Chapter 357 The Appraiser Breaks the Formation? Has He Gone Mad?!

Everyone leaped off the eagle's back, landing on the ground.

The ground beneath their feet was made of grayish-black rock, hard and cold.

Jiang Yun looked up, gazing at that enormous spatial rift.

The rift hung dozens of zhang above their heads, like a giant eye, coldly overlooking everything below. At its edges, space twisted into bizarre curves. Light fractured into fragmented, fantastical mirages as it passed through the rift.

A howling wind whistled faintly from within the rift.

That wind was icy and piercing, carrying a scent of decay, as if blowing from a ten-thousand-year-old Ancient Tomb.

And there was a faint, almost imperceptible pressure.

That pressure was ancient, heavy, as if something terrifying slumbered behind the rift.

Lie Yunkong strode forward, looking up at the rift, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He uttered three 'good's in a row, his voice booming.

"This Secret Realm clearly has no shortage of treasures!"

Blood Lady also walked over, her beautiful eyes sparkling with unusual light.

"He Yuanming, you've finally done something useful."

Black Wind Old Demon gave a sinister chuckle: "Let's hope it doesn't disappoint us inside. If this is a wasted trip, hehe..."

He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

He Yuanming snorted coldly but said nothing.

He looked at the crowd and spoke gravely.

"Everyone, the Secret Realm is before us. Once inside, be careful. We don't know what the situation is within. But there's one thing."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"No matter which faction you're from, once inside, we're all on the same boat. Fighting amongst ourselves will only ensure none of us make it out."

"If you want to come out alive, if you want to obtain treasures, follow the rules!"

Lie Yunkong scoffed but did not argue.

Blood Lady smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Black Wind Old Demon remained sullen-faced and silent.

He Yuanming took a deep breath.

"Let's go!"

He took the lead, leaping up and charging towards the spatial rift.

Deputy Group Leader and Tuoba Qingshan followed closely behind.

The others also rose into the air one after another.

Jiang Yun gave a light leap, flying towards the rift with the others.

The closer they got to the rift, the stronger the decaying scent became.

The pressure also grew heavier.

Jiang Yun frowned slightly, circulating the spiritual power within his body to resist the pressure.

Finally.

He plunged into the rift.

Darkness enveloped his vision first.

Then, a brilliant light erupted!

Jiang Yun squinted, waiting for his vision to adjust. The sight before him made him pause briefly.

It was a massive palace.

No, it should be said, a complex of underground palaces.

The dome soared dozens of zhang high, inlaid with countless luminous pearls that emitted a soft glow, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

The surrounding walls were constructed from massive black stones. The surfaces of these stones were carved with dense patterns: ancient script, mysterious runes, strange Vicious Beasts, and bizarre sacrificial scenes.

Those patterns, having endured who knows how many years, remained clearly visible.

The floor was paved with enormous stone slabs. These slabs were also carved with patterns that faintly formed some sort of Formation.

But what was most shocking was the very center of the palace.

There, stood a colossal Bronze door!

The door was over ten zhang tall and about five or six zhang wide.

It was entirely blackish-green, its surface covered in verdigris, but one could still make out the exquisite carvings.

The door was tightly shut.

A faint light seeped from the crack between the doors, as if something extraordinary lay hidden behind them.

Jiang Yun withdrew his gaze, looking around.

The palace floor was scattered with many objects.

There were weapons, armor, jade boxes, porcelain bottles, and some unknown artifacts.

Those items were casually strewn about, some even broken into several pieces.

Clearly, something had happened here in the past.

"Treasures!"

Someone shouted.

Everyone scattered, beginning to pick up the scattered items.

"This sword! It's forged from meteorite iron!"

"This jade box! There are still Medicinal Pills inside!"

"This armor! Its defensive power is astonishing!"

Cries of pleasant surprise rose one after another.

Jiang Yun remained where he was, unmoving.

His gaze swept over the items being picked up.

Deep within his eyes, a faint blue light quietly surfaced.

