Chapter 720 The Blazing Sun is Shameless
Jiang Bai was speechless at Lie Yang's performance and couldn't help but roll his eyes.
If he remembered correctly, not long ago, this old guy was still talking about his long-standing friendship with Harry and about a national mission, right?
Now look what's happened. They just heard they've made a breakthrough and they're already trying to raise the price? Are they going to negotiate with Harry and demand more?
How can someone be even more mercenary than me?
"Is this... appropriate?" Jiang Bai pondered after hearing this.
Although doing so seems like taking advantage of the situation and lacking in the spirit of contract.
However, Jiang Bai was still slightly tempted by Lieyang's suggestion.
His relationship with Harry and the others was purely transactional, and there was nothing else between them.
If Harry and his group hadn't impressed Jiang Bai with a large oil field, Jiang Bai wouldn't have paid them any attention.
Without any real relationship, there's nothing wrong with raising prices on the spot.
However, Jiang Bai still hesitated slightly. In his opinion, it would be a bit awkward to agree immediately and then greedily open his mouth, as he would feel embarrassed.
"I'll do this for you. I'll talk to Harry. At the very least, we should raise the price a bit, right? After all, you're a top-notch expert from China. I thought the previous price was a bit too high. You're too ruthless."
"But hiring a peerless master at this price is a different story. I have met Nangong Xinghuo and know what level he is. He is beyond the top level and has power that does not belong to the human world. He can rival all of us and easily crush the Ancient Warrior Alliance. The previous price was not appropriate."
"You're too shy to ask, but I'll tell him, and I think he'll definitely agree!"
Lieyang took a sip of tea after hearing this and said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai looked at Lie Yang with considerable surprise, wondering what the old man meant and why he was being so enthusiastic.
This isn't like him.
The old man is cunning; it's no exaggeration to say he won't act without a reason.
Now, suddenly he wants to stand up for me, negotiate with Harry, this "old friend," openly extort money from him, and deliberately break the contract. This doesn't seem like Lieyang's character at all.
The old man isn't your biological father, so why would he need to fight for your interests?
Why not just mumble it off and get by?
I guess I won't pursue this matter myself.
Why is he behaving so abnormally?
He doesn't even look like the Lieyang Jiang Bai knows anymore.
Seeing Jiang Bai's strange look, Lie Yang blushed slightly, rubbed his hands together with a smile, and said in a low voice to Jiang Bai in front of him, "Of course, I, an old man, shamelessly stepped in to help you bargain with an old friend, so you certainly won't treat me unfairly, right?"
"I'm already this old, and I'm struggling to make ends meet every day. Right now, I can still move around and earn some extra money. But when I'm really old, a few thousand yuan a month in retirement pension won't be enough to make ends meet."
Now it was Jiang Bai's turn to stare wide-eyed like copper bells, his mouth slightly open, looking at the blazing sun in front of him with a hint of surprise.
Jiang Bai never expected that this old guy would say this to him.
What's this?
Damn it, they're blatantly taking kickbacks while pretending to be poor.
I knew this old guy wasn't a particularly honest person. He always needed receipts for meals and hotels, falsely reporting expenses and using public funds for personal consumption. He must have done this kind of thing quite often.
But to my surprise, this guy is becoming increasingly shameless.
They actually wanted to take a kickback in this matter?
Jiang Bai glanced at Lie Yang suspiciously and asked, "Last time you brought Harry to see me, you said he was an old friend of yours. You didn't say that because you took a bribe from him, did you?"
These words made Lieyang's old face turn slightly red. Seeing his embarrassed expression, Jiang Bai immediately knew that he had guessed correctly, and a dark cloud unconsciously appeared on his forehead.
Damn, no wonder this old man is so interested; he must have taken a bribe from him.
"Um, just a little bit, Harry, it's just a token of his appreciation. We're old friends, so it's nice that he's giving me a small gift as a token of his affection. I can't just refuse, can I?"
"I'm so poor, I live a very frugal life. My meager salary is simply not enough. You know how much an apartment costs in Beijing these days. My salary wouldn't be enough to buy a toilet in my entire life."
"Sigh, I had no choice."
At this point, Lieyang sighed, seemingly quite moved.
This made Jiang Bai roll his eyes so hard he almost vomited.
Lieyang, that old guy, is an SSS-level ability user. He has a special status within the God Group, even higher than Li Qingdi, who enjoys the treatment of a deputy chief police commissioner. Jiang Bai hadn't heard of his political rank, but even a fool could tell that it was definitely no lower than Li Qingdi's.
Even without any extra income, he still lives in a villa, has a nanny to serve him, and is accompanied by a car. He enjoys all kinds of ministerial-level benefits. His monthly salary of more than 10,000 yuan is not much, but he doesn't have to pay for food, drink, or even basic necessities.
And yet they're still here complaining about being poor.
So be it if you accept gifts, so be it if you take kickbacks.
Why does it sound like he's so pitiful?
That's utterly shameless.
"So, all that talk about national interests you gave me last time was just bullshit? You were just taking bribes, old man?"
Jiang Bai said angrily.
"How could that be! I'm not that kind of person! Harry just gave me a little gift, worth no more than $100,000. How could I, an old man, disregard my principles? It's a gift! A gift between friends! Do you understand?"
"This is completely different from what I'm talking about. I've dedicated my whole life to the country, how could I possibly joke about something like this with you?"
Jiang Bai's words made Lie Yang glare and bristle, as if he was very dissatisfied with Jiang Bai's slanderous behavior.
Thinking about it, it does seem to be true.
Lieyang seems to be a bit greedy for small gains, accepting gifts and money, and doing some petty, corrupt work, but he has never been ambiguous about matters of principle, and it is unlikely that he would deceive himself with such things.
One hundred thousand US dollars is not a small amount, but it definitely cannot buy an SSS-level expert.
If Lieyang had no principles and really went out to take on private jobs, with his abilities, he could make a lot of money.
Why bother fussing over small amounts of money all day long?
"How much do you want?" Jiang Bai replied irritably. If Lieyang was willing to stand up for him, then let him have his way.
Jiang Bai was indeed a little embarrassed about this. He had raised the price on the spot. The price last time was not low. If he were to ask for an exorbitant price again, especially at this crucial moment, it would be somewhat unreasonable.
He himself was embarrassed, but if Lieyang was willing, then he would go. If it really worked out, giving him some money wouldn't be a problem; it would be like sponsoring an elderly person living alone.
Chapter 721 Welcoming
Upon hearing this, the "lonely old man" Lieyang laughed heartily, then rubbed his hands together and said, "I know, the current rate for agents outside... seems to be one percent?"
"Hmm, we can calculate it that way. Of course, a buyout is also an option. I know you have a project in the capital, introduced by Qingdi? How about getting me a few houses?"
"I'm not greedy, how about ten or eight sets?"
Jiang Bai was speechless. Ten or eight sets wouldn't have made a difference; he didn't care about the small amount of money. He just thought the guy was shameless enough.
The project that Lee Chung-di introduced was a condition he had when he went to South Korea to capture Lee Yo-gil. In return, Jiang Bai helped Lee Chung-di capture Lee Yo-gil and then Lee Chung-di gave him a large-scale shantytown renovation project.
Construction has already begun, and a large portion of the Imperial Enterprises' working capital has been concentrated there. According to Yao Lan's report, the housing prices there should be over 20,000.
Compared to later generations, it's not considered very high, but it's certainly not low now.
Even if you calculate it by ten or eight sets, it would still cost tens of millions.
