Chapter 2, The Cannon Fodder of the Hidden Realm

This desert before me feels so familiar, no matter how I look at it

The money you borrowed from me has not been repaid for many days, and with the accumulation of interest, the amount has increased to a level that you cannot repay even if you were to sell everything you own

Let it die.

In the final moment before hitting the ground, the scholar shouted in despair.

But unfortunately, he does not have wings

But that feeling lasted only for a moment; the next moment, the scholar opened his eyes and saw a vast expanse of yellow sand below, the desolate scenery continuously enlarging in his view

He approached with a lantern, setting down the light to illuminate the scholar's pale, ghastly face, and said with a forced smile that did not reach his eyes

Jiang Shusheng shouted in his heart, even though he was as useless as he was, he still felt that disaster was imminent

Such a frail body, such a great distance

The size is just right

Help me!

He attempted to reason with them

He shouted:

bang

It is akin to being reincarnated

The runes above shimmer and pulse rhythmically like a revolving lantern, accompanied by the rotation of dual concentric rings, producing a clicking sound reminiscent of a safe's combination lock being opened

Perhaps the next time I awaken, it will not be so miserable

It does not seem far from here, at most one or two kilometers

A dignified man should stand tall and proud, navigating the world with grace, indulging in life. Yet, if you have gained a little weight around your waist, you are not a man, and just like that, you let yourself perish

As he hurriedly sat up and looked into the distance, he was completely stunned.

The surface of the body and cheeks suddenly evokes a clear sensation, as if traversing across the water's surface

He stuffed his broken water bottle into the scholar's waist pouch, then patted him on the shoulder, sighed, and returned to the crowd, turning his back.

Jiang Xia watched as Jiang Ziheng, the scholar, fell onto the desert, gasping for breath

The voices in my mind are even more mocking, accompanied by a sense of utter boredom, as if they have seen through life and death

With a fierce pull backward, the words of argument turned into a chaotic wail of sobbing

Moreover, there is an issue with the landing point of that light curtain

Lying on the ground, Jiang Shusheng spoke with reason and evidence, having prepared a thorough argument. However, just as he was getting started, a rope was thrown from behind, effectively silencing him.

Accelerate

The stone slab, measuring several square meters and shaped like a pentagon, is crafted with great precision

Those individuals are very familiar with this place, leading all the way to the intricately complex, spider web-like depths of the mine, where the scholar was thrown to the ground, and the pocket covering his head was also opened.

It also provided relief for my old friend Jiang

Do things with dedication

Help me

The clear pain emanating from his cheek told him that everything was real

Jiang Xia sat cross-legged on the sand dune, holding his head, stroking his chin, and said thoughtfully

Master Bao, the steward, has brought the person here

The power of the earth pulls him down towards the ground

The money owed need not be repaid

Just do one thing for me regarding Ruyifang, and the debt will be settled in one stroke

but more like a scribble of ghosts

He shouted in his heart

It is also a liberation for you

Do not panic, be patient

Like a small lamp

It is also reminiscent of a certain type of highly radioactive material

Through this star array, one can reach the hidden realm over there, and then follow the light. The star array is bidirectional and unified; when one side opens, the other side will also open.

Unfortunately, he will no longer have the possibility to go there

There are two individuals wearing long robes, resembling leaders

crack

It is like gazing at an open, unguarded treasure vault filled with gold and silver treasures

This is a reminder

There is even a sense of genuine suffocation

The lowly figure who had bound Jiang Shusheng spoke respectfully, with a tone of flattery, saying that the old man who was conversing with the young master turned around to look at Jiang Shusheng, who was slumped on the ground.

Until the light illuminated, Jiang Shusheng finally saw that what was carrying the luminous stone before him was a peculiar object

Help me

In a state of panic, the scholar saw a small, thin person, as if he had encountered a savior, and hurriedly shouted.

In fact, it is better to be liberated this way

He took out a stone from among them, square-shaped and the size of a palm. In the depths of the mine illuminated by the burning torch, as soon as this stone was taken out, it emitted a faint blue light

He cannot survive

And he is the crab that has been thrown into the pot, destined to be boiled.