[Meteorite Iron Sword: Gold Rank, Low Grade Spiritual Artifact, Integrity 67%, Approximate Value: 300 Spirit Crystals]

[Qi Gathering Pill: Amethyst Rank Medicinal Pill, Potency Depleted 53%, Still Consumable]

[Black Iron Armor: Gold Rank, Low Grade Protective Gear, Integrity 41%, Severely Damaged]

Jiang Yun shook his head slightly.

These things were hardly treasures to him.

But for these Amethyst and Diamond Rank mercenaries, it was a decent haul.

His gaze passed over the treasure-gatherers and settled on the Bronze door.

That door...

Jiang Yun frowned slightly.

He felt this palace didn't seem like the main hall.

These scattered treasures didn't seem like the real Treasure Trove.

They seemed more like... peripheral burial goods.

The real treasures should be behind that door.

At the same time.

In the center of the palace.

He Yuanming, Lie Yunkong, Blood Lady, and Black Wind Old Demon stood together, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

None of them had gone to pick up the scattered items.

At their level, those Low Grade Spiritual Artifacts and third-grade Medicinal Pills were beneath their notice.

Lie Yunkong frowned. "Just this junk? Could this Secret Realm really only have this much?"

Blood Lady said, "Don't be impatient. We just got here. The real treasures are surely deeper inside."

Black Wind Old Demon looked at the Bronze door, a flash of sharp light in his eyes.

"That door..."

He paused.

"Has runic fluctuations."

He Yuanming also looked at the door, his voice grave. "And Formation energy. This door is not simple."

Lie Yunkong strode forward, walking up to the door and examining it carefully.

A moment later, he turned and shouted into the crowd.

"Formation Masters! Rune Masters! All of you, come here!"

Several figures emerged from the crowd.

One was a middle-aged man in gray robes, wearing the Formation Master Guild emblem on his chest. Three golden lines marked him as a Medium Grade Formation Master.

One was a gaunt old man, holding a yellowed ancient text, his eyes gleaming shrewdly. A Medium Grade Rune Master.

Another was a young woman, Amethyst Seventh Tier, also wearing a Rune Master emblem. A Low Grade Rune Master, but being recruited for such an occasion clearly meant she had some skill.

The three walked up to the door and began studying it carefully.

The others also stopped their scavenging and gathered around.

After all, it was obvious to everyone that the real Opportunity likely lay behind this door.

Time passed bit by bit.

The three Formation and Rune Masters huddled together in low discussion one moment, groping at the door the next, or flipping through ancient texts.

Their expressions grew increasingly solemn.

Finally, the middle-aged Formation Master looked up at the four Falling Star Rank powerhouses.

"Honored Seniors, this door..."

He paused, taking a deep breath.

"Difficult! Extremely difficult!"

Lie Yunkong frowned. "What do you mean?"

The middle-aged Formation Master pointed at the patterns on the door, explaining, "Honored Senior, please look. On this door, there are a total of one hundred and eight runes. Each of these runes is connected to the Formation, interlocking to form an extremely complex Restriction."

"To open this door, we must identify the correct twenty-four out of the one hundred and eight runes and activate them in a specific sequence."

"If we choose even one incorrectly, or get the sequence wrong, it will trigger the Restriction."

He pointed above the door.

There, a faint light flickered.

"That light is likely the attack mechanism triggered by the Restriction. We don't know exactly what it is. But whoever laid this Restriction was at least a Great Master from ancient times. Once triggered, the consequences would be unthinkable."

After listening, Lie Yunkong's expression also turned grave.

"How long will you need to crack it?"

The middle-aged Formation Master gave a bitter smile.

"Honored Senior, we've never seen a Restriction of this level. If given enough time to slowly investigate, perhaps... perhaps three to five months, or even longer."

"But the problem is, we don't have that much time."

He paused, his voice dropping lower.

"Moreover, every attempt carries the risk of triggering the Restriction. Once triggered, all of us..."

He didn't finish.

But the meaning was clear.

Everyone present could die under the Restriction.

Lie Yunkong's face grew even uglier.

He looked at He Yuanming and the other two.

He Yuanming said gravely, "No other way?"

The middle-aged Formation Master shook his head.

Blood Lady frowned. "Then what do we do? Just go back?"