It's not high, but the old guy is greedy enough.
"Alright, alright, you decide what to do." Jiang Bai waved his hand helplessly, just to get rid of the old man.
Having received Jiang Bai's affirmative answer, Lieyang was overjoyed and quickly called Harry. Fortunately, there was a satellite phone on the plane, so it wasn't difficult.
It's more convenient to discuss this over the phone than in person, and it will take them more than ten hours to get there, giving Harry plenty of time to think it over.
After Lieyang left, Jiang Bai found a book and started reading by himself. After a short while, Lieyang returned, beaming with delight.
Upon seeing Jiang Bai, his first words were: "Kid, you've struck gold. I've reached an agreement with Harry, explained the situation here, and he agreed. There's a large gold mine and two medium-sized diamond mines that can be transferred to your name!"
This surprised Jiang Bai. He didn't know how much these two mineral veins were worth, but to be worthy of the name of a large Huangjing mineral vein, the reserves must be considerable.
In addition to two medium-sized diamond mines, the total value must be at least tens of billions.
Jiang Bai wasn't sure about the exact amount; that would require professional expertise to calculate. His current idea was just a rough estimate.
Then Lieyang said with a long face, "You said you took so much, isn't it a bit too little for me to have ten or eight houses? This old man is losing money. Why was I so talkative, saying something about houses?"
Jiang Bai chuckled and ignored the old man.
The old man muttered a couple of things but didn't say anything more.
Judging from his appearance, he's not greedy; he'd be quite satisfied with eight or ten houses.
Afterwards, Jiang Bai played chess and drank with Lie Yang on the plane. Then, ignoring the old man, he rested on his own. After watching a movie, he arrived at a military airport in a small African country near Mount Kilimanjaro.
The African Ancient Warriors Alliance holds a special position in Africa; it is not an organization confined to one country or region, but a powerful organization with a long history spanning multiple countries.
Their lineage dates back to an immeasurably long period. Since there were no written records or historical documents in the beginning, it is only known that their origins were in the beginning of time. No one knows exactly how many eons ago, not even the people themselves.
This organization, similar to the United Nations of Africa, wields immense influence throughout the greater African region, affecting all nations, especially in tribal areas where it holds supreme power, akin to divine authority.
Using an airport is not a difficult task at all.
Although they do not interfere in the affairs of other countries, they are extremely special and supreme, so this matter can be handled with ease.
After getting off the plane, Jiang Bai didn't see Harry and the others, but instead saw a middle-aged black man dressed as a major general.
After Lieyang and his group got off the plane, he immediately came up to them, saluted, shook hands, and warmly welcomed Lieyang and Jiang Bai.
They specially had a leopard hunted and a special local lunch prepared before organizing a convoy to take Lieyang and the others away to Mount Kilimanjaro, hundreds of kilometers away.
It was said that Elder Harry and several other distinguished guests had arrived early, leaving only Lieyang and Jiang Bai.
At first, this guy wanted to personally escort them, but Lieyang and Jiang Bai politely declined, so he didn't insist.
A convoy of military vehicles, escorted by dozens of soldiers, sped smoothly through the grasslands and mountains.
Although there were no highways along the several hundred kilometers, the journey was relatively short because we drove around recklessly and were familiar with the terrain.
We arrived at our destination late at night.
At this very moment, the small town at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro has been transformed into a large military camp.
A group of burly, fully armed men in black military uniforms had completely surrounded the small town at the foot of the mountain, making it impossible to move. Judging from their appearance, there were at least a thousand of them.
Machine guns and tanks surrounded the area tightly, and helicopters occasionally flew overhead.
This shows how seriously the African Ancient Warriors Alliance is taking this matter, even going so far as to use secular forces and impose martial law in the vicinity.
But are these forces really useful?
Jiang Bai expressed his doubts. People at their level never took the military seriously, because in their eyes, these were nothing but worthless rabble.
It's really difficult to cause them even the slightest harm.
As if sensing Jiang Bai's doubts and confusion, a lieutenant colonel chuckled and explained, "This is only a part of it. This time, our joint military exercise involving multiple African countries mobilized more than 200,000 soldiers, effectively sealing off the entire Kilimanjaro mountain range."
"This is Elder Harry's intention."
Jiang Bai was speechless at this. Multinational military exercises?
This ancient African warrior alliance certainly wields considerable influence here.
Jiang Bai had seen many powerful organizations, but this was the first time he had ever seen one so powerful, capable of mobilizing an army of more than hundreds of thousands of people with a single sentence.
Such a thing could probably only happen in the magical land of Africa.
Ignoring the other party, Jiang Bai and Lie Yang's convoy drove directly in after the inspection. In the center of the town, in front of what looked like the most luxurious and magnificent building, the car stopped, and Harry, with several black men, walked out with a smile on his face.
Several elderly black men walked almost side by side with Harry, slightly behind by a step or two. It wasn't intentional; they were all energetic and imposing, walking with a powerful stride that made them look quite extraordinary.
In Jiang Bai's opinion, these people are not simple.
Looking at the number, there were exactly five. And judging from their demeanor and expressions, Jiang Bai could almost conclude that these five people were the five elders of the African Ancient Warrior Alliance...
Chapter 722 Magneto?
After warmly shaking hands with Jiang Bai and Lie Yang, the other party led Jiang Bai and Lie Yang inside, accompanied by the translator brought by Lie Yang.
A translator who is fluent in the local language, extremely reliable, and loyal to the Gods.
In fact, Jiang Bai could handle things on his own even without this person. The greatest benefit of his "photographic memory" ability is that it gives him an amazing memory and allows him to master countless knowledge and languages. There is no language in the world that Jiang Bai cannot speak.
Even the extremely tongue-twisting local language of the South Pacific Trail, Jiangbai, can be spoken clearly and fluently.
Communication is not a problem.
However, Old Man Lieyang needs someone like that; he's too old and can't understand the local language.
Although the welcome was not particularly grand, the presence of five top experts, with the entire African Ancient Warriors Alliance coming out, demonstrates the importance they place on Jiang Bai.
When others arrived, at most one or two of them would greet them. The fact that all five of them came out at once caused some dissatisfaction among the experts who had already arrived.
Everyone here is at the top level, so it's normal for someone to greet them when they arrive. But it was only one or two people who greeted them. Now that Jiang Bai and Lie Yang have arrived, the entire African Ancient Warrior Alliance has come out. This makes many people feel embarrassed and that they are not being valued.
This made them very unhappy.
So, as Harry and the others greeted Jiang Bai, two gloomy and cold gazes were cast into the two-story building.
The main person to greet them was Jiang Bai, but the other party did not neglect Lie Yang. While warmly welcoming Jiang Bai, everyone also shook hands with Lie Yang.
Then, at Harry's invitation, Jiang Bai and the others went into the room.
The first thing that catches the eye is a large hall, not very spacious, about 200 square meters, with a long table set up with fine wine and food.
Harry said with a smile, "We heard you were coming and knew you hadn't eaten, so we arranged some food for you."
"I'll invite the others over later. Although everyone has already had dinner, it's about time for a late-night snack. Most importantly... we're going to have some drinks and experience the local specialty wines, hahaha."
Jiang Bai responded with a smile, while Lie Yang smiled without saying a word.
None of them mentioned the incident of Lieyang demanding higher prices on the plane, as if it had never happened.
Before long, at the invitation of Harry and several others, the other two experts they had invited arrived. One of them had a Chinese face; he was an expert from the Ximen family. He looked to be in his sixties or seventies, with a sallow complexion, wearing a dark blue Tang suit. He was silent and didn't speak when he saw Jiang Bai, but simply nodded to Lieyang.
