CHAPTER 535: CHAPTER 534: ENTRANCE

Then the question arose: what exactly happened to these people?

After fireworks lit up the sky above Lvzhou, Li Yushan immediately led his subordinates to the west of the city to support the knights descending into the underground, followed by monks from Yonglin Temple and high monks from Annam.

The eccentric experts staying at the Shu Palace originally wanted to observe the situation, but just as Li Yushan and the others had left, the ground in the great hall of the Royal Mansion collapsed once again, revealing a pitch-dark hole that led straight down into the depths.

After some deliberation, some Cultivators chose to band together and venture down the hole to see for themselves—they indeed had individuals adept at burrowing and tunneling, confident they could make it back up even if they were trapped below.

Thus, two groups descended into the passageways, encountering the stone door traps.

After paying a small price, they gradually figured out the pattern of the stone doors and were guided step by step deeper underground, eventually meeting at a certain crossroads, and together they came to the Underground Palace.

CREAK—

As the stone doors fully opened, Li Yushan and his people were first captivated by the grand and magnificent architecture of the Underground Palace. Then, they noticed the Steel Armor standing proudly with a sword at the top of the Pyramid and the terrifying, ferocious Scourge Legion below it. Finally, they identified the two familiar groups on each side of the Underground Palace.

"Lord Yu, this..."

Li Yushan subconsciously called out, only to see Yu Qingqiu and Gongyang Han’s expressions change dramatically as they both shouted in unison, "Don’t close the door!!"

What?

Li Yushan’s heart skipped a beat. Instinct preceded thought. He reflexively raised his palm to press against the slowly closing door on the left. He and his knight subordinates used steel polearms to wedge the stone doors, preventing them from closing.

PHEW...

Yu Qingqiu and Gongyang Han simultaneously let out a breath of relief, exchanged looks, and their expressions grew somber once again.

Now that there was another way out, then...

Killing intent once again spread throughout the Underground Palace.

If one were to merely count the numbers, Yu Qingqiu’s side, with the reinforcements, undoubtedly had the advantage.

But if Gongyang Han, the Young Master of the White Lotus Cult, was determined to escape, with some trump cards at his disposal, it was unlikely that the others would be able to stop him...

THUD!

A heavy thumping sound arose, and everyone instinctively turned to look.

They saw the stone door through which the White Lotus Cult members had entered, now covered in a thick layer of ice, trembling slightly.

THUD!

The thumping sound came again from behind the door.

The thick ice on the door began to CRACKLE AND SPLINTER, web-like fissures spreading across it as ice shards fell like snowflakes.

Standing beside the door, the White Lotus Cult members instinctively moved away from the stone door, retreating dozens of steps.

THUD!

The ice layer on the stone door completely shattered, and chunks of varying sizes piled up at the doorway, continuously exuding cold air.

It felt like seconds, or perhaps an eternity, had passed.

Under the intense gaze of everyone, the stone door BOOM! burst open.

The two halves disintegrated into countless rocks along with the broken ice, flying out. Some hit and splintered against columns and beams, while others dropped into the mercury river below, causing dazzling silver glows.

The door was open, revealing a silent and dark corridor.

"Oh?"

The Steel Armor atop the Pyramid hummed with interest, as if she had seen something intriguing. Leaning on her Longsword, she gently rotated the hilt.

No one knew what lay beyond the stone door; only the faint sound of air flowing could be heard.

WHOOSH—

After a while, a faint sound like flowing sand came from behind the stone door.

A massive shadow slowly moved out from the stone door, appearing within the range of the candlelight.

The owner of the shadow was nearly five meters long and entirely black, resembling a hybrid of an ant and a beetle. It had noticeable slender sections between its head, thorax, and abdomen. Its head was large and round, topped with horn-like protrusions similar to a rhinoceros. The exposed mouthparts looked somewhat like an Alien’s, capable of shooting out a chameleon-like tongue ringed with serrated teeth.

The abdomen was particularly swollen and covered with two bright golden hardened elytra. Behind these were transparent, thin hind wings. However, judging by the insect’s overly huge body, the hind wings were probably insufficient to support flight.

The giant insect stood on six legs, slowly arching forward, its long tongue dragging on the ground beside its head, picking up mud and dust.

Gongyang Han’s pupils suddenly shrank; he clearly saw a piece of blood-stained fabric hooked on the serrated tongue of the creature. It was unmistakably from the clothing of the White Lotus Cult member who had died earlier inside the door.

It was this insect that had drained him...

Including Wude Wei, everyone was prepared for combat.

However, in the next second, the creature suddenly took flight, accelerating in a straight line. It crashed headfirst into a pillar of the Underground Palace, its head smashing apart, and then collapsed to the ground.

No, the creature hadn’t flown of its own volition. Its weak and pitiful wings hadn’t even unfolded a moment ago, nor was there any gas expelled from its rear. It had been kicked out by something...

Gongyang Han’s gaze focused behind the stone door.

THUD, THUD, THUD.

The sound of footsteps was calm and powerful.

A young Taoist wearing a black robe emerged slowly from the darkness, his expression serene as he wiped his boots on the ground.

Ignoring the inquisitive looks from everyone, he patted the stone wall by himself, marveling at the candlelight and the mercury-like long river in the Underground Palace.

"Magnificent and imposing, awe-inspiring and dignified, ancient yet fine, elegant yet trendy," the young Taoist reflected as he looked upon the Underground Palace. "The construction of this tomb is marvelous. I wonder which master built it? Truly a work of genius. It makes one want to move in sooner."

Black robe, short hair, Taoist.

In everyone’s mind, a name instantly surfaced—the one whose fame had been rising in recent days.

"Xi Menzi Taoist?" Li Yushan asked in a deep voice.

The young Taoist, or Li Ang as he was known, spoke indifferently, "Indeed, it is I."

"I’ve heard much about you."

Li Yushan cupped his hands in a gesture of courtesy, but at a loss for the right words, he simply asked, "Is the Master also here for the Auspicious Beast?"

"Hmm."

Li Ang nodded faintly, closed his eyes, and began rapidly shifting his hand seals, as if calculating divinations. (If there were any players present, they might realize that Li Ang was actually playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" with his fingers.)

After a while, he opened his eyes, exchanged a look with the Steel Armor on top of the Pyramid, and slowly said, "That Auspicious Beast should be in your hands, right?"

"Oh?"

Miss Chai planted her Paper Frost Sorrow on the ground, crossed her arms in front of her, tilted her chin up slightly, and asked with arrogance, "How do you know that?"