Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 426

A red thread is released, connecting the boy with his three companions.

Li Zhuiyuan held the mother compass in his hands.

Runsheng picked up the compass, stepped forward, lowered his center of gravity, twisted his body, and compressed himself into a spring. Then he quickly spun, released, and threw it.

The compass is thrown out.

It was thrown a long distance, and the influence of the surrounding wind speed was calculated in order to achieve accuracy.

Amidst the howling wind, there was a sound of something cutting through the air.

Han Shuting extended his hand.

"Snapped!"

He caught the compass.

At that moment, the corners of his mouth relaxed, revealing a faint smile.

The slight doubt that had previously arisen in my heart has completely dissipated.

Moreover, the trust he had placed in them was returned in kind at this moment.

By the time he lived, the Qin family had already declined.

But long ago, elders always had a saying they would use to advise every younger person venturing out into the world:

Whenever turmoil arises in the martial world, if the Qin family is present, then we should trust their stance.

Han Shuting handed the mother compass to Master Sun, who took it and murmured:
"If it weren't for this thief, I would almost be a sinner."

The grand formation he designed faced the Goguryeo tomb.

If the Mother Compass hadn't been stolen, and the great formation had been adjusted to face outwards, then that terrifying being could have entered without any hindrance.

He himself essentially spent a huge sum of money to create a completely useless piece of performance art.

Master Sun looked at Han Shuting and asked:
"Which senior is it?"

The two people have different perspectives.

Even now, Master Sun still didn't expect that it was the young man who had made grand promises to seduce him into becoming his granddaughter's husband who stole his compass, even though he had the strongest motive.

When he woke up, Old Zhai was sitting beside him, holding a cup of tea, and greeted him warmly:
"Are you awake?"

That wasn't Elder Zhai either.

The main reason is that Master Sun understands that the ability to take off one's compass and then control it to engage in a telekinetic battle against it requires a high level of array formation skill, and the opponent must have also put thought into studying the art of mechanisms.

Master Sun naturally assumed that the other person must be at least like himself, an old man with white hair, and most likely with fewer teeth than himself.

Han Shuting had met that group of people.

The one who came out to exchange blows with him, although his style was a bit strange, presented the true essence of the "Qin Family Observing the Dragon Method".

But the one holding the mother compass and occupying the protected main position was the boy.

Han Shuting had seen them before in the camp. He had been very interested in the young man with amazing physical potential, but he had also noticed that the group was mainly led by the youngest boy when they were traveling in the camp.

Even in the absolutely safe camp, when everyone was walking around in a very relaxed manner, they would still instinctively protect the boy in the middle.

Master Sun urged, "Shuting, tell me, which senior is it?"

Han Shuting took a breath. This senior looks about the same age as your granddaughter.

"Master, no one stole your compass. You were the one who woke up in time and discovered that it was empty, so you took precautions and kept that evil spirit out."

Upon hearing this, Master Sun opened his mouth:

"How could I, a humble Taoist priest, be so shameless?"

"They didn't tell you directly, but simply took action themselves. They probably didn't want to waste words or have a conflict with you, but they also probably didn't want to reveal their identity."

In Master Sun's generation, it was his junior brother who lit the lamp in the sect.

Therefore, Master Sun was not as sensitive to the issue of "not being able to reveal his identity" as Han Shuting.

Master Sun looked down at the compass in his hand.

His cheek twitched.

He discovered that the other party had originally placed a seal on the compass, but before throwing it back to him, they had deliberately removed the main seal, fearing that he wouldn't have time to unlock and use it once he got his hands on it. How thoughtful!

"boom!!!"

A second round of bombardment targeting the large formation has begun.

Ordinary people were completely unaware of this "huge commotion," but there were many martial arts practitioners on the construction site. Those inside the formation looked up at the sky, while those outside came out of their tents and looked in the direction of the formation.

Only those who maintained each small group truly experienced the terrifying pressure.

They had no idea what a terrifying being they were facing, capable of single-handedly shaking such a powerful formation.

But they were confident because the higher-ups had reacted early on, which meant that the people above had a plan and were well-prepared!
Master Sun: "Although my junior brother guessed that there was something big down there when the first investigation of the incident took place, I never expected it to be this big."

This grand formation probably can't stop it.

Han Shuting turned around, facing the direction outside the formation that was being impacted.

