Clearing the Trial

"Big brother, let me handle this one! I guarantee I can answer it!"

Xiao Huohuo immediately jumped up. He had to prove his abilities to Long Xiao.

"All right, go ahead." Long Xiao nodded.

Xiao Huohuo went straight up and touched the stone door. Immediately, the second question appeared: What is one plus one?

"What's one plus one?"

For a moment, Xiao Huohuo actually had no idea how to answer.

It definitely couldn't be that simple. Even an idiot knew one plus one equaled two.

I'm done for. I've gone and run my mouth again.

Xiao Huohuo stood there awkwardly. If he answered incorrectly, they would have to start over.

Elder Hai and Iron Protector stroked their chins, looking deep in thought.

This question... was a little tricky.

Seeing this, Xiao Huohuo could only steel himself and glance back at the two of them.

Iron Protector suddenly clapped his hands and spoke with dawning realization.

"One plus one equals ten! Look, put two ones together, and don't they make a ten?"

After experiencing the previous trick, Iron Protector felt his mind had become sharper.

Xiao Huohuo gave Iron Protector a thumbs-up and said, "That makes sense! Just what you'd expect from a Dou Zong expert."

But Elder Hai stroked his beard beside them and said, "I don't think it's that simple. It should still equal one. For example, one drop of water plus another drop of water only makes one larger drop."

"Mm, Elder Hai has a point too!" After a moment's thought, Xiao Huohuo nodded.

But what was the actual answer?

Both answers fit the trick perfectly.

In the end, Xiao Huohuo scratched his head and asked Long Xiao awkwardly, "Big brother, what do you think?"

Long Xiao's expression had darkened.

"Get lost!"

The way their minds worked had left Long Xiao utterly dumbfounded. He walked straight to the stone door and wrote a single answer: two!

Sure enough, the words "Correct answer" immediately appeared.

"Hehe!"

This time, Xiao Yi Xian could no longer hold back. She covered her lips and giggled.

Xiao Huohuo was speechless too. They couldn't play him like this!

How could it be two!

That wasn't right! Where was the trick?!

Xiao Huohuo frantically scratched his head.

Who the hell had come up with these questions?!

Xiao Huohuo racked his brains but still couldn't make sense of it.

Elder Hai and Iron Protector instantly fell silent as well. They were powerful figures in their own right, yet it felt as though two incredibly simple questions had pinned their intelligence to the ground and ground it into the dirt.

Long Xiao sighed. It seemed whoever had built this place was quite skilled at exploiting habitual thinking, keeping ordinary people firmly in the palm of their hand.

Conjuring something from nothing, sneaking through Chencang in secret.

He would handle the third question himself. These guys were beyond relying on.

Long Xiao pressed his hand against the stone door again, and another question appeared.

But this time, the question actually made Long Xiao freeze.

Seeing Long Xiao standing there like a wooden chicken, Xiao Huohuo couldn't resist leaning over for a look.

"Ah Qing came from the south, and Ah Qing came from the west. The western Ah Qing likes the southern Ah Qing, but the southern Ah Qing likes Ah Qin from West Village. Ah Qin doesn't like the southern Ah Qing; Ah Qin likes the southern Ah Qing's younger sister, Ah Qin. But the younger sister likes the western Ah Qing, while the western Ah Qing remains entangled with the southern Ah Qing. There's also an Ah Qing from North Village who likes the western Ah Qing, but the western Ah Qing only likes the southern Ah Qing, while the southern Ah Qing only likes Ah Qin from West Village... How would you evaluate these people's romantic relationships?"

"Pfft!"

After reading the question aloud, Xiao Huohuo spat out a mouthful of blood.

He conceded defeat. This question had tied his brain in knots.

By now, none of them could be bothered to think anymore. They all turned their gazes toward Long Xiao.

"Um... if we first sort out the people and their relationships, we should be able to solve it, right?"

Xiao Yi Xian spoke cautiously.

"No need."

