CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: MERITORIOUS SERVICE, INFILTRATING THE INNER CITY

The Shangguan Clan Leader also agreed with Shangguan Hui’s statement, yet Shangguan Feng spoke:

"Clan Leader, since Fu Clan Leader mentioned he has a great plan, why don’t we listen to it? Anyway, it won’t take much of our time, right?"

Shangguan Feng was a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, ranked top three in the Shangguan Family. The Shangguan Clan Leader couldn’t publicly disregard his face, so he nodded slightly at Fu Changsheng:

"Go ahead and tell us your method."

Fu Changsheng nodded slightly, tapped the Spirit Beast Bag at his waist, and with a flash of silver light, several Silver-Spotted Poison Snakes instantly coiled around his arm:

"Everyone, over a year ago, I accidentally discovered a cave at the town of our clan’s base. This cave has a Dark River that directly connects to the moat below Luofeng Mountain. Since the Celestial Dragon Tribe’s Outer City also has a river, from where does it originate? After so many years, is there similarly an unknown secret passage directly leading to their Inner City?"

"If none of you are in a hurry"

"I am willing to let my Spiritual Snake enter the moat below to explore the route."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s eyes slightly brightened.

This time, without Shangguan Feng’s help, the Shangguan Clan Leader immediately said:

"Fu Clan Leader is indeed a heroic youth, your idea is good and worth trying. Second brother, take Fu Clan Leader down one time, we’ll wait for your good news."

Shangguan Feng, ranked second in the clan, nodded slightly upon hearing this. As soon as the Warship Array Light Curtain opened, he promptly flew away with Fu Changsheng using Sword Control.

Shangguan Hui sneered inwardly:

"How could such a coincidental good thing exist in the world?"

He didn’t believe Fu Changsheng could find any entrance to the Dark River.

....

Shangguan Feng used Invisibility Technique, while Fu Changsheng donned the Invisibility Cloak. The two arrived at the moat side. Shangguan Feng scanned the surroundings with Divine Sense and nodded slightly at Fu Changsheng.

Fu Changsheng promptly tapped the Spirit Beast Bag.

In an instant.

Hundreds of Silver-Spotted Poison Snakes entered the river.

Seeing this scene, Shangguan Feng froze for a moment, never expecting that Fu Changsheng had cultivated hundreds of Silver-Spotted Poison Snakes. Although they were only Tier One Early-stage, they prevailed in numbers. Even a Peak Qi Cultivator, if careless, might suffer a significant setback from Fu Changsheng.

At this moment, he had determined the candidate to enter the Celestial Wave Secret Realm in twenty years.

The one controlling these Silver-Spotted Poison Snakes was not Fu Changsheng, but the Little Cyan Snake nested in his sleeve. After about more than an hour.

The people on the warship obviously couldn’t wait any longer and urged Shangguan Feng to return.

Fu Changsheng remained immobile.

The information provided was never wrong, since there was a Dark River in the moat, there must be one, just perhaps hidden deeper.

Shangguan Feng endured the pressure and persisted for another half an hour.

Seeing the sun about to set, he immediately said:

"Fu Clan Leader, let’s go up. I know you tried your best."

Fu Changsheng was unwilling!

Wanting to say wait a bit longer.

At this moment.

He suddenly felt like someone appeared beside him, but it was Shangguan Hui who had become impatient and came down to urge:

"Elder Feng, if we don’t go up now, the time to attack the Celestial Dragon Tribe will be postponed again. I know you’re sentimental, but you can’t trust just any Tom, Dick, or Harry."

Shangguan Feng frowned.

He ignored Shangguan Hui and patted Fu Changsheng’s shoulder.

The Shangguan Family was not run by Shangguan Feng, Fu Changsheng lamented and immediately ordered the Little Cyan Snake: "Xiaoqing, call them back."

The thought just crossed his mind.

Little Cyan Snake conveyed an excited emotion.

Then with a flash of cyan light.

It was the first to plunge into the moat below.

A thrilled Fu Changsheng’s eyes brightened, he said to Shangguan Feng:

"Elder Feng, the Dark River has been found!"

Is there really a Dark River?!

Shangguan Feng paused for a moment and then smiled, turned to the dazed Shangguan Hui and said: "Elder Hui, please go up and inform the Clan Leader that the Dark River has been found."

Shangguan Hui never expected that Fu Changsheng’s solution would indeed succeed. He bit down hard on his teeth, flicked his sleeves, and turned to return to the Treasure Ship.

The warship descended.

The sun had just set at this time, and the sky darkened.

The Shangguan Clan Leader was satisfied with having found a way to enter the Inner City, and addressed Fu Changsheng publicly:

"Fu Clan Leader, remember your ten Merit Points, after the battle ends, it will be recorded in your Fu Family’s Merit Record along with your performance."

Everyone abandoned the Treasure Ship.

One after another, they silently entered the river.

Fu Changsheng took the lead, guided by the Little Cyan Snake, constantly changing directions in the river, finally entering a water cavern, the seemingly ordinary stone wall was actually a Blinding Technique, penetrable upon touch.

They swam for about half an hour.

Suddenly.

Water splashed.

Fu Changsheng broke out of the water.

He found himself in an underground Dark River.

Following closely was Shangguan Feng, Shangguan Feng’s ear twitched, and he swiftly formed hand seals, a Sound Insulation Light Shield appeared above the water pool, concealing the sound of everyone breaking out of the water.

Shangguan Feng pointed upward and transmitted:

"There are people above!"

The Dark River indeed connected to the Inner City.

Once everyone went ashore.

The twelve Foundation Establishment transmitted their discussion for a while.

Finally.

Shangguan Feng said to Fu Changsheng:

"In a while, the twelve of us Foundation Establishment will first head to the central hub of the Defense Array and seize control of the City Defense Array, completely sealing the Inner and Outer City, then systematically eliminate the Celestial Dragon Tribe’s seven Foundation Establishment. Changsheng, you and Hongyu stay here for now, once we’ve slain the Celestial Dragon Tribe’s Foundation Establishment, we’ll notify you immediately, then you can come out to help clean up the remnants of the Celestial Dragon Tribe. Do you understand?"

Fu Changsheng quickly nodded.

Only now did he know the Celestial Dragon Tribe had seven Foundation Establishments.

After the twelve people went up, Fu Changsheng’s mind flashed over the places marked by intelligence as the Celestial Dragon Tribe’s real treasure vaults, but the intelligence showed that these places are relatively hidden, the Foundation Establishment cultivators likely won’t discover them.

However.

Before going up.

He had to figure out where the Chanting Flower Tower housing the Spirit Gathering Tree was.

The Ancestral Temple in the Outer City containing demon beast materials shouldn’t be hard to find.

The clan did not have Sound Transmission Technique, so he could only touch Shangguan Hongyu’s sleeve, silently saying: "Miss Hongyu, do you have the layout of the Celestial Dragon Tribe’s Inner and Outer City?"

Others might not have it.

But as the only daughter of one of the Shangguan Family’s top three masters, Shangguan Hongyu naturally did, she fiddled in her sleeve for a moment, then handed Fu Changsheng a sketch.

It encompassed all the buildings of the Inner and Outer City and marked their names.

Fu Changsheng was overjoyed.

He quickly glanced over and found that the Chanting Flower Tower was indeed on the outer area of the Inner City’s west side, far from the three major halls of the Inner City, once they go up, everyone would head towards the treasure-laden halls, unlikely to notice this Chanting Flower Tower, much less the Outer City’s mortal residential areas.

Fu Changsheng silently memorized the routes to the Chanting Flower Tower and the Outer City’s Ancestral Temple.