Ai Qing was stunned.
He came from a big sect like Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect so he naturally knew many things. At one glance, he recognized Ding Hao was holding the extremely rare Heaven-Earth Blood Bone in the hand.
A piece of Heaven-Earth Blood Bone meant a Magic Skill!
Ai Qing did not expect that the young boy opposite who looked like he was only in one-apertured great grandmaster realm could possess that. He actually had that kind of treasure. One must know that during Ai Qing’s stay on Sage Battlefield, because he was busy with the plan of the sect, he did not have the time to hunt those magical King’s Stage Ominous Beasts, not gaining a piece of Heaven-Earth Blood Bone. Therefore, at that time, seeing it, Ai Qing could not help coveting it.
Moreover, Ai Qing also noticed that when the young boy took out the piece of Heaven-Earth Blood Bone from the Storage Ring, he was rather casual, which meant that he did not care about the piece. Probably, in his storage space, there were many more Heaven-Earth Blood Bones.
Thinking about that, Ai Qing felt much happier.
He turned around to say something to his companions beside him. The three argued for a little while, and then Ai Qing took the piece of Heaven-Earth Blood Bone, saying with a nod. “Alright. Remember, you can only stay for one night. Leave immediately in tomorrow morning, or don’t blame us for being ruthless.”
Ding Hao nodded and smiled, “That’s for sure. Thank you for your kindness.”
After that, he ignored the urgent gesturing of those including Tian Neng and Li Ting and followed the three people including Ai Qing, heading to the ancient troop station down below.
Tian Neng whispered by Ding Hao’s years, “Brother Hao, you really shouldn’t have come here… Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect is famous for being ruthless in Sword Province. Those disciples are all cruel and selfish and will do anything to get what they want. I don’t think that Ai Qing looks kind. He’s definitely not some nice guy. If we follow him in, I’m afraid we’ll be like sheep in a tiger’s den. I guess one piece of Heaven-Earth Blood Bone can’t satisfy those Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples.”
While observing the ancient city troop station, Ding Hao tried to smooth things over. “Oh, yeah? I think they look kind…”
Tian Neng and Li Ting could only smile wryly.
It looked like though capable, their Brother Hao was, after all, young and did not experience the wildness trial. He believed others too easily and tonight there might be big trouble. They could only hope that those Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples only wanted money. If those Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples attacked and robbed them of treasures, they could at least survive.
The five people did not believe that Ding Hao could single-handedly defeat all the geniuses of Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect.
It was said that this time, Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect obtained 67 places on Sage Battlefield. Everyone one of their selected disciples was superior with terrifying power. Among them, there was also their most outstanding young genius in the recent 100 years, Ning Xiaohu Scar of Heaven. It was said he had stepped into Martial Emperor Realm long ago.
How did Ding Hao not notice the expressions of his five servants?
However, he did not feel like pointing it out.
Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect might be terrifying, but friends’ whereabouts were more important.
Pleasantly surprised, Ding Hao found the silver ring flashing more and more rapidly and the light more and more obvious after entering the ancient city troop station, which in turn confirmed his previous speculation. There must be Swordsmanship-seeking Sect disciples in the old castle. However, he did not know if they were controlled by Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect people or they had run into other opportunities. He had to find a way to figure it out.
Therefore, before that, he could never do it in a hard way. Otherwise, the plan might fail.
On the way, Ding Hao asked indirectly.
However, the three people including Ai Qing were all careful with what they said, not disclosing anything. Once he asked too much, in turn, Ding Hao would get scolded.
Worried that he might cause them on alert, Ding Hao could only give up for now.
Walking through the gate of the troop station of the old castle, Ding Hao clearly found that extremely strange energy field covered the entire ancient city. The Qi energy inside his body had been severely suppressed. Even having a Saintly Being of Saber and Sword constitution, he was also suppressed to a horrifying extent. Ding Hao secretly calculated that with his Qi cultivation in great grandmaster realm, when he walked through the gate, he was immediately suppressed under the primordial grandmaster realm. He was near six-apertured Great Martial Mentor Realm.