Jiang Bai smiled without saying anything in response; his relationship with the four great families was not good.
The Nangong family was beaten so badly they almost vomited blood. Even when they brought out Nangong Xinghuo from the ice burial coffin, they still couldn't defeat him.
That time, it wasn't just the Nangong family that sent people; the four great families, being of one mind, also sent their experts to help the Nangong family.
On Taiwan Island, although they suffered heavy losses, the Ximen family's experts died at the hands of Flying Eagle King Zhenxu and his gang.
Jiang Bai also relied on Yang Wudi's power to deal with Nangong Xinghuo and his group.
However, they naturally wouldn't know these things. From the outside perspective, it was Jiang Bai who dealt with Flying Eagle and the Nangong family, although they didn't know what methods Jiang Bai used or what experts he found.
However, the Ximen family has indeed lost a top-tier expert.
These powerful families have pinned this score on Jiang Bai, and there's no way he can escape it.
Jiang Bai was also aware of this.
Therefore, this expert from the Ximen family didn't give him a friendly look, and didn't even say a word to him. He seemed to see him as if he were air, only greeting Lieyang, and Jiang Bai didn't care at all.
Because this is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
Jiang Bai would only feel uneasy if the other person immediately rushed over to greet him with great enthusiasm.
As for the other one, it was an old man whose entire body was hidden in a black robe. His appearance was not clear, and his whole body was covered by a thick black fog. It was unknown where he came from.
He nodded slightly in greeting to Jiang Bai and Lie Yang.
Jiang Bai didn't know where the other party came from, but Lie Yang did. Their circle wasn't as chaotic and complicated as the ancient martial arts world. There were only a few truly top-tier experts on the surface, so who wouldn't know who?
"This guy is Durant, one of the SSS-level superhumans. His ability is to manipulate magnetism."
"All metals are mere playthings in his eyes. He can sense any metallic element nearby. He is definitely the most terrifying superhuman. He has a glorious record. Fortunately, he doesn't quite agree with the ideology of Country A and is also a foreign immigrant."
"They have never cooperated with the government of Country A, and there is even a hint of hostility between them. They have never attacked us. Otherwise, we would have encountered a really troublesome guy."
"There are only a handful of superpowered experts in the world right now. The only one with a record of killing an expert of the same level is this guy. There was a wind-type superpowered expert, also SSS level, who died at this guy's hands."
Jiang Bai was secretly astonished. The true masters were all roughly equal in skill, especially those with supernatural abilities. Their abilities varied and were unpredictable, but in the end, the difference between them was not that great.
This guy was able to kill someone of the same level, which shows how powerful he is.
What astonished Jiang Bai even more was his energy. Damn, he could control all metals and magnetic fields. Wasn't he just a Magneto?
It's an enhanced version, damn it.
An SSS-level superhuman is several levels more powerful than Magneto. At the very least... the Magneto Jiang Bai saw on TV in his previous life was definitely not as good as the person in front of him.
As for comics and stuff... damn, that's so fake!
After exchanging greetings and Harry's brief introduction, everyone took their seats, though they didn't shake hands enthusiastically.
As the host, Harry and his five friends joined in, and at Harry's suggestion, they all raised their glasses.
Regardless of their relationship with each other, they at least gave Harry face.
Harry went to great lengths to invite them, and they all received benefits, so how could they not give their master some face?
Moreover, the African Ancient Warriors Alliance is no small fry without a foundation. With five top warriors sitting there, any force would have to think twice before acting.
This ancient warrior alliance is certainly not as strong as the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, but it is still extremely formidable.
Chapter 723 The Enemy of the Ancient Warrior Alliance
The group took their seats, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant thanks to Harry's hospitality.
Although there was backstabbing and infighting behind the scenes, the surface peace was maintained.
The Ancient Warrior Alliance has brought four helpers this time, including Jiang Bai, and they still hold a dominant position.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to bring such a large group of people into the temple.
If we don't have absolute strength, and these people go in and suddenly turn against us after seeing the good stuff, that would be a huge problem.
This is also why Harry and the others immediately agreed to Lieyang's price increase after learning about Jiang Bai's improvement. They were afraid that Jiang Bai would turn against them, so they decided to bind Jiang Bai with economic benefits in advance.
The price tag of a large oil field, a large gold mine, and two diamond mines reassured them somewhat, making them feel that even if Jiang Bai wanted to turn against them, he wouldn't act recklessly for these things.
I won't get greedy for money and fight them to the death once I get inside.
After chatting for a while, Durant suddenly spoke up: "What I want to know is, what exactly is in this temple? Why are you all so careful and have to invite so many experts to help you?"
"Tsk tsk, nine top experts, seven warriors, and two superhumans, they could come and go as they please even in Area 51 of Country A, right?"
"They've invited so many of us just to get into a prehistoric temple on Mount Kilimanjaro?"
As soon as he spoke, Jiang Bai and the others immediately cast curious glances at Harry, including Ximen Tu Jun from the Ximen family.
They were all very curious about this question, but out of the Chinese people's reserved nature, they did not ask directly.
However, Durant is clearly not within this scope of subtlety. That's just how they are. They ask questions without any preamble, and when they speak, they are blunt and uncompromising, which can sometimes be hard to accept. They love to ask sensitive questions without any tact or consideration for whether the other person will find it embarrassing.
Actually, Jiang Bai is the same kind of person, but who told Harry to shut Jiang Bai up with money before?
Having received so many benefits, Jiang Bai didn't want to ask such sensitive questions.
Now that Durant has asked, Jiang Bai is naturally happy to oblige.
"Yes, I'm also very curious. What exactly is inside? What kind of things are there that would warrant so many experts from your organization going there?"
Ximen Tujun also spoke up, his eyes darting around as he looked at Harry, as if trying to guess his intentions and thoughts.
Harry's expression changed upon hearing these two words. He exchanged glances with the person beside him, hesitated for a moment, and then said with a smile, "There is indeed something there. It may be useless to others, but it is something that our African Ancient Warrior Alliance is determined to obtain."
"We invited you all here not because what's inside is dangerous, but because we're afraid others will target that place. As you all know, our Ancient Warrior Alliance holds a special position in Africa, but we are not without enemies."
"We asked you all to cover the retreat mainly because we were afraid that our enemies might suddenly arrive after we entered the temple, which would be very troublesome."
"We invited you all here mainly to help us defend against our enemies."
Those present did not believe Harry's words, or rather, they were skeptical.
Harry said that they were determined to get this thing and that it was useless to others. In Jiang Bai's view, this was just an excuse to reassure people, and they were actually unwilling to say it.
His words further emphasized the importance of this item, and subconsciously they wanted to dispel Jiang Bai and the others' expectations and ideas about it.
Jiang Bai and the others saw all this, but remained silent; these things were tacitly understood.
Jiang Bai believed that taking money to solve problems was a necessary evil, and he wouldn't be tempted by anything inside. He had already received the benefits outside, and in Jiang Bai's opinion, Harry and the others' words were somewhat like judging a gentleman by the standards of a petty person.
However, Jiang Bai also knew that this was only his family's idea, and what others thought was another matter. Faced with huge interests, anyone could change their mind.
However, Jiang Bai was confident that he wouldn't.
As long as he doesn't know how, it's useless for others to have any designs on this thing.
Before absolute power, everything else must bow down.
Jiang Bai didn't care about any of that, but what Harry said next made him frown.
