Everything stopped.Time. Space. The entire world was frozen.
Truly and completely frozen. Whether it was the Green Emperor, the Invincible General, or the others, all were suspended in a strange stasis. The problem wasn't just the immobilization of their bodies—even their consciousnesses were frozen, unable to move or react. They could think, but not act. It was profoundly bizarre.
"Why... Why can't I move? Totally immobile. Who is it? This door... why does it look so familiar?"
Si Kong Zhaixing screamed internally, his gaze fixed in the air above.
"A spatial gate?! Damn it! My master left a mark on me—what the hell is he doing now? He even sealed off the surrounding time and space... Don't tell me he's found me and wants to mute me! No! I don't want to be a mute dog!!"
The Green Emperor was going berserk in his thoughts.
He was terrified—truly terrified—that he might be silenced. If that happened, life would lose all its joy. Who would appreciate the wonder of his voice then? His true fans… would cry.
"Such terrifying power. This is time magic! It's so strong—I can't break free at all."
Even the Invincible General felt a sliver of unspeakable fear. His toilet could break through all laws, but now, he couldn't even move. How could he break spells like this? Especially when faced with what could only be a heaven-defying time-based divine ability—far too terrifying.
"It's over! We're getting robbed—completely robbed!"
Liu Qu wailed inwardly in despair.
At that moment, a hand suddenly stretched out from the spatial gate, reaching toward the four black sacks sitting in front of the Green Emperor and the others. The hand moved completely unaffected by the flow of time, effortlessly seizing the bags. One by one, the hand retrieved them through the gate—right before their frozen eyes.
"My treasure! My precious treasure!"
"No! Who is this despicable bastard? Give them back!"
"This is a double-cross! We risked offending the Dragon Clan and countless cultivators to rob these, and now they're just gone? Leave one bag—just one!"
As the bags holding their loot were taken, the Green Emperor and company were practically breathing fire. The pain of helplessly watching their treasures be stolen was unbearable. Their hearts shattered.
It hurt. A pain worse than death.
But the arm didn't hesitate—it took the bags and retracted into the portal. Then the golden pocket watch disappeared, and with it, the spatial gate vanished.
As it vanished, time resumed. Everyone regained control of their bodies and immediately lunged toward where the gate had been—only to pounce on empty space.
"Brutal! Absolutely ruthless! Didn't leave even a hair behind!"
"That's true double-crossing! Robbed by a robber!"
Liu Qu's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot—black as black could be. He never imagined someone would pull such a dirty trick at this moment.
"Why would someone do this to me?! That was hard-earned treasure! Ten pieces—couldn't you leave me just one?!"
The Green Emperor howled toward the sky. He already suspected who the culprit was. Only Yi Tianxing had the strength to locate them, to freeze space and time, and to steal the loot right in front of them without resistance.
Ding!!
Just then, a ripple appeared in the void, followed by a streak of light that dropped in front of the Green Emperor with a crisp sound.
Everyone stared. The Invincible General, Si Kong Zhaixing—they all had bizarre expressions.
"A... a bone?"
The Green Emperor stared blankly. In front of him lay a bone—still with a few strips of meat attached. It looked... incredibly tempting.
Unable to restrain himself, the Green Emperor erupted:
"You took all the treasure and threw me a bone?! You heartless bastard!! I'm going to bite you to death!!"
After the shout, he immediately bit into the bone and chewed it to bits, devouring every last piece as if he were eating his worst enemy.
"Fortunately, we didn't put the map fragments of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum into the bags. That's a small mercy. From this auction alone, we've secured one piece, and found three more from others—for a total of five. Just four more to complete it. The complete map will open a path directly to the Mausoleum."
Si Kong Zhaixing said, still shaken.
"Indeed. Compared to entering the Qin Mausoleum, these stolen treasures are meaningless. According to legend, the tomb contains infinite riches—countless rare treasures."
Liu Qu nodded.
Even though their hearts still ached, the reality couldn't be changed. They had to move on.
Outside the battlefield.
Yi Tianxing's figure reappeared in the void.
"Fellow Daoist Gongsun, how is the situation here?"
He approached Gongsun Daniu with a smile.
Looking around, the five-colored mists had cleared, but the battlefield was a mess—a tragic sight. Many soldiers had shovel imprints on their foreheads, faces pale, vomiting wildly on the ground. It was unbearable.
The worst part? Everyone—soldiers and cultivators alike—reeked of a horrifying stench. A foul, choking odor.
They weren't the only ones—even themselves couldn't endure it. After being rescued, many wished they could die on the spot. It was a torment to the body and soul.
Luckily, the stench wasn't permanent. It clearly weakened over time and would eventually fade.
Even Princess Ao Qi of the Dragon Palace was afflicted and was quickly whisked away. If word got out, the Dragon Clan would lose all face.
"Those four bandits didn't kill anyone, but their methods were disgusting. Their infamy is now widespread."
Gongsun Daniu shook her head.
This battle had made the Green Emperor and his gang famous across the realm.
They each gained nicknames:
Si Kong Zhaixing: "Fart King"
Liu Qu: "Shovel King"
Green Emperor: "Dog King"
Invincible General: "Chamberpot King"
They were now household names, and the sheer fear their names evoked was clear from their titles.
"Fart King, Shovel King, Dog King, Chamberpot King?"
Yi Tianxing's face twitched with a strange expression.
He couldn't imagine how the Green Emperor would react if he learned of his new title. Those were… some legendary nicknames.
"This place isn't safe. Those four may return at any time—and frankly, their methods are too revolting. We might as well explore the sea for a while before returning. This is a rare experience, after all."
Yi Tianxing smiled.
"Agreed. I also meant to ask you some questions about the Da Yi Dynasty."
The two of them didn't stay. The battlefield was too foul, and neither wanted to get involved any further.
They weren't alone in this thinking—many powerful outsiders fled quickly. Whatever thoughts they had of lingering vanished.
Who would dare?
Before seeing the Four Bandits, many were eager and excited. Afterward? That enthusiasm died a swift death.
The Four Bandits were a nightmare—one farted, one used cursed music, one flung excrement. Even the strongest cultivator wouldn't want to touch that filth. Engaging them was a battle of mutual destruction. No one dared try.
Back in the Dragon Palace, the Hanhai Dragon King was furious. He ordered a massive hunt, deploying waves of shrimp and crab soldiers to scour every corner of the territory.
Even the bounty was raised—to an amount so tempting it would drive people mad.
Three days passed quietly.
In a vast coral reef...
The coral gleamed with treasure-like brilliance, jellyfish drifted in ethereal beauty, casting dreamlike lights across the sea.
"Fellow Daoist Gongsun, when you return, I hope you can gather as much information on the Skyhawk Court as possible. I will dispatch the Da Yi army shortly. Before that, I must cleanse the surrounding lands—can't risk getting stabbed in the back."
Two portals shimmered into existence in front of them.