Zhang Yang and his group followed Er Dan deeper into the extreme west.
After a while.
The group arrived at the foot of a massive snow mountain!
This snow mountain blended seamlessly with the entire sky. Zhang Yang and the others hadn't noticed it until they reached its base.
"This extreme west is truly peculiar. We didn't spot this snow mountain from afar," Zhang Yang remarked with a sigh.
"Let's go. My eldest sister is waiting for you on the mountain," Er Dan scratched his head and said with a smile.
He then led Zhang Yang and his group up to the summit.
Upon reaching the peak.
Zhang Yang discovered a large area of ice houses.
These ice houses were arranged in an orderly fashion, with a grand altar in the center.
At this moment.
Lü Luo stood by the altar.
Her once dark hair had turned white at some point.
"You've arrived."
Lü Luo sensed Zhang Yang's presence and turned to greet him with a smile.
"Lü Luo, what happened to your hair?" Zhang Yang asked suspiciously.
"It's nothing. After those apes brought us here, I learned some things and gained some abilities, and then I became like this," Lü Luo replied with a smile.
After speaking.
Lü Luo bowed deeply to Zhu Zhi, who stood beside Zhang Yang.
Without Zhu Zhi, they would still be trapped in Happy Valley.
"Apes?" Zhang Yang was taken aback.
He suddenly considered a possibility: were the people Er Dan brought to rescue them today actually transformed apes?
"Have those apes all turned into humans? Have your curses been lifted?" Zhang Yang inquired.
Lü Luo nodded and then said.
"Yes, after coming here, the apes' curses were lifted, and they naturally returned to human form."
Upon hearing this.
Zhang Yang was filled with astonishment and immense curiosity about Lü Luo and the others' origins!
"Are you considered the indigenous people of this place?"
"That's right, we are the indigenous people of the extreme west. The reason we ended up in Happy Valley was that over a thousand years ago, King Mo brought people here. He massacred us brutally and placed a curse upon us, causing us all to transform into apes."
"Fearing that we might break the curse and seek revenge, he imprisoned us in Happy Valley."
Lü Luo answered.
These were things she had learned from the literature left behind when she arrived here.
This!
It was simply unbelievable.
Zhang Yang was deeply shocked.
If that were the case, weren't Lü Luo and these apes over a thousand years old?
"Are you very curious about our lifespan?" Lü Luo asked.
"Yes. Not just our lifespan, but your strength also surprises me," Zhang Yang replied truthfully.
"Heh heh, in fact, we are merely the tomb keepers of a god. These powers are bestowed by the god. Once we leave this place, we will instantly turn into dust," Lü Luo responded.
Her smile held a hint of sadness. They had gained what others lacked, but they had to pay the price of losing what others possessed.
"Tomb keepers of a god?" Zhang Yang was startled.
He couldn't help but recall the three-headed bird in the Endless Abyss. At that time, the three-headed bird had also said that the heart belonged to a god!
Could it be that gods truly existed in this world?
Instantly.
Zhang Yang pressed further.
"What is the origin of this god?"
"I'm not sure. The literature doesn't provide explicit details," Lü Luo replied.
"Zhang Yang, I asked Er Dan to call you here because I wanted to borrow something from you. Are you willing?"
"Borrow something? What do you want to borrow?" Zhang Yang asked.
"The Realm God Stele you have in your hand!" Lü Luo said.
Realm God Stele?
Zhang Yang was confused. What was that?
He didn't have anything like that.
Wait!
He remembered the stone tablet he had been using recently and took it out.
"Are you referring to this?" Zhang Yang asked.
"Yes, this is it. After coming here, I learned that the stone tablet in your hand is the Realm God Stele. It's something left behind by the god,"
"In fact, the curse on us hasn't been completely lifted. To thoroughly break the curse, we must use the Realm God Stele to open the altar and enter the god's tomb to find the pure land, only then can the curse be lifted."
Lü Luo stated truthfully.
"Zhang Yang, although the Realm God Stele was once ours, after so long and winding its way into your hands, I won't forcefully take it back. Will you lend it to me when I'm done?"
This…
Zhang Yang hesitated.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to lend them the Realm God Stele, but he thought of something else.
"Is the god's tomb you're talking about entered through a large fiery pit?" Zhang Yang asked.
"Fiery pit? No," Lü Luo shook her head and then said.
"The god's tomb is completely dark. There is no fiery pit there. Darkness is the primary source of light!"
Upon hearing this.
Let alone Zhang Yang, even Zhu Zhi, Zhang Yingxiong, and the others were stunned.
This place was very familiar to them.
They had just escaped from there!
"Is there a large bird with three heads there?" Zhang Yang asked.
"A three-headed bird? No. In the god's tomb, there's only a large mountain and a dragon vein buried with it. Nothing else!" Lü Luo replied.
