Zhang Xiaohua climbed up along the crystal barrier stairs like a gecko, reaching the passage Zhang Chen had opened.
"I wonder if this passage was opened by the Ancient Innate Water God or Hu Li the Immortal! It shouldn’t be Hu Li the Immortal, no matter how strong he is, he can’t be stronger than me. Even when I use all my Divine Techniques, I can’t shake the crystal stone altar before me, let alone Hu Li the Immortal?" Zhang Xiaohua thought he was overthinking, as if Hu Li the Immortal had such abilities, he wouldn’t be unaware.
He saw Zhang Xiaohua lurking closely along the passage and upon reaching the entrance, he found Zhang Chen and Hu Li the Immortal gathered together, pondering over a small coffin, circling around it constantly.
"That’s the coffin of the Innate Water God! I can feel the strong Law of Water flowing around that coffin!" Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed but did not make a move, choosing instead to watch from the shadows.
"Strange, how did Zhang Chen get involved with Hu Li the Immortal? When did they have any interactions?" Suspicion filled Zhang Xiaohua’s mind, swirling with numerous thoughts, when he heard Zhang Chen say, "Hu Li the Immortal, please open this coffin for us!"
"Leave it to me!"
Divine Power surged around Hu Li the Immortal, and as he invoked the Divine Power, the inner coffin flashed with Divine Light, shooting forth a Golden Light, forming a portal within it.
"A portal leading to the burial site of the Water God’s True Body!" Seeing the portal, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but be overjoyed, transforming into a water-blue light, he rushed into the portal without hesitation.
Zhang Chen and Hu Li the Immortal exchanged a glance, Hu Li the Immortal shook his head: "This kid lived too short, unaware of the evilness of the human heart, he fell into the trap!"
Zhang Chen and his companions abandoned the coffin, quickly retreating to the only entrance, and stood there. Zhang Chen asked Hu Li the Immortal, "What do you think this kid will do next?"
"He will find the inside already looted and surely be furious!" Hu Li the Immortal remarked.
"It’s a shame, the safest approach would’ve been to set up the Nine Bends Yellow River Array and use it to trap him, but Zhang Xiaohua wouldn’t give me the chance to set it up." Zhang Chen sighed silently.
As if to confirm his words, Zhang Xiaohua sensed something was off and rushed out from the coffin, seeing Zhang Chen and companions blocking the entrance, he couldn’t help but change color: "Why is it an empty tomb inside?"
"Of course, it’s an empty tomb because we’ve already emptied the Innate Water God’s Creation, and we’ve divided the Innate Water God’s corpse." Zhang Chen said with a smile.
"Earlier, you pretended to open the coffin..." Zhang Xiaohua’s expression changed: "I see, you deliberately lured me in! You staged a play on purpose!"
"You’re indeed clever to figure it out so quickly." Zhang Chen replied.
"Even if you lure me in, what can you do? Do you think any of you can deal with me? Hand over the Creation from the Innate Water God Tomb, and I’ll spare your lives. Otherwise, this day next year will be your memorial day!" Zhang Xiaohua quickly regained his composure, looking down at the trio from above.
"Zhang Xiaohua, you’re truly arrogant, not even recognizing my existence." Hu Li the Immortal said with a sulking tone filled with discontent.
"You’ve only recovered to the Tenth Tier from the heavy injuries inflicted by Judgement. If you were in peak state, I would naturally submit and not dare resist, but now... since you align with Zhang Chen, I cannot spare you, today I’ll rid of you all!" Zhang Xiaohua’s voice brimmed with confidence.
"Zhang Xiaohua, you overestimate yourself and underestimate me!" Zhang Chen sighed: "We’ve tangled for over a decade, your family plotted against my father, trying to usurp my fate. I cannot spare you, today is your death day, it’s time to sever our karmic ties!"
"Want to kill me, huh... I’ve changed since back then!" As Zhang Xiaohua spoke, Divine Light surged around him, releasing the Eleventh Tier Qi Mechanism, pressing towards Zhang Chen step by step: "Today I’ll extract and refine your soul, ending our karma once and for all."
Zhang Xiaohua was forceful, reaching for Zhang Chen, and Hu Li the Immortal moved swiftly, stepping forward, his Eleventh Tier Qi Mechanism also surged, not weaker than Zhang Xiaohua’s, throwing an earth-shattering punch towards him.
"Boom!"
Their clash erupted terrifying energy, yet couldn’t shake the Crystal Stone tempered by the Ancient Water God, causing that terrifying energy to explode within the narrow chamber, forcing Zhang Xiaohua to fly backward into the chamber, while Hu Li the Immortal and Zhang Chen were flung towards the passage, sliding out directly, almost falling into Weak Water. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Zhang Chen used His Divine Techniques, summoning Weak Water as icy steps, carrying them.
"Zhang Xiaohua has formidable strength, you better act quickly, or it may turn unfavorable." Hu Li the Immortal said to Zhang Chen.