"The more the enemy opposes it, the more it proves that we are right."

Instead of feeling anxious and confused, we now have something truly significant taking the lead, so we know what to do.

Our next task is:

"Every bit of time we can hold them off is a good thing."

Master Sun: "Placing our hopes on our predecessors?"

Han Shuting: "You should be glad that someone stole your compass."

Master Sun: "Shuting, do you know why you cannot achieve the Great Path of Martial Arts?"

Han Shuting: "Why?"

Master Sun poked his forehead: "You have way too many wrinkles in your head."

Han Shuting remained silent.

He recalled the words spoken by the person who had defeated him and then helped him up:
"You're overthinking it; your punches aren't pure enough."

Master Sun rapidly manipulated the compass with his fingertips, issuing a series of new instructions and making targeted adjustments based on the opponent's position during the attack.

At the same time, secret commands were transmitted from the main compass to the numerous sub-compasses below.

This was something Li Zhuiyuan couldn't do. The boy could crack the method of use, but he didn't have the corresponding secret code, so he couldn't transmit any more additional information.

Master Sun conveyed three messages.
One rule is for martial arts practitioners within the large formation: those with basic formation knowledge should go to the nearest small formation node to provide support, while those without basic formation knowledge should gather in a specific area.

The former are directly made into screws, while the latter, after assembling, will be led by Han Shuting, and will be like a fire-fighting suicide squad when defending a city, rushing to wherever a breach appears.

One order was given to the martial arts practitioners outside the formation: they were to return to their original groups and spontaneously go to the areas where the tremors were strongest, and make their own judgments and take appropriate actions.

For ordinary martial arts practitioners, any number of these powerful evil spirits would die; they would be as good as lambs to the slaughter.

But if there are too many ants, the elephant will have to lift its foot and stomp on you more often, so that it can buy a little more time.

Master Sun did not issue this death order in the strictest way, not because he was merciful, but because he knew that no matter how strict the order was, those who dared to go would still go, and those who did not dare to go would still not go.

The last dish is for everyone:

"Fellow martial artists, the evil spirits are coming with overwhelming force. We may be spared if we crumble like clay chickens and earthenware dogs, but those who die for the righteous path today will one day be buried with the evil spirits!"

Master Sun sat cross-legged, his ten fingers split open, blood gushing out, staining the compass, thus sealing the blood oath.

"The moment the evil spirits break through the formation will be the moment I ascend to immortality!"

Master Sun bound his life to the great formation. When the formation broke, he died and his Dao disappeared.

Soon, signals came from the numerous small nodes below, and many teams made the same choice using their sub-compasses, binding their lives to the small node they were in.

Along with these were also a series of vows:

"The battle lasts, the soldiers die!"

……

Inside the grand formation, at the research camp of the Goguryeo ancient burial culture area.

Mr. Zhai brewed a cup of hot tea and sat down behind his desk.

The wind is stronger than before.

The nails securing the tent made a constant "creaking" sound.

Construction should have stopped by now. How are the camps outside? We hope there won't be any casualties. Have the new samples of the mineral material we're really looking for been found again...?

Old Zhai had many worries in his heart, and he sincerely hoped that this project could be completed successfully.

His shadow stretched longer and longer under the desk lamp, even extending beyond the lamp's reach.

Old Zhai lowered his head and took a sip of hot water.

The strong winds disrupted the power supply again, causing the desk lamp to flicker before dimming. This made Old Zhai's face appear gloomy and inexplicable when he looked up.

"That door was closed beautifully."

……

After the work was stopped, all the equipment stopped. What used to be an elevator shaft that could be taken down now requires climbing a ladder on the other side.

However, in order to save time, Li Zhuiyuan chose a faster and simpler method.

Tan Wenbin picked up a stone and threw it inside. His earlobe trembled slightly as he heard the echo.

Before he could even recall the physics formulas, Xiao Yuan had already revealed the actual depth answer through the red line connection.

Runsheng crouched down and helped Xiaoyuan onto his back.

Runsheng then jumped directly into the well.

After falling for a certain period of time, Runsheng inserted the Yellow River shovel in his hand into the wall to slow down.

Sparks flew out of the Yellow River shovel, and the temperature continued to rise until it was scalding hot to the touch.

