Digging Up a Ruins

As she spoke, the Female Daoist Abbot unbuttoned the outer garment of her Daoist robe.

Of course, that didn't happen. The Female Daoist Abbot took a book out of her pocket and handed it over.

The book looks very old; the cover is blurred, and the writing is faint and still hard to read.

"I know you have already reached the Extraordinary Rank 9, and you are only one step away from becoming a Saint. But for any Extraordinary Rank 9 expert, that one step is like the difference between heaven and earth," said the Female Daoist Abbot.

"Perhaps by taking that first step, one can ascend the ladder to the clouds and soar to great heights."

"But if there is not a single step left, it is also a bottomless cliff, where one will fall and be smashed to pieces."

"This book can help you."

Xu Bai took it in his hands, but he couldn't see anything from the cover alone, because the writing on it was almost invisible. However, there was a golden progress bar on the book.

"Open it and take a look," the Female Daoist Abbot said confidently.

It seemed that as long as Xu Bai opened the door, he would grant her request.

Xu Bai pondered for a moment, then carefully turned to the first page.

There's no way around it, we have to be careful. This book looks like it could turn into a pile of dust at any moment.

As soon as the first page opened, Xu Bai glanced at the contents and quickly put the book into his pocket.

"Make a deal!"

These two simple words signified that Xu Bai had agreed to the deal.

If it were just an ordinary manual, or even an extraordinary one, Xu Bai might not have agreed, but this book is different.

It's very similar to the book that Rising Dusk King gave him before; it's also a book about his experience of failing to become a saint.

The record given by Rising Dusk King was quite disorganized, but this one contains detailed records of the failures of many senior masters in the Daoist Sect.

"You're willing to give me something so important, do you think the Daoist Sect sect would agree?" Xu Bai asked.

Not long ago, Rising Dusk King had also mentioned that Xu Bai was aware of the situation and knew that this thing definitely still existed and was being protected as a treasure by every faction.

After all, if this kind of thing were released, it would definitely be fought over fiercely, especially by those extraordinary experts.

"One-third of the Daoist Sect in the world have agreed," the Female Daoist Abbot said with a smile. "After all, there are only a few Extraordinary Rank 9 masters in the entire Daoist Sect, and I am one of them."

Don't be fooled by how easily Xu Bai reached the Extraordinary Rank 9; the Extraordinary Rank 9 is actually extremely rare.

There are only about a hundred extraordinary masters in the world, and many of them have not even reached the Extraordinary Rank 9 extraordinary realm. Those who have truly reached the Extraordinary Rank 9 are extremely rare.

"Then it's decided." Xu Bai clapped his hands, confirming his decision.

The Barbarian Territory belongs to the Ninth Princess, Ninth Princess belongs to him. So, after all this back and forth, isn't it all his?

The Female Daoist Abbot breathed a sigh of relief.

"You seem very nervous." Xu Bai touched his chin; he had seen the Female Daoist Abbot make that gesture earlier.

"Ha, how can one not feel nervous about King Xu these days?" the Female Daoist Abbot said with a self-deprecating smile.

"You've put pressure on all the Extraordinary Rank 9."

Xu Bai pondered for a moment and said, "It can't be that bad. Although I've already reached the Extraordinary Rank 9, I'm not going to fight them."

The Female Daoist Abbot: "..."

Good grief, I haven't even talked to you about fighting yet, so why are you suddenly saying you didn't go fight them? Could it be that you had that idea before, but then you gave up on it?

She now strongly suspects that Xu Bai is either fighting or on his way to fight every day.

Of course, in order to correct Xu Bai's misconception, the Female Daoist Abbot still told the truth.

"There are only two positions left for sainthood, so it is an extremely stressful thing for all the extraordinary masters in the world to compete for them."

"With you added to the mix, the pressure is even greater. After all, since you entered this industry, you've been soaring straight up, so everyone's pressure is even higher."

Xu Bai rubbed his forehead. "I see."

As it turns out, he was overthinking things; they were all afraid he would try to take the position.

However... since he has reached this level of strength, if he accidentally manages to win it one day, then everyone else will have to fend for themselves.

"We can't talk anymore, I need to hurry." The Female Daoist Abbot stopped talking to Xu Bai and found a corner to take out a book and began to read it carefully.

