Just like that, the four of them—including Chang Yuan’s son, Chang Duan—disguised themselves as corpses and hid among the piles of bones.
Chang Yuan clamped a hand tightly over his son’s mouth, waiting nervously.
He was terrified that his son would be unable to stop himself from crying out if he saw his mother—and right now, making a sound was out of the question.
The next instant...
The fluctuations from the Seventh Floor’s barrier vanished. In the distance, over a dozen powerful True Qi auras emerged, followed by a voice grumbling, "Damn, this Seventh Floor was a real pain in the ass."
The voice was male and sounded very young.
Just then, a second voice added with a chuckle, "Young City Lord, if you had just let Commander Ke enter the same Illusion Realm as you, we probably would’ve gotten through long ago."
Beneath the barrier to the Eighth Floor, Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu exchanged a look from within the pile of bones.
’So it really is the Young City Lord of Red Sword City.’
They listened in silence as the Young City Lord retorted, "Bullshit. I used the Azure Flame Sect’s Azure Flame Array Plate to change the rules on the Seventh Floor precisely because I *didn’t* want Commander Ke in the same Illusion Realm as me."
"I wanted to challenge the Seventh Floor’s Illusion Realm Battle Array all by myself."
At these words, Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu exchanged another glance.
’So that’s why I didn’t end up in the same Illusion Realm as the Red Sword City people on the Seventh Floor. It’s because the Young City Lord Red Sword changed its rules.’
’The Azure Flame Array Plate must be a treasure from the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land, used to control the area,’ Lu Chao thought to himself.
Then, footsteps began to draw steadily closer, heading toward the barrier to the Eighth Floor.
The Young City Lord Red Sword and his men were walking in Lu Chao’s direction. The young lord’s voice rose again, "The next two, the Eighth and Ninth Floors, will be much easier! Haha... I wonder what kind of treasures lie in the deepest part of the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land?"
Lu Chao frowned. ’Why did he say the Seventh Floor was difficult, but that the Eighth and Ninth would be easier?’
Soon enough, the Young City Lord Red Sword spoke again with a chuckle...
"Two hundred years ago, the Sect Leader and other experts of the Azure Flame Sect were carrying the Azure Flame Array Plate and the last two pages of the Azure Flame Nine Palace Array Map. As it happened, our Red Sword City took part in that great ambush, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on these things."
"Thanks to those two pages of the Nine Palace Array Map..."
"In the last two hundred years, our Red Sword City has transformed from a city strong in the Martial Dao to a powerful city of both the Martial Dao and the Soldier Dao. Next, if we can obtain more of the Azure Flame Sect’s treasures, it’ll no longer be a dream for Red Sword City to join the ranks of the Ten Great Cities of Cyan Sword."
"That damn good-for-nothing Yan Mu..."
"Just because Yan Soul City is one of the Ten Great Cities, he snatched away my command of the assault on the Azure Flame Domain."
"Once Red Sword City surpasses them, I’ll expose Yan Mu’s incompetence in front of the entire Cyan Sword Great Empire, right in the face of Yan Soul City. I’ll let that idiot die from the humiliation!"
The footsteps continued to echo...
The Young City Lord Red Sword’s voice carried on, sounding exceptionally clear in the empty expanse of the Seventh Floor.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao’s pupils constricted.
’So the last two pages of the Azure Flame Nine Palace Array Map booklet were torn out by the Azure Flame Sect’s own people.’
’Then, after they were ambushed and killed two hundred years ago, the pages fell into the hands of Red Sword City.’
’That’s why the Young City Lord Red Sword has the Azure Flame Array Plate, which can control the rules of the Forbidden Land, as well as the Soldier Dao Maps for the eighth and ninth floors.’
’With those two pages of the Soldier Dao Map, he can break through the final two floors with ease.’
’It’s also because of those two pages that they learned the Azure Flame Sect’s Soldier Dao and were able to break through all the way to the Seventh Floor.’
