Chapitre 22: Crisis

February 26, 1152. Tuesday.

Eleven days passed quickly, bringing peace to the Dungeon but boredom to Akira.

He earned a total of 110 Qi points over the five days, thanks to Xu Xena and Gu Ryu's presence.

Akira was once again reading the scroll containing classified information about the Tower, while Gu Ryu practiced a repetitive thrust spear technique.

He had been inspired to make the spear his main weapon after watching Wukong's skillful use of it during their sparring sessions with his guard.

Each thrust was executed with deadly precision.

Xu Xena was lounging in her undergarments by the pond where Akira used to bathe.

She dipped her toes into the calm water, feeling its coldness. The cool breeze brushed gently against her body, making her feel calm and content.

She opened her eyes as a shadow covered the sun. It was the winged beast that carried the Dungeon Master.

Soon after, she sensed the earth rumbling and hundreds of beasts marching toward the entrance from different directions.

Xu Xena swiftly donned her Hanfu with a graceful motion, while Gu Ryu paused his training.

Xu Xena and Gu Ryu's priorities were clear: ensure the safety of the Zhang siblings and then follow the Dungeon Master.

Both were focused and preparing for a potential intrusion from outside enemies.

Akira is already at the dungeon entrance, having been notified by his system of a sudden influx of guests.

As he flies through the sky on a winged beast, he reads the countless notifications but doesn't see Jin Boqin's name or any familiar names from the Sky Heaven Piercing Sect.

This prompts him to mobilize all nearby beasts on the First Floor of the dungeon. Despite the situation, he maintains an indifferent expression.

The winged beast gracefully lands and lowers its head for Akira to dismount.

With his apathetic expression, Akira stays close to the winged beast, ready to hop back on and flee deep into the Dungeon if necessary.

The notification indicates that there are nearly a few hundred cultivators, whereas 50 of them are in a Golden Core Realm which was a problem right there because the barrier can only withstand the Core Formation Realm.

Shortly after, Xu Xena and Gu Ryu arrived at the entrance of the first floor and spotted Akira standing casually in front of it.

There was no visible Spiritual Qi fluctuation, indicating that he was not particularly powerful, but his demeanor imposing and exuded confidence.

He was dressed in attire similar to that of the tower's ordinary residents, but he wore it with grace.

Five elderly men and two fairies entered the first floor of the dungeon. They gasped as they breathed in the air, amazed by the density and purity of the Spiritual Qi. However, a somber atmosphere surrounded them.

They were immediately struck by the sight of a majestic, winged beast. Its golden brown feathers were mesmerizing and appeared incredibly soft. However, its imposing stance resembled that of an ancient wyvern, exuding an intimidating presence.

The right wing of the majestic beast stretched out, providing shade for a man who was dressed simply and seemed unremarkable. However, his demeanor suggested otherwise.

Although the onlookers saw him as ordinary, they recognized him as the most important figure in the dungeon.

They immediately bowed and greeted him.

"Greetings. We are the remaining Inner Elders from the Sky Heaven Piercing Sect. Our Sect Master instructed us to seek shelter with you if the enemy breaches our defenses."

Akira's sharp gaze landed on the five elders. "Where is your Sect Master?"

The elders' somber demeanor grew even darker. "He stayed behind with Sect Master Yu Yuria of Thee Head Snake to hold off the enemies and give us a chance to escape. And also..." The leader of the elders hesitated for a moment before continuing, "To protect you, Your Lordship."

The elders were unsure of how to address Akira, as he preferred to be treated like an ordinary person, so they used the common titles for kings and leaders.

"Was it the Devouring Snake Sect?"

The elders nodded in response.

A heavy silence hung in the air as the elders awaited Akira's instructions.

Turmoil raged in Akira's mind as he hadn't anticipated the enemy was that formidable, capable of forcing two powerful sects in the area to flee.

I overestimated Jin Boqin's abilities and underestimated theirs.

"What instructions were you given?"

The elders exchanged glances before the leader stepped forward.

"May I?" the elder motioned with his hand, which Akira immediately understood.

Akira nodded in response.

The elder flicked his hand and created a barrier, isolating their conversation.

The elder gave Akira a bracer containing a portion of the Sect Master's essence and arrangements.

The elder then left the barrier and waited patiently.

Akira was unsure how to use the bracer to access Jin Boqin's message. It was not as simple as using the Pagoda to store food.

As he examined the bracer, he discovered a folded paper attached to it, emitting a faint glow. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a piece of the counterfeit Essence Grade Spirit Paper he had given to Jin Boqin.

This meant that the bracer did not contain Jin Boqin's essence, but rather the paper itself.

After reading the contents of the paper, he carefully tucked it into his pocket.

The Essence Grade Spirit Paper, though fake, has its uses. As long as Jin Boqin's portion of the paper is glowing, it means he's still alive.

The elder immediately undid the barrier sensing his cold stare.

"Golden Core Realm cultivators, disperse to the forest around the dungeon and keep watch. Take down any enemies of the Sect and capture ordinary people. The rest of the Sect's disciples can seek shelter inside."

"Understood," the inner elders of the Sky Heaven Piercing Sect replied in unison.

"Gather all the disciples who had been here before and station them near the entrance of the first floor as the vanguard."

"Only a few of them survived the onslaught but it will be done."