Every minute and every second is extremely tense for extraordinary experts. They wish they could break down time into tiny pieces and use it sparingly.

Seeing that the Female Daoist Abbot had gone to read books by herself, Xu Bai also felt bored, so he took out the Entering Sainthood Insights that Rising Dusk King had given him before and continued to work on it.

Time passed slowly, and five or six days went by in the blink of an eye.

It may seem like only five or six days, but for the construction team in the Construction Bureau, those five or six days were enough for them to complete many buildings.

During this time, Chu Ling was recruiting people, mostly from the palace, and some of these people were recruited from the Great Chu Kingdom.

Xu Bai had said before that the palace was rather deserted and there were too few people.

He only said it casually, but he didn't expect Chu Ling to keep it in mind. So she made sure to recruit people from the palace first.

As for those people from the martial arts world, they haven't arrived yet, or they have arrived but haven't shown up.

This is a very simple principle. The host hasn't even opened the door yet, and you guests are trying to barge into the house. That's incredibly disrespectful to the host.

Moreover, the owner's fists are very hard.

So everyone is waiting, waiting for the doors to open here.

At this time, in an area a hundred miles away from the royal palace, the Construction Bureau was building at a frantic pace.

Given enough materials, buildings will spring up here.

Kong Meng was in charge this time, and he was watching his subordinates get to work.

Holding the blueprints in his hand, he looked over here, estimating in his mind how long it would take to complete the entire construction.

His Majesty gave them a very short timeframe, so they worked almost day and night. According to Kong Meng's estimate, it would be completed very soon.

"Phew..." He breathed a sigh of relief at the thought.

"Once it's done, I can return to the Capital City to report back, and finally I can relax a bit."

To be honest, the emperor of the Great Chu Kingdom treats his people very well, and he treats his ministers the same way. So even if something is not completed on time, as long as there is a reason, His Majesty will not blame them.

But Kong Meng himself was nervous.

He wouldn't have any problem with other projects, but this is the royal palace, and most importantly, it concerns Xu Bai's royal palace.

Legends in the martial arts world have always become more and more outrageous as they are passed down, and the various legends about Xu Bai now have reached a very special level of absurdity.

Ruthless and cruel are no longer enough to describe Xu Bai. In the martial arts world, Xu Bai has now become synonymous with terror.

Kong Meng was afraid...

If this project isn't completed, and King Xu blames me, he won't be as easy to talk to as His Majesty. I don't know if I can keep my head.

Seeing that the project could be completed smoothly, he finally relaxed a bit.

However, sometimes, the more you try not to want things to go, the more things will develop in the direction you don't want them to.

A gust of wind blew by, Kong Meng heard screams coming from not far away.

"Something happened?"

Upon hearing the scream, his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly put away the blueprints and ran to the source of the scream.

When he saw what appeared in front of him, he froze on the spot.

A large crater appeared ahead, as if it had been blasted open by something, and inside the crater, a person covered in blood was screaming in pain.

Several colleagues carried the man out, and after checking him over, they found that he was only injured and not in any life-threatening condition.

It's quite dangerous to do what they do.

Kong Meng was about to comfort his injured colleague and tell him to go and rest, but when he glanced at the big pit, he froze on the spot.

The pit was completely empty, but above it, the air was constantly distorting, as if a high temperature was burning below.

"Distorted air... and this familiar feeling... Oh no!" Kong Meng realized what was happening and his expression changed.

"Quick! Get away from here, this is Ruins that's about to be opened!"

"You all leave immediately, and send someone else to the palace to find the princess and inform her of what has happened here!"

Kong Meng had entered the Ruins before, but it was by chance that he got in, so he was very familiar with the feeling.

He never expected that he would inexplicably encounter a Ruins that was about to be opened.

Ruins are very dangerous. The people there don't know they are dead and continue to live according to their usual routines. They could very well turn into Thought Gods.

To ensure the safety of his colleagues, he needed to evacuate quickly.

After all, this was no longer something he could handle; it had to be reported.

Several of their companions ran off as fast as they could, one of them heading straight for the palace.

In the royal palace.

Chu Ling held a pen in her hand and was writing and drawing on the book.

