The gong strikes accurately on the stone brick, and instantly the surrounding bricks begin to sink or rise.

  Just as the last brick was about to fall on the square brick, the entire area in front of it suddenly sank, and the surrounding walls opened up, revealing a complex mechanism.

  Tang Liu shouted in surprise: "It's Lian Gong!"

  As soon as he finished speaking, the crossbow bolts began to shoot towards the sunken area at a very fast speed, and the arrows shot out were dense and numerous!

  They stood there, watching with their scalps numb!

  What's the use of having martial arts skills? In a place like this where everything is falling apart, there's nowhere to hide!

  The density and speed of these arrows made it clear that if a few of them were inside, they would all be pierced like hedgehogs by now!

  When the arrow rain stopped, dozens of mechanism boxes on all sides stopped working.

  Inside the level, a deathly silence, everyone standing on the bricks except for Mu Junwu was staring with wide eyes.

  "How could this be?" Tang Xiao shouted in disbelief after a long while, but Tang Jimo swung his arm at the depression and shot out an iron claw, retrieving a crossbow arrow.

  Tang Jian furrowed his brow and handed the crossbow arrow to Tang Liu'er. Tang Liu'er took a look and immediately shouted loudly, "Damn it! This is a new arrow!"

  "Let me see." Tang Xiao took the arrow and looked at it, his face immediately turned iron-green.

  "You're really ruthless, aren't you? You've not only disguised the Nine Stars Execution Array as the Nine Stars Illusory Sun Array, but now you've also loaded all the crossbow mechanisms with arrows. It seems like you want us all to die here!"

  "Bang!"

  Tang Xiao snapped the crossbow arrow, and with a suppressed anger, he bowed his head and said: "Sorry, it was my overconfidence that nearly got everyone killed! Mu Junwu, I apologize to you, please lead everyone through this pass first."

  "I've said it before, the gates of life and death for these two trials are opposite. Now we'll head to the gate of death first, break through the Nine Stars Execution Sun Array, and then return to the gate of life in the Nine Stars Illusory Sun Array, allowing us to pass the trial."

  "You say how to go, we'll go that way!" Tang Liu shouted loudly, and everyone else nodded in agreement.

  Mu Jun turned his head and said to Tang Ji: "Tian Qi, already earth."

  Tang Jing immediately understood and turned around, as everyone began to walk hand in hand. Tang Xiao, who was at the very back of the group, had sweat dripping down his neck and a heart full of terror:

  Who is behind this?

  Who wants us dead?!

  ……

  "No! No!" On the bed in the Chu King's palace, Ma Xi's forehead was covered with sweat as he slept, his head shaking unconsciously, and he muttered these two words vaguely.

  "No! Don't!"

  He let out a loud cry, sat up with a start, and Ma Xi's face was filled with horror as he gasped for air, as if his soul had been lost.

  The eunuchs and maids heard the noise and ran in, just as the one on duty was about to come forward to ask questions. Ma Shiying had already rushed up to him and shouted: "Where is Zhao Jichang? Call him over! I want to see him! Tell him to come quickly!"

  The great king summons urgently, how dare I be slow?

  The little eunuch ran out and soon Zhao Jichang, who had hastily tied up his hair, rushed into the palace and arrived at Ma Xiweng's bedside.

  At this time, Ma Xiying was sitting on the bed with a quilt in his arms, looking anxious and absent-minded.

  "Your Majesty, you..."

  "Get down, all of you!" Ma Xi shouted loudly around him.

  After the little eunuchs and maids who were guarding and waiting in the palace hastily retreated, Ma Xi Sheng patted the empty space beside him, gesturing for Zhao Ji Chang to sit down: "Here!"

  Zhao Jichang showed no surprise or astonishment, and sat down calmly on the edge of the bed, leaning against Ma Xi's voice and saying softly: "Your Majesty, what is this..."

  Ma Xi Sheng suddenly grabbed Zhao Ji Chang's arm and stared at him, saying: "I had a terrible dream, I dreamed that Lao Liu wanted to kill me!"

  "It's just a dream, Your Majesty! You're worrying too much!"

