"Forty-eight million?!" Sun Miaomiao and the other two couldn't help looking at Xiahou Aotian, who was weeping profusely, and suddenly understood his sorrow.
Although Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang were second-generation spirit scions with access to tremendous resources in the Taiyi Sect, and materials worth forty-eight million were nothing extraordinary to them, when it came to hard cash, neither could produce that much.
After all, most Transcendent-stage items wouldn't exceed ten million.
Forty-eight million could buy two ordinary-quality Saint-tier items—though in a market where demand far outstripped supply, having the money didn't guarantee one could actually buy them.
Still, to throw away forty-eight million so casually was an extravagance beyond even their reach.
"That's enough. Save the rest of the cannon rounds; we'll need them later." Zhang Yuanqing stopped Xiahou Aotian from firing any further.
By now, fewer than thirty terracotta soldiers remained. Like desperate, lone warriors, they charged fearlessly toward the group.
Behind them lay a chaotic mess of shattered clay and crushed sand littering the ground.
Leaving Commandery Princess Yinyao behind to protect Xiahou Aotian, Zhang Yuanqing led World Returns to Fire, Sun Miaomiao, and Zhao Chenghuang forward to meet the terracotta soldiers, easily wiping out the remnants of the army.
"So strong. These terracotta soldiers' strength and speed are at Level 4." Sun Miaomiao held a combat spike in one hand and a large-caliber pistol in the other.
This was a standard Starlord equipment combination: using the pistol with Star Escape for kiting and positioning, and using the combat spike with Night Roaming for ambush strikes.
World Returns to Fire and Zhao Chenghuang turned their gazes toward Yuanshi Tianzun's Drum-Beating Purple Gold Hammer.
"What kind of item is that?" World Returns to Fire asked.
This dainty pumpkin mallet shattered the bodies of the terracotta soldiers as effortlessly as snapping dry twigs, whereas shattering one required considerable effort from the rest of them, even with their items.
"A top-grade item specialized in breaking armor," Zhang Yuanqing explained offhandedly.
Leaving Commandery Princess Yinyao and the cannon behind, Xiahou Aotian hurried over, crouched beside a half-broken terracotta soldier, and inspected it:
"These materials should belong to the Earth Monster class, which is why the terracotta soldiers possess immense strength. I watched for quite a while just now and found that they haven't been implanted with souls. What's the core driving them to fight?
"There must be a main unit controlling these terracotta soldiers. If I can master this technology, I'll be able to manufacture an army of them in the future and conquer the world."
However, no one cared about academic questions.
"So the First Emperor forged these terracotta warriors so he could conquer the world once more after resurrecting?" Zhang Yuanqing, an avid lover of history, asked excitedly.
"Obviously not," World Returns to Fire replied. "Is it possible that the First Emperor relied on these very terracotta soldiers to conquer the Six Kingdoms?"
Xiahou Aotian nodded vigorously. "Right, right, right! That's far more logical. Yuanshi Tianzun is an idiot."
Beside them, Zhao Chenghuang said aloofly, "Don't waste time."
Right away, the group left behind the shattered terracotta soldiers strewn across the ground, headed toward the white marble terrace, and halted before the steps.
"Let me repeat," Zhang Yuanqing said in rapid speech. "The terracotta soldiers on the steps possess greater strength and speed than us. Their weapons and military crossbows are items, and their bodies will reassemble even if shattered. Their weakness is that they don't possess skills. In addition, there's a bug with them: they only guard their designated zones. In other words, the terracotta soldiers in the second row won't step down to assist the first row; at most, they'll fire their crossbows in support."
The team members nodded solemnly and systematically retrieved defensive items to put on. Zhao Chenghuang took out the Puppet Storage Box, and the heavy, half-person-tall bronze box clattered heavily onto the ground.
The Puppet Storage Box was precisely the ultimate weapon against the terracotta soldiers.
This item was a replica of the Dominator-tier item "Puppet Storage Box." Its materials were genuine Saint quality, but it lacked the core Puppeteer trait, so its primary function was "containment."
During the previous arena tournament, Zhao Chenghuang had cleverly made use of his spirit servants' characteristics to mimic a Puppeteer's puppet control.
