Han Li paid no attention to the suction force from the bronze tree, and he carefully sized up the white pillar of light at the top of the tree as thoughts spun in his mind.
He noticed that the markings on it were slightly different from the markings he saw in the divine hall before, but they were of the same origin, so it wasn't too difficult to break through them.
Thus, he took out the Star Wave Brush from his pocket and started drawing the markings around the pillar of light.
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Although Han Li hadn't reached the level of proficiency, his speed was much faster than before, and it wasn't long before he'd finished drawing.
Accompanied by a ripple of white light, the pillar of light dissipated, and the blood red key naturally fell into Han Li's hand.
At the same time, the suction force on the strange bronze tree vanished along with it.
"You're courting death …" Shao Ying thought he'd been tricked by Han Li and Chen Yang, and he flew into a rage.
His legs suddenly stomped on the branch, and he directly broke a section of the bronze tree branch, and his figure burst out explosively as he charged towards Han Li.
On the other hand, the latter brought Shi Chuankong along and flashed down a step ahead.
Before Shao Ying could chase after him again, Han Li held the key in one hand, raised it above his head, and shouted loudly, "Don't push your luck.
If you want to forcefully fight for it again, I'll just crush this thing, and we'll fight to the death. Don't think of getting anything out of it. "
As soon as these words were spoken, Shao Ying really didn't dare to act rashly, and he stood at the top of the tree and looked down at Han Li with a gloomy expression.
The other people who were fighting in the hall also stopped and retreated to the sides.
"Fellow Li, since you've already chosen to stand by and watch, why involve yourself in this?" Fu Jian's brows knit together tightly, and his gaze was hostile.
Han Li held the key and stood with his hands behind his back, and he didn't explain anything.
"City Governor Fu doesn't have the right to tell us how the people of Qingyang City do things, right?" Chen Yang sneered.
"Cough cough … Fellow Fu, looks like we've fallen for their trick since the beginning, and we mistakenly thought they were trying to drive a wedge between us. Little did we know that they were just putting on a show for us …" Qin Yuan coughed lightly and said.
"Brat, you dare to play with us? Are you afraid that I'll give up this key and really fight to the death with you?" Shao Ying said viciously.
"Shao Ying, what sort of nonsense are you spouting?" Right at this moment, another furious shout sounded out from outside the shrine.
Then, four figures walked in from outside.
Of the two people in the lead, one was a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance, and the other was a short, stocky old man. They didn't look eye-catching, but they instantly attracted the attention of everyone in the hall.
Because these two people were none other than Xuan City's City Lord, Eco, and Madam Liu Hua.
Behind them was a handsome man and woman in bone armor; they were none other than Zhu Ziyuan and Zhu Ziqing.
Chen Yang's expression couldn't help but change when he saw Edgar's sudden appearance. He couldn't help but take half a step back. Han Li saw this and felt even more puzzled.
"Greetings, City Governor E …" Everyone stepped forward and greeted him.
"City Governor, I …" Shao Ying stepped forward and bowed. Just as he was about to speak, Eco's expression turned cold. He suddenly waved his sleeve and directly knocked Shao Ying to the ground.
After Shao Ying got up, he hurriedly bowed again and didn't dare to say another word. Qin Yuan and the others' expressions changed drastically when they saw this, and fear appeared in their eyes.
Seeing this, Han Li couldn't help but clench his hand that was holding the blood-red key a little tighter. His gaze vaguely sized up Eco's face, and he was weighing whether to hand over the key or threaten to destroy it again.
Eco's expression slightly froze. When his gaze swept across Han Li and the others, his eyes revealed some praise. When he saw Shi Chuankong standing behind Han Li, he was only slightly surprised and didn't have much of a reaction.
But when his gaze fell on Qin Yuan and the others, his face immediately sank, and he sneered, "City Governor Qin, City Governor Fu, the two of you are really capable.
"City Governor Qin, City Governor Fu, the two of you really have some ability. You haven't even touched a single strand of hair on the Secret Treasure, yet you've already turned on each other. Why … do you like to kill each other so much?"
"I wouldn't dare.
I just wanted to keep the key in my hands so that I can give it to City Governor E. However, I was eager to fight for the credit, so I had a conflict with Fellow Sun and Fellow Chen … "Qin Yuan hurriedly explained.
"Hehe, Fellow Qin, you're very eloquent now. You're not panting and coughing anymore?" Sun Tu sneered.
"Snatching the key depends on your own ability. If you fought with the Puppet City, not only would I not say anything, but I would also reward you. However, it's a little unreasonable for you to kill each other." Eco's expression softened a little, and it seemed that his anger had subsided a little.
"This matter was caused by our greed. We'll definitely compensate White Rock City and Qingyang City later. Please forgive us, City Governor." Fu Jian followed Qin Yuan closely, and he quickly said as he caught onto Eco's greed.
"Since you're doing this for the sake of our Xuan City, I won't deal with you today. When we return in the future, I'll definitely make you apologize to Fellow Sun and Fellow Chen.
Since the key is obtained by Qingyang City, we'll let Fellow Li keep it for the time being. No one is allowed to have any thoughts of snatching it.
After that, we still need to work together to obtain the treasure, "Eco pondered for a moment and said.
A fight for benefits had turned into a fight for merit. Although Sun Tu and the others were dissatisfied, they didn't say much.
"City Governor E, since you're here, there's no reason for me to keep the key. Naturally, it should be given to City Governor E," Han Li stepped forward and said as he spread out his palm.
"You may not know this, but there are five blood-red keys in total. Only by combining them can we open a forbidden area in the depths of the Great Ruins, and obtain the treasure within. Only one key is not very useful.
Since this key was obtained by Fellow Li, before we reach the treasure, I'll hand it over to Fellow Li for safekeeping, "Eco glanced at the key, but didn't take it. Instead, he smiled and said.
Han Li heard this and didn't continue to refuse. He conveniently kept the key in his arms.
Thump, thump, thump.
Another rapid heartbeat was heard. This blood-red key seemed to be resonating with the previous one, and both of them started to beat like a heart.
Then, a warm current flowed out of the blood-red key and into Han Li's body.
Following this throbbing, a burst of scorching Qi seeped into his body from within the crimson key. Han Li instantly felt as if his blood essence were surging at a rapid rate, and even his star power was being drawn into action.
The mysterious aperture that was about to open in his body was finally opened at this moment.
Han Li was pleasantly surprised. He quickly suppressed the Qi and blood in his body and the power of the stars, not daring to reveal the changes in his body.
But even so, the crowd still sensed a trace of strangeness, and looked at him.
"Dare I ask City Lord Eco, what exactly is the treasure in the depths of the Big Ruins?" Han Li looked calm and took the initiative to ask in order to divert the crowd's attention.
"A long time ago, it was said that there was a skeleton with endless power hidden in the depths of the Big Ruins. It's a treasure that has the power to turn the world upside down. Anyone who can go there and see the skeleton will be able to obtain great benefits," Eco said slowly.
Something that Eco said had great benefits was naturally far from being comparable to an ordinary item.
When the crowd heard this, their expressions changed slightly. There was more or less yearning and greed in their eyes.
When Han Li heard this, he couldn't help but think of the "Sacred Scale Skeleton" that Shi Chuankong mentioned. However, according to Shi Chuankong, Eco seemed to have another purpose for coming here, but he didn't know what it was.
He quietly glanced at Shi Chuankong and saw that he was indifferent. He turned his gaze and glanced at Chen Yang.
At this moment, Chen Yang's expression was faintly changing, and his eyes were filled with hidden worries.
"Fellow Chen, tell me the truth. Do you know something?" Han Li asked Shi Chuankong through telepathy.
After waiting for a while, Chen Yang still didn't respond.
"Is what City Lord Eco said true or false?" Han Li asked again through telepathy.
"Fellow Li, I do have something to hide from you. However, I also have my difficulties, and I can't tell you now …" At this moment, Chen Yang replied through telepathy.
"Fellow Chen, you've already threatened me once before. If you still can't tell me the truth now, then let's call off our cooperation in the future." Han Li's tone gradually turned cold as he transmitted his voice.
"This … Forget it. Since you must know, I won't hide it from you.
In the beginning, I wasn't actually from Qingyang City, but Xuan City.
Back then, my elder brother Chen Lie and I were spies trained by the City Lord's Mansion. In the future, we would be sent to infiltrate other cities.
In order to be qualified for this task, we went through rigorous training.
During the final assessment, we were each sent to assassinate one person. If we succeeded, we could obtain a large amount of cultivation resources and profound mystic cultivation methods.
But no one thought that our assassination targets were each other … "Chen Yang said through telepathy after hesitating for a moment.
"Killing each other?" Han Li couldn't help but frown slightly when he heard this.
"That's right.
Eco sent Shao Ying to follow and monitor us. We had no other choice … In the end, I survived … "Chen Yang paused and said with some difficulty.
"Your entanglement with him has nothing to do with me. In order to survive in this Scale Hollow Realm, I can cooperate with you. But if you want to challenge Eco now, it's no different from throwing an egg against a stone. I won't accompany you to death," Han Li said after a moment of thought.
"Of course … Besides, I don't intend to make things difficult for Eco now. What I'm doing now is the same as what you're doing, Fellow Li. It's just for survival …" Chen Yang sighed heavily and said with some helplessness.
"Then what Eco said just now …" Han Li's heart moved and he asked.
Chen Yang thought for a moment and explained, "It's meaningless to say whether it's true or not. After all, no one has really found it before.
But the rumor is indeed as he said. There's a skeleton hidden in the depths of the Great Ruins. It contains endless energy. Even if you only obtain a small finger bone and refine it into your body, it can increase your physical cultivation and even the number of mystic orifices by a lot. It's truly a divine object in the eyes of mystic cultivators like me. "
When Han Li heard this, just as he was about to say something, Eko's voice sounded out.
"Fellow Li, since the blood-red key is in your hands, then let's not delay any further. Let's set off together and rush to the place where the treasure is hidden.
If the people from the Puppet City get there before us, it won't be worth it. "
Sun Tu frowned and asked, "Since there are only five keys to the treasure, and we need to gather all of them to open it, we have one here. Even if the people from the Puppet City get there first, they won't be able to open it, right?"
Madam Liu Hua, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said, "The Puppet City isn't like our Xuan City. They're proficient in the art of puppets, but it doesn't mean that they don't have any other way."
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