Playing with Fire
The Corpse Daoist Yin glanced indifferently at Ji Jinglun and retorted coldly.
"Elder Ji, the moment you appeared, you pressed me with questions, caring only about the treasures here. Have you ever considered my safety? It's a shame we used to have some friendship."
Ji Jinglun's expression was cold, his eyes like ice.
"You corpse, I don't know what you're up to, but as long as you don't covet the treasures here, you can forget about dragging me down with you."
As he spoke, Ji Jinglun took a step back.
Although the gravity restriction was strong, it was not enough to completely restrict Ji Jinglun's movements.
The corpse said, "Elder Ji, you are welcome to try and see if you can get off this stone platform."
"What do you mean by that?" Ji Jinglun questioned.
"No need to ask any more questions, just try it and you'll see."
Although Ji Jinglun was suspicious, he still turned around and walked out of the stone platform.
He was already on the outer edge of the stone platform, and with two steps, he reached the edge of the platform.
But as he took another step, about to step off the stone platform, a ring of blue barrier suddenly appeared on the platform's facade, preventing him from leaving.
"There's even Confinement Formation!"
Ji Jinglun gave a cold shout and withdrew his foot.
The Bone Banner suddenly appeared in his hand.
The flagpole was like a spear, incredibly sharp, piercing straight into the blue screen.
"Clang!"
A crisp, booming sound rang out.
The flagpole pierced the blue barrier, which remained completely still except for ripples.
On the contrary, Ji Jinglun.
The barrier emitted a powerful recoil force that traveled from the banner pole to his body, causing him to lose his balance and stumble back more than ten steps before regaining his footing.
Bright red blood seeped from Ji Jinglun's palm, staining the pale white banner pole crimson.
He was completely oblivious, only gripping the Bone Banner tightly in his hand, his gaze sweeping towards the Corpse Daoist Yin like a knife.
"You corpse, I think you're trapped on this stone platform and can't leave, so you deliberately dragged me in as well."
The Corpse Daoist Yin's expression remained calm.
"Elder Ji, I am indeed trapped on the stone platform, but it's not that I can't leave; it's just that I haven't obtained the treasure yet. With my skill in array formations, breaking the Confinement Formation wouldn't be difficult. However, I have no way to deal with the gravity restriction here."
As he said this, he looked up at the Bronze Corpse Coffin above.
"There was no other way but to cut these chains or open the Corpse Coffin. That's why I didn't leave."
"Gentlemen, please hear me out," Jiang Wanyue suddenly spoke, interrupting their conversation.
"Madam Jiang, please speak," said the corpse.
Jiang Wanyue darted to the stone platform, but did not step onto it.
"We came here solely to search for treasure. Since that's the case, why not cooperate and work together to break the array restrictions on the stone platform? After opening the Corpse Coffin, we can share the treasure. Besides, we are all under the command of the Xiao Household, and it is only right that we help each other."
"I have no objection. It's just that Elder Ji doesn't seem to think so," said Yin Shi.
"Hmph! I agree with what you said, Madam." Ji Jinglun was clearly displeased, but faced with the reality of his predicament, he had no choice but to bow his head.
"Elder Yin Shi, among the four of us, your skill in formations is the highest. In your opinion, what should we do?" Jiang Wanyue asked.
"No rush." Corpse Daoist Yin's gaze turned to Song Wen. "May I ask how to address this fellow Daoist in the distance?"
"My name is Gu Huang, and I have come at the invitation of Madam Jiang." As Song Wen spoke, he flew to Jiang Wanyue's side.
"So it's Gu Huang, my apologies for my disrespect."
The Corpse Daoist Yin made a polite remark, then continued.
"Right now, Elder Ji and I are trapped on the stone platform, while Madam and Gu Huang are outside. This is a perfect opportunity for us to attack from the inside and outside. Elder Ji and I will bombard the Profound Patterns on the stone platform, while you two attack the stone pillars."
"If I'm not mistaken, the Profound Patterns on the stone platform and the nine stone pillars are one entity, all part of a gravity restriction. Destroying any one of them will forcibly break the gravity restriction."
