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Chapter 149: Twelve Pathways
🕑 Added 2024-09-29 08:17:16 +0000 UTCThe feeling of falling lasted only a moment before Lin Luoluo noticed her surroundings shift.
Soon, she realized that she had entered a vast space, seemingly inside an enormous cavern. Around her, many martial artists were scanning their surroundings, as if searching for something.
“Those martial artists outside were truly foolish,” Ye Fan commented to himself, reflecting on how they had fought to the death just to be the first to enter the secret realm.
This, after all, was only the beginning of the secret realm, and the area was completely empty with nothing in sight.
“Is everyone inside?” Shang Pei’s voice echoed from the front as he surveyed the area.
"Yes, we’re all here," one of Shang Pei’s subordinates confirmed. Around him were the remaining martial artists, about eighteen in total, including Lin Luoluo, who had joined the group.
“So quickly, we’ve lost nearly half of the team,” Shang Pei frowned.
Only eighteen martial artists remained. The others, about fourteen, had clearly perished during the skirmishes outside.
"Those people were insane, attacking us before we even entered," one of the surviving martial artists said, his voice trembling with lingering fear.
Others nodded, still shaken by the chaos from earlier. They couldn’t believe that so many martial artists had died before even setting foot inside the secret realm.
“There was nothing we could do. Too many martial artists showed up this year,” Shang Pei said with a sigh. "The treasures discovered in the secret realm a few years ago made it too famous. Everyone wants a piece of it now."
Lin Luoluo, glancing around, spoke up, "This secret realm seems different from previous years."
Shang Pei nodded, "Yes, it’s definitely different. The layout of the secret realm changes every time it opens."
While Shang Pei and his group examined the area, other martial artists were also searching for a path forward.
"I think the path ahead will appear here," Shang Pei said, walking toward a large, smooth wall.
The wall was massive and unnaturally smooth, giving off a strange and unsettling feeling in contrast to the vast, open cavern.
Some of the martial artists approached the wall, feeling around for any hidden mechanisms or clues. Meanwhile, more and more martial artists were arriving, having made it through the chaotic scramble outside.
“Finally made it in, those damned fools,” Spade Talley muttered as he entered the secret realm. He had flown up from the lower part of White Dragon Mountain and had been attacked by several other martial artists along the way, leaving him furious.
"But it seems the real secret realm hasn’t fully revealed itself yet," he murmured, scanning the area for familiar faces. However, there were too many martial artists around, making it impossible to find anyone specific.
“I don’t think there’s any mechanism here,” Lin Luoluo said, watching Shang Pei and the others search the wall. She raised an eyebrow as she spoke.
“Oh?” Shang Pei glanced at the masked Lin Luoluo. "What do you think, then?"
For some reason, Shang Pei felt that Lin Luoluo possessed a unique aura, something uncommon even among high-ranking martial artists. Judging from her voice, she also seemed rather young.
"There aren’t enough people yet," Lin Luoluo replied after a brief pause.
"Not enough people?" one of the martial artists asked, surprised. "You’re saying the pathway will only appear when more martial artists arrive?"
"Yes," Lin Luoluo said calmly.
“That’s possible,” Shang Pei nodded thoughtfully.
As time passed, more martial artists continued to pour into the space. Many of them were enraged, having fought their way in only to find nothing awaiting them. Some were trembling with frustration.
"Fools," Spade Talley scoffed as he watched the injured martial artists arrive. The real secret realm hadn’t even opened yet, and they had already slaughtered each other.
...
Eventually, the number of martial artists grew so large that the entire space seemed to tremble.
“It’s starting!” The martial artists, feeling the tremors, grew excited.
The massive, smooth wall began to slowly rise, revealing a hidden passage behind it.
"So that wall was a door after all," someone muttered as the truth dawned on the group.
As the wall lifted, twelve large, circular passageways were revealed. Each of these tunnels was broad and lined with flickering torches, casting an eerie glow inside.
“Twelve tunnels…” Shang Pei murmured, frowning as he looked at them.
No one knew which tunnel to enter. While the secret realm was filled with treasures, it was also filled with dangers. Even a Martial Master like Shang Pei could be seriously injured or killed if he wasn’t careful.
"Sky Tiger Mercenary Group, follow me!" one mercenary leader shouted as his group rushed into the first tunnel.
“Frost Sky Mercenaries, come over here!”
"Warriors from Phoenix Snow City, this way!"
...
The martial artists began to split into groups, each choosing a tunnel to enter.
“Ah!!!”
Suddenly, a series of bloodcurdling screams echoed from one of the tunnels.
"What… what was that?" one of the martial artists asked, visibly shaken by the sound.
"It came from the tunnel the Sky Tiger Mercenary Group entered," another martial artist said nervously. "Could it be that they were killed already?"
The remaining martial artists hesitated, now too frightened to recklessly choose a tunnel.
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