The atmosphere in the field had become subtle for a moment.

Xing Zhan’s expression had never been good ever since Lihan spoke out in opposition.

Undoubtedly, the powerless little girl from the Bird Beak Tribe and the old woman recommended by Urban King Jiang Chang were both people they looked down upon.

But once someone stepped forward to win them over, it was as if his right to speak had been seized and his authority challenged.

No matter how one looked at it, it was uncomfortable!

The chill condensing in his eyes grew heavier and heavier.

Only Xing Zhan didn’t speak, a trace of cold smile hanging at the corner of his lips as he watched the field.

Gu Ling of the Bird Beak Tribe was actually still very young.

She had a frail physique, wearing a snow-white long dress decorated with five-colored feathers. Her two large eyes were very clear, yet also very timid.

After Jian Chou opened her mouth to inquire, her body tensed up, and her lips trembled slightly.

Looking toward Jian Chou hesitantly, Gu Ling said timidly, “Can… can we also?”

We…?

Jian Chou, who was watching Gu Ling, was slightly surprised after hearing those two words.

She instinctively glanced to Gu Ling’s side, where stood the elderly, bent-backed old woman with silver-white hair covering her head, her face covered in wrinkles, yet giving off a very simple and honest feeling.

Apart from that vegetable knife, which looked rather abrupt, she appeared to be just the most ordinary village woman.

We…

There was no one else in the field.

So they knew each other.

Jian Chou naturally came to this judgment and smiled in reply, “Of course you can. It’s just traveling together on the same path, nothing serious.”

In that instant, Gu Ling’s face showed several parts joy and gratitude, but her gaze toward Jian Chou also contained some curiosity and assessment.

Almost instinctively, she glanced at Lihan over there.

But Lihan had no reaction at all, as if he had tacitly agreed.

She bit her lip, tugged at the old woman’s sleeve beside her, and said in a low voice, “Then I’ll go with Grandma. Grandma?”

After speaking, she looked toward her side.

The white-haired old woman swept her gaze around the entire field, actually understanding in her heart: they really had no other choice. Either the two of them together, or join Lihan’s side. As for Xing Zhan, he wouldn’t accept them.

Moreover, that side might not necessarily be very safe.

So, after taking a deep look at Jian Chou, the white-haired old woman bowed to Jian Chou and said gratefully, “Then we trouble Miss Jian Chou.”

“No problem, please.”

Jian Chou stepped aside, gesturing for them to come over.

So Gu Ling nodded, supporting the old woman’s hand, and walked to Jian Chou’s side, standing near Chen Tingyan—obviously, no one wanted to approach someone with a death-like face like Zhang Tang or a killing god like Lihan.

Seeing this, Jian Chou secretly smiled to herself.

She was about to turn back and say something to everyone when, unexpectedly, a cold laugh suddenly came from the opposite side: “Dragging burdens along with burdens, how carefree indeed. Not afraid of dying upon entry? Hahaha…”

Gu Ling, who had just settled in place, immediately turned pale, showing an expression of distress.

Jian Chou also frowned, looking toward the opposite side. The speaker stood behind Xing Zhan, tall and thin, his face beaming with excitement as he looked at their side with a disdainful expression.

Wuchang Tribe, Xing Fei.

Jian Chou had an impression of this person.

Back when they were about to take the literary test in the square, Xing Zhan had jokingly teased her name, saying “seeing anyone brings sorrow,” and this Xing Fei had laughed the loudest at that time.

She looked back at him, her furrowed brow slowly relaxing, actually revealing a faint smile as she said calmly and composedly, “Life and death are destined by fate. As for whether we’re burdens or not, there’s no need for Fellow Daoist Xing Fei to worry. The Eighteen Layers of Hell are about to open, Fellow Daoist Xing Fei would do better to worry more about yourself.”

After all, among this group of people, Xing Fei’s cultivation really couldn’t be considered very high. Now he still dared to step forward and mock others, simply relying on the Wuchang Tribe’s current power.

But…

Once the Eighteen Layers of Hell opened, what would this so-called “power” amount to?

“You!”

Xing Fei obviously hadn’t expected that his one mocking remark would earn such a meaningful, barbed response!

This female cultivator had such audacity!

“A mere Soul Pearl realm cultivator dares to speak so arrogantly!”

