TRWSB – Chapter 124 Forbidden God Ring

A carriage raced swiftly along a secluded path.

Qi Shaorong lifted the curtain of the carriage and grabbed Zhuang Hao’s collar, frowning as he asked, “Zhuang Hao, are you sure you’re not taking the wrong road? This path is way too remote.”

Zhuang Hao smiled lightly. “Relax, I know what I’m doing. There’s no mistake. Feng Yuan’s medicinal herb garden is quite large, so naturally, it’s located in a remote area. If it were in a more populated area, the land cost would be exorbitant.”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “That’s true. Land in bustling cities is worth a fortune. Even though the Merchant Alliance is wealthy, they wouldn’t make such a poor investment.”

He withdrew back into the carriage. Not long after, the carriage suddenly came to a stop.

Qi Shaorong peeked out again. “Have we arrived? I thought there was still some distance left.”

“No, we haven’t arrived yet,” Zhuang Hao replied.

Qi Shaorong was about to ask why they’d stopped when he saw who was in front of Zhuang Hao. His words caught in his throat.

“Senior Feng He! What are you doing here?” Qi Shaorong forced a smile.

Feng He stood with his hands behind his back, his face dark as night. “Why am I here? I’m here waiting for you.”

Qi Shaorong looked at Feng He, his heart sinking. This doesn’t look good.

“Senior, why wait for me here of all places? If you wanted to find me, there’s no need to choose such a desolate spot. There’s not even a place to sit here,” Qi Shaorong said, trying to keep the mood light.

Feng He glared at Qi Shaorong, his teeth gnashing as he snarled, “Qi Shaorong, you’ve ruined everything for me. Do you even understand that?”

Qi Shaorong put on an innocent expression. “Senior, what do you mean by that?”

“I’ve been Feng Yuan’s deputy for years—173 years to be exact!” Feng He shouted, his eyes flashing with fury.

Qi Shaorong: “…”

173 years? That’s a long time! It’s practically two lifetimes for an ordinary person.

“Senior, you have quite the memory,” Qi Shaorong commented.

Feng He’s face twisted with rage. “Feng Yuan promised me over 130 years ago that if anything happened to him, the position of Grand Elder would be mine. I’ve waited and waited—for 130 years! And now, thanks to you, that chance is gone!”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“Senior, you’ve waited so long already. What’s a few more years? Patience pays off, after all. As they say, good things come to those who wait.”

“Shut up! Feng Yuan is already at the tenth level. I’m only at the ninth. As long as he’s alive, I’ll never get the position—not even if I wait another hundred years!”

Qi Shaorong blinked. This guy’s situation is like Prince Yinreng waiting for Emperor Kangxi to die. Poor Yinreng waited so long that he drove himself mad while Kangxi thrived.

“Senior, being a deputy isn’t so bad. They say it’s lonely at the top, and the higher-ups age quickly from all the stress,” Qi Shaorong offered.

“Shut your mouth! If it weren’t for you, Feng Yuan would already be dead!” Feng He roared.

Qi Shaorong: “…Feng Yuan is alive and well. Blocking us here won’t change that.”

Zhuang Hao sighed and whispered, “Shaorong, stop talking. You’re just provoking him.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“You two brats ruined my plans! Today will be your funeral!” Feng He declared.

Qi Shaorong’s eyes widened. “Senior, don’t be so impulsive. They say impulsive actions lead to regrets. Wouldn’t it be better to resolve conflicts peacefully?”

“Shut up!” Feng He shouted as he hurled a stack of scrolls toward Qi Shaorong.

Zhuang Hao quickly pulled Qi Shaorong aside to dodge the attack.

Qi Shaorong puffed out his cheeks in frustration. I’m usually the one throwing scrolls at people. Now the tables have turned. This feels awful.

Feng He continued throwing scrolls at a rapid pace, nearly a hundred in a blink.

“Such wastefulness!” Qi Shaorong muttered. So this is what it feels like to be on the receiving end of money being thrown at you. It’s infuriating!

Zhuang Hao waved his staff, creating a vortex of seven intertwined spells that struck Feng He squarely, forcing him to stagger back two steps.

Qi Shaorong seized the opportunity to unleash a Shadow Swamp, trapping Feng He. Despite the joint attack by Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong, Feng He suffered a minor setback.

Feng He glared at Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao with a dark expression. “You two brats, do you really think you can escape today? I’m taking you both down.”

