Zhang Qing said he had a way through, which visibly relaxed Lao Wu and Wang Jilong.
Wang Jilong said, “If there’s a way through, then let’s hurry up and not waste time.”
Zhang Qing replied, “That method consumes too much. I wouldn’t mind using it if there weren’t so many people here. But with them around, we can use another way.”
Lao Wu asked, “What way?”
“I’ve gathered some data that’s theoretically feasible. But the real effect remains to be tested.” Zhang Qing nodded toward the people ahead, his voice cold. “Have a few people go down and step on the stalactites that the deceased have already crossed.”
This time, knowing it meant certain death, no one moved.
“You madmen! You want us to go first and test the danger? Are you even human?” An older man, known as Uncle Li and in his forties, stepped forward, his face pale. “Damn it, whether we live or die, I’m taking you all with me!”
“That’s right! If we’re going to die anyway, let’s fight them!” Everyone drew their star weapons, glaring fiercely, shouting with grim expressions.
“We may be slaves, but we won’t just throw our lives away like this!”
“If you don’t treat us like humans, don’t expect us to die for you! At least if we die fighting, it won’t be in vain!”
Over a hundred people waved their weapons, their killing intent rising as they prepared to attack.
Zhang Qing stroked his chin and smiled, “Do you even know where you are?”
The angry middle-aged leader shouted, “I don’t care where the hell this place is! Killing one of you means we’ve gained something!”
Zhang Qing’s expression turned icy cold. “If you won’t go, we’ll kill you and use your corpses to cross anyway! If you go, you still have a chance to survive.”
“Fight!” Someone shouted, swinging his weapon forward.
“Seeking death!” Wang Jilong roared. In a flash, he was beside the man.
Unlike others who killed with weapons, Wang Jilong gripped the man’s shoulders with both hands and bit into his throat with his serrated teeth.
“Come on, fight back!” the man thought others would join him.
But no one moved.
Wang Jilong’s grip, powered by his peak fifth-level strength, held the man completely still, feeling his star soul and abilities flow out like a flood from the wound on his neck.
Wang Jilong tore a chunk of flesh from the man’s throat and began chewing it hungrily.
His face turned an eerie red, frighteningly so. As he swallowed the flesh, the redness faded, while the bitten man’s eyes dulled and he collapsed to the ground.
The previously aggressive crowd fell silent.
This was the first time they had seen someone eat another like a blood-eyed monster. Chills ran down their spines at the sight of such brutal cannibalism—teeth sinking into a throat, and the terrifying, ghost-like change in Wang Jilong’s expression.
Their earlier ferocity vanished completely, and their hands trembled as they clutched their weapons.
Wang Jilong held the corpse by the neck and turned to Zhang Qing. “What now?”
Zhang Qing casually pointed to the blood-stained stalactites. “Just throw it there.”
“Got it!”
With a slight heave, Wang Jilong hurled the corpse to the spot.
This time, the stalactite didn’t break.
Zhang Qing chuckled. “Just as I thought. Stained with blood, the stalactites won’t break.”
He turned and pointed toward the cave entrance. “Now you understand. If you won’t go, I can still use your corpses to pave the way. So, if you don’t want to die, go last.”
“It’s still death!” the leader swallowed hard. “You’ll let us live after that?”
“I guarantee that if you help us five reach the end, I’ll let you go. Of course, you may not know this is a star burial ground, where the corpse of an ancient human with ninth-level power lies. If you’re lucky, you might even take away one or two treasures!”
Zhang Qing’s words immediately sparked interest among the crowd.
“You won’t promise not to kill us?” the leader looked toward Lu Yu and the others.
Zhang Qing glanced at Lu Yu, winked, and gave a cruel smile unseen by the others.
Lu Yu nodded. “I won’t kill you.”
Wang Jilong coldly added, “Killing you would be like crushing ants. I have no interest.”
Lao Wu also nodded with a smile.
Zhang Qing said, “See? We’ve all given our word. What are you afraid of? If you get anything, we won’t take it. Consider it payment.”
“This—”
Over a hundred people were tempted.
The corpse of an ancient human with ninth-level star soul.
Looking at the current world, at how powerful the monsters are.
How many treasures would a ninth-level human possess?
If they could really take one or two out, it would be worth it.
After all, whether they lived or died, they were already doomed.
Over a hundred people gritted their teeth and nodded.
Zhang Qing pointed toward the path leading into the cave. “Then, everyone, try to dye a path red with your blood. That way, you might not have to die. Remember, you need plenty of blood, or it won’t work!”
After some discussion, they decided by drawing lots who would go first.
