Chapter 1027: The Hundred-Treasure Pavilion

Chapter 1027: The Hundred-Treasure Pavilion

The illusion array’s power continued to grow stronger, yet with Ming Wei’s calculations combined with the Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s guidance, their pace was even faster than before. Qin Sang only needed to focus on handling any danger that appeared along the way.

While secretly observing him, Ming Wei was taken aback when she saw his sword wheel.

Such refined swordsmanship... Even among cultivators of the same realm, this level of mastery is rare. How could someone with such talent remain unknown in Canglang Sea?

Her bright eyes flickered as she tried to see through the mask covering his face.

It seems like I chose the right person to cooperate with...

In the end, the two of them safely emerged from the Thousand-Mountain Array. In an instant, the thick mist vanished. They found themselves standing inside a pavilion.

The layout was similar to that of the courtyard they had seen earlier, with two teleportation arrays placed to one side. The difference was that this pavilion also had an exit leading outward.

Ming Wei stepped to the door, holding onto the railing as she gazed into the distance. "This doorway should lead to the inner hall."

Qin Sang glanced around and looked outside. The view was breathtaking. Beneath the pavilion was nothing but open space, the entire structure suspended in mid-air and surrounded by radiant bands of seven-colored celestial light.

Outside the doorway stretched a long flight of stairs that passed through the glowing mist of the celestial barrier, disappearing into darkness. Standing here, one could not see what lay beyond.

Gripping the railing tightly, Ming Wei took a deep breath and whispered in her heart.

Grandmaster is waiting for me.

Only the two of them were inside the pavilion. It was unclear how many others had already advanced ahead into the next trial.

"The fourth and final trial lies ahead. The Soul-Cleansing Liquid should be there. Daoist, have you estimated how long it might take to reach the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion?" Ming Wei turned her head and asked.

The Hundred-Treasure Pavilion was the meeting point they had agreed upon. It was also where the final trial’s rewards would appear. The treasures were hidden within it, and what each person could obtain depended entirely on their judgment and skill.

Qin Sang thought for a moment before shaking his head. "You are fortunate to have a Spiritual Infant grandmaster’s guidance. I have always traveled alone. My knowledge of the trial realm is limited, mostly hearsay. In fact, I only learned of the Soul-Cleansing Liquid after arriving here. It is said the last trial is the most dangerous and covers the widest area. Unlike the previous three, it does not constantly shift, but each participant will be sent to a different location and face different challenges. I cannot say how long it will take to reach the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion."

"Other than the Life Talisman, my grandmaster can offer no more help. From here on, I can only rely on myself." Ming Wei paused, then said with a firm tone, "If you arrive too late and miss the moment when the Soul-Cleansing Liquid appears, I will not wait for you."

Qin Sang showed no displeasure. "That’s only fair. If I fail to reach the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion in time, I can only blame my lack of strength, not you. But since I’ve already helped you pass through the Thousand-Mountain Array, shouldn’t you share some information about the Soul-Cleansing Liquid?"

This was part of their oath as well. He wanted to understand how and when the Soul-Cleansing Liquid would manifest so he could prepare accordingly.

Before entering the trial realm, he had exchanged only a few words with Ning Wuhui, who had merely told him about the Soul-Cleansing Liquid’s function and its general location.

Qin Sang had noticed that Ning Wuhui seemed uninterested in the Soul-Cleansing Liquid itself. He had not even proposed teaming up to seize it, which made Qin Sang suspect that Ning Wuhui’s goals lay elsewhere.

"No need to rush. When we meet at the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion, I will tell you everything I know, without concealment." Still, she refused to elaborate further.

She added, "Daoist, you must remember not to grow greedy once inside the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion. The moment anyone takes a treasure from within, they will be immediately teleported out of the trial realm, losing all qualification to compete for the Soul-Cleansing Liquid."

"I got it." He did not press the issue further. Nodding slightly to Ming Wei, he stepped into one of the teleportation arrays.

A flash of white light filled the room, and his figure disappeared. Ming Wei waited for a few breaths before following him in.

Not long after they departed, faint ripples appeared within the pavilion. A few moments later, four figures materialized at once. There were three men and one woman, all at the late stage of the Core Formation Realm.

Two of the men wore identical Daoist robes, likely from the same sect. The other man and woman wore plain cultivation garments with no visible insignia, their origins unclear.

"We made it out!" Seeing the pavilion, the woman exclaimed with joy. "I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly! It’s all thanks to Senior Brother Mei’s Illusory Moon Mirror. It could pierce through illusions, perfectly suited for the Thousand-Mountain Array. We might be among the first to make it through!"

"Perhaps we can even drop the 'among' part! Senior Brother, choosing the Illusory Moon Mirror as your life-bound astra was truly a wise gamble!" One of the Daoist-robed men spoke admiringly, full of respect for his senior brother.

The man smiled modestly. "I only chose the Illusory Moon Mirror because it resonated best with my cultivation. I can’t claim to have planned this far ahead. Besides, without your joint efforts and careful deductions, I couldn’t have broken the array alone. The disciples from major sects like Heavenly Dao Sect must have similar methods. We must not grow complacent. Still, the Thousand-Mountain Array truly gave us an opportunity and bought us precious time."

"Indeed!" "If all goes well, we should reach the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion before the Soul-Cleansing Liquid appears. That will give us an advantage when the competition begins," said the last man, nodding in agreement.

The woman, however, chuckled lightly. "I don’t share your ambitions. I’ll be satisfied if I can simply obtain a fine treasure from the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion. It’s said we can’t use spiritual consciousness to inspect the items inside, so the grade of the astra we pick depends entirely on luck."

"Daoist, don't worry. Most people are still trapped within the Thousand-Mountain Array. There won’t be many to compete with you. Take your time choosing. The finest astras always have something special about them. If you want to play it safe, pick a damaged ancient treasure and you won’t be disappointed," one of the Daoist-robed men reassured her.

He seemed quite knowledgeable about the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion and spoke with confidence.

After a short rest and a few more exchanges, the four agreed on a rendezvous point and stepped onto the teleportation arrays one after another.

Once they vanished, other cultivators began to appear one by one. At first, only a few emerged, but as time passed, the numbers grew.

Some looked weary and wounded, too injured to continue. Unable to join the final contest, they could only rest briefly before leaving the trial realm in regret.

Others wore bright smiles, clearly rewarded by their experiences in the earlier trials, and decided not to risk further danger, departing the realm without hesitation.

The later one arrived, the slimmer their chances of claiming any treasure, let alone the Soul-Cleansing Liquid.

Even some powerful cultivators, lacking the means to counter illusion arrays, had been trapped in the Thousand-Mountain Array too long and missed their opportunity altogether.

Within the small pavilion, cultivators came and went, each making their own choice.