Chapter 529: The Old Chaps Awaken
Translator: Radiant Editor: Radiant
While Xue Ying and the others were fleeing rapidly along the complex cavern, in the depths of a mountain not far from them.
Ka ka ka~ Cracks began to form on the cold icy surface of some statues. The ice revealed some black armored soldiers, black armored birds, and even black armored beasts. All of them had just awakened from deep sleep.
"Looks like Lake Heart Island entered its freezing period again. We've only just woken up, and were already frozen solid. This is not so bad, though. If we'd been in the burning hot period, the warping and rising of the surroundings would be even more uncomfortable." A flood dragon covered by a layer of black armor had also waken up. His head was adorned by two horns, and his golden eyes concealed a glimmer of joy. "Oh, these old chaps are still alive and kicking."
Hu.
The black flood dragon touched one of the cave's wall, immediately sinking inside and disappearing.
Very soon, in a relatively wide room.
One after another, the black armored soldiers, birds and beasts were hurrying here.
"Hahaha, long time no see. I can't help but be happy to see your old face again.
"Ah, Young Master Flying Feather, is it not? Your heroic disposition is as prominent as ever.
"Hahaha, you're still kicking, elder brother! As your younger brother, I'm afraid that one day I'll wake up just to see that you've already passed away." These black-armored creatures were incomparably happy to be together, and their expressions were ones of bliss.
Part of this group was a gigantic snake covered in black scales that coiled around itself with a rumbling sound. "Unexpectedly, most of our group is still alive, and that's most likely because there are so few outsiders who enter our area."
"Actually, I'd prefer it if outsiders would come more often. That way, we could stay awake for longer."
"Be that as it may, more outsiders would also increase our chances of perishing."
"Defeating us might be relatively easy, but killing us? Hmph, hmph. I'd like to see them try."
"Could it be that you don't know? There are many areas in the Lake Heart Island where even True God Rulers broke in, turning many of us old chaps into dust in an instant. In front of people like them, we wouldn't even have time to flee."
"In master's place, even True God Rulers would not dare act with reckless abandon."
The black-armored creatures were immersed in their various discussions.
"Even now, the only reason we're still alive is master's grace! Without his help, with all of us here having failed to transcend and become powerful existences, it's reasonable to say that we would have died long ago. Even so, Master gave us the chance to live up to now," a black bird with purple eyes said through a relatively shrill sound.
"Master truly was very benevolent toward countless of us cultivators."
"We've failed to transcend and become True Gods simply because our perception was not good enough. The help Master provided us with is already impossible to ever pay back. However, we've been awake here, at the Lake Heart Island, for an unknown amount of time, yet it's been so very long since we've last felt master's presence."
These black creatures sighed at each other as they recalled various events from the past. However, that did not prevent them from sensing Xue Ying group of four as they were fleeing in the distance."
"Don't make a move so soon. We've got to make these intruders feel like the area is rather safe so that they'll send the information out. That should make other intruders feel more willing to enter through here, leaving us able to awaken more often. The feeling sleeping through most of our lives is truly uncomfortable," a sturdy fighter wearing the same black armor said.
"There are three stage four World Deities and someone who seems to be a stage three World Deity but has cultivated an absolute art. With how weak they are, there's simply no need to chase them too hard," a black-armored bird flying all over the place screeched. "We can let them play around some more; the truly important places are all strictly guarded anyway. With how puny they are, they're just courting death by coming here."
…
Back in the ice-cold cave, a four-legged black-armored creature attacked Xue Ying's group with incomparable savagery. Its usage of the Profound Mysteries of the law was pitiful, so it instead relied on its terrifying strength and speed, as well as the sharpness of its claws!
"Hmph." Xue Ying's spear streaked across the sky in a thrusting motion. It was surrounded by myriad faint scenes of objects and creatures, both alluring and gorgeous. This one strike gave off a feeling of the allure and beauty of the myriad of creatures in the world.
This was one of Xue Ying's three great secret skills, Life.
This was a move which put into practice all of Xue Ying's comprehension of the beauty of the myriad of creatures and existences in the world. Beauty was but a concept, and intrinsically, it was actually vitality. It was a vitality that could move one's soul! This strike had the spirituality and firmness of a small blade of grass that grew through a crack in a stone, of a green retreat in the middle of a desert, like the rainwater that floated over the world.
This strike full of freedom contained all of the spirituality of the world, and his moves contained myriad changes.
