52: Chapter 52 A Hot and Alluring Woman! Falling into a Trap…

Dugu Yaoli seemed to sense the malicious gaze in Zhou Liangan's eyes. That gaze, filled with aggression, landed on her, making her feel completely uncomfortable, and a strong sense of crisis welled up in her heart once again.

A deep chill surfaced in her beautiful eyes. "Brat, you're lucky today, so I'll let you go for now! But remember this: your luck won't last forever. The next time I run into you, I will definitely tear you into a thousand pieces!"

As her voice fell, Dugu Yaoli turned around, preparing to use the Heavenly Demon Steps to flee the area. She knew very well that since she was currently heavily injured, staying here would inevitably lead to unforeseen complications.

Zhou Liangan watched Dugu Yaoli's retreating back. Her hot figure was wrapped in an agile silhouette, her waist slim enough to be encircled by one hand, and the curvaceous arc of her body swayed gently with her running posture, every inch exuding a seductive grace.

Seeing this, a playful smile immediately tugged at the corners of Zhou Liangan's mouth, his tone flippant and tinged with mockery. "The figure is top-tier, but it's a pity—your personality is too impulsive and wildly violent. If you could be a bit more docile, this young master wouldn't mind taking you in as a warm-bed maid, guaranteeing you'll eat well and live luxuriously."

As his voice faded, the stream of light ahead suddenly paused. Dugu Yaoli turned around abruptly, her eyes, like autumn waters, now filled with coldness. She glared at him viciously. "Trying to provoke me? You're still too green. I can't be bothered to argue with you. If you have the ability, stay curled up in that broken shield like a coward for the rest of your life. Just don't ever come out."

After throwing those words down, Dugu Yaoli said no more. Her figure once again turned into a bright stream of light, like an arrow released from a bow, speeding toward the magnificent mansion not far away. In the blink of an eye, only a faint afterimage remained.

Zhou Liangan stood in place, the mockery on his face not diminishing in the slightest; instead, he seemed even more composed.

He was not in a hurry at all. After all, there would be plenty of time in the future; he had plenty of time to slowly tease this beauty. For now, getting his hands on the benefits in this ruin was the serious business.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Liangan moved his Spiritual Qi, his figure moving like lightning as he followed closely behind Dugu Yaoli, rushing straight into the mansion that looked extraordinary.

As soon as he stepped into the mansion, extreme luxury greeted his eyes, making Zhou Liangan's eyes brighten a little.

This mansion was ridiculously large, with continuous halls and carved beams and painted pillars, everywhere exuding the grandeur of an ancient expert's residence. What moved him most, however, were the ordinary items placed inside the hall.

The tables, chairs, and stools here were actually not ordinary items at all; they were all crafted from Spiritual materials that Cultivators dreamed of.

Take the most inconspicuous storage shelf in the corner, for example: the materials used were solid Earth Rank Spiritual materials. Placed outside, it would be enough to make a crowd of Meridian Opening Realm experts fight to the death over it, yet in this mansion, it was just a casually placed miscellaneous shelf.

Looking further into the hall, the chairs and tea table placed in the center were forged from Heaven Rank Spiritual materials. Faint fluctuations of Spiritual Qi lingered between the patterns, and they felt warm to the touch, with an imposing Spiritual Qi. Even if they weren't used for Cultivation, just placing them there would allow them to gather Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi on their own.

Even more exaggerated were the teacups placed on the table. The cup bodies were lustrous and translucent, flowing with fine Spiritual light. A careful inspection revealed that they were actually Heaven Rank Low Grade Spiritual Artifacts. If an ordinary Cultivator could obtain just one, they could treat it as a treasure to keep at the bottom of their chest.

Looking at the scene before him where treasures were scattered everywhere, a burning light instantly ignited in the depths of Zhou Liangan's eyes. There was only one thought in his heart: Mine! Mine! They're all mine!

No one would ever complain about having too much wealth!

Starting from the palace gate, he swept through everything. Anything that didn't have a Restriction and could be moved or dismantled was tossed into his space all at once.

