I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

Although the three laborers were mentally prepared and knew that this man was a formidable figure, they still couldn't help but be shocked and gasp when they heard these words.

Is this the mindset of a true strong person?
Not for resources, not for opportunities, but only to find opponents, to verify one's own path, and even to prove one's path through killing?

As expected, he is an extraordinary extraterrestrial demon!

"The ambition of our predecessors is truly admirable!"

"Senior's strength is unparalleled; he will surely sweep across this realm!"

The three of them quickly offered another round of perfectly timed flattery, their eyes filled with even deeper awe and fervor. If they could latch onto such a powerful patron, even just following behind and picking up scraps would be enough to bring them endless benefits!
Zhang Yangqing seemed uninterested in their flattery and began casually extracting information: "Since you've been around this place, do you know who the strongest person in the Undying Mountain Realm is, and how strong they are?"

He glanced at the three of them again: "What are your cultivation levels?"

The white-haired laborer dared not conceal the truth and answered honestly, "Senior, the three of us are all at the Celestial Realm. We can barely protect ourselves in this realm, but we can only hide when we encounter a true powerhouse. As for the strongest known expert in this Undying Mountain Realm, the Hidden Clan Ancestor Tong Xu, who just fought with you, is one of them. He is a peerless powerhouse at the Great Perfection of Half-Saint, who is stationed at the Reverse River Wharf and has a great reputation."

He thought for a moment and then added, "According to some extremely secretive rumors, there seem to be even more ancient and terrifying beings slumbering in our vicinity, possibly having reached the realm of saints. But that is just a legend, ethereal and unreal. We have never seen them, nor dare we approach those forbidden areas of the hidden races."

Zhang Yangqing listened, nodding slightly from time to time, as if digesting the information.

The white-haired laborers were very open and honest, eager to share everything they knew about the distribution of power in the Undying Mountain Realm, dangerous areas, and strange tales, in order to demonstrate their value and sincerity.

As the white-haired laborer spoke, he was rapidly calculating in his mind: This senior is incredibly powerful, but he seems to know nothing about the local situation, and he acts domineeringly and directly. Perhaps we can find a way to guide him to deal with a powerful enemy or a dangerous place that we cannot handle.
Perhaps an ancient ruin rumored to guard some kind of longevity elixir? Or a forbidden treasure vault of some hidden clan? We might be able to reap the benefits through him!

If that's not possible, betraying this senior can also bring huge benefits!

Just as his mind was racing, pondering how to weave a perfect lie that would both pique the interest of this scoundrel and achieve his own goals.

Zhang Yangqing suddenly asked casually, in a flat tone, "So, do you know where the Forgotten River Lake is?"

Upon hearing this, the other two laborers hadn't even reacted yet; they were just subconsciously thinking about the place name.

But the white-haired laborer was violently shaken, his face turning deathly pale in an instant! Cold sweat instantly soaked through his tattered clothes!

The Lake of Oblivion! How does he know about the Lake of Oblivion?
Outsiders who have just arrived in this world could never possibly know about this forbidden place that symbolizes the "ultimate destination" and the "exit passage"!

Unless he already knew the rules!
He didn't just arrive! He's faking it!

He deliberately feigned weakness and injury to lure us out!
In a flash, all the clues came together: the perfectly timed escape, the deliberately left traces, and the ignorant questioning of local rules were all traps!
This ruthless individual's goal wasn't to find a strong opponent to fight; from the very beginning, it was likely to hunt down outsiders like them!
"Run!!!"

The white-haired laborer let out a shrill, desperate roar. No longer caring about pretense, he unleashed his full power of the Celestial Realm cultivation, transforming into a streak of light as he fled desperately in the direction he had come from!
He didn't even dare to attack, he just hoped to escape with his life!
Even though they had been stabbed by many outsiders, they truly had no desire to fight this one.

The other two laborers were a beat slower, but seeing the leader's reaction, they instantly understood and were terrified. They each chose a direction and fled frantically!

However, it was too late.

"Now that you're here, why run?"

Zhang Yangqing's calm voice rang out, seemingly tinged with a hint of mockery.

He remained leaning against the rock, his posture almost unchanged, only raising his right hand and gently clenching his fingers in the direction the three had fled.

There was no earth-shattering momentum.

The air around the three seemed to freeze into steel instantly, and space itself seemed to distort. Their frantic figures seemed to have crashed into an invisible wall, abruptly stopping in mid-air, their faces still showing extreme terror and despair.

next second.

puff!puff!puff!
The three plumes of blood mist exploded almost simultaneously!

Like a tomato being crushed by an invisible giant hand, the flesh and blood in his chest were instantly ground into the finest powder, mixed together, and splashed on the barren ground.

The three outsiders at the Celestial Realm level were killed without even a proper resistance from Zhang Yangqing.

Zhang Yangqing slowly straightened up, his face no longer showing any paleness or weakness.
His breathing was steady and deep, and his purple eyes were as dark as a pool.

Not long after, another figure quietly arrived from the direction of the dock; it was the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes who had come to meet them as planned.

Her face was still a little pale, but she could move around without much difficulty.

Seeing the three corpses on the ground, she showed little surprise, as if she had expected it.

"Big brother," she called softly.

"How's the investigation going?" Zhang Yangqing asked.

The beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes nodded and quickly said, "It's quite a coincidence. While we were cleaning up the mess at the dock, we overheard some minor leaders of the Hidden Clan complaining that a batch of 'Netherworld Iron Ore' newly mined from the 'Netherworld Mine' urgently needed to be transported to a secret warehouse near the Lake of Oblivion."

The team tasked with repairing the damaged defensive array core at the dock was led by a foreman known as 'Black Viper,' a man with a volatile temper but who offered good pay and was currently recruiting temporary laborers.

She paused, then continued, "The other brother has disguised himself as a laborer and infiltrated the transport team. He's set off with them and will leave behind subtle marks along the way that only we understand. If we follow those marks, we can find the Forgotten River Lake."

Zhang Yangqing nodded, somewhat satisfied with the result.

The chairman was indeed much more astute this time, knowing how to seize opportunities and integrate into the environment to gather intelligence.

"Well done. Dispose of these bodies and take them away," Zhang Yangqing said casually.

Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes did not hesitate. She removed the heads that were used to open the Lake of Oblivion and quickly wrapped them with the oilcloth she had prepared beforehand.

However, as expected, Zhang Yangqing made a high-profile move at the dock, displaying terrifying strength that could overwhelm even a half-saint at the Great Perfection stage, thus achieving his goal of luring out the snake and selecting the prey.

But like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent pond, it completely disrupted the normal flow of the supernatural world, inevitably attracting deeper and more terrifying "attention".

Shortly after Zhang Yangqing and the other two left.

At the Reverse River Wharf, deep within the Hidden Clan's territory, lies a secret chamber resembling a tomb, shrouded in layers of ancient restrictions and dark energy.

The secret chamber was dark, except for a dim, cold light emanating from an altar in the center, constructed from unknown black bones.

On the altar sat a blurry figure, seemingly blending into the surrounding darkness, almost devoid of any life force, like a skeleton that had been gone for millions of years.

(End of this chapter)