Raising his hand to press against his waist, Xing Fei became furious from shame and immediately wanted to do something.

However, the moment he raised his hand, a gloomy and oppressive aura slowly rose from another corner of the field, almost immediately striking his heart, making his whole body shiver and his heart tremble!

This is…

Under the shock in Xing Fei’s heart, he turned to look—

A figure in dark blue robes stood not too near nor far from Jian Chou, hands behind his back, not speaking, his deep blue glazed eyes containing undisguised mockery as he looked at him.

Lihan!

“Xing Fei!”

At the crucial moment, Xing Zhan, who had been observing, shouted loudly.

“What are you doing?”

“I…”

Xing Fei hadn’t come to his senses yet and instinctively wanted to retort.

However, Xing Zhan had already sternly reprimanded him: “Now, although we are divided into two factions, we are all cultivators of the Wrongful Death City. Do you want to kill each other like ungrateful wolves?!”

“You’re right.”

Xing Fei looked up at Xing Zhan, and only then reluctantly removed his hand from his waist, sneering coldly, “Big Brother is right. Why should I bother with such trash!”

Xing Zhan then smiled, patted his shoulder, but gave Jian Chou a half-smiling look, then said, “There’s still some time before the zi hour. Let’s go, we should also discuss how to proceed after entering the Eighteen Layers of Hell.”

“Good.”

Xing Fei agreed, and the two walked back into the crowd on the opposite side.

Jian Chou on the opposite side sneered in her heart.

What a performance!

Clearly, Xing Fei disagreed and wanted to attack, but didn’t expect Lihan to immediately release his pressure, instantly not daring to move.

Although Xing Fei’s cultivation wasn’t low either, compared to Lihan’s terrifying combat power, how could he have any ability to fight back?

So Xing Zhan came out to falsely mediate with a sentence, his words also containing indirect criticism, calling Lihan a “ungrateful wolf” for killing Wrongful Death City cultivators.

This was truly the most absurd joke Jian Chou had heard since entering the Extreme Domain!

She shook her head, smiled, and turned around, walking back to her side. Looking at Lihan, she said, “Thank you, Young Master Lihan.”

The imposing aura had already been withdrawn after Xing Zhan and Xing Fei retreated.

Facing Jian Chou’s thanks, he casually nodded but didn’t speak.

She didn’t know if it was Jian Chou’s illusion, but she felt that Lihan at this moment didn’t seem particularly unapproachable, only that the detached and indifferent flavor in his eyes was deeper than before.

Was it because she hadn’t known him before, so she felt this Lihan was different from the rumors?

A faint doubt passed through her heart as Jian Chou swept her gaze around their side.

Seven people.

Besides Zhang Tang, Chen Tingyan, Lihan, Gu Ling, the old woman, and Jian Chou herself, the other person was Chen Tingyan’s Day Wandering Tribe clansman, named Wang Renjie.

This person wore gray robes, appearing to have no sense of presence, always standing beside Chen Tingyan.

Because the Day Wandering Tribe had old grievances with the Wuchang Tribe, he could only stay and go with Chen Tingyan. From beginning to end, he hadn’t spoken much, appearing neither warm nor cold.

Because cultivators all had remarkable memories, and everyone had seen the virtual images condensed on the Ding Zheng star cloud scroll, and understood what names and surnames the current seventeen people all had, they were spared the mutual introductions and getting acquainted.

Jian Chou knew Zhang Tang, Chen Tingyan, and Lihan, but Zhang Tang, Lihan, and Chen Tingyan had no connections with each other, even opposing each other.

So Jian Chou became the only suitable person to speak.

She secretly sighed in her heart, feeling that their team was also very strange, simply like a patchwork of mismatched pieces.

“Indeed, there’s still a long time before the zi hour.”

“Although we are a temporarily assembled team, and don’t know how long we can last. But everyone should know that the Ding Zheng is perilous and will ultimately lead to mutual slaughter. But only the sole person remaining in the Eighteen Layers of Hell can become the Ding Yuan.”

Speaking to this point, she paused and looked at everyone.

“I wonder if you all have any thoughts?”