The old lackey Huang Guanshi chuckled softly, speaking in a sarcastic tone to Jiang Shengshu, and then he tucked a short, sharpened dagger into the scholar's waistband, freeing him from the ropes that bound him.

Although these were not taught in the book

The light above flowed like water, coursing through the five fingers of Lord Bao, who bent down to place the stone into the indentation at the center of the stone slab beneath his feet

Shouts and cries echoed far away in the chaotic mine under the dark night, startling the crows into a flurry, cawing and squawking.

Not only was freedom attained, but also a buy-one-get-one-free offer was received, resulting in the acquisition of a physical body

He said to Jiang Shusheng

The voice in my mind spoke slowly, as if offering guidance, saying:

At Wuruifang, we adhere to rules in our work; it is not our intention to send you, an ignorant and impoverished individual, to your demise. We simply ask you to act as a pathfinder and venture into this unknown and mysterious realm.

Before him, there remained only a vast darkness

Eliminate the host, occupy the nest of the magpie, is this the correct way of rebirth

But at this moment, he also knew that something ominous was about to happen, leaving his face pale with fear

Old Four! Old Four, help me!

The one referred to as the Fourth, a thin and emaciated fellow, hid among the crowd, swallowed hard, and stole another glance at the manager's expression. Seemingly unable to bear it, he took a step forward

Do not panic

Jiang Shusheng was being supported by three individuals, making his way down along the mine shaft

I understand

And the despairing scholar now raises his head; in the distance, beyond the sand dunes, there is a blue light flickering like a torch

He himself also yawned

Upon seeing the light curtain open, Master Bao took a few steps back, wiping the sweat that had formed on his forehead due to tension. His eyes were fixed on the beam of light before him, filled with longing.

In the midst of chaotic thoughts, Jiang Xia raised his head and looked towards the sky. Fifteen meters above, there was no longer a radiant moon. The light gate that had cast the scholar into this place within the bizarre dream had already vanished

Cannot

The impoverished scholar, in a frenzied struggle, cried out loudly in his heart, hoping that the spirit within his body could save him. He also wildly waved his arms, yearning to soar into the sky like a bird.

Jiang Shusheng was in a state of panic, and he could hardly remember these things.

The voice in my mind remains steady, yet carries a hint of eagerness.

Scholar, today you have indeed encountered good fortune

After a few seconds of daze, Jiang Xia, in a neurotic manner, extended both hands, feeling around his body, and then extended his painful hand to pinch his cheek hard

After all, I have already died once, so there is nothing left to fear

Muffle the scholar's mouth, preventing him from shouting again

You are playing with me

Jiang Shusheng was already in a state of panic at this moment, shouting out loud, yet no one responded to him

In the past, under circumstances like yours, you would have been thrown into the mines, forced into labor, working to pay off your debts.

Jiang Xia then felt the scorching, coarse yellow sand, tinged with the scent of blood, right before his eyes

Behind him

Several burly men stepped forward, seized the scholar's limbs, shook him a few times, and intended to throw him into the light

Did we not agree that I would settle the account with writing and not require any wages? That ten taels of silver can be repaid in just half a month... sob sob

At the old mine in Fengshan, outside Pit No. 7, a cart was parked at the entrance of the mine. Jiang Ziheng, a scholar wearing a patched long gown and with long hair, was forcibly pulled down from the cart by four or five burly men wearing tattered burlap hoods.

But no one listened to him

I am just messing with you, what are you going to do about it? This is all because you did not heed my words, and you brought this upon yourself. Living in such a cowardly manner as you do makes me feel uncomfortable.

It hurts

Like a bird with broken wings, he flailed his arms and legs, plunging headfirst into the yellow sand, and after struggling a few more times, pain surged through him like a tide, flooding from every limb and bone into his heart

It was opened at a height of nearly 15 meters, and the scholar is neither a martial arts expert nor a practitioner of the immortal arts, and he has just borrowed money to buy talisman water, spending his days drinking those strange substances

Behind him, Huang Guan Shi kicked him in the waist, but the old man was weak, and although the scholar fell to the ground from the kick, he did not fall into the light

It was as if a swallow was darting through the air, and also like a heavy object plunging into the water. Jiang Shusheng was completely animated, flailing his arms and legs, as if he had been thrown into the light before him

It appears very ancient, covered with various unfamiliar engravings, resembling a variant of the Bagua pattern, with long and short lines intertwined, seemingly following a certain order

Maintaining his composure, the silent Lord Bao observed Jiang Shusheng struggling. After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke up:

A swirling mass of light gathers on the stone slab, resembling smoke being inhaled and exhaled, accumulating to a height of half a person, and then slowly opening like a tightly shut eye.

