CHAPTER 480: CHAPTER 480 THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

Guang Xiaoyu also realized she had lost her composure and quickly stepped back a few paces to adjust her appearance.

Chen Pingping stood up, glanced into the depths of the Ancient Battlefield, and felt a multitude of emotions stirring within him.

It seems the path my Master wishes to take, the things he wants to do, are all quite terrifying!

With my current strength, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help him. I still need to improve...

Not only that, the strength of the Wuji Sect must also be enhanced.

However, the most urgent task is to forge a Heaven Tao Divine Weapon.

After pondering for a while, he said, "He Yitian, what do you think? If the body of a Great Emperor were to be fused into the raw materials for a Heaven Tao Divine Weapon, could we then forge one?"

Several people: "???"

He Yitian looked at him as if seeing a ghost, asking, "Have you lost your mind?"

Fusing an Emperor’s Body into raw materials?

He was certain that throughout the long eons of cultivation, no one had ever dared to even conceive of such a thing. That’s an Emperor’s Body, after all! Even when Great Emperors fell, their physical forms remained undying and indestructible; their aura and blood qi would persist eternally. Even Quasi-Emperors could only barely approach, or perhaps touch, such a body. To think of utilizing an Emperor’s Body was to court a fate with nine chances of death and only a slim possibility of survival. Furthermore, they weren’t even Quasi-Emperors; they were worlds away from that realm. As for true Emperor Realm experts, they naturally wouldn’t stoop to using another’s body, as they possessed the ability to forge their own Heaven Tao Divine Weapons.

"Uh!"

Chen Pingping gave an embarrassed laugh. "I was just joking. Look how tense you’ve gotten."

He Yitian said seriously, "That joke is not the least bit funny."

Not funny? Chen Pingping thought otherwise. I’ve even brought out an Emperor’s Body, and I possess Heavenly Fire. Forging a Heaven Tao Divine Weapon—how could that possibly be a joke?

Obviously, it wasn’t.

But his idea was too terrifying.

Never mind He Yitian; even Guang Xiaoyu thought her senior brother had lost his mind.

At this moment, her determination to enter the Western Wilderness strengthened even more.

Setting aside Cultivating Demon, on that Scorched Earth expanse of the Western Wilderness lay her Heaven Tao Divine Weapon. If she could retrieve it, it would be a significant addition to the Wuji Sect’s foundations.

She was secretly planning.

"Let’s go, let’s go," Chen Pingping said with a smile.

The group departed with ease.

The young geniuses trapped there were dumbfounded when they saw Chen Pingping and his companions.

Something doesn’t feel right!

Why were they struggling and fighting for their lives just to survive in the Dragon Soul Secret Realm, while Chen Pingping and his group moved about as freely as if strolling on flat ground?

"They’ve left," someone muttered.

"I know."

"What do we do now?"

"Let’s break the Array first," someone said helplessly.

They had followed Chen Pingping into the Secret Realm. While his group had ventured into its depths, these geniuses were still trapped at the entrance. Now, Chen Pingping’s party had emerged, yet they remained stuck.

On their way back, they encountered many trapped geniuses. Chen Pingping smiled and greeted them, "Keep it up! There are many Great Opportunities hidden deep in the Secret Realm. Really, I just witnessed them with my own eyes."

A genius from an Ancient Country couldn’t help but ask, "Brother Chen, could you help me out?"

Expecting Chen Pingping to refuse, the genius was surprised when he paused for a moment before stepping forward, holding the Earth Chicken and muttering what seemed like incantations with a practiced air.

In an instant, the powerful Array collapsed thunderously.

「Not far away.」

Lan Qingshui swallowed hard and whispered, "Should we also...?"

"No..." Gu Mang shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "In my life, Gu Mang is second to none. If he can break the Array, so can I."

"..."

"If I, Gu Mang, compromise today, and then compromise again another day, how could I ever secure a place on the Wind Cloud List? How could I achieve Tao Verification?" As he spoke, his conviction grew stronger, his eyes shining as if an entire world were evolving within their depths.

