Secrets of the Universe

"How long more?" yawned River.

The group had been dodging traps for over twenty minutes and she couldn't help but admire the patience of the trap maker.

"I fear we are just halfway through," sighed Eden.

He watched as Jake rose his hand again, signifying for them to stop.

Of course, they obeyed and waited to see what the trap was.

*Shui!*

It seemed the trap was triggered by mere sound as when Jake lightly blew a gust of air, multiple disk blades came out of both sides of the wall.

They sharply cut through the air as they got to the other side. 

A bead of sweat fell from River's face as she brought out a fake smile, "....Yep, almost halfway through."

Just the mere force generated by the blade grazed her body, leaving her with small cuts.

This made her understand that if she had been caught in the trap, she would, most likely, have been diced!

"I wonder if after all this planning, the manor lord successful escape," cursed River.

She had to witness traps after traps that had been planned for them. It made her question the mentality of the said manor lord.

"The lord would have escaped. If anything, he should one of the first to escape. He has the highest priority," informed Eden.

It was normal for people of similar positions to be given the first spot. It wasn't anything bad, and the people were already used to it.

"I bet his descendants live in Owl Island. Most of them should be in the sect," voiced Eden.

Owl Island was the v.i.p island out of all the islands. The manor lord would have enough money to relocate there.

"Do you think his family remembers this town?" asked a curious River.

She needed something to keep her from thinking about their future.

"It's been decades since this happened. The family line should have touched the second, if not the third, generation. Some of them might remember, but the younger ones won't, except if they are told by the older ones," smiled Eden.

"So, no cultivators on their side?" puzzled River.

"This might be a misconception due to your young age. However, about ninety percent(90%) of the continent's population are mortals. Even those that are cultivators don't progress. You are lucky to be talented enough to reach the [Realm 3], but you feel it don't you?" questioned Eden.

"Feel what?"

He further explained his question, "We all feel it. Our body limit...or rather, our talent limit. It's like we are being submerged into water and the height of the water represents our timer.....the period of time it would take for us to reach our talent limit. When we get fully submerged, we start to struggle….try to stay afloat, but we keep being pulled down into the water!"

His voice full of experience rang into the ears of the group, even Jake.

Jake could understand that feeling...the feeling of being submerged.

He felt it months ago when he was still at [Realm 0], it was nerve-wracking! 

He could also understand from Eden's words that the latter had reached his limit and couldn't progress more on the cultivation path.

The once bright light was getting snuffed out…

Perhaps, that was why he took this suicide bounty mission.

'Even them. What a sad life?' sighed Jake.

His group was made up of the rarest people on the continent. Even on the island, they shined so brightly.

Yet, the looks on their faces said the opposite. These were the same people that would rival the nobles in talent. They would put most people to shame.

Yet, the realization that this was the end for them was excrutiating. Devastating. Enough to make a cultivator go mad.

Jake, himself, went mad the time he realized that was not cut out for cultivation. Luckily, the preparations he made pre-rebirth saved him.

This made him understand why many nobles joined Necro. They knew they couldn't rely on cultivation and went for another power source.

Jake laughed in his head thinking of this.

The zombie hybrids had no idea that that path was, even more, worse than cultivation. They were being fooled into being footsoldiers.

It was definitely funny. 

"Enough of the sad talk, whatever happens, happens," scoffed River.

She passed by Jake and leaned on the wall to her left.

*Click!*

Immediately, a square brick on the wall she leaned on made a clicking sound.

Normally, they wouldn't be able to hear it, but it was too important for them to miss it.

'Ahh. Now, she has done it,' sighed Jake for the umpteenth time.

He could feel the weight of the floor step he was on lessen. Along with the sound of a complicated mechanism operating in the background, he could already tell what was happening.

River had activated a trap.

Now, it was a matter of what the trap was.

Jake, along with the rest, stayed still. They could choose to run, but would probably kill themselves by activating other traps. It was a sure way of dying.

The best thing they could do is prepare for the trap, and that is what they did.

Their body brightened with colorful energies as they entered their peak state.

'What will it be?' analyzed Jake.

The constructors of the tunnel had factored in the mentality of the intruders. They had understood that any intruder would decide to stay on the spot.

This wise understanding made them prepare a trap with a linger time to be executed. 

It was simply devilish!

*Clink!*

When the last clicking sound was heard, like a bottomless beast, the ground floor opened up.

It gave the group little to no time to find their balance as they descended further and further into the bottomless hole.

However, being cultivators, the group quickly adjusted.

They used whatever elements they had to create a stick made out of energy and fixed it into the walls of the hole.

Using it as their handhold, they stayed like that for seconds to come.

Suddenly, a gust of hot air blew their hair up. It came from below them!

When they looked down, they regretted it as they saw red flames rising every second!