However, Ding Hao soon found that it was not a formation set by Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect.
Because through the scan of his Divine Awareness, he found the Qi cultivation of the three people including Ai Qing also suppressed the moment they walked in. They had dropped from one-apertured Martial King to one-apertured great grandmaster realm.
Soon, Ding Hao found lines of primordial inscriptions on the road under his feet and on the surrounding city walls. They were the same as those he saw on the ships. That was to say, the ancient city troop station must have owned the strange energy field itself since ancient times. After so many years, they did not dissipate completely. Instead, they were still absorbing the rich power elements between heaven and earth, sustaining the energy field of the entire old castle.
Under the constraint of such a power field, flying became extremely difficult.
The group of people was all walking on foot.
Ding Hao could expand Divine Awareness 10 meters away, which was a limit. He silently speculated that in the same condition, people including Ai Qing probably could not release Divine Awareness inside their bodies at all. They were probably all suppressed by the omnipresent inscription formations of the ancient city troop station.
It was a benefiting condition for Ding Hao.
He could scan the surroundings with Divine Awareness at will, not afraid of being discovered by others.
On the way, Ding Hao found many inscription formations set by Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect too. They were all well concealed. Moreover, some capable people hid at the end of some critical roads, seeming to guard against something…
It was about 15 minutes later.
Ai Qing said in an unkindly way, “Here it is. You stay here today. Remember, don’t run around. Don’t walk 1,000 meters away. Otherwise, don’t blame us if you lose your lives.”
The group of people including Tian Neng nodded obediently.
Obviously, they felt too that their strength had been greatly suppressed and they felt even more scared inside.
Ding Hao did not say anything and kept observing the surroundings.
It was a small square of about seven to eight mu. Around the square, there were some two-story buildings made of black stones, and he could only make out the outlines roughly. It was square and vine and moss plants were growing in the breaches in the ground floors and walls. However, no dirt accumulated. It could be seen that back then when the ancient city troop station was built, it was built for practical defense. Every building was made of very solid stones. In the center of the square, there was a living well, where fresh well water was oozing out. The water flowed along a few old ditches.
Apart from the three people including Ai Qing, there was also another group of about a dozen Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples. They had set magical weapons and tents in the small square for temporary rest.
Seeing the people including Ding Hao, a bearded and muscular man in white swordsman robe shouted some questions out loud. Ai Qing hurriedly trotted and whispered a few explanations beside his ears. After hearing Ai Qing out, the bearded and muscular man in white robe looked at the group of Ding Hao as if they were swine on butcher’s board. He said nothing and turned back to his tent.
Tian Neng couldn’t help suggesting in a low voice. “Brother Hao, this doesn’t look nice. We’d better leave now!”
Ding Hao calmly sat down to rest. While observing the surroundings, he smiled, “We’re already here. Do you think we can leave now?”
Tian Neng was slightly stunned. “Brother Hao… You… You’ve found out long ago… Then why did you still…”
Ding Hao looked down at the silver ring which was still flickering with weak light and smiled, “I have my own reasons, so I came in… And you shouldn’t worry either. Here we are. We just need to be careful. Go rest now. There’s something important I need to ask you to do later.”
Hearing Ding Hao saying like, the five people including Tian Neng and Li Ting could finally feel a little relieved.
It turned out Brother Hao had seen the strangeness long ago. If that was so, then it meant that he must have had a plan, right?
The five people exchanged glances and then started to set up a tent on the spot. Though having only followed Ding Hao for a short few days, they became used to Ding Hao’s making surprises from time to time. Without their noticing it, they grew to have confidence in Ding Hao and were not worried like they used to be.
Soon, a magical weapon tent was set.
Though a small province, in the dozen provinces in Northern Region, Wind Province was much stronger than Snow Province no matter in size or the general strength in Human Trib. The tents the people including Tian Neng carried with them were made by weapon-refining experts with many small tricks. They were much better than those of Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, which really made sense, since all of them were superiors in great grandmaster realm. However, they were only disciples who had received normal disciples. If they were in Snow Provinces, they might probably become the leading figures of the young generation of nine sects.
