I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 162 On the verge of breaking out

King Chujiang's ambitions were completely aroused; how precious must a treasure be that could lure demons?

He stared intently at Wen Xiang and the other three, hoping they could offer a new answer.

Little did he know, the four of them were even more dejected than he was.

Looking at the distant mountains, Wen Xiang sighed deeply, "I never imagined that I would be so thoroughly outmaneuvered by a mere Qi Refining junior."

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

"A mere Qi Refining junior? There are Qi Refining realm cultivators here? This is absurd."

King Chujiang found it utterly incomprehensible.

Wei Ruyi shook her head, "No, that can't be. I've been in close contact with him, and he was full of vitality, unlike someone in the Qi Refining Realm."

He was even more unable to accept the fact that Xue Xiang was only at the Qi Refining Realm than King Chujiang.

To be tormented like this by someone in the Qi Refining Realm, no one would want to live if word got out.

Huang Feng said, "He is only at the Qi Refining stage. His so-called 'vigorous blood and qi' is just the result of taking supplements like Blood Strengthening Pills."

Wei Ruyi's features were contorted with rage. "You must have been fooled by him. How dare a mere Qi Refining junior come here alone?"

Wen Xiang smiled wryly: "He claimed to be Han Hanlin's youngest son, and that he was brought in by their head butler."

"Which Hanlin scholar? There are currently two Hanlin scholars in the capital. The older one is a scholar of the Xianmo Pavilion, and the younger one is a scholar of the Longtu Pavilion."

Wei Ruyi knew the backgrounds of the important figures in the capital very well.

Wen Xiang shook his head, "How would I know about these things? By the way, I heard that his elder brother is a graduate of the capital this year and has been assigned to Canglan Prefecture to participate in the trials."

"A student from Jingjun?"

Wei Ruyi pondered for a moment, then said loudly, "It's Hanlin Xiao, the scholar of the Longtu Pavilion."

However, as far as I know, he has no young children.

Could it be that this identity was also fabricated by him?

Huang Feng asked, "Is it possible that he is an illegitimate child?"

King Chujiang shook his head, “Impossible! Han Longtu is a disciple of Cheng-Zhu, and he is extremely respectful of propriety. How could he do such a despicable thing?”

However, all of that is unimportant; the key is finding people, finding people.

Wen Xiang sighed, "That thief is as cunning as a fox. He even thought of the way to hug the prince in advance. It will be too difficult to catch him."

Wei Ruyi gritted her teeth and said, "Seven red houses? I don't believe he won't return?"

Huang Feng said, "If we don't even know what he looks like, and he just swaggeres out like that, we probably won't recognize him."

The crowd discussed it back and forth, until they reached a dead end.

King Chujiang was quite annoyed. He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said loudly to everyone, "You all heard what we were discussing. Whoever has a way to find that young friend Han, I will reward them handsomely."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone started talking about it.

A cloaked figure turned around and said loudly, "Is Your Highness truly telling the truth?"

"So it's Mr. Wu."

King Chujiang said, "My word is my bond. I wonder what strategy Mr. Wu has in store for me?"

This Mr. Wu was recruited by King Chujiang in the Demonic Land. He is incredibly strong. Although he is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, King Chujiang personally witnessed him fighting head-on against a Core Formation stage cultivator, and thus recruited him into his ranks.

Mr. Wu said, "If I can help Your Highness find that rat, I would also appreciate Your Highness's help in achieving the Core Formation stage."

"That's easy."

King Chujiang loudly promised, "If we find young friend Han, I will formally invite you to join my palace as a guest minister."

Mr. Wu nodded and cupped his hands to Wen Xiang, saying, "Please tell me, fellow Daoist, what did the person you were chasing eleven days ago steal from you?"

Wen Xiang froze, then suddenly exclaimed, "It's you?"

Mr. Wu nodded, "It is indeed me, Mr. Wu."

It turned out that when Xue Xiang entered the blessed land to retrieve the treasure, he happened to encounter Wen Xiang and others.

Helpless, Xue Xiang could only hide in the literary aura, take advantage of the chaos to steal the treasure, and escape by sheer luck.

Before long, they encountered a cloaked figure who, seeing that Xue Xiang's cultivation was weak, wanted to hunt him down.

The two chased each other all the way, and just then Qin soldiers arrived with their troops. Xue Xiang took the opportunity to fish in troubled waters, falsely accusing the cloaked man of possessing a golden elixir, thus causing Qin soldiers and others to fight against the cloaked man.

Afterwards, Wen Xiang arrived, and the cloaked man fled in fright.