Next to Chu Ling, Ye Zi also picked up a pen and started writing.

Taking advantage of a break from writing, Chu Ling smiled.

"I never imagined my sister had such potential in management."

After arriving here, Xu Bai spent all his time in the treasure vault.

As for the subsequent operations, Chu Ling originally thought she would be on her own, but she didn't expect Ye Zi to be so proficient in this area.

"Back when I was with the Ye Family, I had to look at everything. I looked at a wide variety of things, and naturally I came up with my own conclusions," Ye Zi said with a smile.

Chu Ling smiled slightly, though she didn't say anything, she understood perfectly well.

The woman in front of me is actually very smart, but she prefers to play dumb in front of her husband.

But it is precisely because of this behavior that it is the smartest.

"Sister, what realm will you reach after everything is completed?" Ye Zi asked curiously after resting for a while.

Chu Ling is now on the path of an emperor, a profession related to the region she governs.

The better the region and the better it is managed, the stronger its strength will be.

This profession has few restrictions, but it also has a major limitation: whether the current Great Chu Kingdom is willing for you to go there.

So if Chu Ling can leave, others can't.

Otherwise, if one day he runs off to a place and claims he wants to become an emperor, he'll be met with the army of the Great Chu Kingdom.

No one would be so foolish as to take this path.

Upon hearing this, Chu Ling pondered for a moment before saying, "I estimate that I will have just entered the Transcendent Realm, but for me, it will already be of great benefit, and my lifespan will be extended as a result."

"As my fiefdom improves, my strength will steadily increase."

She was also a smart woman, and she didn't hold back; her answers were always sincere.

Ye Zi smiled and said, "That's good. After the Transcendent Realm, I will be able to give birth to children for my husband."

Chu Ling nodded slightly upon hearing this.

Now that it's just the two of them, they're talking about private matters, so there's nothing to hold back.

The two were chatting and writing when a palace maid rushed in.

"Princess, someone from the Construction Bureau has come to say that a Ruins has been discovered during the construction process, and now we ask Your Highness for a decision."

Chu Ling put down her pen, her slender eyebrows furrowing.

Ruins?

She thought it was something else, but she didn't expect it to be this.

"I understand. You should have the architects leave first, and make sure they don't go over there to avoid any losses. I'll go check on them in a bit."

The palace maid agreed and walked away with her head down.

After the palace maid left, Ye Zi still wore a solemn expression.

Everyone knows that Ruins are dangerous, but that's not the most important thing. What's important is that there are various resources inside.

Moreover, things are different now. Various forces are paying attention to this area, and with the appearance of Ruins at this time, I'm afraid these forces will start to emerge sooner rather than later.

After all, the appearance of Ruins is bound to attract everyone's attention.

"Go ask your husband," Ye Zi said.

The best course of action now is to first see what Xu Bai is thinking; we must not overstep our bounds.

Chu Ling nodded and put down her pen. "Sister, come with me."

Ye Zi agreed.

The two walked together toward the treasure vault.

In the treasure vault.

Xu Bai was intently watching the progress bar, using the light from the window.

Not far away, the Female Daoist Abbot was also reading a book. Neither of them disturbed the other, nor did they say anything to each other.

Xu Bai hasn't gone to see Chu Ling and Ye Zi for several days now.

The two of them had been here a few times and knew that the Female Daoist Abbot was here, but they didn't say anything.

Now, all Xu Bai is the progress bar; he is completely immersed in it.

The book's progress is slow, but Xu Bai is enjoying it immensely.

Just then, light footsteps came from the stairwell. Xu Bai put down the book in his hand and subconsciously looked over, only to see Ye Zi and Chu Ling walking hand in hand.

His gaze lingered on Chu Ling and Ye Zi's faces for a moment, noticing that their brows were furrowed, as if something had happened.

"What's wrong?" Xu Bai folded the book, covered it on the table, and asked.

The Female Daoist Abbot ignored them, engrossed in reading a book.

Chu Ling glanced at the Female Daoist Abbot before saying, "Husband, when the people from the Construction Bureau were building houses, they suddenly encountered Ruins. They weren't sure what was going on, so they told me. I thought you had been to Ruins once before, so I wanted to ask if there were any dangers?"

