I will be stronger after the remake

"Well, today we're exploring the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, so naturally we should change into clothes that match the style," Gu Linglong replied indifferently. "I suggest you all change into black clothes as well."

“I know that the Qin people revered black,” Tang Ping said, looking at her sister and asking curiously, “When did you get on good terms with them?”

“When Linglong came to our workplace that day, she asked me for her contact information,” Yu Shujiang said, speaking up for her. “Sister Linglong seems aloof, but she’s actually quite easy to talk to. I had a very pleasant chat with her.”

Start with the family members...

Yuan Ji instantly became wary, stepped forward, grasped Tang Ping's hand, and said with a hint of defiance, "Tang Ping and I are officially dating."

Gu Linglong glanced at the two clasped hands, lowered her gaze, and said, "It seems I was a step too late. Congratulations to you both."

"Huh? Ah, oh, um... thank you."

Yuan Ji was surprised that Gu Linglong was so easy to talk to, and didn't even make a "loser" declaration like Yu Shujiang did. She had already prepared herself to bear the pressure.

But then she thought, Gu Linglong is a fourth-level spiritual energy user after all, and she has her own dignity and pride. Even if she has her eye on a man, she cannot lower herself to become a third party and interfere in his life.

Ultimately, she was only attracted to her boyfriend because of his looks. They didn't have any unforgettable shared experiences, so letting go seemed like a normal reaction. It would be illogical for her to keep clinging on.

Hu Ze didn't want to waste time on this topic and cause any unexpected problems, so he immediately said, "Alright, alright, let's get going so as not to delay our business."

He then gave Ma Yiming a look, but the subordinate didn't react at all, so he had no choice but to ask the newcomer Ma Feiyan for help.

It has to be said that being a livestreamer really makes one savvy in social interactions. Ma Feiyan immediately understood and changed the subject, asking, "Why did the Qin Dynasty favor black?"

Tang Ping continued, "It must be for the sake of war. During the Warring States period, the feudal lords fought each other. Black military flags and uniforms were highly concealed, making it difficult to expose targets when marching or fighting at night. This was beneficial for the concealment and surprise of military operations, allowing for unexpected attacks on the enemy and increasing the chances of victory. Moreover, black clothing is more resistant to dirt than other colors and does not show stains easily. For the Qin army, which was engaged in long-term battles under harsh conditions, this was a very practical advantage, reducing the pressure on logistical support."

There must be other reasons, but he is not a historian. He may remember some important events from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, but humanities are not within his area of ​​interest.

I can't help but sigh again, if only Doraemon were here, he would definitely be able to give a detailed answer. In the Realm of Illusion, I can't even use my phone to search.

At this moment, Gu Linglong said: "At that time, the theory of the Five Elements was prevalent. The Wood Virtue of the Xia Dynasty overcame the Earth Virtue of the Yellow Emperor, the Metal Virtue of the Shang Dynasty overcame the Wood Virtue of the Xia Dynasty, the Fire Virtue of the Zhou Dynasty overcame the Metal Virtue of the Shang Dynasty. If the Qin Dynasty wanted to replace the Zhou Dynasty, it could only be the Water Virtue, which is to overcome Fire with Water. In the correspondence between the Five Elements and colors, the North belongs to Water, and the corresponding symbol color is Black."

"In addition, the Qin people used the black bird as their totem. The black bird is a black bird, and the Qin people's ancestor Zhuanxu was called the Black Emperor. The black color represents qualities such as solidity, pragmatism, and solemnity, which also complemented the Qin people's preferences."

"The remaining stories, such as Duke Wen of Qin capturing a black dragon while hunting, and the story of Da Fei, the ancestor of the Qin people, assisting Yu the Great in controlling the floods and being rewarded with a black banner, were actually fabricated to prove that the Qin people liked black."

Yu Shujiang exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, Sister Linglong is so knowledgeable!"

Gu Linglong opened her fan, covered her mouth, and said modestly, "Just a little bit."

Tang Ping thought that Gu Linglong might have specifically searched for relevant information online for this operation, but there was no need to say such discouraging things when the other party was showing off.

Along the way, Yu Shujiang kept asking questions, and Gu Linglong answered them patiently. The two got along surprisingly well.