Zhang Tang, Lihan, and the old woman naturally didn’t speak. Wang Renjie wasn’t familiar with Jian Chou, so he also didn’t open his mouth. The little girl Gu Ling shook her head, indicating she had no thoughts.

In the end, only Chen Tingyan remained.

“Hmm… Since you’re asking like this, Jian Chou, you must have thoughts. Why don’t you just say it directly? We’ll listen to you.”

Want to roll her eyes.

This stuffy gourd-like team…

Jian Chou felt an indescribable heaviness and sighed, “I do indeed have thoughts. There’s only one winner in the Ding Zheng. But I believe some people here don’t want to compete for Ding Yuan, and compared to losing their lives, would rather stay alive.”

Hearing this, Gu Ling nodded and unconsciously tugged at the old woman’s sleeve beside her.

The white-haired old woman touched her head, and her gaze toward Jian Chou also became somewhat strange.

A person recommended by Lord Qin Guang’s Palace to enter the Ding Zheng, possessing the weakest Soul Pearl realm cultivation in the Extreme Domain’s history, yet speaking of “compared to losing their lives, would rather stay alive,” was truly rather surprising.

Even Wang Renjie couldn’t help but size up Jian Chou.

Jian Chou remained composed.

She herself didn’t want to compete for Ding Yuan, but she had to reach the Eighteen Layers of Hell and safely traverse the Shitian Creation Array to return to the Nineteen Continents.

As for whether she would lose her life in the process, that depended on her luck.

“Before we reach the Eighteen Layers of Hell, we actually don’t have fundamental conflicts of interest. We even have the same goal—that is to get ahead of others and reach the lower hells as quickly as possible.”

Using a unified goal to bind together the originally scattered group was a strategy Jian Chou thought of at the moment.

As for what variables would occur after going down, that was something Jian Chou couldn’t predict.

So she didn’t consider it, only doing her best with what she could do now.

After all, this was also related to her personal interests.

If everyone went together, first, the danger would be much less, and second, she would have more chances of successfully descending to the eighteenth layer.

As Jian Chou spoke, she also observed. Seeing that everyone remained silent, tacitly agreeing to this condition she proposed, her heart relaxed somewhat.

Finally, she revealed her main proposition.

“So, I think our group should avoid fighting when possible along the way, and not actively initiate combat with others, to ensure we reach the seventeenth layer at the fastest speed. At that time, if everyone wants to have internal strife or slaughter each other, we can resolve it then. Before that, we’ll focus on speed. What do you all think?”

“…”

Everyone remained silent for a moment.

Undeniably, Jian Chou’s words were clear-headed, logical, and feasible, conforming to everyone’s fundamental purposes.

Only…

On the other hand, she saw through things perhaps too clearly.

The essence of Ding Zheng was mutual destruction and killing.

She didn’t avoid at all the inevitable parting of ways and even drawing swords against each other that would eventually occur among several people. She frankly said that when they reached the seventeenth layer, everyone could do whatever they wanted, directly hitting the dark and sensitive spots in the hearts of those interested in Ding Yuan…

“I have no objections to such a plan.”

Wang Renjie was the first to agree.

Chen Tingyan opened his fan with an elegant smile: “I naturally follow Jian Chou’s lead.”

Zhang Tang slowly nodded.

Gu Ling and the old woman looked at each other and also said, “We have no objections.”

Finally, everyone looked toward Lihan together.

Lihan slightly raised his eyebrows but kept looking at Jian Chou, his eyes flickering with several traces of light, seemingly with investigative intent: “No objections.”

This look…

So perceptive.

Had he noticed something?

Jian Chou had a strange premonition in her heart, but it was vague and unclear.

Wanting to use the fastest speed to go down indeed conformed to everyone’s interests, but actually, it most conformed to Jian Chou’s interests.

If she could lead others down first, she would have enough time to traverse the Shitian Creation Array.

But if she was after others, she would have to face battles already occurring on the eighteenth layer of hell, and also be careful of attacks from those coming later.

For her, apart from the word “fast,” there was really no other option.

If everyone thought deeper, they would discover that this plan wasn’t actually the best.

The best plan would be to be the fisherman, waiting for the snipe and clam to fight before going down, waiting for the right moment to act, rather than rushing all the way. But Jian Chou had also mentioned that everyone could freely disperse at the seventeenth layer of hell, so people thought that “waiting for the right moment” at the seventeenth layer wouldn’t be too late.

