Riiiiip!The next second, the barrier before them tore open, revealing a massive rift. Through it, the crowd could glimpse a vast passageway shimmering with the glow of hidden treasures. The sight was a powerful temptation.Some people, overcome by greed, raced forward. They hoped to be the first to seize what lay beyond. One figure darted ahead, moving with astonishing speed, but as he neared the entrance, a bolt of divine lightning struck down from above.Boom!The devastating lightning, as heavy as a mountain, smashed into the man and flung him back with a thunderous impact. His rash attempt at gaining an advantage ended in ruin. He was blasted apart, leaving behind nothing but scattered remnants that were swiftly absorbed by the barrier.“Serves him right!” someone spat angrily.The dead man’s selfishness had sealed his fate. The gruesome scene left the crowd on edge. The barrier was more sinister and terrifying than they had imagined. Even the smallest misstep could result i
The surrounding land felt menacingly alive, far more frightening than expected. Unlocking this ancient tomb was clearly no simple feat.Tyron had a surprised expression. "Who knows if we can even open this tomb at this rate."Adrian replied calmly, "Whether it’s really a tomb or something else entirely is still up for debate. The divine lightning seems to injure even Divines. One misstep and they'll be smashed to pieces. Although the passage does reveal some treasures, they're not particularly rare or valuable. It feels like these treasures are just bait, tempting people to advance."Tyron’s eyes widened as he considered Adrian’s words. Indeed, the items drawing everyone’s attention were mere trinkets by Adrian’s standards. The vast passage radiated an unnatural allure, yet the scene itself was disturbingly eerie. It was hard to fathom the horrifying presence that could guard such a place.Boom!Violent tremors erupted again. Terrifying forces crashed down, leaving the crowd shock
The area before them seemed anything but ordinary, and everyone hoped the hidden expert would finally lend a hand. Only then would they stand a chance of breaking the barrier. Though the group’s combined efforts were powerful, the true deciding force lay with the concealed powerhouse."Very well."Suddenly, a voice echoed from the void, and the crowd’s morale surged."Hear that? With a senior willing to act, let’s give it everything to shatter this barrier! With luck, the lightning from above will vanish and we can seize the treasure. We can maybe even secure a way out of here," a leader rallied the group.After all, everyone was here to gain strength, to claim the treasures within. Channeling their energies into one, they released intense power, their strikes reverberating across the skies with such force that it seemed as if they were on the brink of splitting heaven and earth.Whoosh!Fierce winds roared, the combined strikes of the assembled experts shaking the surrounding sp
From Adrian’s perspective, the power emanating from inside the barrier seemed increasingly peculiar. He suspected that even if he ventured inside, he might struggle to control it.This realization filled him with hesitation, and he deliberated over whether or not to proceed. Charging forward recklessly could yield unpredictable consequences.Boom!Amidst the flickering, violent energies, Adrian’s expression remained icy and tinged with a murderous glint. In front of him, a Divine led the charge, his aura erupting with intense raging force.The Divine’s leadership proved crucial, and those around him quickly followed his cue and cast their attacks toward the barrier. Even the hidden expert in the shadows contributed, launching a powerful, earth-hued energy that blanketed the sky. This force alone matched the strength of hundreds, demonstrating the advantage of absolute power—strong enough to replace the effort of many.Boom!The barrier trembled, and the crowd watched hopefully.