Peng. The spear struck forth, letting out a tremble of energy. In the blink of an eye, that original energy turned into 320 different kinds of energy. Life—this move was created with unpredictability and change in mind, and it had no need for meticulous control. In fact, if one was to attempt to carefully guide it, they would only weaken it. What it truly needed was perception! Even someone who comprehended it would have a very hard time describing it. Xue Ying had only comprehended it by following his heart's guidance.
The four-legged creature in black armor shook and was sent smashing into a nearby rock wall, shattering countless layers of ice in the process, yet it displayed no sign of injury as it continued its frenzied assault.
"Hou~ Too weak, simply too weak. You cannot harm me," the creature howled madly, continuing its chase.
"Hmph." King Fu Qiong, the man holding a great black ruler, also made his move. His ruler seemed slow yet fast, and as it struck, the surrounding timespace shifted and the world changed. Unexpectedly, the four-legged creature found itself unable to avoid the strike or even to parry the ruler with its claws, allowing it to smash directly against its skull.
A booming sound spread out, and the weapon's force spread all throughout the creature's body.
But even after being smashed into the cave floor, plowing a deep ditch behind it and cracking apart large amounts of ice chunks, the black-armored creature remained unharmed and continued to chase the group.
"This creature's comprehension of the Profound Mysteries of the Law is average; it's comparable to a stage three World Deity," Xue Ying sent to his companions. "It's even weaker by a bit than I am when it comes to style and exquisiteness, but its strength, speed, and toughness, as well as the sharpness of its claws, are all on an inconceivable level. It can move at six hundred meters per second, it is even slightly more physically strong than me, and its claws are so terrifyingly sharp that they surpass our blood-refined deity weapons. On top of that, we can't harm it no matter what kind of attack we use."
"We're lucky, lucky that its realm is so low," King Fu Qiong sent back. "We can rely on our superior comprehension to suppress it."
Peng.
Without warning, Monarch Armadillo Jade stamped its foot on the black-armored creature's face, directly trampling over it and onto one of the corridor's rock walls. Countless chunks of ice shattered, and the creature only landed back on the ground after tumbling a few times in mid-air.
This four-legged creature in black armor sent a rigid gaze at the four, and then proceeded to swish its tail and let out a low howl. At the same time, it turned to ram straight into a nearby wall, but instead of hitting it, the creature simply disappeared in its entirety.
"It gave up?" Xue Ying and the others heaved a collective sigh of relief.
"We were able to suppress it, so it's only natural that it would give up," Monarch Armadillo Jade replied as he stroked his chubby face. "But we can't rejoice just yet. Its comprehension was clearly low, but it still took all four of us only to suppress it. If we had been forced to fight it one-on-one… Its defenses are unequalled, and its speed and strength were frightening to behold. On top of that, its comprehension was just a bit worse than Dong Bo's. It would not be so easy to handle in a fair battle.
"En." Xue Ying and the others nodded in approval of this assessment. Xue Ying did not have the confidence to face the creature one-on-one. After all, the whole group had attacked with all its might, yet none of their attacks could harm the opponent. Against such enemies with unequalled defenses, achieving victory was very difficult.
"Your Highness Dong Bo, Empress Nine Swords, I'm afraid I must let you know that this black-armored creature is not alone here," King Armadillo Jade solemnly transmitted. "I can detect some even stronger and more murderous beasts hiding in all throughout our surroundings. Even King Fu Qiong and I have no confidence in handingly so many beasts. We two are willing to accompany Your Highness through this encounter, but you must also prepare. If you don't have the confidence to proceed, it would be best to give up as soon as possible."
Xue Ying and Jing Qiu exchanged a glance, and Xue Ying replied without hesitation, "Let's keep moving. The road ahead is dangerous, but I will guide us through."
His guidance, of course, would lead them toward the True God Weapon.
"Guide us?"
King Fu Qiong and Monarch Armadillo Jade felt their hearts stand still. It seemed like His Highness, Dong Bo, truly was holding some sort of secret hidden treasure diagram. These kinds of hidden diagrams, however, were easy to come by. Some were worth extremely little, others would lead to unimaginable gains.
"I'm afraid that, as we further approach our destination, we might just all die," Monarch Armadillo Jade helplessly replied.
"If we're to die, let it be so; we'd only be losing our avatars anyway. Let's just keep going." The nearby King Fu Qiong frowned.
"You… you're quite domineering, Fu Qiong. Once we approach danger, I'll have to ask you to go first!" In spite of his teasing, Monarch Armadillo Jade kept his position in front of the group.
…
At that moment, large amounts of creatures were silently spying on their small, weak team from all around, seemingly disinclined to make their move.
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