On the desolate and silent earth, it was now filled with a rumbling and thunderous sound. An energy storm that spread across the heavens rushed over from afar. Wherever it went, even the space itself would crumble in its wake, creating a pitch-black and terrifying scene. “What is that?” Yan Xiao’s figure closely followed behind Xuner, feeling the monstrous pressure that came from the distant rear. His face was somewhat solemn as he spoke. “It’s an energy storm of the Heavenly Tomb. It’s a sort of natural calamity here, with an extremely fearsome power. Even Peak Douzun experts would be unable to survive if they are caught in it. Many of the stronger members of the few clans who entered the tomb before were unlucky enough to encounter this energy storm, and were then dragged into it.” Xuner explained softly, “I never expected that we would have such bad luck and encounter this thing. Generally speaking, the energy storm only erupts once every few years.”
“Anyway, let’s run first. The range of impact of this energy storm is extremely vast. I’m afraid the entire second layer is within its range. Therefore, we must enter the third layer to avoid it,” Xuner said earnestly.
“Um…” Yan Xiao nodded slightly, turning his head to gaze at the far distance. There, two figures followed in a flustered manner; they were no other than Yan Yan and Hanye. But at a time like this, Yan Xiao had no intention to care about them.
“Hmm? Are there others?”
Just as Yan Xiao’s gaze swept towards the rear, he suddenly saw many black shadows rushing over as swift as lightning, catching up one after another. Everyone glanced around, each of them momentarily stunned.
“Hehe, I never expected Brother Yan Xiao’s speed to be so fast, already arriving here first.”
The pair of figures who were the closest was a man and a woman. They were unexpectedly the Fire Clan’s Fire Xuàn and the veiled red-robed woman. At this moment, Fire Xuàn’s gaze also noticed the nearby Yan Xiao, and his face immediately lit up with joy and laughter as he sped up.
Hearing this, Yan Xiao also smiled, raising a hand in greeting to Fire Xuàn and the red-robed woman from afar. “Brother Fire Xuàn’s speed is not slow either.”
Fire Xuàn smiled, quickly catching up with Yan Xiao and Xuner. Sweeping his gaze over the latter, both of them were shocked. “Brother Yan Xiao has advanced to the next rank?”
“Ha ha, just some luck,” replied Yan Xiao with a smile.
Seeing that Yan Xiao did not deny it, Fire Xuàn and the red-robed woman glanced at each other, seeing the mutual shock in their eyes. They had only entered the Heavenly Tomb for half a year, yet Yan Xiao had already managed to advance. Such speed was truly frightening.
“Seems like those two guys from the Spirit Clan are also following behind?”
Fire Xuàn cast a glance backward, smiling as he said.
“We’ve been entangled with them for a month. Unfortunately, our plans were ruined by this energy storm,” Yan Xiao said with a light laugh.
Upon hearing this, Fire Xuàn’s eyebrows lifted slightly, a hint of shock stirring in his heart. He naturally understood the implications of Yan Xiao’s nonchalant words. Both Hanye and Houlì were eight-star Douzuns, extraordinarily strong. Together, even a nine-star Douzun might find it difficult to face them. Unexpectedly, when facing Yan Xiao and Xuner, they gained nothing.
“This energy storm is sweeping through the entire second layer of the Heavenly Tomb. If we want to evade it, we can only proceed to the third layer. Right now, we are not too far away from the third layer. If we push harder, we should be able to enter the third layer before the storm arrives.”
Fire Xuàn smiled, saying, “During this time, perhaps we can look out for each other. What does Brother Yan Xiao think about this?”
“No problem.” Yan Xiao also smiled. Naturally, he would not reject Fire Xuàn’s offer, especially at this time. Having an additional ally would greatly increase their chances of survival.
The two reached an agreement and exchanged a smile. Xuner and the red-robed woman beside them did not interrupt their conversation. Occasionally, the two women would exchange a glance and nod before looking away.
With the arrangement made, the four of them huddled closer, their glances cautiously sweeping the surroundings before their bodies shot forward like lightning.
“Never thought these guys from the Fire Clan would end up with Yan Xiao,” grumbled Yan Hanye, his face grim as he watched Fire Xuàn and the others group with Yan Xiao and Xuner. Their combat capabilities were no match for Yan Xiao and Xuner. If the latter got more reinforcements, things would turn unfavorable for them.
“Tsk, let you bask in your temporary victory for now. When we reach the third layer, I’ll make sure none of you escape!”
A ruthless expression flickered in Yan Hanye’s eyes. His speed erupted again, along with Houlì, transforming them into blurry black shadows rapidly flying toward the entrance of the third layer.