Chairs, tea tables, teacups, screens, ornaments—he even pried up the Spirit Jade floor tiles laid on the ground to pack and take away. He looked exactly like a professional house-demolisher, busy and enjoying himself immensely.

This dismantling process took a full two days and two nights.

During this time, he didn't even have time to drink a drop of water; his eyes were only on those priceless Spiritual materials and Spiritual Artifacts. Only after he had scavenged every movable item in the outer hall did he stop his actions, exhausted, sitting on the only remaining Earth Rank Spiritual material pillar to catch his breath.

He swept his Divine Thought through his personal space. The one-thousand-cubic-meter space was already packed to the brim. The tables and chairs crafted from Heaven Rank Spiritual materials took up most of the space, while the rest was filled with Earth Rank Spiritual materials and various miscellaneous Spiritual Artifacts.

Zhou Liangan smacked his lips. He felt not even a shred of satisfaction; instead, he felt the space was still too small. He immediately gritted his teeth, clicked "exchange" on the System panel, and spent two thousand destiny points to upgrade his personal space from one thousand cubic meters to two thousand cubic meters.

The upgraded space was much more spacious, and the previously packed items instantly freed up quite a bit of room. The two-thousand-cubic-meter space was more than half full. Looking at the mountain of treasures piled up in the space, Zhou Liangan was in a great mood, and the smile on his lips never stopped.

Zhou Liangan knew very well that this outer hall was just an appetizer; the real good stuff was all hidden in the inner hall.

According to the plot of the original novel, the male lead, Liang Zichen, had obtained a massive Opportunity in this inner hall, leaping to become a top expert.

It was just that this time, upon entering the ruins, Third Miss Nangong Meng had been sent away by an inexplicable teleportation Formation just as she walked into the mansion with him, and there had been no news of her since. Zhou Liangan wasn't sure if he could successfully enter the inner hall.

However, over the past few days, he had roamed the entire mansion. Apart from himself, Dugu Yaoli, and Third Miss Nangong Meng, he hadn't seen any other traces of anyone else. It seemed that only the three of them had been able to enter this ancient ruin, which saved quite a bit of trouble regarding competition.

After a short rest, Zhou Liangan walked toward the inner hall, and before long, he arrived at the entrance to the inner hall.

The inner hall gate before him was far more magnificent than the outer hall. The vermilion gate was carved with patterns of Dragons and Phoenixes in auspicious harmony, with Spiritual Qi flowing between the patterns, exuding an Aura of majesty and gravity. At a glance, it was clearly not an ordinary object.

Zhou Liangan stood before the gate, a trace of playfulness flashing in his eyes as he muttered to himself, "I don't know if I can get in, but judging by these tables and chairs made of Heaven Rank Spiritual materials in the outer hall, this place is definitely not as simple as just a remnant of a Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique. There might be some heaven-defying treasure hidden here."

He calculated the plot of the original novel in his heart. The owner of this ruin was the Eastern Heavenly King Nangong Zheng, who sat under the Human Emperor, and was also the Old Ancestor of the Nangong Family.

In the original novel, this Eastern Heavenly King only gave Liang Zichen one Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique. But based on Zhou Liangan's understanding of this Eastern Heavenly King, that person was always wealthy and ostentatious. Heaven Rank Spiritual materials were like trash in his eyes, used to make tables and chairs. How could he possibly treat a single Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique as the greatest Opportunity?

It stands to reason that there must still be secret treasures of the Eastern Heavenly King remaining in this ruin.

The Eastern Heavenly King's remnant soul in the original novel probably didn't understand what methods Liang Zichen had used to actually steal the original yin of the Nangong Family's descendant, which was why he had kept a backup plan.

However, the Eastern Heavenly King's remnant soul was perhaps also worried that what Liang Zichen said was true, so he simply tossed out a Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique to establish a good relationship. When it came down to it, it was nothing more than dismissing a beggar.

After all, given the Eastern Heavenly King's status and position, the worst Cultivation Technique in his possession was likely Heaven Rank. Giving one to Liang Zichen was not a loss at all.

