Chapter 1228: Deathtrap

A tomb.

The surface of the Tomb of Myriad Beasts is a tomb.

Gu Qing Shan’s mind quickly turned.

The Samsara had been broken into pieces; this fact has been confirmed.

My homeworld was most likely a Samsara world naturally derived from a fragment of the Huang Quan realm.

The cultivation world was most likely a fragment of the Human realm; because there exists a Path to Heaven specifically prepared for cultivators—– although it was already cut off so that it couldn’t head into heaven any longer.

Could the Tomb of Myriad Beasts be a unique fragment? Or did the Tomb of Myriad Beasts originally carry some sort of secret?

The crux of this question lies in how many of the original Animal realm fragments did the Tomb of Myriad Beasts already fuse with.

Gu Qing Shan pondered a bit.

People from the Tomb of Myriad Beasts can freely appear on the battlefield against the Abyss without being bothered by the Wraith realm.

——if that’s the case, the Tomb of Myriad Beasts shouldn’t have fused fewer fragments compared to the Wraith realm.

That remains to be seen.

“Very well, Li San, you may ask me the second question” Zhao Qiong smiled and replied.

Gu Qing Shan looked at her.

Earlier, she stood completely by herself, other than young master Zhang, none of the others dared to approach her either.

After all, her background was too considerable, and she had a ‘don’t get close to me’ expression on her face.

Who would’ve thought she would display such a nice attitude towards me?

Are people who can attract the Apocalypse really that important?

Gu Qing Shan regained his senses and asked: “Senior Zhao, why does your School of Shan Hai want people like me?”

Zhao Qiong casually replied; “Because you can selectively attract the Apocalypse towards us, thus aiding us in researching, fighting, and eventually overcoming it”

Looking at the young man’s immature blank expression, she couldn’t help but stroke his hair and continue: “It can’t be helped, everyone with the ability to research among the 8 Grottos of this world are constantly researching a way to fight the Apocalypse. However, since this matter is related to an even deeper secret, you must join us and become even more powerful to gain the qualifications to learn of this secret”

Gu Qing Shan’s current appearance was that of a 15-16 years old young man, while Zhao Qiong was already over 20, so she naturally appeared much older than Gu Qing Shan.

She didn’t have an ounce of knowledge of what he had gone through.

Having his head stroked, Gu Qing Shan wasn’t comfortable, so he displayed a scowl and avoided the other party’s hand, then said: “How unthinkable, for there to be people actively attempting to fight against those outer demons”

Zhao Qiong replied: “Those from the greater Schools are all doing the same, after all, this is related to the survival of every single being in our Tomb of Myriad Beasts”

She seemed to have thought of something as her expression turned gloomy.

Seeing her expression, Gu Qing Shan understood that there must be a very clear reason.

And something related to the survival of all couldn’t be mundane.

Gu Qing Shan’s thoughts turned and lowered his voice: “Senior Zhao, if you’re willing to tell me why the greater Schools wish to study the Apocalypse, I will join the School of Shan Hai right away”

Zhao Qiong regained her senses and giggled.

“You’re quite sharp for someone so young. Seems like it wasn’t a coincidence that you managed to resolve your young master’s issues with a few words in the meeting hall earlier”

“Very well, I will tell you, but after knowing this secret, you won’t be able to back down on your words and must join us”

Gu Qing Shan replied: “You have my word”

Zhao Qiong appeared pleased, then muses a bit before answering: “This is related to the tomb on the surface, as there are numerous unimaginable entities within the tomb, most of them are already dead, but some still retain their consciousness”

“Even after death, they are still continuously using their residual souls or willpower to stop the Apocalypse”

“But sometimes, those Apocalypses would suddenly erupt, sweeping through the entire tomb, even seeping deep underground and entering our world”

“The numerous Grotto extinction events in history were never actually caused by a plague or natural disaster, it had always been from an erupting Apocalypse”

“Every capable School among the 8 Grottos of this world need to think of a way to fight against the Apocalypse, or even venture the surface at certain unique occasions in order to eliminate those Apocalypses”

“This is partially to resolve our own situation, but also partially because the entities within the tomb can grant us more power, weapons, armor, or even help us see through the truth of the world”

Gu Qing Shan seemed confused: “Have we always desired to know the truth?”

Zhao Qiong’s expression became stern and replied: “Li San, you must always keep this in mind: Secrets are the most valuable thing within the infinite worlds, while they bring forth danger, they also represent great opportunities that can help you solve everything, they are worthy for each of us to face that risk”

Hearing that, Gu Qing Shan felt a sense of admiration.

Everything that the people of the Wraith realm had done so far was to plunder and lord over others, they wished for nothing but their own benefits.

Compared to them, those from the Tomb of Myriad Beasts had already begun with the pursuit of the infinite worlds’ secrets as their ultimate goal.

With this difference in mentality alone, the Tomb of Myriad Beasts had already shown themselves to be greatly superior to the Wraith realm!

If everything was as Zhao Qiong said…

Gu Qing Shan gave her a reply: “Senior Zhao, I’m willing to join the School of Shan Hai”

Zhao Qiong brightly smiled and nodded.

