Jin Bao'er lowered her gaze, concealing the emotional turmoil within.
"This is the Stone Array. They can't hold on for long! Your cultivation is the highest, so you'll attack the array from the outside later, and I'll find an opportunity to break it open from within."
It wasn't that she wanted to meddle. Firstly, she had promised the elder. Secondly, the immortal mansion she accidentally fell into in her previous life also required entering from here…
As she spoke, Jin Bao'er took out two explosive talismans from her embrace and handed them over. These were gifts from her sixth senior brother, Lan Yingqing, and she hadn't had the chance to use them all these years.
Li Qingjiu took the talismans. At first, she didn't pay much attention, but after a while…
"Boom!!"
The suspended Stone Array in mid-air was instantly blasted open with a large gap.碎石如倾盆大雨 (Broken stones rained down like a torrential downpour), falling with a roar! Li Qingjiu, who couldn't dodge in time, was instantly covered by small debris! Seeing this, Jin Bao'er rushed in directly. The stones quickly reformed, as if nothing had happened…
Li Qingjiu, with a dark expression, wiped the dirt and dust from her face. She finally understood what an explosive talisman was, and why Jin Xiong hadn't simply destroyed the Stone Array directly… It restored itself as soon as it was blown up, making it endless! She was the one who got hurt!
Inside, Jin Bao'er quickly stabilized her body. The next second, a giant stone descended from the sky, heading straight for her! She slightly shifted her body, narrowly dodging the stone's attack. The second stone followed closely behind!
Everyone was in the same predicament, unable to get a moment's respite.
"Everyone gather together. Try to dodge and don't attack. The Stone Array has the function of reflecting spiritual energy. The more attacks you launch, the more stones there will be!"
This was a rule she discovered after being beaten black and blue in her previous life. Hearing this, the crowd noticed the black-clothed youth had also entered. After a moment of hesitation, they quickly began to gather and retracted their attacking magical treasures.
A space was quickly cleared in the center of the Stone Array. Jin Bao'er had no time to think and directly ducked behind a stone, raising her Ming Sword high and stabbing down fiercely…
"Pat-"
On the ground, a very small and exquisite crystal was shattered. The entire Stone Array immediately froze for two seconds. Everyone rejoiced, but before they could celebrate, they found that the Stone Array had resumed its operation, and its attack speed had also increased!
"Can you even do it! We're about to give out!"
A disciple, unable to bear it any longer, cursed loudly, questioning Jin Bao'er. He was in a sorry state, dodging an attack from a stone, but was hit by another, spitting blood on the spot.
Seeing this, the others could offer no support. Jin Bao'er, however, showed no hesitation. She directly stepped on a rushing stone, used it for leverage, and leaped. Other flying debris whizzed past her but couldn't hit her. The higher she went, the more stones attacked her, until Jin Bao'er saw the massive stone at the very top that obscured the sky…
Her slender fingers flipped, and her entire body's spiritual energy quickly condensed at her fingertips. The unique coldness of the ice element spread rapidly. An ice cone took shape at a visible speed. With a forceful flick from Jin Bao'er, it struck the center of the giant stone…
Perhaps sensing Jin Bao'er's intention, the stones below stopped attacking anyone. As if controlled, they all flew upwards, frantically trying to stop Jin Bao'er's actions.
However, it was too late. The ice cone, condensed with almost all of Jin Bao'er's spiritual energy, pierced directly through the center of the giant stone, shattering the transparent crystal within! The colossal Stone Array instantly collapsed. All the stones rained down. Stripped of the Stone Array's spiritual energy control, these stones were no different from ordinary stones.
Seeing this, all the disciples quickly dodged. No one noticed Jin Bao'er's presence, nor did they see Jin Bao'er seem to grasp something, and was forcefully pulled in by a tugging force…
At the same time, Li Qingjiu watched as Jin Bao'er, her spiritual energy depleted, fell from the sky. She rushed forward to catch her. The moment she grabbed Jin Bao'er's clothes, a powerful force pulled her in as well!
Shortly after the two disappeared, seven or eight men and women also arrived quickly, evidently having heard the commotion. Looking at the chaotic pile of stones before them, Su Xianzhi frowned, a sense of unease stirring within her.
After listening to the explanation from the Zhu Yuan Sect disciples, Su Xianzhi was certain that the black-clothed youth was Jin Bao'er, and then exclaimed in surprise.
"Disappeared?"
A young man from the Zhu Yuan Sect responded to her. Perhaps he had a good impression of Su Xianzhi, as a blush lingered on his face.
"Yes, thanks to that fellow Daoist, we are safe! Does the Immortal Fairy know him?"
Su Xianzhi did not reply. The others beside her looked arrogant. Although they were all at the Foundation Establishment stage, these seven or eight individuals were around the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, while most of the Zhu Yuan Sect disciples were in the Qi Refining stage.
"It seems your fellow sect sister is quite capable, to have even broken the Stone Array! Could she be an array master?"
The man who spoke was filled with surprise. In this day and age, it was rare to find a cultivator with great talent who was also skilled in formations.
Su Xianzhi's expression darkened, but she quickly recovered her composure, smiling gently.
"Senior Brother An flatters me. My junior sister is impulsive. How could she be as steady and meticulous as an array master? She probably broke it by chance… after all, her luck has always been good."
With a single sentence, she belittled Jin Bao'er into nothing more than a willful, impulsive, brainless, and talentless good-for-nothing.
An Zelin's eyes flickered with disappointment upon hearing this, and he said nothing more.
On the other side, after a familiar bout of dizziness, Jin Bao'er woke up again. Looking at the magnificent golden palace entrance before her, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had entered.
Just as she was about to get up, she saw a certain young man sprawled beside her. Perhaps he had hit his head, as he was not yet awake. Surprise flashed across her face!
She hadn't expected him to follow her in! But after knowing each other for two months, this cautious fellow was willing to take such a risk to catch her. She recalled that she had been surrounded by heavy stones at the time.
Knowing that there was no danger nearby, Jin Bao'er turned and entered the cave dwelling…
Just as she remembered, the hall was empty except for the central platform.
Having prepared herself mentally, she stepped onto the stairs, one by one…
However, after ten floors, the surrounding environment instantly changed. Jin Bao'er pursed her lips slightly, concentrating, preparing to continue forward. She knew that all of this was an illusion, a test to obtain the Golden Phoenix Egg.
Yet, the cold and proud figure that suddenly appeared before her made her body stiffen.
"Wicked disciple! You murdered the Sect Master and were jealous of your fellow disciples, deserving death! I will now cripple your cultivation and imprison you in the dungeon!"
The icy tone entered her ears, and the pain of her cultivation being crippled spread throughout her body!
She could never forget the night the Sect Master was murdered, and she was immediately identified as the murderer by everyone. Her usually cold and proud master would utter such words at the first opportunity. Su Xianzhi stood by, her eyes filled with disappointment and disbelief, saying, "Senior Sister, how can you be so cruel? The Sect Master only said a few words to you!"