You're badly hurt, aren't you

Xu Mu looked at Qiguan You’s expression and gave a warm smile. “You just risked your life to save us—how could we possibly make a move against you?”

Qiguan You looked at Xu Mu’s spring-like smile and let down her guard.

【Affection +5】

She didn’t understand it herself. She had only just met these two people.

And they were all competing for the treasure here—that made them rivals.

Yet somehow, she felt that these two were good people.

“You said earlier that Fu Cheng only knew it was in Qiu City, but Qiu City is huge. How did you manage to find this place?”

Xu Mu asked curiously.

After all, what they knew was far more precise.

They knew it was at this abandoned building.

“I can use an incomplete perception formation array of unknown rank. My father taught it to me,”

Qiguan You explained. “A relic’s formation is like a lid covering a basin, leaving only one opening. Most people search for the opening, but I search for the lid—that way I can pinpoint where the opening is.”

Xu Mu, being a high-level formation master, understood immediately.

This so-called “lid” was far larger than the opening, which was why she could locate the entrance so quickly.

It seemed that the Holy Gate was no ordinary minor sect.

“We’ve already found the exact location—it’s right under here. You can take a look,”

Xu Mu said, pointing at the foundation in front of them.

Qiguan You nodded. She reached out and pressed her hand against the ground. As she released her power, formation patterns spread across the earth around her.

“It really is below,”

she said as she stood up, somewhat shyly clasping her hands behind her back. “It’s just that…”

“I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering how we’ll divide the treasures inside, right?”

Xu Mu saw right through her.

“No, no—you saved my life. How could I be so shameless as to ask for a share of your treasures? Besides, my information wasn’t legitimate to begin with,”

Qiguan You said. Her heart ached with reluctance, but she had no room to argue.

These two people had driven her to Qiu City in the dead of night and had just saved her life.

Without her life, the treasures were never hers to claim.

“Come in with us. There’s a divine herb here called the Ten-Thousand Spirits Coriander. I promise you this: once I refine it into pills, I’ll give you one,”

Xu Mu said, patting Qiguan You on the shoulder.

Qiguan You’s face lit up. “Big brother, are you an alchemist?”

【Affection +8】

“I know a thing or two,”

Xu Mu said with a faint smile.

“That’s great! Thank you in advance. Let’s go inside first,”

Qiguan You said, leaping down and smashing open the concrete below.

Xu Mu and Fu Jinyu jumped down after her. Below the concrete, they found a tombstone.

“This tombstone is the entrance to the formation. The foundation above has been trying to alter the terrain here, but the formation’s power gradually restores it to its original state. That’s why no building can be constructed here,”

Xu Mu explained, looking around.

“Big brother! You understand formations, too? You’re absolutely right—especially at the entrance, where the formation patterns are densest. The terrain can barely be changed at all,”

Qiguan You said, astonished as she glanced at Xu Mu.

“Not as well as you. I only know a little,”

Xu Mu replied with a smile.

One by one, they pressed their hands against the stone tablet and entered the relic.

Inside, the relic was a plain filled with weeds and trees. Only in the very depths could the shadow of a low mountain be seen.

Compared to the surrounding overgrowth, that low mountain was completely barren.

As Xu Mu and the others walked deeper, they noticed that the closer they got to the mountain, the more lush the vegetation became.

But on the mountain itself, there was no plant life at all—only yellow earth and gray rocks.

“Looks like the treasure is on the mountain, sucking up all the nutrients from the surroundings,”

Xu Mu said, looking up at the peak. “But at the base of the mountain, the plants thrive because of the spiritual energy leaking from the divine herb.”

The moment he stepped onto the mountain, the world around him shifted.

Fu Jinyu and Qiguan You immediately grew alert, scanning their surroundings.

The barren mountain now looked as though it were ablaze.

Whoosh!

In the next instant, a figure wreathed in red flames appeared from the distant mountaintop.

His strength was formidable, far beyond the first level of the Boundary-Breaking stage.

“This is a formation golem. It must be here to guard the treasure,”

Qiguan You said.

As she spoke, the flame figure suddenly charged at them.

Fu Jinyu moved to meet it. “Release!”

BOOM!

A black force exploded in the sky above. Blade-like wings extended from Fu Jinyu’s back, and a black crown materialized above her head.

BAM!

Their powers collided in midair, sending out a terrifying shockwave that rippled in all directions.

Xu Mu quickly grabbed Qiguan You and retreated. “Can you break this formation?”

“A formation capable of creating an expert like this must be at least Level Eight. There’s no way I can do it quickly,”

Qiguan You said apologetically.

“Then protect yourself,”

Xu Mu said, looking up. It was clear Fu Jinyu was outmatched.

Though the formation golem lacked the agility of a real person, its raw power far surpassed Fu Jinyu’s.

Relying on sheer brute force, it held the upper hand.

Xu Mu stepped onto his Cloud-Striding technique and flew into the sky. “Sister Empress, this golem is a bit slow. Listen to my commands—when I say ‘switch,’ come to my position. Coordinate with me.”

With that, Xu Mu activated his Demon’s Guard and wrapped himself in Heaven-Scorching Sword Qi. He kept circling, searching for an angle.

Suddenly, as the flame golem twisted its body to swing a punch at Fu Jinyu, Xu Mu appeared behind it. “Switch!”

HUMM!

Fu Jinyu flashed to Xu Mu’s former position, now behind the golem—a perfect attack point.

Swish, swish, swish…

The six blades behind her shot forward, shrouded in black flames, and slashed simultaneously at the golem’s head.

CRACK!

The six blades severed its head from behind.

BOOM!

With a thunderous noise, even with its head destroyed, the golem didn’t stop attacking.

Its fist crashed into Xu Mu—because he and Fu Jinyu had swapped positions.

The immense pressure tore through the Heaven-Scorching Sword Qi, shattered the Demon’s Guard, and slammed into Xu Mu.

His body shot down from the sky like a cannonball and struck the ground heavily.

“Xu Mu!”

Fu Jinyu’s eyes went wide. She dove down from the sky immediately.

“I’m fine,”

Xu Mu said, climbing to his feet and rubbing his stomach. “But that actually hurt a little.”

Fu Jinyu grabbed his shoulders, her face full of concern. “Stop pretending! You’re badly hurt, aren’t you? That golem’s attack was at least at Boundary-Breaking Level Two.”

“I thought I was hiding it so well, but you figured me out, Sister Empress…”

Xu Mu suddenly lost his balance and fell face-first into Fu Jinyu’s chest.

Because of the ample cushioning, he bounced back several times before finally stabilizing.