latelenovela Chapter 593
Chapter 593
Zhao Qingyang followed closely behind, his spear like a silver dragon emerging from its cave, deflecting the icy breath spewed by the ice beast; Chen Mo, meanwhile, hid behind a stone pillar, his hands flying, golden talismans forming a defensive array in the air, blocking all the flying ice shards.
The ice beast's attacks grew increasingly ferocious, each tail swipe unleashing a storm of ice that swept across the entire area. Sharp ice crystals rained down like a torrential downpour, forcing everyone to constantly dodge and search for opportunities to counterattack within the narrow passage. During the fierce battle, Chen Mo keenly noticed that with each attack, tiny cracks would appear in the ice crystals around the ice beast's eyes—its only exposed, soft spot!
"Attack its eyes!" Chen Mo shouted, his hands rapidly forming hand seals. Dozens of golden talismans shot towards the ice beast's eyes like arrows. The moment the talismans struck their targets, they erupted with dazzling golden light. The ice beast roared in agony, frantically shaking its head and smashing the surrounding stone walls to pieces. Taking advantage of its brief moment of panic, Lin Xiu concentrated all his spiritual power, and his sword light tripled in size in the air, like a silver lightning bolt, slashing straight towards the ice beast's vital point.
With a deafening roar, the massive ice beast crashed to the ground, shattering into countless glittering ice fragments. The group, leaning against the wall, gasped for breath, blood seeping from their wounds again, staining their tattered clothes a mottled red. But their eyes were filled with joy—they had once again defeated a formidable foe, bringing them one step closer to the truth.
After a brief rest, the group gripped their weapons and ventured deeper into the passage. In the darkness, unknown dangers and secrets still awaited them…
Just when everyone thought the thrilling battle had finally come to an end, the heavy stench of blood still lingered on the battlefield, and the surrounding air was still trembling slightly from the fierce fighting. The broken ice on the ground suddenly emitted a strange blue light in the dim light, the light flickering like the deep phosphorescence of the ocean, sending chills down one's spine.
The blue light grew stronger, as if an invisible force was drawing the ice shards together. They began to move rapidly, colliding and merging, producing crisp sounds. In the blink of an eye, the ice shards quickly coalesced and reformed, and a much larger figure gradually took shape within the blue light. When the blue light dissipated, an unprecedentedly gigantic ice beast appeared before everyone's eyes. It was as tall as a three-story building, radiating a chilling, eerie light. Wherever it passed, the ground instantly froze into a thick layer of frost, and even the moisture in the air was frozen into tiny ice crystals, shimmering in the dim light like countless tiny stars.
The ice beast's eyes, like two burning flames of cold fire, blazed with boundless rage and murderous intent as it coldly stared at the group before it. It opened its blood-red maw and unleashed a deafening roar. This roar seemed to pierce the very soul, far more terrifying than any before. Wherever the sound waves reached, nearby rocks shattered, and flying fragments of stone shot in all directions like sharp arrows. The group's faces instantly turned deathly pale. They had just endured a fierce battle, their physical strength completely exhausted, and their spiritual energy nearly depleted. Now, facing this even more powerful ice beast, a sense of despair spread through their hearts; their situation was extremely precarious.
Zhao Qingyang gripped his spear tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, but his eyes remained as resolute as iron. He knew that he could not back down now; even if the road ahead was fraught with peril, he had to fight with all his might. Chen Mo took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, preparing to cast another spell. His forehead was covered in sweat, every movement heavy yet carrying a do-or-die determination. Lin Xiu sat cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed, desperately circulating the remaining spiritual energy within his body, attempting to recover some strength. Large beads of sweat slid down his cheeks, soaking his clothes.
The ice beast seemed to have lost patience and launched the first attack. A thick pillar of ice shot from its mouth, like a giant silver dragon, hurtling towards the group. The air seemed to freeze wherever the ice pillar passed; its speed was so great that no one had time to react. The group watched helplessly as the ice pillar approached, filled with despair and utter powerlessness.
Just at this critical moment, a muffled rumble suddenly came from the stone wall on one side of the passage. Immediately afterward, a crack appeared in the wall, widening rapidly, and a mysterious figure emerged from it. This person held a staff radiating a mysterious aura, inlaid with a crystal-clear gem that shimmered with light, seemingly containing boundless power. The mysterious figure gently waved the staff, and a soft light instantly enveloped everyone before them. The menacing ice pillars, upon touching the light, vanished instantly, like snow meeting the blazing sun, turning into shattered ice.