Seeing this scene, Tyron looked astonished. "It seems like the barrier has been broken."Adrian sighed and replied, "Look carefully at the barrier. It’s only been torn open to form a large gap. Although everyone can enter, the divine lightning still looms in the air. Breaking this barrier completely isn’t as simple as it looks. It requires a specific formation-breaking technique."Adrian examined the ancient tomb's barrier in the distance, noting its structure and understanding the intricacies involved. He had a plan, but he wasn’t ready to make his move just yet.Observing the failed attempt, he wanted to let the others realize why their approach had fallen short. While the others celebrated, believing the large opening meant success, the leading expert wore a grim expression. Unlike the others, he sensed that the barrier hadn’t truly been broken. They’d only torn open a temporary gap. If they continued forward, they’d likely meet the same fate as the unfortunate man who’d been str
In the opinion of those who had left, there was no point in staying behind just to court death. Their current strength had reached its limit, and any further attempts to advance would be futile. They fully understood their situation and had no intention of wasting time here. Lingering any longer would only lead to death, and as more people left, the strong one hidden in the shadows grew displeased.Seeing the crowd thinning, one advanced Divine in the sky narrowed his eyes and said with an edge in his tone, "Everyone, if we keep going like this, we won’t accomplish anything. We may as well head home now. Here’s what I propose. Let’s make one final attempt to break through the barrier by directing our combined power through the gap. If we still fail, then this tomb was simply not meant for us."The crowd’s eyes flickered with determination. They knew this was their last hope, and despite the risk, they weren’t ready to surrender just yet. Some voiced their agreement, saying, "Alright,
Adrian knew it was crucial to proceed cautiously. "Wait a little longer. Now isn’t the best time to make a move,” he said.With a cold gaze, Adrian felt that rushing in now would be premature. He needed to wait patiently because charging in recklessly could lead to unforeseen consequences. A well-timed, decisive strike would be far more effective.Tyron nodded in agreement. "Alright, we’ll follow your lead." He understood that Adrian had a plan, and that acting impulsively might ruin everything.A terrifying power surged out, and Adrian watched with a steely gaze. It was unclear how long this standoff would last, but he sensed a resolution might be close.“Let’s see what happens soon,” he murmured as the ominous energy relentlessly battered the barrier before them.Boom!A powerful surge struck the barrier, causing everyone to tense up, watching in horror as the once-sturdy barrier trembled under the relentless onslaught. The rip expanded, and, to everyone's shock, the barrier fr
Yet, as soon as the man spoke, there was complete silence from the shadows. It was as though his plea was nothing more than a joke. No response came, and the lead expert’s face fell. He understood what was happening. The powerful figure lurking in the shadows had no intention of helping.The others below grew visibly anxious, fully aware of the devastating power of the divine lightning. Anger rose among them as one person shouted, “Cowards! They want us when we’re useful, but now that we’re facing this, they just leave us to fend for ourselves. Disgusting!”Everyone was deeply resentful. They had invested considerable effort in breaking the barrier, only to be abandoned now. But the reality of the situation left them no choice but to brace themselves for what was coming.Boom!The lightning descended in torrents, transforming into terrifying bolts that resounded through the sky, accompanied by furious winds lashing down from above. Everyone’s expression changed drastically, realizi
Crack… crack…The sound of shattering echoed through the air, reverberating across the desolate landscape. Adrian and Renee had emerged in a stark and barren mountainous region. Clearly, they were no longer in Death Valley.Boom!Renee felt herself land on something soft. She was stunned and couldn’t quite process what had just happened.However, she forced herself to calm down. As she regained her composure, she was overwhelmed by the suffocating weight of the dust-filled air. Looking around in confusion, she noticed that the surroundings were unfamiliar. What’s more, Adrian was nowhere to be seen.“Huh? Where did he go?” Renee muttered. Her gaze darted about until it froze on an unbelievable sight.To her surprise, Adrian was beneath her, barely clinging to life. His breathing was faint, and his body was limp as if death had already taken him. Renee gasped, utterly shaken. She hurriedly got to her feet and lifted Adrian. After she dusted him off, she looked at him with a mix
Renee watched Adrian nervously, her expression filled with disbelief. After all, Death Valley had never been this terrifying before. Despite its ominous name, the actual danger wasn’t supposed to be this extreme.At this moment, Renee couldn’t figure out what they had triggered. Could their luck really be this bad? In the past, Renee had traversed this area alongside powerful warriors from Ciawales, even those at the Nascent and Fusion Stages, and they had passed through this valley with ease. But this time, the journey was unexpectedly difficult, fraught with numerous obstacles and dangers that left Renee utterly terrified.Fusions typically passed through this area without trouble. Even she and Adrian, who had slain the giant serpent, were effectively at that level of strength. By all logic, they should have been able to leave without any issues. But now, another monstrous entity had appeared, far more intimidating than anything they had encountered before.Adrian’s face darkene
“Is he not going to wake up?” Renee’s expression was filled with anxiety.The situation was dire. The thunderbolts were almost upon them, threatening to annihilate everything. Yet Adrian remained immersed in his deduction, showing no signs of waking up as if he was fully absorbed in deciphering the formation.Indeed, when it came to analyzing formations, such meticulousness was necessary, especially when attempting to uncover its deadly traps. This task could not be rushed.Crackle, crackle, crackle…Serpentine lightning twisted through the sky, streaks of energy descending as if from the heavens, ready to shatter everything. The entire sky trembled, and it felt like the very fabric of reality was breaking apart.Rumble!The barrier trembled once more, and the entire space around them quivered violently. Despite its strength, the barrier now seemed barely able to hold against the unrelenting onslaught. The thunderstorm’s sheer power was not something any ordinary person could wit
