20demayo Chapter 1004 The Battle Inside the Underground Heavenly Palace!
Chapter 1004 The Battle Inside the Underground Heavenly Palace!
"Click——"
A very faint, yet unsettling, sound of a mechanism turning rang out.
"Whoosh whoosh-!"
In an instant, dozens of black holes suddenly appeared in the walls on both sides of Gao Yao's path forward. Countless poisoned crossbow bolts, like a dense swarm of locusts, pierced the air with a shrill sound, weaving a net of death that enveloped him! The arrowheads reflected an eerie color under the ghostly blue starlight, clearly poisoned with a deadly toxin that would kill on contact with blood.
Gao Yao's pupils contracted slightly, but his forward momentum did not diminish in the slightest! The superhuman strength and reaction speed within him, enhanced by the system, were on full display at this moment. With a rapid flick of his wrist, the Crimson Sky Sword drew crimson circular arcs in the air, the sword wind surging and forming an impenetrable barrier of sword energy!
“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-!”
A deafening barrage of arrows, like raindrops pounding on banana leaves, resounded! The vast majority of crossbow bolts were precisely parried and deflected by the Crimson Sky Sword, scattering in all directions. A few that managed to slip through were nimbly dodged by his swift twists and turns, his movements fluid and graceful, brimming with the beauty of power and speed. But his forward momentum was ultimately momentarily halted by this unexpected rain of arrows.
In that instant, the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan, using the recoil from the mechanism, floated backward like a ghost, landing on another platform closer to the core area of Tianxing. His face showed no smugness, only a cold, solemn expression.
"Kill!" At this moment, Gao Yao's personal guards had already engaged in close combat with the silent subordinates brought by the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan. These personal guards were all battle-hardened warriors selected by Gao Yao from thousands of troops and rigorously trained using methods ahead of their time. Each of them was fearless and coordinated perfectly. Swordsmen and shieldmen were in front, spearmen in the middle, and crossbowmen in the rear, advancing in formation with a fierce offensive.
Although Yi Xiaochuan's men seemed to be outnumbered and their individual combat skills were not as good as Gao Yao's personal guards, they were familiar with the terrain of this underground palace as if it were their own backyard! They did not confront the personal guards head-on, but instead used the towering boulders, winding passages, and even the barely perceptible cracks in the ground as cover, fighting and retreating with exceptionally slippery movements.
What's even more frightening is that they clearly have a deep understanding of how to control the mechanisms here.
"Watch your step!" A squad leader of personal guards had just shouted a warning when a seemingly solid section of the floor in front of him suddenly collapsed, revealing a bottomless pit filled with sharp copper spikes! Two swordsmen who had charged too far ahead were unable to stop in time and fell down with screams, instantly swallowed up, leaving only the sickening sound of flesh and bone shattering.
On the other side, several guards were chasing an enemy. Just as they rushed through an archway, the heavy dragon-severing stone above their heads crashed down! If those behind hadn't reacted quickly and desperately grabbed the ankle of the person in front, pulling him back, several more would likely have been killed. The dragon-severing stone slammed to the ground with a dull thud, shaking the entire underground palace and completely blocking the passage.
"Left wall! Get out of the way!" Gao Yao shouted, keeping a close eye on the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan's movements while still giving orders. Before he finished speaking, several bronze spears as thick as a child's arm suddenly shot out from the left wall, carrying immense force and pinning a soldier, armor and all, to the opposite wall. Blood instantly stained the mottled murals.
From the very beginning, the battle was extremely unequal. Gao Yao's personal guards, despite their strength and superior equipment, were fighting as if inside a giant, malevolent living entity, where every step could trigger a deadly trap. The enemy, with their absolute familiarity with the mechanisms, relentlessly divided, weakened, and devoured them. Screams, the clanging of mechanisms, the clashing of weapons, the thunderous crash of boulders falling... all these sounds created a symphony of death within this magnificent and eerie underground space.
Gao Yao's face was so dark it could drip water. He knew all too well that this couldn't be allowed to drag on! A swift victory was needed to capture and kill the leader!
"Form a circular formation! Advance steadily! Pay attention to the seams between the ground and the walls!" he shouted, trying to bolster morale. Then, ignoring the sporadic arrows and occasional small traps, he fixed his gaze on the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan on the platform.
"Damn it! All you can do is hide behind mechanisms like a rat?" Gao Yao's voice was icy, trying to provoke him.
The mysterious Yi Xiaochuan remained unmoved, instead revealing a mocking smile: "Gao Yao, this is a sacred place built by the First Emperor, who gathered the most skilled craftsmen in the world and poured his heart and soul into it. How can it be broken by brute force? Today, I will show you what the true power of the Heavenly Palace is!"
Having said that, he waved his hands repeatedly, his sleeves fluttering, clapping and spinning the seemingly decorative bronze components and animal head reliefs around him. His movements were elegant and rhythmic, as if he were playing an invisible musical instrument.
"Rumble--!"
The entire underground palace began to tremble and rumble even more violently! Above the dome, the gems simulating the celestial constellations flickered erratically, their light flashing wildly. The ground began to tilt and shift, and the previously fixed, suspended boulders began to move and collide erratically! More holes opened in the walls, spewing out poisonous smoke, venom, and even flammable oil capable of igniting instantly!
Suddenly, the world spun around, as if the end of the world had arrived!
Gao Yao's personal guards were thrown into chaos. Faced with such a colossal mechanism, individual bravery seemed so insignificant. Men were constantly being knocked away by moving boulders, falling into suddenly appearing crevices, or being overcome by poisonous smoke and engulfed by flames.
Gao Yao himself was also greatly affected. The ground beneath his feet was constantly changing, requiring him to expend a great deal of mental energy to maintain his balance while dodging attacks from all directions and without any pattern. Several times he tried to force his way to the platform where the mysterious Yi Xiaochuan was located, but he was blocked by suddenly rising stone walls, moving boulders, or gushing subterranean fire.
The mysterious figure of Yi Xiaochuan appeared and disappeared amidst the chaos. He was like a god who controlled everything, calmly moving between the deadly gaps in the traps. Occasionally, he would take the opportunity to throw out a few poisoned hidden weapons, or trigger some traps to focus on Gao Yao.
"Damn it!" Gao Yao roared, and the Crimson Sky Sword suddenly unleashed a dazzling crimson sword aura, shattering a millstone-sized boulder that was hurtling towards him in mid-air! Amidst the flying debris, he seized an opening, unleashing his full power without reservation, and his figure moved like lightning, closing in once again!
Yi Xiaochuan's eyes narrowed, clearly not expecting Gao Yao to be able to unleash such speed amidst the chaos. He retreated rapidly, simultaneously slamming his hand on a massive stone pillar behind him, carved with coiled dragon patterns!