"Subduing"

Amidst the complex gazes of the three on the altar, the most revered woman in the Underground Palace knelt humbly at the feet of the young master from the upper realm.

The magnificent stone hall was as silent as the void.

Xu Yuan did not respond, but simply watched Bai Muxi quietly as she presented the Blood God Stone above her head with both hands.

He was somewhat surprised, even taken aback, by her sudden behavior.

Although he had memories of his past life and a deep impression of her, Xu Yuan didn't really understand the woman kneeling at his feet.

The woman named Bai Muxi has a small role in the story of Cangyuan.

She met the player on a steep cliff by the sea, where she quietly watched the tide recede and the rising sun.

There are no dialogue options, but if the player goes to the sea cliff at dawn every day and chooses to sit next to Bai Muxi to cultivate, and persists for seven days, she will take the initiative to talk to the player.

If you choose the right option, she will guide your training and help you gain experience to level up.

During the conversation, her serene expression and beautiful, delicate features made Xu Yuan think for a moment that she was another heroine he could win over.

But upon closer examination, it was discovered that, contrary to Bai Muxi's outward tranquility, she was an extremely ambitious person.

They are calm and indifferent towards the weak, but passionate and enthusiastic towards the strong.

But unfortunately,

Strong individuals generally don't bother with Bai Muxi.

Then, Bai Muxi disappeared without a trace.

In Cangyuan, the relationships between many characters change across different timelines.

Because of the different choices players make, a character might be a member of the Prime Minister's Mansion's Mansion in one timeline, but become a member of a sect in the next timeline.

In addition to changes in their allegiance to other factions, relationships between people also change. Characters who were husband and wife in one timeline may become enemies in the next.

Many changes have occurred.

However, Bai Muxi, a female character with an official character art and a level 80+ boss, has remained unchanged.

Always admire the strong,

They searched for the Prime Minister's Mansion, the sect, and even Ancient Abyss.

But no one paid any attention to her.

Until she finally disappeared from the map.

"Call"

Xu Yuan let out a soft breath. He hadn't understood why this plot had happened before, but now, seeing her kneeling at his feet, he finally understood.

Mu Qiang

It's Bai Muxi's label.

It was also the only bargaining chip she possessed.

Her body, her cultivation, her life—these were the only bargaining chips she held that could be exchanged with the surface forces for a chance to save the people of the Underground City.

Unfortunately,

Even if she bet everything she had, it wouldn't be enough.

Silently, Xu Yuan slowly crouched down, his voice very soft:

"Bai Muxi, do you want to know how many powerful warriors we would need to mobilize to wipe out this Strange Ghost Blood Nest?"

Bai Muxi's kneeling figure trembled slightly. She bit her lip and spoke softly:

"Mu Xi knows."

Xu Yuan didn't let her get up. While examining the blood-red gem in her hands, he chuckled:

Tell me about it.

Bai Muxi's hands, which she presented above her head, trembled slightly.

"We need... a Mortal Shedding expert."

"Mortal Shedding expert."

Xu Yuan spoke slowly and deliberately, then chuckled softly, "It seems your Underground City is completely unaware of the power of the Strange Ghost in the Blood Demon Cave."

Bai Muxi subconsciously raised her eyes, looking at Xu Yuan with a puzzled expression.

Xu Yuan smiled slightly at him:

"You've probably never explored the deepest part of the Blood Demon Cave, have you?"

Bai Muxi's face was veiled, but her beautiful eyes held a hint of hesitation.

"Yes."

Xu Yuan crouched down in front of her, pointed in the direction of the cave passage, and casually said:

"Inside, there are four otherworldly Strange Ghost comparable to those Mortal Shedding, one of which is extremely ferocious and even possesses intelligence."

As soon as the words were spoken,

The pupils of the three Underground City Grandmaster sitting on the altar all contracted.

At the time, it was just a single Strange Ghost being comparable to the Origin Beginning. The four of them rushed over and surrounded it with all their might, but the Otherworldly still managed to slaughter the entire Earth Yang City, one of the Seven Cities.

Yi Kui gave a bitter smile and clenched her fists.

She realized how ridiculous her earlier thought had been.

Even if all four of them break through to the Origin Beginning, they will have absolutely no ability to resist the next Blood Nest Calamity.

Four Strange Ghost, each comparable to Mortal Shedding.

This is a cataclysmic disaster.

Seeing Bai Muxi's dazed expression, Xu Yuan reached out and ripped off her veil. Looking at her exquisitely beautiful face, as if sculpted from ice and snow, he narrowed his eyes and asked, word by word:

"Mu Xi, now tell me, how many powerful warriors do we need to send to save your Underground City?"

"."