However, the Puppet Storage Box was a replica after all. The accompanying "containment" ability was limited to puppets already bound to the box. Meanwhile, the terracotta soldiers on the steps were formidable and possessed self-awareness.
They certainly wouldn't obediently hop into the bowl.
Therefore, they needed to be broken apart manually before being stuffed inside.
"Miaomiao, pull aggro!" Zhang Yuanqing shouted.
Sun Miaomiao took a wide stance, raised her pistol, and fired twice with a bang-bang. The bullets, engraved with spirit-shattering incantations, struck the two nearest terracotta soldiers with pinpoint accuracy, erupting into pale gold flames and tiny flecks of black sand.
Before the scattered black sand could hit the ground, it was drawn back to the soldiers' foreheads like iron shavings to a magnet.
"They really do heal! What kind of material is this?!" Xiahou Aotian exclaimed in amazement and excitement.
The terracotta soldier on the left slowly turned its head toward the attackers, projecting a voice that only Night Walkers could hear:
"Those who trespass into the First Emperor's bedchamber shall die!"
With that, both terracotta soldiers leaped into the air from left and right, launching a leaping downward slash at Sun Miaomiao.
World Returns to Fire raised his palm, where flames roared to life and condensed into a fireball. Pulling back his right arm and stepping forward with his left leg, he hurled the fireball with fierce force, striking the terracotta soldier on the left dead center in the chest.
With a loud boom, the terracotta soldier was blasted backward. Amid the raging shockwave and glare of fire, World Returns to Fire's figure materialized.
Fire Traveling!
Anger burned in his eyes as his muscles swelled. His crimson fists blazed with scorching flames as he slammed them heavily into the soldier's chest.
Instantly, flames flashed and stone chips flew. The terracotta soldier stumbled back repeatedly, its black-clay chest glowing dark red and radiating intense heat.
Just as the enraged World Returns to Fire was about to press his advantage, the terracotta soldier forcefully steadied its footing and swung its bronze sword toward his neck.
Before the Fire Demon's combo could even begin, it was forcefully interrupted by the enemy's superior strength.
World Returns to Fire frowned. This meant his greatest forte—close-quarters combat—could not secure an overwhelming advantage.
The bronze sword produced a shrill shriek as it sliced through the air.
World Returns to Fire ducked beneath the blade, allowing the edge to skim over his scalp. Just as he was about to drive his knee toward the soldier's chest, he suddenly saw that the soldier's other hand had unslung a military crossbow at some point and aimed it straight at him.
Thwack!
The bowstring snapped shrilly.
The bolt shot forth like lightning. A yellow light flashed before World Returns to Fire, instantly shattered, and the crossbow bolt drove into his chest.
His heart sank.
Yuanshi Tianzun had mentioned that the terracotta soldiers on the steps were well equipped and their military crossbows possessed tremendous power, but he had never expected a Saint-tier defensive item to fail against a single bolt.
Although his defensive item was merely ordinary quality due to financial constraints, it was still Saint-tier, after all!
The shrill screech sounded once more, and the sharp bronze sword was reflected in World Returns to Fire's pupils.
Right then, a hand clamped onto his shoulder and yanked him backward with tremendous force.
The sword tip swept past World Returns to Fire's throat, missing by a hair.
World Returns to Fire staggered to a steady stance and glanced to the side. The one who had saved him was that incomparably gorgeous female yin corpse.
Commandery Princess Yinyao let go, strode forward with sharp footsteps, and unleashed a crisp, gorgeous high kick, driving her heel violently into the terracotta soldier's chin.
With a resounding crack, half of the soldier's face shattered into black sand, splashing everywhere.
Seizing the opportunity, World Returns to Fire let out a low roar. Every pore on his body spouted flames, and his short hair was bathed in crimson fire, each strand distinct.
Rager!
This time, he was truly enraged.
A flash of fire erupted, and World Returns to Fire slammed headlong into the terracotta soldier. With a loud crash, the hardened clay body shattered into pieces.
As soon as the fragmented remains hit the ground, they began to vibrate violently.
Seeing this, World Returns to Fire kicked one severed leg toward the yin corpse, scooped up half of the torso himself, and sprinted toward Zhao Chenghuang, roaring:
"Open the box!"