"Sister Linglong, why are your eyes red?"

"Because I was wearing colored contact lenses."

"Ah, are they colored contact lenses? I thought it was because of the influence of the Vermilion Bird that my eyes turned red, which symbolizes flames. It turns out they are just colored contact lenses. I'm going to lose my bet with Fei Yan now."

When Ma Feiyan heard that she had been mentioned, she was worried that Gu Linglong would be angry, since she had used the other person's characteristics as a bet. However, she quickly realized that the other person did not care and felt that the rumors were untrue. "Zhuque" seemed to be quite easy to get along with.

After traveling for about twenty minutes, the group changed into black clothes and arrived at their destination, where a majestic building, as imposing as a mountain, stood before them.

The first thing that catches the eye is a gate carved from obsidian, its surface covered with ancient and mysterious patterns, seemingly telling the story of a thousand years of history. Above the gate, lifelike dragon patterns are coiled, each scale clearly visible, as if they are about to take off at any moment. On both sides stand two huge stone figures, holding long halberds and with piercing eyes. Even after the passage of time, their majesty remains undiminished.

Yu Shujiang exclaimed in surprise, "It's actually on the ground? I thought it would be buried underground like the Terracotta Army in real life!"

"According to eyewitness accounts, the building did indeed emerge from underground."

Gu Linglong arrived at the gate, pointed to the patterns on it, slid them in a specific order, and explained: "The barrier placed on the gate is to prevent outsiders from intruding, including spirits, but it has already been broken by experts."

The advantage of having a powerful organization behind you is that many things are handled by a think tank. If the goal of this operation were to obtain the treasures inside, there would be no need for Gu Linglong to take action. However, since she is trying to develop her spiritual essence, she has to do it herself.

As they spoke, the patterns on the gate were illuminated, and with a rumbling sound, the gate slowly opened, releasing a strong smell of dust mixed with an ancient aura.

Tang Ping looked up and saw a wide and deep space inside, with luminous pearls embedded in the walls, barely illuminating this mysterious place.

In addition, he noticed that complex patterns were spreading out on the ground, like some kind of ancient formation, and quickly spoke up to remind him.

"It's okay, let's go in."

Gu Linglong took the lead and walked at the very front.

With an expert leading the way, everyone had nothing to say, swallowing all their worries and reminders, and followed closely behind.

After walking through a long passage, the view suddenly opened up to a wide training ground. Terracotta warriors stood in every corner of the training ground, each with a different posture, holding weapons such as halberds, spears, and swords, their eyes revealing a cold killing intent.

Tang Ping analyzed, "The volume of this space is beyond our imagination, much larger than it appears from the outside. Either some kind of supernatural magic has been used to expand the enclosed space, or we have been under an illusion."

Ma Yiming said nervously, "You still have the mind to analyze this? You should worry about what's in front of you first. Several terracotta warriors just glanced at me. There must be something going on here."

Tang Ping said, "Of course I've noticed what you're saying, but with a big shot around, this kind of overt threat is nothing to worry about."

As they were talking, the terracotta warriors on the training ground moved rapidly, forming a complex and profound array in the blink of an eye, emitting intense spiritual energy fluctuations.

Ma Feiyan used her spiritual power to carry everyone into the air.

Looking down, Tang Ping noticed that the terracotta warriors were arranged in a formation that was clearly divided into five parts. He took out a compass and checked it against the formation.

The terracotta warriors of the East are surrounded by a faint aura of green wood, and tender green vines grow from the ground where they stand. The terracotta warriors of the West wield the power of metal, and the weapons in their hands gleam with a cold and sharp light. The terracotta warriors of the South clearly correspond to the power of fire, and their weapons are enchanted with raging flames. The North is filled with cold air, and crystal blocks of ice stand scattered in the field. The terracotta warrior in the center has no unusual phenomena, but it is larger than the other terracotta warriors, corresponding to the power of earth.

Tang Ping suggested, "Although I can't identify the specific formation, it's clear that their formation is related to the Five Elements. Perhaps we can break it by understanding the relationships of mutual generation and restraint among the Five Elements."

