A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 114 An arrow flies in, a sword flies away

After pointing out the direction, the little golden squirrel returned to Lang Shiqi's shoulder and perched there.

The group rested for about fifteen minutes before continuing their journey.

This time, Luo Bense did not let his men walk in front, but instead walked ahead himself, accompanied by two people, proceeding cautiously step by step.

Although he initially brought these people in with the intention of using them as scouts, rearguard, or even stepping stones, the situation is different now.

On the other side, all three partners survived, while our side suffered heavy casualties. If we were to lose more of our men, even if we found the treasure, things might not be so secure afterward.

Moreover, with the changes in the organization here, the routes they took to get here and back will inevitably be different, and these subordinates will have other uses in the future.

In the ancient passage, the lighting tools carried by the men illuminated a small area as bright as day. The light shone into the deep darkness ahead, and as they moved forward, more and more stone bricks were revealed under the light.

After walking for about ten more minutes, a stone chamber appeared ahead, and everyone slowed down at the same time.

After so many experiences, everyone has come to understand that the traps in the passages are not the most terrifying thing. It is often in those stone chambers that there are strange creatures, unknown spells, and ancient artifacts.

The people around Luo Bense folded their glow sticks and threw them into the stone chamber in front of them when the light was at its brightest.

Several people took turns passing and throwing the glow sticks, and a total of ten glow sticks were thrown in, making the scene in the stone chamber clear. Only then did Luo Bense take a few more steps forward.

He heard a slight rustling sound behind him and recognized it as the little squirrel leaping over. He dodged slightly to the side and casually raised the ancient sword from its sheath to that spot.

The golden squirrel nimbly leaped from the sword sheath and rushed into the stone chamber.

The passageway here was quite wide, and people didn't dare to touch the walls directly, leaving a little distance at the edges.

Just as the golden squirrel jumped in, Lang Shiqi, who was in the back half of the crowd, lightly flashed and came to Luo Bense's side through a narrow gap on the side.

Luo Bense glanced at him and vaguely felt that his body had suddenly become a little smaller for a moment, but returned to normal when he was next to him.

The two strongest people in the group were at the front, and the crowd followed them into the stone chamber.

This stone chamber has a rather unique shape; it is not the square and four-cornered shape that they were used to, but is divided into eight walls.

The open ground is marked with ditches filled with blue liquid, dividing the entire stone chamber floor into an octagonal, similar pattern.

At each bend of the ditch, on the enclosed stone platform, is placed a priceless antique.

There is gold, jade, and coral, as well as incense burners, ancient mirrors, and jadeite rings. Even someone who doesn't know much about these things can guess their preciousness and ingenuity at a glance.

In the center of the stone chamber stands a solitary, dark stone tablet.

One of Luo Bense's men breathed a little heavier and made a surprised sound, as if he had discovered something.

Compared to the ancient buildings they had explored before, this underground palace was almost free of dirt, water seepage, and cobwebs. Even the dust accumulated on the artifacts was not very thick.

It is conceivable that there is an extremely sophisticated ventilation system that allows airflow to circulate here along with some unknown substances.

However, being a thousand-year-old underground palace, it was extremely stale, with a musty smell that seemed to emanate from the very material of the walls and floor tiles, lingering around everyone.

Having survived several battles and lost their gas masks, they endured the faint yet undeniable smell.

However, upon entering the stone chamber, the musty smell quickly faded and disappeared, replaced by an extremely fresh and pleasant air that was invigorating to the core.

The golden squirrel was also extremely lively here, crossing ditches and moving back and forth on the stone platform. Suddenly, it picked up a round ball almost the size of itself with its two front paws, and with a great leap, it was caught by Lang Shiqi.

Luo Bense glanced at him sideways, and his gaze faltered for a moment.

If he wasn't mistaken, the sphere should be a delicate, intricately carved nested sphere made of rhinoceros horn.

This kind of treasure requires carving from a single piece of material. Relying solely on the craftsman's skill, after carving intricate patterns on the outside, the inside is carved into layers of spheres.

The outer shell must not be damaged, and the inner sphere must be perfectly round. When you shake it, the layers should be clearly distinct; only then is it considered合格 (qualified/acceptable).

Luo Bense recalled that he had seen an 18th-century ivory sphere in a museum, which was far less exquisite than the one in front of him, yet it was already considered a treasure of the museum.

His left index finger, which was gripping the scabbard, twitched involuntarily. He forced himself to suppress it and chuckled, "This little thing seems to have become lively for the first time since entering the underground palace. It seems to resemble its master, knowing that the treasures here are exceptionally rare. It has an eye for things."

"No!"

Lang Shiqi held the little squirrel, looked around, and said, "It's not excited because of the baby, but because the environment here makes it relaxed."

The treasure-hunting rat, always seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, has been on edge ever since entering the underground palace, but this place makes it feel exceptionally safe.

Lang Shiqi took a few steps forward, crossed the ditch between the stone chambers, circled halfway around, and stared at the stone tablet in the center.