Long Xiao suddenly spoke in an indifferent tone.

What?

Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Huohuo were both shocked. Had even their all-capable big brother admitted defeat so easily?

But they soon realized they were wrong.

"Evaluate your fucking mother!!"

Long Xiao unleashed a True Dragon Fist, smashing it hard into the stone door. With a thunderous crash, his single punch shattered the entire door!

Long Xiao moved too quickly for anyone to react. The stone door crumbled into powder.

"This..."

Xiao Huohuo stared blankly at the shattered door. They could open it without answering the question?

Long Xiao withdrew his hand, his expression cold as he looked at the stone door.

They had actually been played by such a petty trick!

Long Xiao looked at the others and said, "This third question probably has no answer. The whole thing is deliberately designed to anger you, so you just need to blast it open. Whoever set up this trial seems pretty shrewd. They pinned your intelligence to the ground and ground it into the dirt."

What?

After hearing Long Xiao's words, everyone suddenly understood.

The more they thought about it, the more frightening it became!

The first question broke convention and refused to follow the usual pattern.

The second question lured them into following a pattern. They clearly knew the answer, yet didn't dare consider it.

By the third question, they would choose either to follow the pattern or break it when answering, yet this question had no answer at all!

"Come on, let's go inside."

Long Xiao turned back and smiled at them, then entered the cave.

This should be the end. The mystery of the mountain was on the verge of revealing itself.

Xiao Huohuo and the other three eagerly followed Long Xiao into the cave.

Buzz!

Just as everyone passed through the stone doorway, a golden soul shock

wave spread outward from the center of the stone chamber!!

"Watch out, it's a soul attack! Retreat!!!"

Long Xiao cried out in alarm!

At his warning, Iron Protector and Elder Hai immediately ran outside for their lives!

Yao Lao immediately awakened inside Xiao Huohuo. He wrapped Xiao Huohuo's body in vast soul power, forming a thick protective barrier that shielded him tightly.

Xiao Yi Xian was only a Dou Ling. In her panic, she had no idea what to do and stood rooted to the spot, at a loss.

"Extinction Immortal Eye!"

Long Xiao flashed in front of Xiao Yi Xian. He released a tremendous surge of soul power, which collided with the golden soul ripples!

The two forces fought against each other!!!

Bang!!!

"Pfft!"

"Aaargh!"

Elder Hai and Iron Protector felt their ears fill with a deafening ringing. Their bodies swayed before they were hurled backward. Elder Hai slammed into the wall, foaming at the mouth.

Iron Protector suffered even more severe injuries. He was a soul body, so this kind of attack hurt him the most!

Seizing the opening, Long Xiao wrapped an arm around Xiao Yi Xian's waist, lifted her up, and fled outside.

After escaping, Long Xiao panted heavily. That attack had been anything but light. He had blocked the largest portion of the golden soul ripples.

"Big brother Long Xiao! Are you all right?"

Seeing Long Xiao's pale face, Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help asking anxiously.

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken."

Xiao Yi Xian suddenly flushed bright red and said in a tiny voice, "Big brother Long Xiao, could you put me down first..."

"Oh."

Only then did he realize he was still holding Xiao Yi Xian.

Long Xiao immediately let go and rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Sorry, I didn't notice."

"It's all right."

Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head nervously. Her cheeks were rosy and utterly charming.

She didn't dare raise her head to look at Long Xiao.

Seeing Long Xiao's clear, bright eyes made her terribly shy.

"Elder Hai, are you all right?" Long Xiao noticed how uncomfortable Elder Hai looked.

When Elder Hai saw Long Xiao looking his way, he immediately shuddered and said, "N-no, I'm fine. Just let me regulate my true qi!"

As long as he was fine. That had been extremely dangerous, but it felt as though something had been forgotten.

"Big brother Long Xiao! Huohuo hasn't come out yet!"

Hearing Xiao Yi Xian's voice, Long Xiao finally remembered what he had forgotten. His little brother was still inside!