Runsheng frowned slightly; the design and materials of this shovel were truly poor.

Although this is already a rare and high-quality shovel on the market.

Just as it was about to reach the bottom, Runqi opened its energy gate and punched downwards.

"Buzz!"

He landed smoothly, but the palm of his right hand, which was holding the shovel, was burned red.

Li Zhuiyuan got off Runsheng's back. Runsheng threw away the obviously deformed shovel, clenched his fists, and activated the air wave barrier upwards.

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou, who fell simultaneously from above, used the airflow to offset their falling momentum. When they landed, they both knelt on one knee, supported themselves with one palm, and clapped their hands after getting up.

Inside the pit, there are several connecting passages, some of which were originally connected to the civil defense project area, and others were newly excavated.

As a designer, Li Zhuiyuan had access to firsthand information, so he didn't need to make any choices; he simply pointed out a path.

Everyone walked inside.

Li Zhuiyuan recounted to his companions his various interactions and schemes with the creature in the "Wordless Book" during this period.

Because of the red thread connecting them, their thoughts are almost transparent and open to each other.

Runsheng's place is like an ancient well with no ripples.

Tan Wenbin only showed slight fluctuations, after all, he had already guessed most of it.

Lin Shuyou felt the tremor more clearly because he and Tong Zi took turns being shocked.

At Li Zhuiyuan's signal, everyone moved quickly. Since the area that had already been excavated was basically safe, they could proceed with confidence.

The ancient burial site must contain its weaknesses. The faster we find them, the fewer casualties will be for those outside who are helping to stop it.

Ahead, there was a patch of scattered scaffolding.

Not long after the collapse, when a flashlight was shone over, bloodstains were still visible in some places, which should be the place where Wenxinhe's group had suffered a setback earlier.

Everyone stopped.

Only naive youngsters like Wen Xinhe and Cao Liwen would think this was an unfortunate accident.

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "This was deliberately created to target them."

But a more practical problem arises from this: if the beings inside want to target them, why not just kill them? After all, killing them is really not difficult.

The group continued on their way, but at a slightly slower pace.

As you move forward, the traces of new construction gradually fade, indicating that this round of excavation is nearing its end.

On both sides of the main road, many burial areas have been excavated, or individual main tombs that were deliberately placed here. Although a large number of cultural relics have been transported out for protection, there are simply too many, and quite a few remain here after the work was stopped.

However, at present, this area is still on the periphery of the ancient burial site and has not yet truly reached the core area.

However, above and below the main road, there are many cracks and fissures, with a special kind of sticky residue remaining in the cracks. When a flashlight is shone on them, it can reflect a colorful luster.

When the explosion first occurred, it actually shook the core area inside. Li Zhuiyuan guessed at the time that the liquid was probably water from the cage, used to calm and soothe the "prisoners".

Soon, the group reached a blind spot in the project's progress.

The undisturbed, pristine state of the ancient burial site was presented to the public.

However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that it is not as pristine as it once was. Some potentially dangerous elements, such as hallucinogenic murals, pottery jars containing special sacrificial objects, animal carvings with inlaid array patterns, and floor tiles with hidden mystical principles, have all been deliberately damaged.

The method of sabotage was not brutal; it was like defusing a mine by simply cutting the fuse, demonstrating that the other party's knowledge and methods were quite sophisticated.

Moreover, it can be seen that the other party seems to be deliberately striving for perfection, not hesitating to increase the difficulty and complexity of the work, in order to protect the cultural relics here as much as possible.

This level of political literacy is quite high.

"Ho~~~"

A beast-like growl came from ahead—a warning.

Runsheng stopped in his tracks.

Lin Shuyou climbed up the side wall, preparing to lunge forward.

But the next moment, their energies clashed.

The growl immediately turned gentle and joyful.

Lin Shuyou's movements were stopped; he gripped the wall with one hand and did not continue his advance.

On the wall in front, a youthful face covered in white hair appeared, and the white hair was rapidly fading away, eventually revealing Chen Jing's face.

"Brother Yuan!"

No matter how long they've been apart, Chen Jing is always overjoyed when he sees Li Zhuiyuan again!
Since Chen Jing is here, it's obvious who is clearing the way for everyone ahead.

Lin Shuyou remarked with a sigh, "The Three-Eyed One wasn't even stopped outside the formation."

