Chapter Seven: The Door to the Treasure

At this moment, Karosius produced a heap of strange metallic frameworks, pointing at Zhang Xiao and saying, “Stop pretending to be dead over there and get over here. Assemble these things for me according to the blueprints. If you make the slightest mistake, I’ll make sure you can neither live nor die.” Zhang Xiao took the blueprints, his brow furrowing—this seemed to be some kind of array similar to a teleportation formation. Following the sequence and method indicated on the diagrams, Zhang Xiao quickly assembled the metal frameworks. Karosius stepped forward, inspecting the result carefully. Once certain there were no errors, he sneered, “You’re clever enough not to try anything funny.”

“Senior, is this used to stabilize spatial rifts?” Zhang Xiao asked cautiously. Karosius hadn’t expected Zhang Xiao to inquire and his expression turned a bit frosty. “That’s right. Why are you asking? If you’re thinking of running, hmph!” As he finished, Karosius pointed at a nearby tree. Instantly, a spatial rift tore open in the air, swallowing the massive tree whole. Zhang Xiao’s face paled as he hurriedly replied, “Senior, you misunderstand. With your boundless power, how could I possibly dare to run? Besides, accompanying you promises boundless prospects. I wouldn’t dream of asking for anything, only hoping you might give me some guidance when you have time.” Though Zhang Xiao’s tone was sincere, he was scheming inwardly. His best strategy now was to show weakness and placate this old monster, hoping Karosius would lower his guard.

This pleased Karosius greatly, his mood improving as he looked at Zhang Xiao with approval. “Good, you know your place. Since you’re so sensible, I’ll tell you: what you just assembled is my prized invention—an expendable teleportation gate.” With that, he explained the strengths and weaknesses of this device. Zhang Xiao was astonished; although the gate could only be used once, it was simple and convenient, able to transport dozens at a time, and its range far exceeded ordinary teleportation arrays. Compared to these advantages, the drawbacks were negligible. Taking up the blueprints, Zhang Xiao sat to study them—he had nothing better to do, and the old monster was clearly waiting for someone. Though Eastern and Western cultivation methods differed, some principles were universal, and sometimes drawing analogies from different disciplines could be more fruitful than specializing in just one. Karosius didn’t bother to interfere, and as midnight passed, the teleportation gate suddenly began to glow. Snakes of lightning split the air, tearing open a spatial rift.

Karosius’s face lit up with joy as he sprang to his feet and peered into the gate. Two figures shot out at high speed—a man and a woman. The man was tremendously muscular, his body like hewn stone, emanating a suffocating aura even while standing still, which left Zhang Xiao feeling weighed down. The woman, by contrast, was rather frail, her eyes cold and serpentine; even the briefest glance from her sent chills down Zhang Xiao’s spine, marking her as another old monster-level expert.

“Ha! Old man, I heard you tried to steal from the Magic Guild’s treasury and are now wanted by them. What on earth was worth that risk?” The man laughed, his eyes brimming with schadenfreude as he questioned Karosius.

Karosius answered with a cold smile, glancing at Zhang Xiao. “It wasn’t me who wanted anything—it was this young man. He demanded that I fetch him that item as a condition for accepting a mission. I was nearly killed by the Magic Guild’s council of elders for it. Anyway, if we get the goods this time, I have first pick.” At that, the man’s gaze shifted to Zhang Xiao, whose face paled; the man’s strength was unfathomable.

Even the glint in his eyes cut like knives, forcing beads of cold sweat from Zhang Xiao’s brow. This raw, naked pressure was unlike anything he’d ever endured. Just as he was about to buckle, the woman beside him shot him an alluring smile and nudged the man. “Han Meng, don’t frighten our little brother. Come here, little one—let big sister take care of you.” Despite her sweet tone, Zhang Xiao felt nauseated. Though she appeared in her early twenties, he was sure she was an ancient crone. Her serpent-like gaze made him even more uneasy.