The cloaked figure at that time was none other than Mr. Wu before us.

Mr. Wu was a meticulous person. At the time, he mistakenly thought that Xue Xiang and Qin Bing were old friends, and that Qin Bing's sudden arrival was just bad luck for him.

But afterwards, the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Upon reviewing the events, he realized that he had been tricked by Xue Xiang.

It is highly likely that Xue Xiang is the one who stole the treasure, and he and those idiots over there were all tricked by Xue Xiang by taking advantage of the information gap.

Understanding all this is pointless now.

Mr. Wu never expected that after seeking refuge with King Chujiang, he would encounter Wen Xiang again.

Upon hearing what Wen Xiang said, he immediately guessed that the guy he had met that day was most likely the person Wen Xiang and King Chujiang were looking for.

Therefore, he stepped forward to help complete the information.

Whether or not Xue Xiang can be found is one thing, but the more information we gather, the greater our hope.

"Hand over the treasure, and I'll spare your life."

Wen Xiang recognized the cloaked man and flew into a rage.

Although he had acquired a number of crystal cores by following Xue Xiang, what he still longed for was the Innate Foundation Establishment Pill that he had missed out on, and the jade scroll.

Mr. Wu said, "Fellow Daoist, please don't be impatient. Let me tell you about what happened that day in detail."

After Mr. Wu explained, Wen Xiang was stunned.

He wasn't stupid, and naturally he could tell that what Mr. Wu said was true. He immediately gritted his teeth and said, "You dog, you dog! You stole my Innate Foundation Establishment Pill, you stole my Jade Scroll, and you even took me under your command! If I don't kill you, it would be against all reason..."

Wen Xiang was furious and shouted angrily.

"What?! A Foundation Establishment Pill!"

The entire audience was shocked, and even King Chujiang was alarmed, hurriedly asking what was the reason.
Left with no other choice, Wen Xiang had to tell him what had happened that day.

Everyone listened with amazement.

King Chujiang clapped his hands heavily, "This person is quite clever. With his mere Qi Refining cultivation, he has stirred up such a storm. He is no ordinary person."

"Your Majesty, we have found a breakthrough."

Mr. Wu said loudly.

"Oh? Tell me quickly."

King Chujiang was overjoyed.

Originally, the fact that Young Master Han possessed a treasure capable of luring demons had already made him incredibly eager to acquire it.

Now, with the information updated, it turns out that Young Master Han actually possesses the Innate Foundation Establishment Pill, which is an extremely valuable item.

He couldn't wait any longer.

Mr. Wu said, “As we all know, the Demonic Land is a place where literary energy and foul energy are combined. Although it is a lost land, the literary lineage and the Heavenly Dao are low-lying, far superior to the outside world.”

Once ingested, the Innate Foundation Building Pill releases its medicinal power, enabling one's spiritual consciousness to connect with heaven and earth.

The lower the cultural lineage, the more suitable it is for the Innate Foundation Building Pill to exert its medicinal power.

Therefore, I expect this person will definitely choose to attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm here.

In addition, this place has a considerable number of original spiritual veins, making it extremely suitable for foundation building.

Therefore, as long as we follow the spiritual veins, we're sure to find clues about the thief.

"No need, I know where he is."

Wen Xiang said loudly.

Wu Meng's explanation opened up a new avenue for Wen Xiang's thinking.

"I know too."

"I know that too."

"I see."

Huang Feng, Liu Wenquan, and Su Beichen spoke in turn.

King Chujiang was overjoyed. "Fellow Daoists, if you can help me capture the thieves, I promise to cover all the cultivation resources you need before you form your Nascent Souls."

King Chujiang has ruled for over a dozen generations, and his extravagance has reached its peak. The number of powerful figures he has gathered is as numerous as the fish crossing the river.

"I am willing to die for Your Majesty."

Wen Xiang and the other three said in unison that they were all overjoyed.

It's clear that they won't get Xue Xiang's things; after all, there are too many wolves and not enough meat.

If we can help King Chujiang succeed and have him fulfill his promise, it would not be a case of losing one thing but gaining another.

At that moment, Wen Xiang revealed the location of the "Land of Five Spirits".

It was also pointed out that the "Han traitor" knew the location of this place.

"There is actually a land of five spirits, which is a perfect match for the Innate Foundation Establishment Pill. There's no doubt about it."

Mr. Wu also became excited.

Upon hearing this, King Chujiang let out a long, excited roar.

Immediately, the crowd surged forward like a whirlwind, all rushing towards that cave.

An hour later, the group arrived at the place. Wei Ruyi, seeing the place, thought of her loved ones and was filled with grief and indignation.

