The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 99 - 84: Clear Situation (Alliance Leader Adds More: Chu Shenxing)

Chapter 99: Chapter 84: Clear Situation (Alliance Leader Adds More: Chu Shenxing)

Driven either by curiosity about the mysterious object or by confidence in his own powers, Li Shaqing, the vice president of the Cultivator Association, now stopped Yang Yilong and headed straight toward the bone mural ahead.

At this moment, no one opposed his actions.

Everyone needed to directly understand just how malevolent the mysterious object described by Zhang Lei was; could it be that even cultivators who had opened their Spiritual Realm couldn’t resist it?

"The influence of this mysterious object diminished significantly after I damaged it," Li Yi’s eyes gleamed as he noticed that a halo still enveloped the area around the bone mural, covering roughly seven to eight meters.

That is to say, one would only be affected by the illusion of the bone mural when they approached this range.

Yet, through observation, Li Yi discovered that none of the four cultivators at the Spiritual Realm present could see the boundary of the bone mural’s illusion. It seemed only he had this ability.

"Is it because I broke the illusion, or is it because of the Bone-to-Meat Technique... At the moment of success with the Bone-to-Meat Technique, I felt some indescribable changes within me. As if my scattered consciousness had gathered together and formed a ’person,’" he mused.

"Forget it, I’ll think about this problem later. Now is not the time," he thought.

Li Yi then dismissed these chaotic thoughts from his mind, and his gaze settled on Li Shaqing in front of him.

Li Shaqing had already stepped over the boundary, directly entering the range enveloped by the bone mural’s illusion.

It was only a moment.

He stopped in his tracks, and soon after, Li Shaqing’s eyes glazed over, his consciousness sinking into the illusion.

"Li Shaqing really is in trouble. Zhang Lei wasn’t wrong; getting close to this thing does affect you. The energy field around this bone mural spans roughly eight meters—an incomplete piece after all," Yang Yilong calculated with a slight movement in his eyes.

"An eight-meter energy field can sustain the cultivation of a dozen cultivators, not a small value. Now it depends on how long Li Shaqing will take to free himself. If even someone like him cannot subdue this mysterious object, then it’s really not worth fighting for," Wei Bin also pondered with sparkling eyes, beginning to estimate the value of the incomplete wonder.

"Li Yi," Zhang Lei called out at that moment.

"Captain, what is it?" Li Yi looked up.

"Give Li Shaqing ten minutes. Once ten minutes are up, go and pull him out of the illusion," Zhang Lei ordered, "You’re the only one here who passed the illusion’s test without worry of influence, so you’re the most suitable for this task."

"Okay," Li Yi agreed.

After all, this was one of the reasons he had been called here.

"Li Yi..."

Yang Yilong looked at Li Yi with a hint of surprise, "A Spirit Medium Realm cultivator can resist the influence of a mysterious object?"

Zhang Lei snorted lightly, "This mysterious object’s illusion tests one’s nature, not strength. Anyone with sufficient inner spiritual fortitude can break free from the illusion, even an ordinary person. Li Yi is exceptional and has huge potential. Our bureau will focus on cultivating him. Yang Yilong, no matter how you have bullied him before, from now on, Li Yi’s matters are my matters, Zhang Lei’s. If you intend to make a move against him, I will not let it pass."

Yang Yilong’s face darkened, "So, you also think I, Yang Yilong, am a despicable person who would oppress a newcomer?"

"Isn’t that the case?" Zhang Lei responded.

"..." Yang Yilong couldn’t help but take a few deep breaths.

It seemed he couldn’t shake off these negative rumors. Is there no sincerity and trust between people anymore?

Have you not noticed that the clothes Li Yi is wearing now look very similar to mine?

Forget it, forget it.

Yang Yilong didn’t want to argue about this issue like a shrew, so he chose to remain silent.

At this moment.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Li Shaqing showed no signs of awakening yet; it seemed that even he couldn’t easily break free from the illusion.

"Breaking free from the White Bone Temple on one’s own is too hard. One must be fearless and desireless to do it," Li Yi thought. "If I hadn’t resorted to clever tricks, utilizing the Bone-to-Meat Technique to see my true self, I would have failed. Given that Li Shaqing just entered the illusion without knowing the trick, his only outcome would be to get trapped to death."

Ten minutes passed.

There was still no movement from Li Shaqing.

"It seems he has failed," Zhang Lei said with a slight smile, "What a pity, even when I gave you a chance, you still can’t take this mysterious object away. Li Yi, bring him back. It’s time to finalize this."

Without wasting words, Li Yi immediately walked over.

He entered the range of the illusion without being affected and directly lifted Li Shaqing, who was standing still.

Once the body moved out of the influence range of the bone mural, the consciousness would also break free from the illusion at that moment.

Instantly.

Li Shaqing’s eyes regained their sparkle, and he came back to his senses.

Like a person who had almost drowned, he staggered, then took deep breaths.

"Li Shaqing, even you couldn’t subdue this incomplete mysterious object?" Yang Yilong immediately asked.

"Bone...beautiful, interesting, very interesting," Li Shaqing settled down and then laughed again: "Life and death, beauty, fear, and desire, this illusion seems simple but carries great terror. It’s mesmerizing, impossible to extricate oneself from, a mysterious object that can hone one’s nature. It involves the mysteries of the soul, and I have a premonition that if one could see through the illusion, breaking through the Spiritual Realm would be within reach."