Therefore, they hardly noticed the slight abnormality in Jian Chou’s proposal.

As for Lihan…

Jian Chou calmly withdrew her gaze, her voice showing no abnormality as she said lightly, “Since everyone agrees, let’s settle it like this. We’ll rest first and quietly wait for the Eighteen Layers of Hell gate to open.”

After speaking, she found a corner to sit cross-legged, placed the pitch-black Tunfeng Sword on her knees, raised both hands to press on the scabbard, and looked up.

Zhang Tang had no intention of meditating and resting at all, only standing beside the steps, looking at the Ding Zheng Golden Order in the center with calm eyes.

Gu Ling and the old woman also found a place to sit.

Chen Tingyan over there almost immediately wanted to walk toward Jian Chou, but Wang Renjie beside him pulled him back with “I have something to ask you,” dragging him aside to speak in low voices.

Only Lihan, after sweeping his gaze around, actually came directly to not far from Jian Chou’s side, swept his robes, and also sat cross-legged.

The dark blue robes had a part spread on the ground, with embroidered evil spirit patterns that had a fierce beauty under the golden light.

His fingers were like withered bones, resting on his knees, the dark green Ding Ring on his index finger making his fingers appear even paler.

His back was straight, his temperament refined.

Such a posture, falling into Jian Chou’s eyes, suddenly awakened certain scenes hidden in her memory…

She felt it was subtle.

The finger resting on the scabbard trembled, and she slowly turned her gaze away, also looking toward the Ding Zheng Golden Order in front, yet seemed to casually open her mouth: “Have Young Master Li and I met before?”

The two were almost sitting side by side in a straight line, so their shoulders were also in a straight line.

Lihan heard this and only lowered his eyelids, hiding all the dark divine light in his eyes, the fingers resting on his knees not even moving, as if his emotions had no fluctuations.

His voice cold, he used an extremely strange tone, saying slowly, “I have been cultivating in the Extreme Domain for forty or fifty years. Fellow Daoist Jian Chou is young and has just arrived. I presume you and I were not acquainted on the Human Realm Lone Island.”

“Lihan” had been cultivating in the Extreme Domain for forty or fifty years. Jian Chou hadn’t even lived that long in total, so there was no chance of meeting on the Human Realm Lone Island, let alone in the Wrongful Death City.

So then…

Jian Chou silently curved her lips.

Chen Tingyan over there had quickly finished talking with Wang Renjie and walked over.

Jian Chou also didn’t speak again, or rather, hadn’t intended to speak again from the beginning. She slowly closed her eyes, but raised her perception to the extreme.

At this time, her thinking was also clearest.

Once the Eighteen Layers of Hell became the venue for Ding Zheng, even the Eight Directions Yama Palaces couldn’t interfere.

This was also where her opportunity lay.

She had ten array discs, three defensive and seven offensive; she also had three trump card magical artifacts, capable of instantly destroying early Jade Nirvana without pressure, and even late Jade Nirvana might perish if careless; she also had pills and talismans for support.

Now her cultivation was the lowest, and a moment’s carelessness could cost her life, so the first thing to guard against was attacks from others.

So, after brief consideration, Jian Chou separated a strand of divine consciousness and sank it into her Qiankun Bag.

The finger resting on the scabbard moved slightly, and a small array disc was hidden in her palm, silently pressed.

A strange fluctuation spread from her palm as the center throughout her entire body.

Only the nearby Lihan turned to look at her once, while no one else noticed.

Inside the Earth Tower, light and shadow flowed.

Under the star cloud scroll’s coverage, day and night were indistinguishable.

The people of Wrongful Death City had all begun their adjustments, waiting for the moment the gate opened, but the star cloud scroll above was not peaceful at all.

This session’s Ding Zheng had a total of eighty-six participants, including eighteen from Wrongful Death City.

But because of Lihan’s ruthless methods, a ghost cultivator from the Leopard Tail Tribe had died early, his virtual image immediately crumbling from the scroll when he perished.

After that, the seventeen people on the scroll remained motionless.

But other virtual images would disappear from time to time.

Even Fengdu City had lost four people entirely.

