Just as Liu Zhi took a deep breath and prepared to rely on his senses to detect the Wind Blades and forcibly dodge every attack, the Wind Blades suddenly vanished.
Liu Zhi focused his gaze and saw the Corpse Soul Naga behind the native warrior, her two upper arms' swords lifting him clean off the ground.
He tossed aside the hilt still in his hand and sighed. "Looks like each floor's enemies are stronger than the last."
Just then, another notification appeared.
[Completed the second ritual challenge. Reward: a targeted weapon, a divineized long sword. The player may choose whether to proceed to the third floor of the ritual. If the player does not enter, the enemies will begin their first round of enhancement in three hours.]
After the notification appeared, Liu Zhi noticed the long sword planted in the middle of the room begin to flash with golden light, as if reminding him not to forget to pull it out.
Liu Zhi froze. He thought over what had just happened, then looked up at the ceiling, only to find that the murals there had been destroyed by the Wind Blades.
The situation left Liu Zhi puzzled. After thinking it over, he took a bronze long sword from his backpack. He glanced once more at the feather-covered sword stuck in the ground, then continued downward.
The Corpse Soul Naga showed no reaction to Liu Zhi leaving the sword behind. She simply glided along behind him, protecting him as he descended.
As for the sword, it remained planted where it was, completely motionless.
The stairs farther down were not as easy to traverse as before. For some reason, the steps made of massive stones had begun to rot, and stepping on them gave the unsettling sensation of walking on