Two people drew the first lot. Nervously, they stepped onto the blood-stained stalactites and cut their wrists to let their blood drip onto the stones.
Their blood dyed the stalactites red, creating a small safe path.
By the time their life force dropped to a thousand points from blood loss, their recovery abilities weakened, and they shakily returned.
Lu Yu and the others noticed that the stalactites within ten meters of the platform were safe.
But beyond ten meters, danger returned.
Over a hundred people took turns going down. Some who spilled too little blood were dragged away by skeletal hands from below.
But overall, things went relatively smoothly.
Sixteen people died along the blood-dyed path.
The remaining fewer than a hundred looked excited.
At least they had survived.
When the last three reached the dark cave entrance, they couldn’t help but cheer.
Suddenly, dozens of tentacles shot out from the darkness and dragged the three inside.
“Fools! Even here you dare to shout? That’s asking for death!” Zhang Qing laughed. “Don’t make noise in the dark. Follow the walls and don’t light anything!”
Zhang Qing signaled the pathfinders to go first.
Then they entered.
Lu Yu held onto Lao Xiaoyu’s hand and whispered in her ear, “If there’s danger, raise your shield. I’ll get you out.”
His warm breath tickled her ear, making her body warm and strangely pleasant, almost making her moan.
Blushing, Lao Xiaoyu nodded and didn’t pull her hand away from his.
It was absolute darkness, pitch black, not a single ray of light.
In such darkness, time passed unbearably slowly.
The walls were cold and hard, exuding a bone-chilling chill.
Worse still, no one knew what lurked in the darkness, and their hearts pounded with fear.
From time to time, someone screamed and then fell silent.
Suddenly, Lao Xiaoyu felt her foot step on something soft and slippery, something that was writhing.
Before she could pull her foot back, the soft thing coiled around her waist.
She opened her mouth to scream.
Suddenly, from the darkness ahead, a pair of blood-red eyes, like ghostly orbs, flickered.
This made Lao Xiaoyu even more terrified.
Just as she was about to cry out, a large hand clamped over her mouth.
By the faint red glow, Lao Xiaoyu saw the person’s left hand flash with cold steel, slicing at her waist.
The soft thing wrapped around her waist was severed.
The glint of the blade attracted countless tentacles from the surrounding darkness, reaching toward them.
Her mouth covered by a large hand, her waist held by another arm, she was pressed tightly against the icy wall.
Lu Yu’s voice whispered in her ear, “Don’t scream.”
Only then did Lao Xiaoyu realize that the blood-red eyes belonged to Lu Yu.
Blood Eyes also had red eyes.
But they couldn’t emit light in the dark.
Lu Yu’s eyes, however, could emit a faint glow in the darkness.
By that faint glow, Lao Xiaoyu saw dozens of tentacles writhing around the spot where they had stood moments ago, before finally retreating.
“This is a Dark Beast!” Lu Yu whispered, hugging Lao Xiaoyu tightly in a recess of the wall, just enough to hide both of them.
Stimulated by Lu Yu’s warm breath near her ear, Lao Xiaoyu’s face flushed even more, her body warm and weak against the man behind her, her heart pounding so loudly she could hear it herself.
“You… how did you know?” she whispered so softly even she could barely hear her own voice.
Lu Yu whispered softly, “When we receive our star souls, we also gain fragments of memory. I had a vague memory of the Dark Beast. At first, I wasn’t sure, but when I saw those tentacles, I remembered. We’re walking through the body of a Dark Beast. It has strong corrosive abilities, and the spines on its tentacles can instantly paralyze your nerves, turning you into a living corpse. You’d watch helplessly as it devoured you. But the Dark Beast only reacts to white and bright light. It seems my glowing eyes have become the key.”
After a long time, the tentacles finally moved away.
Only then did Lu Yu lead Lao Xiaoyu to continue moving.
Dark Beast—ninth-level life!
The Dark Beast has no fixed form. It attaches itself to massive objects, especially places filled with death energy, feeding on it.
Even small Dark Beasts can be as large as ten-story buildings.
And the largest ones—according to Lu Yu’s memory, the largest could devour millions!
Only when entering the Dark Beast’s body does one experience this darkness, like its mouth.
The star burial ground had existed for an unknown number of eons. That a Dark Beast still lived here—how huge must it be?
But if the Dark Beast was truly here by its own will, how could it be exactly at the entrance of the star burial ground?
A chill ran down Lu Yu’s spine as he began to suspect something.
The master of this star burial ground must have had incredible power to capture a ninth-level Dark Beast to guard the tomb—
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