"There's no need for that. No matter how powerful the formation is, it's useless if the medium is destroyed."

As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Linglong pointed forward, and a dazzling red light burst forth from her body. Within the light, a huge Vermilion Bird appeared and disappeared, flapping its wings and singing loudly, its voice resounding throughout the entire tomb chamber, as if to completely shatter the thousand-year silence.

The next moment, the Vermilion Bird spread its wings and instantly transformed into a stream of fire, sweeping towards the Terracotta Army formation. Its first target was the legion in the south that controlled incendiary weapons. Their fire elemental power was devoured by the Vermilion Bird, and they themselves became fuel, boosting its power.

The terracotta warriors from the other four formations rushed to the rescue, but to no avail. Under the raging heat, they were all set ablaze, crackling and popping, and turned to ashes in the blink of an eye. Only the northern legion, which possessed the power of water, held out a little longer.

Under the powerful flames of the Vermilion Bird, the terracotta army formation quickly crumbled. The once majestic terracotta warriors collapsed in the flames, turning into piles of scorched earth.

As the last terracotta warrior was burned to ashes, the spiritual energy fluctuations that had gathered on the training ground gradually subsided.

Ma Yiming stared in disbelief and whispered to Tang Ping, "It feels like she could handle all the traps and mechanisms by herself. We were just invited here to be part of the atmosphere team."

Chapter 122 Discovering the Oriole

As Ma Yiming lamented, during the subsequent exploration, the members of the Public Security Section had almost no room to contribute. They simply followed behind Gu Linglong and watched her overcome obstacles. Their only contribution was to cheer her on from behind, offer praise and amazement, and provide emotional support.

Gu Linglong didn't bother to solve the traps and mechanisms; she simply burned her way through. The flames she released were incredibly powerful, capable of burning even steel and rocks, and even poisonous water and gas.

No matter how ingenious the mechanism, it becomes meaningless if the device itself is destroyed.

When encountering maze-like terrain, Gu Linglong would simply burn through the walls and proceed straight ahead, without wasting energy on detours or trying to guess the mausoleum's designer's intentions. Occasionally, when she encountered buildings with protective barriers, she would only delay them for a few more minutes before the barriers were burned away.

At this moment, everyone deeply experienced what it means that "in the face of absolute strength, all schemes and tricks are futile."

Tang Ping turned his head and looked behind him. There was a straight passage leading to the entrance of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum. All the buildings in the passage had been burned with a large hole in them.

"Putting this into the game is like having a cheat code that allows you to walk through walls, making the game experience impossible for players. It's a malicious modification."

Of course, in reality, Tang Ping would wholeheartedly support it. He would never give up clinging to powerful figures just to pursue thrills. What? In his view, extreme sports are all just for show. No matter how much value is given to them, such as "challenging oneself, overcoming fear, breaking through limitations" and "inspiring a love and yearning for life," it still cannot change their essence.

He glanced at Gu Linglong ahead again. Despite releasing a large amount of spiritual energy flames without taking any pills to replenish it, she showed no signs of fatigue. Her spiritual pressure remained as stable and powerful as ever, seemingly inexhaustible. He wondered if it was because her own spiritual power was too abundant or if she possessed special spiritual energy.

Tang Ping was very curious about this and had a strong desire to use the "Three-Eyed Spiritual Radiance" to investigate it, but he restrained himself.

Better safe than sorry. Even though I haven't met a psychic who can sense the "Three-Eyed Radiance" yet, who knows if a fourth-tier psychic might be exceptionally perceptive? Especially since I rejected this person's confession and have now been told to their face that the person they confessed to is already dating someone else. Their favorability towards me is probably at rock bottom...

While pondering this, Tang Ping suddenly realized that his spiritual expression seemed to be slowly improving, at the same rate as before—this was the rate he had maintained ever since Gu Linglong expressed her feelings for him.

He quickly grasped the meaning behind this phenomenon, which meant that Gu Linglong still harbored feelings for him.

But...why?

Tang Ping put herself in that situation and realized that no matter how much you like someone, if you find out that they are dating someone else, you either have to cut off all contact and treat them like strangers, or send them your blessings and then reduce contact to let the relationship gradually cool down. In any case, it's impossible to maintain the original feelings.