Jiang Bai already knew about the enemy attack.
However, this African Ancient Warriors Alliance has five top experts in charge, as well as a large number of experts from other levels, making it a powerful and well-equipped force.
Who exactly are their enemies?
Even such an ancient warrior alliance was not confident of victory against them, and had to request outside help when entering the temple on Mount Kilimanjaro.
We paid a huge price just to fight this so-called enemy?
Clearly, Durant wasn't the only one with this thought. After hearing this, Durant narrowed his eyes and said noncommittally, "The African Ancient Warrior Alliance is powerful, with five top warriors and countless experts. Here, you're practically local tyrants. The governments outside are subservient to you. You mobilized so many troops with just a word, surrounding the mountains. And yet, there are still enemies that make you so cautious, worried about not being able to handle them. You spent so much to bring us here to deal with them. Surely they're not as simple as they seem?"
"They didn't say anything before, and I didn't ask, but now that we're about to take action, they must be prepared. We need to understand them a bit so we can make some preparations."
This is clearly an excuse. What preparation or not?
Jiang Bai scoffed at this. With cultivation at this level, what was there to prepare? It wasn't a war, it was a fight, relying on skill, cultivation, and techniques.
Whether you prepare or not is meaningless; just fight when they come.
However, he didn't expose this, because he knew it was just an excuse; Durant simply wanted to know the other party's identity so he could weigh the pros and cons.
"this..."
Harry hesitated, his expression shifting between light and dark, as he glanced around at his companions.
This made Jiang Bai feel that Harry was not a very opinionated person. Although his cultivation was good, he did not have the aura of someone who could rule the world, and he was not a qualified leader.
This is also related to the structure of the African Ancient Warriors Alliance, which is an alliance organization whose experts come from ancient warriors from tribes all over Africa.
These people, when traced back to their origins, were all fighting their own battles. Even when they were united, they did not have a strong leader; there were only five elders.
The number of elders is not fixed and depends on the number of experts.
No one can have a say here, and it's only natural that Harry can't make decisions on his own and that they need to be discussed.
Chapter 724 The Shadow of Satan
After receiving consent from several people, Harry slowly spoke, revealing the truth: "Our enemy is the shadow of Satan."
One sentence made everyone around gasp in shock.
Durant's expression changed several times.
The only one who remained calm and composed was Ximen Tujun.
Come to think of it, this guy is a hidden master of the Ximen family. He rarely leaves his house. Although he has high cultivation and knows a lot, he has never directly faced the shadow of Satan.
You might know the name, but you don't really know much about it.
Jiang Bai had heard of "Satan's Shadow," but only had a superficial understanding of it.
I learned of this from the "Hellfire" mercenary group.
Legend has it that this is an even more troublesome organization than the Assassin's Guild, a mercenary group.
Two legends in the mercenary world: the Hand of God and the Shadow of Satan.
Prior to this, members of the Hellfire Mercenary Group had told Jiang Bai that these two organizations were undoubtedly the leaders in terms of military power, possessing unpredictable strength and astonishing capabilities.
Even the most powerful Seraphs couldn't withstand a single finger of Satan's shadow.
They are the people who truly deal with death.
They are secretive and do not interact with ordinary people. Many people know them, but few people understand them.
In short, this is a particularly powerful and special mercenary group that is not motivated by money.
But... how did they get in touch with the Ancient Warrior Alliance?
They even became enemies?
Logically speaking, although the Shadow of Satan is also active in Africa and has a presence in many things, it shouldn't have any major conflict with the Ancient Warriors Alliance, this huge local organization.
Is there some hidden story that outsiders don't know?
Judging from Durant's expression, he clearly knows much more than Jiang Bai and the others.
After all, he was a Westerner, so he naturally knew more about Western organizations than Jiang Bai and the other Easterners.
Just like Jiang Bai knows the powerful families, sects and cults of the ancient martial arts world like the back of his hand.
Durant may have heard of them, but he's probably completely clueless about the specifics.
Jiang Bai had only heard of Satan's shadow by name; as for the specifics, he would have to ask Satan himself.
Anyway, we can't ask Jiang Bai.
"If it's the shadow of Satan, then this matter... I need to think about it."
Surprisingly, after hearing the name, Durant's expression changed several times, and he actually said the following.
Simply stating his name was enough to make a top-tier superhuman back down.
This demonstrates the organization's immense reputation and power.
"Um, Mr. Durant, regarding what we agreed on before, this matter..."
Just as Durant opened his mouth, an elderly black man next to Harry spoke up. This man was named Obat, an elder of the African Ancient Warriors Alliance, whose status was no less than Harry's, and who was in charge of the East African region.
Jiang Bai had noticed that this guy was quite close to Durant before, so it wasn't hard to guess that Durant was someone he had contacted.
However, the expert he contacted immediately backed down upon hearing the name "Shadow of Satan" and actually wanted to retreat.
That's really unbecoming of a master.
"Obert, we're old friends. I can tell you clearly that I need time to think about it."
"That's right. I promised to help you before, and even accepted the benefits you offered. I can say that I am quite satisfied with these benefits."
"I also promised to help you deal with your enemies and help you enter the temple, but you didn't tell me that your enemy is the shadow of Satan!"
"I think you know better than I what the shadow of Satan represents. They are really troublesome, and provoking them will have endless consequences."
"Let's not even talk about whether we can succeed in dealing with them this time. Even if we do succeed, the consequences are unpredictable. Since you have a grudge against the shadow of Satan, you should know that they are not easy to mess with."
"Moreover, they are extremely vengeful; anyone who makes an enemy of them will definitely not have a good outcome."
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life in fear because of a single gain."
Durant waved his hand to interrupt the other person and said directly.
This caused Jiang Bai and the others to change color.
Is the problem that serious?
Is the shadow of Satan really that difficult to provoke? It could actually frighten an SSS-level ability user to this extent? Will they live in constant fear from now on?
This guy's reputation for being infamous is just too much!
Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions. They looked at each other, but no one uttered a sound.
Harry and the others hesitated, unsure of what to say.
Finally, Harry said dejectedly, "Since Mr. Durant says so, we can't force you. We have one more night, and we'll set off tomorrow. If you decide to withdraw, you can rest quietly here and wait for us to return before leaving."
"Don't worry, I know what to do. Even if I can't help, I won't betray you. I'll wait for you to come back here and return the favors you've given me."
"Of course, I am also struggling with this matter, so I am still considering it and have not made a definite decision yet."
Durant nodded and smiled at Harry's understanding, his tone becoming much more polite.
In this society, no matter where you are, East or West, it's the same: if you treat me with respect, I'll treat you with even more respect. Interpersonal relationships are handled in pretty much the same way.
Even the most skilled experts are not immune to the common pitfalls.
Harry and his friends undoubtedly showed Durant a great deal of respect, and Durant reciprocated by speaking much more politely.
After Durant finished speaking, Harry said dejectedly, "Actually, how could we not know that the shadow of Satan is not to be trifled with? Our Ancient Warrior Alliance has existed for longer than any other organization in the world."
"The lineage has been interrupted several times. The original lineage existed on this continent even before the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. We have been passing it down for thousands of years, and dealing with the shadow of Satan is not something that has been going on for more than a hundred years."
"We know they are difficult to deal with, and in fact, we don't want to provoke them."
"Unfortunately... we don't want to be their enemies, but they want to treat us as enemies."
"This puts us in a difficult position, but there's nothing we can do about it."