"Once the gravity restriction is lifted, it will be much easier for us to open the Corpse Coffin."
Jiang Wanyue nodded and said, "Alright, let's do as Elder Yin Shi says."
Then, she turned to look at Song Wen, and the two of them summoned their flying swords.
Jiang Wanyue summoned that same Jade-White Flying Sword.
Song Wen, on the other hand, used the Startling Wind Sword.
He did not send the Golden Steel Corpse to attack the stone pillar again because: the place was strange and might cause the Corpse Puppet to suffer serious damage. Although it could be repaired, it would be laborious and exhausting.
As for the Startling Wind Sword, it is Lower-grade Immortal Artifact, so it shouldn't be easily damaged. Besides, Song Wen has quite a few Lower-grade Immortal Artifact on him, so even if he loses one or two, it won't be a big loss.
Two flying swords shot out rapidly through the air, simultaneously slashing towards one of the stone pillars.
Even before the sword's edge arrived, a sharp sword intent had already descended.
The stone pillar was immediately torn apart, cracking and shattering into countless tiny pebbles.
However, the golden dragon on the stone pillar suddenly shot out two beams of golden light from its eyes, as bright as the sun and as swift as thunder.
Two golden rays struck the two flying swords respectively.
The difference in power between the two swords was immediately apparent.
Song Wen's Startling Wind Sword was knocked away in a single exchange.
The Jade-White Flying Sword, with a slight tremor of its blade, actually shattered the golden light.
The scattered light burst forth like fireflies, unleashing a violent residual force that repelled the Jade-White Flying Sword, which had exhausted its power.
Jiang Wanyue's expression was tense. With a flick of her fingers, her Jade-White Flying Sword spun in mid-air before rushing back to provide support.
It turned out that the golden light that had repelled the Startling Wind Sword was still lingering and was heading towards Song Wen.
"Boom!"
The golden light did not hit Song Wen, but instead struck a transparent ice shield.
The ice shield was hastily condensed by Jiang Wanyue using the Taiyin Cold Qi, and its power was limited. It only lasted for less than a breath before it shattered with a bang.
The golden light, still powerful, broke through the shards of ice that scattered across the sky and continued to approach Song Wen.
A flash of sword light appeared.
The Jade-White Flying Sword finally arrived and extinguished the golden light with a single strike.
At the same time.
Ji Jinglun and Corpse Daoist Yin were both in the center of the stone platform, and they both made their moves, each mobilizing their Law Treasure to bombard the stone platform beneath their feet.
The Corpse Daoist Yin unleashed a Ghost-Head Long Saber.
Ji Jinglun continued to urge the Bone Banner on.
The two men, each wielding Law Treasure, simultaneously stabbed at the surface of the stone platform.
"Boom!"
The earthen-yellow spiritual light on the stone platform shone brightly, actually blocking the two Law Treasure and preventing them from touching the platform at all.
The two were caught in the recoil, and their figures swayed.
"Cut!"
Song Wen's furious shout rang out.
Taking advantage of Jiang Wanyue's intervention to help him block the golden light, he once again activated the Startling Wind Sword.
This time, the sword was not aimed at the stone pillar, but directly at the neck of the golden dragon on the pillar.
Perhaps because it had just unleashed two golden rays, the golden dragon had not yet accumulated enough energy and was struck by a sword without making a sound.
"Clang!"
The immortal sword struck the golden dragon, and a resounding clang of metal clashing against metal echoed.
The scales on the golden dragon's neck were instantly torn open.
Then, the entire dragon head crashed to the ground.
A single hair can affect the whole situation!
In an instant, the earthen-yellow spiritual light on the stone platform dissipated, and the gravity restriction also disappeared.
Ji Jinglun and the Corpse Daoist Yin immediately felt a sense of relief, as if the heavy weight of a mountain had been lifted from their bodies.
The nine chains and the Bronze Corpse Coffin were also affected.
The chains rattled violently; the Bronze Corpse Coffin also swayed and rocked up and down.
However--
The other eight golden dragons also seemed to have been startled awake.
Their eyes lit up, flashing with golden light, and they all locked onto Song Wen.