Of course, considering that everyone has different preferences, some people may be stubborn and will not give up once they have made up their minds. After all, there are men who like married women and women who like to steal their best friend's boyfriend—they might not even look at single targets!

But that doesn't make sense. When Yuan Ji held hands in a show of defiance, Gu Linglong personally said "Congratulations," and the Three-Eyed Spiritual Radiance didn't warn him that he was lying.

Was her congratulations genuine, or was it that the Three-Eyed Spirit's lie-detection effect was ineffective against fourth-level psychic users?

The latter is fine, but if it's the former, how did she manage to genuinely congratulate him while still harboring feelings of affection?

Can the charm of a second-tier fox demon really bewitch a fourth-tier vermilion bird to such a contradictory degree?

Suddenly, Tang Ping recalled her good friend Ma Yiming's assessment: "Her inner world is a mess; she seems to have some common sense, but not much."

Is your judgment really that accurate?

It's a real shame he's a ghost messenger; the most suitable spirit type for him would probably be a wanderer, right?

Yuan Ji noticed Tang Ping's gaze towards Gu Linglong, but knowing Tang Ping's personality, she wasn't jealous, especially since it was work time. She simply assumed that Tang Ping was just as amazed by the strength of a fourth-level psychic.

She quietly approached and whispered, "As expected of the top singles fighter in the country, his reputation is well-deserved."

Tang Ping gathered her scattered thoughts, nodded in agreement without showing any emotion, and said, "Gu Linglong is the MVP, we're all just easy wins."

"She can handle it all by herself, why does she need us?"

"Someone has to be in charge of logistical support. If we find a lot of treasures, someone will need to carry them back. There aren't any convenient items like storage bags or spatial rings in the psychic world."

Tang Ping suddenly felt that this conversation had a hint of raising a flag, so she quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Don't feel regretful. I'd rather have a smooth journey and explore the entire Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum without putting in any effort, even if the final score is only 3.0."

Yuan Ji chuckled and said, "If you don't contribute anything, your score will only be 0."

"Cheering from the rear is also a contribution."

Just then, a chilling wind howled past, making everyone's clothes flutter loudly.

Ma Yiming keenly observed, "It's ghostly energy, a lot of ghostly energy. Be careful, there are definitely many ghosts ahead."

Before the words were finished, a series of deep horn sounds came from the depths of the passageway, the sound seemingly coming from a distant time and space, carrying an endless sense of killing intent.

As the horn sounded, the ground began to tremble slightly, and beams of eerie green light seeped from the ground, gradually coalescing into human shapes. In the blink of an eye, a large number of Qin soldier ghosts burst out of the ground. They wore ancient armor, held weapons, had cold faces, and their eyes revealed a chilling killing intent.

Before the ghosts of Qin soldiers, a tall and imposing Qin general slowly emerged, riding a phantom warhorse. He wore a golden crown and a black cloak, and the spear in his hand gleamed with an eerie cold light.

Tang Ping activated his Three-Eyed Spiritual Radiance and saw that the general in command was none other than Meng Tian, ​​a famous general of the Qin Dynasty. Judging from the spiritual pressure he exuded, he was clearly a third-level Ghost King.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief. The Third-Rank Ghost King was indeed difficult to deal with under normal circumstances, but with Gu Linglong in charge, he was not such a formidable enemy.

Then he pondered again. Meng Tian, ​​as a famous general of Qin, was known as the "Number One Warrior of China". Even if he was not as good as Bai Qi, the God of Slaughter, he would still be more than qualified to be ranked as a fourth-class mythological figure. However, the premise is that he is a warrior or general. Ghosts are obviously not a class that is suitable for him to perform, and his strength is suppressed by one level.

Ghost King Meng Tian had no intention of communicating with the crowd. He raised his spear, pointed it, and uttered a single, simple word: "Kill!"

In an instant, the ghosts of Qin soldiers charged towards the group like a surging tide, the ghostly energy churning and the eerie green light illuminating the entire passageway as if it were a ghostly realm.

Having witnessed Gu Linglong's power, the group was not flustered, but they still took precautions, as there were too many enemies, thousands upon thousands, and Gu Linglong might not be able to stop them all.

