Chapter 190: Lake Bottom

Struggle was useless; he went with the flow.

Having experienced being swallowed by a whirlpool into the sea ruins, Zhang Xingyu's mood was very calm.

He closed his eyes, circulated his qi, and protected his body.

After a spell of dizziness, Zhang Xingyu arrived at the lake bottom.

The demonic qi at the lake bottom was thicker, and all around was a pitch-black expanse.

Zhang Xingyu operated the Creation Technique to devour demonic qi while feeling his way forward along the lake bottom.

He slipped through the crack between two rocks and entered a narrow passage.

The passage contained no lake water, no light, and demonic qi filled the entire space.

Zhang Xingyu took two steps forward and then stopped.

A demonic beast's howl faintly came from ahead.

Strange, a demonic beast actually appeared in this passage.

Zhang Xingyu furrowed his brows, then immediately rolled onto the ground.

A pitch-black long blade swept over his head, taking a few strands of hair.

Close call!

He almost died here.

Fire Dragon, attack!

As he fell to the ground, Zhang Xingyu shouted softly.

The Fire Dragon shot out from his back.

Blazing flames cut through the thick mist, instantly slicing the long blade into two pieces.

Zhang Xingyu's face showed no joy.

Before him, black blades, spears, swords, and halberds attacked from all directions.

Damn, so many demonic soldiers.

No time to think, the Fire Dragon reflected back.

The Fire Dragon traced a bright arc, cutting down all the attacking demonic soldiers.

Zhang Xingyu let out a long breath.

However, before he could celebrate his brief victory, the surrounding demonic qi once again transformed into demonic soldiers that charged at him.

Demonic qi turned into soldiers.

Damn it, this is bad.

As long as demonic qi remains, the demonic soldiers will not die.

If the demonic qi is not eliminated, he will face endless attacks.

He swung his sword and cut down the charging demonic soldiers.

Zhang Xingyu frantically operated the Creation Technique, exerting himself to absorb the surrounding demonic qi.

While defending, he madly inhaled.

Zhang Xingyu turned black again.

Above the Divine Sea, golden rain threads gradually turned into raindrops.

Raindrops fell into the Divine Sea, kicking up golden spray.

Then, this scene, Zhang Xingyu had no leisure to admire.

At this moment, he could only struggle desperately, strive again and strive.

The surrounding demonic qi gradually thinned, and the chopped demonic soldiers no longer regenerated.

Zhang Xingyu felt somewhat relieved.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, opened his mouth and nose wide, and demonic qi flew into his mouth like a whale sucking water.

After a while, the demonic qi before him had become very thin, and the scene of the passage appeared before his eyes.

This passage was not high, semicircular in shape, with all four walls made of hard rock.

This passage is truly strange, like a rat-dug burrow.

Zhang Xingyu held the Fire Dragon, cautiously making his way through the passage.

At the end of the passage was a stone gate.

The stone gate was tightly shut.

Mysterious runes were carved on the gate.

Before the gate crouched two stone beasts, one Qiongqi and one Taowu.

Qiongqi, one of the Ten Ancient Ferocious Beasts, ranked fifth on the Ferocious Beast list.

Qiongqi resembles a tiger, with wings on its back, deliberate in manner, and enjoys eating people.

This beast likes to act as an arbiter in disputes, often punishing the good and encouraging the wicked; it is a refined scoundrel among ferocious beasts.

Taowu, also one of the Ten Ancient Ferocious Beasts, ranked sixth on the Ferocious Beast list.

Taowu has a human face and dog fur, a very long tail, loves to fight, and is brutal and violent.

This beast cannot distinguish right from wrong, impervious to persuasion; it is a stubborn blockhead among ferocious beasts.

How could there be statues of Qiongqi and Taowu here?

Qiongqi and Taowu are both ferocious beasts; I fear that something ominous is locked behind the stone gate.

Zhang Xingyu held the Fire Dragon, cautiously approaching the stone gate.

When he was still about ten steps from the stone gate, the two stone beasts emitted streaks of red light.

"Roar!"

A moment later, the two stone beasts moved.

The Stone Beast's eyes turned blood‑red, its face twisted ferociously, its four legs clawed the ground, ready at any moment to pounce on Zhang Xingyu.

Qiongqi shook its head, wobbled, flapped its wings, and swayed its tail lightly, as if it were squatting on the ground watching a play.

Damn, these two guys can move!

Zhang Xingyu let out a startled cry and quickly stepped back four or five meters.

At the moment he retreated, the Stone Beast already leapt through the air toward him.

Without time to think, Zhang Xingyu swiftly employed the first form of the Exterminate Immortal Sword Technique.

The sword streaked like a meteor.

The Fire Dragon struck the Stone Beast first.