"Prepare for a potential confrontation. Ensure that the disciples understand they are not allowed to wander in the dungeon and should eliminate any beasts."

"We will follow your orders."

Akira nodded and the elders sprang into action.

Turning to Xu Xena and Gu Ryu, Akira instructed, "Well done in securing the Zhang siblings first. Retrieve the siblings and bring them outside Wukong's temple."

The two quickly followed his command and went to retrieve the siblings.

He had noticed earlier that the siblings were nervously huddled in the corner of their cabin before Xu Xena and Gu Ryu fetched them and brought them near the teleportation portal.

Akira mounted the winged beast and instructed it to take him to the teleportation portal.

His lack of caution against the Snake Devouring Sect had led to the current predicament.

I'm so reckless! He cursed himself, gritting his teeth.

The winged beast landed gracefully, and Akira mounted to the platform and entered the teleportation portal.

His body was soon covered in light and disappeared from the first floor.

Akira materialized in the teleportation gate of the second floor, prompting his eyes to open.

He sent his thoughts through the system, and soon the second floor rumbled as various beasts approached.

Akira checked the information on the translucent tab: there were 2,000 beasts in the Mid Stage Core Formation Realm and 1,000 beasts in the Late Stage of the same realm.

He started sorting and placing them based on their usefulness where they can most show their capabilities according to the landscape of the second floor.

It took him an hour before he walked toward the boss of the Second Floor.

Akira opened his personal tab and saw how many Qi Points were added to his asset.

[Notification: 729 Cultivators in Qi Condensation Realm entered the Dungeon as guests. The Master Dungeon received 3,645 Qi Points.]

[Notification: 351 Cultivators in Foundation Realm entered the Dungeon as guests. The Master Dungeon received 3,510 Qi Points.]

[Notification: 285 Cultivators in Core Formation Realm entered the Dungeon as guests. The Master Dungeon received 5,700 Qi Points.]

[Notification: 57 Cultivators in Golden Core Realm entered the Dungeon as guests. The Master Dungeon received 2,850 Qi Points.]

Akira's Qi Points have increased from 52,100 to 67,805, but he still has a long way to go before reaching the required amount to ascend the Dungeon to Level 2.

He wonders if keeping the Dungeon's presence hidden was a mistake and considers revealing it to the public.

Akira had thought that the daily cultivating of the Sky Heaven Piercing Sect in the Dungeon would be enough to help him accumulate Qi Points.

But he overlooked one crucial factor.

He had never ventured outside and had no knowledge of how other sects compared to Jin Boqin's.

He assumed Jin Boqin's Sect was at the top of the hierarchy due to Jin Boqin's status as a Mid Stage Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. However, his ignorance of the outside world would soon lead to his downfall.

Akira clenched his fists.

He had to make a choice.

Should he wait a month to reach the required Qi points to ascend the Dungeon to Level 2, or should he buy something from the system to enhance his constitution to grant him combat abilities?

Both options were risky, especially with the powerful enemy that could threaten and overpower two sects.

Akira weighed the safety of waiting versus taking action, weighing factors such as the enemy's ability to track the sect's disciples' whereabouts and the likelihood of holding them off if he ascended the Dungeon to Level 2.

He feared that if things went wrong, the first to third floors of the dungeon would be destroyed and conquered. What could that do to his body?

He grimaced at the thought.

Akira paused as he reached the entrance of the forest, with its dense oak and ancient trees.

Akira walked through an ancient, umber-brown forest that exuded the scent of age. The woody incense of centuries-old snapping branches and decomposing organic matter filled the air.

The deeper he ventured, the more enchanting and magical the surroundings became.

Massive roots sprawled across the ground, resembling the twisting backs of ancient sea creatures.

The foliage grew dense and vibrant, creating a canopy of fairytale-like greenery above him.

Weathered branches, twisted with age, showered the path with their abundance of nuts but the trail was flanked by briars, brambles, and berry trees, making it impassable on either side.

Akira reached a wide glade where the trees opened up to reveal the speckled morning sky.

There lay the boss of the second floor of the dungeon.

The boss of the second floor of the dungeon was a majestic tigress, a large four-legged beast.

When the tigress sensed his presence, it opened its glowing amber eyes and approached him with fluid and graceful movements.

With a mighty leap, the tigress crept up behind Akira.

The tigress snarled and grunted, trying to intimidate Akira, but he remained calm and unafraid, exuding a cold temperament.

"No need for aggression. I'm here to warn you about the impending attack from the enemy," said Akira.

The tigress circled around him, snarling. [It's proper decorum to introduce oneself in a first meeting,] she stated.

Akira extended his arm and offered his right hand, covered in evening gentlemen's gloves. "Nice to meet you," he said.

The tigress bared her fangs and leaped back to her place, closing her eyes and ignoring him completely.

Akira withdrew his hand unbothered by the rejection. "I expect you to defend the Dungeon with all your might if confrontation is unavoidable," he said and turned around.

Akira sighed to himself. Were they all so arrogant?

He accessed the Personal Panel and browsed through the clothing options, some of which had useful effects while others did not.

He saw familiar garments on display and switched to his saved items. As he opened the piles of clothing, their names and effects were displayed.

These garments' effects complemented each other.

Cravate Blanche Tie Set.

[Garment: Black Classy Over Jacket]

[Effect: Blur for 10 seconds. Refresh cooldown every 10 hours]