At that moment, Zhao Chenghuang, Sun Miaomiao, and Yuanshi Tianzun had just finished dispatching the other terracotta soldier and stuffed it into the half-person-tall bronze box.
Seeing World Returns to Fire and Commandery Princess Yinyao rushing over holding fragments of the body, pursued by a locust swarm of shattered sand and clay, Zhang Yuanqing summoned the Gale Gloves and thrust both palms forward.
Whoosh!
A tempest rose abruptly, scattering the black sand.
Sun Miaomiao took precise aim with her pistol and picked off the larger clay chunks, shattering them all.
Zhao Chenghuang kicked open the lid of the bronze box, and once Commandery Princess Yinyao and World Returns to Fire crammed the half-body of the terracotta soldier inside, he hurriedly snapped it shut.
Those clouds of black sand and clay seemed to lose their target. After hesitating blankly for a few seconds, they vibrated again and quickly coalesced into an incomplete terracotta soldier with only one arm and one leg.
Its head rested lopsidedly on its sole remaining left shoulder as it radiated an indignant mental tremor: "Return my body! Return my body!"
It hopped forward on its single leg.
If you're missing a leg, stop hopping around... Zhang Yuanqing hoisted it up and was about to shove it into the storage box when Xiahou Aotian called out:
"Wait... Hold on to it for a moment, let me examine it."
As he spoke, terrified that Yuanshi Tianzun would refuse, Xiahou Aotian whipped out an item dagger and gouged a thumbnail-sized piece of black clay from the terracotta soldier's hardened body.
The small piece of black clay vibrated furiously between Xiahou Aotian's fingertips, yet could not break free.
Putting away the dagger, Xiahou Aotian produced a monocle, put it on, and closely scrutinized the black clay, explaining, "These glasses help me analyze its composition..."
Hearing this, the group, which had begun to grow impatient, waited with forbearance.
A dozen seconds later, Xiahou Aotian inhaled sharply.
Sun Miaomiao asked hurriedly, "Did you figure out what it is?"
"Nope."
"?"
Then why the hell did you gasp like that? Sun Miaomiao grumbled internally.
Xiahou Aotian loosened his fingers, allowing the small clump of clay to return, and said in a grave voice:
"The material is characterized by durability and magnetism, while also possessing formidable vitality, allowing it to nurture souls. These terracotta soldiers will never be destroyed, no matter how many times they are smashed to pieces.
"Unless an Artifact Refiner melts them down... Well, my preliminary suspicion is that this is the legendary Living Soil."
"Living Soil?!" Zhao Chenghuang was startled. "The supreme material in the legends of the Earth Monster class?"
Xiahou Aotian nodded. "I suspect that when crafting these terracotta warriors, a small amount of Living Soil was blended in—well, a very, very small amount. Using Living Soil to forge terracotta soldiers is an absolute waste of heavenly treasures. The First Emperor was truly a spendthrift."
We're rich!
The thought crossed everyone's mind simultaneously. Their gazes toward the numerous terracotta soldiers upon the steps filled with burning heat and greed.
"Do any of you have healing items?" World Returns to Fire pulled out the crossbow bolt, clutched his bleeding chest, and frowned. "I only have a Transcendent-quality Wood Demon item, which can't instantly mend my wounds. This will affect my combat condition."
Zhang Yuanqing promptly drew the Mountain God Scepter and pressed the emerald gemstone at its tip against World Returns to Fire's chest.
A flash of gentle green light shone. The arrow wound on World Returns to Fire's left chest stopped bleeding and rapidly closed.
"Thanks!" He nodded at Zhang Yuanqing.
Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to reply, he heard Sun Miaomiao say beside him in an odd tone:
"Yuanshi Tianzun, you... you're so perverted! Eww~"
Everyone first looked at Sun Miaomiao, then followed her gaze down to Yuanshi Tianzun's lower half.
The tent pitched there was jaw-droppingly prominent.
"This is just the item's drawback! It doesn't mean I have feelings for World Returns to Fire—don't falsely accuse me!" Zhang Yuanqing put away the Mountain God Scepter and said, "Wait, you seem to pay an awful lot of attention to me. Did you look into the Magic Mirror's prophecy and decide you want to have my babies?"