Obviously, this was the same as the previous situation on the Wrongful Death City side—they must have started fighting and people had died. But the people in the tower had no Mysterious Rings to observe the situation, so they didn’t know exactly who was fighting.

Through the star cloud scroll, the only thing that could be confirmed was that this year’s championship favorites were all still there.

Pan Hexun from the Wheel-Turning King Palace, Niu Dongliang from the Bull Head Tribe, and Zhong Lanling from the Ghost King Tribe…

When the zi hour was about to arrive, Jian Chou opened her eyes and first glanced up at the top to understand the situation, then carefully counted, shaking her head in admiration: “The powerful ones haven’t died yet…”

Chen Tingyan had long since opened his eyes and upon hearing this nearly rolled his eyes.

“Isn’t that obvious? I think there will be a bitter battle after entering. Fengdu City also has more than ten people entering the third round this year. Given their bloodthirsty nature, stopping after only four deaths obviously means they’ve also formed alliances. Hehe, what a show…”

“You’re also in the show.”

Jian Chou lifted her sword and stood up, reminding him with interest.

The smile on his face stiffened, and Chen Tingyan instantly didn’t want to talk anymore: “You’re ruthless enough!”

Being in the show, where was the leisure to sigh about how others were doing?

He shook his head with a long sigh, touching his neck: “Why did I think of participating in this Ding Zheng…”

Jian Chou heard this but made no comment.

Chen Tingyan only appeared to be a useless person. He wasn’t forced to participate in the Ding Zheng, so how could he have no ambition? He just hid it well, and she pretended not to know.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the entire Earth Tower had completely solidified.

Two groups of people stood opposite each other, clearly distinct, yet both looked up at that golden column, watching the golden runes floating and flickering on it.

As soon as the zi hour arrived, they heard a strange “clatter” sound.

The countless golden runes that composed the floating Ding Zheng Golden Order in mid-air actually flowed and swirled in all directions like scattered flowers breaking waves.

In the metallic water-like sound, the Ding Zheng Golden Order actually spun into a huge ring, almost covering the open space below the Earth Tower.

“Rumble!”

The ring spun once, immediately bringing forth raging winds!

Jian Chou, standing closer, had her sky-blue robes immediately dancing in the wind.

She looked up and felt wave after wave of heart-stopping fear.

The dazzling golden light on the Ding Zheng Golden Order actually became dim rapidly in this rotation, as if changing from a piece of gold to a piece of stone!

“Rumble—”

The ring formed by the golden order continued to rotate.

The golden light dimmed another degree!

The entire ring actually seemed to be dyed with ink, gradually transforming toward a strange pure black.

Soon, the last bit of golden light was swallowed by darkness.

“Click!”

It was like a key turning and engaging, a door instantly opening!

At that moment, an icy breath suddenly descended from the center of the ring, enveloping everyone from overhead.

The slaughter gate had opened at the zi hour!

Inside the pitch-black ring was a gray-white world, chaotic and unclear.

The Ding Rings everyone carried almost simultaneously emitted dark green light, as if sensing the opening of the gate and urging everyone to throw themselves into it.

Only…

Not a single person moved.

Jian Chou’s side and Xing Zhan’s side had already formed enmity and were now eyeing each other like tigers.

Who knew if one side left first, whether the other would take the opportunity to strike viciously?

Therefore, at this crucial moment, everyone forcibly restrained themselves.

“Rumble…”

After turning completely black, the ring continued to rotate, quickly completing one revolution.

When proceeding to the next revolution, a point of golden light actually leaked from within—

Bad!

This gate was already beginning to close!

Jian Chou frowned, her gaze almost instantly meeting Xing Zhan’s, and almost simultaneously they both spoke: “Go!”

Now there was no need to争什么先后了。

Both sides almost simultaneously shot up from the ground at the moment their words fell, flying straight toward the gray-white chaotic world within the ring overhead!

The icy breath immediately approached.

Vaguely, it also carried a disturbing sense of oppression.

Jian Chou held her sword in one hand and pressed an array disc against her palm with the other, seeing she was about to plunge into it—

However, from the opposite side, a deep white light suddenly flashed!

“Whoosh!”

It was actually a long white iron chain, like a venomous snake, shooting toward Jian Chou like lightning!

Wuchang Tribe, Soul-Hooking Chain!