Chapter 392: Chaos Crocodile Slays Three Keys: A Soul-Stealing Tale

After a life-and-death battle with the monster horde, Lu Yuan and the others finally resealed the spatial rift, letting the world temporarily regain peace.

But everyone understood that this was only superficial peace; the rift could be reopened at any moment, so they had to find a way to seal it permanently.

Thus, Lu Yuan invited Su Liyan, Gu Qingwan, and King Qi to enter this mysterious space again, intending to personally seal the rift and eliminate future trouble.

They arrived at the cliff where the rift was, seeing the rift still hanging in midair, surrounded by a thin layer of blood-colored barrier.

"It seems to seal the rift we must first break this barrier," Lu Yuan said, frowning.

"This barrier is intricately set; it requires a corresponding key to open."

Su Liyan focused her gaze for a moment and then said:

"Key, where should we go to find it?" King Qi scratched his head.

"Perhaps we can seek that powerful cultivator who set up the barrier; he might know where the key is," Gu Qingwan proposed.

Everyone considered it and felt this was a feasible plan.

The group set out again, trying to find the hermit cultivator living in the mountains.

After several days, they finally reached a deep mountain forest rarely visited by humans, long abandoned and overgrown with weeds.

"Everyone, stay calm; I sense a powerful restriction ahead,"

Lu Yuan had everyone stop, then walked forward on his own.

He clasped his hands together, murmured an incantation, and ten azure light pillars shot from his palms, accurately striking a point in the air.

Boom—

A huge magic formation suddenly appeared, blue light blazing, but quickly shattered into powder and vanished.

"The restriction is undone; we can proceed," Lu Yuan called back.

Su Liyan praised: "Lu Yuan, you're indeed formidable—one strike shattered this barrier."

Gu Qingwan also walked forward smiling, linking her arm with Lu Yuan's.

The group continued forward and soon saw a simple thatched hut hidden among the trees.

"Let's go inside and have a look," Lu Yuan said softly.

Inside the hut sat the white-bearded old man; he looked up at the visitors and said in a low voice: "So it's you few—what brings you here?"

Lu Yuan and the others explained their purpose, asking the old man to tell them how to open the blood-colored barrier.

After listening, the old man closed his eyes in thought, then slowly nodded: "Back when I studied sealing the blood-colored barrier, I forged a key that could break it, named the Heaven-Opening Strange Ingot. I hid that key in a secret realm whose entrance is at this mountain's highest peak."

Having spoken, the old man pointed out the secret realm's entrance, then warned: "Inside that secret realm lingers the evil energy left over from when I forged the key; you must be careful upon entering, and do not be greedy for the realm's treasures—take only what you need, remember!"

Lu Yuan and the others each acknowledged the command, thanked the old man, and set off toward the peak.

"Anyone interested in going treasure hunting together in the secret realm?" King Qi said jokingly.

"Our purpose is the key; once we have it we'll leave quickly," Su Liyan gave him a sideways glance.

"Alright, alright, I was just joking," King Qi said, embarrassed, rubbing his nose.

They arrived at the peak and indeed saw a pitch-black cave, its mouth overgrown with thorns, cold wind howling out.

"This must be the place; I'll clear the way," Lu Yuan raised his hand and shot a azure beam at the mouth, instantly turning the thorns to powder and dispelling much of the black aura inside the cave.

"Let's go."

They nodded; Lu Yuan led, and everyone followed him into the cave in turn.

It was a downward passage, pitch dark where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, only Lu Yuan's azure light illuminated the way ahead.

"Watch your step!" Lu Yuan suddenly shouted. Then a rumbling collapse sounded ahead—the passage had suddenly broken, revealing a bottomless cliff; stepping forward would mean falling.

"I'll handle it," Su Liyan smiled slightly, flicked her long whip, its tip becoming an ice spear that lodged into the opposite cliff, instantly forming an ice bridge.

"Thank you for your effort, Sister Su," Gu Qingwan said with a smile, and the group carefully crossed the ice bridge.

The deeper they went, the heavier the evil energy became; everyone heightened their vigilance, fearing any mishap.

Finally, after passing several turns, the group reached a spacious cavern where a strangely shaped black ingot lay in the center.

"That's the Heaven-Opening Strange Ingot!" King Qi exclaimed delightedly.

"Be careful; I feel something's off around here, protect Sister Gu," Lu Yuan warned, frowning.

No sooner had he spoken than the surrounding flora sprouted countless pairs of blood-red eyes, evil gazes locking onto them.

"It seems the evil energy the old man mentioned has materialized into demons," Su Liyan sighed.

Then beast howls rose, and countless black shadows shot from the woods, lunging straight at them.

"Heavenly Thunder Break!"

Lu Yuan bellowed, and several thunderbolts fell from the sky, accurately striking the black shadows lunging at Gu Qingwan, reducing them to ash.

"What powerful thunder escape!" King Qi sincerely praised.

"Indestructible Diamond!" he likewise refused to be outdone, a golden-yellow aura instantly enveloping his body, impervious to the black shadows' attacks.

Under the old woman's guidance, the group found the first batch of keys and obtained the method to open the barrier.

However, the keys were protected by the monsters' magic, requiring arduous magical trials to obtain them.

King Qi and the others faced dangers in the trials; Lu Yuan saved everyone at the critical moment and secured the keys.

But they also realized the keys' power was not trivial.

According to the old woman's directions, the group arrived at the foot of a dead volcano in a desolate wasteland; the volcano had long been extinct, sand and wind covered the surroundings, and the climate was extremely harsh.

"The old woman said the first key lies deep within this dead volcano," Lu Yuan said, pointing at the towering volcano.

"In such an environment, entering will surely bring numerous obstacles," Su Liyan frowned at the gray sky.

"Thanks, Sister Su, for clearing the way," Gu Qingwan said with a smile.

"Alright, then I'll lead," Su Liyan said, shaking her long whip; its shadow turned into a sword, and with a light swing she cut a passage through the rock wall. The group followed in single file.

It was a downward spiral passage, temperature rising until breathing grew difficult; everyone drenched in sweat, after less than a li they were already panting.

"Why is it so hot inside this volcano?" King Qi said while walking, "If we keep going like this we'll all be roasted."

"You're right, I also feel something strange." Lu Yuan frowned, just about to be on guard, when suddenly a rumbling sound came from above, a huge rock fell from overhead, about to smash onto Su Liyan.

"Watch out!" Lu Yuan shouted loudly, a flash of green light passed, and the huge rock shattered instantly. (End of chapter)