C500 Restrictions

In the Martial Mansions, training in dealing with restrictions is common, and this place was no exception. So, Yuen Jinli and Du Yusheng had some understanding of these barriers. However, Situ Jingxiang from the Heavenly Mirror Pavilion seemed clueless about breaking them, leaving the task to Yuen Jinli and Du Yusheng.

The two paced back and forth in front of the stone door, sometimes bending down to listen, sometimes closing their eyes in thought, and occasionally reaching out to test the barrier, looking quite serious. Yet, after what felt like an eternity, the restriction remained unchanged, and even the old cracks showed no signs of widening.

"Hey, are you two getting anywhere?" Situ Jingxiang urged impatiently.

"Miss Situ, you might not know, but this barrier is ancient. Though it's damaged, it's incredibly intricate and hard to break," Yuen Jinli said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, I've never seen such a complex barrier before!" Du Yusheng added, clearly stressed and not in the mood to argue with Yuen Jinli.

Hearing this, Situ Jingxiang said, "If that's the case, step aside and let me try breaking it by force."

Woo Zhengyang was worried that in her impatience, Situ Jingxiang might try to forcefully break through, which could be disastrous given how deep underground they were. A collapse could bury them all.

Fortunately, although Yuen Jinli hadn't broken the barrier, he had gained some insights. Hearing Situ Jingxiang's suggestion, he quickly waved his hands, saying, "No, no, Miss Situ, this barrier is connected to many mechanisms. If we're not careful, it could trigger something else. Let's give it another try before resorting to force."

"Well, we can't trouble Miss Situ with this. Let's give it another shot!" Du Yusheng quickly added.

"Or maybe I should give it a try?" Woo Zhengyang suggested.

Woo Zhengyang initially hesitated to get involved. His unique skills weren't something he wanted to reveal, especially in front of Yuen Jinli and Du Yusheng. But with Situ Jingxiang stirring things up, he couldn't just sit back. Besides, it seemed like Yuen Jinli and Du Yusheng were struggling with the barrier. If Miss Situ got frustrated and acted impulsively, it could lead to regret.

Hearing Woo Zhengyang's offer, both Du Yusheng and Yuen Jinli turned to look at him, while Situ Jingxiang also glanced over, a bit surprised.

When they encountered this barrier, no one had thought to ask Woo Zhengyang if he could break it. It wasn't about underestimating him; it was just that everyone knew a young man from the village had limited exposure to such things. Even if he trained day and night at the Martial Mansion, he might only grasp the basics.

The tasks at the Martial Mansions were all designed for the Misty Mountain Range. These village youths might have a chance to tackle barriers there, but in the Hundred Flower World within the Bewilderment Dragon Stream? Almost impossible.

"You want to try?" Du Yusheng asked with a sneer, dragging out his words. "You've only been exposed to barriers for a few months at the Azure Sun Martial Mansion, right? Maybe it's best not to embarrass yourself."

"Anyway, you guys can't break it, so why not let me give it a shot?" Woo Zhengyang rarely spoke, not because he feared them, but because he couldn't be bothered. In this situation, he wasn't about to hold back, and his tone was anything but polite.

As soon as he spoke, even Yuen Jinli's expression shifted slightly, and Du Yusheng was visibly furious, demanding, "What do you mean we can't break it? If we can't, do you think you can?"

"Well, we'll see once I try."

"Such arrogance!"

"Enough!" Situ Jingxiang interjected, "Since that's the case, let him try."

"Yeah, let's see what he can do. Maybe he'll actually solve it," Yuen Jinli agreed with a smile, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes when he looked at Woo Zhengyang.

To others, that smile might have seemed normal, but to Woo Zhengyang, it felt a bit malicious. He chose to ignore it, walking straight to the stone door to focus on it.

As Yuen Jinli and Du Yusheng mentioned, the barrier before the stone door was damaged, yet its complexity remained unaffected, almost as if the damage was intentional.

This thought startled Woo Zhengyang. If his suspicion was correct, was the damage deliberately left by the designer? It wasn't impossible—in fact, it seemed highly likely.

The passageway that led deep underground was incredibly profound. For those lacking courage, entering this tunnel and realizing they had walked for ages without reaching the end might make them consider turning back. The crack in the barrier allowed the vital energy within the passage to grow denser, providing a motivation for anyone determined to keep moving forward.

With this thought in mind, Woo Zhengyang studied the barrier again, feeling increasingly anxious. While the barrier seemed to merely cover the stone door, its intricate patterns appeared to extend throughout the entire passage. Any attempt to forcefully break it could lead to the entire tunnel collapsing, regardless of whether the barrier itself was breached.

Woo Zhengyang felt a sense of relief, grateful that Yuen Jinli and Du Yusheng had just stopped Situ Jingxiang. If she had attempted to break the formation, and the stone door had opened, they might have had a slim chance of survival. But if the door remained closed and the tunnel collapsed, they would have been buried there.

Taking a deep breath, Woo Zhengyang continued his research. This barrier was more formidable than any he had encountered before, with a seemingly endless vitality. It was the vital energy of the world. The energy leaking from the crack in the barrier was slowly absorbed by the passage, transforming into the source power of the barrier.

This discovery made Woo Zhengyang more certain of his suspicions: the crack in the barrier was intentionally left there. The flow of energy had been constant, yet it hadn't filled the entire passage because the barrier absorbed it. This was an impressive feat, surpassing any barriers or formations Woo Zhengyang had ever encountered. What kind of opportunity could be hidden beneath such a grand barrier? His curiosity was piqued.

Ignoring the skepticism of others, Woo Zhengyang took out the Array Origin Bead. This unique formation tool was naturally useful for dealing with barriers.

"What is that? Could it be a treasure to break the barrier? Haha..." Du Yusheng initially looked puzzled when Woo Zhengyang revealed the bead, then speculated aloud, though he found it hard to believe himself. He had heard of tools that could assist in breaking formations but had never seen one, and certainly not from a rural village boy like Woo Zhengyang, nor even from the prestigious Azure Sun Martial Mansion.

"It might actually be possible, haha..." Yuen Jinli paused, observing Woo Zhengyang holding the Array Origin Bead, chuckling as if indifferent, yet clearly intrigued by the bead.

"Don't disturb him; he might actually manage to break it," Situ Jingxiang said, the only one without ulterior motives, focused solely on breaking the barrier as soon as possible.

"Just him? Haha..." Du Yusheng wanted to say more, but one sharp look from Situ Jingxiang stopped him in his tracks.