122: Chapter 122 Everything is in the eyes of others

After a while, Xia Shaoxin gradually began to see the scene within a radius of one zhang.

This was a courtyard, and the ground beneath his feet was paved with tiles, appearing to be a path.

Beyond the path, there should have been a place for planting flowers and grass, but not a single blade of grass grew there.

He turned his head to look at Elder Luo Xi and Liu Tingting, both of whom were frowning tightly, poised to defend against a sneak attack.

After adapting for a while longer, Xia Shaoxin saw the scene two zhang away; indeed, it was a paved path with barren, empty ground on both sides.

Elder Luo Xi suddenly spoke: "Your Medicinal Pill is quite good. The last time I came here, it took me a long time to adapt, and I stepped on many things I shouldn't have!"

His tone was very relaxed.

Xia Shaoxin looked vigilantly at the empty ground outside the path; anything that could render the land barren must surely have a strange existence beneath it.

He remembered that there was a crescent moon tonight; before climbing over the wall, it had been hanging on the corner of a distant palace, but after entering, the moon had vanished.

Not to mention the stars; there wasn't a single one.

The entire courtyard exuded an eerie atmosphere.

"The Yue Kingdom has had the Shenji Tower under a Seal for over a thousand years. The poisonous gas inside has leaked out, blocked only by the walls and the Formation. We must enter the Shenji Tower as soon as possible to investigate."

Liu Tingting's brows were tightly locked. The last time she entered the Zhuyun Courtyard, she could endure any poison or hardship within the Forbidden Ground because she needed to repay the master-Disciple kindness of Elder Qian Yunchang.

Today, it was suddenly unbearable.

Even the air was filled with toxins, and she did not want to stay for even a moment longer.

"The paving tiles beneath our feet are chiseled from white jade. They are five inches off the ground and can slightly insulate us from the poisonous gas underground," Elder Luo Xi reminded.

Xia Shaoxin looked down; the tiles beneath his feet were completely pitch black.

The Chiyan Sect also had places paved with white jade tiles, and even on the darkest nights, one could see the unique luster of the white jade.

The so-called white jade before his eyes not only lacked luster, but it also seemed to have patches even darker than the night.

"Let's go!"

Elder Luo Xi had adapted to the environment and led them forward.

As soon as he lifted his foot, he felt a sticky sensation on the soles, and when he landed, it made a very faint hissing sound.

Goosebumps rose all over Liu Tingting, and she knew she had stepped on the filthiest spot.

She could only endure it, because the areas outside the tiles would only be dirtier.

After walking along the path for a while, they arrived at a stretch of water.

"This is a pond with a small island in the middle. The Shenji Tower is on the opposite side," Elder Luo Xi stopped and reminded them.

Xia Shaoxin tried hard to widen his eyes; where was the small island?

It was beyond his range of vision.

Just then, a deep, powerful voice suddenly came from outside the wall: "Your Excellency, do not walk any further. Turn back."

Xia Shaoxin turned his head abruptly, but he could no longer see the shadow of the wall.

"We have been discovered. It is no matter; they will not come in," Elder Luo Xi said in a low voice.

The voice from outside immediately followed: "You are right, we will not go in. Life is short; why seek death?"

Xia Shaoxin frowned.

These words were so ominous!

"This old man is Grand Minister Liao Sishui of the Yue Kingdom. You are a Cultivator from the Tang Kingdom; may I ask how to address you?"

Xia Shaoxin's heart sank; this was one of the highest-level Cultivators in the Yue Kingdom.

Of course, just like Elder Luo Xi, he was at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, and they were evenly matched.

Elder Luo Xi said coldly: "This old man is an Elder of the Shanyuan Sect of the Tang Kingdom, Elder Luo Xi!"

Grand Minister Liao Sishui hesitated for a moment and asked: "I remember many years ago, the Shanyuan Sect sent someone to inquire if a Fellow Daoist named Uncle Ancestor Luo You had come to the Shenji Tower. What is his relationship to you?"

"He is my own brother, born of the same mother!" Elder Luo Xi's voice was deep and filled with anger.

Grand Minister Liao Sishui exclaimed: "Both brothers having cultivated to the Ninth Level of Qi Refining is truly rare!"

