Ch. 1082 - Gongyang Ce, Three Medium Objects

Xu Zimo moved swiftly, passing through countless caverns and tunnels.

Although the starlight had been cut off, he had already memorized the location.

A few flashes, and the lurking shadows along the way couldn’t even brush the hem of his robe.

The further he went, the wider the tunnels became, and the more Lich lay in hiding.

Finally, when he reached the place where the starlight had flickered earlier, he was surprised to find Bai Tihe standing there, waiting for him.

“You’re here,” Bai Tihe said with a smile. “I knew you’d find me.”

“What do you want?” Xu Zimo asked calmly.

“Will you sell me that Infernal Heart of yours?” Bai Tihe asked again.

“Repeating yourself makes it boring,” Xu Zimo replied.

“You want to enter the true Particle World, I can take you there,” Bai Tihe said. “Otherwise, relying on your own strength, you’ll never get out of here in your lifetime. That’s my offer.”

“Is that a threat?” Xu Zimo raised his head slightly.

“Not really. Just stating a fact,” Bai Tihe shook his head.

Xu Zimo lifted his hand, vast spiritual energy surging.

With a boom, the void shattered, collapsing a swath of tunnels as he reached for Bai Tihe.

Stepping forward, his aura bore down like a storm.

Bai Tihe retreated rapidly.

“If you’re unwilling, then break through this labyrinth on your own.”

Xu Zimo followed closely, smiling.

“No need to make it so troublesome. I just have to follow you.”

Bai Tihe’s eyes narrowed.

His steps flickered like a ghost’s through the maze. Under his feet, white clouds rippled like waves, drifting and shifting.

But no matter how he tried to escape, he couldn’t shake Xu Zimo.

The two chased and evaded each other through the labyrinth for over ten minutes, until Bai Tihe finally stopped in resignation.

“So, you’re determined to stick with me.”

“The road is open. I can walk it however I please,” Xu Zimo replied.

Bai Tihe frowned.

“In that case, it seems I can’t avoid this.”

His aura surged like a tidal wave, overwhelming and vast.

“You’re not my match,” Xu Zimo said.

“You can’t know without fighting,” Bai Tihe snorted.

He lunged forward, striking with his palm.

Xu Zimo stepped back half a step, clenched his fist, and met the blow head-on.

Neither of them used full strength, it was more of a probing exchange. The terrain itself made full battle impractical.

With a thunderous boom, the impact shook the tunnels, collapsing countless passages, nearly burying them both.

This was the strength of the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Interwoven Formation: seemingly fragile, yet endless, impossible to destroy by brute force.

Xu Zimo stood firm, unmoved, while Bai Tihe was knocked backward.

“Do you want to continue?” Xu Zimo asked.

“Let’s cooperate instead,” Bai Tihe proposed.

“You wanted that from the start, didn’t you?” Xu Zimo said.

This formation was too special, breaking it alone was nearly impossible.

And earlier, when Xu Zimo had found him, Bai Tihe could have cut off the starlight and left.

Whether in the chase or in the clash, Bai Tihe’s real purpose was to test Xu Zimo’s worthiness as a partner.

“You’re qualified,” Bai Tihe said with a smile.

“Why choose to work with me?” Xu Zimo asked.

After all, the great powers were already cooperating with one another.

He and Bai Tihe had no prior connection.

“Because I don’t trust them,” Bai Tihe replied. “This matter is not simple. I won’t step into it with people I can’t rely on.”

“And yet you trust me?” Xu Zimo asked.

“Not exactly. But at least you and I have no direct conflict of interest. With two of us working together, we have some assurance. If one of us falls, neither of us will get out alive,” Bai Tihe explained.

“I can accept your proposal,” Xu Zimo said. “But you’ll have to tell me everything you know.”

“You want to ask about the Lich?” Bai Tihe asked. “You must have heard of them.”

“What do they have to do with this realm?” Xu Zimo asked.

“We suspect this is their base,” Bai Tihe answered.

“So you’re here to wipe them out? Since when were you so kind-hearted?” Xu Zimo chuckled.

“Partly, but not entirely,” Bai Tihe said. “The Lich Calamity back then devastated the Mortal Ascension Heaven. Many treasures were plundered by them. The great powers here have all come seeking what their sects once lost.”

“Then I have no need to enter,” Xu Zimo said.

“Since you’re already here, wouldn’t it be a shame not to take a look?”

Bai Tihe smiled.

“We suspect the Bright Emperor died in there.”

Xu Zimo smiled faintly, then asked, “Have you heard of the Xuanyuan Clan?”

“What, are you also coveting the Grand-Pivot God-Sword?” Bai Tihe asked.

“Just answer me,” Xu Zimo said.

“If I knew, that sword would already be in my hand,” Bai Tihe laughed.

“After Grand Emperor Xuanyuan’s era ended, the Xuanyuan Clan declined. They went into hiding, carrying the Grand-Pivot God-Sword with them. Long ago, they vanished from the world.”

Then Bai Tihe added with a grin, “I may not know, but there is someone who certainly does.”

“Who?” Xu Zimo asked.

“The First Oracle, Gongyang Ce,” Bai Tihe enunciated carefully.

“And who is that?”

“The greatest diviner of the Azure Frontier. He calculates heaven and earth, knows the Heavenly Court above and the Netherworld below. There is nothing in this world he does not know,” Bai Tihe said. “Even the opening and location of this Bright Emperor’s Particle World, he was the one who told us.”

“Where can I find him?” Xu Zimo asked.

“North River City,” Bai Tihe said without hesitation. “But his fees are exorbitant. He doesn’t answer every question. Just the price for the Bright Emperor’s Particle World was something only several great powers together could afford.”

“I understand,” Xu Zimo nodded. “Now, tell me about this formation. Escaping it is what matters most.”

“This array has three medium objects,” Bai Tihe explained. “With three people, it would be fastest. But since it’s just the two of us, here’s the plan. In the southeast lies a stone stele. In the northwest, an ancient tree. We’ll each go for one, then meet in the northeast. There, we’ll seize the third medium object, a beast bone.”

Comments