Chapter 418 - 297: First Entry into the Underground, Part 2

Chapter 418: Chapter 297: First Entry into the Underground, Part 2

A group of Fifth-Grade masters boarded the Golden Roc.

Tang Wen and Zhou Bing rode on Hu Qi’s back.

Hu Li and another White Tiger Guard carried Xia Qingge and Feng San Niang.

Countless gazes swept over them, finally landing on Tang Wen.

’This kid... It was one thing to have swindled Shui Yun of the Black Water Gang and Feng San Niang of the Spring Breeze Pavilion.’

’But where on earth did he find these other two beauties?’

Of course, the Huang Family of Ganshan City had their Slave Factories, so there was no shortage of beautiful women.

But for a woman to be both a beauty and a Martial Arts genius was exceedingly rare.

Zhou Bing was young, yet she was already at the Extraordinary level.

Xia Qingge was radiant and captivating, and was even suspected to be at the Peak of Sixth Grade.

They couldn’t help but be envious.

The Golden Roc flapped its wings and cut through the wind.

A massive Wind Shield formed around the roc’s head, protecting the people standing on its back. Then, in an instant, it vanished over the horizon.

The White Tigers moved their four paws, easily keeping pace, and plunged headfirst into the gray, hazy sky.

Tang Wen and the others occasionally looked up.

The sky of the Underworld had a distinct curve to it. As they flew, it was mostly illuminated by a faint, fluorescent glow.

The White Tigers followed a short distance above the Golden Roc.

The senses between Exotic Beasts were more acute.

The faint aura of the White Tigers was right behind it.

The Golden Roc flew faster, subconsciously trying to shake off the White Tigers.

Otherwise, it couldn’t help but feel like hunted prey.

"Careful, we’re about to enter a no-light zone."

Someone on the roc’s back shouted.

Tang Wen and his group immediately felt the headwind disappear.

Hu Qi and the other White Tigers raised a defensive Wind Shield together.

Darkness enveloped everything.

Tang Wen and the others naturally possessed night vision.

Hu Qi’s eyes glowed like two golden-yellow light bulbs.

The presence or absence of light made no difference to it.

As for whether its eyes might attract something...

There was no need to worry. Whatever came at it would just be courting death.

But flying at high speed in a place with no light, especially knowing it was fraught with danger, could easily make one’s heart race with panic.

Tang Wen quickly calmed himself in the darkness and began to perceive the Profound Technique of his [Night Divine Fist] in the near-absolute blackness.

The wind howled.

The journey was uneventful.

The White Tigers did not release their auras.

The Golden Roc up ahead didn’t hold back.

Possessing a high level of intelligence, it understood the strength of the team it was with.

It knew it didn’t have to fly as cautiously as before, where it might occasionally need to take a detour or burst with speed to shake off pursuers.

It knew that today, all it had to do was fly.

Even if a Fifth-Grade Exotic Beast attacked, the blow wouldn’t land on it.

"The Thunder Jade Production Area is up ahead. Anyone below Fifth Grade can enter."

After an unknown amount of time, Tang Wen slowly opened his eyes upon hearing someone’s reminder.

His recent moment of insight had increased his Dark Ability’s awakening progress by 0.1%.

"We’re an hour earlier than expected."

"The great roc must be exhausted."

The Golden Roc spread its wings and circled in the air, taking the opportunity to glance at the White Tigers hovering nearby.

’You think I wanted to fly that fast?’

’Big cats eat little birds!’

The White Tigers’ vertical pupils were icy cold, and the Golden Roc didn’t dare meet their gaze.

Everyone landed on the ground.

Not far away, some Fluorite stones were piled in a triangle. The stones cast a shimmering glow, providing a source of light.

A deep black ore vein stretched out before them.

If you listened closely, you could hear the CLINK-CLANK of mining.

Everyone had excellent eyesight and could see ant-like workers in the distance, under a dense blanket of black clouds, swinging chisels to mine the ore with glowing Fluorite stones on their heads.

"Those are the Huang Family’s miners. We don’t know much about this area; the Huang Family are the ones most familiar with it."

"Do you know how large this area is?"

"No idea. The layout is irregular. And it’s not just Fifth-Grade masters who get struck by lightning if they enter. If you accidentally fly too close to those thunderclouds, you’ll get zapped too."

"Only the Huang Family is familiar with this place?" Hall Master Zhao Chuang of the Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall sneered. "In that case, to prevent the Huang Family from cheating, once the trial begins, their Fifth and Sixth-Grade Masters had better all be within my line of sight!"

Hearing this, the crowd voiced their agreement one after another.

’That’s right. Since the Huang Family chose terrain they’re most familiar with for the trial, it’s only normal for others to be suspicious!’