"Have you seen my brother?"

"No."

"How did you know he was at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining?"

"It was in your letter. I remember it clearly: a Ninth Level of Qi Refining Cultivator, you said, went missing in the Yue Kingdom. How could I not know about such a major event!"

Elder Luo Xi could not find any flaws in Grand Minister Liao Sishui's words and was silent for a moment.

"I advise Your Excellency not to enter the Shenji Tower. And these two Disciples of the Chiyan Sect—they escaped death from the Chiyan Sect's Forbidden Ground not long ago; do they intend to die here?"

In the darkness, Xia Shaoxin exchanged a glance with Liu Tingting, feeling full of bitterness.

Elder Luo Xi shouted: "What I do is none of your business!"

Grand Minister Liao Sishui said coldly: "I am merely offering advice. If I truly wanted to stop you, would you be able to get this close to the Forbidden Ground of the Shenji Tower?"

Elder Luo Xi asked, somewhat unconvinced: "When did you discover me?"

"I knew the moment you entered the imperial palace."

Elder Luo Xi laughed loudly: "Nonsense, you are putting on an act."

Grand Minister Liao Sishui sneered: "I know many things. Last time you brought three Disciples to sneak in, they were all poisoned to death by the Shenji Tower, and their bodies were pushed by you into the water; I fear they have already dissolved."

Upon hearing this, Xia Shaoxin's expression changed drastically.

Grand Minister Liao Sishui continued: "That Miss Liu of the Chiyan Sect has impressive skills, being able to break the Formation of my palace city. Fellow Daoist Luo brought you here to open the mechanisms of the Shenji Tower, right? I hope you do not end up with the same tragic fate as his three Disciples."

Liu Tingting frowned tightly.

"When you broke the palace city's Formation, in normal times, that faint tremor of Spiritual Qi might not have attracted attention, but we have stepped up patrols these past few days, making it hard not to notice."

Elder Luo Xi sneered: "What grand words you speak! Since you were alerted, why didn't you stop me?"

Grand Minister Liao Sishui sighed: "The Forbidden Ground of the Shenji Tower is an entrance to another world. Over a thousand years ago, it was Sealed by a Senior, and news about this place was deliberately suppressed. Nowadays, not many people know about it."

"At first, only the Shenji Tower was Sealed, and a large water pit was dug around it."

"The poisonous gas inside the Forbidden Ground gradually leaked out, so we had to Seal the entire courtyard. Later on, I fear we will have to Seal the imperial palace and relocate the commoners."

Grand Minister Liao Sishui's tone was extremely mournful.

"Brother Luo, you are at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining and suffering from a terminal illness. If I were to forcefully stop you, it would only increase the harm. You have already killed three of my Cultivators; there is no need for us to fight a dying man to the end."

These words were very blunt.

Elder Luo Xi's face twisted. Xia Shaoxin thought he was going to retort loudly, but instead, he laughed heartily.

"Fellow Daoist Liao is right. This old man has one foot in the grave, and I must find the truth. Whoever stops me, I will fight to the death!"

Turning his head, he said to Xia Shaoxin and the other: "You two need not pay him any mind; he dares not come over."

Xia Shaoxin cursed inwardly; of course, he dares not come over. You are a man about to die; it's not worth risking his life against you.

Only now did he understand that his life and Liu Tingting's life were never in his considerations.

But he also had no possibility of escaping from the hands of a Ninth Level of Qi Refining Cultivator.

Grand Minister Liao Sishui's voice sounded again: "Fellow Daoist Luo, I have one word of advice: you may be able to enter the Shenji Tower, but coming out will not be up to you."

Xia Shaoxin suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

If they truly forced their way into the Shenji Tower, heaven knows what torture they would suffer. Even if they could get out, with the Yue Kingdom Cultivators waiting in ease for their arrival, wouldn't that be a dead end?

Elder Luo Xi snorted contemptuously, took out a piece of wood, and gently tossed it into the pond.

The wood instantly turned into a boat.

"Hehe, a Magical Artifact I bought in the capital of the Yue Kingdom, used right here. Fellow Daoist Liao, tell me, is it wonderful or not?"

Elder Luo Xi laughed loudly on purpose.