun glanced at the other branch paths and followed Chen Heng with Luo Shuo.

"By the way, Bai Jun, how long ago was that desolate era you mentioned?"

Chen Heng suddenly thought of a very important matter.

Since Bai Jun said that this kind of writing appeared before the desolate era, then at least an approximate time could be deduced.

"The desolate era, huh..." Bai Jun scratched his head, his mind working rapidly.

"I remember the Sect Leader mentioning it once. The desolate era seems to be a period recounted in myths, at least a hundred thousand years ago, right?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I'll ask my Master later."

"Alright." Chen Heng nodded. Since it was something from a hundred thousand years ago, that made things easier.

That 'Fellow Countryman' was 99% not in this world, so there wouldn't be any conflict between them.

A hundred thousand years, even if he didn't die, he would have left long ago.

The group continued forward and soon arrived in front of a wide-open door.

"Someone has been here!" Bai Jun exclaimed, immediately activating the spiritual energy within his body.

"It's fine, it should be that old geezer Qing Changsheng." Chen Heng waved his hand, signaling Bai Jun to relax. He didn't sense any living presence inside.

Gurgle... The sound of viscous liquid flowing echoed in their ears, and Chen Heng immediately looked up at the ceiling.