The Stone Beast roared in fury.

It let out a great howl, its long tail whipping like a scourge, and snapped at the Fire Dragon.

The Fire Dragon's attack succeeded, turning into a flash of light that surged into the sky.

With the Stone Beast's massive form blocked, Zhang Xingyu again quickly stepped back four or five meters.

He was now about fourteen or fifteen meters from the gate.

It was a relatively safe distance, and the chance of being besieged by the two ferocious beasts should have dropped considerably.

Zhang Xingyu hurriedly drew the Binding Immortal Rope from his ring.

Go!

Zhang Xingyu let out a light chuckle, and the Binding Immortal Rope transformed into a long serpent that flew toward the Stone Beast.

Ahead, the Stone Beast was locked in a bitter struggle with the Fire Dragon.

The Stone Beast exuded a fierce aura, while the Fire Dragon moved with agility.

Seizing the chance, the Binding Immortal Rope coiled around the Stone Beast's body.

Sensing danger, the Stone Beast shook its head, opened its mouth, and a jet of black smoke spewed toward the Binding Immortal Rope.

The ambush failed, and its attack was blocked.

The black smoke followed the Binding Immortal Rope and surged toward Zhang Xingyu.

Damn! Demonic aura!

This Stone Beast has become demonic.

Zhang Xingyu immediately activated the Transformation Technique.

A vortex quietly formed ahead of him.

Black smoke attacks, vortex absorbs.

Unnoticed, the demonic aura on the Stone Beast's body was exhausted.

The Stone Beast's offensive slowed, its aura waned.

Now!

Zhang Xingyu felt a stir in his heart.

The Binding Immortal Rope seized the opportunity, tightly binding the Stone Beast's limbs.

The Fire Dragon's sword aura flared, and it cleaved the Stone Beast's tail hard.

One sword, two cuts.

The Stone Beast's tail was cut into two pieces.

The tail is the Stone Beast's most powerful weapon.

Now that its tail is gone, the Stone Beast feels a severe life‑threatening crisis.

It twisted its head and let out a howl toward Qiongqi.

No translation needed; Zhang Xingyu also knows that the Stone Beast is calling for help from Qiongqi.

Qiongqi stood up.

It let out a low growl, its wings fluttered, and it instantly arrived in front of Zhang Xingyu.

The fierce gale blew, making Zhang Xingyu's cheeks ache terribly.

Bad!

Zhang Xingyu's mind shifted, and he lunged to the ground.

At the instant he fell, Qiongqi's wing struck toward him.

One versus two.

The situation looks a bit bad!

This Qiongqi is clearly harder to deal with than the Stone Beast.

You see, it should clearly be rescuing the Stone Beast, but it doesn't; instead it launches an ambush on you.

The thought lasted only a moment.

Even as he tried to think, Zhang Xingyu's actions and commands were not slow.

Seizing the moment Qiongqi ambushed him, Zhang Xingyu ordered the Fire Dragon to strike the Stone Beast's neck hard.

First, take out one.

Dealing with one is far easier than dealing with two.

One sword cuts it in half.

Another blow and the Stone Beast will be finished.

But Qiongqi gave Zhang Xingyu no such chance.

Qiongqi's attacks were relentless.

Zhang Xingyu rolled and crawled on the ground.

Helpless, Zhang Xingyu let the Glutton go.

Fire Dragon, hurry back to assist!

Binding Immortal Rope, hurry to save the master!

With the Fire Dragon and Binding Immortal Rope, Zhang Xingyu's life was finally saved.

He patted his thumping chest, took out a formation disk from his storage ring.

This is a perfect-grade Nine Palaces Inverted Formation Disk, refined by the formation genius Ouyang Lanlan of Nanhua Immortal Academy.

Using this formation disk, Zhang Xingyu will slay the Glutton and slaughter the Strange Beast today.

In no time, the formation activated, and thick mist rose.

Using the formation, Zhang Xingyu came before the Glutton.

Die!

The Fire Dragon flew out, and the Glutton lost its head.

The Glutton died.

No matter how fierce its reputation, before deceitful and treacherous humans, it could not escape the fate of death and disappearance.

Bending down to pick up a black diamond, Zhang Xingyu came before the Strange Beast.

The Fire Dragon attacked head-on, while the Binding Immortal Rope entangled from the flank.

After a moment, the Strange Beast's belly split open, its wings broke, and it lay helpless on the ground, wailing.

The Strange Beast died.

No matter how cunning it was, before humans of fearsome reputation, it could only obediently offer up its head.

After two fierce battles, Zhang Xingyu was exhausted like a dead dog.

He lay on the ground in an undignified manner, gasping heavily.

Before him, the stone door was emitting a strange creaking sound.