He recognized this place as the cave where he had lured and set a trap for Princess Yong. It was hateful that all his capable men had perished here.

In his grief and indignation, Wen Xiang had already rushed into the cave. A short while later, he emerged, his face so cold it could drip water.

"Not here?"

King Chujiang was extremely disappointed.

Wen Xiang nodded, "This thief is cunning. Perhaps he knows this place is not safe and has gone elsewhere to find a sacred site to build his foundation."

"No way."

Mr. Wu said, "The land of the Five Spirits is a rare find, one that cannot be sought after."

He would never give up. I'm certain he merely set up an early warning system, detected our arrival in advance, and slipped away first.

King Chujiang said, "What should we do? This is like stirring up trouble and alerting the enemy; he probably won't come back."

Mr. Wu said, "No one can guarantee whether they will come again."

It depends on the person's character. If he is a conservative type, he will likely back down.

If someone is exceptionally talented and courageous, they might take the gamble.

"A gamble?"

King Chujiang was puzzled.

Mr. Wu said, “Let’s take a gamble. I’ll leave a letter and then leave, giving him some space. Whether the fish will take the bait or not is up to fate.”

As he spoke, he took out paper and pen and quickly wrote it down.

He showed it to everyone, and they all thought it was acceptable.

King Chujiang valued Mr. Wu, who was meticulous and thoughtful, even more.

Mr. Wu placed the letter at the cave entrance, and King Chujiang and the others immediately withdrew.

After a short while, a wisp of spiritual energy drifted over and captured the letter.

If the person reading the letter was not Xue Xiang, then who else could it be?

Wu Meng's plan was sound. After learning that this place was the land of the Five Spirits, Xue Xiang's desire to establish his foundation here never wavered.

He had made extensive preparations for Foundation Establishment and read countless ancient texts, knowing all too well the immense opportunity required to bring together the Five Spirit Lands and the Innate Foundation Establishment Pill.

After successfully escaping, he hid outside for two or three hours before he couldn't resist sneaking back here.

Mr. Wu's guess was correct; the warning he set allowed him to spot the group ahead of time and slip away first.

At that moment, he opened the letter and read it, quickly grasping its core meaning.

There are two points in total:

First, Wu Meng points out the scarcity of the Five Spirit Lands and the reality of the Red House opening.

Second, we are not mortal enemies; each of us can get what we need, and we can negotiate.

Mr. Wu's writing is very plain, and the issues he points out are very real.

After much deliberation, Xue Xiang realized that this guy who signed his name as "Wumeng" was using a calculated scheme.

It's obvious that as long as he still wants to use this Five Spirits Land, he can't possibly refuse his conditions.

After much deliberation, Xue Xiang gently stroked the jade-like afterglow, feeling that he had the strength to fight back. If he could drag it out until the Foundation Establishment was completed, and if the situation was truly as described in the ancient texts, then he would have nothing to fear.

Once he made up his mind, he flicked his hand, and eight bronze array flags flew out.

As he drew in mid-air, the bronze battle flags fluttered in the clear light.

In an instant, more than ten spirit stones scattered in all directions, steadily supplying spiritual energy.

Five-colored light rippled out, flowing like a great river, vast and powerful, filled with an invisible sense of oppression. The moment the light appeared, strange movements came from the distant mountains and forests.

In an instant, rainbow light rained down, and dozens of people landed in front of the cave.

"Hahaha……"

King Chujiang laughed loudly, cupped his hands and said, "Young friend Han, let me introduce myself. I am the current King Chujiang."

I have long admired your reputation.

You must have read Mr. Wu's letter to you. The fact that you were able to gather a burst of light is enough to prove that you are willing to use this place to build your foundation.

I have never hesitated to mentor a talented young man like you.

If you are willing to submit, I will guarantee your future.

Xue Xiang said loudly, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I would like to ask Your Highness to lend me a hand. If I can successfully establish my foundation, I will naturally be willing to serve Your Highness."

"Words are no proof; let us first swear a blood oath."

Mr. Wu removed his cloak, revealing a fat face covered in scars.

Even though Xue Xiang had changed into a faux leather mask, he still spotted Xue Xiang at a glance.

He had been a powerful figure for many years and had never suffered such a great loss.

He was always the one who schemed against others, but now he was the one who was schemed against by Xue Xiang, leaving him with a face full of scars. How could he not feel remorseful?

"Indeed, this scoundrel is cunning, Your Highness must not trust him easily."

Wen Xiang also jumped out, angrily pointing at Xue Xiang, "You dog, give me back my Innate Foundation Establishment Pill, give me back my Jade Scroll!"

