Promise!

Chapter 248, Enter

"Impressive tactics!" Shangguan Yunchang looked at Zhuang Jin, a deep sense of apprehension on her face.

"Each each other!"

Zhuang Jin looked at the jade token in Shangguan Yunchang's hand with a solemn expression. At the same time, he felt very fortunate. Fortunately, he had the Ice Soul Divine Sword - One Sword Returns to Origin, which was an instant killing method against a second-level Innate Qi Realm cultivator. This Qi Bomb was not enough. Qi Bombs had to be thrown and detonated, and could not be launched instantly. At the same time, the power was slightly dispersed, and it might not be able to kill a second-level Innate Qi Realm cultivator in one go.

Otherwise, without this move, this great opportunity would have turned into a great calamity, and the journey would have been cut short.

—There is no doubt about Shangguan Yunchang's determination. Faced with such a great opportunity as the Immortal Ruins, given her noble family background and decisive nature, she is absolutely capable of doing such a thing.

This time, Zhuang Jin was not surprised by the jade token in Shangguan Yunchang's hand. She came from one of the three great families in the state city and was one of the seeds of the next head of the Shangguan family. It would be abnormal if she did not have any trump cards to protect her life when she entered such a dangerous place alone.

Shangguan Yunchang was quite shocked. She did not expect that Zhuang Jin also had a killing move that could kill her, someone of the same realm, in one blow.

The jade token in her hand was a life-saving item bestowed upon her by the Yin God Realm ancestor, who was one of the candidates for the next head of the family. It could unleash a strike from the Innate Corpse-Slaying Realm.

This thing is extremely precious. It stores a portion of the power of a Yin God Realm cultivator. Without Zhuang Jinru's microscopic carving techniques, it's essentially a case of brute force storing power by relying on the material's properties, which shows how rare it is. Precisely because of this forced storage, it cannot be manipulated or protected. It can only be used as a pure attack method, a 'defense through offense' killer move.

Furthermore, this jade token, like the core of Zhuang Jin's Qi Bomb and Ice Soul Divine Sword, has the same problem: its stored energy will decline, and it needs to be nurtured and replenished by the Yin God Realm ancestor in the family every once in a while.

Zhuang Jin possesses the Ice Soul Divine Sword, which allows him to unleash the "One Sword Returns to Origin" technique, while Shangguan Yunchang possesses the Jade Token. At this moment, they are mutually intimidating each other, and neither can silence the other to monopolize the Immortal Ruins, so they have no choice but to negotiate.

Shangguan Yunchang had a subtle feeling. From her perspective, Zhuang Jin was a wild innate martial artist outside of a noble family, and he cultivated the Black Fiend Technique. His future was limited, and to put it bluntly, he was a "worthless life." On the other hand, she was one of the seeds of the next head of the noble family, Shangguan, with a limitless future and the hope of becoming a Yin God. It was like one was barefoot and the other was wearing shoes.

With this mindset in mind, during the standoff, she took the initiative to speak up and reassure him: "Brother Zhuang also knows that this is the ruins of immortals. Why don't we put aside our disputes for now, join hands to enter, and then talk about other things?"

Zhuang Jin was also in a dilemma. He couldn't kill Shangguan Yunchang, and even if he could, there would be a huge risk because of the token.

—It wasn't his own token. As mentioned before, his token was 'unfortunately lost.' It was the other party's token. Who knows what tricks they used? If the Shangguan family finds out that he killed Shangguan Yunchang, he would have truly offended an entire aristocratic family. They wouldn't be able to save him one by one like the Calabash Brothers saving their grandfather. He would definitely have to face the pursuit of that Yin God Ancestor of the Shangguan family directly, with no chance of survival.

'I can't take the Azure Origin Pot; it would cross the line of the three great families. Besides, it's useless for me to take it myself. I need to build a massive force to acquire and refine medicinal herbs; otherwise, Azure Origin Liquid can't be generated out of thin air.'

"My bottom line this time is to ensure my own safety while obtaining the complete Black Fiend Technique and the rare and precious materials containing its refined attributes, and to get a share of the spoils."

Zhuang Jin understood Shangguan Yunchang's "those with shoes are afraid of those with bare feet" mentality. On the surface, the other party had a brighter future, and jade should not clash with earthenware. He threw the problem to her: "I'm not afraid to let Miss Shangguan know that this immortal ruin is not the lowest level. This is a great opportunity. Miss Shangguan makes it sound nice. Let's put aside our disputes for now, enter, and share the treasures. But I'm afraid I might have the life to take it, but not the life to enjoy it. I'll be silenced by the Shangguan family afterward!"

