Chapter 1946: Chapter 1943: Falling Down
The walls of the Spirit Suppressing Tower were forged from diamond stones and further reinforced with talismans, making them incredibly resilient and impenetrable even by bullets. However, the talisman cast card penetrated the walls with ease, causing an Eight Diagram to emerge on the surface.
Zhang Ruyan formed a seal with her hands and pushed forward, causing the Eight Diagram to shimmer, and the wall surface rippled like water.
"Phew..." Zhang Ruyan slightly parted her rosy lips, exhaling a long breath like a white ribbon, her smooth forehead dotted with fine beads of fragrant sweat.
A few simple actions seemed to have drained her immense mental and mana resources.
"It’s a good thing I haven’t neglected my taoist arts, otherwise, it would’ve been really embarrassing." Zhang Ruyan gently wiped her forehead, smiled, and revealed a girlish grin.
Lin Tian was momentarily entranced, sighing softly in his heart, knowing she was once an innocent and carefree girl, though those days could never return.
"Let’s go, what are you thinking?" Zhang Lingyu tugged at his hand, curiously asking.
"Oh, nothing much, just that your taoist arts are quite amazing." Lin Tian smiled casually, dispelling his stray thoughts, and walked towards the Eight Diagram.
Zhang Ruyan entered first, causing a ripple in the wall, and she vanished within. Lin Tian was utterly amazed.
As he and Zhang Lingyu also stepped inside, they felt little resistance, like passing through a thin veil of water. It darkened ahead, and Lin Tian had already arrived at another place.
This was a spiraling passageway, its length unknown, with narrow stairs allowing only two people to walk side by side. The passage was dimly lit, and without his night vision, he would be blinded by the darkness.
"This is a secret passage, but you can’t walk carelessly. Lin Tian, follow our steps, don’t step randomly, even a slight misstep is unacceptable." Zhang Lingyu solemnly cautioned.
Though the passage was dark, it posed no obstacle to the two beautiful Demon Exorcists, who had their own ways of seeing things.
"Don’t worry, let’s begin." Lin Tian said calmly.
The two nodded, and Zhang Ruyan was the first to step onto the stairs. Strangely, her first step wasn’t on the first stair but rather the third, and with continuous strides, Zhang Lingyu promptly followed her gait.
At times like this, the advantage of long legs became apparent. The beautiful Heavenly Master took three stairs at once, her black skirt tightly stretched over her hips, outlining a perfect shape, while her slender legs traced a graceful arc, causing Lin Tian to swallow hard.
In that moment, Lin Tian couldn’t help but silently commend the Zhang Family for designing such an intricate restriction. Without it, how would he have the chance to admire the beautiful Heavenly Master’s enchanting figure?
As a Demon Exorcist, spiritual senses are extremely sensitive, never mind a woman’s intuition. Even without looking, Zhang Lingyu knew what Lin Tian was gazing at. She felt his gaze like fire, scorching her face with embarrassment, almost causing her to misstep.
The beautiful Heavenly Master turned back, glaring at Lin Tian intensely: "What are you looking at? Hurry up and follow, be careful not to misstep, or you’ll be sealed in the Spirit Suppressing Tower too!"
"You’re the one who told me to follow, so don’t blame me later," Lin Tian shrugged, appearing both helpless and innocent.
Zhang Lingyu didn’t quite understand his words but let out a soft huff, showing her dissatisfaction. Lin Tian, following their precise footsteps, also ascended the stairs.
Then Zhang Lingyu understood Lin Tian’s words and regretted her earlier instructions, for when he followed, he was closer and had a clearer view. She could feel Lin Tian’s breath on her legs, which left her extremely flustered.
"You... stay farther away." Zhang Lingyu feigned an angry demeanor.
"Before we reach the ninth level, we can’t retreat, only advance." At this moment, Zhang Ruyan’s slow voice came from the front, leaving Zhang Lingyu both ashamed and annoyed.
Amidst the ambiguous yet awkward atmosphere, they continued upward, finally reaching a platform. Zhang Lingyu exhaled deeply, her pretty face flushed.
Lin Tian was nonchalant, observing the platform. There were no more stairs, only a stone door, slightly smaller than the Spirit Suppressing Tower’s main entrance.
The stone door also bore an Eight Diagram, but there were two talisman papers overlapping across it as if sealing it. Of course, the talisman papers were far from mere seals; Lin Tian guessed it was another seal entirely.
"Let me do this." Zhang Ruyan inhaled deeply, her expression quite serious, indicating this "seal" was no trivial matter.
Indeed, Zhang Ruyan took out a jade bottle from her waist. Lin Tian recalled that this bottle contained the Spirit-Boosting Pill. Her stance was clear—she intended to consume the pill to enhance her mana.
Whether due to expending mana earlier or because this "seal" was truly formidable, Lin Tian had never seen Zhang Ruyan so cautious before.
Zhang Ruyan opened the jade bottle, swallowed a Spirit-Boosting Pill, and gently closed her eyes. Whatever reaction the elixir triggered within her, Zhang Ruyan’s long lashes trembled lightly, and her fair face gradually flushed.
Suddenly, she opened her eyes, a streak of violet lightning flashing in their depths, and pressed her palm on the cross point of the "seal." Sizzle, crack, the "seal" erupted with streaks of lightning, entwining her wrist and traveling up her arm throughout her body, causing her long hair to lift and dance without wind.
"Mmm..." A repressed moan escaped Zhang Ruyan’s lips, seemingly enduring great pain. Indeed, her face contorted with agony, sweat beading on her forehead and streaming down her cheeks, dripping onto the floor.
"Sister Ruyan!" Zhang Lingyu was startled and immediately filled with worry, while Lin Tian frowned deeply.
He initially thought opening the "seal" only required mana expenditure, but he hadn’t imagined enduring the agony of lightning. Lin Tian himself had been struck by lightning before, fully aware of the pain, as if each cell was being torn apart. Only a person with great perseverance could withstand it.
"Don’t... come here, or it’ll be all for naught!" Zhang Ruyan gritted her teeth, enunciating each word with difficulty, her eyes resolute.
In that moment, Zhang Ruyan was no longer the frenzied and extreme woman she once was. Lin Tian saw her true self; she was a person of great talent and even greater perseverance, the fundamental reason she became a Heavenly Master’s Successor back then.
Lin Tian and Zhang Lingyu said nothing, nor did they look away. The ordeal of lightning lasted five full minutes, and through it all, Zhang Ruyan never let go of her hold, nor uttered another sound.
Finally, the lightning disappeared, Zhang Ruyan’s brows furrowed tightly, and she yanked, tearing the "seal" away by sheer force. The process was not easy, as the light between the "seal" and the door flickered with lightning, the talisman paper clinging to the door.
After exerting immense effort, the "seal" was finally torn down, causing Zhang Ruyan’s face to turn pale as she collapsed backward.
