Chapter 1288: Chapter 723: Taboo Land No. 008! New Rules!

This 120-strong unit has effectively become Qing Chen’s personal force, while the other units of the Chen Clan remain oblivious to this fact.

During breakfast, Chen Jiazhang spoke to Qing Chen with a serious expression, “Kid, did the old guys give you the puppeteer?”

Qing Chen smiled and nodded.

Chen Jiazhang breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good, that’s good. I was worried that you guys were really that abnormal right now. By the way, Uncle Li Dong only has you as his apprentice, right?”

Upon hearing this, Qing Chen realized that this senior truly was drowning in despair and alcohol, not pretending in any way.

The man was now too embarrassed to even return to the Taboo Land 002.

Qing Chen suddenly asked, “Uncle, I’m a bit curious. Even if you couldn’t break through the reversed breathing technique, you are still an A-Class expert. You wouldn’t need to sink into such despair, right? You and I have both passed the introspection stage; our minds should be the most resilient. I don’t understand why you made such a choice. How did Chen Chuanzhi disrupt your life-and-death challenge, and how did he know where you were conducting it?”

Chen Jiazhang was silent for a moment, “Didn’t your master tell you?”

“No.”

Chen Jiazhang said, “Chen Chuanzhi and I were best friends from a young age in the Chen Clan academy and were the closest among the cousins. During that life-and-death trial, I invited him to be my Protector, but I didn’t expect him to suddenly betray me. Had I not reversed the breathing technique, I would have died there. However, he was well-prepared, armed with twelve paintings, and I couldn’t deal with him, so I had to temporarily flee.”

Chen Jiazhang continued, “He also warned me not to return to the Chen Clan or attempt to seize power, or he would kill my parents. After twenty-seven years of friendship, I realized too late that people’s hearts are fathomless.”

Chen Jiazhang went on, “Your master, Uncle Li Dong, was initially in love with Chen Chuanzhi’s sister but ultimately broke off that relationship because of my matter.”

Qing Chen was stunned. No wonder his master, upon becoming a demigod, immediately went to confront him.

If it weren’t for the relationship with Chen Chuanzhi’s sister, perhaps his master would have killed Chen Chuanzhi back then.

Uncle Li Dong spared Chen Chuanzhi’s life, and as a result, the Chen Corporation owed Uncle Li Dong a favor, which led to Chen Yu’s intervention in the Century War.

Therefore, Uncle Chen Jiazhang’s despondency wasn’t due to his path as a Knight being cut off, but because of betrayal by his closest friend and his guilt towards Uncle Li Dong.

Chen Jiazhang said, “I’ve realized something over the years; there should be a way to break the reversed breathing technique. Once you’re shackled by the reversed breathing technique, as long as you complete all eight life-and-death trials of the Knights, you can still forcibly break this shackle. Unfortunately, I no longer have the chance.”

“No chance?”

Chen Jiazhang explained, “Years ago, I completed the sixth and seventh life-and-death trials using the reversed breathing technique, but I have no chance to finish the eighth trial, the Water Essence, so I can’t unlock the Reversed Breathing Shackles.”

The Reversed Breathing Shackles mean that when using the reversed breathing technique during a challenge, one forcibly switches it back to the proper breathing technique, changing the icy blue pattern on the face to a fire rune, restoring peak combat strength from an ordinary person.

But from then on, an extra shackle is added to the genetic lock, making it impossible to break through the power level even after completing individual trials.

Qing Chen suddenly asked, “I’m very curious, is it possible to invite an A-Class Water Element Awakener to manipulate inland lakes to forcefully create thirty-meter-high waves?”

Chen Jiazhang shook his head, “A thirty-meter wave is as high as a ten-story building, and to push such a high wave over a thousand meters inland, this kind of wave could drown a small town. An A-Class Water Element Awakener can’t do that; it would require a demigod. But in Federation history, there have only been two Water Element demigods, one named Zhou Qi and another Zhang Yu, who lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago.”

Qing Chen pondered; indeed, he hadn’t heard of any Water Element Awakeners in the Federation.

But… are there any overseas?

If there were, could they be captured to help Uncle Li Dong and Chen Jiazhang pass the life-and-death trials?

Of course, he would have to become a demigod himself first before he could attempt that…

“Uncle, do you plan to keep drinking like this?” Qing Chen asked.

Chen Jiazhang said distractedly, “Qing Chen, in the stories we used to read, when an immortal makes a mistake, they are banished to the mortal world. How bitter must the human world be? We are just trying to find joy in hardship, so why seek more unnecessary suffering?”

Qing Chen fell silent.

As Qing Chen and Chen Jiazhang were talking, a messenger soldier ran over and issued a command to the four squad leaders, “March forward, continue advancing, and expect to reach the outskirts of Taboo Land No. 8 by 8 o’clock tomorrow evening. At that time, there’s a possibility of an encounter with the Fire Pit inside Taboo Land, and you are ordered to drive the refugees in front to explore the rules. If you encounter any Fire Pit members, kill them without mercy.”

Qing Chen’s heart tightened. This Chen Corporation army was indeed targeting the Fire Pit!

He looked serious. If the Fire Pit encountered such a level of regular army without any knowledge, they would suffer greatly even if they knew the rules of the Taboo Land.

…

…

On the west side of Taboo Land No. 8, an off-road convoy was traveling from west to east, heading straight for Taboo Land No. 8.

Beside the convoy, there was also a team of horse riders escorting it. These horses were not ordinary ones; they were even more imposing than the tall Fire Pit people.

If ordinary horses were placed next to them, they would look like ponies in comparison.

More than a dozen young men in leather robes rode on these horses, and as the horses jolted, the bone ornaments around their necks clattered together, producing a crisp sound.

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