Danger at the Bottom of the Lake!

When Xu Qingyang saw the expression on Ye Feng's face, he guessed that the fellow was harboring ill intentions. Perhaps the Ye Family of Nanyang Prefecture had sent him to deal with him.

"Are you really not going to the Five Elements Dao Arena?"

At that moment, Ye Feng took a deep breath, stared at Xu Qingyang, and asked outright.

Xu Qingyang remained silent, while Qin Guanyu, Su Zilian, and Xu Qingying all frowned as their gazes fell on Ye Feng.

However, just as Ye Feng was considering a different location to kill Xu Qingyang, Xu Qingyang spoke.

"We can risk entering the Five Elements Dao Arena, but I have one condition!"

Hearing this, Ye Feng's heart surged with excitement.

As long as Xu Qingyang and his companions entered the Five Elements Dao Arena, he would agree to not just one condition, but a hundred.

"Name it!"

Ye Feng smiled.

The corners of Xu Qingyang's mouth curved upward. "Actually, my condition is simple. I want all your rings!"

"You can refuse, of course, but you know the consequences!"

Xu Qingyang had sensed their ill intentions earlier, so he decided to collect their rings first, then enter the Five Elements Dao Arena and see what they were plotting.

As Xu Qingyang's words rang out, the expressions of Ye Feng and the others changed dramatically. That damned Xu Qingyang actually wanted to rob them! How despicable!

Although they were furious and even less willing to hand over their rings, they could only swallow their anger to complete the task assigned by the Third Elder of the Ye Family!

If Xu Qingyang refused to enter the Five Elements Dao Arena, wouldn't their entire murder trap go up in smoke?

"We'll give them to you!"

Ye Feng gritted his teeth and suppressed his fury, forcing a smile onto his face that looked worse than crying.

The others beside him all looked unwilling.

But then they remembered that once they entered the Five Elements Dao Arena and killed Xu Qingyang, the rings they handed over would return to their hands.

For a moment, their frustration eased.

The next moment.

Ye Feng and the others all took off their rings.

Xu Qingyang smiled. "Qingying, hurry and collect them!"

"All right!"

Xu Qingying answered with a cheerful smile.

Soon, she had collected all their rings.

"Brother, we're rich!"

Xu Qingying stuck out her tongue and said excitedly.

Xu Qingyang smiled without saying anything.

"Xu Qingyang really knows how to play this game!"

Qin Guanyu could not help sighing.

Su Zilian thought to herself, Hehe, I never knew Brother Qingyang could be so devious. These poor fools will probably never get their rings back!

Then Xu Qingyang looked toward the Five Elements Dao Arena and smiled. "Come on, let's head into the Five Elements Dao Arena too!"

Qin Guanyu, Su Zilian, and Xu Qingying nodded.

The four of them then headed toward the Five Elements Dao Arena.

Watching their retreating figures, Ye Feng said viciously, "The more smug they are now, the more miserable they'll be later!"

The Five Elements Dao Arena.

Legend had it that this was the sacred ground established by Ksitigarbha, once the foremost powerhouse of Buddhism. But as the years passed, almost all traces of Ksitigarbha had vanished.

All that remained visible were the statues of Ksitigarbha standing around the grounds.

And some Buddhist scriptures carved into the temple buildings.

When Xu Qingyang, Qin Guanyu, Su Zilian, and Xu Qingying entered the Five Elements Dao Arena, the first thing they saw was a badly eroded Buddhist Stele. Eight large characters were carved upon it: "Until hell is empty, I vow not to become a Buddha!"

Xu Qingyang murmured to himself, "Only Ksitigarbha could live up to such a vow!"

At that moment, Zhao Churan stood beside a lake shimmering with golden light. Looking toward the base of the Buddhist Pagoda across the lake, she said, "Senior Brother Chen Gong, look beneath the Buddhist Pagoda! There are so many treasures!"

Hearing her, the purple-robed Chen Gong looked toward the base of the Buddhist Pagoda. A gleam immediately flashed through his eyes, and he cried excitedly, "Junior Sister Zhao, our luck is incredible!"

"Ancient texts record that twin Buddha Seal heavenly flowers grow beneath Buddhist Pagodas. Not only can they help people break through in cultivation, they can also strengthen the soul!"

At his words, Zhao Churan's face lit up with excitement.

Chen Gong continued, "There are also several crimson flame flowers beside the twin Buddha Seal heavenly flowers—the main ingredient for refining Fourth-Rank Crimson Heart Pills!"

At this point.

His gaze shifted to the Buddhist Pagoda. "In my opinion, the medicinal herbs beneath the Buddhist Pagoda are merely little witches, while the treasures inside are surely great witches!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Churan, Zhao Chenghuang, and the others all nodded.

However, just as Chen Gong was about to run across the water, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Prodigies of the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, there's something unusual about this lake. Don't cross it!"

Hearing this, Chen Gong, Zhao Churan, and the others spotted Xu Qingyang and his three companions, and they could not help frowning.

"Xu Qingyang, what do you mean?"

Zhao Chenghuang glared at Xu Qingyang and asked coldly.

Xu Qingyang said, "I'm merely warning you. There's definitely something terrifying in this lake!"

"Don't you think those medicinal herbs beneath the Buddhist Pagoda across the lake look like bait?"

Zhao Chenghuang snorted. "What terror? What bait? I think you just don't want our Senior Brother Chen Gong to obtain the medicinal herbs beneath the Buddhist Pagoda and the treasures inside!"

Xu Qingyang gave a bitter smile and sighed. He had warned them out of kindness, yet no one believed him. They had even twisted his intentions into something sinister.

"Ignorant fools!"

Xu Qingying said coldly, "Danger is already upon you, yet you still refuse to believe anyone's warning!"

Su Zilian added, "Don't come begging us for help when you run into danger!"

Chen Gong, Zhao Chenghuang, and the others ignored them, taking their words as nothing more than jealousy over the treasures they were about to obtain.

Zhao Churan, however, thought, According to the information I gathered, Xu Qingyang definitely isn't that sort of person!

If Xu Qingyang says so, then there's almost certainly some unimaginable danger in this lake!

With that thought, she resolved to stop Chen Gong.

But before she could do so, Chen Gong had already darted out toward the Buddhist Pagoda.

"Senior Brother Chen Gong, come back!"

Zhao Churan shouted.

As soon as her voice fell, she saw the lake water suddenly surge when Chen Gong reached its center, sending waves billowing upward like a hurricane.

"What is this?"

Chen Gong seemed to sense a terrifying aura emanating from the lake's depths, and his expression changed drastically.

Just as Chen Gong hesitated over whether to keep crossing the lake, a Flood Dragon burst from its depths, unleashing terrifying draconic might as it lunged straight at him.

"A Flood Dragon?"

The instant Chen Gong saw the Flood Dragon, his face filled with terror, and he cried out in alarm.