Chapter 347: Chapter 323: Intimidation
Deactivating his Celestial Eye Divine Power, Nie Yun looked at the mist before him and, like everyone else, feigned a worried expression.
Seeing his expression, Huangg Ling and the others exchanged glances and sneered.
"Let’s head in. Inside the Mist Swamp, ordinary people like us are as good as blind. We all have to follow Moh Wudao’s orders!"
After giving the order, Huangg Ling took the lead, flying with the group toward the vast expanse of mist.
"Let’s go!" Nie Yun didn’t waste words. He and Nie Tong shared a small laugh and flew off behind the others.
WHOOSH!
The moment they entered the mist, the group immediately felt their Flying Technique become useless. A powerful suction from below tugged at them relentlessly, forcing them into a downward plunge.
Nie Yun knew this was the Mist Swamp’s unique sinking force. It wasn’t very dangerous, so he didn’t resist. He grabbed his brother, Nie Tong, and followed closely behind the group as they plummeted downward.
RUMBLE!
After a dizzying tumble that seemed to last forever, Nie Yun opened his eyes.
Thick mist still lay ahead, but his feet had made contact with something solid. It wasn’t ground, but a fluid similar to water.
The liquid was so dense that a person could walk on its surface without sinking.
"Everyone check on your subordinates. Did anyone get separated?" Huangg Ling called out from the front.
This wasn’t out of any concern for his companions. Rather, each of them held a Purple Splendor Jade Seal in their possession. Losing a person was trivial, but if a Jade Seal went missing and they couldn’t enter the Inner Hall, the entire trip would be a waste.
"No one’s missing from my group!"
"We’re all here, too..."
...
Soon, everyone had finished their headcount. No one was missing. The group gathered together and slowly began to move forward.
"Although the Hell Cold Stream is sparse here, it still exists. There are also arrays, as well as Demon Beasts and Demons who’ve gotten trapped. If you don’t want to die, stick close behind me and follow my orders!" Moh Wudao huffed. Light flashed in his eyes as he activated his Celestial Eye Talent and led the group straight forward.
"Brother, why are there Demon Beasts and Demons in here?"
Nie Yun glanced ahead. Seeing that the path was clear, he and Nie Tong followed close behind.
"The Zihua Cave Mansion is known as the greatest cave mansion on the Qi Sea Continent. With a reputation that big, even though most people can’t find its exact location, some still manage to. When Demons and Demon Beasts come to explore, it’s almost always a one-way trip. Once they’re trapped inside, it’s nearly impossible to escape. Since they can’t get out, they have no choice but to live here. Over time, the population of Demons and Demon Beasts has just kept growing, turning this into the most notoriously dangerous place on the entire Qi Sea Continent!"
Nie Yun knew all of this from his past life, so he was intimately familiar with the topic and explained it all offhandedly.
"Your Majesty Nie Yun, you are truly well-informed!"
Nie Yun had just finished speaking when he heard a voice of praise. The speaker was none other than Huangg Ling.
"It’s nothing, just rambling," Nie Yun said dismissively.
"You’re too modest, Your Majesty Nie Yun. It may sound simple, but no one could know such things without being familiar with the Mist Swamp!" His Majesty Huangg Ling said with praise, before suddenly changing the subject. "I imagine these are things your master told you, correct?"
’He’s trying to pry for information about my master.’ Knowing this, Nie Yun casually spun a lie. "My master may be from the Floating Heaven Continent, but he’s still quite familiar with the Qi Sea Continent."
"We are all so envious that Your Majesty Nie Yun has such a formidable master. By the way, has your esteemed master accompanied you on this trip? If he were here, I fear there would be no treasures left for us!"
Huangg Ling’s words sounded casual, tinged with self-deprecation, as if it were just an idle thought. But Nie Yun knew the real reason for the question. ’He’s worried my master followed me. After all, if an expert of that caliber were here, trying to move against me would be suicide.’
"My master said young people need to be tempered through experience, so he didn’t come himself. He did, however, leave a sliver of his consciousness with me. If I run into any real danger, it can activate a Reversal Space and pull me back to safety."
Nie Yun understood Huangg Ling’s intentions perfectly, so he didn’t pull any punches with his bluff.
’Besides, it costs nothing to brag. Since they’re so convinced I have this master, they’ll believe any lie I tell.’
"Reversal Space?" Huangg Ling was taken aback. "That..."
He had met few true powerhouses in his life, and ’even the strongest person I can think of, Lord Hua, doesn’t seem to have that kind of power!’
Seeing the man’s expression, Nie Yun suddenly lowered his voice. "Oh, by the way, my master gave me some private instructions before I came here. I wonder if Your Majesty Huangg Ling would be interested in hearing them?"
"If it’s an instruction from your master... it probably wouldn’t be appropriate for me to hear it!" Huangg Ling said, his words clearly not matching his intentions as his ears practically perked up.
"It’s nothing too serious. It’s just that my master can perceive the Celestial Secret and can foresee good and bad fortune. He gave me a few words of advice. Since our fates are currently intertwined, for better or worse, I thought I should give you a warning, too."
Nie Yun smiled to himself.
"Perceiving the Celestial Secret? Foreseeing good and bad fortune? Oh, then I must hear it!" Huangg Ling’s expression grew solemn.
"He said..." Nie Yun deliberately glanced around. "He said that the Qi Sea Continent is not as simple as it appears. He suspects that Secret Realm Powerhouses will get involved with this Zihua Cave Mansion expedition. What’s more, he said the Demon Race has allied with humans. He told me to be extremely careful. If I discover them, I am to immediately break a seal he gave me and eliminate all the traitors colluding with the Demons in one fell swoop!"
"Secret Realm Powerhouses involved... Demons and humans allied... H-How is that possible? Your master must be worrying too much, yes, worrying too much!" Huangg Ling’s expression became extremely ugly, a look of pure awkwardness on his face.
"Heh, I wouldn’t know about that. That’s just what my master told me. I’m only giving you a kind warning. Otherwise, if you really run into the traitor allied with the Demons and don’t realize it, you won’t even know what killed you."
Seeing that his intimidation had hit its mark, Nie Yun said no more. With a small laugh, he led Nie Tong and continued forward.
"Thank you for the warning, Your Majesty Nie Yun. This place is dangerous. We can talk more later!"
Seeing that the young man was paying him no more mind, Huangg Ling’s face went white. He strode forward, his mind clearly racing.
Ordinarily, as the Emperor of an Empire, Huangg Ling was a meticulous man and incredibly difficult to deceive. But the shock of Nie Yun’s existence was simply too great. Add to that the fabricated master, and he found himself forced to believe, despite his lingering doubts.
People in high positions are often paranoid when it comes to those stronger than themselves. Nie Yun’s words were a deliberate move to apply that very psychological pressure.
’If I can’t kill him, scaring him to death is the next best thing!’
’Nie Yun’s master actually possesses such a technique? Unacceptable. I must report this to the Huangg Chen Ancestor at once and warn them to be careful!’
After walking for a while with a blank expression, Huangg Ling waited for a moment when no one was paying attention. He took a jade tablet from his robes and, with a tap of his finger, sent out a message.
"Heh."
Though his movements were subtle, a flash of Golden Light flickered in the eyes of Nie Yun, who was walking up ahead. He had seen everything with perfect clarity.
’Looks like things are getting more and more interesting...’
Nie Yun smiled faintly.
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