“Not bad. The kid clearly has some treasure to suppress his true strength, but to withstand my pressure means he’s strong enough to serve as a key. Old man, as you said, if we get the prize, you get first choice.” Han Meng, as the man was called, seemed satisfied with Zhang Xiao. In truth, Zhang Xiao wore the Illusion Ring, so Han Meng had tested him personally to gauge his strength. Han Meng turned to the woman, “Alright, Minel, put away that act. This kid isn’t for playing with yet. If you break him, where are we going to find another qualified key?” Minel, as the woman was called, reluctantly withdrew her gaze. “Fine, but after the job’s done, the boy is mine.”

Karosius smiled faintly and said, “Of course, that won’t be a problem. Let’s go, or we’ll miss the window for the gate’s appearance.” With that, he dragged Zhang Xiao toward the depths of the eastern forest. Outwardly calm, Zhang Xiao’s mind was in turmoil—key! Gate! From their exchange, Zhang Xiao realized his role: they’d found a treasure that required someone like him to open, and he was the key. The risks dawned on him; perhaps he should escape at once. Yet he sensed Han Meng’s gaze never left him, and the slightest move would spell his defeat. Zhang Xiao could only pray he wouldn’t be a one-use key. The group pressed on through the jungle, encountering no monsters—not because there were none, but because Han Meng’s aura radiated so openly that every beast fled in terror. Though on foot, their speed was astonishing.

Around five in the morning, the trio brought Zhang Xiao to a cliffside and began to rest. “Boy, get some rest. If you mess up later, hmph!” Karosius cast a meaningful glance at Minel, who sat with eyes closed, as if to say that if Zhang Xiao failed, he’d be handed over to her. Zhang Xiao quickly promised to rest well and ensure the task’s completion. Karosius’s mood improved, and as dawn approached, he grew increasingly excited.

Sensing this, Zhang Xiao asked, “Senior, why do you need me for this task? You seem to have plenty of experts at your disposal, and if it’s Chinese blood you require, isn’t there the Hongmen organization? Why go through all this trouble and risk being hunted by the Magic Guild?” At this, Karosius glanced at him and sneered, “You’re well-informed to know about Hongmen so quickly. I’ll tell you the truth: we found this treasure long ago, but to open it requires a powerful descendant of China who’s mastered authentic Daoist arts. Hongmen has many skilled members, but their techniques are chaotic and impure—we’ve tried, and it doesn’t work. We thought we’d have to wait years, but the gods smiled on us and delivered you right to our hands.” Hearing this, Zhang Xiao fell silent, a chill creeping into his heart. His captors had no intention of letting him live once he’d served his purpose; once the treasure was unlocked, his death would soon follow. With their powers, killing him would be effortless. No doubt the previous Hongmen disciple had been wiped out similarly. Was he to share the same fate? The more anxious he grew, the calmer he forced himself to become, feigning curiosity as precious moments ticked by.

He devised a dozen escape plans, but discarded each one. However swift his magic, he couldn’t outrun Karosius’s near-instant spatial jumps, and the others were likely just as formidable. Any resistance would mean certain death. Lost in these grim thoughts, he was jolted to attention as the first rays of dawn crested the mountains and struck the rock face. The three old monsters opened their eyes, staring intently at the stone wall. Bathed in sunlight, the unremarkable cliff suddenly shimmered with seven-colored light, and a grand door emerged—red lacquer, brass studs, stone lions, all steeped in ancient Chinese splendor. “Quick, use the boy to open it!” Minel barked. But before she’d finished, Han Meng had already appeared behind Zhang Xiao, seized him by the collar, and, with fingers sharp as blades, struck seven vital points on his body.

“Ah!” As the seven points were pierced, Zhang Xiao’s face turned pale with agony as blood spurted from each wound. Han Meng tossed Zhang Xiao toward the great door, which instantly drew him in with a powerful suction, his blood streaming forth to bathe the vermillion gates.