Chapter 59
The Great Corridor's interior was very peculiar, for it was far wider, far larger than they had imagined. The constructed corridor's floor, ceiling, walls and the like's bricks issued a cacophonic "kala-kala"1 sound. These stones were just like biting teeth, making the Great Corridor constantly seem like undulating waves, just like standing on a beach. This was unlike a corridor, rather, it was like the inside of some sort of enormous creature's stomach where every construct was alive.
Su Xing felt endlessly amazed, carefully observing for quite a while yet he was unable to deduce how these bricks operated. "This Mechanical Art is amazing."
"Truly mysterious how this was done." An Suwen exclaimed.
The Thief Star Shi Yuan giggled: "It's too early to be amazed. This kind of ‘Active Mechanism’2 is the Divine Machine Clan's most famous Mechanical Art. If you saw the Ten Great Mechanical Art's rank number two 'Ancient City of War,'3 then wouldn't you be shocked to death."
"Ancient City of War? There's even something like this?" Wu Xinjie was puzzled.
The Ancient City of War was the Divine Machine Clan's Active Mechanical Art's pinnacle work. Constructing a type of mobile castle4 for the purpose of besieging towns and seizing strongholds, it practically appeared to be a god tool that conquered every obstacle; after hearing what they said, Su Xing felt this Divine Machine Clan could be considered specialized scientists in Liangshan Continent. The Su Xing who originally felt no interest towards these machine clans could not help but feel curious about their manufacturing capabilities.5
His thoughts rested on the Ancient City of War crossing Liangshan Continent, and Su Xing felt this was eye-catching.
"Since they're this powerful, could they really have made a Million li Corridor?" An Suwen had some worries.
"Since we've entered, let's investigate. Hee, hee, the Million li Corridor better not disappoint this Young Lady." Shi Yuan was already eager to start. Brimming with a sense of challenge, this Thief Star completely did not know danger. However this manner also made Su Xing feel very relieved. Daring to agree to go to the Blooming Water Sword Sect's guarded secret was not just hot air.
—A mountaintop in the vicinity of Grindstone Mountain.—
The man with long hair covering half his face, Gong Xu, was currently conversing with his wooden bird.
A green light abruptly flew over from the horizon. This green light instantly approached, arriving above him in the blink of an eye. Surprisingly, it was a green willow raft,6 and the wooden boat was seated to capacity by men and women wearing brown robes, their hands carrying small yellow banners.
Standing at the bow of the boat was a lanky figure, a man with a wide-sleeved overcoat draped over him. Spotting Gong Xu, he stepped with his foot, vertically dropping the ark downwards, falling onto the surface. Those men and women jumped off one by one, and the ark transformed into a green light that shot into his Astral Bag.
"Brother Gong Xu, I've waited long." The man laughed.
"Elder Brother Gong Yang,7 is it just these people?" Gong Xu glanced at these disciples. Their cultivations were all Stardust Late Stage, with only a small few having entered Nebula Stage.8
"I couldn't help delaying Brother Gong Xu's plans. The sect master indeed called for the thousand disciples nearby. Don't mind that their cultivation is low, they are all Machine Hall's outstanding disciples and seniors. Big Brother definitely rushed the ‘Wind Swayed Raft’9 with not the slightest delay.”
Gong Xu nodded. The Thousand Machine Gang was located at the Vermillion Bird Territory. Being able to rush over this many disciples was not easy. "Thank you for your troubles, Elder Brother. Let's go, then, to prevent a sudden change in the situation."
"I don't know just what urgent matter this is?"
On the road, Gong Yang asked him, concerned. It was because Gong Xu found the "Mo Attack Mechanism Records' trail that he hurried over to the Azure Dragon Territory. Their group of disciples acted as backup ready to deploy at a moment's notice. Hearing of Gong Xu's gathering, Gong Yang urged his own Supreme Grade Artifact "Wind Swayed Raft" to rush over until it was travel-worn. He was afraid they would not be able to find them, and Gong Yang also worried this matter would be known by the Azure Dragon Territory's other sects, otherwise they would have had a thorny problem.
"Elder Brother can relax. This time, your brother wants to hit a huge jackpot." Gong Xu lightly smiled. Briefly explaining the whole sequence of events, how they found the Thief Star, and the matter of how they used her to go open the Mo Clan Ruins.
"If it is as Brother Gong Xu says, could the three girls that man is bringing all be Star Generals?" Gong Yang's expression was grim.
"Elder Brother Gong Yang is being silly. How could a Star Master bring three Star Generals."10 Gong Xu smiled. Two Star Generals was unimaginable, and Three Star Generals was unprecedented in Liangshan's ancient Star Duels. Gong Xu guessed of the three girls, only two were true Star Generals since they were able to find the Thief Star, explaining that among them was a Star General that was insignificant, a Star Maiden without any military strength, and was merely so.
