Chương 93: The Forbidden Descent into Hell
The interior of the pyramid was astonishingly vast; however, due to an inexplicable suppressive force, the perceptive abilities of the group were severely stifled, preventing them from probing far into the depths of this enigmatic space.
Yet, Xiao Mu Yu and his companions could still sense the immense expanse surrounding them. The area within the pyramid undoubtedly extended far beyond the limited view from the outside, conservatively estimated to encompass a radius of several dozen kilometers.
Flanking the dimly lit passageway were rows of magical lamps, emitting a faint glow that cast an eerie ambiance, rendering the silent corridor somewhat foreboding.
As they traversed the uncertain path, the little girl timidly clutched Xiao Mu Yu's arm and suddenly spoke, "Big brother, why… does Annie feel a bit cold?"
"Indeed, little one, now that you mention it, I too sense something amiss," Captain Teemo, cradling his chubby arms, ambled in the middle and occasionally swiveled his large head, casting furtive glances at the surrounding walls. He shivered slightly and remarked, "This pyramid feels rather sinister. They say it is the tomb of the nobility from the ancient magical era of the Shurima Desert. Do you think there might be… specters within?"
"Specters…?" At that moment, the little girl's face turned pale, but upon noticing that Riven and Teemo were drawn to her slightly altered tone, she quickly turned her head away, scoffing, "You're such a coward, little cat. Specters are simply nonexistent."
"…" Riven cast a bemused glance at the defiant child, running her fingers through her silver hair in frustration. "But if we're speaking of cold, I must admit it does seem to have grown a bit chillier. Could it be due to the nature of this space?"
Xiao Mu Yu paused momentarily. Just as Riven's words fell, an icy chill surged from his ankles, a frost that felt as though it could freeze the very air around him, causing his body to stiffen.
Lowering his gaze, he beheld a translucent, pallid hand—an eerie appendage that seemed to have emerged from the floor, gripping his ankle with an icy grip. In an instant, the frigid sensation enveloped him, and he felt his body begin to succumb to rigidity.
The chilling darkness in his eyes intensified, and just as the icy tendril threatened to ascend to his chest, a torrent of energy erupted violently in the air.
Compressing the atmosphere to its limits, a ferocious force exploded from his ankle, creating a small crater in the floor. The full might of a ninth-tier practitioner obliterated the spectral hand, scattering it into shimmering motes of white light.
"What is this…?" Riven was taken aback by the sudden turn of events; she had not witnessed the disintegrated hand, but was astonished that the floor had only sustained a minor dent from the explosive force of a ninth-tier warrior.
Before she could inquire why Xiao Mu Yu had attacked the ground, her finely honed instincts, sharpened from years of navigating life and death, sensed a cold danger. Without hesitation, she spun around, her massive greatsword slicing through the air in a perfect arc, severing a tentacle that had suddenly emerged from the brownish wall.
However, unlike the spectral hand that had disintegrated, this tentacle writhed on the ground like a headless serpent for several moments, spewing forth a viscous, pale yellow liquid from its severed end before collapsing lifelessly.
"Tentacle? Growing from the wall?" Teemo observed with a perplexed expression, glancing at the walls and then at the floor, which, despite sustaining only minor damage from the ninth-tier attack, was now being corroded by the yellowish fluid. "What kind of tentacle is this, and why does its… uh, why is its blood so corrosive?"
(It is a capturing tentacle, heh heh… I never expected to encounter such advanced magical constructs here. You humans are in for a treat, for the most troublesome aspect of these capturing tentacles is not merely their highly corrosive blood; the real issue is that… heh heh… they tend to appear in swarms!)
"!!!"
As if punctuating the demon's explanation, the previously subtle chill in the air intensified dramatically. Despite being seventh-tier or higher, all four felt a long-forgotten, bone-chilling cold.
Countless tentacles emerged from the walls, coiling toward them like serpents hunting their prey. It was only then that Xiao Mu Yu and his companions realized that the pervasive chill in the air emanated directly from these appendages.
Xiao Mu Yu's expression hardened as he swiftly cradled the little girl against his chest, his gray cloak billowing behind him. He pressed forward into the depths of the passageway.
Riven and Teemo, demonstrating commendable wisdom, followed closely behind.