Zhao Yi's voice came from the darkness ahead:
"If we get blocked outside and can't even get in, what's the point of walking the river? What's the point of being a cheerleader?"

Zhao Yi's figure was revealed.

He was wearing a blue work hat, work clothes, a white towel around his neck, a cigarette tucked behind his ear, and a large tea mug in his hand.

He lifted the lid, blew on it, then lowered his head and took a sip. The scalding tea danced in his mouth before flowing down his throat, finally making a sound similar to drinking:

"Ah~"

Lin Shuyou felt that the three eyes in front of him were a little different.

Zhao Yi glanced at Lin Shuyou, who was still clinging to the wall, and scolded, "Come down quickly, don't ruin the murals on there. These are the fruits of the blood and sweat of the poor people in ancient times."

Lin Shuyou came down, and Chen Jing came down as well. Only then did he notice that Chen Jing was wearing two layers of white gloves and his shoes were covered with cloth as shoe covers.

Zhao Yi anticipated the time and therefore entered ahead of schedule.

After delivering the last batch of goods, he treated his coworkers to a meal and then went to a row of tin sheds on the outskirts of the construction site in town to pay the fees, telling them to line up on their own after they finished eating.

Next, Zhao Yi had Chen Jing pretend to be possessed by an evil spirit.

Ah Jing is inherently wicked; once he reveals even a little of his true nature, he becomes truly wicked.

Together with Xu Ming, Zhao Yi, as a kind-hearted person, took Chen Jing to the medical clinic at the outer construction site. However, the normal medical clinic had no way to treat this kind of symptom.

However, adhering to the principle of treating the sick and saving lives, the infirmary issued a referral slip, allowing Zhao Yi and Xu Ming to take Chen Jing through security and to the infirmary inside the formation, where another kind of "expert" could see him.

As for the Liang sisters, they were just delivering boxed lunches into the formation.

The entire team reunited within the formation in this way, and under the cover of darkness, they slipped into the well.

Wen Xinhe and Cao Liwen's group were simply unlucky. Not only did they run into Li Zhuiyuan and his group outside the well, they also almost bumped into Zhao Yi and his group inside the well.

Zhao Yi simply moved his fingers, causing them minor workplace injuries.

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan looked at Zhao Yi, and Zhao Yi also looked at Li Zhuiyuan.

"hehe."

Zhao Yi couldn't hold back any longer, and the flesh on his face began to contort.

After sensing the presence of someone surnamed Li, the evil dragon gradually lost control and began to openly reject him, as if it would cause its master to misunderstand if it didn't make a move.

In fact, Zhao Yi, who possesses the skin of a black dragon, is the most suitable master for this evil dragon. As long as he can tame it, his fusion with the evil dragon will be even more perfect.

But there are always some things in this world that transcend biological instincts.

For example, from the moment the evil dragon was born, it harbored a deep fear of Li Zhuiyuan, which prevented it from having even the slightest thought of betraying the boy.

Zhao Yi first tore open his clothes, and then, with a "ripping" sound, peeled off the skin on his chest.

Black mist shot out rapidly, and the evil dragon rushed towards Li Zhuiyuan, circling around the boy with extreme obsequiousness.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand.

Without needing to skin it or coax it, the evil dragon readily merged into the boy's palm.

Zhao Yi was not envious.

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's very useful to me, so I can't give it to you."

Zhao Yi: "Tch, as if anyone cares."

In the mountain stream behind the Five Immortals Temple, Li Zhuiyuan obtained the jade marrow, which was the key to his rapid temporary physical enhancement in the future. This evil dragon could perfectly serve as an evolution of the "Qin Family Observing Dragon Method," allowing him to elevate the boy's physique to a higher level during that period.

These are all elements used to piece together the path to overcoming the adult crisis in the future. No matter how generous Li Zhuiyuan is, he cannot give these away.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's get things done first, and discuss it when we get back."

Zhao Yi: "Listen to this, talking like that, you're being too polite, too polite!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then forget it."

Zhao Yi: "There still needs to be a sense of boundaries in interpersonal interactions."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Is the road ahead blocked?"

Zhao Yi: "There's a layer of rock blocking it, it's thick, but not ridiculously thick. Also, there are two cracks that people can pass through, the crack openings are very sticky, the water stains are suspicious."

