Chapter 1042: Chapter 711: Eerie Statue
Every person present was a top expert, two from the late Immortality stage and five Inquiry Dao Realm powerhouses. Aside from Xiang Beifei, almost everyone else was an ancient monster who had lived for thousands of years, with both experience and insight being incredibly strong.
The scene where Lan Keju was killed just now seemed very real to the Diviner and Ye Qiniang!
How could there be such an illusion?
"Anyway, as long as nobody is hurt, let’s all stay alert. Let’s not leave for now," Ye Qiniang said.
Unable to ascertain the cause and with no clear explanations, it was best to set the matter aside while being mindful.
Everyone refocused their attention, but the doubts in their hearts weren’t dispelled.
Ye Qiniang signaled for Lan Keju to come over and communicated with him secretly using their unique Travel Dao race way.
"What happened? Were you sure there was no problem just now?" Ye Qiniang asked.
"No such thing. Maybe you just saw wrong. This is the Rushou ruins; they’re inherently eerie, aren’t they?" Lan Keju replied.
"In any case, we must be cautious. If danger arises, find someone in the group as a scapegoat. Keep yourself safe."
Ye Qiniang’s gaze swept across Xiang Beifei, the Diviner, and the others.
The Travel Dao race practices various paths, not just the ones that exist on the surface, but also the ethereal paths of death!
To them, companions were sacrifices!
"Rest assured, I know what I’m doing. Didn’t we team up to have scapegoats in dangerous moments? Those late Immortality stage people won’t have any resistance," Lan Keju responded calmly.
Ye Qiniang nodded slightly.
In fact, when she initially gathered the group, she swore with her Dao embryo. However, the oath only covered the distribution of fortunes, not the safety of each person.
By having Lan Keju hide his cultivation, they hoped to make the new recruits let down their guard. Otherwise, knowing that there were two Inquiry Dao Realm experts from the Travel Dao race, no one would have joined.
Once they obtained the fortune and treasures, Lan Keju solving the other companions obviates the need for Ye Qiniang to act, thus avoiding the Dao embryo’s oath backlash.
From start to finish, Ye Qiniang and Lan Keju had already calculated everything.
——
They waited another quarter of an hour in place, growing increasingly impatient. Suddenly, Xifeng noticed something. "The path has appeared!"
Everyone immediately perked up, looking towards where he pointed, and sure enough, saw two paths at a broken bridge not far away. They immediately ran towards the paths.
This time, the fork split into one path leading to an upper black mist and another leading downward, still without end in sight.
"Diviner, which path do we take this time?" Xing Meng asked coldly.
The Diviner was silent for a moment before saying, "The downward path is safer."
"So, we should go up then?" Xing Meng sneered.
The paths the Diviner had deemed safe earlier all ended in dead ends.
The Diviner knew Xing Meng was mocking him, but replied with composure, "I am not the leader."
Ye Qiniang made a decision, "Opportunity often comes with danger. Since the upper path is riskier, let’s go up."
Everyone turned to ascend the path, each seasoned and wary.
They ascended along the black bridge, soon noticing that the black bridge ahead had changed. Railings appeared on the bridge, albeit mostly broken, distinctly different from the black bridge they had traversed earlier.
A change meant they wouldn’t hit a dead end again!
But suddenly, from nowhere in the black mist came a mournful song.
The song was ethereal and lingering, echoing in everyone’s ears, like a girl in her chamber longing for her distant lover. The voice was so infectious that strange images seemed to appear before everyone’s eyes.
It was a tall house where a girl leaned against the window gazing into the distance, full of fanciful thoughts, dreaming of her husband’s triumphant return from afar, dressed in golden armor and bearing golden flowers to wed her.
"Who’s singing?"
Xiang Beifei asked, frowning.
His voice broke the others out of the song’s spell, each cursing their carelessness internally, as they almost instinctively fell into it when it began.
If Xiang Beifei hadn’t spoken up, they might still be trapped.
"What a strange song, it even bypassed my realm!"
Ye Qiniang felt a tinge of fear. If anyone had attacked during their trance, the consequences could have been dire!
"This kid was the first to react?"
Ye Qiniang couldn’t help but look at Xiang Beifei, her curiosity about him growing stronger.
"Look over there!"
Banji pointed to the stairs ahead.
At the end of the black steps was a strange village!
Unlike typical villages, this one’s houses were peculiarly made of black metal, emanating a sinister chill, appearing exceptionally cold.
The song seemed to be coming from this village!
"This should be the Rushou Tribe’s ruins! Finally, we’ve seen it!"
Lan Keju’s eyes gleamed.
"Let’s go! Check it out!"
Having only seen broken bridges till now, they couldn’t miss the village.
They quickened their pace, flying up the steps into the village.