Yet, these bizarre tentacles seemed to envelop the entire pyramid, and despite sprinting several hundred meters, the strange appendages continued to sprout relentlessly from both walls, bringing with them an unyielding, frost-laden chill.
"Clang!"
Beneath the gray cloak, a battered sword slightly protruded, and in the next moment, a tempest of invisible energy seemed to swirl around the cold man. Countless tentacles, upon merely brushing against the three-foot radius surrounding him, were shredded into a flurry of flesh by the sharp sword aura, unable even to breach the ethereal barrier that repelled the splattering pale yellow blood.
However, Riven and Teemo, positioned behind Xiao Mu Yu, found themselves in a more precarious situation.
Neither Teemo nor Riven possessed the same mastery of swordsmanship that rendered water ineffective against their strikes, and thus they struggled to evade the relentless onslaught of tentacles.
Though unaware of the precise nature of these appendages, the slight chill emanating from them was enough to unsettle even their normally unyielding spirits, instilling a sense of cold dread. If they were truly ensnared by these tentacles, it was likely they would be frozen to the point of immobility.
The group understood that encountering the frigid touch of these tentacles would be far from a pleasant experience.
Teemo, lacking the formidable strength of Xiao Mu Yu and Riven, relied on his exceptional agility and throwing knives, making him appear the most beleaguered amidst the chaotic tentacles.
The little creature could only navigate through the gaps with his nimble frame, occasionally resorting to severing obstructive tentacles when unable to find a passage.
Riven, with her bold and sweeping combat style, wielded her massive greatsword to cleave through the throngs of tentacles with ferocity. Yet, despite her efforts, the appendages seemed inexhaustible, continuously sprouting from the walls, and for every dozen she dispatched, even more would ensnare her.
Finally, the silver-haired warrior, exasperated, exclaimed, "Ahhh! I can't take it anymore!"
Her steps halted abruptly, and a surge of power erupted from her position, sending a shockwave that radiated outward.
The tentacles surrounding her wilted under the force of the astonishing wave that spread through the air, granting her a fleeting moment of respite as she exhaled a heavy breath.
Standing firm, she raised her enormous two-handed sword high, its blade aimed at the corridor ahead.
In that passage, the tentacles extending from the walls were so dense that they obscured the view entirely.
Although Xiao Mu Yu had previously carved a path through the throng of tentacles, reducing them to pulp, the newly sprouted appendages quickly reclaimed the narrow passage.
In the midst of the corridor, Riven, her greatsword in hand, stood atop the severed remnants of the tentacles that resembled scattered flesh. She channeled her full strength into the runes etched upon the broad blade, illuminating the area with an eerie green glow.
The air around the sharp blade began to warp slightly due to the potent energy radiating from it, as Riven held the massive sword aloft, allowing the pale yellow corrosive blood of the severed tentacles to splatter against her protective energy barrier.
Once the energy within the runes reached its zenith, Riven shouted, "Duck!"
Sensing the impending torrent of power behind him, Xiao Mu Yu instinctively bent low, cradling little Annie, as a surging wave of energy surged forth, akin to a deluge, nearly filling the expansive corridor. This ferocious force severed every tentacle rooted in the walls along its path.
While countless tentacles continued to emerge from the walls, the passage ahead momentarily opened into a wide corridor, prompting the four to dash forward without hesitation, stepping over the twitching, blood-splattered remnants of the severed appendages as they raced deeper into the passage.
...
"Whoosh, whoosh…" The sound of heavy breathing echoed softly in their ears, causing Darius and the others to halt in their tracks.
They found themselves in a spacious chamber, one side connecting to the passage they had entered, while another led into an unknown darkness.
Listening intently to the hushed breaths that seemed to whisper in their ears, Darius and his companions warily scrutinized the ancient murals adorning the walls and the chamber's four corners.
In the next instant, a colossal skeleton emerged slowly from the wall, leaving behind a blank space on the mural that matched its towering height.
The enormous skull, with ethereal flames flickering within its eye sockets, scrutinized the trio. The seven-meter-tall skeleton rubbed its jaw with a chilling creak, and a frigid presence swept through the room. "Distant guests, I implore you to depart. This place… is not a realm you should tread."
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