Furthermore, if Liang Zichen had truly used despicable methods to coerce the Nangong Family's descendant, giving him a Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique would instead make him realize the importance of the Nangong Family's Bloodline, preventing him from easily exterminating the Nangong Family. It could be considered a backup path the Eastern Heavenly King left for his Family.

As for the true supreme treasures, they must have been set aside long ago, just waiting for the descendants of the Nangong Family to come and claim them.

Zhou Liangan couldn't help but click his tongue. These big shots really calculated every step clearly; they wouldn't suffer even the slightest loss.

As his thoughts churned, Zhou Liangan had already walked to the gate of the inner hall. His fingertips subconsciously tightened around the Xuanling Shield jade plaque in his hand. This was his trump card for survival; with this thing, even if he encountered danger, he would have a bit more confidence.

Just at this moment, he sensed a familiar Aura not far away. Turning his head to look, he saw Dugu Yaoli standing under a corridor pillar not far away, her attire already changed.

The long dress that had been blasted until only the critical parts remained was now replaced by an ancient-style silk treasure garment. The mysterious black fabric clung to her hot, exquisite body, outlining breathtaking curves. The collar was slightly low-cut, revealing her delicate collarbones and a touch of snowy white. The hem of the skirt was not long, barely covering her thighs. As she walked, one could see a pair of long, fair, and beautiful legs, making Dugu Yaoli's already charming face appear even more bewitching, making one's heart itch.

Zhou Liangan swept a glance at the treasure garment and understood. The treasure garment looked exquisite, but its Rank was only Spirit Rank; he estimated it was the attire of the servants in the Eastern Heavenly King's mansion back in the day.

However, even if it was a Spirit Rank treasure garment worn by servants, in this era where Spiritual Qi was scarce, it was still a rare and good item, enough to make countless Meridian Opening Realm experts fight until their heads bled.

In his own System space, he had also scavenged over a hundred such treasure garments. What he was wearing at the moment was also the same style, only the color was navy blue, lacking a bit of the charm Dugu Yaoli possessed, but with a bit more sharpness.

Dugu Yaoli had clearly also sensed his gaze. She slowly turned around, the corners of her mouth curling into a soul-stealing smile. Her beautiful eyes, filled with watery light, looked at Zhou Liangan and said, "The Restriction on this inner hall gate is not simple. I cannot break it alone; I need you to help me."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Liangan immediately sneered. "This is a Restriction personally set by the Eastern Heavenly King under the Human Emperor. Even after ten thousand years, the foundation is still there. With just you and me, we simply don't have the ability to break it. Don't waste your effort."

Hearing this, Dugu Yaoli extended her pink tongue and gently licked her luscious red lips. The action was extremely charming, making one's heart flutter.

Her voice, soft and glutinous, carried a hint of bewitchment. "I have a secret technique that, once activated, can increase the strength of my Divine Sense by one Rank. By then, I will be able to possess the Divine Sense of the Huagang Realm, and perhaps I will be able to break this Restriction. However, activating the secret technique requires borrowing force; I need your cooperation. As long as we can break the Restriction, you and I can compete for the Opportunity in the inner hall based on our own abilities. How about it?"

Zhou Liangan half-squinted his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Dugu Yaoli's exquisite and beautiful face. This woman was seductively beautiful, but her mind was very deep.

However, the condition Dugu Yaoli proposed did move Zhou Liangan. He smiled immediately. "Oh? That's a bit interesting. Then it wouldn't hurt to try."

Seeing Zhou Liangan agree, the smile on Dugu Yaoli's lips deepened. She then straightened her expression and pointed at him. "Words are not proof. Let the two of us make a Heart Demon oath today: before breaking the Restriction, we must not attack each other. If we violate the oath, we will be plagued by Heart Demons, and our cultivation will never advance an inch for the rest of our lives. How about it?"

The reason Dugu Yaoli wanted to pull in Zhou Liangan, this little guy at the Fifth Stage of Bone Forging, to break the Restriction together...

...was partly because she was worried that Zhou Liangan would sneak attack her from behind.

On the other hand, it was because this Zhou Liangan seemed to be very knowledgeable about this ruin. The secret technique she was using, by borrowing Zhou Liangan's Divine Sense, would allow her, the caster, to invade Zhou Liangan's sea of Divine Sense and view a portion of his memories, though the content she could view was limited.

