Chapter 85: Chapter 76: The Hope of the Entire Village

Following their leader, Gui Xiao quickly brought everyone to a sealed underground chamber.In the center of the chamber, there existed an altar three zhang high, three zhang wide, and three zhang long, perfectly square.

In the middle of the altar, astonishingly, there grew a mushroom about the size of a palm.

The mushroom cap was round and covered with blue patterns, which emitted a faint blue light, rhythmically flickering as if it were breathing.

With each flicker, the blue patterns intertwined to form a ghostly face, vivid as if it were about to leap out of the cap.

As there were no other furnishings in the chamber, everyone's gaze landed upon the mushroom upon entering and were amazed by its mystical nature.

"City Lord, what is this?" someone asked.

"Oh, this is the Sacred Mushroom," Gui Xiao chuckled.

"Sacred Mushroom?" Someone stared intently at the mushroom and suddenly exclaimed, "Is this... a Divine Medicine?"

"No, no, no, it's only a Minor Holy Medicine; it's just a bit short of transforming into Divine Medicine." Gui Xiao glanced at everyone, his smile bearing profound meaning, "However, it will soon turn into Divine Medicine thanks to you all."

"Transform because of us?" Someone sharp and alert scanned the chamber and said, "City Lord, what about the auction? Is this Minor Holy Medicine the item to be auctioned?"

"No, there is no auction at all," Gui Xiao said with a smile.

"Huh?" Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but furrow their brows. The more astute among them had already started to retreat quietly, for they had seen an undisguised murderous intent in Gui Xiao's smile.

But before they could reach the entrance, a loud boom resonated; the passageway they had come through slammed shut, turning into an impenetrable stone wall.

The way back had vanished; they were now truly trapped in a sealed chamber.

Simultaneously, the ground beneath their feet, without their noticing when, was etched with blood-red patterns. They rapidly interwove and morphed into a blood-thirsty beast with a gaping mouth, lifelike as if ready to devour everyone.

"What is this?" The group hastily moved, with some even taking flight in fright.

"Heh, this is the Blood Refining Grand Array. Once you are dead, your blood and vital essence will be refined and serve as nourishment for the Sacred Mushroom, hastening its metamorphosis into a true Divine Medicine," Gui Xiao said with candid laughter.

"What? You want to kill us and use us as nourishment for this mushroom? This isn't a Sacred Mushroom; it's more like a Demon Mushroom that sucks blood and flesh," the crowd's faces paled in horror.

They bombarded the walls they had come through, but with each attack, the entire chamber's surface rippled with Spiritual Light, scattering their offenses into ineffectiveness.

"Don't waste your energy. The walls of this chamber have thirty-six protective prohibitions carved into them. With your strength, it's impossible to break through quickly. Better to just await death than struggle," Gui Xiao advised as if consoling them.

"Gui Xiao, you demon! How dare you act so brazenly, attempting to kill us all? If so many of us disappear at once, aren't you afraid the forces behind us will unite to completely topple your Baxuan City and tear you to shreds?" someone shouted fiercely.

"Once you are killed and the Sacred Mushroom has grown, there will be no reason to stay here. I can simply find another place and start anew," Gui Xiao retorted, unconcerned.

"You heartless demon, aren't you afraid of retribution?" The crowd was both shocked and angry, unable to believe that the usually respected and upright Lord of Baxuan City was actually a devil incarnate. It wasn't that they had been careless; rather, this devil had hidden too well.

Indeed, for every measure there is a countermeasure; the devil's schemes rise a yard for every foot of virtue.

"Retribution? Today, I am your retribution!" Gui Xiao sneered at the crowd and suddenly retreated.

Some cultivators, who had been secretly preparing to strike, were met with nothing but air, ruefully acknowledging their missed opportunity. They also cried out, "Let's act together, kill this devil, and destroy the Demon Mushroom!"

Before the group could launch an attack, the entire chamber suddenly shook with a thunderous rumble.

Black slots appeared on all four walls, including the ceiling, emanating a cold and dangerous presence.

Subsequently, a series of high-grade Spiritual Crossbows extended from the slots.

Each of the Low-grade Spiritual Crossbow bolts on them was as thick as a calf.

Seeing these bolts, everyone's complexions turned ashen, a chill running down their spines.

A single Low-grade Spiritual Crossbow bolt was not frightening, but a barrage of them, launched by high-grade crossbows, promised a terrifying offensive force.

"Look out, everybody, be careful." An elder cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core stage changed his expression and immediately brought out a Spiritual Artifact to destroy a row of crossbows, intent on breaking through.

However, a bolt shot forth suddenly, forcefully repelling his Spiritual Artifact.

"Damn!" The elder's expression darkened, and a profound sense of gravity filled his heart.

"Quick, form a circle, and defend together," a seasoned Golden Core expert shouted.

Recognizing the life-and-death situation, the group quickly assembled into a circle to mount a joint defense.

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The vibrations from each launched Low-grade Spiritual Crossbow bolt were so distinct—in front, behind, to the left, to the right, even from above—bolts were coming from all directions.

Trapped within the chamber with limited room to maneuver and distances varying from only ten zhang at the most to a mere five zhang from the ceiling, they were perilously close to the deadly bolts.