"
"You asked me why I ended up here, didn't you? It was all because of the Kong Heavenly Clan," Ying Mingchao said.
After that, Ying Mingchao recounted the entire sequence of events to Chu Feng in full detail.
Over a thousand years ago, that was when Ying Mingchao and the
At that time, the Hero City had already established its own territory and had even gained control of several ancient ruins.
Ying Mingchao had just led a group of Hero City's experts out of one such ruin. Though he was exhausted at the time, he was in high spirits after having obtained great benefits within the ruins.
On a whim, Ying Mingchao decided to take his brothers out for a drink.
As it happened, they ran into the patriarchs of the Kong Heavenly Clan and the
The two patriarchs enthusiastically invited Ying Mingchao to visit the Kong Heavenly Clan, claiming that the clan possessed fine wine that had been aged for ten thousand years.
Ying Mingchao and his brothers were all lovers of wine, so hearing about such an exceptional vintage naturally piqued their interest. On top of that, the hospitality was too warm to refuse, and so they made their way into the Kong Heavenly Clan.
But they never expected it was a trap.
It turned out that the Kong Heavenly Clan and the Zhou Heavenly Clan feared that Ying Mingchao would continue to grow and eventually become the undisputed overlord of the Hundred Refinements Mortal World. They wanted to eliminate him before he could fully mature.
By the time Ying Mingchao learned the truth, it was already too late. His brothers had all been killed, and he was outnumbered and outmatched.
Left with no choice, he attempted to flee. But the Kong Heavenly Clan and the Zhou Heavenly Clan had prepared thoroughly, having already sealed off every possible escape route. In the end, Ying Mingchao was driven into the Sorrowful Calamity Mountain Range.
Unfortunately, he triggered a killing formation and was swept into it. The killing formation was immensely powerful — more than enough to annihilate him.
With no other option, Ying Mingchao was forced to use a forbidden technique. This forbidden technique could prevent him from being erased by the killing formation.
The forbidden technique was remarkable. Once used, Ying Mingchao's body would vanish. Though it wasn't a true disappearance, it allowed the vast majority of formations to lose track of him, and no gaze could perceive him either.
But since it was a forbidden technique, it naturally came with extremely severe side effects. And that side effect was… he would never be able to move again. Unless the forbidden technique was undone, he would be completely immobile, unable to so much as shift an inch.
Fortunately, Ying Mingchao did not remain trapped inside the killing formation, because at its deepest layer there was actually a teleportation formation. So when he fell to the depths and came into contact with that teleportation formation, he was transported here.
However, once he arrived, the side effects fully erupted, and Ying Mingchao became stranded in this place.
"Looks like anyone who can survive the killing formations can reach this place. The trials here are rather interesting," Chu Feng said. After learning about Ying Mingchao's experience, he came to understand
Those killing formations, though perilous, were in reality a shortcut to this palace. As long as one survived, one could arrive here. But apparently, in all these years, the only person who had made it here alive was this Ying Mingchao.
Still, this Ying Mingchao was quite pitiable. Because he had used the forbidden technique, he had arrived at his enemy's treasure vault yet couldn't take a single thing — for he was completely unable to move.
"Logically speaking, after using that forbidden technique, not only should you be unable to move, Senior, but you should also be unable to speak, let alone project any pressure," Chu Feng said.
"That's right. I've been trapped here for a full thousand years. Though the side effects have gradually weakened over time, I still can't leave this place."
"Kid, just think about it. A person, trapped in one place for a thousand years. No one to talk to. Too tired to even change position. No food, no drink. How agonizing that must be."
"Oh right, do you have anything to eat? Wine — yes, wine! Kid, do you have any wine?" Ying Mingchao suddenly asked.
"I do." Chu Feng took out some food and a jug of fine wine from his Universe Bag.
"You kid — you actually carry wine around with you? Quick, quick, quick, hand it to me, hand it over!" Upon seeing the food and wine in Chu Feng's hands, Ying Mingchao became extraordinarily excited.
Although Chu Feng could not see Ying Mingchao, he could faintly sense the man's gaze. Right now, Ying Mingchao's eyes were undoubtedly locked in a stare, much like a starving tiger that had just spotted a little lamb.
Chu Feng walked up to Ying Mingchao without fear. If Ying Mingchao had wanted to harm him, Chu Feng wouldn't have stood a chance of survival anyway.