Chapter 1564: Chapter 929: When Enemies Meet
Under Jiang Qingluan’s leadership, they ventured deeper into the Secret Realm Core Area, changing directions from time to time, as if avoiding something.
Compared to the outside, the terrain here was more complex, and Yang Xiao’s team proceeded cautiously, avoiding the stone statues along the way.
It must be said, the Snake Bone String from the Black Lama was indeed a good thing, allowing Yang Xiao’s team to pass through a rare period of peace despite the perilous journey.
During this period, everyone felt a sense of perception; in the Secret Realm Core Area, even without using any Magic Artifact, their spiritual power seemed to be stirred by some Spiritual Power, becoming extremely unstable, and Yang Xiao felt increasingly hot all over.
This heat was unrelated to desire, but was driving and tempting him, urging him to control the Magic Artifact and utilize spiritual power.
"What’s going on? Why do I feel so hot, like my whole body is burning up!" The Chamber of Commerce man scratched his neck, clearly experiencing a more intense version of Yang Xiao’s sensations.
"My... my wound itches so much." The Chamber of Commerce woman removed the bandage covering her wound, revealing the two fingers. To everyone’s surprise, instead of healing, the wound showed signs of growing mold-like, gray-white spots.
The spots were small, the largest being the size of half a fingertip, but they were very noticeable against the blurred flesh of the wound.
"Is this... stone? No, it’s stone shell, like the stone shell of the Stone Statue Ghosts!" Nalan Shuo exclaimed while examining the woman’s left hand.
Soon everyone confirmed the result, the spots were stone shells, with textures like the stone on the Stone Statue Ghosts, exuding a dead gray aura.
"How could this happen?" Despite being used to major events, at this moment, the Chamber of Commerce woman was a bit panicked, clearly affected by some bizarre force.
"It’s a curse!" Yang Xiao speculated, "There’s a curse in this Secret Realm Core Area, anyone who stays here for a long time will be affected."
"This is the core of the Source Ghost’s Ghost Level, have you felt it? Since we arrived here, our spiritual power intensity has been increasing." Nalan Shuo suddenly spoke; his voice was deep and powerful, yet he still managed to stay calm.
Upon hearing this, everyone steadied their minds and sensed it. Indeed, their spiritual power strength had increased compared to before, though not significantly, considering they hadn’t been here long and had entered the Secret Realm Core Area for less than 4 hours, the level of increase was quite considerable.
Yang Xiao roughly calculated that if he could stay here for 24 hours, he might very well touch the threshold of mid-stage Ghost Level.
"Haven’t you been here before? Why didn’t the intelligence mention such a curse?" Yang Xiao looked at Jiang Qingluan.
It was clear that Jiang Qingluan was also baffled because she genuinely didn’t know; last time her team had barely entered the Secret Realm before being ambushed by the Japanese Apostle, leaving no chance to approach the Secret Realm Core Area.
Yang Xiao roughly figured out the dangers of the Core Area; while it can enhance the Angel Envoy’s spiritual power, it also brings backlash, transforming those who stay long into Stone Statue Ghosts.
Fortunately, the transformation takes a long time, so there’s no immediate danger to their lives for now.
The Chamber of Commerce pair were exemplary in performing their duties; the woman, after initial panic, steadied her mind and comforted her worried teammates.
"Let me see your hand." Yang Xiao took out the Ghost Lantern, and an eerie green light emerged, covering the woman’s left hand wound.
As Yang Xiao injected more spiritual power, the scene before them took everyone’s breath away; the stone shell on the wound slowly cracked and melted, with smaller fragments dispersing quickly into nothing.
In less than ten seconds, the stone shell covering the wound had disappeared by a third, an exaggerated speed.
However, Yang Xiao stopped afterwards; his intention wasn’t to completely "cure" the Chamber of Commerce woman, but to verify.
Now he understood that the Ghost Lantern could completely dispel this cursed petrification, but it required sufficient time and spiritual power, which were evidently not available here.
"Everyone, you have seen that my Magic Artifact is effective against this. But right now, I can’t completely heal you; the battle is imminent, and I can’t exhaust all my spiritual power here."
"But I assure you, once we leave, I will heal each one of you. We are teammates, so there’s no need to worry," Yang Xiao promised.
"Number 2, thank you." Knowing their teammate was saved, the Chamber of Commerce man was the most moved, secretly determined to protect Yang Xiao in future battles.
While treating the Chamber of Commerce woman, Yang Xiao also checked the others’ conditions and found everyone had some degree of stone shell presence, though it was more evident in the wounded Chamber of Commerce woman.
Yang Xiao deduced that the cursed petrification had a stronger corrosive effect on exposed wounds.
However, among their team, Yang Xiao was an exception, showing no signs of petrification on his body.
Yang Xiao sighed quietly, knowing roughly why; because he was the chosen one by his good sister, a third of his skin had been replaced by Drama Robe, insignificant petrification couldn’t harm him.