Zhou Liangan understood instantly. This enchantress was indeed meticulous. She must have had a method to break the Restriction long ago. The reason she delayed taking action earlier was that she was worried about being sneak-attacked by him while she was activating the secret technique and putting her full effort into breaking the Restriction. That was why she wanted to make a Heart Demon oath to give herself some peace of mind.

Thinking this through, Zhou Liangan chuckled inwardly, but his face remained calm. He readily agreed, "Fine, I'll do as you say."

The two immediately swore by their Divine Souls. Once the Heart Demon oath was formed, an invisible force shrouded them both. If anyone violated the oath, they would inevitably suffer the backlash of the Heart Demon and be doomed eternally.

Once the vow was completed, Dugu Yaoli finally breathed a sigh of relief and said to Zhou Liangan, "Stand behind me, release your Divine Sense, and try to touch the Restriction on the gate. Remember not to be reckless; just keep your Divine Sense steady."

Zhou Liangan nodded, walked behind Dugu Yaoli as instructed, and let his gaze fall upon her slender waist. He couldn't help but secretly praise her, thinking that this woman's figure was truly flawless.

He composed his mind and slowly released his Divine Sense, which drifted like wisps of silk towards the Restriction of the inner hall ahead.

Dugu Yaoli sat cross-legged on the ground with her eyes slightly closed. Her fair hands moved quickly to form hand seals, and faint Spiritual Qi flickered at her fingertips, tracing obscure and mysterious patterns in the Void Realm. As these patterns wove together to form a complex Formation, a faint purple Qi gradually emerged from her body. Surrounded by this purple Qi, her Aura became increasingly powerful.

Immediately after, a massive wave of Divine Sense was released from Dugu Yaoli's body. As a top expert of the Meridian Opening Realm, her Divine Sense was far stronger than that of other Cultivators at the same Rank. The moment it emerged, it carried a sharp Aura and swept towards the Restriction.

Although constrained by the Heart Demon vow, Zhou Liangan dared not lower his guard. Dugu Yaoli was ruthless and clearly not someone to be trifled with; there was no telling what tricks she might have up her sleeve. If she were to launch a sneak attack while breaking the Restriction, he would be the one to suffer.

Thinking of this, a look of seriousness flashed in Zhou Liangan's eyes. He quietly retrieved the jade token of the Xuanling Shield from his storage space and held it in his palm, ready to activate the Xuanling Shield for self-protection at the slightest sign of trouble.

His subtle movements did not escape Dugu Yaoli's perception, but she did not expose him. Instead, a meaningful smile curled at the corners of her lips, and she continued her hand seals, moving even faster.

A moment later, Dugu Yaoli pointed her hand, and the mysterious pattern traced by the Spiritual Qi in the Void Realm flew up and enveloped Zhou Liangan.

Zhou Liangan felt a gentle force wrapping around his Divine Sense. The next second, his Divine Sense intertwined with Dugu Yaoli's, becoming indistinguishable. Their Divine Senses fused into one, probing together towards the Restriction of the inner hall.

After the Fusion of their Divine Senses, Zhou Liangan could vaguely feel that their Divine Souls were merging, as if they had become one, creating a strange sensation.

What Zhou Liangan did not know was that Dugu Yaoli was already aware of his inner thoughts.

"This chick's figure is truly stunning. If I could get behind her..."

"It's a pity I didn't fool her just now. If I had taken out the hehuan powder, wouldn't this little spicy pepper be under my control?"

Zhou Liangan's thoughts popped up one after another, pouring into Dugu Yaoli's mind without any concealment.

Dugu Yaoli was stunned at first, then her cheeks instantly flushed a deep crimson, like a ripe apple, and even the tips of her ears turned red. A strange heat rose in her heart, and an unprecedented throb spread quietly within her, leaving her somewhat flustered.

Dugu Yaoli felt a faint throb in her heart and was shocked.

When using this secret technique, the Divine Souls of both parties are intertwined, making them easily influenced by each other. If this continued, not only would she fail to break the Restriction, but her own Dao Heart might also be compromised.

