Chapter 292: Showing Your Hand?

“We have brought our own provisions, no need to trouble you.”

Jiang Jiuqiao waved his hand, and two pieces of roasted meat appeared. One was shoved into Jiang Changkong’s hand, while he took the other and stuffed it directly into his mouth.

After eating the roasted meat, Jiang Changkong felt slightly better, but he still felt hungry.

Jin Guangxuan and the others also had their own food.

The two sisters did not insist. Hua Tianluo smiled and said, “Then let me show you to your resting place. It’s already dark, and if you’re in a hurry to leave, it’s safest to depart tomorrow morning.”

Liu Bing’s expression darkened slightly. “Is it dangerous here at night? How have the two of you managed to survive here?”

“Inside the pavilion, there is no danger. Outside, however, it is fraught with peril.” Hua Tianluo glanced at the sky. “Follow me.”

“For us, there’s no danger. We don’t need your care. We’ll leave.”

Jin Guangxuan stood up, also sensing something strange about this place, and prepared to lead his group away.

This time, the two sisters did not stop them and let them leave.

Liu Bing remained standing, not moving.

“What about us?” Jiang Jiuqiao looked at Jiang Changkong.

“Let’s stay.”

Jiang Changkong sighed softly. Through the Divine Control Art, he sensed that the killing array was about to activate.

In this situation, leaving would be suicide.

“May we trouble the two ladies to prepare a room for my nephew and me?” Jiang Jiuqiao stood up and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

“Please follow me.” Hua Tianluo nodded slightly.

Liu Bing stood up and said, “Wait, I’ll stay with them.”

“Isn’t that a bit inappropriate? There are still spare rooms.” Hua Tianrui frowned slightly.

“There’s nothing inappropriate. I’ve long heard of Lord Jiang’s reputation and would like to seek his advice. We can stay up all night without any issue.”

Liu Bing stated firmly.

“One room is fine.” Jiang Changkong agreed. Having another mid-stage Star expert around would provide extra support.

If it were Jin Guangxuan, he definitely wouldn’t have agreed.

“Then please follow me.” Hua Tianluo led the way.

The group passed through the pavilion and three towers before entering a pavilion constructed from golden flowers.

Hua Tianluo smiled and said, “We don’t have many guests usually, so the rooms are all vacant. Make yourselves at home.”

“Thank you, Sister Tianluo.” Jiang Changkong’s words were sweet.

Hua Tianluo’s expression turned serious. “Do not come out at night, no matter what happens. Do not open the doors or windows.”

“What if it’s you two sisters?” Jiang Changkong asked.

“Do not open the door. We won’t leave our rooms at night either.”

After saying this, Hua Tianluo turned and left.

The three exchanged glances, closed the main door, and found four rooms inside, with two more floors above.

Jiang Changkong spread his Divine Control Art, sweeping through the entire pavilion.

Each floor had four rooms, all identically furnished: a bed, a table, and four wooden stools.

On the walls hung calligraphy and paintings, all depicting the two sisters, Hua Tianrui and Hua Tianluo.

The doors were marked with Star Script characters for one, two, three, and four, and the same applied to the floors above.

The three entered Room One.

Jiang Jiuqiao looked at the paintings, studying the Star Script on them. “This Star Script only describes the two sisters picking flowers to make tea and extract nectar.”

“Stop looking. There’s no way this thing records anything important.”

Jiang Changkong sat on a wooden stool and turned his gaze to Liu Bing. “You came with them, but you’re not leaving with them?”

“We’re just acquaintances. Everyone knew there was an Ancient Ruins here, with a small tree at the entrance, so we came.” Liu Bing said calmly. “Have you discovered anything?”

“Nothing much. I don’t know the background of those two.”

Jiang Changkong’s expression grew slightly grave. “Can you see through them?”

Liu Bing shook her head: “I can’t see through it. That’s why I didn’t dare to act. As for why I didn’t leave, it’s because you were still here. I thought you had discovered something. Why didn’t you leave?”

If she had known the full situation and could overpower those two women, Liu Bing would have already swept through this place long ago.