The force of the shock wave was strong, but with Hu Li the Immortal protecting them nearby, neither Zhang Chen nor Tushan Qing suffered any harm.
Zhang Chen took a step forward and entered the Crystal Stone, then took out the Celestial Measuring Ruler. Next, he summoned the Water Bear from the Ice Hell and used the Celestial Measuring Ruler to seal the void portal, creating a twisted space that blocked the entrance to the passage, preventing the Water Bear from flying out.
Then Zhang Chen activated the Earth Control Technique, and the Crystal Stone twisted, closing all space passages within fifty meters of the exit, transforming into a fifty-meter wall.
At this moment, as soon as the Water Bear appeared in the passage, it frantically gnawed towards the Crystal Stone altar, visibly devouring the Crystal Stone at an astonishing speed.
"Such a fierce Water Bear insect, it can actually devour this Crystal Stone," Tushan Qing was shocked upon seeing the Water Bear devour the Crystal Stone. Everyone had already experienced the hardness of the Crystal Stone, but the Water Bear could actually devour its power—how shocking!
Over there, Zhang Xiaohua sensed something was wrong. After stabilizing himself in the secret chamber, he transformed into a Divine Light and rushed towards the passage, but unexpectedly found himself faced with a swarm of Water Bears.
For the Water Bear, devouring an Eleventh Tier Divine Spirit was definitely more delicious than the Crystal Stone. Then they saw the Water Bears charging straight at Zhang Xiaohua’s Escape Light, devouring it and transforming it back to its original form.
"Boom~"
Zhang Xiaohua fell to the ground, looking at his rapidly disappearing flesh and the overwhelming swarm of insects, his eyes filled with terror: "What is this monstrous thing!!!"
Zhang Xiaohua gathered his Divine Power, transformed into countless blue lights, and charged towards the Water Bears, scattering them temporarily. He took a moment to breathe, dragging his blood-soaked body towards the passage. His eyes were filled with despair as he looked at the blocked wall.
"Open up for me!"
Zhang Xiaohua realized things were off, mustered all his Divine Techniques, and slapped towards the passage, but couldn’t shake the entrance a bit.
At this moment, the Water Bears, which had been forced back by Zhang Xiaohua earlier, fearlessly charged at him again, completely surrounding him. Zhang Xiaohua’s Divine Power circulated around his body as he continuously unleashed waves of Divine Techniques, trying to counter the Water Bears and crush them. However, after being struck by Divine Techniques, the Water Bears fell to the ground, only to fully revive in moments and charge at Zhang Xiaohua once more.
"What kind of monstrous thing is this!" Zhang Xiaohua, seeing the continuously reviving Water Bears, panicked.
Even though he was an Eleventh Tier powerhouse, facing these undead and indestructible creatures, he felt helpless. At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua sensed a breath of death; he had never felt so close to dying before.
He had already entered the Eleventh Tier and became a renowned Great Cultivator. How could he be willing to die here?
Seeing the passage unable to open and the Water Bears impossible to destroy, Zhang Xiaohua panicked and let out a piercing scream: "Zhang Chen!!! Let’s discuss whatever issues there are properly instead of fighting. We’ve shared the same ancestors for hundreds of years, of the same bloodline, why kill each other? How about we join forces and create a great enterprise? As long as you let me go, I’ll never oppose you again. Whatever conditions you want, just ask!"
Zhang Xiaohua’s shrill cries echoed in the passage, his voice reaching Zhang Chen through the Crystal Stone.
"Zhang Xiaohua, where has your previous arrogance gone?" Zhang Chen sighed quietly, watching Zhang Xiaohua being gnawed by the Water Bears, now a bloody mess, he couldn’t help but sigh softly.
"Zhang Chen, my brother, I was wrong! I really was wrong! As long as you let me go, I can give you anything you want! I will never oppose you again! Please let me go! Whatever you desire, I can give it to you! As long as I have it, I will fulfill your demands!" Zhang Xiaohua, now a bloody mess from the Water Bears, kept pleading with Zhang Chen.
"It’s rare that you realize your mistake! We have fought for so many years; seeing you now recognize your error does bring me some satisfaction. Seems you still have some conscience, not beyond redemption." Zhang Chen stood outside the Crystal Stone, smiling as he spoke.
"Zhang Chen, save me! I beg of you! Please let me go!" Zhang Xiaohua pleaded incessantly.
"If our positions were reversed, if you stood in my position today, would you let me go?" Zhang Chen asked.
Hu Li the Immortal turned his head to look at Zhang Chen, his tiger eyes filled with disbelief: "No way? You brat haven’t gone soft-hearted, have you?"
Tushan Qing also looked at Zhang Chen with astonishment. Both parties have reached this point, and Zhang Xiaohua is an Eleventh Tier Great Cultivator; once released, it would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains.