I Have 10 Equipment Slots

Chapter 414: Chapter 237: Serve Me as Lord?

This meant Bo Taixing didn’t know either.

’In all these years, has any Alien ever figured it out?’

Gu Zheng mulled it over for a moment and decided that yes, they must have!

Although the Dao Rhyme contained within the Ice Dragon Fruits was extremely scarce, it was still Dao Rhyme. There was a high probability that eating the fruit would lead to unintentional insights or epiphanies, allowing one to continuously improve their Cultivation.

In other words, the four Alien Races here, including the Two-Eared and Three-Eyed, cultivated at a very fast pace.

The fact that Bo Taixing was able to break through to the King’s Body realm at such a young age was probably half due to the Ice Dragon Fruit.

If she could just endure a few more flare-ups of the Cold Poison, advancing to the second stage of the King’s Body realm wouldn’t be difficult.

Similar Alien experts must have emerged over the past thirty thousand years.

However, even if these Alien experts had discovered the Ice Dragon Fruit’s secret, they probably wouldn’t have revealed it or stopped those beneath them from eating the fruit.

For one, food was scarce.

For another, something like Dao Rhyme was too ephemeral to grasp, let alone comprehend or gain insight from.

’So what if they broke through to the third stage of the King’s Body realm?’

They still couldn’t leave!

Under these circumstances, everyone was allowed to eat the Ice Dragon Fruits, a practice that continued to this day, until Gu Zheng discovered the truth.

A fruit that allowed one to perceive and comprehend Dao Rhyme just by eating it... it was incredibly rare.

Gu Zheng wished he could have as many as possible!

However, on the way here, Bo Xiu had mentioned that obtaining Ice Dragon Fruits was not easy.

The quantity they could gather each time wasn’t very large.

If Gu Zheng wanted to acquire them on a large scale, he would have to come up with a plan.

...

He didn’t have to wait long in the cave.

People from the Two-Eared Race, the Toothless Race, and the Hidden Spirit Race arrived at the Three-Eyed Race’s cavern.

Bo Xiang and Bo Xiu led the way, making introductions between Gu Zheng and the newcomers.

"This is the Sir who entered our space, the one we have awaited for thirty thousand years."

Bo Xiu introduced, then turned to Gu Zheng. "Sir, this is the Clan Leader of the Two-Eared Race, Sen Taibai."

Bo Xiu pointed to a handsome, middle-aged man with skin like his own, who had a pair of pointed ears on each side of his head.

"Sen Taibai, it is an honor to meet you, Sir!" The middle-aged man faced Gu Zheng and performed a deep bow.

"A pleasure, Clan Leader Taibai." Gu Zheng returned the gesture with a cupped fist salute and glanced at the four men and women of the Two-Ear Race standing behind Sen Taibai. He noticed that every member of the Two-Ear Race People was handsome or beautiful, much like the elves from Western fantasy novels.

"This is the Clan Leader of the Toothless Race, Wutai City."

Bo Xiu pointed to a burly man who stood over two meters tall. His face, however, was wrapped in gauze.

"Clan Leader Taidu and his people have always worn gauze because they have no teeth. We ask for your understanding, Sir."

Without teeth, it was naturally difficult to speak gracefully. Of course, the words also didn’t sound pleasant and were muffled and unclear.

Because of this, the burly man used Divine Strange Sound Transmission and performed a deep bow to Gu Zheng.

"Wutai City, it is an honor to meet you, Sir!"

"A pleasure, Clan Leader Taidu," Gu Zheng replied with a cupped fist salute.

"And this is the Clan Leader of the Hidden Spirit Race, Ji Taihao." Bo Xiu finally pointed to a spot where the air rippled, revealing a faint silhouette. "As I mentioned to you before, Sir, the Hidden Spirit Race cannot reveal themselves—"

"It’s alright, I can see him," Gu Zheng said, a flicker of golden light in his eyes.

Activating his Eyes of Golden Flame, he saw the Clan Leader of the Hidden Spirit Race. The man had a slender build and handsome features, appearing to be less than thirty years old. His long, silver-white hair was also invisible. He was about 1.9 meters tall, and most of his body was bare.

Hearing Gu Zheng say he could see him, Ji Taihao was momentarily startled. He quickly checked himself, and only relaxed after confirming that his vital areas were covered by Hidden Spirit Gauze.

Then, he bowed to Gu Zheng and used Divine Strange Sound Transmission. "Ji Taihao, it is an honor to meet you, Sir!"

"A pleasure, Clan Leader Taihao."

Gu Zheng returned the cupped fist salute and asked, "If I may, how did your parents come up with the name ’Ji Taihao’?"

The surname Ji, combined with the name Taihao, was somewhat unusual.

"Is there something special about this name?" Ji Taihao asked, looking puzzled, before explaining, "’Ji Taihao’ is the name of every Clan Leader of the Hidden Spirit Race. It is said to be the name of our first ancestor. Before I took over this role, my name was Ji Xing."

"I see."

Realization dawned on Gu Zheng. He looked at Sen Taibai and Wutai City and asked, "Are your names also inherited clan leader titles?"

"Yes, Sir,"

Sen Taibai nodded. "Among our four races, only the Clan Leaders can have ’Tai’ in their names."

Taibai, Taixing, Taidu, Taihao.

’It certainly is unusual.’

Gu Zheng thought for a moment, but didn’t press the matter. He looked at the three clan leaders, and at Bo Taixing who could now walk with some difficulty after having half of her Cold Poison dispelled, and got straight to the point. "Bo Xiu told me that I am the one you have awaited for thirty thousand years, the one who can lead you out of this place. But the truth is, I stumbled in here by accident while chasing two Undead Race Great Monarchs, and I can’t leave either."

With that, Gu Zheng recounted his entire journey: from the bottom of the Thousand-Mile Abyss, into the Void Thunder Layer, and finally to this place.

After hearing his story, Sen Taibai, Wutai City, and the others fell silent one by one.

They called the space they were trapped in the "Ice Prison."

Trapped here for thirty thousand years, the pervasive Ice Cold Qi never dissipated, making it feel just like a prison.

Before, they had no idea what lay outside this space. Now, they finally knew the situation.

Outside this space was the Void Thunder Layer.

The entire "Ice Prison" was most likely surrounded by the Void Thunder Layer.

Beyond the Void Thunder Layer was the Thousand-Mile Abyss in the Demon Realm.

But now, the passage between the abyss and the Void Thunder Layer was sealed and had disappeared.

Even if they could break out of the "Ice Prison" and enter the Void Thunder Layer, there was no way out from there.

They were well and truly trapped in the "Ice Prison"!

’After waiting for thirty thousand years, this was the desperate news they received?’

Bo Xiu, Bo Xiang, Sen Taibai, Wutai City, Ji Taihao—all the Aliens fell completely silent.

The atmosphere became downcast and oppressive.

Gu Zheng didn’t know how to comfort them.

Being trapped was one thing, but Gu Zheng himself wasn’t actually that worried.

He could live for over a thousand years.

And he had just discovered a rare treasure like the Ice Dragon Fruit, which contained Dao Rhyme.

In the worst-case scenario, he would just have to bide his time, advance to the third stage of the King’s Body, and break through to the True Body Realm!

According to legend, once someone broke through to the True Body Realm, they could shatter the void and enter the Reflected World!

The Reflected World of both the mortal realm and the Demon Realm also had Demon Fiends, and there were plenty of connecting passages.

Or he could find a strange space like the Nine Heavens Shadow Realm, which would have sufficient resources.

In short, breaking through to the True Body Realm would give him a chance to return to the mortal realm.

The only downside was that while Gu Zheng was trapped in the "Ice Prison," the Gu family would likely face difficult times.

It was unlikely they would be killed, though.

As long as Gu Zheng didn’t return, his existence would be a sword hanging over everyone else’s heads.

A King’s Body cultivator could live for a thousand years; no one could guarantee that Gu Zheng would never come back.

...

In the midst of the silence, Bo Taixing suddenly began a Divine Strange Sound Transmission. "Sir, it’s like this. According to an agreement made by the ancestors of our four races, once you entered the ’Ice Prison,’ all of us from the four races were to become your followers. We are willing to offer a sliver of our Divine Souls and pledge our eternal loyalty to you!"

Hm?

Gu Zheng was taken aback.

Sen Taibai, Wutai City, and Ji Taihao, on the other hand, were shocked.

The three of them looked at Bo Taixing at the same time.

The four of them exchanged a look, their eyes glinting with understanding.

The next moment, Sen Taibai, Wutai City, and Ji Taihao knelt in unison, prostrating themselves as they shouted.

"We are willing to offer our Divine Souls and pledge our eternal loyalty to you, Sir!"

The members of the Two-Ear Race, Toothless Race, and Hidden Spirit Race who had come with them, including Bo Xiu and Bo Xiang—every Alien present except for Bo Taixing—immediately knelt and prostrated themselves, shouting in unison.

"We are willing to offer our Divine Souls and pledge our eternal loyalty to you, Sir!"

’Offer their Divine Souls and pledge eternal loyalty?’

Gu Zheng was speechless.

’Are they afraid I was lying, or are they worried I won’t help them?’

’On second thought, it’s understandable.’

’Just because they waited for thirty thousand years, I’m supposed to lead them out of the "Ice Prison"? On what grounds?’

’Before this, they were all strangers to me. We had no connection, let alone any friendship to speak of.’

’Bo Taixing, Sen Taibai, Ji Taihao, and Bo Xiu say one word, and I’m just supposed to take them away?’

’You have to ask, on what grounds?’

’Do I owe them something!?’