NOVEL NEXT Chapter 431: Praise From Companions
Fatty Kui, who had been quietly munching on a recovery pill despite his pale face, suddenly piped up, "Of course Brother Han is amazing! You seniors didn't see it, but the way he cut through those illusions was like a tiger tearing through paper. I was almost about to cry when I saw him step through the mist to save me!"
His exaggerated praise earned a round of chuckles, easing the tension in the group. Even Xuan Qing's lips quirked faintly, though she quickly masked it with her usual stern demeanor.
Han Yu shook his head, pretending to look embarrassed, though in truth, he didn't mind letting Fatty Kui boast on his behalf. The more others believed in his strength and composure, the easier it would be to maneuver them later when it came to choices about which paths to take.
For now, though, the group rested in silence as their wounds knitted. The faint glow of pills working through their systems filled the chamber, mingling with the rich scent of medicine.
Eventually, She Ming broke the quiet again. "If this is only the first true hall of the repository, then the warnings of the elders were right. The dangers here are far greater than the other complexes. If we'd entered without a group this large, I don't think any of us would've made it out alive."
Xuan Qing nodded, her tone grave. "All the more reason to stay vigilant. We will proceed only once everyone has recovered at least half their strength. Rushing forward will only lead to death."
No one argued. The disciples closed their eyes, circulating their qi to better absorb the medicine, while the seniors remained alert, scanning the chamber for any further tricks.
Han Yu leaned back, closing his eyes as well. Outwardly, he looked calm and restful, but inwardly his thoughts were racing.
'So this is the repository… Already, it's testing us with illusions and puppets. What else will it throw at us deeper in? And when will the Mist Eye Sect make their move?'
His fingers brushed the Communication Jade Slip at his waist, but it remained silent. No word yet from Meng Jueyan. He exhaled slowly. Whatever lay ahead, he would be ready.
But one thing was certain, the others were beginning to see him differently now. Not just as a junior tagging along, but as someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the face of death. That shift would prove useful.
The silence of recovery stretched on, filled with the faint hum of circulating qi, until the group began to stir again, their wounds closing and their strength slowly returning. The repository's trial had only begun.
The group pressed on into the depths of the repository complex, their steps echoing against the stone corridors.
The scent of dust and aged medicine herbs lingered faintly in the air, mingling with the acrid tang of burnt qi from the traps they had already survived.
Time passed strangely down here.
There was no sunlight to mark its flow, only the endless passage of halls and corridors. Each new chamber brought a new danger, and each danger left them more weary, though also sharper, more tightly bound as comrades through shared hardship.
The first few halls after the illusions had seemed almost merciful in comparison, though they were by no means easy.
One chamber had been filled with stone guardians; massive, hulking puppets in the shape of ancient warriors, their weapons etched with faint glowing runes. It had taken coordinated effort from the Core Condensation seniors to subdue them, while the juniors darted in to strike at their joints or cores.
Han Yu had used Chitterfang as well as his own senses to sniff out the weak points in their construction, guiding the others where to strike.
The next hall had nearly drowned them.
A sudden shift in the floor tiles caused water to pour from hidden vents, filling the chamber within minutes. The currents dragged them toward spinning water wheels with razor edges hidden beneath the surface.
Only with Wu Shuan's quick thinking: using a talisman to create a temporary barrier and Senior Brother Duan's qi-powered strikes to break the hidden mechanism did they manage to escape without losing someone to the churning deathtrap.
Beyond that, another corridor had been lined with murals of serene landscapes.
At first glance, it had seemed almost restful, a break from the constant tension. But when they stepped inside, the murals came to life, spilling phantom rivers and burning phantom flames into the hall.
These illusions carried weight, and though not as insidious as the previous hall of illusions, they were still deadly enough to scorch flesh and sap qi. Han Yu had recognized the pattern of the paintings and guided them to disrupt the mural at its central keystone, shattering the illusion.
With each encounter, they grew more worn, but also more wary, their formation tighter and their reactions sharper. The further they went, the more the juniors noticed the seriousness in their seniors' faces.
Even the strongest among them, Xuan Qing and Senior Brother Duan, bore cuts and bruises now. This repository was not a place to stroll... it was a gauntlet, a trial of attrition.
By the time they reached what looked like another long corridor, fatigue had settled into their bones. But the air here carried an edge that made Han Yu's hair rise. The stone tiles gleamed faintly, and he noticed small slits in the ceiling.
"Blades," Han Yu muttered under his breath just before the trap activated.
RUMBLE
A sound like thunder cracked through the passage.
From above, steel blades dropped down in erratic patterns, swinging on chains, slicing through the air with lethal force. The group scattered instinctively, each disciple weaving and darting to avoid the flashing death overhead.
Han Yu's heart pounded as he twisted sideways, a blade slashing past his shoulder with a hiss of displaced air. He hit the ground rolling, narrowly avoiding another blade that slammed into the tiles where he had been standing just a breath before. His mind sharpened to a razor's edge.
This was the kind of chaos he knew best.