"What?" Yang Yilong was visibly shaken by these words.

This object could help one break through the Spiritual Realm?

If that was indeed the case, even the risk of being lost in it was worth it.

However, just at that moment, Li Shaqing, who had just been speaking, suddenly raised his head, a fierce killing intent erupting before he instantly disappeared from the spot.

"Not good, that’s Li Shaqing’s Divine Movement Technique; he’s making his move," Zhang Lei exclaimed.

Yang Yilong was suddenly startled, his body tensed up instantly, and he assumed a boxing stance, ready to face the attack.

However, everything happened so abruptly that even he had just reacted.

Yet, no sooner had he adopted the boxing stance than a dull booming sound echoed by his ears.

Yang Yilong was unharmed, Zhang Lei was also fine, and Li Yi was not attacked.

Instead, it was Wei Bin, the furthest from the trio, who endured the terrible blow from Li Shaqing.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his body instantly flew backward, and he violently crashed into a concrete wall, causing the wall to crack everywhere due to the tremendous force.

"Li Shaqing, have you gone mad, attacking me out of the blue?" Wei Bin roared, his eyes instantly reddening.

Being ambushed so dishonorably would anger anyone.

At this moment, Li Shaqing, who had disappeared, reappeared and strode toward Wei Bin, then said, "Zhang Lei, Yang Yilong, join me in taking down this Wei Bin. A bunch of drifters from the Ruined District don’t deserve a share of the Mysterious Object. Let’s eliminate him first, and then the three of us can discuss the rest."

Zhang Lei was immediately tempted.

Yang Yilong, however, hesitated, not quite understanding Li Shaqing’s current approach.

"Damn it, Li Shaqing, this isn’t over between us."

Wei Bin felt a surge of terror and smelled the danger of death, not daring to linger here. He unleashed his Guiding Skill to its full extent, powered up his feet, and rushed out of the building at an extremely fast speed.

He fled.

Severely injured, if he didn’t escape now, he might really end up dying here.

Li Shaqing did not intercept, simply letting Wei Bin flee.

Although Zhang Lei wanted to make a move, he didn’t expect Wei Bin to run away so decisively. He could only sigh inwardly, having missed this opportunity.

"It’s tough to kill a cultivator who has struggled through the Ruined District," Li Shaqing shook his head slightly.

Yet, his recent attack had startled Yang Yilong into breaking out in a cold sweat. If Li Shaqing had targeted him, he would have been unable to respond and would have had to endure the strike, likely ending up like Wei Bin—possibly not dead, but severely injured, and thus eliminated from the competition for the Mysterious Object.

"Li Shaqing, what exactly are you trying to do?" Yang Yilong asked with a cold face.

Li Shaqing didn’t respond, but looked in another direction, "Zhang Lei, as the division chief of the Investigative Bureau and the first to spot this incomplete wonder, I can cooperate with you to ensure this Mysterious Object goes to the bureau. However, in exchange, you must leave this object in Tian Chang City and I should have the right to apply to the bureau to borrow it, how does that sound?"

Hmm?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lei paused for a moment, but then quickly understood.

No wonder Li Shaqing suddenly attacked Wei Bin; he didn’t want those drifters to mess things up.

With Wei Bin gone.

There were only the three of them left.

At this point, whoever Li Shaqing supported would get the Mysterious Object.

Wait.

No.

Not right.

He could only support the Investigative Bureau, because Zhang Lei held a card called Li Yi.

Among all those involved in this matter, both inside and outside the building, only Li Yi had the ability to carry away this Mysterious Object; the others couldn’t.

Li Shaqing, who had experienced the illusion, knew this best.

Rather than prolonging the contest,

it was better for Li Shaqing to go with the flow and maximize his own interests.

Upon realizing this, Zhang Lei burst into laughter, "It’s no wonder you’re the vice president of the Cultivator Association. Li Shaqing, your proposal is indeed irresistible. Alright, I agree to try to keep this incomplete wonder in the bureau while also allowing your application to borrow it."

"Thank you," Li Shaqing said with a smile.

But at this moment, Yang Yilong’s expression darkened.

So... he did nothing and just got eliminated?

"Li Shaqing, what are you thinking? If we join forces, this Mysterious Object could completely belong to the Cultivator Association." Yang Yilong was interrupted before he could finish speaking.

"Can you take this Mysterious Object away?"

Li Shaqing’s smile faded as he said, "Even I was deceived by the illusion and couldn’t subdue the Mysterious Object. Yang Yilong, I suppose you’re the same. The bureau’s reinforcements will arrive in an hour at most. Do you think we’ll still have a chance then?"

Yang Yilong, being an intelligent man, immediately fell silent upon this reminder.

If one couldn’t subdue the Mysterious Object, it couldn’t be taken away.

If it dragged on, the Investigative Bureau would be the ultimate winner. Despite their current lack of personnel, given some time, when the reinforcements arrived, it wouldn’t be difficult to muster hundreds of cultivators.

The situation seemed unclear, but in reality, the outcome was already predestined from the moment Li Shaqing couldn’t initially dispel the illusion.

"Li Yi, move that Mysterious Object, bring it back to the training base. This matter ends here," Zhang Lei immediately said.

"I’ll try,"

Li Yi also understood that this was Zhang Lei’s way of letting the others completely give up.

As long as he could move the Mysterious Object, then there would be no further suspense.