As the illusion twisted, the two diverging paths ahead gradually merged into a wider road.
Wu Xiaolan, Wu Lei, and little Yi Hao, cradled in Su Cheng's arms, stared at Su Cheng in astonishment. Could his blood actually break illusions?
"Young Master Su, your blood is so powerful."
"Young Master Su, who exactly are you?"
"Yes, Young Master Su, who are you? How can you be so amazing?"
While Wu Xiaolan and Wu Lei were surprised, they also felt a sense of confusion.
Su Cheng looked at the wound on his hand in surprise, then lowered his head to look at the ground where his blood was dripping, feeling incredulous.
However, Su Cheng felt fortunate. It was fortunate that he was the one injured, and fortunate that his blood could coincidentally solve the problem that had been troubling their group of five. Otherwise, Gu Qianying would have had to sacrifice her own blood, something Su Cheng was unwilling to see. That was why, when he discovered Gu Qianying intending to cut her palm to draw blood, he had stopped her so urgently.
Gu Qianying watched the scene before her, not looking at Su Cheng with the same astonishment as Wu Xiaolan, Wu Lei, and little Yi Hao, because she knew why Su Cheng's blood also had the effect of dispelling illusions.
Su Cheng was the third incarnation of Nangong Mo, the Lotus Emperor of the Immortal Realm. Although he was reincarnated, the power within his blood was not something a mere illusion could block. Naturally, when Su Cheng's blood dripped onto the ground, the illusion crumbled on its own.
This was something others did not know.
However, because of this, she worried even more about Su Cheng's safety.
Everyone had personally witnessed how special Su Cheng's blood was.
Who knew what would happen in the future.
"Before we came to the Wu Clan tribe, on our way, we met a white-haired old man. That old man was in the same inn as us. We became acquainted because he enjoyed playing chess, and Su Cheng also liked chess, so we became good friends with this old man."
"While we were playing chess, I also spoke about the Wu Clan tribe. Later, when we parted ways with the old man, he asked Su Cheng and me to take a pill simultaneously. We didn't believe him at first."
"But he said that taking this pill could help us solve some difficulties."
"He also said that he was here to help us."
"But I never expected that after taking the pill, Su Cheng's blood could break this illusion."
Gu Qianying casually fabricated a story in front of everyone.
In fact, she did not want people to pay too much attention to Su Cheng's blood.
She also did not want Su Cheng to be targeted by ill-intentioned people after he left with her.
Listening to Gu Qianying's words.
Su Cheng was taken aback.
Little Yi Hao, standing beside them, also stared blankly at his mother.
What old man?
Mother, are you serious?
Little Yi Hao really wanted to ask.
However, Gu Qianying winked at him.
Little Yi Hao understood and grasped his mother's true intention.
And Su Cheng, seeing the exchange of glances between the mother and son,
also understood the true meaning behind Gu Qianying's words.
"Yes, Qianying is right. The profound old man we met on the way here, he seemed very powerful. Only now do I realize the true purpose of him making us take the pill."
Su Cheng followed Gu Qianying's lead.
He deepened the impression of the old man in Wu Xiaolan and the others' minds.
"That old man is so amazing, what's his name?"
Wu Xiaolan asked with pure innocence.
"We don't know the old man's name either, only that he had white hair."
"Sister Xiaolan, why are you so interested in that old man? Do you also think that old man is very powerful and want to get to know him?"
Little Yi Hao looked innocent.
He looked towards Wu Xiaolan.
"Ha, no, no, I... I was just asking casually, I didn't mean anything else."
Wu Xiaolan quickly explained.
"It's fine."
Gu Qianying pulled little Yi Hao into her arms.
"Someone so powerful, I would want to meet them too. Xiaolan, don't be nervous, we didn't say anything."
Gu Qianying's words had a hidden meaning.
But Wu Xiaolan did not catch it.
Wu Lei, standing beside her, was the same.
"Alright, since the illusion is broken, let's continue our journey."
Gu Qianying picked up little Yi Hao and suggested.
"Okay."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Seeing Gu Qianying holding little Yi Hao, Su Cheng took him from her.
He was afraid Gu Qianying would get tired.
The group adjusted their moods and looked at the true path that had appeared before them.
The two diverging paths in the illusion were merely ordinary mountain paths, with ordinary trees and bushes around them.
And the surroundings were like a forest.
The group of five all assumed that after the illusion was dispelled, the real path that appeared before them would also be a mountain path.
However, the path before them, while leading up the mountain, was no longer simply surrounded by trees and bushes.
What appeared before Gu Qianying and the others was a staircase made of piled human bones!
The staircase was bone-white and terrifying in appearance. Below the staircase was a bottomless abyss, making one hesitate to look closely.
Seeing the path ahead, everyone trembled slightly.
Gu Qianying and Su Cheng, having experienced many situations, were relatively fine. Although they found the staircase somewhat suffocating, they could still proceed.