On the stone tablet, four ancient characters are engraved on each side. When viewed together, they read, "If you see the feng shui, you can turn back."

Luo Bense also saw these words and asked in a low voice, "So, this might be the most auspicious place in the entire underground palace, which is... the true location of Qiu Ran Ke's treasure?"

Lang Shiqi said, "Perhaps..."

"stop!"

Luo Bense suddenly pointed his finger and shouted, "Put those things down!"

The burly man he was pointing at was one of Lang Shiqi's two subordinates. At that moment, he was holding an exquisite sandalwood incense burner and preparing to stuff it into his backpack, which was half-open.

At Luo Bense's loud shout, his men sprang into action, and all the lights shone on the burly man, making the atmosphere in the stone chamber tense.

The burly man froze, looking at Lang Shiqi.

"Boss Luo, what do you mean by this?"

"Don't misunderstand, don't be nervous."

Luo Bense shook his hand, his gaze sharp, fixed on the two burly men. "I'm not going to take it from you. The things are still yours. But this place is different from before. Before you take any of the antiques here, you have to check them for me first."

Lang Shiqi nodded and said gently, "Boss Luo is worried that the treasure you're looking for might be hidden among these things. Very well, then let's check."

Luo Bense waved his hand, and his men spread out in a well-organized formation, each occupying a different direction. Some looked inward, while others looked outward, encircling the stone chamber with wary expressions.

Luo Bense first took the exquisite nested ball, examined it carefully several times, felt its weight, and found nothing unusual. Then he began to examine the nearest stone platform.

Lang Shiqi stood still, holding the squirrel in his arms, but at some point, he stopped his habitual stroking of the squirrel's fur, and his eyes followed the things that Luo Bense had inspected with a deep gaze.

The number of unexamined items on the stone platform is decreasing, and the area where treasures are hidden seems to be shrinking.

Lang Shiqi's presence seems to be fading more and more.

When one of the henchmen turned his head, the headlamp on his head swept across Lang Shiqi's body, illuminating his tracksuit and the lower half of his face. At first glance, he could still see Lang Shiqi's presence, but at second glance, he was nowhere to be seen.

The subordinate was completely unaware and did not sense anything unusual.

At this moment, Luo Bense seemed to sense something and turned around to look. Lang Shiqi was still standing there, smiling slightly at him.

Luo Bense narrowed his eyes, pressed his left thumb against the sword guard, and quietly let the blade emerge from its sheath half an inch, while his right hand continued to inspect the next stone platform.

When they checked the last item.

His men remained calm and on guard.

Luo Bense's left hand, which was gripping the scabbard, had knuckles that were already turning slightly white.

Lang Shiqi's presence diminished again, his figure seemed to fade away, and his seemingly indistinct gaze seemed to have caught sight of that last thing.

The sound of the unknown light blue liquid flowing gently in the ditch became exceptionally clear to both of them at that moment.

The last treasure was a piece of elegant porcelain, its color resembling the blue sky after rain.

Luo Bense flipped the porcelain over and tilted it downwards, but nothing came out. He shook it, but there was no sound. Only then did he lean closer to look, and it was completely empty.

After a disappointed sigh, Luo Bense turned around and stared at Lang Shiqi for a few seconds.

The two of them looked away together.

This stone chamber not only has eight walls, but also, apart from the passage they came through earlier, the other seven walls appear to have stone doors with carved beasts that can be rotated.

Luo Bense ordered all the stone doors to be pushed open.

Behind the stone gate was not the storage room he had imagined, but a series of passageways.

However, this most unique layout makes this place seem even more like the center of the entire underground palace.

"If you see the feng shui, you can turn back. It's rather strange that we've already arrived at this central place and only then saw this stone tablet advising us to turn back."

Luo Bense stared at the stone tablet, speaking as he approached it, and even invited, "Brother, you're knowledgeable, why don't you come and see if there's any mechanism hidden in this stone tablet?"

Lang Shiqi stroked the little squirrel's fur without refusing.

As the two of them walked to the stone tablet, Luo Bense was about to reach out and touch it when a sudden warning bell rang in his mind.

He subconsciously thought it was Lang Shiqi who made the move, but just as his hand touched the hilt of the ancient sword, he caught a glimpse of Lang Shiqi retreating and dodging out of the corner of his eye.

The attack that was supposed to be aimed at Lang Shiqi was quickly changed, and the sword was used to block behind him.

Luo Bense drew his sword and attacked in a different style. His arm was so fast that it was almost invisible, but just as his sword reached his back, a penetrating force struck the blade.

A burst of purple light flashed behind him, casting his entire shadow forward in pitch black. With a slight tremor of his wrist, the blade of the ancient sword pressed against his back, cold and vibrating.

The sound of the arrow clashing with the ancient sword finally rang out.

Amidst the loud and crisp sound, seven purple streaks, like a meteor shower of varying speeds, shot out from the dark passage.