Ruins?

Xu Bai gave an "oh" and instantly lost interest. "There's no danger. Just keep people away. After a while, the Ruins will naturally disappear, and it's the same as rebuilding them."

He used to be interested in Ruins, but now he's really not.

Having already reached the Extraordinary Rank 9 Realm, all I want to do now is finish studying these lessons learned from my failed attempts to become a Saint, and see if I have any chance of achieving Sainthood.

If he becomes Entering Sainthood Expert, then everything can be put on hold; if he doesn't, these things won't interest him.

He knew which was more important.

There are indeed many secrets in the Ruins, and even many progress bars, including the reasons for the depletion of resources, which may also be found there.

But right now, he doesn't lack progress; he just lacks time, so he doesn't want to go.

Moreover, these Ruins only appeared for a short time, and they will naturally disappear once that time has passed.

"My lord, what we mean is that the eyes of the entire world are now focused here, and quite a few forces have already arrived," Ye Zi explained in detail.

"The sudden appearance of the Ruins must mean that they have already been discovered. If we simply surround them and let them slowly disappear, those forces will think that we are being greedy and treacherous."

"So if these forces need resources, we can let them enter the Ruins."

Xu Bai stroked his chin and pondered for a moment.

The surroundings quieted down, and no one spoke. The two women waited for Xu Bai's reply.

After about half an incense stick's time, Xu Bai finally put his hand down.

"When there are too many people, it becomes difficult to control them."

Ruins be honest, even if they go to the ruins voluntarily, there are still some risks with so many people.

Many things are not yet perfect, so this is not the right time.

It's best to be cautious in everything.

Chu Ling thought for a moment and said, "Then I will do as my husband says."

Xu Bai laughed and said, "I thought you would refute me."

Chu Ling shook her head. "No, Chu Ling is already my husband's woman, so naturally my husband comes first."

The Female Daoist Abbot was reading a book nearby suddenly looked up, glanced in their direction, and let out a drawn-out "Eh~" sound, conveying a sense of disdain.

When Xu Bai's gaze fell upon her, she turned her head back and continued reading the book in her hands.

"Open it up," Xu Bai said.

Chu Ling was slightly taken aback. "But at the beginning, didn't my husband say he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself?"

Xu Bai's gaze deepened, and he said, "Isn't there still the Ying Yue's Bureau of Surveillance Division branch? Let's hand it over to her; it'll be a good opportunity to see her strength."

"If she can't handle things here, then I'll step in. After all, this place isn't far from the Ruins."

When she arrived, Chief Mu had said that Ying Yue had outstanding management skills and was fully capable of taking on this position, so this would be a test for Ying Yue.

"Husband, you are protecting Ying Yue." Ye Zi, standing beside him, seemed to have figured out Xu Bai's thoughts.

"Smart." Xu Bai patted Ye Zi's head. "I told her before that strength is the most fundamental thing. If you don't have the strength, accepting this position will bring trouble. If you can't even handle this matter, then Chu Ling will exercise your rights in this fiefdom and remove her."

"After all, if we can't even handle this matter well, the danger will be even greater when we encounter other problems."

After hearing this, Chu Ling understood Xu Bai's intention and agreed.

"Okay, you guys go ahead, I still need to look at a book," Xu Bai said.

The two women knew that Xu Bai was on business, so they didn't bother him and turned to leave.

The room fell silent again. Xu Bai picked up his book and continued watching the progress bar.

The discovery of Ruins not far from the royal palace quickly became known to the forces lurking in the vicinity.

Ruins have always been an important resource, so most powers have their eyes on this place.

However, they did not make any move. After all, they were on someone else's turf, and if the host did not speak, they could not act rashly, otherwise they would offend the host.

Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, it was the next morning, and the Ruins were still there.

Then, just when everyone thought this place would disappear, a message came from the palace, which stirred everyone's hearts.

"The Ruins are open. All factions are welcome to visit, regardless of life or death."

This statement means, besides allowing people to enter, that it is all voluntary, and that they are responsible for their own lives and deaths.

As soon as the news spread, all forces sprang into action, emerging from their hiding places and gathering around the Ruins.

Meanwhile, in the Royal Palace Treasury.