  "Worry, can't not worry! Thought that without Lao Si, I could rest easy, but then another Lao Liu pops up... No way, you have to think of a solution for me, I absolutely cannot watch Lao Liu grow big."

  Zhao Jichang's eyes rolled around: "Your Majesty, I have a plan to help you get out of trouble, but my own power is not enough, and I'm afraid we need to borrow the help of the Right Prime Minister."

  "As long as you can help me get rid of this trouble, I don't care whose hands you borrow, I'll agree! You quickly help me eliminate this major worry!"

  "That slave went to see the Right Minister at once that very night."

  "Exactly! Whoever you want to see, whenever you go, it's all approved!"

  Then, at night, the palace gate which should have been tightly closed was opened and a horse carriage rushed out.

  ……

  "Lord Zhao!" In the study of the Xu manor, Xu Dehuan, with his hair disheveled and wearing casual clothes, looked at Zhao Jichang with a look of unease.

  "Right Minister, I'm disturbing you in the middle of the night, it can't be helped!" Zhao Jichang wore a black cloak with a hood, his face filled with helplessness.

  "What's the old man saying? Come on, take a seat."

  After Zhao Jichang sat down, Xu Dehuan personally poured tea: "Sir, you came to the mansion in the middle of the night, I don't know what important matter it is?"

  Zhao Jichang didn't respond, instead he slowly savored a sip of tea: "Hmmm, good tea..."

  Xu De Xun immediately smiled and said, "Fortunately, the Grand Master is pleased. This Zi Sun Gong Cha was originally only supplied to the palace, and this little bit in my hand was a reward from the previous king."

  Zhao Jichang heard this and laughed: "Right Minister, you've gone to a lot of trouble, I finally got to drink some tea in front of the ancestral hall."

  Xu De-xun paused for a moment: "If you like it, sir, I'll send someone to collect some more later. Please don't think poorly of me."

  "Right, I've troubled you enough, haha." Zhao Jichang suddenly collected his smile and said: "Let's talk business."

  Xu De-xun hastily approached: "Please go on."

  Zhao Jichang whispered something in Xu Dehuan's ear, and Xu Dehuan's expression changed slightly before he finally smiled: "I understand what you mean, Your Excellency."

  Zhao Jichang smiled with a hint of sarcasm: "Right Minister, this is not what I meant, it's the king's intention."

  Xu De Xun blinked and smiled: "Yes yes yes, this... is naturally what the great king means."

  Zhao Jichang picked up his teacup again: "If this matter is handled well, the arrogance of Zuo Xiang's side will also decrease, and you, Right Minister, can also benefit from it."

  Xu De-xun poured another cup of tea for Zhao Ji-chang: "Doing things for Your Majesty is naturally good. You can rest assured, sir!"

  Zhao Jichang smiled and took a sip: "Great goodness."

  ……

  Early summer, rain is dense in western Sichuan.

  Chengdu has been rainy for several days in a row, and the heat that had just risen was almost all gone.

  Meng Zhi-Xiang, who had already gone to bed with his wife Li, was worried that the cool air would seep into her body, so he got up and personally added a thin quilt on Li's side.

  At this moment, the door was lightly knocked on.

  Meng Zhi-xiang glanced at Li beside him, grabbed his outer gown and quietly slipped out.

  "Old Master." Song Zhi saw Meng Zhixiang come out and immediately helped pull the door shut.

  Meng Zhi Xiang draped his clothes over his shoulder: "What's going on?"

  Song Zhi handed over the small handkerchief, Meng Zhi Xiang opened it and glanced at the content on the handkerchief, then smiled: "Pass on the message, continue spreading rumors in the Tang family, I want to see if there are any fish taking the bait."

  "Yes."

  "Now is the perfect time for preparation, tell them not to relax, just wait for the trial results to come out and then take action."

  "I understand. By the way, sir, the 50 blacksmiths you requested have been found."

  Meng Zhi-xiang nodded in satisfaction: "Very well, let's get started quickly!" He said, looking around the dormitory, his voice even lower: "Don't make any noise, and be sure to keep a close watch."

  "Don't worry, sir, I guarantee that not even a fly can get in."