Chapter 849: What If I Tell You to Die?
Zhao Ruizhi was speechless.
You have successfully trolled Zhao Han for +482 +482 +482…
With a shake of his hand, the python lashed out like a whip as he struck out of anger. With the sturdiness of the python’s body, the winds that rushed forth as a result could be felt from far away. Even a mountain might be leveled if hit by such an attack.
Zu An remained unfazed. The roaring python swept past him, but it missed him by a few dozen zhang. He suggested with a chuckle, “Maybe you should stand a bit closer?”
The reason he was able to remain so calm was that they were several hundred zhang away from each other, and the snake clearly wasn’t that long. Half of the python’s head had gone missing in the mist earlier, so he obviously didn’t have to be scared.
He even took a step forward after speaking. At first, he wanted to copy Hail the Judge’s Fang Tangjing and say ‘I’m jumping in and out, come on, hit me!’ to earn more Rage points. But Bi Linglong was still watching, so that would be a bit too shameless…
Even so, Zhao Ruizhi was angered badly. He stared hatefully at Zu An, and his outreached hand shook. The several dozen zhang long python instantly exploded into a bloody mist. He couldn’t do anything to Zu An, so he could only vent out his anger on the pitiful python.
He Li was horrified. The emperor’s strength was so great, they didn’t dare to rebel in the slightest! Why the hell was that Zu An angering the emperor? Was that guy sick in the head?
Bi Linglong had similar thoughts. “Ah Zu, his majesty is giving you a rare chance to cooperate and ease tensions. Why are you angering him on purpose?”
Zu An said with a sigh, “With the things I’ve done, he won’t let me go even if I kneel for forgiveness, so why should I bow down? I might as well curse him a few times to feel better.”
Bi Linglong suddenly realized he was right. “You’re still smarter than me in this situation. I almost forgot.”
“There’s no need for you to feel that way.” Zu An continued, “Besides, if he really needs me, no matter how much I’ve angered him, he’ll endure it no matter what’s happened thus far.”
Bi Linglong had a complicated expression. “The emperor has never experienced such frustration in his life. You’re the first to make him feel this way.” She was filled with shock and admiration. This man really was different from normal people. After all, when others faced the emperor, even speaking was difficult, yet he was so calm and collected.
Just then, several cries could be heard in the distance. Some small islands had risen from below, each one of them roughly a square meter or so in size. Those floating islands would sometimes rise, sometimes fall, sometimes stopping in midair. They seemed to be moving in a rhythmic pattern.
What was even more important was that the floating islands they were on and those massive floating continents were surrounded by the rising and falling islands. They seemed to be forming a bridge that led to the ‘sacred mountains’.
Zhao Ruizhi roared with laughter, “Heaven never bars my way after all!”
A dungeon like this wouldn’t produce an impossible situation after all. There was likely an ‘inheritance’ waiting for those fated to obtain it up ahead after all.
He suddenly gave Zu An’s island a look. Even though there were a few scattered islands in between, it wasn’t enough for him to head over there. That was why he could only endure his rage and head up to the sacred mountain above first. Even so, he remained careful. He didn’t go himself and instead looked toward He Li. “You, go up first.”
He Li’s scalp became numb. He finally understood why the other party had kept him alive. It turned out that it was so that the emperor could use him as a tool in this new dungeon after all! But he didn’t dare to refuse. He could only agree with a smile.
Then, he looked at King Qi Manor’s subordinates. When they saw him look at them, they all shrunk back. At the same time, they looked toward the sky, pretending they hadn’t seen anything. They weren’t going to be so easily fooled after seeing what had just happened to their companions!
“Cowardly bastards,” He Li cursed. Even these guys were worthy of being called deathsworn soldiers?
Helpless to do anything about it, he could only brace himself and go up. He took a deep breath, then stepped onto the closest of the newly-formed floating platforms. Every muscle in his body was taut. He would immediately back up if there was something even slightly wrong. For a cultivator at the peak of the ninth rank like him, he at least had confidence to do that much.
Nothing strange happened even when he stood on that floating island for a long time. He couldn’t help but beam with joy. “It’s fine; there’s nothing wrong with these floating platforms!”
He was about to step off when Zhao Ruizhi stopped him, commanding, “Continue forward!”