"The matter of the temple is of great importance. We cannot give up what's inside. To be honest, it may be an ancient temple from our Ancient Warrior Alliance, and it may contain our heritage that has been severed several times."
"We absolutely cannot give this up, because it is too important to us. We would give it our all, even if it meant the sacrifice of all five of us!"
"With it, the Ancient Warrior Alliance has the means to survive; otherwise... it will be swallowed up by the shadow of Satan and the hand of God sooner or later."
Chapter 725 Not Backing Down
Those present remained silent; no one spoke.
In situations like these, it's best for a wise person to remain silent.
Durant simply bowed slightly in apology.
However, he said nothing more, nor did he intend to help the African Ancient Warriors Alliance; he simply chose to remain silent.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat cold, as if it had dropped to freezing point. Everyone present fell silent, and no one uttered a sound.
We looked at each other, and the atmosphere was rather strange.
"Alright, everyone's a bit tired. Let's call it a day. We're leaving early tomorrow morning."
Finally, Harry broke the silence and said these words.
After speaking, he subconsciously looked around at the crowd in front of him, and then said in a deep voice, "Everyone still has some time. If you are really afraid of the shadow of Satan, then you can consider leaving. We will not force anyone."
"However, the Ancient Warrior Alliance will not compromise on this matter, even if all of them are wiped out."
After saying this, he turned and left. Those left in the room looked at each other, bewildered, and finally chose to leave one by one.
Tonight's events are a bit complicated, and I need to go back and think about them carefully.
Jiang Bai knew that Harry was saying this to him and the other two, Lieyang and the other two.
As for Durant, although he claimed he would consider it before making a decision, his behavior just now made it clear that he did not want to get involved in the mess of the African Ancient Warriors Alliance and the Shadow of Satan, and he did not want to cause trouble for himself.
Jiang Bai remained silent, and Lie Yang was equally composed. Ximen Tu Jun frowned but didn't take it seriously.
Jiang Bai was taken aback by Ximen Tujun's behavior.
Then I couldn't help but smile. The shadow of Satan sounds pretty powerful, but who can really know the specifics?
And even if it's incredibly powerful, so what?
Ximen Tu Jun came to help, and after he finished, he would go back home and stay within the sphere of influence of the Ximen family in the Northwest. Who could possibly go to China to do anything to him?
The shadow of Satan is not to be trifled with, but have these four great families ever been easy to deal with?
If it weren't for so many concerns, would Jiang Bai have survived this long after offending the four great families?
Just kidding!
The main reason is that Jiang Bai didn't completely provoke the four great families or push them to the brink of despair. Also, with Yang Wudi backing him up, they didn't fight Jiang Bai to the death.
If you're pushed to the brink, what's the point of having so many ice coffins in the four time periods?
After just a few bites, Jiang Bai couldn't possibly finish it all!
The Nangong family alone has more than twenty ice burial coffins. How many do the four great families have combined?
Jiang Bai didn't know or wasn't sure, but he was certain that it was an absolutely terrifying number.
With such resources, he is indeed fearless. As long as he is given enough benefits, what wouldn't he dare to do?
In this respect, he is not like Durant. Although he is powerful, he is a lone wolf, and it is inevitable that he has some concerns.
Without saying a word, Jiang Bai returned to the room with Lieyang. After leaving the room, Lieyang leaned close to Jiang Bai and whispered, "This Harry didn't tell me any of this before. The shadow of Satan is not to be trifled with."
"You know them?" Jiang Bai was taken aback and subconsciously looked at Lie Yang. He didn't expect that this old man would know about the Shadow of Satan.
However, he immediately smiled and thought to himself how stupid he was. He knew about the shadow of Satan, and the old man Lieyang had been struggling in the underworld for decades, running all over the world. How could he not know about this famous organization?
"I know a little. They have a huge connection to the underworld of Europa, with a long and untraceable history. I don't know their origins, but it's true that their power is extremely strong."
"They have been infamous for years, but to be honest, they haven't done anything particularly significant. They are powerful and have a mysterious background, but I really don't know anything about their background."
"However, they have been at odds with the Hand of God since the beginning of their existence. The Hand of God has existed for over a thousand years, and the shadow of Satan should have been there at that time."
"I don't know the details of the Shadow of Satan, but everyone knows about the Hand of God. They are actually a bunch of lackeys of the Holy See."
"It is said that the earliest origin can be traced back to the Knights Templar. It seems that it was composed of those people who specialized in doing some shady things for the Holy See. They did many great things in ancient times and were active in Eurasia and Africa. Many important events were related to them."
"I don't need to elaborate on how strong these people are. The Holy See has ruled Europe for so many years, so their power is evident. The Shadow of Satan is specifically there to oppose them."
"Although the two sides have been relatively stable in recent decades, they have still fought several times during this period. Each time was earth-shattering, and it is said that several top masters have perished as a result."
"I don't know the specifics. You know, they're not operating in our territory. In these turbulent times, we don't have time to care about what's happening outside. We can't even handle our own affairs. I've only heard about it."
Lieyang spoke eloquently, giving Jiang Bai a general overview of what he knew. He didn't go into too much detail because he himself couldn't explain things clearly, as he didn't know much about the subject, only a little more than Jiang Bai.
"So, how do you suggest we handle this?"
Jiang Bai glanced at the blazing sun in front of him and asked noncommittally.
"Whether for personal or national interest, I think we should help with this. Of course, if you hadn't told me you'd become a peerless master, I would have suggested we leave earlier."
"We have a good relationship with them, but our strength is somewhat weak. A large amount of our domestic resources have been transferred away, so we don't have much capital to compete with them now."
"The shadow of Satan is not to be trifled with, and I can't just ask you for help and then ignore your future."
"But if you become a peerless master, that's a different story. I don't believe they can do anything to you."
"The final decision is up to you. I'll listen to you. If you say leave, we'll leave immediately. If you say stay to help, then I'll go with you."
Lieyang shared his thoughts, and then looked at Jiang Bai with his deep eyes, as if waiting for Jiang Bai's reply.
He spoke eloquently, but deep down he still hoped Jiang Bai would stay.
"If even the Ximen family's son isn't afraid, why should I be? I don't want to go back and have the people from the four great families pointing at my back and laughing at me for being a coward." Jiang Bai shrugged and laughed.
After saying that, he ignored Lieyang and left.
Lieyang understood his meaning immediately, paused for a moment, and then a bright smile appeared on his face.
Chapter 726 The Cave
The next morning, Jiang Bai and his group packed their bags and gathered at the entrance, where the convoy heading up the mountain was ready.
The Ancient Warriors Alliance, along with Lieyang, Jiang Bai, Ximen Tujun, and eight others, lined up and entered several vehicles, preparing to leave.
Just then, a surprising figure appeared in front of Jiang Bai and his group.
Durant...
This SSS-level superhuman from Country A surprisingly did not choose to leave.
Carrying a travel bag, he got on the bus without saying a word.
I don't know what happened last night. It seems that Lieyang and Harry talked for a bit, but what does that have to do with Durant?
Did they make some promise last night that led this expert to choose to fight against the shadow of Satan alongside them?
Jiang Bai was overwhelmed with thoughts.
Without saying a word, Jiang Bai got into the car and drove along the completely rugged mountain road.
Jiang Bai had no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery along the mountain streams; he was only pondering what the temple on Mount Kilimanjaro might be hiding.
This actually inspired the ancient African warrior alliance to be willing to fight, even at the cost of their own destruction.
They went to great lengths to promise things and offer benefits, determined to win over this place.
