At this point, Ge Qiu suddenly smiled, "Of course, you also have a second choice."
"I choose the second, I choose the second!"
Hearing this, Li Xiuyun, who had just been slapped, thought the second choice was to get lost and shouted without hesitation.
Lu Li was also somewhat tempted. Although this person had been smiling and talking to him the whole time, he always felt something was off. After hesitating slightly, he said, "I..."
"You choose the second?"
Before Lu Li could finish speaking, Ge Qiu picked up Li Xiuyun's words and simultaneously said to the black-clothed man beside Li Xiuyun, "Since that's the case, then send him on his way."
"On his way? No, no, I choose the first, the first!" Feeling the icy, bone-piercing killing intent from the black-clothed man beside him, Li Xiuyun finally reacted and began frantically begging for mercy.
Damn, good thing I didn't finish speaking.
Lu Li gulped, thinking that he couldn't be so impulsive in the future.
"Are you sure you've chosen?" Ge Qiu didn't seem surprised, only his expression darkened as he stared straight at Li Xiuyun.
"I've thought it through, I've thought it through."
"You're sensible!" Ge Qiu then withdrew his gaze and looked at Lu Li, "Kid, you have something to say?"
Lu Li's mouth twitched, thinking this person who looked quite proper actually liked playing tricks. Awkwardly, he said, "I wanted to say that the rain outside is a bit heavy. Would it be possible to wait until the rain stops before putting on this hood?"
"Yes, yes, Master Qin makes a good point. Why don't we wait until the rain stops before setting off?" Jia Tong also felt this rain wouldn't stop anytime soon. If they put on these hoods early, wouldn't they suffocate?
"What's there to fear from a little rain? I have a way to keep you from getting wet." Ge Qiu glanced lightly at Jia Tong, then looked at several black-clothed guards, "Put them on for them!"
Hearing this, several guards walked forward directly, opened the black cloth bags, and covered them over their heads.
After experiencing what just happened, none of them dared to resist anymore, allowing the black bags to envelop their heads. The bags had elastic cords on them. After covering them, the guard pulled them tight several times, stopping only when they were almost strangled.
After putting on this black bag, Lu Li discovered this thing was truly not simple. As soon as he released his Divine Sense, it would immediately bounce back. His vision turned completely black, like being blind with eyes open, unable to see anything.
Seeing everyone had put on their hoods, Ge Qiu then walked toward the main hall's entrance. Several guards also supported Lu Li and the other five as they successively left the main hall.
At the main hall entrance, Ge Qiu extended his hand and summoned a palm-sized small boat. Then he took out a black Talisman and attached it to the boat. After inputting True Qi into the Talisman, the boat began to rapidly enlarge.
In just over ten breaths, the originally palm-sized small boat had actually transformed into a boat over three zhang long.
This scene directly stunned Wan Hong'an. The adults who had come before had never used such a miraculous object.
Ge Qiu paid no attention to the country bumpkin-like Wan Hong'an, instructing several black-clothed men to help Lu Li's group into the cabin. Then he turned back to Wan Hong'an and said sternly, "Remember, you've never seen these people in your life, understood!"
Wan Hong'an was startled, his heart thumping. He glanced apologetically at Lu Li's group sitting in the cabin, lowered his head, and said softly, "Yes, my lord."
Ge Qiu nodded, leaped onto the boat, and entered the cabin.
The interior was simply arranged. There was a passageway in the middle, with long bench seats on both sides. Ge Qiu followed the passageway all the way to the front, then took out a Storage Bag. From inside, he took out one after another dark blue glowing stones and threw them into the round hole in front of him.
Then, joining two fingers together, he input a stream of True Qi into a protruding hemisphere in front. Immediately, strange patterns began to appear on the hemisphere, and the three-zhang-long large boat roared as it rose into the air.
Although Lu Li wasn't blindfolded, he still felt as if he were floating. Immediately afterward, gusts of strong wind and raindrops began constantly striking his cheeks, making him somewhat unsteady. This felt extremely similar to when Xiao Jue had flown with him in the sky before.
Could it be that this person was actually a Foundation Establishment great master?
Lu Li secretly thought this.
Actually, Lu Li was mistaken. Although Ge Qiu was at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, he still had quite a way to go before Foundation Establishment. He could control this spirit boat because he was borrowing that mysterious Talisman to amplify his Divine Sense. Otherwise, with his cultivation level, he couldn't have controlled the spirit boat.
The spirit boat flew eastward through the sky. The scenery beneath their feet directly transformed into small dots constantly receding. Although its speed couldn't compare to flying on artifacts, it was still countless times faster than normal Qi Refining stage cultivators flying.
Flying over mountains, then entering a desolate swamp, continuing eastward for who knows how long, the spirit boat finally slowly descended before a seemingly endless expanse of low earthen mounds.
The earthen mounds looked nothing special besides being large, covered with withered yellow weeds everywhere, like old graves that hadn't been cleared for a long time.
Yet, this inconspicuous place hid an enormous secret.
Ge Qiu stepped down first. He took out a grayish jade plaque, input True Qi into it, then facing the plaque said sternly, "Open the door."
As soon as his words fell, a rumbling sound suddenly came from the earthen mound in front of him. A giant stone door covered with turf opened in response, revealing a dark, gloomy passageway over one zhang wide.
A black-clothed man walked out from behind the stone door, bowing to Ge Qiu, "Greetings, Hall Master Ge."
Ge Qiu nodded. Seeing everyone had already disembarked, he waved his hand and put away the spirit boat. After glancing at everyone, he said nothing and directly walked into the passageway.
Lu Li and the others were all being supported as they walked slowly. Although the mask didn't let light through, his intuition told him he had already entered a dark place.
Another series of rumbling sounds echoed, like grinding stones. Then came a crack sound, like a mechanism closing. Lu Li guessed he had probably arrived.
Not long after, the light became a bit brighter again.
Yue, who was sitting blankly by the edge of the square, saw a group of people wearing black hoods approaching and couldn't help but feel greatly curious, walking toward Ge Qiu.
Ge Qiu brought the group to the square, preparing to go report. Seeing Yue approaching, he stopped again, smiling and greeting, "Junior Sister Yue."
Cultivation wasn't just about cultivating one's realm; it was more about human relationships. Logically speaking, as the hall master of the Thousand Mechanisms Hall, he shouldn't need to be so humble toward a young girl, but he did precisely this.
If there weren't people around, he could be even more humble, even groveling without caring.
Because one word from the person before him could affect his future and life or death.
Yue smiled faintly, softly saying, "Hall Master Ge, who are they?"
"They? They're people I found to help with alchemy. This is the Great Elder's order."
"Alchemists?" Yue nodded, "The so-called alchemy masters, right? Covering their heads like this, isn't it somewhat disrespectful?"
"Respect?"
Ge Qiu was startled, thinking these people were currently fish on the chopping block. Why respect them? Thinking was one thing, but Ge Qiu deeply understood the temperament of this young girl before him. To please Yue, he darkened his expression and coldly scolded several guards:
"You're all fucking deaf? Who told you to cover the Masters' heads? Hurry up and take them off for me!"
The guards: ...