"Get lost, get lost~!" Sun Miaomiao spat back.
Over the next while, the five people and one corpse repeated the same tactic, capturing the terracotta soldiers one by one into the bronze box.
By the time the group ascended to the memorial archway, Zhao Chenghuang was glowing with delight, because Yuanshi Tianzun and the others had agreed that all the terracotta soldiers in the bronze box would belong to him.
It was equivalent to dividing the spoils in advance.
If the haul within the Palace of Longevity turned out to be meager, Zhao Chenghuang would need to compensate the others; if the rewards were substantial, he would simply take fewer items.
For Zhao Chenghuang, as long as he refined these terracotta soldiers into puppets, he could use them all the way up to Level 6, and his strength would skyrocket.
For Zhang Yuanqing and the rest, without the storage box and specialized spirit servants, the terracotta soldiers held little value. Rather than selling them for cash, it was better to do Zhao Chenghuang a favor.
Zhang Yuanqing checked the time. From entering the subterranean palace until now, thirteen minutes had passed.
They had advanced very quickly.
This was something he could never have achieved alone.
Having teammates really makes everything smoother. If I were on my own, clearing this would never be so easy... He looked up at the bronze mirror hanging near the crystal plaque on the archway:
"This mirror is also an item with a very unique function: it can expose Night Roaming. I suggest we leave it untouched for now and collect it after clearing out the dangers here, just to avoid triggering any unexpected accidents."
In an unknown, high-difficulty realm, doing less meant risking less.
His proposal met with unanimous agreement from the group. That was the beauty of reliable teammates: no internal fighting over riches, and no pointless dissent when opinions differed.
Ascending the white marble terrace, the group beheld a magnificent, towering palace.
It was a standalone bedchamber palace, with a foundation roughly two meters high and a main hall six meters tall, tiled with gold glazed ceramics and constructed predominantly of bronze and wood.
At the entrance of the bedchamber stood two three-meter-tall bronze warriors clad in laminar plate armor. One held a bronze sword, and the other wielded a spear.
Xiahou Aotian prattled on, spouting phrases like "upturned eaves soaring like birds' beaks, intricately interlocking architectural wonders," explaining the architectural nuances of the Qin dynasty to his teammates.
However, no one paid him any attention; all eyes were fixed on the two "gate-guarding deities."
Xiahou Aotian had no choice but to conclude his lecture and remarked, "Defeating these two warriors should clear this hidden realm. A bedchamber was the First Emperor's private residence, and Qin laws were strict—there's no way guards would be stationed inside the hall.
"Do you think the First Emperor's corpse might be inside?"
"Shut up!" Zhang Yuanqing said coldly. "Stop raising death flags!"
He immediately opened his Star Eyes and examined his teammates' physiognomy.
Sun Miaomiao, Commandery Princess Yinyao, and World Returns to Fire were overshadowed by dark clouds tinged with bloody omens, which meant injuries were inevitable, and their lives might even be in danger. Xiahou Aotian had dark clouds hanging over him, but no bloody light—which made sense, as a weakling Fangshi, he wouldn't need to charge the frontlines... But when Zhang Yuanqing turned his gaze toward Zhao Chenghuang, his pupils shrank.
Zhao Chenghuang's physiognomy was radiating a towering pillar of bloody light—a death calamity!
"Ah! Zhao Chenghuang, you're going to die!" Sun Miaomiao shrieked.
She was also using Star Physiognomy to observe her teammates' faces.
At that moment, the two giant bronze warriors standing outside the hall stiffly swiveled their heads.
The warrior on the left holding the bronze sword projected a mental pulse:
"Those who trespass into the First Emperor's bedchamber shall be slain without mercy!"
The last three words exploded like thunder claps. Everyone's ears buzzed violently, and their pupils dilated in dazed confusion.
Intimidation? A Swordsman's Intimidation... A few seconds later, Zhang Yuanqing, having practiced the Pure Yang Body Cleansing Record, was the first to regain his senses. In his vision, the towering silhouette of the giant warrior emerged.
He saw it had already lunged right before Zhao Chenghuang, slashing down with brutal finality.
Slash!
Zhao Chenghuang's body was sliced cleanly in two, his steaming internal organs tumbling onto the ground.
Chapter 431