This frantic flight lasted nearly half a day. During this time, Yan Xiao and the others’ speeds were almost perpetually at their maximum. Consequently, the amount of Dou Qi consumed in their bodies was terrifying. Fortunately, in the past half year, the four had accumulated a considerable amount of energy cores, so they were not overly concerned with depleting their Dou Qi at the moment.
While it was possible to replenish Dou Qi, the tense mental state began to take a toll, making Yan Xiao and his companions feel slightly fatigued. The energy storm that pursued them relentlessly felt like the reaper’s scythe, pushing them to remain vigilant without any slack.
“Xiao Yan Gege, the entrance to the third layer is almost here!” Mid-flight, Xuner suddenly looked towards the far distance and spoke.
Hearing her words, Yan Xiao and Fire Xuàn both felt elated. After carefully sensing, they indeed detected a faintly familiar energy fluctuation in the distance.
“Let’s go, speed up!”
Seeing the entrance in sight, Yan Xiao laughed and waved his hand, his speed surging like a meteor streaking across the sky. In a few blinks, they vanished from the horizon.
When Yan Xiao and the others discovered the third layer’s entrance, Yan Hanye and company also noticed. Their spirits lifted, and despite their weariness, they sprinted with renewed vigor.
In the far distance, a massive energy curtain descended from the sky, standing vertically on the ground like a wall. At the front of the energy curtain, four figures sat cross-legged. Shortly after, one of them raised his head, gazing towards the distance, and stated, “They’re all here, and the energy storm is following.”
“As expected!” Upon hearing this, the silver-robed man and the burly man both sighed, with the former remarking, “Gu Zhēn, aren’t you being a bit too calm? That’s an energy storm. If we get caught, none of us will survive.”
“Ha ha, it’s not that I’m calm. Panicking won’t help. Besides, General Qīng Yáng is here. The worst shouldn’t happen,” Gu Zhēn said with a smile.
“You—”
Upon hearing his words, the man in green robes, who had kept his eyes closed, couldn’t help but chuckle and open his eyes, gazing towards the distance, and said, “The energy curtain here has materialized. We can only forcibly create a passage, but that’s beyond what the four of us can achieve. So, even though we arrived first, we need to wait for the others…”
“You’re worried about the energy consumption and not being able to handle the third layer, right?” Gu Zhēn shook his head, smiling.
The man in green robes smiled, not arguing, and slowly stood up, looking towards the far horizon, and announced, “Xuner and the others are here!”
Just as his voice faded, several colorful lights appeared at the edge of the sky, and in a few flashes, they appeared in front of the energy curtain. Looking at the four figures sitting on the ground, they were all momentarily stunned.
“Gu Qīng Yáng? These guys are really fast,” murmured Fire Xuàn, recognizing the four, surprised.
“Big Brother Qīng Yáng, why don’t we go in? The energy storm is coming.”
Xuner also gently landed from the air and lightly frowned, questioning.
“The curtain has materialized, and we must forcefully break it. I’m waiting for the others,” Gu Qīng Yáng smiled, glancing at Yan Xiao, a strange glint in his eyes, and then turned to Xuner, asking, “Are you alright?”
“Nothing much, just dealing with those two Soul Clan guys for a month,” Xuner replied, shaking her head.
“Those two dared to lay hands on you?” The man in green robes frowned, and even the always serene Gu Zhēn raised his head slightly, his eyes flashing with a bit of coldness, but the last to speak was the silver-robed man.
“They didn’t get anything good from us,” Xuner smiled, turning her head, and watched as streams of light flashed by, forming more figures on the ground—their comrades from the previous group. However, they all looked rather ragged. As for Yan Hanye and company, they lingered at the back, clearly wary of potential attacks from Yan Xiao and others.
“Now’s not the time to fight them; there’s no time,” Yan Xiao whispered, noticing the man in green robes.
The man in green robes did not ignore Yan Xiao’s words. He knew that the immediate priority was to break the energy curtain and enter the third layer.
“Everyone, you know what’s going on. The energy curtain leading to the third layer has solidified, and we must break it to enter. This task is not something any one of us can accomplish alone. So, if you want to live, you must work together to break it, otherwise, once the storm hits, we are all doomed.”
The man in green robes took a step forward, sweeping his gaze around, delivering his speech with a steady tone. Hearing him, everyone’s expressions changed slightly, and after a momentary silence, they slowly nodded. Those gathered here were no ordinary people; they all understood that they had only one path: to enter the third layer. To do otherwise would mean certain death!
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