Bai Muxi knelt on the ground, her slender waist straight, her jade hands tightly gripping the Blood God Stone Pendant:

"Please, young master."

"Hehe."

Xu Yuan chuckled, interrupting her. "To wipe out all the Strange Ghost in this Dead Silence Underground Palace, we would need at least three Mortal Shedding experts. Moreover, you should be well aware of the threat posed by these Strange Ghost; they can transform any living creature into one of their own kind."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan stood up, glancing down at her now that the curtain was no longer drawn:

Do you think you have enough chips?

There are only a handful of forces in the entire world capable of commanding so many powerful individuals, so they naturally know about the Strange Ghost.

Although the Primordial Origin Beginning, who was unparalleled in the world, was very strong, in the eyes of these forces he was nothing more than a high-level henchman.

For the loyalty of such a high-level henchman, sending several Mortal Shedding or even half-saints to risk entering an unknown Strange Ghost's Blood Nest is simply not a transaction of equal value.

This is probably why no one paid any attention to Bai Muxi in her previous life.

Her final disappearance was perhaps a return to the Underground Palace where she was born and raised, where she perished along with the 400,000 inhabitants of the Underground City in the Blood Nest Disaster.

Bai Muxi lowered her eyes sadly, biting her lip and remaining silent for a moment.

Xu Yuan looked at her, his voice devoid of any emotion, and repeated:

"I'll give you one more chance to choose. I can take all four of you with me."

Bai Muxi, her thin shoulders trembling slightly beneath the purple gauze robe, slowly raised her eyes, a hint of bewilderment in them:

"Mu Xi. Mu Xi is willing to serve you as a servant, young master. Please, young master..."

"Alright."

Li Qingyan's cold, husky voice interrupted Bai Muxi's pleading words, "Changtian, it's really a perverse sense of humor of yours to tease her like this."

"."

Bai Muxi stared blankly at the red-robed woman who had suddenly spoken, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Xu Yuan frowned and glanced back at the princess:

"I'm serious."

The Strange Ghost are creatures capable of transforming saints into monsters of their own kind.

Li Qingyan chuckled, the dark patterns on his red robe swirling around him:

"If you really didn't want to help, I would have already taken this blood-red jade pendant by force."

Is this princess a mind reader?

However, Xu Yuan immediately realized that the princess was speaking up for him.

Ah, having a highly intelligent fiancée is so convenient.

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and insisted:

"If we want to save the people of this Underground City, we need to first eliminate all the Strange Ghost in this Underground Palace. Besides my maternal uncle, there are only Lou Ji and the others. My father will not allow his trusted confidants to risk themselves in such an unnecessary place."

Li Qingyan seemed to see right through Xu Yuan's thoughts at a glance:

"Such a price is naturally unacceptable to Lord Xu, but the benefits of saving this Underground City will extend beyond just the four of them."

The words were finished.

The two fell silent, both glancing at Bai Muxi.

"."

Stared at by both of them, Bai Muxi pondered briefly before understanding the meaning behind their words. Her voice was calm yet swift:

"Young master, the people of our Underground City all worship the Divine Son. If you can bring them out from underground, Mu Xi can guarantee their loyalty."

Talking to smart people is so much easier.

As for the loyalty that Bai Muxi mentioned...

People born and raised under this theocratic, brainwashing regime, if not all, will generally not have a strong sense of self.

Xu Yuan stroked his chin, then hesitated slightly before whispering:

There are only seven thousand cultivators.

"More than."

Bai Muxi quickly chimed in, kneeling on the ground and shifting forward slightly, her clear voice rising slightly. "Half of the people in the Underground City already have the aptitude for cultivation, because the Underground City's Source Qi is limited and resources are scarce, so only the most talented group can be supplied."

"Half?"

Xu Yuan stared at Bai Muxi: "Are you sure it's half?"

Half? That's an exaggeration.

He didn't quite believe the number.

Bai Muxi's breath hitched, and after a long silence, she said:

"Mu Xi acknowledges her mistakes. Although less than half of them possess the aptitude for cultivation, at least a quarter of the mortals do."

I'll trust you for now, but I hope you won't lie to me.

Having said that,

Xu Yuan smiled, his eyes crinkling, and reached out his hand to Bai Muxi, who was kneeling on the ground, saying softly:

Come, get up.

"."

Seeing the outstretched hand, Bai Muxi felt her heart race. Just as she was about to grab his hand, another fair hand suddenly grabbed her from the side and pulled her up from the ground.

"."

Looking into those cold, beautiful phoenix eyes so close to hers, Bai Muxi subconsciously shrank back.

With a calm expression, Li Qingyan pulled Bai Muxi up, released her hand, turned to look at Xu Yuan, who was still standing there with his hand outstretched, and asked:

What should we do now?