Black Wind Old Demon said sinisterly, "How about... forcing our way through?"

He Yuanming sneered. "Force our way? Didn't you hear him? An ancient Restriction like this, forcing it is suicide."

The group fell silent.

Then, the gaunt old man, the Medium Grade Rune Master, suddenly spoke.

"Honored Seniors, actually... we could try."

He pointed at the runes on the door.

"Although these runes are complex, they aren't completely without clues. After observing for a long time, I've noticed that a few of them bear some resemblance to an ancient Formation recorded in an old text."

"Perhaps we can start with those few runes."

Lie Yunkong's eyes lit up.

"Then try it!"

The gaunt old man nodded, taking a deep breath.

He walked up to the door, carefully examined it for a moment, then reached out and pressed his hand against one of the runes.

Everyone held their breath, staring intently at his hand.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

Nothing happened.

The gaunt old man let out a sigh of relief, a hint of joy appearing on his face.

"This one should be correct."

BOOM!!!

Before his words fully faded.

A blinding light erupted from above the door!

It was a bolt of lightning!

Purple lightning, thick as a bucket, descended from above the door!

Its speed was astonishingly fast!

"Careful!"

Lie Yunkong roared, his figure shooting backward.

But the lightning was too fast!

Too fast for anyone to react!

KABOOM!!!

The lightning struck, landing right in the middle of the crowd!

Those few mercenaries who had been scavenging treasures didn't even have time to scream before being struck!

"Ah...!"

Screams rang out, then abruptly ceased.

The lightning dissipated.

In its place, only a few charred corpses remained.

Still emitting black smoke.

Everyone was stunned.

A deathly silence fell.

Those corpses had just been excitedly picking up treasures, boasting to each other about their finds.

Now, they were charcoal.

One of them still tightly clutched a meteorite iron sword, but that hand was already carbonized; a light touch would turn it to powder.

*Gulp.*

Someone swallowed, the sound piercingly clear in the silence.

"Dead... dead?"

"One strike... and they're dead?"

Those Amethyst Rank mercenaries turned pale, their legs going weak.

Even the Diamond Rank powerhouses stepped back, moving away from the door.

Lie Yunkong's face was livid.

He was Falling Star Rank Fourth Tier, but the speed of that lightning earlier was something even he couldn't have reacted to in time.

If it had struck him...

He didn't dare to think about it.

Blood Lady's expression also changed, all traces of her previous coquettish laughter and composure gone.

Black Wind Old Demon looked even more frighteningly gloomy.

He Yuanming took a deep breath and looked at the withered old man.

'This... is what you called 'perhaps correct'?'

The withered old man's face was deathly pale, his entire body trembling.

'S...Spare me, my lord! I... I truly didn't know it would be like this! Those runes, they clearly... clearly were exactly the same as recorded in the ancient texts...'

He Yuanming said nothing more.

Placing blame now was meaningless.

The key question was, what should they do next?

Lie Yunkong gritted his teeth and said in a low voice.

'Keep trying!'

Everyone exchanged glances.

Keep trying?

That single bolt of lightning just now had already killed three people.

If they kept trying, who knew how many more would die?

But no one dared to refute Lie Yunkong's words.

The time that followed became a nightmare for everyone.

Those Formation Masters and Rune Masters stepped forward, trembling with fear, and continued studying the runes.

Every attempt was like a gamble.

Guess right, live.

Guess wrong, die.

Second attempt.

Another bolt of thunder descended.

Two Rune Masters, unable to dodge in time, were instantly charred to cinders.

Third attempt.

This time, they seemed to have identified one correct rune. No thunder fell.

But before they could rejoice, a black light shot out from the great door.

The light swept through the crowd, and two more people fell with agonized screams, their bodies rapidly shriveling as if their life force had been drained.

Fourth.

Fifth.

Sixth.

With every attempt, people died.

In the short span of half an hour, nine people had already died!

Originally a team of twenty, plus the five who arrived later, made twenty-five people in total.

Now, only sixteen remained.

Those still alive all had pale faces, their eyes filled with terror.

