Chapter 126: Chapter 123: Xie Sits Up in Shock from His ’Deathbed

In Illusory Nether City, on a floating platform wreathed in clear light, all eyes were fixed on Jiao Zuo.

Everyone watched intently, wanting to know if Jiao Zuo could truly push open this door!

After a few breaths, the giant wooden door hadn’t moved an inch.

The crowd fell silent and waited patiently.

After a short while, the wooden door still hadn’t moved, and a slight commotion began to stir among the Cultivators on the floating platform.

In front of the door, Jiao Zuo’s face was taut as he pushed. No one knew the extent of his embarrassment and frustration.

Just as it seemed the awkward situation would continue, another ray of clear light suddenly landed on the platform. From within the light, a tall and imposing young man strode out.

He swept his gaze around, then with a flicker of movement, his entire form blurred into a streak of light, instantly weaving through the dense crowd of Wooden Men.

The murmurs of the Wooden Men didn’t affect him in the slightest. In the blink of an eye, he arrived before the giant wooden door at the base of the tower.

The still-embarrassed Jiao Zuo turned his head and exclaimed in shock, "Ye Sheng!"

The newcomer was none other than Ye Sheng, the most favored Closed-door Disciple of Ye Lingguan.

Ye Sheng and Jiao Zuo both served in the Lantern Hanging Department. One was a veteran expert, possessing both profound Power and worldly shrewdness. The other was a star pupil from a prestigious line, whose Daoist Skill was considerable, but he was always aloof and arrogant, with eyes for no one but himself.

Though they had long known of each other, they were not actually well-acquainted.

The instant Jiao Zuo saw Ye Sheng, an intense wave of humiliation shot straight to his head. It felt as though he’d been caught in the most pathetically embarrassing moment of his life by the one rival he least wanted to see.

If the ground could have opened up and swallowed him, Jiao Zuo would have jumped in without a second thought!

Jiao Zuo fully expected Ye Sheng to mock him, but instead, Ye Sheng said nothing. He simply stepped forward, raised his hands, and exerted his strength.

Empowered by layers of Magic, the force of Ye Sheng’s push already exceeded ten thousand jin.

Yet the wooden door before him remained just as motionless under his power.

Ye Sheng didn’t persist for long. Instead, he said to Jiao Zuo, "Brother Jiao, why don’t we try applying our strength together?"

At his question, the humiliation filling Jiao Zuo’s heart was miraculously soothed.

Jiao Zuo immediately said, "An excellent idea! After you, Brother Ye!"

Ye Sheng said, "Please!"

The two of them immediately took their places, one on the left and one on the right, and pushed together.

Jiao Zuo was not a Cultivator, but an Innate Second Transformation Martial Artist with one hundred and eight opened acupoints. Ordinarily, when he exerted his full strength, he could shatter a mountain with a single palm strike!

Now, with him joining forces with Ye Sheng—two men, two different types of power—forget collapsing a single small mountain peak; destroying three or even five of them would likely be no issue.

But as Jiao Zuo’s Qi Blood surged and Ye Sheng unleashed his Magic, pressing forward with various forms of Giant Power, the wooden door they pushed against... still didn’t move an inch!

How could this be just a door? At this point, it seemed more like a towering, impregnable pass, an impassable chasm!

Jiao Zuo, pushing too hard, was suddenly thrown back a step by the recoil.

Ye Sheng also retracted his hands and stepped back in the same instant. Clasping his right hand behind his back, he announced in a clear voice, "Everyone, while there may be only one Spiritual Treasure, the opportunities and resources within Illusory Nether City are endless. For now, the existence of this Spiritual Treasure is merely a rumor. Why don’t we work together to solve this puzzle first?"

"Let’s open this door first and see what’s inside the tower. If there are truly traces of the Spiritual Treasure, then it will be a fair competition. May the most capable win!"

"A treasure belongs not only to the virtuous but also to the fated. What do you all think?"

Ye Sheng’s charisma was undeniable. When he calmly made his proposal, the Cultivators, who had been scattered across the floating platform nursing their own schemes, suddenly seemed to find a leader. They began to gather as a chorus of agreement rose from the crowd.

One person said, "An excellent idea! What’s not to like?"

Another said, "Young Master Ye is truly worthy of being Lord Spirit Official’s prized pupil! If you ask me, if there really is a Spiritual Treasure in Illusory Nether City, it’s destined to be yours, Young Master Ye!"

Someone else added, "We don’t even know if the rumors of a Spiritual Treasure are true or not. Of course we should all work together to get past this current obstacle first."

Yet another piped up, "Illusory Nether City is a bizarre place. We of the Human Race must prioritize unity here! Fellow Daoists, let’s all strike together! With the combined power of ten, a hundred, even a thousand of us, I refuse to believe there’s any door we can’t open!"

...

While the crowd was still chattering away, STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! A sudden series of heavy footsteps rang out.

From the crowd, a wild and powerful female figure strode forward, a giant hammer resting on her shoulder. She let out a booming laugh and said, "A hundred people? A thousand? Can that many even fit in front of this door? You all may not be in a hurry, but in that case, allow me, Yan, to act as the second vanguard!"

This woman was nearly nine feet tall. Forget standing out among women; she would be considered exceptionally tall even when compared to most men in the world.

But despite her height, her physique was strikingly curvaceous, with broad shoulders, long legs, powerful arms, and a narrow waist. With every move she made, an untamed, wild charm, like that of a primeval Fierce Beast, washed over the onlookers.

She had strong, bold features, with sword-straight brows and fierce, tiger-like eyes. When she smiled, her eyes sparkled, and her teeth were so white they seemed to shine.

As she spoke and walked, the entire platform suddenly fell silent.

Who was she?

In a corner of the floating platform, Xie Yunxiang hid behind Song Ciwan, dumbfounded, his heart pounding. He waited until the woman had strode far into the distance before he stuttered a mental message to Song Ciwan, "Brother Xin, th-that... that’s my blind date... M-Master Yan Zhu!"

The Heaven and Earth Scale appeared again, collecting a ball of essence: [Human Desires. The shock, terror, and fear of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator. Weight: one jin and five taels. Sellable.]

Song Ciwan: ...

’How unexpected. I thought I’d already fleeced Brother Xie for all he was worth, but here he is, providing another burst of such intense emotion.’

Xie Yunxiang was trembling and on the verge of tears. If the circumstances had allowed, he would have grabbed "Xin Mian’s" sleeve and dragged him away to flee the scene.

Song Ciwan could only reply via mental message, "Brother Xie, would you mind if I speak frankly?"

Xie Yunxiang tremulously sent back, "Brother Xin, please, say whatever is on your mind. I... I can take it."

Song Ciwan thus said, "Brother Xie, from what I can see of that... Master Yan, her Cultivation has already reached the Qi Cultivation stage at such a young age, and she has a powerful presence. As wonderful as you are, Brother Xie, Master Yan might not see you as a suitable match."

"After all, a blind date isn’t a marriage proposal. The course of fate is often filled with twists and turns."

"Wouldn’t you agree, Brother Xie?"

Xie Yunxiang said with a dazed "Ah?" "You’re right... She’s a true Qi Cultivation Cultivator. Why would she be set up on a blind date with me?"

The Heaven and Earth Scale appeared again, collecting another ball of essence: [Human Desires. The shock, worry, and fear of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator. Weight: eight taels and six qian. Sellable.]

Song Ciwan: ...

She was suddenly rendered speechless.