NOVEL NEXT Chapter 196: Arrival
The black vine on the cliff ahead can deter a ferocious swarm of crocodiles, indicating that the vine itself is a terrifying threat.
Bai Pu had no choice but to command Mad Rhino Luz to go ahead and test it first.
Luz, ever diligent, marched up to the cliff and grabbed the vine with one hand.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
Nothing unusual happened.
Luz tested the toughness of the vine and found the black vine to be extremely tough, like steel!
Luz immediately began to climb up the vine. With only one hand, his speed was inevitably slower. After climbing up three or four meters, he suddenly let out a painful roar and fell down!
Bai Pu rushed forward, lifting Luz's armor, revealing several unusual protrusions under his skin, twisting and crawling as if there were terrifying parasites inside!
Bai Pu flipped his wrist, and with precise movements like a scalpel, he sliced open the protrusions, flicking out the disgusting creatures inside.
By the light of Yvette's recently lit torch, a chilling sight was revealed: a finger-sized beetle with a hard shell and sharp mandibles, freshly gouged from Mad Rhino Luz's body, writhing in blood and emitting a sharp screech!
Again, Bai Pu's long saber flashed, splitting the beetles in quick succession.
"The vine itself isn't dangerous. The real threat is the beetles that coexist with the vines."
These Flesh Devouring Beetles depend on the vines to survive. Once they find a flesh creature invading the vine, they burrow into the body, leaving nothing behind!
Based on Mad Rhino Luz's experience, when the beetles bite the skin, they secrete a potent anesthetic toxin that leaves the victim's whole body numb and powerless, helplessly watching as the beetles gnaw through the skin and crawl inside to bite and devour.
"What do we do?" Even Yvette, a knight, couldn't hide her fear.
"Fortunately, these beetles are quite fragile."
Bai Pu lightly stomped on a beetle's corpse, making a crunching sound as he headed towards the cliff wall: "This time, I'll go first."
Saying this, Bai Pu activated his Professional Skill: Flesh Armor!
A strong suction force erupted, creating a spectacular scene as countless small black dots eagerly "flew" toward Bai Pu, crawling on his red blood shield.
Bai Pu instantly turned into a large sphere covered with beetles.
But within seconds, the black dots began to fall like raindrops!
Bai Pu's Flesh Armor is both offensive and defensive, not only providing protection but also extracting life value from nearby enemies, causing Dark Attribute Magic Damage!
Even targets that are not injured receive 4 points of damage per second, which increases incrementally to 9 points when injured!
The beetles rely mainly on their numbers and potent paralytic toxins, but such widespread continuous area attacks are their arch-nemesis.
The best part is the Gravity Ball special effect, which the beetles cannot resist and are unwillingly drawn toward Bai Pu.
"My ability lasts for 120 seconds. Move quickly. We need to climb to the top of the cliff within that time," Bai Pu instructed.
Yvette hurriedly followed, with Mad Rhino Luz right after.
Bai Pu was the first to reach the cliff top, followed closely by Yvette. The slowest was Luz, who with his single arm managed to reach halfway up the cliff.
Luckily, Bai Pu held onto a rope, and with a powerful pull, Mad Rhino Luz was dragged up.
Thus, Bai Pu and his team had passed through two deadly checkpoints: the swamp crocodile swarm and the black vine beetles.
"Rest for fifteen minutes," Bai Pu exhaled softly, beginning to inscribe the Flesh and Blood Spell. In such a treacherous place, he needed to maintain his strongest state without wasting a single trump card.
"There seem to be fewer glowing plants ahead," Yvette commented.
Previously, there was light on the path due to unknown glowing moss gathering in clusters on the rock walls and ground, forming small light sources.
However, after climbing the black vine cliff, the luminescent moss became less frequent, making the light dimmer.
"Luz and I will go in front," Bai Pu said. He had the ability of a mental scan, which served as his extra pairs of eyes.
The group continued their journey, encountering bizarre creatures like flesh moths and gigantic geckos clinging to the cliff walls.
These creatures were all ferocious and aggressive, launching attacks the moment they noticed humans!
Mad Rhino Luz suddenly unleashed a Ring of Shock, slowing the approaching monsters, while Bai Pu used his mental scan to pinpoint their locations and then struck with precise saber blows!
Fortunately, these mutated Flesh Monsters had been fairly weak before their transformation, and although they gained formidable aggression after mutating, their overall power still fell into the weaker category. They couldn't withstand Bai Pu's saber for long before succumbing.
With each Flesh Mutant Monster slain, Mad Rhino Luz would swing his sword to sever plump and tender parts from the creatures' bodies, feasting on them without hesitation!
This rough energy replenishment method proved effective for the Mutant; his previously broken arm gradually healed.
After walking in darkness for a long time, Bai Pu suddenly sensed the path narrowing, changing from a spacious underground hall to a medium-width corridor, with signs of human handiwork on the rock walls.
"We're almost there."
Bai Pu felt an indescribable excitement. The turning point of life and death for his profession-changing task was here. He took a deep breath and stepped into the corridor.
"Be careful!" Yvette warned in a low voice.
Ahead in the corridor, pairs of crimson light points suddenly appeared, each pair forming the vicious, venomous eyes of ferocious creatures!
Chirping—
Loud chirping and the sound of flapping leathery wings filled the air as a black storm suddenly whipped through the corridor towards Bai Pu and the others!
This black storm was made up of bats the size of fists, each with bloodthirsty red eyes, landing on Bai Pu and the others to bite, embedding their small fangs deeply!
Bai Pu grunted heavily and immediately activated the newly inscribed "Flesh Armor"!
Centering on Bai Pu, the black storm was forcefully drawn in, forming a black and red sphere around him! The bats fiercely bit down, only creating ripples on Bai Pu's Flesh Armor shield.
Outer bats, unable to cling onto Bai Pu, settled on their companions, showing no regard for kinship, biting indiscriminately, filling the corridor with eerie chirping and causing splitting headaches.
One by one, bats fell to the ground, but a large number of replacements continued to swoop in like an endless tide.
"Keep moving; we can't stay here!"
Bai Pu marched forward, leading the charge! Yvette and Luz followed closely.
Soon, Bai Pu's Spiritual Detection sensed the end of the corridor! It was a man-made stone staircase with moss growing on it.
"You go first."
Bai Pu abruptly halted, the storm of bats still in pursuit. He turned sharply and, after Luz and Yvette passed, lunged forward.
A punch wrapped in crimson light launched with a deep roar!
Unstable Shield: Cannon Bombardment!
A large number of black bats were forcefully slain, falling with clatters to pile up quickly!
The remaining black bats, drawn by the sight of flesh from their fallen comrades, rushed in, greedily feasting on the heaps of bodies.
Taking advantage of this lull, Yvette and Luz reached the coiled stone stairs, pushing open a rusty iron hatch. Bai Pu followed swiftly, and the three emerged from the secret passage.
With a sigh of relief, Bai Pu said, "Royal Alchemy Academy is right above!"