"Instead of doing this, why not take someone down with you, Miss Shangguan? What do you say?"

He adopted a stance of "if we disagree, we'll both perish."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yunchang smiled, knowing that since Zhuang Jin hadn't made a move before, it meant he was restrained, rational, and valued his life. This was something to talk about: "Brother Zhuang, don't you see? I came alone this time, and the Shangguan family isn't exactly harmonious. This is my personal opportunity, and I won't tell my family about it. How can you say the Shangguan family is trying to silence me?"

"Besides, Brother Zhuang has finally cultivated to this level, with a bright future and a prestigious position. Are you really willing to perish together with me?"

"There's one more thing, and I'm not afraid to tell you, Brother Zhuang, the Xuantian Division has its own assessment of the threat level to the innate martial artists in the state city. As long as you have a decent reason for cultivating the Black Fiend Technique, even if you break through to the third level of the Innate Qi Realm, your threat level will not be Grade B, and even if you break through to the Corpse Slaying Realm, it will still not be Grade A... All of this is on the premise that you don't take things you shouldn't take, such as the Azure Origin Pot."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin thought to himself that the Suspended Heaven Division indeed categorized the threat levels of innate martial artists. He knew that Shangguan Yun Chang's words made sense, but he still said, "Miss Shangguan's words are unreliable; how can I trust them?"

"In that case, I swear on my own martial arts future and my family's honor that I will not actively plot against or try to silence you. How about that? Brother Zhuang also knows that our subsequent realms involve the spirit within the human body, and we cannot deceive ourselves."

Zhuang Jin was at a disadvantage, unlike Shangguan Yunchang who had the support of her family. He did not want to die together with her immediately, and knew that this was the most he could do for the time being. After Shangguan Yunchang made an oath, he barely gained a little mutual trust, and the tense atmosphere eased slightly.

The two exchanged information briefly, with Shangguan Yunchang asking Zhuang Jin how he got here.

"I have an ice-attribute physique. I came to Cloud Pool Mountain to hunt ice-attribute beasts and obtain beast cores for refining attributes. During this time, I chased a Netherworld Python to a cave..."

Zhuang Jin did not hide this from him, nor was there anything to hide.

When Shangguan Yunchang thought of the hole she saw above when she came down from the cave, confirming Zhuang Jin's words, her first reaction was, "Is this guy crazy? He's been digging for three days straight because of something unusual."
Then they thought Zhuang Jin was lucky, or rather, blessed with good fortune.

"And what about Miss Shangguan?"

"Through some special channels, I obtained a painting by that immortal from eight hundred years ago, deciphered its mystery, visited many places to compare it, and overcame many obstacles to finally arrive here. I am not as lucky as Brother Zhuang, who just dug it out while digging a hole."

Shangguan Yunchang's tone was slightly sour. Compared to her arduous journey and many hardships, Zhuang Jin's task of digging a hole was indeed much easier.

Zhuang Jin ignored the sourness in Shangguan Yunchang's tone and keenly caught an important piece of information—a special channel. What special channel? Why hadn't Shangguan Yunchang obtained the painting through this channel earlier and discovered it?
Although Shangguan Yunchang didn't say it specifically, he instantly connected the dots and made a guess in his mind: a small round table meeting!
Although he did not join in person, he knew a thing or two about it because many people in the small circle had been there. As far as he knew, the Round Table Meeting had been expanding, especially since last year, when it absorbed a considerable number of innate martial artists. Many of these people had good things in their possession, which they were unwilling to sell cheaply to the Suspended Heaven Division in the past, but they might exchange them here for some high-end resources.

Zhuang Jin's guess was correct. Shangguan Yunchang obtained the painting through the Roundtable Meeting a little over a month ago. After figuring out the mystery, it was already the end of the year when the large-scale primordial energy tide of heaven and earth occurred. At that time, running around recklessly would be tantamount to courting death. After the primordial energy tide ended, the Funiu Mountains became relatively safe. She made various preparations and checked all suspected locations one by one. Finally, she overcame many obstacles to arrive here.

'If Shangguan Yunchang really obtained the painting from the Round Table Meeting, then what role did the three great families play in the Round Table Meeting? It's terrifying to think about!' Zhuang Jin's thoughts wandered, and in an instant, he had already thought of so much.

