"The passage to the eighth level is ahead. Should we continue?" Bai Xingyu asked, panting heavily.
Up to the fifth level, the oppressive aura around them posed little challenge to Bai Xingyu. However, as the levels increased, coupled with high-intensity combat, his mental and physical energy had begun to significantly deplete. If he were to engage in a few more battles, he might still be able to endure, but facing an opponent stronger than himself would likely leave him with no chance of victory.
Lu Fei's gaze was fixed on the surroundings, the space here exuding a palpable pressure. In the previous levels, this oppressive feeling had been almost negligible to Lu Fei, but here, he could clearly feel its presence. Further ahead, if he encountered opponents of comparable strength, it would be manageable. But if he met those stronger than them… then he would truly have to flee.
Yet, Lu Fei felt a sense of reluctance. After all, the Soul Suppressing Pagoda's origin, as mentioned by Hei Dan, was supposedly on the ninth level. Now that they had reached the seventh, perhaps with a bit more perseverance, they could attain it.
As Lu Fei pondered, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind. "Lao Lu, keep going up. I can handle this space." It was Hei Dan, who had been silent until now.
Lu Fei was confused. "You can handle it? How?"
Hei Dan chuckled mysteriously. "That's my divine method. Don't worry too much, just go ahead."
Lu Fei frowned. While Hei Dan was arrogant, he possessed the strength to back it up. Otherwise, Huangfu Chenyi wouldn't have traveled so far to find him.
"Then I'll trust you this once," Lu Fei gritted his teeth, making up his mind. "Let's proceed to the next level and see. If we encounter powerful monsters, we retreat immediately."
Bai Xingyu nodded and followed Lu Fei towards the eighth level. Both of them heightened their vigilance. Unexpectedly, after walking for more than ten minutes, no dark-element contracted beasts appeared. The place was as calm as a dead land. Lu Fei could feel a strange, unfathomable energy surging from his fingertips, a unique energy that couldn't be observed. Inside the spatial ring, Hei Dan was emanating an ominous dark glow, utterly bizarre. This sight terrified Ji Ge, who cowered in the corner, trembling. It was precisely this peculiar energy that kept the surrounding contracted beasts at bay. And so, the two of them unknowingly arrived at the eighth level!
Entering the domain of the eighth level, a rich stench of blood assaulted their nostrils, causing Bai Xingyu to gag. Unlike the previous levels, there were no resting platforms here; upon entry, they were directly in a combat arena. In the distance, an altar stood, its surface Lu Fei could vaguely see had turned completely dark red. It was viscous blood, the massive altar completely submerged in it!
"So, this is where all the demonic beasts' blood went."
"Swish, swish, swish." As Lu Fei and the others fully entered, they heard a rushing sound of flowing water, yet there was no source of water. When their gaze fell upon the altar again, they noticed that the almost solidified blood had begun to flow, spreading outwards from the altar.
Observing the altar's transformation and the surging blood from the ground, Lu Fei and Bai Xingyu's expressions turned serious. The atmosphere here was far too eerie! It resembled a massive slaughterhouse more than a relic!
"No, we need to leave here immediately!" Bai Xingyu fumbled for a teleportation stone.
But a terrifying thing happened: the teleportation stone was ineffective!
"You can't leave!"
"Capture them!"
"Kill!"
At this moment, piercing and horrifying laughter echoed through the canyon, followed by a blood-red light descending from above, a blood curtain sealing off their retreat. Following the source of the sound, figures clad in tattered clothes, appearing like specters, slowly emerged.
"This is!"
"I recognize him, his name is Liu An. Why has he become like this!" Lu Fei's eyes widened as he looked at the people approaching the altar. After repeated confirmation, he recognized one of them from television – a youth known as a genius. But now? The person seemed soulless! Several others were in the same state as Liu An, and beside them, several contracted beasts with blood-red eyes, like walking corpses, looked towards Lu Fei and the other. Lu Fei's scalp tingled! What had happened here? In an instant, the figures from the other side were walking towards them.
"Combat!" Lu Fei shouted, summoning his Iron Head Child first and leading the charge. With the teleportation stone mysteriously failing and their escape route blocked, fleeing was impossible. Their only option was to fight, or perish.
Bai Xingyu nodded, his expression grave. He summoned the [Flame Beast] and the [Giant Rock Beast].
One One One One One One One One
Contracted Beast - [Flame Beast]
Level - [Lv85]
Attribute - [Fire]
Combat Power - [1569]
Rarity - [S-Class]
Skills - [Inferno Tide (Top-tier) - Proficiency (Perfect)] [Rage (Advanced) - Proficiency (Perfect)] [Sea of Fire and Blades (Top-tier) - Proficiency (Perfect)]
One One One One One One One One
One One One One One One One One
Contracted Beast - [Giant Rock Beast]
Level - [Lv85]
Attribute - [Fire]
Combat Power - [1580]
Rarity - [S-Class]
Skills - [Earth Shatter (Top-tier) - Proficiency (Perfect)] [Rolling Stone Torrent (Advanced) - Proficiency (Perfect)] [Great Earthquake (Top-tier) - Proficiency (Perfect)]
One One One One One One One One
This was the first time Lu Fei had witnessed the combat power of Bai Xingyu's two contracted beasts, and he couldn't help but secretly admire his formidable strength.