The few Formation Masters and Rune Masters were trembling all over, no longer daring to step forward.

'N...no more...'

The middle-aged Formation Master slumped to the ground, his voice trembling.

'Twenty-four runes... we've only found one... there are still twenty-three more...'

'At this rate of death, even if all of us die, we won't be able to find them all!'

The withered old man also stammered, 'And... and the further we go, the more complex those runes become... the higher the probability of triggering the Restriction... we... we will all die...'

Upon hearing this, everyone grew even more terrified.

Some had already started backing away, stealthily moving towards the exit.

Clutching the few treasures they had picked up earlier, their eyes were full of retreat.

'Maybe... maybe we should go back...'

Someone whispered.

'Yes, the treasures outside are enough for us to make a profit... why... why die here?'

'Right, right, right, let's go, let's go! This place is too sinister!'

Several people chimed in in agreement.

Lie Yunkong's face turned livid with rage. He suddenly turned and slammed his palm against a nearby stone pillar.

Boom!

The stone pillar shattered, fragments flying everywhere.

'All of you, shut up!'

He roared.

'Anyone who dares mention leaving again, I'll kill them right now!'

Everyone fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

But the fear in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

He Yuanming said solemnly, 'Lie Yunkong, now is not the time for anger. The key is, how do we actually open this door?'

Lie Yunkong gritted his teeth and said nothing.

What could he do?

He didn't know either.

Blood Lady glanced at the few Formation Masters and Rune Masters, a flash of killing intent in her eyes.

'Since they're useless, keeping them is just a waste of resources.'

The faces of those Formation Masters and Rune Masters turned ashen. They thudded to their knees.

'Spare us, my lord! Spare us!'

'It's not that we're incompetent, it's that this Restriction is simply too difficult!'

'Please give us another chance, my lord!'

Blood Lady sneered coldly and was about to speak.

Suddenly.

A calm voice rang out.

'I can open this door.'

The voice was not loud.

But in the deathly quiet of the palace, it was as clear as a thunderclap.

Everyone whirled around, looking towards the source of the voice.

Jiang Yun.

That sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth, the High-Grade Appraiser, now stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression composed.

Lie Yunkong's pupils constricted.

'You... what did you say?'

Jiang Yun repeated, his tone still calm.

'I said, I can open this door.'

'And, no one else will die.'

The entire hall erupted in an uproar!

'What?!'

'Appraiser Jiang? Him? Open this door?'

'What a joke! He's an Appraiser, not a Formation Master!'

'Exactly! Those Medium Grade Formation Masters and Medium Grade Rune Masters are helpless. What can a mere Appraiser do?'

'He doesn't actually think appraisal skills can break Formations, does he?'

Voices of doubt rose one after another.

The Formation Masters and Rune Masters wore expressions full of mockery.

The middle-aged Formation Master scoffed, 'Appraiser Jiang, I respect you as a High-Grade Appraiser, but appraisal is appraisal, Formations are Formations; they are not the same thing. As an Appraiser, do you even understand what Formations are?'

The withered old man also sneered, 'Young man, I have immersed myself in the path of runes for over forty years, and I dare not claim I can decipher this door. What makes you, a mere sixteen or seventeen-year-old child, think you can?'

The young woman didn't speak, but the disdain in her eyes said it all.

The few mercenaries who had survived by luck also shook their heads.

'An Appraiser is an Appraiser. Don't overstep your bounds.'

'Yeah, Formations aren't something you can understand by reading a few books.'

'Let the professionals handle this. Don't cause trouble.'

Lie Yunkong stared at Jiang Yun, his gaze sharp.

'Little one, are you sure?'

Jiang Yun gave a faint smile.

'Sure.'

Lie Yunkong fell silent for a few breaths.

Then, he suddenly smiled.

That smile was somewhat complex.

'Interesting. He Yuanming, the Appraiser your Blood Thorn Mercenary Group found certainly has guts.'

He Yuanming frowned, looking at Jiang Yun.

'Appraiser Jiang, you... are you truly confident?'

Jiang Yun nodded.

'Yes.'

Blood Lady let out a coquettish laugh, but the mirth didn't reach her eyes.