"."

Xu Yuan silently withdrew his hand, straightened up, glared at the princess, and said irritably:

"Heading to the Blood Nest, prepare to depart."

"Blood Nest?" Li Qingyan raised an eyebrow.

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and chuckled softly:

"That's where the sentient Strange Ghost slumber; that's the only way out for us now."

Li Qingyan frowned slightly.

"With this Fungal Armor, I might be able to deal with mindless Mortal Shedding Strange Ghost, but what about those sentient Strange Ghost?"

"Who said we should confront them head-on?"

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes at her. "With such a commotion just now, that guy has most likely gone to awaken and hunt down that Barbarian Tribe Alien King."

Bai Muxi, standing to the side, asked with a hint of confusion:

"The Barbarian Tribe Alien King"

"Ah, that's exactly what I was going to tell you. That Barbarian Tribe Alien King is a half-saint level expert."

Xu Yuan turned to look at Bai Muxi and whispered, "If there are any refuge places in this Underground City, you should go and evacuate the people below immediately."

"."

Bai Muxi's red lips parted into an "o" shape.

For this Underground City, those at the Origin Beginning Realm are already the strongest, Mortal Shedding the Mortal Transformation Realm dare not look up to them, let alone the Saints who are at an even higher level.

However, after a moment's pause, she composed herself.

Judging from the words of the man in the brocade robe, it seems that a half-saint powerhouse who is hostile to them has also entered the Blood Demon Cave.

The initial noise originating from the depths of the Blood Demon Cave must have been made by that person.

So it is said

Don't overthink it.

A smiling remark interrupted Bai Muxi's thoughts.

Xu Yuan looked at Simin, whose veil had been torn off, and knew without guessing what she was thinking. He stared into her eyes and said, "There is no possibility of you cooperating with that half-saint."

Nobody's a fool, and nobody would bow down to Xu Yuan without hesitation. Even if they did, it would most likely be because of his powerful father.

Bai Muxi's submission was a capitulation to power, a choice made out of necessity.

Now we know that a demigod exists.

The situation immediately changed.

There is absolutely no comparison between a demigod and Origin Beginning.

Xu Yuan's promise was ultimately just a promise, while a semi-saint powerhouse could directly help their Underground City escape its predicament.

Bai Muxi lowered her eyes, her voice tinged with fear:

"Young master, you've misunderstood."

"I'm not blaming you. A wise bird chooses a good tree to perch on. It's normal to hesitate when you have other options."

Xu Yuan interrupted her explanation, "What I'm trying to say is very simple: that Barbarian King is not human."

Bai Muxi pursed her lips. "Not human?"

Among the records in those surviving ancient books, there are precedents of cooperation between humans and other races.

"Yes, and his clan has a blood feud with our Great Yan."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then suddenly grinned and said, "It's probably the kind of blood feud that leads to the extermination of a race. That Barbarian King's people have already been almost completely slaughtered in the war against our Great Yan, so don't even think about cooperating with him as a human."

"Extermination of the entire clan?"

Bai Muxi's pupils contracted, somewhat incredulous. "That Barbarian King is a half-saint."

"Mu Xi."

Xu Yuan interrupted her, smiling as he raised his hand and gently patted her fair and smooth cheek, "As I said before, humanity is thriving on the ground, and the power of my Great Yan Kingdom is at its peak. Foreign races are no match for us."

A smart person makes smart choices, but the Barbarian King is also a smart Barbarian Tribe; he certainly knows how to exploit information asymmetry to deceive people.

The people of the Underground City will eventually find out about the Barbarian King's existence. Informing him of some things in advance can prevent Bai Muxi from being too clever for her own good and collaborating with the Barbarian King.

Bai Muxi remained silent for a moment, then closed her wide sleeves:

"Young master, may I ask what we four can do for you?"

"The four of you."

Xu Yuan glanced at the three Grandmaster on the altar. "You come with me to the Blood Nest. Those three will stay here to evacuate the people and wait for me to send down stronger warriors to rescue you."

"Yes."

Having lost the path of cooperation with the Barbarian King, Bai Muxi's voice held no further hesitation. "I wonder what Mu Xi can do for you on the road, young master?"

Xu Yuan gave her a strange look:

"Qingyan might need to clear the way ahead, and I'm only at the Soul Condensation stage, so you'll naturally have to protect me closely."

Having said that,

Xu Yuan turned around and walked out of the stone hall.

"Um, young master."

Bai Muxi suddenly tugged at Xu Yuan's sleeve.

Xu Yuan turned around.

Bai Muxi held the Blood God Stone in her hands, gazing expectantly at Xu Yuan, and said cautiously:

"The Blood God Stone, have you forgotten?"

It's a bit late.