The mysterious figure turned around, his gaze sweeping over the group, a hint of barely perceptible concern in his eyes. His tone was calm yet undeniably authoritative as he said, "Follow me. It's dangerous here." The group, already shaken, had no time to think, nor did they bother to investigate the mysterious figure's identity. They all stood up and followed closely behind him, stepping into the passage behind the stone wall. The passage was dimly lit and filled with a mysterious atmosphere. No one knew what challenges and surprises the new adventure would bring, or what untold secrets it would uncover.
Stepping into the passage behind the stone wall, a damp and chilly atmosphere enveloped them. The passage was so narrow that only two people could walk side by side. The walls were rough and uneven, as if torn apart by the claws of some giant beast, riddled with jagged grooves. The ground beneath their feet was uneven and undulating, yet the mysterious figure walked with a steady gait, each step carrying an indescribable rhythm, as if he knew the terrain by heart. The group followed closely behind, almost able to hear each other's rapid breathing. The eerie light flickering on the surrounding walls, like countless pairs of peering eyes, pulsed rhythmically, as if breathing, or perhaps silently whispering ancient secrets.
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the ground, as if an ancient beast slumbering beneath the earth was awakening. The group stumbled, their footing faltering, and the flickering eerie light on the walls became erratic. Before they could regain their footing, countless sharp ice spikes burst from the earth, like a swarm of venomous snakes poised to strike, hurtling towards them. The ice spikes gleamed with a cold, bluish-gray light, appearing particularly menacing and terrifying under the eerie glow. The mysterious figure reacted swiftly, raising his staff high and uttering a soft shout. Instantly, a semi-transparent shield unfolded around them, its surface shimmering with mysterious runes and radiating a soft yet resilient light. The sharp ice spikes struck the shield, producing a series of crisp impacts and scattering countless tiny ice shards, yet they could not penetrate the defense.
After the ice spikes ceased their attack, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but their tense nerves dared not relax for a moment. Continuing forward, a heavy stone door appeared before them. The door's surface was covered with twisted and eerie runes, which seemed alive, emitting a sinister, eerie green light in the darkness, with a faint black mist swirling within them. A nauseating stench seeped from the cracks in the stone door. The mysterious man stopped before the door, his expression turning serious. He rapidly formed hand seals, chanting incantations that echoed through the passage. As the incantation continued, the runes on the door shone brightly, their eerie green light resonating with the light emanating from the mysterious man's staff. The stone door slowly creaked open to both sides.
The moment the stone door opened, an even stronger chill swept over them. Behind the door was a vast cavern with an extremely high dome that seemed to connect with the sky. Countless stalactites hung from the ceiling, shimmering with a cold luster. In the center of the cavern, a huge blue crystal floated in the air, its surface shimmering with a soft light, like stars in the night sky or a pearl in the deep sea, exuding a mysterious and powerful aura. Drawn by the crystal's radiance, everyone was involuntarily drawn closer to it.
Just as the group was a few steps away from the crystal, a rustling sound suddenly came from a corner of the cave. Immediately afterward, a group of dark figures surged out like a tide. In the dim light, the group could see their true forms—monsters made of ice crystals. These monsters varied in shape; some were humanoid, covered in sharp ice blades; others were like giant beasts, their mouths filled with sharp ice teeth, each step they took leaving a thick layer of frost on the ground. They let out sharp roars, their eyes flashing with chilling killing intent, and pounced towards the group.
The mysterious figure immediately directed everyone to stand back-to-back, forming a tight defensive circle. "Hold your ground, don't panic!" the mysterious figure said calmly, waving his staff. A beam of light shot towards the nearest monster, which was momentarily stunned by the light. Chen Mo reacted swiftly, his hands rapidly forming hand seals and chanting incantations. Talismans flew from his hands, burning in the air and transforming into streaks of flame that shot towards the monster. Lin Xiu drew his longsword, its blade flashing, its sword energy crisscrossing, each strike precisely targeting the monster's vital points. Zhao Qingyang wielded his spear, its shadow like a dragon, ice shards flying wherever the spear tip pointed. The mysterious figure's staff light, Chen Mo's talisman flames, Lin Xiu's sword light, and Zhao Qingyang's spear shadow intertwined, forming a dazzling yet dangerous light curtain in the cave.