Unfortunately, he is destined never to know such a thing, at least not now.
You can't know the truth without going into it.
What important thing is hidden inside, and whether it's as Harry said, only God knows.
The car sped along, passing through the rushing mountains, treacherous mountain roads, and traversing high mountains and flowing rivers.
They eventually came to a stop near a mountain peak, where there was no road ahead; this was the end of the road in these mountains.
"We're almost there, but there's no road ahead, so we'll have to walk."
After getting out of the car, Harry explained to everyone.
No one voiced any objection, and Jiang Bai and his group proceeded lightly equipped, escorted by more than thirty burly soldiers.
They are all experts, especially Jiang Bai. He can give you tips as if it were child's play. He is definitely the type who can lift mountains on his shoulders.
But they all traveled light, leaving all the burdens to those behind them.
The soldiers who followed were only there to carry bags. Despite their full armor, orderly ranks, and menacing aura, they were utterly useless in actual combat against the enemies of the Ancient Warrior Alliance.
Its only purpose here is to act as a human mule.
They walked slowly, having waited for months, and were not in a hurry. They were all doing their best to maintain their condition and physical strength, unwilling to suffer any loss.
They are about to face a dangerous environment and a powerful enemy. Any loss will reduce their combat effectiveness, especially for superhumans like Lieyang and Durant.
After walking for several hours, they stopped in the middle of a mountain. A huge cave entrance appeared in the center of the mountain, with traces of cleared boulders next to it.
Hundreds of fully armed soldiers stood around, armed with live ammunition. There were not only barbed wire and heavy machine guns, but also helicopters circling around, and anti-aircraft guns and other equipment whose origins were unclear.
In addition, there were dozens of bare-chested tribal experts with terrifying camouflage patterns on their faces. Their origins were unknown, but each of them was extraordinary and extremely powerful.
Looking at the helicopters circling in the sky, Jiang Bai couldn't help but complain, "Why don't we just fly?"
But thinking about it, I realize that Harry and the others must have had a reason for not offering their seats.
Come to think of it, their enemy is the shadow of Satan. Who knows what methods they have? Traveling by car through the mountains, their strength can naturally be kept intact. But if they were in the air, a single missile could, if not eliminate them all, at least injure them all.
During times of peace and stability, traveling on land is undoubtedly the most reliable option.
The only thing that is puzzling and intriguing is that they have already reached their destination, and judging from the appearance, this cave entrance should be the location of the so-called temple ruins.
However, the enemy Harry spoke of, the shadow of Satan, has yet to be seen, not even a single human hair.
"Are they planning to let us in, get the stuff, and then launch a surprise attack on our way back? Or are they planning to let us in first, then sneak in and ambush us halfway?"
Jiang Bai tilted his head, unconsciously pondering.
Not only him, but others were also considering this issue. Lieyang had even moved closer to Jiang Bai: "What do you mean by this Satanic Shadow? It hasn't made a single move yet? This isn't normal!"
"Knowing their temperament, they'll probably just take action, wipe us all out, and then go in themselves!"
"It's not normal that there's no movement at all. Could there really be something dangerous inside? Are they planning to lure us in and then ambush us from the start? Are they playing a trick on us, like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"
Undoubtedly, Lieyang's thoughts coincided with Jiang Bai's.
Clearly, they weren't the only ones with this thought. Harry was also somewhat stunned. After thinking for a moment, he looked up and said, "It seems that our enemies are likely planning to attack us when we are exhausted. We need to be extra careful."
"Don't drive away the lions only to have the tigers come... then we'll be in big trouble."
No one responded; everyone just nodded silently.
"Let's rest for a bit and then go in. Hopefully, we can get what's inside first. If we can, then those under Satan's shadow won't have to fear anymore."
Finally, Harry said something quite surprising, then sat down first, took out water and bread, and started eating by himself.
"This seems to be more than you think," Jiang Bai thought to himself, and then rested for a while.
Half an hour later, Jiang Bai and his group slowly stood up. Led by Harry, the nine top experts, along with thirty or forty native warriors, went inside.
Although the wide opening had been cleared, there were still many piles of rubble there. Only a path had been barely cleared on the left side, allowing the group to pass through.
Despite their efforts, the environment here is no less desolate than the Great Snow Mountain. Carrying out engineering here is no easy task; even with great energy, the work will be very slow.
Looking at that bottomless cave, the sheer amount of manpower and resources required to clear such a five-meter-wide and ten-meter-high passage is enough to make one shudder.
It's unknown how many innocent people have lost their lives here.
In Africa, people's names are worthless and the equipment is backward. Jiang Bai would never believe that such a road could be opened up here without the loss of a hundred or so lives.
Chapter 727 Temple of Anma
Upon entering the cave, we traversed a dark path, lit torches, and stirred up countless bats, causing one member of the group to tremble in fright.
Jiang Bai and his group of nine formed the main force, while dozens of native warriors stood guard on either side with torches. The soldiers, on the other hand, remained outside.
Although they were all seasoned veterans, they were of little use here.
Even top experts can get injured in this place, let alone them?
Coming in is just suicide, why bother?
But if coming in is suicide, is staying outside really safe?
Jiang Bai remained noncommittal, but a sense of unease lingered in his heart.
If it weren't for the fact that his strength is now vastly different from what it used to be, and that he believes he can suppress the world, Jiang Bai would probably have to back down now. The road ahead is long and unpredictable, which is not a good thing.
Following the main group, we walked for several miles. Although the caves were winding, rugged, and pitch black, the journey was surprisingly safe.
The cave went straight down, and Jiang Bai estimated that they had gone deep underground after walking for an unknown amount of time, but they still did not stop.
They continued to move forward slowly, and before they knew it, several hours had passed. They had been underground for an unknown period of time when the group finally came to a stop.
Suddenly, a huge cave appeared before Jiang Bai and his companions, over a hundred meters high and four or five hundred meters wide. In the center of the cave stood a stone palace.
The main hall has dozens of steps, but the hall at the top of the steps is not magnificent. It is only about twenty meters high and a few dozen meters wide, completely blocking the end of the cave. On both sides of the main hall, two statues several meters high stand there.
The statues depict two burly warriors, bare-chested and wielding sharp swords and shields, standing there with fierce eyes, looking towards Jiang Bai and his group at the end of the cave.
"Be careful, the two at the door are guards. We suffered a loss here last time. Those guards are almost impossible to break through; they are so strong that they can't be seen until they are attacked. They are also extremely powerful."
An elder of the Ancient Warriors Alliance spoke in a deep voice to those around him upon seeing the temple.
This left Jiang Bai speechless. He thought they had gone quite a distance last time, but it turned out they only went this far? Damn it…
If Jiang Bai's guess is correct, this seems to be just the entrance. There should be a passage behind the temple standing there, but the entrance to the passage has been shaped like a palace.
Jiang Bai had never been here before, but he could spot a glimpse of light coming from deep within the palace from afar, which subconsciously made him realize that there might be more to this place than meets the eye.
In other words, this is just the beginning; they can't even defeat the statues at the entrance?
Should we say that the African Ancient Warriors Alliance is too weak, or that this place is too strong?
"Everyone get ready." Someone said this, though it's unclear who it was.
Those present then prepared themselves, each one focused intently and extremely tense.
Jiang Bai was speechless at this.
I don't know what those native warriors are so nervous about. What use are they here?
Weren't they the ones who made the move?
Jiang Bai remained silent, standing there calmly, looking at the statue in front of him, waiting for Harry and his group to slowly approach.