He pulled out a Nine-Colored Ring, and Zhuang Hao immediately sensed a foreboding feeling at the sight of it.

Zhuang Hao quickly took out dozens of scrolls and dashed forward. “Go!”

As Zhuang Hao threw the scrolls, the Nine-Colored Ring emitted a dazzling light, enveloping both Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao. Qi Shaorong felt his magical energy being completely drained.

Feng He noticed the incoming scrolls and cast a Reflection Spell, sending the scrolls back toward Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao.

Zhuang Hao swiftly grabbed Qi Shaorong, and the scrolls exploded in a series of intense flashes. As the blinding light subsided, both Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao had vanished.

Feng He’s face twisted with rage as he stared at the empty space where they had stood.

Zhuang Hao landed hard on the ground, with Qi Shaorong falling on top of him.

The two looked disheveled, their clothes tattered from the explosions of the magic scrolls.

Qi Shaorong struggled to prop himself up and looked at Zhuang Hao. “What’s going on? I can’t seem to use my magic!”

Zhuang Hao glanced at him and said, “Do you remember that Nine-Colored Ring Feng He took out?”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “I do. What was that thing?”

“It’s a Sealing God Ring. It can suppress a person’s magical power and combat energy,” Zhuang Hao explained.

Qi Shaorong’s eyes widened. “Why have I never heard of it?”

“It’s extremely rare and highly valuable. It also has many limitations. For example, it only works on ninth-level practitioners, and it’s a one-time-use item. Once used, it’s ineffective afterward. That’s why most people don’t know about it,” Zhuang Hao said.

Qi Shaorong frowned. “The name ‘Sealing God Ring’ is a bit over the top, isn’t it?”

“Actually, the one Feng He used was just a replica. In fact, all the Sealing God Rings left in the world are replicas. The original ancient Sealing God Ring was said to have the power to seal gods, but that’s just a legend. Even as a replica, it’s still incredibly valuable,” Zhuang Hao replied.

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Still, it seems like overkill for Feng He to use something so valuable on us. He’s only at the seventh level, and you’re at the eighth. Wouldn’t it be more fitting to use it on a peak ninth-level practitioner?”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “You’re not wrong.”

Qi Shaorong asked suspiciously, “How did we end up here?”

“I knew things were bad the moment I saw the Sealing God Ring. So, I threw out dozens of magic scrolls. Among them was a teleportation scroll. When Feng He’s Reflection Spell sent the scrolls back, the teleportation scroll activated, and it transported us here,” Zhuang Hao explained.

Qi Shaorong patted his chest. “That was close. If we had stayed, we’d be dead. Did you plan all this in advance?”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Yes.”

Qi Shaorong gave him a skeptical look. “We’re lucky it worked out. If you had miscalculated, we might both be dead.”

“The Sealing God Ring probably belongs to the Commerce Alliance. I suspect Feng He stole it. He must have been desperate to kill us,” Zhuang Hao said.

Qi Shaorong scratched his head, looking a bit dejected. “They say saving a life is like building a seven-story pagoda. I’m doing a good deed, so why am I in this mess? Feng Yuan surviving must have had a big impact on Feng He.”

He paused, then added with a wry smile, “But it’s no surprise. They say the Crown Prince Yin Zhi was once intelligent, filial, and thoughtful. But Kangxi lived too long, and Yin Zhi went mad from waiting. Waiting can truly drive a person insane.”

Zhuang Hao looked at Qi Shaorong. “What are you thinking about?”

Qi Shaorong shook his head. “Nothing. Where are we now? How long will the Sealing God Ring’s effect last?”

Zhuang Hao replied, “A month.”

Qi Shaorong’s eyes widened. “That long?”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Yes.”

Qi Shaorong rubbed his forehead. “We need to find a place to hide. Feng He is probably looking for us.”

Zhuang Hao agreed. “Most likely.”

“I think our first priority is getting some clothes,” Qi Shaorong said, tugging at his tattered outfit.

The reflection spell had also rebounded some fire-based magic scrolls, which burned their clothes to ashes. With their magic sealed, they couldn’t even open their storage items.

Zhuang Hao stood up with a gloomy look. “My money is in my storage earring, but it’s sealed. I guess buying clothes is out of the question.”

Qi Shaorong patted Zhuang Hao on the shoulder. “Then we have only one option left.”

“What option?”

“Stealing!”

Zhuang Hao frowned. “And who’s going to do that?”

Qi Shaorong replied matter-of-factly, “You, of course!”

Zhuang Hao: “…”