Before anyone could react, Luo Bense turned and slashed repeatedly. A not-too-long, thick ancient Qin sword twisted and turned in the air, cleaving through seven feathered arrows in succession.

However, the spiritual power infused into the arrow was focused and profound. Even though the arrowhead and shaft were shattered into fragments, the impact still caused Luo Bense's body to lean back, unexpectedly hitting the stone tablet.

His men only reacted at this moment and opened fire into the passage.

Inside the passage, there was no arrow on the white bronze bow; the bowstring was drawn in vain. But as the bowstring trembled, a beam of purple light shot out, spreading out in front and becoming a purple light curtain that filled the entire passage.

Like the purple light arching up like an umbrella, supported by the white copper left hand, it sped forward.

All the rapid, spark-like projectiles that struck the purple light immediately slowed down, decreasing in speed several times over.

Although it still retains a certain speed after passing through the purple light, similar to that of a four- or five-year-old child throwing it, it is no longer a concern for white bronze.

Even if it hits your face, it won't leave a single scar.

As he rushed through the passage and stepped into the stone chamber, his gaze swept across the entire area. Four ordinary wooden arrows were hidden between his fingers on his right hand. At the same time, he nocked the bowstring, raised the longbow horizontally, and pulled it back and released it.

Bang bang! !

In a flash, as if struck by lightning, four feathered arrows shot out simultaneously, shattering in mid-air.

Wood chips imbued with spiritual energy rained down on Luo Bense's men like another purple barrage of bullets.

A few people moved like tigers and leopards, dodging in time, while most of the people were hit by these wooden blocks imbued with the power of the talismans. Even if they didn't die, they suffered splitting headaches and fainted on the spot.

"Luo Ben! You still remember me?!"

After blasting away the annoying obstacles with a single bowstroke, Bai Tong asked in a sharp voice.

The sudden loss of his home and the aging body of a young boy make him struggle repeatedly in the mission world, preparing to acquire the power to survive and seek revenge.

When he finally saw his enemy in this winding and complicated underground palace, the hatred in Bai Tong's heart seemed to burst forth and condense into a sharp arrow ready to be launched.

The spare arrows taken from the Small Universe Technique were already engraved with talismans corresponding to different effects. Under the stimulation of spiritual power, they transformed into streaks of purple rainbow light and shot forward.

Orders to Destroy, Orders to Annihilate, Orders to Freeze Blood, Orders to Kill Gods and Demons!

These are all the most lethal archery talismans among the Red Bow Demon-Slaying Techniques.

Luo Bense blocked hastily, retreating step by step as he swiftly dodged.

His few ruthless henchmen, having escaped unharmed, hid behind the stone platform and raised their guns at the white bronze.

But before they could pull the trigger again, Guan Luoyang's figure, like a wisp of blue mist, swept past them so fast that only a blurry image remained.

Some of them were quite strong; after blocking Guan Luoyang's palm strike, they crashed into the stone platform, causing half of it to collapse, yet they still survived.

After Guan Luoyang killed the others, he came back and kicked him in the chest.

The man's eyes bulged outwards slightly. When he breathed his last, Guan Luoyang paid some attention to Luo Bense, but his gaze was mainly fixed on Lang Shiqi.

The information broker's files contained a lot of information about this treasure hunter, but none of it was particularly noteworthy. There was only one three-star rating and a vague statement that he was skilled in ancient martial arts and a certain type of Qigong in East Asia.

Lang Shiqi was stared at by this suddenly appearing enemy, his expression heavy, but the thoughts hidden between his furrowed brows were not limited to this.

His anxiety stemmed largely from the fact that the item he was looking for was not found in the stone chamber.

"Yes, it's the Bai family's brat!"

Luo Bense recognized Bai Tong, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that all of his men had died within seconds. Lang Shiqi's attitude was unclear.

"Heh, how could I forget? Wasn't this sword originally a family heirloom?"

Deliberately uttering provocative words, Luo Bense's mind raced, and he suddenly exerted all his strength, his body slightly floating, as he thrust his sword forward.

When he first started out, he relied on this very move, a sword technique that has been passed down from who-knows-which dynasty.

This sword has a beautiful name, called Celestial Immortal, but when the sword intent is truly unleashed, any enemy who has died or will die by this sword will be horrified and reach a consensus.

That is definitely not an immortal!

—The man in the down jacket, holding a heavy ancient sword, thrust it through the air. In the instant he did so, a white mist surrounded him, as if he had transformed into a celestial maiden with flowing ribbons soaring through the cold sky.

But just as the beautiful sword posture drew closer, forcing the two talisman arrows to slip away, the white mist drifted in, the chill intensified, and the speed of its ascent was like a shrill howl echoing through the dark and ancient underground palace.

The ribbons collapsed, the silk robes were destroyed, and the flesh was abruptly gone, leaving only a smiling, open-mouthed skeleton wielding a sword and flying towards them!

(End of this chapter)