He himself stood there quietly.
The two statues in front of the temple did not move at all, but as Harry and his friends walked up the steps, the two huge statues suddenly moved.
A loud shout, seemingly coming from nowhere, instantly echoed throughout the entire cave.
The next second, the huge guardian statue leaped up, its stone sword hurtling directly at Harry.
Harry was startled and quickly dodged, but the other side was too fast. Its huge body moved with the speed of the wind. As Harry moved, the statue followed closely behind, and its huge shield came crashing down like a discus.
Harry quickly defended himself, and with a loud "boom," a shockwave and a sonic boom rang out from where the two clashed.
I originally thought that Harry's strength was enough to crush everything. An SSS-level warrior who excels in physical strength must be incredibly powerful, enough to destroy steel.
In other words, even if this stone statue in front of him was made of steel, Harry's strength was enough to blast it to smithereens and shatter its defenses with a single punch.
However, something strange happened. No one knew what the statue was made of, but when Harry punched it with all his might, he not only failed to cause any damage to the statue, but also injured himself.
Just like an ordinary person's fist hitting a rock, Harry's fist was instantly severely injured, causing him to grimace in pain and his fist to be covered in blood.
Jiang Bai even heard the sound of the other person's bones cracking, and couldn't help but secretly gasp in amazement, and began to carefully observe the guard.
When Harry was attacked, the others also sprang into action.
The blazing sun's flames had no effect on the stone statue. After trying twice and finding it ineffective, they simply stopped. Durant, who claimed to be able to manipulate all magnetic fields and metals, stopped with them.
The two of them seemed utterly ineffective against this enormous stone figure.
The five elders of the African Ancient Warriors Alliance and Simon Tu Jun's group then took action one by one, with three people attacking one of them.
I tried every trick in the book, but unfortunately... it had very little effect.
Just as that elder of the Ancient Warrior Alliance said before.
This thing is almost indestructible.
Their strength was immense, capable of moving mountains and overturning peaks, yet such an attack was like a tickle to the two guards.
With their immense, indestructible strength and unshakeable bodies, the two guards withstood the combined attack of six top experts, not only emerging unscathed but also showing signs of suppressing them.
This made Jiang Bai frown.
The attack just now involved several people using all their secret techniques, including not only the lost ancient fighting skills of the Ancient Warrior Alliance, but also the ultimate moves of the Ximen World, which gave Jiang Bai a lot of benefits.
But he still couldn't find the stone men's weakness. These two giant stone guards seemed to have no weaknesses at all, which made Jiang Bai frown.
At this moment, a local expert next to him spoke in a string of words and asked, "Why won't you do anything? Those two are shamans, they are no match for the protection of the god Anma. You are not... you are a warrior! Why won't you do anything?"
Anma? Is this the temple of Anma?
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai couldn't help but frown.
Anma is the supreme god in African indigenous mythology, the highest deity, and the most widely believed in among tribes.
The legendary omnipotent and supreme creator god.
This is actually his temple?
If that's the case, then it's worth pondering.
Chapter 728 Stone Statue Guardian
It should be noted that this great figure holds an extraordinary, almost supreme position in this land.
His faith was widespread, but when it came to temples, he was truly not one of them. These underground temples were extraordinary and mysterious.
It is named after him, which is of great significance. There must be something extraordinary hidden in it.
Ignoring the local expert, Jiang Bai remained standing there, watching quietly.
Just as Harry and his friends were about to be overwhelmed, Jiang Bai rushed out, transforming into a streak of light and disappearing into the distance.
There were no complicated moves, no fancy qi, and even the true meaning was hidden.
Having reached the middle star level and become a mid-level Martial King, Jiang Bai became more reserved, possessing only inner energy and a powerful physique.
By integrating everything into his body, his power was enhanced to the extreme. He no longer needed any special qi or true intent, because they had already been completely integrated into his body. Every move he made contained everything, causing his power and destructive ability to increase exponentially.
However, none of that matters. What matters is that he is truly powerful now. Top-tier experts are already strong enough, but a peerless master like Yang Wudi is ten times stronger.
Jiang Bai's current strength is more than ten times that of a peerless master like Yang Wudi.
Moreover, this tenfold increase is not simply a matter of one person fighting ten; when calculated in total, speed, strength, reaction time, and so on, all increase tenfold.
Yang Wudi could easily kill dozens of top experts, just like Nangong Xinghuo did that day. Without Yang Wudi, none of Jiang Bai and the others would have been able to escape.
Jiang Bai is now having a similar effect on Yang Wudi.
His strength is terrifying; these top experts are nothing but ants, utterly vulnerable.
They were no match for this wondrous stone statue, but that didn't mean Jiang Bai was.
He had just been observing carefully and realized that the power of the temple statue was actually only at the level of a top expert, not even as good as his own before his breakthrough.
Of course... I don't know what method they used, but their defense is ridiculously strong, and it seems that no method can have any effect on them.
Six top experts fought for so long, leaping and bounding, yet they couldn't even scratch them.
You should know that if these people went out at this time, they could easily wipe out an armored division.
But here, you can only be chased around like a rabbit.
With a loud "boom," Jiang Bai threw a punch, and a faint dragon's roar could be heard. The next second, his fist struck a guard directly.
With a deafening roar, the guard exploded instantly. Jiang Bai pierced through his body, shattering him into pieces, turning him into ordinary stones, unable to move an inch.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Bai made another move, and the other guard was also dealt with.
This left everyone around speechless.
No one expected that six top experts would be beaten and run all over the cave by two guards, while Jiang Bai would take care of them with just two punches.
Jiang Bai dealt with the stone statue guard so simply and efficiently that it startled everyone around him.
While Lieyang and the others were speechless, the native experts were dumbfounded, and Harry and the others were marveling at how worthwhile it was to spend the money, Ximen Tujun's lips trembled, and his expression turned pale as he looked at Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai's performance exceeded his expectations, and he looked at Jiang Bai with some fear in his eyes.
He thought to himself that after this matter was over, he must rush back immediately and give a clear explanation to the experts in his family. Jiang Bai was someone he absolutely could not provoke; he was, at the very least, a peerless master.
Yes... that's the minimum!
Ximen Tujun felt that Jiang Bai's strength might even surpass that of a peerless master.
Thinking about this made his scalp tingle.
The relationship between the four great families and Jiang Bai is far from harmonious; in fact, it can be described as deep-seated enmity.
In the incident on Taiwan Island, they lost several experts, and this debt was attributed to Jiang Bai. However, Ximen Tujun and many others did not believe it, because Jiang Bai was too young, and his strength was rumored to be only at the level of a top expert.
A top-tier expert could not possibly defeat so many powerful individuals; no matter how strong he was, he could not possibly challenge Nangong Xinghuo, who was of a higher level.
At first, they suspected that Yang Wudi was behind this.
The Nangong family head, who was lucky to survive, never mentioned the matter, and they didn't know the inside story, so they could only blame it on Jiang Bai.
But deep down, they didn't quite believe it.
I find it hard to believe that Jiang Bai could do this.
But now, they believed it. Ximen Tujun was completely convinced that Jiang Bai was capable of doing it!
Absolutely!
But precisely because of this, he no longer dared to underestimate Jiang Bai in the slightest, and his eyes were filled with fear when he looked at Jiang Bai.
A twenty-four-year-old youth has actually achieved such cultivation, reaching the level of an ancient martial artist through his own abilities, becoming a true peerless master, or perhaps even an even more powerful master, a renowned Martial King.
They are people we absolutely do not want to provoke.
