The breakthrough in cultivation and continuous practice had made Lan Yuer’s strength increasingly formidable, but her temperament was not something that could change quickly.
After all, Yuehua Sect had been suppressed for so long that Lan Yuer inevitably harboured feelings of inferiority and self-doubt.
“No need to worry. She can’t do anything to us,” Ling Xiao said calmly.
“I’ll go first!” Feng Yaorao, being astute, saw Lan Yuer appear and clearly grew wary. If Ling Xiao and Lan Yuer teamed up, she would be in serious trouble.
Ling Xiao did not stop her.
As he had said, obtaining treasures wasn’t about speed but about fate.
“Senior Sister, let’s go in too.”
“Mm.”
The two entered the secret chamber together, only to find Feng Yaorao still standing there.
“What’s going on?” Ling Xiao asked.
“Interesting. You need to strike the bronze bell to be teleported inside. Otherwise, you can’t enter the chamber,” Feng Yaorao said, pointing to the inscription on the massive bronze bell.
“Then strike it. You go first,” Ling Xiao replied.
Feng Yaorao nodded, eager to leave. She really didn’t want to stay with Ling Xiao and Lan Yuer; it was too dangerous.
“Black Wind Demon Whip!”
Feng Yaorao lashed out her black whip, its ground-shattering force striking the bronze bell, but it only swayed slightly without ringing.
“Huh? This thing isn’t simple,” she remarked.
Undeterred, Feng Yaorao swung her whip again, the black wind transforming into a giant ant shape, hammering the bell.
No sound on the first strike.
No sound on the second.
Finally, when she channelled about seventy percent of her true essence, the bell let out a dull ring.
Then, Feng Yaorao was sucked into the bell.
“Senior Sister, your turn!”
If Feng Yaorao could ring the bell, Lan Yuer should be able to as well, though their methods would differ.
Lan Yuer nodded, took a deep breath, and the shadow of the Yuehua Heavenly Maiden behind her grew clearer.
“Moon Shadow Slash!”
A moonlit slash struck the bell, making it sway slightly but not ring.
Seeing potential, Lan Yuer increased her true essence output.
Her mastery of Moon Shadow Slash was impressive, and she channelled her true essence with precision.
At around eighty percent true essence, the bell finally rang.
“Junior Brother, I’m going first!”
Before her words faded, Lan Yuer’s figure vanished.
After both Feng Yaorao and Lan Yuer disappeared, Ling Xiao lightly tapped the bell, causing it to swing wildly, producing a deafening series of rings.
Ringing the bell wasn’t just about brute force or true essence; the key was hitting the right spot.
This was precisely Ling Xiao’s forte.
As the bell rang, golden light enveloped him, pulling him into the bell.
He noticed neither Feng Yaorao nor Lan Yuer was there; they must have been teleported to different locations.
Without further distraction, Ling Xiao moved forward.
The space was vast, likely the True Demon Empire’s treasury. There were traces of treasures once stored, but they were gone.
He guessed previous preliminary participants had taken them. Corpses littered the ground, one with a waist token identifying a Sword King Sect disciple, long dead and desiccated.
A terrifying aura emanated from ahead. Ling Xiao hesitated briefly before stepping forward.
The deeper he went, the more corpses he found.
No need to ask: the outer treasures were taken because there were no guards, but deeper in, the guards grew stronger.
This explained the numerous corpses.
Many guards had likely been killed, as Ling Xiao encountered nothing for a long stretch.
At the corridor’s end was a door.
As he prepared to push it open, screams came from behind it.
He kicked the door open, revealing an odd scene.
Feng Yaorao and Lan Yuer were there, but in separate rooms, all converging at this point.
Beyond the door was a massive circular platform with a throne at its centre, occupied by a contemplative statue.
The path to the throne was blocked by armoured puppets in metal gear.
Feng Yaorao’s scream came from an attack by one of these puppets.
Lan Yuer was also engaged in combat.
Three paths, each blocked by armoured puppets. Whoever defeated them first would reach the throne.
Interesting!
Ling Xiao thrust an air sword at a puppet charging him.
Bang!
The puppet was knocked back a mere metre or two, unscathed.
Incredible defence!
Ling Xiao didn’t hesitate, drawing his Purple Lightning Sword.
The Purple Lightning Sword, with its unmatched single-target damage, paired perfectly with his Will of Destruction, ideal for facing heavily armoured foes.
Crack!
The puppet stood, stomped the ground, and leapt, thrusting a spear at Ling Xiao’s head.
Ling Xiao had encountered puppets before, but these armoured ones were different.
Not only stronger, they seemed to possess some intelligence, assessing danger and choosing optimal attack moments.
They were practically sentient puppets.
Who knew the True Demon Empire had such treasures?
The puppets’ heavy bodies made them seem clumsy, but their unique structure used formations to harness greater energy, granting them speed surpassing human warriors.
In an instant, Ling Xiao saw two tubes emerge from the puppet’s back, spewing hot air, boosting its speed beyond his.
Bang!
Caught off guard, Ling Xiao was struck, embedded into the wall.
“What the hell? It can do that?”
Though hit, his defence held, and he was unharmed. He kicked the puppet, sending it flying.
Its strength and attacks weren’t impressive, but its speed and defence were astonishing. Avoiding them to reach the throne was impossible.
Feng Yaorao and Lan Yuer were in worse shape.
Ling Xiao’s defence matched the puppets’, but theirs didn’t, nor did their movement skills. After a gruelling fight, they were forced back to the entrance.
