Chapter 68: Treasure in Hand, Time Stands Still
Zhao Xing activated Rising Wind, accelerating the six straw men as they charged into the mountain cave.
Along with him were a dozen other straw men, crouching along the predetermined retreat route.
"Quick, find it quickly," Zhao Xing's heart raced, his breathing rapid. Even though he was merely controlling the straw men, his heart surged with excitement, as if he was about to discover a rare treasure.
However, reason still held the dominant position in his mind: "Treasure moves the heart, but I must be swift. Wildcat's actions are incredibly fast; I must find it within one minute."
"Within one minute, we must retreat! No matter how many treasures, leave no regrets!" Zhao Xing repeatedly reminded himself of this rule.
Because after the straw men delved deeper, he sensed that there was more than one kind of treasure inside the cave!
As they ventured deeper, the cave revealed four forked paths, each with a strong allure.
"Disperse!" Zhao Xing immediately ordered the straw men to enter the four paths separately.
The cave was dimly lit, and the straw men stumbled forward, but fortunately, after some falls, Zhao Xing decisively commanded the straw men to crawl on the ground, which actually increased their speed.
"There!" Soon, a sensation from the first straw man made Zhao Xing's heart race.
At the end of one of the paths, there was a complete skeleton, almost identical to the first skeleton Zhao Xing had seen. Wedged between its ribs was a fist-sized purple stone.
The stone emitted electric light, and the two ribs holding it were already charred black.
"Hiss~" The straw man rushed over to grab the purple stone, and smoke quickly began to rise from its hand. Fortunately, this was a straw man made of Great Strength Gold Steel; if it were made of vines, it might not have been able to take it away.
"Return!" Zhao Xing immediately commanded the Great Strength Gold Steel.
Following the previous path, the Great Strength Gold Steel returned smoothly. As it exited the cave, the second straw man was already waiting.
The divine straw man grabbed the Great Strength Gold Steel, accelerating its speed. There was no time to check further.
Because the second straw man inside the cave had made a discovery.
At the end of its path, in a dry spherical cave, sunlight shone on a stone platform.
A thin yellow paper floated in the middle.
The second straw man immediately took the yellow paper.
"Return!" Zhao Xing was somewhat excited. The second item!
Not long after the second straw man returned, his energy erupted for the third time.
The other two paths also had discoveries!
In the third path, the straw man found a spring, with misty vapor rising from the spring, making it extraordinarily mystical.
Above it were four blue lotus flowers, one of which was in full bloom, while the other three were still in bud.
The straw man reached out to pluck them, but soon a layer of frost covered its hand. Even though it was fast enough, by the time it plucked the lotus, its right hand was already frozen stiff, losing its ability to move, and it could only hold it in its left arm.
In the fourth path, the straw man surprisingly found a shining cup in a pile of dead grass!
"This cup?!" Zhao Xing's heart skipped a beat; it was one of the anomalies he had seen before entering the mountain!
It was simply a great stroke of luck; every path had treasures!
But the more this moment came, the more Zhao Xing felt his heart tighten.
The energy's passive trigger followed the rule of diminishing returns after three times.
It was still too early to be happy; he might not be able to take everything out!
"Haha!" Just then, a furious roar came from afar.
Wildcat had reappeared within a three-mile radius, detected by Zhao Xing.
"It's back, I should run too," Zhao Xing immediately strapped on the Wenzhu Box and jumped onto the back of the divine straw man.
"This Wildcat, it's still just a juvenile and already so formidable. It must have been nurtured by Spirit Mountain. Otherwise, a normal Wildcat bloodline wouldn't be this strong."
Sensing Wildcat's approach, Zhao Xing knew that the lotus and the Golden Cup might not be taken out.
Because Wildcat was already returning quickly, but the straw men holding the lotus and the Golden Cup had just exited the cave.
"I must abandon one of them, or else I won't get either. Which one does it value more?" Zhao Xing activated Bright Eyes Magic Arts, observing Wildcat's movement path.
He found it was prioritizing the straw man holding the Golden Cup.
"Throw the Golden Cup in the opposite direction!" Zhao Xing decisively ordered, suppressing his reluctance with an iron will.
The straw man holding the Golden Cup fiercely threw it forward.
The landing spot of the Golden Cup was quickly intercepted by a buried straw man, which jumped up to catch it, then immediately threw it to the third landing spot.
Running, it couldn't outrun Wildcat, but the Great Strength Gold Steel's throwing speed was much faster.
Wildcat couldn't catch up for a moment.
The Golden Cup was passed to the last straw man, already three miles away from Zhao Xing, and the last straw man was standing at the edge of a cliff.
"Throw!" The straw man fiercely threw the Golden Cup forward.
But at this moment, Wildcat roared, suddenly disappearing from sight.
The next second, a great hole appeared in the Great Strength Gold Steel's body, as if pierced by a lightning bolt.
The Golden Cup was still thrown out.
Wildcat, with a furious roar, also jumped off the cliff, but then, holding the Golden Cup, it stepped on the air and returned to the cliff.
"You're impressive, I don't want it anymore," Zhao Xing observed this scene and couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
This damn thing was still a master cat.
The final display was actually a kind of body technique secret skill!
"But these three treasures are mine," Zhao Xing smiled slightly, pointing to the sky.
Thick clouds rolled, thunder roared.
Ice rain poured over the cliff, and a cold wind blew past.
Zhao Xing then calmly retreated.
Where is the safest place to climb?
Of course, it's the Temple of Heaven Square at the main peak of East Lake Mountain.
To avoid Wildcat's pursuit.
The divine straw man ran wildly all the way, bringing Zhao Xing to the mountain top.
Temple of Heaven Square was already in sight.
"Who is it?"
"Eh, why are there so many straw men coming up?"
"Hmm? What's going on, why is my heart suddenly pounding?"
"Damn, it's a spiritual show, those straw men are hiding spiritual shows!"
"Oh my god, such a strong sensation, is it a Middle Grade or Upper Grade spiritual show?!"
Around the square, climbers resting all stood up, focusing their gaze in one direction.
When Zhao Xing rushed up the mountain, everyone sensed the presence of the spiritual show he carried.
Countless eyes, both openly and secretly, stared at him with ill intent.
A stream of light shot from a great tree outside Temple of Heaven Square, heading straight for Zhao Xing.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" Three arrows shot into the body of the Diamond Bamboo, penetrating three inches into the chest, but failing to pierce through.
As the arrow attack ended, a voice echoed in his ear: "Friend, the spiritual show on you is fated with me, please stay!"
Zhao Xing involuntarily slowed his steps, but the next moment, he snorted coldly, shaking off the restraint.
"Young brother, quickly put down the spiritual show, or you'll be engulfed in ghost fire!" A gentle voice attacked from the front, and three divine straw men instantly ignited in flames.
"Those who block me will die!" Zhao Xing roared angrily, a fierce Yin Wind rose from the ground, accompanied by the Yin Wind, the voice seemed to penetrate directly into the soul, causing all onlookers to shiver involuntarily.
Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was affected, Zhao Xing was flung by the Great Strength Gold Steel, borrowing the force to leap, and immediately jumped into the center of Temple of Heaven Square.
In the center of the square was a sundial, its needle pointing precisely at the area of the time stop.
The sundial was engraved with the words 'Time Stop,' indicating that from this moment, fighting was forbidden within the square's perimeter.
"Phew~ The timing was just right," Zhao Xing let out a breath.
(End of Chapter)