"I've never heard a request like that in my life, but I can agree to it. First, you have to send those two out."
Chen Cheng let out a long breath.
Behind him, Lokasky and the Black Tiger Venerable frowned.
"No. I promised the hall master I would protect you."
The Black Tiger Venerable was the first to refuse.
"Black Tiger is right. Even if someone has to stay, it should be us, not you. It isn't just because of Samlet. A lot of people are counting on you."
Chen Cheng turned and glared at them.
"Cut the crap. Forget about people counting on me. You two are useful out there, but in here you'll only hold me back. If you really want to help me, get out."
The two men moved forward to argue. The moment they took another step, they appeared in the temple's rear hall.
Realizing they had been teleported out, they tried to reenter the ruins, but the entrance had already closed.
Lokasky looked at the keypad and entered the code he remembered Chen Cheng using. The gateway into the ruins did not appear. All he got was an incorrect-password warning.
Inside the ruins, Chen Cheng watched them vanish and gave a cold laugh.
"So you're not as weak as you claimed."
"I admit I deceived you about that. But you would never have stayed otherwise. I truly want to die. I've endured more than 110,000 years here, and I see no end to this torment."
There was a trace of sincerity in the statue's voice. Chen Cheng did not care about that. What caught his attention was the span of 110,000 years.
"You're saying this place has existed for over a hundred thousand years?"
"I knew that would interest you. I can tell you everything