The Female Daoist Abbot took a sip of tea. "You don't even plan to go and look?"

Xu Bai shook his head. "Reading is more important."

That's what he said, but with his current Extraordinary Rank 9 strength, his divine soul had already enveloped that area.

If there's something Ying Yue can't handle, it's not too late for him to step in.

Seeing this, the Female Daoist Abbot knew that Xu Bai had no intention of speaking, so she stopped talking and continued reading her book.

The site of the Ruins.

Chu Ling and Ye Zi arrived together, dressed in gorgeous attire, attracting everyone's attention.

"Greetings, King Ling!"

All the forces present bowed deeply, their voices booming.

Dozens of factions had gathered here, totaling over a thousand people. It was a dense, endless mass, but a path had been left in the middle for Chu Ling, Ye Zi, and some soldiers to pass through.

Chu Ling scanned the area and spotted several powerful forces with distinctive characteristics.

First, there were the Academy disciples, all dressed as scholars, who stood out among this group of people.

Standing in front was a woman wearing a veil. Although Chu Ling had never met this woman before, she knew about her because of Xu Bai.

"Liu Xu, is that it..." Chu Ling pondered in her heart, no one knew what she was thinking.

There was another group, all of whom were bald, but their leader was a young man dressed in black with black hair.

These two forces are very close and clearly have a deep relationship.

"Wu Hua, a rising star in Buddhists who is currently enjoying great popularity, seems to have a deep relationship with my husband as well," Chu Ling thought to herself.

The last distinctive group consisted of the Daoist Sect practitioners dressed as the same group of Daoist priests.

Needless to say, Chu Ling knew that this was what the Female Daoist Abbot had brought.

Besides these, there are some rather chaotic forces, including those from various families and sects.

"The biggest forces that came all have close ties with my husband, so it seems they are probably giving him face," Chu Ling thought to herself.

Beside her, Ye Zi reached out and gently touched Chu Ling Chu Ling, bringing her back to her senses and indicating that they could begin.

Next, Chu Ling began to speak, mostly about rules and regulations, such as how to send people in, or the idea that life and death are determined by fate.

Basically, the gist of it is that you guys make the arrangements yourselves, and whatever happens is none of our business.

Everyone listened and nodded repeatedly.

This is the rule; that's how it is at Ruins sites.

If you're going to fight, you have to be prepared to die.

In the shadows, Ying Yue and her men lay in ambush all around, ensuring that nothing unexpected would happen on this trip.

Finally, after Chu Ling finished speaking, the group led their people to the Ruins.

Before they arrived, they must have arranged who should be in.

The various factions took turns entering until the number of people in the Ruins reached its limit, at which point they stopped.

Beside them, the maid found chairs for Chu Ling and Ye Zi to sit on.

Since this is the first major event, they naturally have to stay here and guard it.

This time, not only was Xu Bai testing Ying Yue, but Chu Ling also believed that Xu Bai was testing her.

So she even had her elder brother lead a troop of soldiers to lie in ambush outside, to ensure that nothing went wrong, or at least to ensure that no major problems would occur outside the Ruins.

As it turns out, some things are not as complicated as we imagine.

This is a fiefdom, and it is also home to the famous King Xu, who is now a master of the Extraordinary Rank 9.

Nobody dares to cause trouble here. Anyone who does would probably have their head ripped off.

The surroundings were quiet. The maid brought out another table, and Chu Ling and Ye Zi took out several folding tablets and began to write various development plans on them.

Since I'm just idling around anyway, I might as well do something.

At this moment, Wu Hua and Liu Xu, who were standing below, exchanged a glance and silently walked out towards Chu Ling and the others.

"Stop!"

Soldiers standing nearby, armed with weapons, blocked the two men and shouted at them.

"Don't stop them. They have a close relationship with my husband, so they must have something important to discuss." Chu Ling waved her hand, dismissing the soldiers.

After receiving the order, the soldiers put away their weapons and returned to their original positions.

Wu Hua and Liu Xu went up and bowed. Then, Liu Xu didn't speak, but Wu Hua spoke on her behalf.

"Lord Ling, I wonder where Benefactor Xu is? The Ruins have been opened, but there is no trace of him?"