He Li’s face fell, but he still felt helpless. He continued to the next floating platform. This one moved as soon as he stepped on it, slowly rising up. He was incredibly nervous, but he calmed down when he saw that the other floating platforms were also rising and falling in rhythm.
After he rose a few zhang, a new floating platform appeared in front of him. He knew that the platform he was on was going to start descending soon. He couldn’t help but look toward Zhao Ruizhi, hoping he would be allowed to return first.
But even though Zhao Ruizhi didn’t say a word, his grave and stern gaze expressed his intent for He Li to continue.
He Li gulped and quickly jumped to the third floating platform. That platform also slowly carried him up. He sighed in relief when he saw that the platforms were all fine, and his thoughts began to move normally again. The emperor is too cautious, which gives me a great opportunity instead. If I arrive on those sacred mountains first, won’t I have the best chance of obtaining miraculous opportunities? I can break free from the emperor’s control then…
Anyone who could cultivate to the peak of the ninth rank was no idiot. He understood clearly that the reason why the emperor hadn’t killed him yet was because he had some use in this new dungeon. Once they left this dungeon, it would be hard for someone like him to keep his life. That was why, if he could obtain some tremendous opportunity in this sacred mountain, it would give him a sliver of a chance at survival.
His footsteps became lighter when he thought of that, and he was no longer as scared as before. But he couldn’t have expected that just as he stepped on the fifth floating platform, it began to descend the moment he actually stood on it, even though it had clearly been about to go up!
He Li was alarmed. He wanted to return to the fourth floating platform. With his cultivation, he could still jump at least that far. However, the previous platform quickly rose up, instantly widening the distance enough to leave him in despair.
Just then, a vine flew out and wrapped around He Li’s arm, dragging him back. He recovered from his horror when he saw he was standing on solid ground again. He saw the vine in Zhao Ruizhi’s hand and immediately bowed. “Thank you, your majesty, for saving my life.”
Zhao Ruizhi said indifferently, “Just keep going. I’ll bring you back if there is any danger.”
He gestured toward the vine in his hands. He had gotten a flash of inspiration while swinging the python around, and torn off a long vine from the forest nearby. Unfortunately, it was difficult for these vines to reach a hundred zhang in length, or else he would have swung them at that damn kid on the other island.
The gratitude He Li felt immediately disappeared. He cursed inwardly. Your damn vine isn’t even long enough! It might be enough in the beginning, but you can’t even save me later on! But despite those thoughts, he could only brace himself and continue.
Since there were several paths that could be taken along the floating platforms, Zhao Ruizhi chose a few deathsworn soldiers to speed up the process. He watched from behind them, and whenever one of them fell, he would catch them and send another up.
After having been the emperor for so long, he naturally understood the importance of rotating through his men. If he continued to make the same people take risks, they would definitely become resentful. If they ended up doing something irrational out of despair, that might end up ruining all of his plans. That was why, if he rotated through them, not only would they still show their enthusiasm, they would also have hope. As for He Li, however, that fellow was too cunning and scared of death. He needed to be pressured a bit.
As he watched, Zu An saw that even though this process was slow, it was quite effective. They were already getting closer and closer to the sacred mountain.
He frowned. There were so many people on the other side, so they could experiment in such a way, but he couldn’t! There weren’t any vines like that on his island, and if he did try to experiment like that, with her cultivation, Bi Linglong wouldn’t be able to bring him back in time. However, he really didn’t want to send the weak Bi Linglong ahead either.
But he couldn’t have expected that Bi Linglong would take the initiative to scout out a path. She keenly sensed the importance of finding one. She said, “As for the vine… I have a lot of clothes in my storage. You can rip them up and use them as a rope.”
Zu An shook his head. “It’s too far. Even if we take off all of our clothes and make a rope, it still won’t be enough. Those on the other side are planning to sacrifice lives to achieve their purpose. How can we use the same method?”
Bi Linglong’s face paled. “Then what do we do? Are we supposed to just wait here for our death?”
The pink mist was currently rising. It was clear that it would completely drown out the island after just a few days.
Zu An asked Mi Li if there was something they could do. Mi Li didn’t answer and instead asked, “Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.” Zu An chuckled. “I’ll follow whatever master empress says.”
“Then…” After a pause, Mi Li asked, “What if I told you to die?”