“Very well, after the outside Apocalypse is destroyed, I will discuss your matter with the School of Fei Yu”

Gu Qing Shan asked: “Senior Zhao, exactly what kind of Apocalypse is that insect outside?”

Zhao Qiong replied: “I said that I was only going to answer two of your questions, but since you’ve already joined the School, I will tell you”

“——-I don’t actually know either”

Gu Qing Shan was originally focused on listening; but didn’t think that he’d get such an answer and was shocked.

Seeing his expression, Zhao Qiong couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t worry, even though I don’t know, according to the many years of experience from the 8 Grottos, none of the 179 known Wicked Ones would be able to achieve much with just a single one of them”

“Even if they aren’t part of the 179 Wicked Ones, a minimum of three of them are necessary for there to be any serious consequences”

Gu Qing Shan nodded with a thoughtful expression.

That was the same as what the old man from earlier had said.

While the two of them were talking, they noticed something.

Although a soundproof barrier had been erected, they could still observe the movements of the young men outside.

Earlier, all of them displayed a look of relief.

Zhao Qiong swung her hand to dispel the soundproof barrier.

The intense sounds of explosion from outside were already gone, the insect’s shrieking could no longer be heard as well.

——-the battle was over.

Very soon, the door of the secret room was opened as someone poked their head in.

It was the same person who brought Gu Qing Shan to the meeting hall earlier, Steward Liu.

“Alright, the monster has been defeated” Steward Liu told them.

After saying so, he stood on the side of the door for the young people to leave.

A faint white mist slowly crept in from the door, silently filling the secret room.

“The fog is thick tonight, those who haven’t cultivated be careful with your feet” Steward Liu reminded them.

The young men and women cheered, then stood up to leave one by one.

Suddenly, young master Zhang asked: “Where is my father and everyone else? They should have come to let us out”

Steward Liu respectfully said: “Young master, the enemy this time was so fierce that the Patriarch and everyone else were injured and are currently resting, that’s why I came”

Young master Zhang appeared doubtful but still headed towards the door.

Gu Qing Shan noticed something amiss.

Normally speaking, the Apocalypse should possess numerous capabilities, powerful enough to crush everything in the mortal world, yet being unimaginably eerie at the same time.

Because of that, each manor was equipped with a secret room to ensure the young people, the future hope of the clans, were well protected.

Normally, those responsible for opening the secret room must be the Patriarch or an Elder with factual authority.

And yet the one who arrived was Steward Liu.

——-this battle must have been terribly fierce.

Everyone silently thought that as they couldn’t help themselves from hurrying up, looking forward to seeing how their family members are doing.

Watching this, Gu Qing Shan pondered a bit, then whispered a question into Zhao Qiong’s ear: “Senior Zhao, how strong are you?”

Zhao Qiong replied: “I’m not well-versed in combat, but I have my trump cards, most likely I’m stronger than any single person in your city”

Gu Qing Shan silently nodded, then suddenly shouted: “Ugh, Liu Ming! Steward Liu sir, my stomach hurts, please help carry me!”

He crouched on the ground, holding onto Zhao Qiong’s wrist to seemingly stabilize himself while clutching his stomach with the other hand, his expression full of pain.

Steward Liu turned around to see him like that, so he displayed a helpless expression and sighed: “Hah, you brat, the Patriarch had already announced your induction into the clan School, why are you still acting so pathetic”

Gu Qing Shan lowered his head and narrowed his eyes.

Steward Liu’s words sounded completely normal, his tone is also consistent with his previous attitude.

At the next moment, Steward Liu started walking towards him while mumbling nonstop:

“Alright, alright, let me help you up, you little brat is about to become an expert of our clan anyways, just don’t come back and be petty with this old Liu for things in the past”

Gu Qing Shan said nothing and continued acting like he was in pain.

He wrote a single word in Zhao Qiong’s palm with his finger:

“Kill”

Zhao Qiong froze.

She had been traveling through every place in the 8 Grottos of this world, thus an experienced and wise person in every meaning of the word, capable of making swift and resolute choices, but it was still too much to ask her to suddenly act and kill an innocent person.

While she was hesitant, Gu Qing Shan quickly wrote two more words in her palm: “Trust me”

Zhao Qiong realized what was going on.

That’s right, Li San had only just finished his spirit linking, he might hold some sort of newfound power.

The object of his spirit link was a piece of scale that no one knew the background of.

Even though such things are abundant within the 8 Grottos, there are very few who manage to form a spirit link with them, and even lead to an unknown Apocalypse.

Perhaps…

Zhao Qiong appeared calm, but squeezed Gu Qing Shan’s hand tightly and replied: “You might have gotten food poisoning; but don’t worry, by the time you start cultivating, such issues won’t occur again”

Gu Qing Shan relaxed himself.

He felt at ease with those words.

——–if Zhao Qiong hesitated any longer, Gu Qing Shan would have had no choice but to act himself, then flee, or think of a way to switch identities.

After all, if Azure Dragon Origin Hex – Binding wasn’t able to bind him, that was surely not the original Steward Liu.

Most likely.

This was that insect.

In other words, other than this Steward Liu, everyone outside was most likely dead.