"My husband is reading in the treasure vault and does not wish to come here," Chu Ling replied.

After listening, Wu Hua paused for a moment and said, "After we finish Ruins, may we go to the palace to meet Benefactor Xu?"

"Of course, you and your husband have a good relationship, so you can go anytime. I believe your husband would also like to see you," Chu Ling said.

Wu Hua said no more, bowed, and took his leave.

Liu Xu also turned around, preparing to go down.

Chu Ling did not stop her or say anything, and continued to write with her head down.

This scene was witnessed by the forces present, who cast envious glances and whispered among themselves.

"Alas, if I had known that King Xu had such potential, I would have done everything in my power to say a few words to him and become acquainted with King Xu."

"You're kidding me. If we knew, we'd be running faster than you."

"That's right. When King Xu was in a lowly position, these two forces had already shown him the goodwill he deserved, so this is what they deserve."

The murmurs were quiet, but those present could hear them.

They were so jealous, their teeth were practically aching from the sourness.

But sometimes, it's just a coincidence. Look at the Academy and Buddhists; if someone wants to visit, they can do so with ease.

But if it were me, wanting to see King Xu, I'd probably be arrested before I even got close.

What is this called? This is called the gap.

Back when King Xu was born into humble circumstances, he had already established a strong foundation with two powerful forces. So now that King Xu has risen to prominence, they naturally enjoy the benefits as well.

There was nothing they could do; aside from envy, no one else expressed any jealousy.

The air at the Ruins was still distorted, while on the other side, in the treasure vault, Xu Bai looked at the book in his hand, his brows furrowed tightly.

The progress bar was still there and moving slowly, but Xu Bai felt somewhat puzzled when he saw the content on it.

He wasn't reading dry liver health reports; when he was working on his liver, he read this book like a novel to pass the time.

There's something fishy about the above content.

To be precise, it's not that there's anything suspicious, but rather that there are points of doubt.

It contained all the experiences of those who failed to attain sainthood. After reading it, Xu Bai summarized some of his experiences and categorized some of his insights.

Everything was normal in this category today, but there was one category that puzzled him.

Inside this door is a profession, to be precise, the profession of eunuch.

Didn't I say before that eunuchs could never become saints in their lifetime?

Even if you have one foot in the holy realm, you can never have the other foot in.

But why are there reflections on failed attempts at sainthood here? This failure proves that one has tried to achieve sainthood, and that there was a chance to do so.

Xu Bai couldn't figure it out, so he looked at the Female Daoist Abbot next to him and asked her about it.

The Female Daoist Abbot was reading a book when she heard Xu Bai's words. She put down her book and said with the same doubt, "Impossible. From ancient times to the present, eunuchs have never been able to become saints. There is no possibility of it. How could they possibly try?"

"So you didn't know the reason either?" Xu Bai narrowed his eyes.

He had originally hoped that the Female Daoist Abbot Female Daoist Abbot explain it to him, but to his surprise, her answer was exactly the same as his own.

"You got this book from Rising Dusk King, he must have read it. Why don't you go and ask him?" the Female Daoist Abbot asked curiously.

Even she would be curious about such a secret.

Xu Bai shook his head. "Now that the Ruins are open, I won't go for the time being. I'll take a look first."

The Ruins have opened, but he still needs to stay here and guard them, so he doesn't want to go there for the time being, and he's currently grinding the progress bar.

Xu Bai had a thought in his mind: this point of doubt might not even be known to Rising Dusk King, otherwise he would definitely have told him.

After all, I'm going to read this book myself. He gave it to me, and I'm sure I'll have some questions when I see the contents. I'll go and ask him anyway, so there's no need to go through all this trouble.

Therefore, Xu Bai didn't want to ask for the time being, and there was another reason: he might get the answer after he finished working on this project.

Thinking of this, he continued to work hard, his soul still shrouded in the Ruins, and he did not find anything unusual.

Time passed slowly, and before long, the sky gradually darkened.

The Female Daoist Abbot lit an oil lamp and continued reading in her seat.

Xu Bai, too, used the oil lamp to work on the progress bar.

Xu Bai thought tonight would pass peacefully again, but unexpectedly, a gust of wind blew by and he heard a voice in his ear.