Next, the two discussed how to enter the cave. Zhuang Jin mentioned that they had to kill both the Fire Phoenix and the Ice Phoenix to obtain the token and pass the test.

"I have an idea. I will use the martial art 'Snowflakes Falling Across the Mortal World' and the secret technique 'Thousand Miles of Ice Seal' together. The combination can freeze the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix for several moments. At that time, Brother Zhuang can use that sword strike that was not yet unleashed before..."

'That little vixen is incredibly cunning!'

Zhuang Jin used the Ice Soul Divine Sword to return to the origin, and he needs to replenish his Qi before he can unleash his power beyond his limits again. At this time, Shangguan Yunchang is no longer restrained, and who knows what she might do.
He gave Shangguan Yunchang a deep look: "Alright, but if I use this sword, Miss Shangguan will also need to use the jade token."

After probing, Shangguan Yunchang realized that Zhuang Jin's move was not without its limitations. With a slight sense of confidence, she smiled and said, "If I use the jade token, my family's ancestor will sense it."

This is both a reminder and a warning.

Immediately, the two reached a tacit agreement and stopped talking about the Returning Origin Sword and the Jade Token. They agreed that the Fire Phoenix and the Ice Phoenix would each deal with one of them, controlling the field and killing them at the same time.

……

After getting the purple kangaroo away and hiding outside the stone bridge, Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang arrived at the stone gate of the cave.

"I would be grateful if Brother Zhuang could lend a hand." This information was provided by Zhuang Jin, and Shangguan Yunchang was clearly asking Zhuang Jin to demonstrate his sincerity.

"Alright!" Zhuang Jin didn't lie about this point, nor did he bother with such trivial details. He raised his right hand, pressed his thumb forward, and a sword aura from the Divine Sword of Intercepting Meridians pierced through the air, striking the stone gate directly.

hum!
Light patterns flashed across the stone gate, which opened amidst the tremors, and the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix flew out with clear cries.

Swish!
Just as the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix flew out, Shangguan Yunchang moved, like a startled swan, rushing past from the side, attempting to pass through and enter the stone gate the instant it opened.

Zhuang Jin watched this scene without moving, and didn't even try to stop Shangguan Yunchang.

Opportunism?

Hey, this is all stuff he's already done. If he actually succeeds, he'll eat that stone door.

Sure enough, just as Shangguan Yunchang was about to enter, a net of light, like a beaded curtain, appeared inside the stone gate. In the recoil, Shangguan Yunchang was sent flying back as fast as she had gone.

Swish!
Shangguan Yunchang spun in mid-air and stabilized, exuding an ethereal beauty, if one ignored the fluctuations in her aura at that moment, which made her appear unstable.

"Miss Shangguan, are you perhaps testing the flaws in this immortal ruin for me? Thank you so much."

As Zhuang Jin spoke, he stopped the fire phoenix as promised, dodging its flames while still managing to jokingly remark.

Shangguan Yunchang, however, was not thin-skinned. To Zhuang Jin's sarcastic remarks, she greeted another ice phoenix while agreeing with him, saying, "I have tested it for Brother Zhuang. This method does not work, so let's stick to what we agreed on before."

Just as Zhuang Jin had guessed, the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix were a test from the Immortal Ruins. Now that Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang had come, the number of people 'challenging' them had increased. Sensing their realm and strength, compared to before, the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix's bodies had obviously swelled up and become much larger, and their aura had also significantly increased, making them even more ferocious.

However, considering that the test requires simultaneous kills, the actual difficulty has actually been reduced somewhat.

Wow!
Amidst the clear cry of the fire phoenix, countless fiery clones emerged, dancing and weaving around Zhuang Jin as the center.

'Not only has its body grown larger and its aura strengthened, but it has also acquired new skills?'

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, his figure transforming into a hurricane tornado, weaving back and forth, dodging everything while simultaneously unleashing a series of meridian-severing divine swords to weaken the fire phoenix and prevent its recovery by attacking the token on its chest.

Because of his own strength and experience from previous encounters, he was able to control the situation with ease.

On the other side, the Ice Phoenix also used a move it had never used before, summoning the ice flow from the ice lake below, which split into dozens of strands to track Shangguan Yunchang.

Shangguan Yunchang moved with the grace of a fleeting shadow, seemingly grazing through streams of icy liquid without being touched or injured. She even used martial arts techniques like Snowfall in the Mortal World and the secret technique of Freezing a Thousand Miles to counterattack at an extremely fast pace.