'Little Brother, you shouldn't speak carelessly. You saw what happened just now; this door kills. If you can't do it, no one will be able to save you.'

Black Wind Old Demon said with a sinister tone, 'Young man, wanting to stand out is fine, but don't joke with your life.'

Jiang Yun paid no heed to their doubts.

He simply looked calmly at the Bronze door.

In a perspective invisible to everyone.

Before his eyes was a completely different world.

Innate Talent Skill - Entry Manifestation.

[Ancient Bronze Door - Ancestral Land Forbidden Ground Gate]

[Era: Approximately Ancient Epoch]

[Material: Cast from a blend of Celestial Fall Copper and Earth's Core Profound Iron]

[Restriction: One hundred and eight runic Formations. Requires activating twenty-four specific correct runes in a particular sequence to open.]

[Correct Rune Sequence: 7th, 13th, 18th, 22nd, 29th, 34th, 41st, 45th, 52nd, 58th, 63rd, 67th, 74th, 79th, 83rd, 88th, 92nd, 96th, 101st, 103rd, 106th, 107th, 108th, 3rd (listed in activation order)]

[Penalty for Incorrect Trigger: ① Annihilation Thunder (strength of a Falling Star Rank full-power strike); ② Death Black Light (instantly drains a living being's life force); ③ Spatial Tear (directly banishes to an unknown space); ④ Soul Scorch (directly destroys the Soul)]

[Note: Beyond this door lies the Core Area of the Ancestral Land, storing True Treasures left from ancient times. The items scattered outside are either burial objects or discarded items.]

All the information appeared clearly before his eyes.

The position of every rune.

The function of every rune.

The correct twenty-four runes.

And the correct activation sequence.

All at a glance.

Crystal clear.

Jiang Yun withdrew his gaze, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

Is that all?

He stepped forward, walking towards the Bronze door.

Behind him, everyone's eyes were fixed on him.

There was doubt.

There was mockery.

There was curiosity.

There was schadenfreude.

Jiang Yun ignored them.

Step by step, he walked up to the door.

He stood before the massive Bronze door.

Looked up, gazing at the densely packed runes.

Then.

He reached out his hand.

In that moment, the entire palace seemed to fall silent.

Everyone's gaze fell on that hand.

That hand was slender, fair, looking like an ordinary youth's hand.

But now, that hand was slowly approaching the Bronze door that had already claimed nine lives.

'He... he actually dares?'

Someone muttered to themselves, their voice filled with disbelief.

'Madness! Madness! He doesn't value his life!'

'An Appraiser breaking a Formation? What a joke!'

'Just wait and see, the Restriction will be triggered any moment now!'

The Formation Masters and Rune Masters had eyes full of mockery and cold smiles.

The middle-aged Formation Master crossed his arms, a scornful smirk on his lips.

'Doesn't know his own limits. I'd like to see how many you can last through.'

The withered old man stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes full of amusement at the impending spectacle.

'Young man, a little setback will teach you humility. It's just a pity that here, setbacks are fatal.'

The young woman didn't speak, but the disdain in her eyes said it all.

Lie Yunkong narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed intently on Jiang Yun's hand.

Blood Lady set aside her usual coquettish laughter, her expression turning grave.

A glint of light flashed in Black Wind Old Demon's sinister eyes.

He Yuanming frowned deeply, his hand already resting on his storage Magical Artifact. If Jiang Yun triggered the Restriction, he would have to save him immediately.

Although the possibility was slim, a High-Grade Appraiser was worth the risk.

As for the others.

Some held their breath, palms sweating with tension.

Some watched with schadenfreude, waiting to see Jiang Yun charred by lightning.

Some secretly lamented, feeling this youth was too impulsive, a pity for his High Grade Appraisal skills.

Jiang Yun's hand landed on a rune.

That rune was located at the lower left corner of the door, shaped like a twisted snake, surrounded by intricate patterns.

He pressed down gently.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

...

Under everyone's tense anticipation!

The Restriction actually wasn't triggered!

They were all unharmed?!!!

Everyone was dumbfounded?!!!

Their minds buzzing?!!!