This!
It aligned again, though not completely!
Zhang Yang instantly understood!
The place they entered was indeed the god's tomb.
As for the path through the fiery pit, it was very likely carved out by King Mo himself.
The true entrance to the god's tomb should be on this altar!
And that three-headed bird was likely not from within the god's tomb, but left behind by King Mo!
Thinking of this.
Zhang Yang suddenly had a guess.
The black heart in the cave was probably not from the god's tomb either!
It was highly likely that this heart belonged to King Mo!
With this thought.
Zhang Yang quickly said.
"I can lend you the Realm God Stele, but can I enter the god's tomb with you?"
"Enter together? That might not be possible," Lü Luo shook her head and then explained.
"Only we tomb keepers can enter this altar. Others cannot, not even Er Dan."
There was such a restriction?
Zhang Yang's heart sank.
Actually, he wanted to go in with Lü Luo and the others to save the giant python.
If he couldn't go in now, then…
Subsequently, Zhang Yang handed the Realm God Stele in his hand to Lü Luo and said.
"The Realm God Stele originally belonged to you. It's now returned to its rightful owner. However, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with."
Lü Luo was very pleased to see Zhang Yang's generosity.
"Zhang Yang, please tell me what you need. As long as I can do it."
"When you enter the god's tomb, if you see a giant python, please help bring it out. It's my pet," Zhang Yang said.
A giant python?
Lü Luo agreed without hesitation.
"Certainly. The altar only restricts humans, not animals. If I encounter it, I will definitely bring back the giant python you mentioned."
Zhang Yang felt a sense of relief upon hearing this.
"Alright. I'll entrust it to you then."
"No problem. However, our journey into the god's tomb might take a long time, at least a year."
So long?
Zhang Yang frowned.
King Mo's curse was so potent!
It would take a year in the god's tomb to lift it!
It seemed he could only come back to pick up the giant python a year later.
"Alright, then we'll see each other in a year."
"Mm!"
…
After both sides confirmed the time.
Zhang Yang and his group descended the mountain and left.
Now that the successor of King Mo had disappeared, their reason for staying in the extreme west was gone.
Therefore, the group prepared to leave the extreme west.
…
Three days later.
Zhang Yang and his group reached the coast of the extreme west.
They had entered the extreme west from here some time ago.
The group looked out at the vast ocean, feeling troubled.
How would they leave?
Suddenly.
They spotted a large ship approaching from a distance, and their spirits lifted.
As the ship drew closer, Zhu Zhi exclaimed excitedly.
"Is that a ship from Central Island?"
Soon.
The ship approached them from afar.
When Zhu Zhi and the others saw Zhu Tai standing on the deck, along with the experts from Central Island, they were deeply moved.
It seemed that after Hong Tao and the others returned to Central Island, they had regrouped and sent people to rescue them.
On the deck.
The people from Central Island also spotted Zhu Zhi and his group on the shore, and they excitedly jumped off the ship!
"Haha, Great Elder! It's wonderful that you're safe!"
"Yes, Zhang Yang, you're alive too, that's fantastic! Our trip was definitely not in vain!"
…
Those who had been to Central Island immediately surrounded Zhang Yang and Zhu Zhi, expressing their inner excitement.
"Heh heh, this time we have to thank Zhang Yang. Otherwise, this old bone of mine would probably have been buried here."
Zhu Zhi chuckled and recounted how Zhang Yang had risked danger to save him.
Upon hearing this, everyone became even more grateful to Zhang Yang!
They completely forgot about Zhang Yang's past deception and his infiltration of Central Island.
"Zhang Yang, thank you so much. Otherwise, the Great Elder would have been finished this time!"
"We, the descendants of King Ming, will forever be grateful for your kindness. We will never involve you in the matters between us and the current Emperor."
"…"
Clearly.
Zhang Yang had earned the friendship of the entire lineage of King Ming.
At this moment.
The members of Central Island also noticed the five people, Zhang Yingxiong and his companions.
Although over twenty years had passed, Zhu Tai and Hong Tao still remembered them!
"The five ministers of the Five Dragons of Huaxia! What are you doing here!" Hu Han Tian's expression changed.
Then, with a wave of his hand, he said gravely, "Prepare for battle!"
Instantly, these people assumed combat stances.
Zhu Zhi quickly stepped in front of them, shouting.
"Don't get agitated. I can see you alive today, and the five ministers of the Five Dragons of Huaxia have made no small contribution."
With Zhu Zhi's words.
Everyone stopped, but they still harbored resentment towards Zhang Yingxiong and the others.
In the past, the current Emperor had launched several campaigns against the descendants of King Ming. The one led by the Five Dragons of Huaxia had caused them the most casualties.