Xue Xiang shook his head, "Fellow Daoist Wen, have you lost your mind? What do you mean by 'yours'? This place is a demonic land, and whoever gets it gets it first."

I never imagined that you and Mr. Wu would become such a pair. What a twist of fate!

"Your Highness, these two are the people I hate most in my life. If you kill them, I will immediately offer you the secret treasure for luring demons."

Upon hearing this, Wen Xiang, who was furious, and Wu Meng, whose face was full of sinister intent, both fell silent.

“Uncle, you must not listen to such wicked words; he is a master of deception.”

Wei Ruyi quickly advised, "This scoundrel is now a chicken in a cage and a fish in a net. Why waste words with him? Just break through this formation and capture him."

"Wei Ruyi".

Xue Xiang shouted, "Have you no shame? I spared your life for the sake of Princess Yong, yet you repay kindness with enmity."

"King Chujiang, your troops are all such vile individuals; how can I have the confidence to serve you?"

King Chujiang waved his hand and said, "Young friend Han, please calm down."

I, the King, always keep my promises. As long as you are willing to serve me, everything is negotiable.

As for the misunderstanding between you and Ruyi, Fellow Daoist Wen, and Fellow Daoist Wu, I am willing to mediate and resolve your conflict.

What do you think? "

Xue Xiang nodded, "Since Your Highness still has some magnanimity, I can consider the matter of serving you."

"Let's put everything else aside for now. How about Your Highness helps me establish my foundation first?"

King Chujiang paused, "Young friend Han, are you truly unwilling to show even a little goodwill first?"

He thought he had done his best to appear respectful and courteous to Xue Xiang, who was already in dire straits. It would be unbelievable if he didn't immediately bow down and pay his respects.

Xue Xiang said, "By receiving the prince's letter and showing myself here, I have already shown goodwill."

I am only at the Qi Refining stage. Even if I successfully establish my foundation, who can I threaten?
"Your Highness still doesn't trust me? I have nothing more to say."

What are you going to do?

Wei Ruyi said sternly, "Now that things have come to this, do you think you still have a say in this?"

King Chujiang did not stop Wei Ruyi; he also needed Xue Xiang to show his talent.

Unexpectedly, Xue Xiang ignored everything, looked up into the distance, and let out a long, loud cry: "I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the ditch."

King Chujiang, you have disappointed me greatly.

The Innate Foundation Building Pill and the Five Spiritual Land—these two sacred objects are now in my hands.

If you were in my shoes, wouldn't you take a gamble in this situation?

Everyone was stunned, wondering why Xue Xiang would ask such a question.

What does this have to do with everyone?
But Xue Xiang said to himself, "Of course I have to take a chance. This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. Even if I die and my soul perishes, I will still take a chance."

So, I showed myself.

So, I'm taking this gamble.

I bet I have immense good fortune, and I bet you, King Chujiang, also possess a magnanimous heart.

In hindsight, I lost my bet.

Anyway, I have no regrets.

A man is willing to admit defeat! "

As he spoke, Xue Xiang took out a purple-grade crystal core and tossed it into the sky.

With a thought, Jian Dan manifested a longsword, its sharp tip striking the purple-grade crystal core.

With a crisp bang, the purple-grade crystal core exploded violently.

In an instant, purple light flowed out, and countless curved purple symbols-like pure literary energy transformed into gusts of cool wind, surging forth.

In an instant, they scattered into the cave and disappeared.

Everyone was stunned.

"You, you're crazy."

"A purple-grade crystal core, a purple-grade crystal core! All that I've gained on this trip is not worth this."

"They've gone mad, they've gone mad, they've really gone mad."

"Stop! Stop immediately!"

"You brat, you deserve to die!"

"........."

After a brief moment of shock, everyone, including King Chujiang, went mad.

I witnessed firsthand how a purple-grade crystal core was destroyed right before my eyes.

What a crazy move.

Everyone felt as if a piece of their heart had been ripped out.

Some of the more impatient ones had already begun to attack Xue Xiang.

Unfortunately, the Eight Scenic Spots of Mountains and Rivers Formation was already complete, and its light remained as stable as a rock.

Seeing that Xue Xiang had taken out the second purple-grade crystal core, everyone felt their breath catch in their throats.

King Chujiang raised his hands high, "Young friend, stop, stop, young friend."

"Let's talk this out, let's talk this out. We're not mortal enemies, why do this? Why make things so difficult?"

Even with his immense wealth, he would never do something as insane as destroying a purple-grade crystal core with his own hands.