Those two cracks most likely lead to the interior, but it's unclear where they specifically lead.

Li Zhuiyuan: "We don't have time to wander around this maze, and the outside can't hold it off for long."

Zhao Yi, being underground, could sense the commotion outside, but it was very vague. Only after hearing what the man surnamed Li said did he finally realize what had happened:
"Hey Li, you mobilized a large formation outside the construction site to stop it? No, how did you manage to create such a formation?"

A new wave of massive attacks began once again.

The people inside the cave could also sense something.

Zhao Yi: "No, those people are actually helping you stop it!"
Damn it, I was served from beginning to end, you surnamed Li, did you enjoy this ride so much?
I've decided that from now on, whenever I have nothing to do, I'll come down from Mount Lu and hug the plaque of our local scenic area's police station.

"Everyone knows there are benefits to doing this, so guess why, throughout history, so few people in the martial arts world have been willing to do it?"

"I……"

Zhao Yi certainly knew.

You can't just think about taking advantage when you're getting something in return. When you've taken that advantage and it requires you to make sacrifices, what should you do?

There is a paradox here: those who are willing to sacrifice will not really care about these so-called benefits.

Zhao Yi remained silent.

Some blessings and some protection were enjoyed by the man surnamed Li, and Zhao Yi was not jealous at all.

After all, his family wasn't like the Li family, with so many and tall ancestral tablets that were already cracked.

Zhao Yi could only change his words and say, "As expected of you, Li, you're always good at closing doors wherever you go. I think your 'master' would be very pleased if he knew, right?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You can tell the story of the lazy dog ​​a little louder."

Zhao Yi: "Heh, you think I wouldn't dare?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "He is right there up there."

Zhao Yi: "Everyone has moments when they say things they don't mean."

Li Zhuiyuan: "According to the construction plan, this rock wall in front should have been blasted. Are the explosives still there?"

Manual excavation and using arrays to wear it down are both fine, but they are time-consuming and labor-intensive, so physical blasting is much faster.

Zhao Yi: "When I arrived, the explosives here had already been moved due to the work stoppage. The construction discipline here is very high."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then we can only..."

Zhao Yi: "So before I came down, I deliberately stole a lot of explosives from the warehouse."

When it comes to getting things done, Zhao Yi's abilities are truly second to none.

Li Zhuiyuan walked forward, shining a flashlight on his face. Zhao Yi had already placed the explosives at the blasting point, and the detonators were installed.

Zhao Yi walked over and said proudly, "Hey Li, if you had come any later, I would have already opened this passage for you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If the blasting had been done at the location you designed, and I had arrived even a little later, I would have been buried alive with you by the landslide here for no reason."

Zhao Yi licked his lips: "Hey Li, you're so sure after just one glance?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, because I designed the original demolition points."

Zhao Yi slapped his own mouth twice: "This foul mouth, why do you have to be so stubborn? I'm just setting you up for something."

Li Zhuiyuan stood there without moving or speaking. Runsheng and the other two stepped forward and began to excavate a new location and adjust the blasting points.

Zhao Yi was really envious of that "red thread".

Anyone who saw this scene would think that all of Li's subordinates were all all-round talents.

After setting up, everyone retreated and found a recessed area where they could take cover.

"Outside team, you come here."

Tan Wenbin handed the detonator to Zhao Yi.

"Ok?"

"This is to show respect for the efforts you made for the other team."

"Thank you, I don't need it."

Tan Wenbin pointed to his head.

Zhao Yi smiled and reached out to take the detonator.

It seems that the man surnamed Li still has some conscience, and he is indeed different from before, now showing more consideration for others.

"Alright, then I'll give Mr. Li face. After all, I'm the older brother who dotes on my younger brother."

Zhao Yi glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, who was squatting behind Runsheng, and the boy had already covered his ears with his hands.

Oh, what a little princess.

Everyone is in their place.

"Five, four, three, two, one!"

Detonate!

"boom!!!"

The rock wall was successfully blasted open, and dust rushed out.

"Buzz!"

Just then, a knife gleaming with a chilling light sped out from the dust and smoke.

The knife, carrying a terrifying killing intent and an astonishing momentum, slashed directly at Zhao Yi, the detonator, who naturally harbored a targeted hostility towards this place.

Zhao Yi: "..."

(End of this chapter)