Dugu Yaoli opened her eyes abruptly and glared fiercely at Zhou Liangan. Her voice, filled with a hint of coquettish anger, sounded directly in Zhou Liangan's mind: "Stop thinking nonsense! Focus on breaking the Restriction!"

Zhou Liangan was stunned upon hearing this and raised an eyebrow. He secretly cursed, "Holy crap," thinking, 'Can this chick perceive my thoughts? Does this secret technique actually have such a drawback?'

His mind immediately became active. 'Since you can see my thoughts, then I'll show you something good.'

With a shift in his thoughts, Zhou Liangan stopped hiding and directly recalled those adult films featuring Japanese actresses in his mind. The images were clear and detailed, playing one after another in his mind.

These images streamed into Dugu Yaoli's mind without obstruction, causing her cheeks to turn so red they looked like they might bleed. Her breathing became rapid, and she subconsciously squeezed her long, shapely legs together, her fair hands gripping her skirt tightly. Gnashing her teeth, she cursed in Zhou Liangan's mind: "You damn bastard! You are absolutely shameless!"

She was truly infuriated by Zhou Liangan and, fearing she would lose control if she kept watching, she dared not delay any longer. She immediately composed her mind, poured all her Divine Sense into the Restriction, and fully activated the secret technique, attempting to break this ten-thousand-year-old Restriction.

At this moment, Dugu Yaoli's fair and delicate cheeks were flushed with crimson. A layer of fine sweat seeped from her forehead, sliding down her exquisite jawline and dripping onto her black treasure robe, creating a small wet patch that added a touch of alluring charm.

Her brows were tightly knitted; it was clear that activating the secret technique to break the Restriction had exhausted a great deal of her mental energy, and the purple Qi around her body flickered, becoming unstable.

Time passed bit by bit, and the only things remaining in the hall were the fluctuations of their intertwined Divine Senses and the sound of Dugu Yaoli's slightly hurried breathing.

I don't know how long it had been, but Dugu Yaoli suddenly exhaled a breath of turbid air, which carried a faint purple mist. She slowly opened her eyes, a trace of exhaustion flashing in them, but it was overshadowed by joy.

This seemingly impregnable inner hall Restriction had actually been broken by her!

The moment the Restriction dissipated, the gate of the inner hall slowly opened, and a much richer Spiritual Qi gushed out from within, carrying a faint scent of medicine and treasure.

Dugu Yaoli turned her head to look at Zhou Liangan, her gaze still fierce, clearly still holding a grudge over the images in her mind just now.

Zhou Liangan had the Xuanling Shield, which Dugu Yaoli could not break, so she did not attack him. Instead, she just snorted coldly, moved her figure, transformed into a stream of light, and rushed impatiently into the inner hall.

Zhou Liangan watched her graceful and swaying back, a cold smile slowly curling at the corners of his lips as he whispered to himself: "It's done; this woman has taken the bait."

He had already planned everything in his mind. The inner hall was filled with trapping and killing Formations, making it extremely dangerous. When he realized that Dugu Yaoli could peek into his thoughts, he immediately formed a plan to scheme against her.

At first, he deliberately recalled those erotic images just to confuse Dugu Yaoli, making her think he was nothing but a lecher, so she would lower her guard.

After that, he deliberately recalled a scene from the inner hall in his mind. Following the description in the original novel, he constructed a side hall filled with Spirit Pills and rare treasures in his mind. The images were realistic and detailed, all to make Dugu Yaoli believe it was true.

But in reality, that side hall was not a treasure trove at all, but one of the most dangerous trapping Formations in the inner hall. Once one stepped inside, they would be trapped by the Formation and unable to escape.

He was not sure if Dugu Yaoli would take the bait, so he had to add more fuel to the fire to make her completely let down her guard.

Thinking of this, Zhou Liangan gritted his teeth, opened the System panel, and spent one thousand destiny points to exchange for a Substitute Talisman.

This Substitute Talisman could conjure a figure exactly like him, with identical Aura and movements, enough to pass for the real thing.