“We can’t leave. If half of Jin Guangxuan’s group makes it back, that would already be fortunate.”

Jiang Changkong’s gaze turned toward the tightly shut window, as if he could see through it to the situation outside: “The killing array has been activated.”

“Without any commotion?” Liu Bing’s expression shifted slightly.

She hadn’t heard a single sound.

Jiang Jiuqiao searched around the room but found nothing: “There are no clues in the room. Should we open the window and take a look?”

“With our strength, just taking a look shouldn’t be a problem.”

Star Power surged violently within Liu Bing’s body.

“Alright.” After a brief moment of contemplation, Jiang Changkong unleashed the Divine Control Art.

Liu Bing cautiously opened the window and looked outside.

It had grown completely dark outside. Even with their strength, they could only see up to three meters away, unable to make out anything clearly.

“Close it.”

Jiang Changkong’s expression changed slightly. He quickly withdrew the Divine Control Art and urgently shouted.

The two hurriedly closed the window, but a dark shadow had already struck.

Bang!

The window shook violently. Fortunately, the thing didn’t manage to break through, but under the impact of the dark shadow, a crack appeared on the window.

“What did you see?” Jiang Jiuqiao asked.

Liu Bing also looked at him curiously.

“The small trees at the entrance,” Jiang Changkong said calmly. “All those flowers have turned into small trees.”

“That sinister thing—even I could fall victim to it if I’m not careful.” A flicker of fear crossed Jiang Jiuqiao’s face.

If those small trees multiplied, not only him, but even an ordinary mid-stage Star cultivator would meet their end here.

It was only thanks to the Divine Control Art that Jiang Changkong could detect it.

In another pavilion, the two sisters sipped tea and smiled faintly: “They opened the window.”

“Pity, only Liu Bing came this time. I’ll leave her to you, sister,” Hua Tianluo sighed softly.

“Liu Bing is yours. Jiang Changkong is the one I want,” Hua Tianrui’s eyes gleamed with a faint light.

“He’s just a Stellar Body. Is he even worth your attention, sister?”

“His strength is extraordinary. Don’t be fooled by his Stellar Body status—Jiang Jiuqiao defers to him in everything.”

Hua Tianrui gently stroked the ancient zither: “However, what puzzles me is that he carries the aura of an old acquaintance.”

“An old acquaintance?” Hua Tianluo was momentarily stunned. “Impossible, right? Could someone from our era still be alive?”

“Perhaps, like us. We’ll know once we go and see.”

Hua Tianrui smiled faintly, her figure transforming into a wisp of yellow smoke before vanishing.

Hua Tianluo turned into a wisp of white smoke.

In Jiang Changkong’s room, specks of light seeped in through the window. The three of them simultaneously changed expressions: “Not good, the window is open. Let’s change rooms.”

Liu Bing and Jiang Jiuqiao shuddered, about to retreat, but the light unexpectedly penetrated their bodies, bypassing even their Star Power defenses.

Jiang Changkong frowned, placing his hands on their shoulders and channeling Star Power, pouring the Divine Control Art into them.

However, even the Divine Control Art couldn’t stop the light. Some of it still seeped into their bodies.

The scene before his eyes shifted. Liu Bing and Jiang Jiuqiao vanished. Jiang Changkong found himself alone, sitting in a pavilion, with Hua Tianrui smiling gracefully as she poured tea for him.

Green light shimmered in the sky, and a sea of flowers bloomed all around, as if he had returned to the earlier scene.

“An illusion?”

Jiang Changkong furrowed his brow. All martial arts could be employed, and the Divine Control Art swept out like a tidal wave. The sea of flowers killing array had yet to be activated.

Hua Tianrui brought the teacup before him, smiling faintly. “Young master, see how my tea art fares.”

Jiang Changkong held the teacup, his expression icy. “Are you no longer planning to play along and starting to lay your cards on the table?”

“Young master, this game must continue. Here with Tianrui, you will find everything you desire.”

Hua Tianrui giggled, carrying a hint of coquettishness compared to before.