Because no one knows how far Jiang Bai will grow in the future.
Unless they open the ice coffin now and bring out several experts to deal with Jiang Bai, but if Jiang Bai really escapes, then the four great families... can only wait for the disaster of extermination.
The four great families would not do such an unprofitable deal.
Ximen Tujun was already thinking that he should go back and discuss with his family how to ease the tension with Jiang Bai.
Hmm, that girl from the Nangong family seems quite pretty. The Nangong family also has an old grudge against Jiang Bai, so a marriage alliance might be a good way to resolve it.
Jiang Bai paid no attention to what he was thinking. In fact, after defeating the two stone statue guards, Jiang Bai stopped moving and did not walk towards the temple hall above. Instead, he squatted down and studied the two guards with great interest.
Unfortunately, Jiang Bai got nothing.
Jiang Bai initially thought it was made of some special material, but after careful examination, he discovered that the guard was actually just an ordinary stone, and it even showed some signs of weathering.
The rest of the stone is exactly the same as the other half, without any difference. The only difference is probably the strange patterns inside.
Jiang Bai didn't know the specific function, but the patterns must be very special. It was probably these patterns that gave these stone statues the power to contend with top experts and their indestructible bodies.
Jiang Bai was very curious about how this thing was made.
Who exactly made it back then, and what kind of technology was used to manufacture it? Has that technology been preserved?
If it were kept, it would be truly enviable.
Chapter 729 Twelve
While Jiang Bai was studying the two stone guardian statues, Harry and the others had already made some quick adjustments and entered the temple. They walked up the steps and entered without much effort.
It's just a few dozen steps. Although each step is fifty centimeters high, all of them together are only a little over ten meters. For these people, it's just a matter of leaping up.
Just as Jiang Bai raised his head, a gasp came from inside.
"Oh my god!"
After a gasp, the people inside hurriedly withdrew.
This startled Jiang Bai, who leaped forward and saw the crowd that had just passed by hurriedly retreating. Upon closer inspection, Jiang Bai understood why they were retreating.
The temple, which was not large, was empty of any objects. At the far end of the spacious hall was a pool of bright red blood, about one meter in diameter.
The pool of blood churned and bubbled, releasing a mist of blood.
This is nothing unusual. The appearance of such a blood pool in this mysterious place is abnormal, but not unacceptable. The temple is quite eerie, with statues guarded by gods comparable to top-level masters.
What's so strange about a blood pool or something?
It wouldn't surprise or frighten anyone like that.
The key point is that behind this blood pool is a large gate, not very big, a square gate only about five meters high, shimmering with a milky white light, and it is impossible to see what is inside.
Of course, what's truly terrifying isn't this place, but the grand halls on either side of the blood pool.
At this moment, starting from the entrance of the main hall and moving forward, there are twelve stone statues standing guard, arranged in order on the left and right.
Lifelike and majestic.
This is also the source of their fear. No wonder they dare not enter. If they were to disturb the twelve stone statues guarding the simple entrance, it would be enough to slaughter them all.
If we couldn't handle the previous two, how could we possibly manage these twelve?
"What should we do?" Someone asked, and after exchanging bewildered glances, everyone turned to look at Jiang Bai.
There's no hope of getting in on their own; they don't even dare to enter this hall.
Even just looking from the outside is nerve-wracking, let alone going in.
The only way to get in is with Jiang Bai's super fighting power.
"Twelve, that's a real problem, Harry. You didn't explain how dangerous this place was before we came..."
Jiang Bai stood there and said with some dissatisfaction.
Before they arrived, Harry hadn't mentioned how dangerous this place was, with Satan's shadow as an enemy constantly watching them, and these terrifying stone statues guarding the area.
This is because Jiang Bai's cultivation has improved, and he is now completely different from before, more than a hundred times stronger than before. Otherwise, he would probably have had to flee in defeat today.
The last time their ancient warrior alliance elder was able to escape, it must have cost countless lives. These stone statues themselves had limitations, which allowed him to escape.
But these people didn't tell the truth and let Jiang Bai and his group in.
This greatly displeased Jiang Bai.
"this..."
Harry was immediately embarrassed upon hearing this. The things outside could be explained, but the things inside were not.
I mentioned before I came that this place was somewhat dangerous. Although the two stone statues guarding the outside were a bit stronger, it was still to be expected.
But some of these things... are a bit hard to believe.
"We will provide you with additional compensation. We have only been inside once before. Last time, we were stopped at the door. We cleared out and eliminated many strange creatures along the way. We thought the stone statue guards outside the door were the final obstacle."
"However, we misjudged the situation. Therefore, the African Ancient Warriors Alliance apologizes to everyone and will make the most sincere compensation after we leave!"
They exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and Harry said something that made the expressions of those around them slightly better.
After saying these painful words, Harry turned his gaze to Jiang Bai.
Other people's opinions are no longer the most important; the most important thing is... Jiang Bai's opinion.
The battle just now is the best proof that these people cannot cause any damage to these stone statues. They only have Jiang Bai to rely on.
"Twelve, tsk tsk, and there's another samurai in the center whose identity I don't know. You think I can handle them? You really think highly of me."
Jiang Bai sneered and clicked his tongue, clearly dissatisfied with the situation before him.
"We can compensate Mr. Jiang separately on the price, we…" Harry quickly agreed after hearing this.
Everyone else is secondary; Jiang Bai is the most important. Now he realizes that it doesn't matter if no one else is there, as long as Jiang Bai is there, there's no problem.
Although the twelve stone statues were formidable, Jiang Bai had just defeated them one by one with a single punch. The stone statues, which were incredibly powerful to them, were as fragile as clay in Jiang Bai's hands, utterly vulnerable.
In his view, as long as Jiang Bai makes a move, there won't be a big problem.
As for the warrior in the center wielding a two-handed greatsword, he was not within Harry's consideration.
In his opinion, the stone statue was either fake or real. Even if it was real, it didn't matter. It was powerful, but its power was limited and it was definitely no match for Jiang Bai.
Of course, even if he was slightly stronger than Jiang Bai, he still encouraged Jiang Bai to make a move and have a contest with the stone statue guard in front of him.
What's inside is extremely important to them.
"This isn't about money!" Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow and said with some displeasure upon hearing this.
Although he is greedy for money, not everything can be bought off with money, just like the situation right now.
As Jiang Bai finished speaking, an eerie atmosphere descended upon the surroundings. Everyone present looked at each other in silence.
Everyone remained silent, unsure of what to say. Harry glanced at Jiang Bai, then quietly retreated and briefly discussed the matter with a few elders.
He walked over and stood beside Jiang Bai, pointing to the blood pool not far away, and said, "Mr. Jiang, this is the Dragon Blood Pool. If you help us deal with these guards, you can be the first to enter the Dragon Blood Pool."
This startled Jiang Bai, who subconsciously squinted and asked, "The Pool of Dragon Blood?"
"Yes, it is the Pool of Dragon Blood. Legend has it that this Anma Temple is the birthplace of the Anma faith and existed in prehistoric times. The door inside is called the Gate of Truth. Legend has it that if you pass through there, you can see the Anma Kingdom."
"However, we certainly cannot enter the Kingdom of Anma. According to ancient records, only the most powerful ancient warriors are qualified to enter the Kingdom of Anma and serve the supreme god Anma."
"We… even someone as powerful as Mr. Jiang couldn't possibly enter it. Our strength is far inferior to that of true ancient warriors. Therefore, the Dragon Blood Pool is actually our real target this time."