"How strong is the Thunder here?"

"Well..."

The guide couldn’t answer.

Zhao Chuang didn’t press him, saying directly, "I see some thunderclouds over there. I’ll go test them out!"

’Damn, this guy is reckless!’

Zhao Chuang was a man of action. With a single step that seemed to shrink the distance, he appeared beneath the thunderclouds.

CRACK—

A flash of lightning shot past.

It illuminated Zhao Chuang’s figure.

KRA-KOOM!

A muffled clap of thunder followed.

A jagged bolt of lightning struck him squarely.

SWOOSH!

Hall Master Zhao retreated.

His clothes had turned to charcoal. His hair... oh, right, he was already bald!

Never mind then.

Tang Wen even suspected that if Zhao Chuang had hair, he would never have attempted such a dangerous test.

"How was it?"

Zhao Chuang shook his body, and his clothes disintegrated, leaving only a pair of leather pants.

It was clear that the leather pants, which were unscathed by the lightning, were likely made from the hide of a Fifth-Grade Exotic Beast.

"Hold on, I’m going to try again."

After speaking, Zhao Chuang retrieved a suit of heavy Armor from his Dimension Stone.

From helmet to boots, it was all forged from metal.

It was a full-body suit, complete with everything from a faceplate to gauntlets.

CRACK—

KRA-KOOM!

A flash of lightning blasted Zhao Chuang’s Armor.

The blue electrical light didn’t vanish as it had before.

Like an eerie blue glow, it rolled ceaselessly over his body.

Beautiful and dangerous.

Women were particularly susceptible to such a spectacle.

The eyes of Zhou Bing and Feng San Niang lit up slightly.

Xia Qingge even looked eager to try it herself.

It seemed if she had a suit of armor, she would have charged in to take a hit herself.

BOOM!

The thunder rumbled, and the electricity took a while to dissipate.

Immediately after, another bolt of lightning struck.

Tang Wen noticed that the black clouds in the sky showed no signs of shrinking, as if striking a few times had consumed none of their power.

"Everyone, watch closely. I’m going to head deeper in."

Two consecutive lightning strikes had caused no damage whatsoever.

It seemed Zhao Chuang was getting addicted to the thrill.

He strode forward, his steel boots clanging powerfully as he stepped into the depths of the Thunder Jade Mine.

Tang Wen and the others couldn’t help but take a few steps forward.

CRACK—CRACK—CRACK—

He had taken less than ten steps inside.

Three bolts of lightning tore through the endless night and blasted Zhao Chuang.

CRACK!

Zhao Chuang was sent flying, hurtling even deeper into the mine.

Fortunately, he was prepared. He forcibly controlled his body in mid-air and blinked repeatedly to step out of the lightning’s range.

KRA-KOOM, KRA-KOOM!

Behind him, lightning followed like a shadow, striking the ground and blasting out deep craters.

"Old Zhao is impressive!" Shui Qianjun said with a grin, giving him a thumbs-up.

Patriarch Zhang looked at Zhao Chuang’s mangled armor and clicked his tongue. "That’s some serious power!"

Zhao Chuang’s expression was grim. "Indeed. That first strike was about the level of the Peak of Sixth Grade. Once I went deeper, three thunderclouds converged on me. They seemed to have some kind of stacking effect, and each strike was fiercer than the last!"

Shui Qianjun had also been observing closely. "Steel naturally attracts lightning. I saw the bolts chasing after you to strike."

"The Huang Family must have to put in a great deal of effort to send their Fifth-Grade members inside."

"The Thunder Jade District is too large. No one can say for sure what the conditions are like inside."

"..."

While the Fifth-Grade masters from the various families discussed, Tang Wen and his group were free to move about, as long as they didn’t wander too far.

Tang Wen went forward with Feng San Niang and Zhou Bing.

He approached cautiously. For some unknown reason, despite being well within the range of the thunderclouds, the clouds completely ignored him.

A man from one of the Martial Arts Halls laughed. "It seems this lightning knows who’s who. It only strikes the Fifth-Grades and leaves us alone."

Everyone started experimenting. Aside from one guy carrying a ten-meter-long spear who got zapped, the rest, even those who went in wearing armor, weren’t struck as long as their helmets weren’t spiked.

Everyone had their own ideas: some ran around inside, while others jumped or leaped into the air.

It turned out that as long as you didn’t get within a few meters of the thunderclouds, the lightning wouldn’t come for you.

After several hours of experimentation and messing around, just as everyone was about to leave...

Tang Wen’s ear suddenly twitched.

"We’re down."

It was Hu Yun. She had arrived nearby!

’They’re here this early?’