At this moment, Gu Linglong took a deep breath, quickly formed hand seals, and her hands appeared as if burning flames. The Vermilion Bird Spirit Grid appeared behind her and emitted a loud and clear cry.

Just when everyone thought she was about to unleash a powerful ultimate move, she lightly snapped her fingers, and immediately a burst of blue flames rose from the body of the Qin soldier's ghost, as if it had spontaneously combusted.

The blue flames burned the ghostly bodies, causing the Qin soldiers' ghostly spirits to roar in agony and dance wildly, but they could not stop the spread of the flames. Their own ghostly bodies were completely turned into fuel, making the blue flames even more intense, while the ghostly bodies gradually became blurred and eventually turned into nothingness.

Meng Tian managed to extinguish the blue flames burning within his body in time, but he was powerless to help his men and could only watch helplessly as the ghosts of thousands of Qin soldiers were burned to ashes.

Then, the azure flames gathered in one place, turned from azure to red, and transformed into a phantom of a vermilion bird that flapped its wings and flew away. Wherever it went, the air was ignited and made a "sizzling" sound. It rushed towards Meng Tian, ​​and with a flap of its huge wings, a wall of fire was instantly formed.

Meng Tian roared, his body grew to twice its size, and he was enveloped in ghostly energy. He brandished his spear and fought fiercely with the phantom of the Vermilion Bird.

The two sides fought so fiercely that the earth shook and sparks flew everywhere. Black yin energy and red flames collided in the air, bursting out with dazzling light. The residual force easily destroyed the surrounding buildings. Tang Ping and the others were afraid of being caught in the blast, so they fled in all directions to avoid being caught in the blast.

While Gu Linglong was commanding the Vermilion Bird Phantom in battle, she discovered that the opponent's weapon contained powerful Yin energy, which weakened the fire spirit power with each attack. She immediately changed her strategy, commanding the Vermilion Bird Phantom to flap its wings and launch countless tiny fireballs, which shot towards the opponent from all directions like a meteor shower.

Meng Tian, ​​the Ghost King, brandished his spear, attempting to defend himself, but he was still struck by numerous fireballs. A series of explosions erupted from his body, and his figure began to become illusory. He roared repeatedly, charging wildly, trying to engage in close combat.

However, the Vermilion Bird Phantom maintained its distance by utilizing its superior mobility, preventing Meng Tian from getting close and using only fire attacks from a distance to continuously weaken him.

Just when everyone thought that Ghost King Meng Tian would be slowly worn down by this kite tactic, they saw him suddenly turn around and pounce on Gu Linglong, not stopping even when hit in the back by the fire pillars spewed by the Vermilion Bird Illusion.

To shoot a man, shoot his horse first; to capture a thief, capture his king first. Such a simple military tactic, how could a renowned general not know it?

Meng Tian was merely feigning ignorance, pretending to be so angry that he lost his mind, and focusing on fighting the phantom of the Vermilion Bird. In reality, he had already set his sights on Gu Linglong, the controller, and was just patiently waiting for an opportunity.

With a full-force strike, Meng Tian shrank his body and his power became even more solid, piercing through Gu Linglong, who had no time to dodge!

However, a look of surprise flashed across his face, because he did not feel any feedback from hitting the object.

The next moment, Gu Linglong's body turned into sparks that scattered in all directions and quickly gathered behind Meng Tian, ​​returning to human form and striking him on the back with a palm.

This palm strike didn't use much force, only leaving a crimson palm print. Gu Linglong retreated immediately upon contact, and after creating distance, she formed a hand seal and clenched her fist tightly.

"what--"

The Ghost King Meng Tian let out a violent scream as the palm print on his back poured a large amount of fiery energy into his body, burning his ghostly form and causing flames to erupt from his seven orifices.

At the same time, the phantom of the Vermilion Bird let out a long cry, completely transforming into a body of flames, and rushed towards the Ghost King Meng Tian. With a "boom", it turned into a raging pillar of fire and burst into flames.

The Ghost King Meng Tian could no longer hold on, and his ghostly body was purified in the firelight, gradually becoming transparent.