Jiang Ni’er glanced at him and said softly, "This person is very strong."

Chen Pingping noticed him too. Gu Mang’s Dantian was vast and tumultuous, as if an ancient god were evolving the heavens and the earth within him. Moreover, another distinct aura fluctuated around him.

Narrowing his eyes, he strode forward with a radiant smile, his teeth a brilliant white. "Young man, do you need help?"

Gu Mang replied, "No need."

"You’re injured," Chen Pingping said with enthusiasm.

"It’s just a minor wound," he stated.

"This Array is formidable. If you can’t break through in time, your life could be in danger!" Chen Pingping stared at him intently.

"It’s fine. I’ve already grasped the Array’s patterns," he said stubbornly.

Really?

Chen Pingping smiled without saying a word, found a spot, and sat down cross-legged, looking as if he intended to watch how Gu Mang would break the Array.

The few people behind him also gathered around, observing with curiosity.

For a moment, Gu Mang and Lan Qingshui became the focus of the area.

Gu Mang’s face darkened, and he cursed inwardly.

Meanwhile, Lan Qingshui’s eyes darted about, her mind clearly racing with thoughts.

The Array was strong, far more terrifying than they had imagined. They had been trapped for a full day and night. If Gu Mang had truly mastered its patterns, he would have escaped long ago and wouldn’t still be struggling here.

But this was their affair, unrelated to Chen Pingping and the others.

Bringing a few people to watch, drawing all this attention—aren’t you just trying to make a fool out of me, Gu Mang?

Irritated, Gu Mang simply stopped trying to break the Array and sat down with a thud.

"This is the God Hunting Array, an eighth-rank high-level Array. Ordinary Lords cannot break it; it requires at least the Saint Realm. However, with a few tricks, it can be easily dismantled," the Earth Chicken declared loudly.

"Oh? Is that so?" Chen Pingping asked in surprise. "Then tell me, how do you break it?"

"That’s a secret..." the Earth Chicken said with a faint smile.

Gu Mang, sitting cross-legged within the Array, had thought he was about to learn the method to break it. He hadn’t expected this old hen to suddenly start being evasive.

The Earth Chicken then added, "Of course, if you take me as your master, I might reluctantly teach you."

Chen Pingping remained silent.

Because those words were meant for Gu Mang to hear.

But Gu Mang, with his stubborn nature, was hardly one to compromise easily.

He remained expressionless.

Nearby, Lan Qingshui curiously studied the old hen. She had seen nature spirits take human form before, but never had she witnessed a common fowl achieve such a transformation.

"What are you looking at?" the Earth Chicken couldn’t help but snap.

"Are you an old hen?" she blurted out.

"..."

What the—?!

The Earth Chicken immediately leaped up, fuming with anger, ready to break the Array and kill this audacious girl.

Thankfully, Chen Pingping intervened, asking, "Which power do you belong to?"

"Ancient Country," she replied.

"May I ask your honored name, miss?" Chen Pingping inquired further.

"Lan Qingshui."

"And the person beside you is?"

"That is Gu Mang, from the royal family of the Ancient Country."

"Would you be interested in joining our Wuji Sect?" Chen Pingping asked with a smile. "The benefits are quite substantial."

"No!" she shook her head. As she spoke, she glanced at Gu Mang.

She could leave.

But Gu Mang, as a member of the Ancient Country’s royal family—how could he?

Although everyone in the Ancient Country’s royal family despised him, the royal family was, after all, still the royal family. They would never tolerate Gu Mang betraying the Ancient Country.

Chen Pingping nodded, said no more, and turned to leave.

Jiang Ni’er hastily followed. "He is..."

"I know," Chen Pingping smiled. "Go back and have them investigate this Gu Mang. If all aspects, including his character, are acceptable, then we’ll poach him."

Jiang Ni’er smiled. She had thought Chen Pingping was going to give up!

Gu Mang was no simple character. He was also a powerful alchemist, definitely worth their effort to recruit.

「Inside the Array.」

Lan Qingshui sighed softly, looking at the stubborn Gu Mang before her, unsure of what to say.