Lu Chao’s fists clenched.
As the footsteps drew nearer, his thoughts raced. ’The Young City Lord Red Sword has the Azure Flame Array Plate, which can change the Forbidden Land’s rules. I’m afraid that even if I enter the Eighth Floor, he could use the Array Plate to eject me...’
’It’s possible. The Azure Flame Array Plate can control the rules of the Forbidden Land’s barriers.’
’Even if he can’t force me out, he has the Array Maps for the next two floors. I doubt I could beat his speed in clearing them.’
Forget his clearing speed; it was still uncertain whether Lu Chao could even break through the next two floors at all.
’I have to seize his two pages of the Array Map. I must take the Azure Flame Array Plate from his hands...’ Lu Chao vowed silently. But with so many guards present, how could he possibly succeed?
Given their current strength, the situation was all but impossible for Lu Chao and the others.
Right now, the enemy was still approaching the barrier to the Eighth Floor. They would be discovered any second... There was only one way out: find the right opportunity and capture their Young City Lord before being spotted.
’I’m just one step away from the Peak Realm. The moment I strike, I have to rush him.’ Lu Chao covertly circulated his True Qi.
It was all thanks to swallowing the Moon Mortal Red Bee Bone. His True Qi had advanced with incredible speed. Combined with his comprehension of the Mortal Profound Breaking Soldier Bone’s Meridian Map, it had allowed Lu Chao to rapidly reach the Peak of the True Fate Realm.
’But I’ll still need an external push to break through. Luckily, Xiao Su’er found a few vials of Azure Flame Bone-Refining Pills.’
Lu Chao continued to plan, preparing himself in secret while listening to their footsteps.
Suddenly, the Young City Lord Red Sword asked, "Oh, right. I sent Commander Ke to fetch me a woman. I wonder if he’s found one yet."
As he said this, Lu Chao clearly sensed both Chang Yuan and his son tremble.
Fortunately, they managed to hold still...
One of the Young City Lord Red Sword’s men replied, "The Azure Flame Sect seems to be a complete backwater these days. It’ll probably take him some time. As soon as Commander Ke gets someone, he’ll catch up with us. You can rest easy, Young City Lord."
The Young City Lord chuckled slyly in response...
"I wonder what the women from the Azure Flame Domain are like. How are they any different from the ones in the Cyan Sword Great Empire?"
The other subordinates couldn’t help but laugh as well.
They broke into raucous, jeering laughter, running down the Azure Flame Domain. Their words were filled with nothing but contempt and humiliation.
Amidst the laughter, they drew closer and closer...
Lu Chao could now see a young man walking in the lead, followed by ten guards clad head-to-toe in Blood-red Battle Armor.
The aura emanating from each of them was far more terrifying than that of a Red Sword Guard.
But no matter how terrifying they were, Lu Chao had to act. If he delayed any longer, he would be discovered.
Suddenly, one of the guards in Blood-red Battle Armor stopped short. "Hm? I smell something... a strange scent and aura."
Lu Chao tensed violently...
But the Young City Lord Red Sword was unconcerned. "There are a dozen or so skeletons up ahead. It’s perfectly normal for there to be a smell. Go check the bones for anything good. Let’s hope it’s not like the Sixth Floor, which was completely empty."
The moment those words were spoken...
Lu Chao knew he had to act now. Otherwise, once the guards in Blood-red Battle Armor went to search the bones, the Young City Lord Red Sword would surely be behind his guards, and the chance to take him hostage would be lost.
But just as Lu Chao prepared to make his move... VMMMM!
A ripple of energy pulsed from the direction of the Seventh Floor’s barrier...
It was followed by a deep, resonant voice. "Young City Lord, you’re still in the Seventh Floor’s domain."
The Young City Lord Red Sword and his men stopped abruptly and turned. He exclaimed, "Haha, Uncle Ke! You’ve finally caught up."