NOVEL NEXT Chapter 414: Expected Meeting
Only after he had traveled several corridors, carefully avoiding further detection, did Orion finally slow down his pace to rest.
He pressed his back firmly against a cold stone wall, his breathing ragged as sweat dripped heavily from his forehead.
Lumi's worried voice echoed urgently in his mind, [Master, that was far too risky! That Ninth Tier wolfkin was even more dangerous than the mana beasts we fought till now! (≧﹏≦;)]
Orion exhaled deeply, shaking his head with a slight chuckle. "I know," he admitted quietly, "That pendant he wore was a sensory-type treasure. If not for my reaction speed, that attack would have directly landed on me."
Lumi sighed softly in relief, regaining her usual playful tone,
[Hehe, thankfully Master's reflexes and intuition are unrivaled! And the salted fish also helped a lot. I didn't think it would be so useful. (￣ω￣;)]
Orion laughed out loud, "Haha, I wasn't expecting it to be so useful. It wasn't this useful against Lucan so I thought it was only for distracting enemies. Now from the looks of it, the salmon also has Sound Magic."
[Indeed, but it won't be useful against mana beasts who have low intelligence. And even against those with strong will like Lucan, it won't have much effect.]
Orion nodded his head in acknowledgment, "Yes, I can't rely on it to be unbeatable. The most reliable way is still to increase my own power. Now that there are more groups of people, it will become even more chaotic."
[Hehe, looting is the fastest way to gather wealth Master. (¬‿¬ )]
Faintly smiling, Orion nodded his head and looked around before walking again. His encounter with the wolfkin had confirmed one crucial truth, this maze contained far greater dangers than just powerful mana beasts.
There were also other ambitious, talented cultivators from at least the Beastkin Zone, each eager to strengthen themselves and fiercely protective of their own people.
***
Two days had passed since Orion's tense encounter with the Wolfkin warriors. During this time, the atmosphere within the labyrinth had dramatically shifted, becoming increasingly perilous.
No longer were mana beasts his sole adversaries, instead, the frequency of encountering warriors from various factions had surged considerably. Each encounter tested Orion's strength and honed his combat prowess further.
The weakest individuals entering the maze were already at the Eighth Level of Awakening Realm. Orion had clashed with several warriors from his own Thunderpeak Kingdom as well.
It had become clear that the maze's hidden space cracks had connected far beyond just the Thunderpeak territory.
Battles erupted frequently, some opponents were killed quickly, others requiring strenuous efforts that left him wounded.
Thankfully, his abundant healing treasures, potent bloodlines, and robust physique rapidly healed any injuries, keeping him in prime condition.
Currently, Orion sat quietly beneath a small but sturdy tree that had grown miraculously within a wide-open chamber in the labyrinth.
He had consumed the tree's fruit earlier, their vibrant mana rejuvenating him significantly. Sitting cross-legged, he circulated the Ninefold Physique Refinement Scripture, focusing intently on reaching the peak of the Seventh Level: Nervous System Refinement.
His breathing was calm and steady, each breath guiding refined mana meticulously through his nerves. The Nervous System Refinement process was crucial; once completed, it would vastly sharpen his reflexes and sensory perception.
Orion's instincts were already formidable due to his Dragon Instinct ability, the once active ability that became a passive one after successfully completing the Akashic Librarian Trial.
But this refinement would elevate his reactions to an unprecedented level, drastically increasing his survival odds in chaotic battles.
As the mana coursed through his body, slowly tempering and enhancing his nerves, Orion felt himself steadily approaching the peak of the Seventh Level.
But suddenly, his enhanced senses picked up faint movement from the passageway to his left. Instantly alert, Orion ceased his cultivation, swiftly standing and activating his Shadowveil Band's concealment to merge seamlessly with the dim surroundings.
His grip tightened on the Realm Guardian, eyes narrowed warily. A slender figure quietly entered the chamber, wielding a menacing scythe, its blade glistening with shadow mana.
Orion's gaze flickered with surprise as recognition dawned, this figure was none other than Nyss.
Relaxing slightly, Orion deactivated his concealment and stepped forward, intending to greet her.
Yet at that instant, Nyss's perception flared as she sensed movement. Reacting instantly, she swung her scythe decisively toward Orion's direction, shadow mana rippling along the weapon's edge.
Orion's eyes twitched, his reflexes triggering instantly as he sidestepped the deadly strike narrowly. He hurriedly raised his hand, shouting quickly, "Wait, Nyss! It's me!"
Hearing Orion's voice, Nyss immediately stopped mid-attack, her eyes widening in astonishment. Her expression softened quickly, the fierce mana from her scythe fading away as she lowered the scythe cautiously.
"Orion?" she exhaled softly, a hint of relief in her voice. "Why did you appear so suddenly, like some ghost? I thought one of the beastkin was trying to ambush me."
Orion's lips curled into a wry, awkward smile. Ironically, ambushing was precisely his tactic against the beastkin earlier. "Ah, my bad. I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized sheepishly, shaking his head to dispel the awkwardness.
Quickly regaining his composure, he asked with mild confusion, "But why are you alone, Nyss? Where are the others?"
Unexpectedly, Nyss's expression shifted to one of hesitation. Her violet eyes lowered briefly, lips pressed tightly as if reluctant to explain.
Seeing her reaction, a sudden surge of worry tightened Orion's chest, prompting him to urgently press her, "Did something happen to them?"
Hearing his anxious tone, Nyss quickly shook her head, releasing a drawn-out sigh, "No, nothing like that… I left the group to explore the labyrinth alone."
Orion stood silently, his expression turning blank and incredulous as he processed her unexpected statement. Several seconds passed as he struggled to comprehend her decision, finally managing a bewildered response, "Huh? You left them voluntarily? Why?"
Nyss averted her gaze momentarily, as though gathering her thoughts. Finally, with another sigh, she spoke earnestly, "Because we were encountering more dangers than treasures."
Orion looked at her with slight confusion, "So? Why did that make you leave the group?"
Nyss looked at Orion for a moment before slowly saying, "Do you remember about the time when I told you about my bad luck?"
Orion paused for a few seconds as his brain's wheels spun and he made sense of the situation in an instant. Looking at her for a good few seconds, he said, "You left the group because you thought your bad luck was affecting them?"
Nyss nodded her head calmly, clearly this wasn't the first time she had done something like this.
Orion couldn't even say anything as the things he had heard about her infamous luck were not little. Shaking his head, he decided to drop the matter, "Anyways, now that you are with me, let's just explore the place together. It's too dangerous here to explore it alone."
Looking at Orion, Nyss hesitated slightly, about to refuse him, but Orion spoke ahead of her, "There is no point refusing me, I will just follow you if you don't agree."
Nyss looked at him helplessly with a smile, yet there were indescribable feelings growing in her heart looking at the stubborn man ahead of her.