The one that worried Gong Xu was the girl that grasped a spear and eliminated the Mechanical Beasts the moment she acted. Within the Star Maidens, those with a spear as their Destined Weapon often had extraordinary martial prowess.
"Isn't there still another Star Maiden?"
"The other in the light-blue shirt and skirt is probably a maid or such, not worth mentioning." Gong Xu was resolute. If Wu Xinjie knew of this, she would likely be angered enough to spit blood. Liangshan's rank number three Knowledge Star had unexpectedly been considered a maid not worth bringing up. However, Gong Xu's judgment in this way could not be blamed. Wu Xinjie deliberately behaved that ambiguously towards Su Xing incessantly, so Gong Xu could only think as much.
A Star General that dubiously attended to her own young master's needs was like a Star Master contracting with two Star Maidens, rare as a phoenix feather.
"Brother Gong Xu, can you be sure?" Encountering three Fiend Stars at the same time, Gong Yang was a bit scared and on edge.
A gold light floated behind the currently flying sword, and the golden armored girl appeared, bringing an attitude that hardly conceded defeat. "As long as this Zuo11 is here, myself will protect Young Master absolutely safely."
Gong Yang laughed. How could he forget his own Brother was also a Star Master that would make others envious.
"However, Elder Brother is still a bit unclear." (Gong Yang)
"Brother, please speak!"
"Why did you use that Thief Star to open the mechanism. Could it be that killing her was not as good?"
"Elder Brother Gong Yang is somewhat unaware. I fear the Mo Clan Ruin this time is genuine." Gong Xu shook his head.
Gong Yang gasped in surprise.
That golden armored girl coldly interrupted: "I and Young Master already went in and came across a mechanism before we had no choice but to withdraw."
"Don't tell me you're saying?"
"The Great Corridor!!" Gong Xu narrowed his eyes.
Gong Yang was frightened. The thousand disciples were blood of the former Divine Machine Clan after their split. They naturally knew about the Great Corridor's might, and if the sect master came, even the sect master would consider this carefully.
"Then, what we fear is going and making a trip in vain; they are unable to escape."
"At that time, Elder Brother and I will go pick up the basket, ha, ha."12 Gong Xu laughed facing the wind, his long hair dancing in the breeze. The girl standing behind him did not utter a word, that golden pupil looking pensive, brimming with gravitas.
Meanwhile, Su Xing, Shi Yuan and the rest at last tasted the Great Corridor Mechanism's might.
Three days!
They traveled in this corridor without rest for at least three days. During this time, there were innumerable stairs passing through up and down. Every time, it let them to believe they had glimpsed hope, yet every time, there was an endless corridor. At the very beginning, An Suwen and Wu Xinjie were even very interested and admired these moving stairs that were like waves. As time elapsed, they had already lost their spirits.
Seeing those wriggling walls and floors made them feel disgusted, wishing that they could shatter this corridor with a kick.
Walking for quite a while, everyone again sunk down to rest. Continuing to walk like this without rest was indeed somewhat physically and mentally exhausting. Even Shi Yuan felt impatient, and the Thief Star had been somewhat enthusiastic. Having already lost her interest in researching the Great Corridor, her entire head right now was thinking evil thoughts: How could this world have people so disgusting that they would construct a corridor without an end.
"This Young Lady wants to run into a wall. We've already gone three days without an end, this is basically a prison!! This Young Lady is disgusted to death." Shi Yuan said, disgusted.13 If they were not Star Generals, with their special natural constitutions, they would have else starved and thirsted to death in this corridor.
Lin Yingmei struck the wall. These walls had yet to stop squirming due to being granted some sort of forbiddance. With their current strength, it was hard to damage.
Could it be that they really be trapped trapped in this place like that Transforming Star of Annihilation cultivator ?
Thinking of this sort of possibility, Lin Yingmei shuddered with fear. She instinctively went to see her Young Master.14
With a look, the Majestic Star then tightly pursed her lips.
Su Xing at the moment was currently whispering beside An Suwen's mouth. Within the feeble firelight, she saw the Divine Physician's face was red, through and through. That was called a dandy's leisure.15
- Onomatopoeia for clacking ↩
- 活動機關 ↩
- 戰爭古城 ↩
- …Hey, guys, Howl called. He wants his castle back. ↩
- I think he wants his jet back…giri giri ai~~ ikenai borderline~~↩
- 碧柳木舟 ↩
- 公羊 ↩
- “You’re about to get fucked, baby!” – Black Lagoon ↩
- 盪風舟 ↩
- …Congratulations, we have a new winner for the prize of having his mind blown. ↩
- 座, well, that's a peculiar name ↩
- He just means he’ll make an easy catch. ↩
- Yes, we get you’re disguested. Please choose a synonym. ↩
- Aww… ↩
- And there you have it! It seems he truly is depraved! ↩