Everyone stared at the two of them, completely perplexed…
Ye Jingyu offered no explanation, instead taking Hei Ming Shixuan’s small hand and leading her out of the canyon…
The moment he saw Bing Ming unleash that soul-shaking sword strike, he knew the connection between Bing Ming and the Dugu family was extraordinarily close…
The three days he spoke of naturally meant that he would challenge Bing Ming in three days’ time…
Hei Ming Shixuan had repelled Bing Ming with two swift slashes, showing Bing Ming that she possessed the strength to issue a challenge. Of course, the most crucial factor was that Ye Jingyu noticed the strange look in Bing Ming’s eyes when he saw the hilt of the Celestial Venerable blade strapped to Ye Jingyu’s back…
Even Dugu Qian hadn’t recognized this blade back then; she had identified it solely through her own sword techniques. Yet, this person before him discerned the extraordinary nature of this blade. The only possible explanation was that he not only had some ties to the Dugu family but was likely connected to Dugu Bachen himself…
This was why Ye Jingyu had declared three days—enough time for him to fully recover his injuries…
Seeing Ye Jingyu depart so abruptly, the crowd, though bewildered, still followed him out of the area. Everyone understood clearly that the black-clad man standing at the cave entrance was certainly not someone they could contend with…
Watching Ye Jingyu leave, Bing Ming said nothing more. Only after the figures had vanished from sight did he turn and walk back into the cave…
The entrance was vast, allowing ample light to stream in, but as he proceeded deeper, the light grew dimmer. After walking several hundred zhang, it had become quite dark…
Yet, Bing Ming seemed able to discern everything within the gloom. His pace never faltered. After walking for an unknown period, the surroundings were pitch black, and nothing else could be made out. Bing Ming arrived at an intersection…
Here, there were nine openings. Bing Ming glanced neither left nor right, proceeding directly into the third opening on the left, as if intimately familiar with the layout…
After walking a short distance, he encountered another junction with seven cave mouths. Again, Bing Ming made no hesitation, heading straight for the second opening on the left…
This pattern repeated itself—he encountered at least seven or eight such junctions, each with multiple tunnels. But Bing Ming moved through them all without pausing, eventually reaching a massive plaza…
Though these openings did not constitute a maze array, taking a wrong turn at any junction would lead to endless peril. This was why Xue Hengzhi and the others had visited before but retreated. As for why Bing Ming didn't grant Ye Jingyu direct passage into the cave, no one knew…
The plaza was the size of a football field, dominated by a colossal, milky-white, bell-shaped object overhead, emitting a soft, white glow that illuminated the entire area…
Below, the ground was densely packed with all manner of weapons: sabers, spears, swords, halberds, hammers…
In short, every type of cold weapon observable outside was present here…
On one wall, moreover, hung a collection of over a dozen longbows…
Some of these weapons were battered and broken, while others still radiated a chilling glint, clearly indicating they were peerless divine artifacts…
Naturally, besides the weaponry, the ground was also littered with white bones. However, these bones appeared strikingly crystalline, like white jade. If Ye Jingyu were present, he would immediately know these were the remains left behind by supreme masters; only the skeletons of super-experts possessed such translucence…
Bing Ming paid no heed to these bones or the weapons scattered on the floor. He strode forward, crossing the area in several hundred steps, arriving before a stone wall…
This wall was smooth as jade. Even before touching it, waves of coolness washed over him. Etched into the stone were numerous niches, and within each niche rested a secret manual…
Bing Ming ignored these. He slowly approached a niche near the center, retrieved a manual, and as he did, a small strip of paper fluttered out and was deftly caught by Bing Ming…
Looking down, he saw that the paper held a drawing of a saber—a treasure saber that looked exceptionally sharp. A fierce saber energy seemed to emanate through the paper itself…
Bing Ming merely frowned slightly. With a gentle brush of one hand, he swept away the saber energy clinging to the paper, his eyes fixed intently on the hilt of the drawn blade…
Yes, the hilt depicted on the paper was identical to the Celestial Venerable blade Ye Jingyu carried, though the blade in the drawing appeared significantly brighter…
“Master, has the one you wished us to wait for arrived?” Gazing at the hilt, Bing Ming fell into deep contemplation…
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ye Jingyu led the others directly out of the Hundred Burial Valley to the canyon exterior…
Gongsun Xiangyi, however, did not accompany Ye Jingyu and his group out. The reason was simple: Xiao Tao Tao was on the verge of advancing and required a tranquil environment. Furthermore, Ye Jingyu did not wish for his subordinates to start gushing blood from their noses upon seeing Gongsun Xiangyi’s body…
When Ye Longyi, Hu Yanqi, and the others saw Ye Jingyu emerging from the canyon with a large retinue, the tension on their faces eased considerably…
They had waited outside for a full day and night without any news. Had it not been for Ye Jingyu’s orders, they would have already rushed into the valley to search for the party…
Now that they saw them emerging safely, a breath of relief escaped them. Yet, observing how few remained alive, a shadow of sadness fell over them. So many people, and only this small number emerged, with even the Chi Yi tribe warriors reduced to just over twenty. Just how perilous must the interior have been…
“General, shall we rest briefly before returning to the capital, or return immediately?” Seeing that Ye Jingyu showed little sign of deep sorrow, Ye Longyi inquired. In his estimation, since Ye Jingyu’s group had managed to get out, they must have secured the secret manuals…
“Haven’t found anything. Go back and get whipped?” Ye Jingyu rolled his eyes irritably…
“Ah…”
“What ‘Ah’? Rest here for three days, and on the fourth day, accompany me back into the valley…” Ye Jingyu uttered this, then paid no further attention to the crowd, instead snatching up the still-sleeping Xiao Tao Tao and sprinting toward a mountain peak, leaving the stunned group behind. It seemed the General was in a foul mood today…
Yes, Ye Jingyu’s mood was indeed terrible. No one could feel cheerful after losing so many subordinates, especially the fallen Chi Yi warriors, whose deaths weighed heavily on Ye Jingyu’s heart, refusing to settle…
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