CHAPTER 458: CHAPTER 458: HONESTLY, DON’T YOU WANT ME TO WIN?

Upon gathering a certain number of keys, the keys would resonate and emit guidance, but even Yi Zuo was unclear about the specific number required. He suggested to Yang Yu that every time a key was collected, all the keys should be casually placed together once.

It seems that a certain number of keys must be collected and brought together to unlock a hidden task.

After all, these were keys left by a hero, so the reward for the hidden task should be substantial.

As for how many were needed, there was no rush; it could be done slowly, especially since he was so weak that he wasn’t always able to clear the hero’s underground maze.

After asking some important questions, Yang Yu also inquired about some trivial details.

Yang Yu had also learned quite a bit about the past Demon Kings.

Since it couldn’t be confirmed whether the previous Demon King was thoroughly dealt with or sealed, it was good to be prepared with extra information.

Just when Yang Yu wanted to inquire about the previous Four Heavenly Kings, Yi Zuo suddenly closed his eyes, his mouth opening and closing, before he declared:

"Someone has already passed the final trial."

"What trial? Besides us, are there others undergoing the same test?"

Yang Yu suddenly remembered the Mother Spider had mentioned that before them, other adventurers had entered this underground maze. According to the Mother Spider’s tone, they were all captured, and surely, any unsurpassed adventurers would be stored as food, wrapped in webs.

If someone had secretly used a knife to cut through the threads and arrived here just like them...

As Yang Yu was lost in his thoughts, Yi Zuo named someone that surprised Yang Yu,

"It was a man named Qing Shi, and he has passed the trial."

Yang Yu looked towards the chess pieces on the board as Qing Shi, acting as a pawn, was steadily advancing towards the corner of the board, about to be promoted.

If Qing Shi wasn’t here, there was only one explanation for this situation,

"So, that’s how it is. All I’ve seen have been illusions. You’ve been stalling on purpose. Honestly, don’t you want me to win? Such a sore loser."

"I am not a sore loser," Yi Zuo said with a wry smile and shook his head, "You were the one who asked first."

"Don’t make excuses like that. It’s because you took too long to move. If you thought faster, I guarantee I could finish within three minutes."

Yi Zuo wore a helpless expression. Back in the day, he was an unmatched chess expert throughout the country and even offered a national reward specially to find a worthy opponent. Now, he was being complained about for moving too slowly.

"Don’t keep giving me that ’this guy definitely doesn’t want to hand over the real treasure’ look. In fact, as soon as you made that move, I saw the trend of the game. I was undoubtedly going to lose.

I must admit, your chess skills are indeed better than mine.

But rules are rules, and I’ll give the key to the first person who passes the trial."

"Are you kidding me? After all this, you still don’t plan to give me the key?"

"I can’t give you the key, but I will give you the reward for clearing it. First, let’s head to the seventh floor, and I’ll also call back your other companions."

Yi Zuo waved his hand, and everything around them turned illusory, transforming into a hazy white mist. Beneath Yang Yu’s feet, a red teleportation magic array appeared.

Not only that, but the red Teleportation Magic Array had also appeared under the others’ feet.

In Bai Jin’s trial, Bai Jin and Yang Yu were hiding behind a barricade, while the severely injured Guardian Yi Zuo was slowly making his way towards their cover.

The rest of the team were seriously wounded and on the verge of death, leaving only the two of them able to move.

They needed only one hit to take down the Guardian, but the problem was that the severely injured Yang Yu and Bai Jin were incapable of making a normal attack; someone had to act as bait.

And the person who acted as bait would certainly perish under the Guardian’s attack.

Yang Yu had made his decision; he would rush out to provide cover, allowing Bai Jin to deliver the final blow.

But Bai Jin had a different idea; it was time for her to make the sacrifice. She had resolved to defy Yang Yu’s orders at any cost and to rush out the moment he began to command.

However, before she could do that, there was something very important she needed to say to Yang Yu, words that she would regret not saying for the rest of her life.

Yet Bai Jin struggled to muster the courage, uncertain of how to accurately express the feelings she harbored within her heart. And before she could make up her mind, the cruel battlefield abruptly dissolved into nothingness.

In the world of Iyas and Hake, Yang Yu was imprisoned in a cage, having tarnished the Queen’s reputation; only immersing him in a pig cage would be enough to quell the people’s rage.

To avoid Yang Yu being submerged in a pig cage, Iyas and Hake had traveled far and wide, but they could not find a way to save him. They had no choice but to kneel before the Elf Queen and plead for Yang Yu’s life, but the Queen stood her ground, with strong convictions, scolding Iyas and Hake loudly.

Just as Iyas was about to plead again, the scolding suddenly stopped.

Lotcar looked towards the azure sky; beside him, another Silver Wolf was kneeling on the ground, stained with blood, mocking his ignorance and simplicity. But Lotcar turned a deaf ear. He was just waiting for the azure sky to turn into pure white clouds.

And Qing Shi, the young man who appeared naively honest, stood in the center of the vast desert, slowly reaching out to catch the red key falling gently from the sky.

Seeing the note Yang Yu had left him, Qing Shi hesitated.

Qing Shi could tell that this place was in the treacherous center of the desert. Allowing Yang Yu and the others to wander would only lead them into danger and be overwhelmed by the sands.

But Qing Shi couldn’t take that first step. He had never ventured alone into the perilous heart of the desert; his range of activity had always been near the edges of the Gobi.

In fact, Qing Shi possessed all the knowledge required by a Desert Guide and knew to be cautious.

Yet, he had always believed he had to be as good as his father to lead people across the desert.

Facing the vast sands, Qing Shi hesitated countless times, but whenever he thought of Yang Yu and the others bravely battling, his trembling body would become a bit steadier.

"Compared to what they’ve done, I am truly too cowardly now, and all the things I’ve done are just insignificant trifles. But this is the path I have chosen..."

Qing Shi took a deep breath and smiled in acceptance,

"Didn’t I tell them the desert was dangerous? They never listen. I must find them all and give them a piece of my mind."

Overcoming the fear within his heart, Qing Shi moved cautiously through the desert, crossing numerous dangers, and eventually found everyone.

When he received the key, everything around Qing Shi turned ethereal. Soon his sight flickered, and he arrived in a space filled with stars.

Here, Qing Shi saw Iyas, Bai Jin, and Lotcar, who, like Qing Shi, looked around in confusion, not understanding the situation.

Only Yang Yu was chatting with the youth on the throne nonchalantly, as if they were old friends who had known each other for many years.