"You should thank your Great Elder, otherwise you might be dead by now," Zhang Yingxiong said dismissively.
Afterward.
He and the other four ministers all released their cultivation realms!
Boom!
A vast pressure descended, making the experts of King Ming's lineage tremble!
Yuan Fu realm!
This pressure was so strong!
They had clearly broken through!
Fortunately, Zhang Yingxiong did not intentionally make things difficult for them. After teaching them a small lesson, he retracted his cultivation!
Zhu Zhi shook his head and smiled wryly from the side.
Not only did they fail to seize the Green King Wood from the extreme west this time, but they had also inadvertently incurred a debt of gratitude to the Five Dragons of Huaxia and Zhang Yang.
He no longer knew how to handle the relationships between the various parties.
"Let's go, we should get on the ship," Zhu Zhi said.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang immediately boarded the ship with Zhang Yingxiong and the others.
…
Inside the ship's cabin, Zhang Yingxiong spoke proactively.
"Great Elder, you don't need to worry. After leaving the extreme west, we will no longer serve the Emperor. You can resolve your own matters. From now on, we will not be weapons in anyone's hands."
After Zhang Yingxiong finished speaking, the other four ministers nodded in agreement.
This!
Zhang Yang and Zhu Zhi were both startled.
What was going on?
"Could it be that you also see the current Emperor's ill intentions?" Zhu Zhi suddenly said something out of the blue.
Zhang Yingxiong and the others nodded repeatedly, sighing.
"We do, and it's disheartening… alas."
Zhu Zhi could empathize. He understood the feelings of Zhang Yingxiong and the others the best.
Because the former King Ming had suffered losses at the hands of the current Emperor, which led to the current Emperor seizing his kingdom!
"This is good news for us. Heh heh, at least if we counterattack in the future, we will have five fewer powerful obstacles." Zhu Zhi laughed.
"Do we still need to hide it? There's no need for that anymore. Even if the five of us make a move, we might not be able to defeat you." Zhang Yingxiong shrugged.
Regarding this.
Zhu Zhi smiled without speaking.
Zhang Yingxiong and the others rolled their eyes.
When they attacked Central Island back then, they almost didn't make it back.
Zhang Yingxiong and the others had experienced it once, and they didn't want to experience it a second time.
Zhang Yang, who was listening from the side, was completely bewildered.
However, he also took this opportunity to ask a question that had been on his mind but he never had the chance to ask.
"Great Elder, there's something I've always been curious about. Why does the current Emperor have such an ambiguous attitude towards you?"
"If he doesn't want you to exist, he doesn't kill you outright. If he won't let you go, it seems like he's letting you go. He doesn't dare to completely destroy you, he only spreads rumors about your wicked deeds everywhere?"
After Zhang Yang finished speaking.
Zhu Zhi immediately smiled.
"Because the current Emperor is afraid. He's afraid that if he pushes us too hard, he wouldn't dare to drive us to a dead end."
"As for you saying he spreads rumors about our wicked deeds everywhere, that's to destroy our reputation. That way, if we ever return to fight, he won't have to worry about other forces joining us."
This…
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang understood immediately!
"Do you have something in your possession that the current Emperor fears?"
"Mm," Zhu Zhi nodded and said no more.
Zhang Yang, being tactful, didn't press further, as this was the true secret of King Ming's descendants.
It wouldn't be appropriate for him to inquire too much.
Subsequently, he looked at Zhang Yingxiong and the others and asked, "Why are you disheartened by the current Emperor?"
"Heh heh, isn't it obvious? To put it bluntly, the five of us have achieved too much credit, leading to the Emperor's jealousy. Although the downfall of the Five Dragons of Huaxia was the doing of King Mo's successor."
"However, the real mastermind behind it was the current Emperor. He didn't dare to let the Five Dragons of Huaxia continue to develop. He feared we would seize his empire, so he gave King Mo's successor every advantage to attack us."
"Then the Emperor pretended to be kind and told us to find the stronghold of King Mo's successor, luring us to the extreme west."
"The current Emperor's original intention was to use King Mo's successor to kill us. Who would have thought that we would still be alive today."
Zhang Yingxiong and the others looked dejected.
In fact, they were not entirely sure about these matters at first.
But after Zhang Yang arrived, and after hearing about the current predicament of the Five Dragons of Huaxia, they had all understood!
Therefore, after this incident, they would no longer do anything for the current Emperor!
The current Five Dragons of Huaxia belonged only to the Five Dragons of Huaxia!
They had nothing to do with the current Emperor!
At this moment.
Zhang Yang finally understood everything!
So there was such a hidden story!
Truly, serving a ruler was like accompanying a tiger!
"If that's the case, should I resign as the King of Jiangnan?" Zhang Yang asked.