He realized that the kid in front of him was truly insane.

If you push him too far, he can really destroy all the treasures he owns.

If that's the case, then what is the purpose of this dignified King Chujiang making this trip?
“It’s not that I insisted on doing it this way, but that people like Wei Ruyi, Wen Xiang, and Wu Meng have gone too far in bullying us.”

Xue Xiang said loudly, "Serving a wise ruler like Your Highness has always been my desire."

I said that my willingness to show myself is an expression of sincerity and trust in Your Highness.

If Your Highness does not believe me, I have no choice but to perish together with you.

"You flatter me, young friend."

King Chujiang cupped his hands and said, "Young friend, you are in charge of your foundation building. I promise that as long as you serve me, I will guarantee you a bright future."

After saying this, King Chujiang ordered everyone to retreat to a distance of a hundred feet.

“Your Highness, this fiend is clearly bluffing. If he really wanted to destroy everything, he would have just destroyed all the purple-grade crystal cores.”

Wen Xiang gritted his teeth and said.

"Even so, the fact that this fiend was willing to shatter a purple-grade crystal core shows that it is no benevolent creature."

Huang Feng asked, "Your Highness, what should we do next?"
Could it be that we're just waiting for this fiend to successfully complete its foundation building? This fiend is extremely cunning. Oh, right, there's also an underground space inside the cave.

Once this fiend successfully completes its foundation and escapes from the underground space, won't we be left with nothing again?

King Chujiang said, "I will naturally seal off the underground space."

If we don't comply with his demands, he'll act so recklessly; what can we do?

Mr. Wu, what are your thoughts?

Wu Meng said, "I'm thinking about the loopholes."

"What loophole?"

Everyone was amazed.

"Our vulnerabilities."

Wumeng's words are concise and to the point.

"What loopholes do we have? Fellow Daoist Wu, don't try to make things mysterious."

Wen Xiang said coldly, "Just say what you have to say."

Wu Meng glanced at Wen Xiang and said coldly, "I haven't had much dealings with this scoundrel, but he left a deep impression on me."

This is definitely not a guy who's just crazy and irrational.

He dared to show himself; what exactly was he relying on?
From his perspective, he naturally hoped to successfully establish a foundation and escape safely.

Now that he has earned the opportunity to establish his foundation, how will he extricate himself?

"God knows."

Wen Xiang said irritably, "Fellow Daoist Wu should go ask that kid."

Wu Meng shook his head. "There must be loopholes in our plan."

In other words, that kid must have figured out how to break the deadlock through this loophole.

But I can't figure out where our vulnerability lies.

Wei Ruyi said, "Then let's not wait for him to successfully establish his foundation."

Foundation building is a process that takes time.

At the most critical moment, we will strike suddenly, leaving him no room to resist. Then, we will capture him in one fell swoop.

No matter what tricks he has up his sleeve, it's all in vain.

Wu Meng clapped his hands loudly, "Your Highness has a brilliant plan, what a wonderful statement."

King Chujiang frowned and said, "Is there really no hope of subduing them?"

"I, the King, am magnanimous and have a wide following; am I not worthy of this person's service?"

Wei Ruyi snorted, "Some wolf cubs are just impossible to tame. This person possesses a rare treasure."

If we don't offer it, what will my uncle think?
If we offer sacrifices, this barbarian may not be convinced.

Moreover, my uncle also witnessed it; this fiend destroys purple-grade crystal cores as easily as eating or drinking.

What kind of conditions would my uncle have to offer to keep such a generous fellow in check?
In conclusion, this is not a guy who can be tamed.

If Uncle harbors this thought, then this will likely become our weakness.

King Chujiang sighed, "Ruyi's words make sense. We will follow your advice and launch a fatal blow at the crucial moment."

By the way, what kind of formation did he set up? Is it difficult to break through?

Everyone shook their heads.

Wen Xiang said, "I still don't understand, but the prince has many powerful warriors under his command."

"With more than ten Core Formation cultivators attacking together, how long can even the most powerful formation withstand it?"

"That's the truth."

King Chujiang was somewhat relieved. "How about this, this time we will proceed with the operation against the Han traitor."

Mr. Wu coordinated the operation, Ruyi provided full support, and fellow Daoists Wen, Huang, Liu, and Su cooperated.

If you achieve merit, I will reward you handsomely.

"promise."

The crowd readily accepted the order.

Wu Meng took out paper and pen and began to write and draw, starting to plan and strategize.

Wei Ruyi seemed to be deep in thought before slipping away.

While King Chujiang and others were eager to try their luck, Xue Xiang was also preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

(End of this chapter)