Ding Hao was not in a hurry to rest.
He circled around the square once and released Divine Awareness to observe carefully. He had seen clearly everything within 1,000 meters.
A Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciple frowned and abused, “Hey, whatcha looking at? Don’t run about. Get your ass back here and get lost tomorrow morning.”
Ding Hao ignored him and turned back to his tent.
At that time, the moon was already hanging high in the sky and the stars shone over the ground.
A few bonfires were burning on the small square, and then sounds of Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples playing finger-guessing game came. The aroma of wine and meat floated in the air. Ding Hao lifted the curtain of the tent and waved Tian Neng in. From Black Serpent Ring, Ding Hao took a small Storage Ring and handed to him, whispering something by his ears…
Tian Neng nodded and summoned the nerve to walk out.
Soon, scolding rang outside. Then, flattering words from Tian Neng and Li Ting came. The two took a few bottles of fragrant wine from the Storage Ring Ding Hao gave them and then various cuisine, which was all made of different elixirs and peerless Ominous Beast grills. Even after one glance, one would drool.
Those Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples with ugly looks soon softened their faces. They almost did not try to act politely before accepting gifts from the two. Some of them even carefully tested the food in case of poison or something; then, they drank and ate merrily.
Tian Neng and Li Ting seized the opportunity to get near to them and try to get something out of them.
After another while, something happened, and then the bearded man in a white robe in the evening showed up and loudly scolded others. Then, he slapped Tian Neng and Li Ting a few times and sent the two back flying with a few kicks, which left the two vomiting blood. Then, he snatched Ding Hao’s Storage Ring and then returned to his tent…
Tian Neng and Li Ting did not dare to fight back and could only return.
Clear palmprints covered Tian Neng’s face and his jaws were even hit broken and now swollen. “Brother Hao, I’m sorry. We’re too useless and didn’t get the things you wanted to know…” Li Ting was even worse; blood was oozing out of his nose, ears, and mouth, his jaw was visibly crooked, and he also got a few broken ribs.
Ding Hao raised his hand and golden flame poured out, instantly removing the strange Genuine Qi above the two’s heads.
Ding Hao took four Highest Grade mysterious crystals from Black Serpent Ring and then two healing pills he personally refined and gave to them.
The two were flattered. “The… Thank Brother Hao!”
Their injuries looked severe but were extremely normal for warriors; it would only take a little time to recover. Superiors in great grandmaster realm were strong; as long as their hearts were not broken and brains were intact, they all could recover. Now, they actually received such huge rewards from Ding Hao. The two felt that they could really die for Ding Hao who cared about them.
Ding Hao waved them away. “Go have a rest.”
The two left the tent and looked at each other; they suddenly found Ding Hao even more mysterious. Having followed Ding Hao for so many days, they still did not figure out where Ding Hao came from. He just rewarded them with Highest Grade mysterious crystals. Could he be a successor of some super huge sect in Green Province or Sword Province?
Ding Hao became lost in thought inside the tent.
Those Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples should be on such high alert, which said they were operating some extremely important actions and thus be so careful. It looked like it was impossible to get some clues out of them. He had to come up with other ways.
Before finding the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect disciple the silver ring was leading him to, Ding Hao could not play tough; that was why he chose to hold back just now. Otherwise, being a man who always cared about his companions, he would not allow the bearded man in a white robe to humiliate them like that.
Having decided, Ding Hao did not care about the things outside and started to close his eyes and cultivate.
Quickly, another four hours passed.
At midnight, noises on the outside square completely vanished. Most of Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship Sect disciples had already rested or entered a meditative state to practice; four to five of them were patrolling. Ding Hao had carefully calculated: they changed shifts about every one hour.
Ding Hao slowly got up.
He was ready to change into the nightclothes and lurked in the city for a probe.
Just at that moment, suddenly, a series of footsteps rang. Then, Tian Neng’s voice rang. “It’s so late. What are you doing here?”