Wu Lei and Wu Xiaolan, however, were so scared their teeth chattered, their bodies trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.
Wu Xiaolan nervously and fearfully wrapped her arms around herself to alleviate her inner panic.
Wu Lei continuously wiped the cold sweat from his hands onto his clothes, calming his body's reactions caused by fear.
Little Yi Hao was even more terrified. He immediately burst into tears and looked at Gu Qianying, "Mother, this staircase is so scary, your son is scared, woo woo woo..."
Seeing her beloved son so distressed, Gu Qianying's heart ached immensely. She quickly reached out one hand to cover little Yi Hao's eyes and gently patted his back with the other, comforting his fear.
"Don't be scared, son, Mommy is here. With Mommy here, I won't let you get hurt."
Su Cheng also held little Yi Hao tightly. The little boy's tears made his heart ache as well.
"Little Yi Hao, don't be scared, I'm here too. Your mother and I will protect you. We will also be alright and successfully rescue the Saintess. Later, you will stay in my arms and don't open your eyes, we will take you across."
The actions of his mother and Su Cheng made little Yi Hao feel a little better, and he was no longer as terrified as when he first saw the bone staircase.
Little Yi Hao said to Gu Qianying, "Mother, thank you, son is much better. Let's hurry, or it will be too late to save Sister Saintess."
Gu Qianying looked at little Yi Hao's obedient and sensible demeanor, feeling both heartache and a sense of relief and emotion. The little boy had experienced so much with her; he was both intelligent and somewhat precocious.
Then, Gu Qianying said to everyone, "Everyone, if we want to climb the mountain now, this is the only path we can take. We have no retreat and no choice. Please prepare yourselves, protect yourselves, and do not be careless."
Su Cheng, Wu Xiaolan, and Wu Lei all nodded in understanding. Little Yi Hao, with his eyes closed in Su Cheng's arms, also sniffled and nodded gently.
He did not want to be a burden to his mother. Even if he was small and lacked strength, he could not cause trouble for his mother if he couldn't help.
Thus, the group of five unanimously agreed to ascend the bone staircase, walking up the mountain via this path to rescue the Saintess Lu Zhu.
Gu Qianying approached the bone staircase, looked at the bottomless, dark abyss, and slowly took the first step.
Little Yi Hao and Su Cheng watched Gu Qianying's movements with great tension and worry, fearing she might fall. Wu Xiaolan and Wu Lei were equally extremely nervous.
Fortunately, the staircase, built from bones, was not as fragile as its constituent material – human bones.
Gu Qianying stepped onto it, and the staircase showed no signs of shaking or collapsing. Seeing this, she let out a soft sigh of relief.
Su Cheng, little Yi Hao, Wu Xiaolan, and Wu Lei, who had been silently tense behind her, also felt relieved.
Gu Qianying took another step forward, placing both feet on the staircase, then turned to look at the group below.
"Everyone, this path is passable, you can come up. However, you must be extra careful when walking. The surface is rough and uneven. A single misstep could lead to falling into this bottomless abyss and perishing on the spot."
Everyone nodded, indicating they understood. Following that, Wu Lei and Wu Xiaolan cautiously stepped onto the staircase, following behind Gu Qianying.
Then, Gu Qianying, Wu Xiaolan, and Wu Lei, now on the bone staircase, slowly moved forward a few steps, making space for Su Cheng and little Yi Hao to ascend.
Su Cheng, holding little Yi Hao in one arm and gently covering his eyes with the other, also stepped onto the rough bone staircase.
The group walked slowly and carefully on the staircase without much conversation, heading towards the opposite side of the cliff.
However, as they walked, a particularly rugged section of the staircase appeared. Gu Qianying carefully stepped over a bone, about to remind the four behind her to be even slower and more cautious, when a gust of demonic wind swept over them!
Su Cheng, with his martial arts experience, had a stable stance and stood firm on the staircase while holding little Yi Hao.
However, Wu Xiaolan and Wu Lei were not so fortunate. The sudden gust of wind made them lose their balance, almost causing them to fall into the abyss.
Wu Xiaolan let out a terrified scream: "Ah!" Gu Qianying reacted immediately upon hearing the sound and turned to look at the two of them.
But before Gu Qianying could act, Wu Xiaolan and Wu Lei, their center of gravity shifted, stumbled towards the staircase and began to roll towards the abyss!
Su Cheng, holding little Yi Hao in one arm and covering his eyes with the other, could not reach them in time to rescue them.
Wu Xiaolan and Wu Lei grabbed protruding bones on the staircase, hanging precariously beside it.
Gu Qianying quickly rushed over. She extended her arms, grabbed Wu Xiaolan's hands which were gripping the protruding bones, and pulled Wu Xiaolan back onto the staircase.
Just as she was about to reach out to save Wu Lei, it was too late.
Wu Lei, hanging precariously by the edge of the staircase, seemed to lose his strength and plunged straight into the deep abyss.