NOVEL NEXT Chapter 419: Opening The Hidden Chamber
Orion inwardly nodded his head, 'I know, but we have no choice. The portal leading to the outside is most likely at the center of the ruin. Even the Beastkins' portal is always shifting, and now even they can't get back. We need to head there if we want to leave.'
Lumi thoughtfully fell silent, quietly retreating to a corner of Orion's Sea of Consciousness as the group pressed onward, moving deeper into the labyrinth.
Orion maintained his calm composure externally, but inside, his mind was sharpened to an absolute edge of caution, constantly sensing the increasing oppressive aura that permeated the air around them.
Each subsequent corridor and chamber had more intricate runic patterns on the walls, the stone walls etched with elaborate runic designs pulsating gently with ancient energies.
Mana streams flowed visibly across the surfaces like veins of ethereal light, casting eerie yet mesmerizing glows upon the group as they traversed forward.
They encountered several battles, taking their time to dispatch the beasts they encountered through seamless coordination.
Orion didn't care about his mana output as he blasted one spell after another due to his absurd mana quantity. And even the frequency of battles was steadily increasing, a clear sign they were nearing something significant.
Eventually, after hours of cautiously progressing through the labyrinth, Orion and the rest arrived at a vast sealed chamber.
The atmosphere here was suffused with a subtle menacing aura. Standing before a towering stone door, heavily sealed with complex formations and runes, were three unfamiliar Tier 9 human cultivators and the four Beastkin geniuses.
Orion's gaze rapidly swept across the human cultivators, immediately sensing that their auras were somewhat unstable, clearly indicating that they'd only recently broken through to Tier 9, likely after entering the labyrinth.
His brows furrowed slightly, as this development was unexpected. He had underestimated the ambition of the noble houses. They had clearly sent peak Tier 8 humans to quickly break through after getting treasures here.
As Orion's group approached, all eyes shifted toward them. The Beastkin cultivators displayed open contempt and irritation, especially Rokar, whose eyes burned with fierce hostility.
In contrast, the human cultivators immediately recognized Orion and his group, offering respectful nods of acknowledgment.
Breaking the silence, Orion looked directly at the human experts and calmly asked, "What's inside this chamber? Why are you all standing here instead of entering?"
Before the human experts could respond, Rokar's voice sneered contemptuously, his tone filled with scorn, "Do you seriously think we'd just be standing out here if we already knew what was inside?"
Orion didn't spare him a glance, completely ignoring his provocation. His gaze remained thoughtfully fixed upon the massive door, analyzing the formation.
Rokar, seeing Orion dismiss his words, felt a vein pop on his forehead and turned his head away, choosing to avoid a direct conflict right now, especially against Orion's entire group.
Yet, Elias and Magi weren't about to let such blatant disrespect pass quietly.
Magi scoffed openly, voice filled with mockery, "Heh, it seems the Wolfkin puppy knows how to bark loudly now, too bad barking doesn't open doors."
Rokar spun around furiously, glaring daggers toward Magi, his killing intent spiking sharply, "What did you just say, you weak human trash?"
Elias laughed sarcastically, deliberately adding fuel to the flames, "Did our Magi hurt your feelings, little puppy? If you have time to prance around here, why not go open the door instead?"
The air quickly became heavy with tension as both sides exchanged fierce glares and heated words, their conflict threatening to explode at any moment.
Ignoring their arguments entirely, Orion calmly stepped toward the towering door. His approach toward the door caused all eyes to turn toward him, their expressions swiftly shifting from irritation to intrigue.
The human cultivators watched him intently, while the Beastkin merely sneered skeptically, expecting nothing.
Orion gently placed his palm onto the cold, intricately carved surface of the enormous stone door.
Almost immediately, his senses felt a powerful resonance surging up through his fingertips, reaching deeply into his bloodlines.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, the World Tree sapling and his True Dragon Bloodlines awakened simultaneously, stirring energetically in response to the mysterious runes on the door.
In mere seconds, intricate patterns of glowing runes emerged brightly on the door's surface, their ancient lines pulsating rhythmically with Orion's heartbeat.
A deep rumble echoed throughout the chamber as the massive stone gateway slowly began to part, revealing the path hidden beyond.
Everyone watching was stunned silent, eyes wide in shock and disbelief. Even Rokar's confident sneer instantly vanished, replaced by a look of confusion and incredulity.
Kazran, the golden-haired Lionkin genius, whispered in incredulity, "Impossible…we've tried everything to open that door. How could he do it so easily?"
The female Catkin, Myra, narrowed her eyes, carefully observing Orion as if she was seeing him for the first time. Her expression turned more solemn, whispering to herself, "It seems I've underestimated that human."
The three human experts quickly approached Orion respectfully. The leading human, an elegant young man with a noble air to himself, spoke softly, "We tried everything to open the door, from the treasures we found in the labyrinth to attacking it together. You really gave us a big surprise."
Orion merely nodded slightly, his expression calm and unreadable. Internally, however, his thoughts raced rapidly, recognizing that whatever lay beyond the door was related to either his Dragon lineage or the World Tree.
'Looks like I can't just ignore whatever is inside now. It might help me to deepen my understanding of my bloodlines,' he reasoned inwardly.
Behind him, Nyss approached quietly, whispering softly in admiration, "You really opened it like nothing. You really have an unlimited amount of secrets."
Orion glanced briefly at Nyss, a slight smile appearing briefly on his lips as he whispered, "Maybe I'll share some of them with you one day."
Nyss felt her heart flutter at his words, quickly suppressing her emotions as they refocused their attention toward the now-open chamber.
Arya, Sylvia, Rina, Fiora, Elias, and the others swiftly moved to Orion's side, preparing themselves carefully to move ahead.
Orion calmly turned around, his gaze settling on the earlier groups who had already gathered around the open gate.
His expression remained calm, but a faint, unreadable smile played subtly on his lips. He gestured casually toward the gate and spoke in a composed tone, "Since you all arrived before us, you can just enter first."
Rokar, Kazran, and Bragor exchanged wary glances but ultimately didn't waste any time analyzing Orion's words.
Fueled by greed and the fierce competition among themselves, the three muscular Beastkin geniuses instantly rushed into the dark chamber, not sparing Orion's group another glance.
Their figures swiftly vanished into the depths, leaving behind only echoes of their footsteps reverberating through the stone corridor.
The three human experts hesitated only briefly, their eyes flickering momentarily with understanding.
They glanced subtly toward Orion, realizing his intention, yet their fear of losing treasures outweighed their wariness.
Without any further delay, they also swiftly followed the Beastkin experts, disappearing into the darkness beyond the now-open doorway.
Elias shifted anxiously, his expression twisting impatiently, "Let's hurry up. Otherwise, they really might take everything good."
However, before he could rush forward, Myra, the Catkin genius, paused momentarily beside Orion.
Her feline eyes shimmered with amusement, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, "You really sent those muscle-heads ahead to clear the path, didn't you? You're one sly fellow, Human."