The moment the exchange was completed, a figure identical to Zhou Liangan appeared out of thin air, with the same Spiritual Qi fluctuations as Zhou Liangan.

Under Zhou Liangan's control, the substitute moved its feet and rushed towards the treasure-filled side hall that Zhou Liangan had fabricated, its movements filled with a sense of urgency, as if fearing someone else would get there first.

As for Zhou Liangan himself, he used the Xuanling Shield to mask his Aura and hid silently in the shadows.

He kept his Divine Thought locked tightly onto Dugu Yaoli's figure, waiting to see what would happen.

On the other side, after rushing into the inner hall, Dugu Yaoli did not immediately go looking for an Opportunity. Instead, she silently hid behind a huge coiled dragon pillar, her beautiful eyes staring fixedly at every entrance of the inner hall, her expression vigilant and suspicious.

Just now, while their Divine Senses were fused, she had seen the side hall filled with treasures in Zhou Liangan's mind, and she had long been unable to suppress her excitement.

However, Dugu Yaoli also knew that this ancient ruin was full of traps, and Zhou Liangan was a deep-thinking bastard. Perhaps that image was something he had deliberately fabricated to deceive her, so she had to observe first and confirm the truth before taking action.

Dugu Yaoli waited patiently.

A quarter of an hour later, a familiar figure entered her line of sight.

Zhou Liangan!

She saw him walking cautiously towards the side hall, his footsteps extremely light, his eyes full of vigilance, looking around from time to time as if he was afraid of being discovered.

When he reached the gate of the hall, Zhou Liangan deliberately stopped and probed with his Divine Sense. After confirming there was no danger, he slowly pushed open the gate and walked in quickly, not forgetting to close it behind him. The movements were smooth and coherent, revealing a sense of urgency born from a guilty conscience.

Seeing this, Dugu Yaoli's doubts vanished instantly, and a dazzling brilliance erupted in her beautiful eyes.

She thought to herself: 'It seems the image in Zhou Liangan's mind is real. This brat must want to monopolize the treasures inside, which is why he rushed in so eagerly.'

At the thought of the crystal-clear Spirit Pills in the hall, Dugu Yaoli could not suppress the excitement in her heart, fearing that Zhou Liangan would refine the Spirit Pills right there in the hall. If that happened, even if she went in, she would only be able to pick up the leftovers.

Opportunities must not be missed, and time waits for no one.

Dugu Yaoli could no longer afford to think too much. Her figure flashed like an arrow released from a bow, and she rushed towards the side hall, pushing open the gate and leaping inside.

But the moment Dugu Yaoli stepped into the hall, a sudden change occurred!

In the originally empty hall, nine dazzling golden lights suddenly lit up. The lights were like sharp swords, shooting straight towards Dugu Yaoli. The speed was extreme, giving her absolutely no time to react.

Dugu Yaoli was greatly alarmed, thinking, 'Oh no.' She wanted to pull back and retreat, but she discovered that the gate behind her had already slammed shut. No matter how she channeled her Spiritual Qi to blast it, it remained unmoved.

Left with no other choice, Dugu Yaoli could only twist her body rapidly, fleeing and flying about inside the hall. Her agile figure, like a willow catkin in the wind, dodged one golden light after another. However, those nine golden lights seemed to have a life of their own, chasing her relentlessly. No matter how she dodged, she could not shake them off.

In just a moment, Dugu Yaoli was already panting. Cold sweat on her forehead soaked her hair, which stuck to her cheeks, and her originally beautiful face now looked a bit disheveled.

Her Spiritual Qi was greatly exhausted, and her movements gradually slowed down. In the end, she failed to dodge the last few golden lights.

With a few light "swish, swish, swish" sounds, the nine golden lights instantly transformed into nine golden ropes. The ropes were covered with dense runes and carried a powerful binding force, instantly wrapping around Dugu Yaoli's full, exquisite, and graceful body.

From her slender wrists to her waist that could be grasped in one hand, and down to her long, shapely legs, everything was tightly bound by the golden ropes. The ropes tightened more and more, outlining her curves even more breathtakingly, rendering her unable to move. She could only let out a cry of unwilling indignation, yet she had no strength left to resist at all...