Adrian’s gaze sharpened as he released a wave of killing intent. “Hmph! So there’s still something left. Let’s shatter it once and for all!”Without hesitation, Adrian sat down cross-legged, summoning a powerful surge of energy that enveloped the barrier overhead. His forceful aura spread out, reinforcing the protective shield as he began to analyze the patterns of the formation around them.From the energy fluctuations, it was clear that this was not an ordinary formation. Deducing this, Adrian’s expression grew colder, his killing intent palpable.Boom!A powerful force reverberated, shaking the earth and sky. Renee was stunned. Adrian had once again entered a meditative state to break the formation. Should she assist him?The intensity of the attacks was overwhelming, and if Adrian were interrupted now, the consequences could be dire. Thinking of this, Renee prepared to make a move.“Don’t move. Stay put. This isn’t the same formation as before,” Adrian commanded sternly as if
Adrian scanned his surroundings, his gaze sharp and icy cold. The darkness of the night seemed to carry an ominous presence. He halted, staring intently at Renee, and said, “Don’t rush.”Renee was momentarily stunned, a look of confusion on her face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.Renee hadn’t noticed anything unusual. The only thing she desired was to quickly leave this cursed place. The longer she stayed here, the more uncomfortable she felt.Whoosh!A fierce wind swept through Death Valley, making the towering trees shiver as though they were alive and fearful.Adrian’s expression turned even colder as he looked around and shouted, “Stop hiding! Show yourself!”The sudden outburst left Renee startled. She couldn’t tell if Adrian had lost his mind or if her own senses were just too weak. The air seemed empty, with nothing unusual. The biting cold wind had always been a part of Death Valley’s sinister aura, something Renee had always attributed to the place’s natural state.Adrian’
Some daemonic beasts have a final self-destructive instinct upon death, causing their inner cores to explode and leaving nothing behind for humans to absorb. This was why an intact inner core was incredibly rare and precious.Yet, here Adrian was willingly giving one to her. Renee felt deep gratitude in her heart for this unexpected gesture.“Thank you. If I ever have the chance, I will repay your kindness,” Renee said with sincerity in her eyes.Adrian replied, “No need to thank me. You will certainly have the opportunity. Aren’t you my servant now? Protecting me is your duty. All right, let’s keep moving.”He continued moving forward. By now, it was already late at night.Renee gazed at Adrian, puzzled. She couldn’t figure out what kind of person he was. He treated her like a subordinate, yet his actions were more like those of a friend. She was finding it harder to understand Adrian’s intentions.But Adrian clearly had his own reasons. He wasn’t one to conform to expectations.
"What did you say? You want me to absorb it? But this inner core… It's yours…" Renee stammered, utterly shocked that Adrian was offering her the inner core. She knew well how precious this inner core was.Absorbing a beast’s inner core would significantly boost one's strength. It wasn’t that Adrian didn’t understand this fact. But he still responded calmly, "Yes, you heard me right. I want you to have it. There’s no need to be so surprised."Renee’s eyes widened even further. She couldn’t believe Adrian was treating her this generously. After all, she was just his servant.But to Adrian, it was a worthwhile decision. He had always viewed Renee as an equal. When he was injured, not only did Renee refrain from attacking him, but she also didn’t seize the inner core. More importantly, she had given him her energy to help him recover.Adrian had now gained immense strength. If he were to absorb the inner core’s power on top of that, it might be too much for him to handle and could back
Adrian chuckled lightly. "Why are you so excited? See, I'm awake now. If I never woke up, would you have stayed here watching over me forever?"Renee huffed, half-annoyed. "I’m not that foolish. If you hadn’t woken up, of course, I’d leave."Adrian smiled. "I need some time to recover. Can you keep watch for a little longer?""Sure!" Renee replied eagerly, beaming widely.Adrian then sat cross-legged and began his recovery. Watching him, Renee was filled with both shock and joy. It was nothing short of a miracle that Adrian had regained consciousness. Deep down, she felt a sense of relief mixed with surprise. She had never expected this outcome.At the same time, a flood of questions filled her mind. Normally, Adrian should not have survived such an ordeal. By all logic, he should have already been on his way to the afterlife. Yet, here he was, awake and alive. Renee found herself at a loss for words, overwhelmed by confusion.Seeing Adrian’s intense focus as he trained, Renee co
At that moment, a sudden burst of earth-yellow light erupted within Adrian’s consciousness. It was once again filled with surging waves of power. The soul storm reappeared, and the mysterious chaotic white mist returned, spreading throughout Adrian's soul space.The strange and mystical scene looked astonishing, and slowly, Adrian began to wake up from his deep slumber. As he regained consciousness, he felt a soreness envelop his entire body. Even his soul power seemed to have a slight ache.But before Adrian could fully process this sensation, a terrifying force surged through him. It flooded his entire being with an overwhelming energy.“What...What is this? This power is incredibly strong,” he muttered, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He could sense an immense energy roiling within his body, shaking his very core. The waves of power felt both foreign and potent, making him feel even stronger.Adrian’s expression turned to one of shock and unexpected delight. It was the