The voice in his mind echoed at that moment, allowing Jiang Shusheng, in his dire situation, to see a glimmer of hope

Remember, that is your only chance to return

Grip your dagger tightly

If you can return on your own, I will ensure that Ru Yi Fang provides you with tremendous benefits

After a few seconds, the entire stone slab was illuminated

This lonely soul, bouncing and leaping within the dissipating consciousness of Jiang Shusheng, moves its body, already sensing its own dissolution, perhaps true death is just around the corner

He grasped the short dagger at his waist, intending to fight to the death, but in the next moment, before he could throw the dagger from his hand, the men pressing down on his limbs exerted their strength in unison

He was about to shout again when a burly man behind him, with a face full of flesh, wearing a short shirt and a bone knife tucked into his waist, struck him hard on the waist with a stick, hitting him so fiercely that the second half of his sentence turned into a whimper

It is not just pain

This ... ...

In the sky at a forty-five degree angle, the light at a distance of fifteen meters gradually extinguishes, like a lamp, after a few breaths

Is this how one can survive

This is the last thing he can do for this poor person

But this way, at least it can allow you, this useless person, to die with a bit of dignity. Jiang Ziheng, I have taught you for three years, yet you are still so useless, there is no hope for you, and I am also tired.

At his reminder, the scholar, whose mouth was held shut, directed his gaze forward and saw the young man known as Master Bao, dressed in luxurious attire and bearing a fierce expression, taking a box from his sleeve

But there is no need for him to give further instructions

You have no father or mother, no family, and naturally, you have no attachments. Therefore, risking your life in a gamble might just lead to a change in your circumstances.

After a few breaths, Master Bao took a deep breath, shook his hands, and signaled that it could begin

However, given the current situation, it should not be out of goodwill

A voice echoed in my mind, not at all panicked, but rather filled with a sense of curiosity

It feels as if I have been trampled by a hundred magnificent horses and elephants in succession

So that's how it is

In the dim light before me, I could see a few lamps held up, and several people gathered together in a circle.

He closed his eyes and prayed to every deity he knew, asking for protection so that he could go to a good place

However, today our esteemed master has shown us grace

You should be content

The worthless scholar he inhabited has died, and he should soon be liberated. Trapped in the consciousness of this scholar for a full three years, it was akin to being imprisoned, a veritable torment

Hehe, Jiang Shusheng, don't you often tell people that there is a ghost residing within you? If there truly is a ghost within you, this journey will surely ensure your safety and peace of mind

What is this

Then ... ...

This is an opportunity that many people seek but cannot obtain

What is that thing in front? Have you seen it before

Emerging from the consciousness prison that had confined me for three years

He is free

As far as the eye can see, there is an expanse of boundless yellow sand. Under the scorching sun, winds stir the sand, sweeping in waves from the dunes. The surrounding sand has absorbed an excessive amount of heat, feeling as hot as a red-hot pot.

The flow of internal and external throughput is truly a sight to behold

The first breath taken after opening one's eyes is filled with sand and dust, causing great discomfort. Amidst the violent coughing, the soreness throughout the body surges into the mind like a tidal wave

Finally, it became a vertically oriented elliptical light screen

That is probably what that esteemed elder referred to as the light of the star formation

No one spoke; everyone was watching the stone slab rotate. The rotating slab stopped at a certain mark, and immediately, light illuminated before their eyes

-

First, ask them, what is this thing

Accelerate further

One person is younger, while the other is older, and they are speaking softly to each other

The moment the peculiar stone and the stone slab made contact, it was as if a switch for energy had been activated, and a blue light flowed along the engravings on the slab, swiftly filling every intricate line like mercury spilling over.