She was already one of the best in her realm. Her previous attempt to 'take shortcuts' failed, and she was teased by Zhuang Jin. Feeling somewhat ashamed and annoyed, she vented her anger by completely overwhelming Binghuang, causing her aura to weaken rapidly. She then used the method Zhuang Jin had told her to prevent Binghuang from recovering.

Of course, Shangguan Yunchang also remembered Zhuang Jin's words that they should be killed at the same time, otherwise the other one would be resurrected with full health when summoned. Therefore, she kept a distance and paid attention to Zhuang Jin's progress, only going a little faster.

Just as the auras of the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix weakened to a certain extent, Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang were ready and began the countdown, preparing to kill them simultaneously—

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!

"Wow!"

The Ice Phoenix's aura dropped to a certain threshold, and suddenly its body burned like ice flames. The token inside its chest flickered rapidly, trailing streams of light as it descended from the sky, crashing down on Shangguan Yunchang like a comet hitting the earth.

Upon seeing this, Zhuang Jin instantly realized: 'Oh no! The Ice Phoenix is ​​using its resurrection ability to self-destruct!'

Swish!
Shangguan Yunchang also sensed something was wrong and used the martial arts technique Snowfall in the Mortal World and the secret technique Thousand Miles of Ice Seal in combination, but it failed. Under the state of self-destruction and burning body of Ice Phoenix, it seemed to be immune to this freezing and stagnation, and charged forward without hesitation, causing Shangguan Yunchang's martial arts intuition to frantically warn her and sense a violent danger.

At this point, even the jade token was useless and could not stop the Ice Phoenix from self-destructing. She could only raise her innate qi shield, but under such power, it was obviously difficult to defend against it all. Even if she didn't die, she would be seriously injured.

"die!"

Zhuang Jin was too late to rescue her, but a flash of inspiration struck him. He quickly attacked the Fire Phoenix, which had been weakened to a certain extent. He unleashed all six swords of the Meridian-Severing Divine Sword, striking the Fire Phoenix's chest and turning it into particles that fell as tokens.

At this moment, because of the death of the Fire Phoenix, the Ice Phoenix, which was in the process of self-destruction, was forcibly stopped. It changed direction as it swooped down and rapidly ascended into the air. With a cry, it revived the Fire Phoenix. Then, the two phoenixes gathered and circled together. As they spun, circles of chaotic ripples appeared, showing a faint tendency to merge into one and transform into a chaotic phoenix.

"Qi Bomb!"

At this critical moment, Zhuang Jin threw a Qi bomb that landed in the center of the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix, and immediately a sword aura from the Divine Sword of Intercepting Meridians followed and detonated.

boom!
Amidst the explosion of the terrifying aura bomb, the fusion of the Fire Phoenix and the Ice Phoenix was forcibly interrupted, and each suffered severe injuries, yet they did not die. With the token inside their chests flashing rapidly, they quickly recovered.

How could Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang miss such a golden opportunity?
The two worked in perfect unison, launching a deadly attack on the Fire Phoenix and the Ice Phoenix simultaneously.

Swish!
Swish!
The Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix exploded, and two tokens, one crimson and one ice blue, fell from mid-air, with the phantom images of the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix flickering within them.

Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang immediately flashed away, each taking one of the tokens and suppressing it with their own innate qi. After a short while, the two tokens finally calmed down and their light subsided.

With this, the great undertaking is accomplished!
"Thank you so much, Brother Zhuang!"

"No need. As long as Miss Shangguan doesn't keep trying to silence me, I'll be content."

"Brother Zhuang, are you afraid of a mere woman like me?"

"I remember when we met at Tongfu Teahouse, Miss Shangguan insisted on calling herself 'Young Master,' but now she's calling herself 'Young Lady.' Is Miss Shangguan changing her gender voluntarily according to the needs of the situation?"

After fighting side by side, their relationship has become much more harmonious.

The two bickered as they arrived at the stone gate of the cave, each placing their tokens into the grooves.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The two tokens each emitted concentric ripples, one crimson and the other ice blue. Then, as if resonating with each other, the two ripples merged together, presenting a chaotic color that expanded and enveloped the entire stone gate, causing it to shatter with a crash.

The stone gate to this underground ice lake, the entrance to the immortal ruins... has been opened!
……

(End of this chapter)