Chapter 25

As the half-dead man's bone was pulled out from the steward's body, the fresh blood gushed out as if it were free. Gui Bu Gui once again showed the same smile he had before, and said, "Will you stop the bleeding yourself, or shall I do it for you, old man?"

Just as Gui Bu Gui finished speaking, the steward, who had fallen to the ground, suddenly sat up out of nowhere and shouted, "I'll do it myself!" Afraid that Gui Bu Gui might do something else, he shakily tore a piece of his clothing and tied it around the wound, then used several blood-stopping spells. However, due to his severe injuries and excessive blood loss, he was dizzy and disoriented, and his skills were somewhat off. After using the spells two or three dozen times, the bleeding from his calf finally slowly stopped.

After the bleeding stopped, the steward was drenched in sweat. After catching his breath, he said to Gui Bu Gui, who was smiling in front of him, "Senior, I really can't go on. How about this, I'll guard the exit for you here. You can go ahead with peace of mind. With me watching, no one will be able to get in..."

"Then you don't want the elixir of immortality either?" The steward had not finished speaking when Gui Bu Gui slowly interrupted him. This made the steward stunned for a moment. He stared at Gui Bu Gui for a long time, then gritted his teeth and struggled to get up from the ground, staggering towards the other end of the passage. He heard Gui Bu Gui say behind him, "That's right, think it over. There's still a lot you can do."

While the two were pulling out the bone and causing injury, Wu Mian ignored them and had already walked to the end of the passage. When Gui Bu Gui and the steward arrived, Wu Mian was still standing at the end of the passage, staring at the scene inside in a daze.

Exiting the passage, they found themselves in a place similar to a grand hall. Around the hall, there were densely packed armored warriors holding swords and spears. All of these warriors were looking at the position where Wu Mian and the others stood.

The steward, who had lost a lot of blood, was already disoriented. Seeing these iron-armored warriors, he thought they were hidden Qin soldiers and was so frightened that he fell to the ground. Even the cunning Gui Bu Gui took several steps back, ready to run at any moment.

"Look closely, these are not living people," Wu Mian said with a snort, then continued, "These are terracotta warriors made from clay. The craftsmanship is really good; I didn't realize they were terracotta at first glance."

After Wu Mian spoke, Gui Bu Gui calmed down. He returned to Wu Mian's side and carefully examined the nearest iron-armored soldiers. After confirming they were not alive, his brows furrowed, and he said, "That's strange. This should be a side altar for sacrifices to heaven. It should be filled with war captives and slaves. Why are there so many terracotta warriors here?"

As he spoke, Gui Bu Gui's eyes darted around. After finishing, he glanced at the steward sitting on the ground and said, "You, go in and take a look..."

The steward's face was pale, and his body was trembling, whether from blood loss or fear. He looked at Gui Bu Gui and said, "Look at me, I'm in this state. If I go in, will I be able to come out?"

Gui Bu Gui squinted his eyes and looked at the steward, saying, "This is the Ascension Altar. What are you afraid of? Have you ever seen anyone set up an array inside the Ascension Altar? This is the safest place in the entire national altar. Don't worry, just go in and take a look. I'll be watching you. What are you afraid of? Besides, the elixir of immortality isn't easy to obtain."

When Gui Bu Gui mentioned the elixir of immortality, the steward took a deep breath. This action did not escape Gui Bu Gui's notice. The old man changed his tone and continued, "The few people who have already achieved immortality had a much harder time getting the elixir than you. They truly came back to life after death. You have it much easier, with two seniors supporting you. Think about it, immortality is right in front of you. Don't lose what's almost in your grasp."

This statement hit the steward's weak spot. He gritted his teeth and struggled to get up. He glanced at Wu Mian, then turned his gaze to Gui Bu Gui and said, "I was once the head of the Qin magicians. These terracotta warriors emit a malevolent aura, which I can still see."

He took a deep breath and continued, "But I'm going all in. If I have to go, I'll go! But let's be clear, I have a bit of a grudge with Wu Mian. Whatever punishment you want to give me, wait until I come back. Don't trip me up halfway, or it would be better to just finish me off now."

"Don't put your dirty thoughts on me," Wu Mian said coldly, "If something happens, don't expect me to save you. If nothing happens, don't worry that I'll harm you."

The steward nodded at Wu Mian and said, "Alright, we'll settle our past grievances later." After saying this, he turned to Gui Bu Gui and said, "If I'm lucky enough to survive, please keep the agreement we made in Bashang City."

Gui Bu Gui also nodded and said, "Don't worry. Even if you're unlucky and something happens, I'll collect your soul immediately to prevent it from dissipating."

This statement left the steward silent for a moment. After a while, he took a deep breath, ignored Wu Mian and Gui Bu Gui, and pulled out a palm-sized, hollow bronze box from his chest. He opened the box, and inside was a small white wax pill. The steward crushed the wax, revealing a deep green pill inside.

The steward put the pill without the wax back into the bronze box and began to shake it violently. As he shook it, a faint green mist began to seep out from between his fingers. He then stopped and pulled out a very fine bronze chain from his chest, attaching one end to the box and holding the other end. Ignoring Wu Mian and Gui Bu Gui, he dragged his injured leg and walked into the altar.

The steward's equipment was brought from Bashang City. As a former favorite of the First Emperor, he still had some resources. When the bronze box and chain were revealed, Gui Bu Gui kept smacking his lips and muttered to himself, "He was indeed the head of the magicians, and he does have a few good things..."

As Gui Bu Gui spoke, the steward had already left the passage and entered the altar, dragging his injured leg. Wu Mian watched his back and said to Gui Bu Gui, "He's risking his life. What did you promise him in Bashang City?"

Gui Bu Gui turned and smiled at Wu Mian but did not answer immediately. He waited until the steward was far enough away that he couldn't hear them, then said with a smile, "I told him we were looking for the treasures left by Xu Fu, including the elixir of immortality. Since you are already immortal, that elixir means little to you. As long as he helps us find the location on the map, giving him half a pill or so is no big deal."

As he spoke, Gui Bu Gui's gaze suddenly flickered as he looked at the steward's back. He then said in surprise, "I didn't realize this little guy had some skills."

At this moment, the steward's steps suddenly changed, as if he were dancing. He took three steps forward and two steps back, often changing his foot placement mid-step, making it hard to predict his next move. However, with his injured leg, each step was accompanied by a grimace of pain, and a trail of bloody footprints was left on the ground.

At the same time, the bronze box connected to the chain in the steward's hand began to swing slowly. With himself as the center, he slowly moved his hand holding the chain above his head, making the bronze box revolve around him. In a moment, the steward was completely enveloped in a pale green mist. He chanted something incoherent, as if singing a song with incomprehensible lyrics and a wildly off-key melody.