The battle was incredibly fierce, with countless ice crystal monsters surging in wave after wave. The group's physical and spiritual energy were constantly being depleted; sweat soaked their clothes, and blood dripped from their wounds onto the cold ground. But none of them retreated; they gritted their teeth and fought back with all their might. After a grueling struggle, the ice crystal monsters' onslaught finally began to weaken, and the last monster, struck by the mysterious figure's fatal blow, shattered into countless ice fragments.
The mysterious figure broke the silence first. He slowly walked to the blue crystal, his fingertips lightly tracing its surface. The flowing light seemed to come alive, wrapping around his wrist: "This is the Heart of the Star Abyss, capable of sensing the desires of its wielder." Before he finished speaking, the crystal suddenly burst forth with blinding light, countless patterns of light spreading out like a spiderweb, projecting a dynamic star map onto the cave ceiling. On the star map, twelve altars emitting different lights formed a ring, and at their current location, a dangerous crimson warning flashed.
Zhao Qingyang, leaning on his spear, struggled to his feet, the spear tip scraping the ground with a piercing sound: "What are these altars?"
"In ancient times, the Star Abyss Guardians set up the Demon-Suppressing Array Eye to seal the power of chaos." As the mysterious man turned around, a corner of his hood slipped down, revealing half of his face with starlight-like patterns. "Now that the seal of the seventh altar has loosened, those ice crystal monsters were just vanguards attracted by the aura of chaos."
Despite his exhaustion, Chen Mo pulled out a yellowed ancient book from his robes and quickly flipped through it by the light of the crystal: "The ancient book records that each altar is guarded by a guardian spirit and a secret treasure. If the array eye is forcibly destroyed, the power of chaos will be completely out of control..." Before he could finish speaking, the ground suddenly trembled violently, and the blood-red light on the location of the seventh altar on the star map surged like a tide.
Lin Xiu gripped his longsword tightly, the sword energy shattering the flying pebbles: "Looks like there's no time to prepare!" Just as he finished speaking, the crystal suddenly emitted a buzzing shriek, and a portal of light slowly opened before them. Behind the portal, an altar floating above a lava lake appeared and disappeared, and within the dark red mist, a colossal beast resembling a taotie could be vaguely seen gnawing at the chains at the altar's core.
The mysterious man slammed his staff heavily on the ground, and a star-shaped teleportation array appeared on the ground: "This journey is fraught with peril. If you wish to withdraw, it is not too late."
Zhao Qingyang held his spear horizontally, the tip of which ignited with crimson flames: "Now that I have come this far, I will not turn back."
Chen Mo bit his fingertip and dripped blood onto the talisman: "Someone has to uncover the truth."
Lin Xiu sheathed his longsword, his body surging with spiritual energy: "If chaos reappears, how can the people of the world find peace?"
As everyone stepped into the teleportation array, the blue crystal abruptly shrank into a point of light and disappeared into the mysterious man's brow. When they appeared at the edge of the lava lake, the monstrous beast abruptly turned its head, its breath instantly scorching the air in flames. The mysterious man raised his hand, forming a hand seal; the gem at the tip of his staff transformed into countless stardust fragments, weaving a defensive barrier above their heads: "Remember, attack its reverse scale on the back of its neck!"
During the fierce battle, Chen Mo noticed that the chains at the altar's core would loosen slightly before each attack by the behemoth. He risked leaping onto a floating rock and detonated dozens of talismans simultaneously: "Zhao Qingyang! Now!" Zhao Qingyang understood, his spear, wreathed in flames, soaring into the sky and piercing the behemoth's nape. Just then, Lin Xiu suddenly noticed countless afterimages of ice crystal monsters emerging from the lava. He swung his sword, cleaving through the oncoming flames, and shouted, "Be careful! They're using the lava to regenerate!"
A flicker of worry crossed the mysterious figure's eyes, and his staff blazed with light: "You hold the behemoth back, I'll reinforce the altar's seal!" With his incantation, star trails rose from the ground, enveloping the entire altar. However, the behemoth seemed to sense the danger, letting out a deafening roar as it rammed into the altar's core with all its might. The instant the chains snapped, dark red chaotic energy erupted forth, distorting and dissipating everything in its path—rocks, air, even light.