Mist Canyon (Part 2)

Lin Qin took the lead, galloping toward the source of the pressure. Herbert and his two companions followed closely behind, their faces a mix of longing for opportunity and deep apprehension. The deeper they ventured, the thinner the fog became, yet the terrifying pressure emanating from the depths of the earth felt tangible, weighing on everyone's heart and making it difficult to breathe. The earth element permeating the air was so dense it had nearly liquefied; one could feel the heavy energy with every breath.

The scenery along the way began to turn eerie. The rock walls on both sides were no longer ordinary stone but possessed a crystalline texture, as if imbued with vast earth-type energy. Strange moss and crystal clusters emitting a faint yellow glow began to appear on the ground. Occasionally, one could see the remains of earth-type Magic Beasts, which seemed to have been instantly annihilated by this sudden eruption of powerful energy.

After traveling about ten miles, the view suddenly opened up. They had broken into a massive underground cavern. Countless self-illuminating stalactites hung from the ceiling, lighting the entire space as if it were daytime. In the center of the cavern lay a massive, amber-clear energy lake. What rippled within was not water, but highly concentrated, liquid Earth Origin essence! That vast pressure was radiating precisely from the center of this lake.

On the shore of the lake, others had already arrived. It was the five armored warriors and the two lone travelers (the black-robed figure and the female archer). However, they did not look well. Two of the five armored warriors were wounded, their armor damaged and their auras withered. The female archer's face was pale, and the hand holding her bow trembled slightly. Only the black-robed figure remained shrouded in a cloak, making it impossible to discern their true state, though their stance exuded a hint of gravity.

Their gazes were locked firmly on the center of the lake. There, the liquid Earth Origin essence churned as if boiling, and a massive figure loomed within it. It was a giant formed entirely of the purest earth element, standing over ten meters tall. Its outline was blurred, yet it radiated the soul-crushing pressure of a Saint Realm entity! It seemed to be in a state of transformation or had been awakened from a slumber, and its unconscious leakage of energy had caused the disturbances throughout the canyon.

"An Earth Elemental Sprite? No... it's a more powerful Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform!" Herbert gasped, his voice raspy. "At least at the initial Saint Realm! We are no match for it at all!"

The leader of the five warriors, an eighth-rank warrior, said with a grim expression, "We tried to approach, and it swatted us away with a single casual strike. It seems to be guarding something in the center of the lake." He pointed to the very heart of the lake, where one could vaguely see a more condensed, earth-yellow light orb pulsing slowly like a heart. The space around the orb was slightly distorted, radiating extremely alluring ripples of laws.

"A treasure of heaven and earth! A treasure containing the origin of the Earth Element laws!" A fiery light erupted in Herbert's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by fear. With this Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform guarding it, who could possibly obtain it?

Lin Qin's gaze was also fixed tightly on that heart-like light orb. His soul was trembling—not from fear, but from extreme longing! The battle qi within his body began to circulate on its own at an unprecedented speed, and the previously vague perception of the "Earth Element" profound mystery in his mental sea became incredibly clear at this moment! He could even "see" the basic yet core law threads of the earth element flowing around the light orb!

The bottleneck was loosening! His "Heaven Rewards Diligence" talent was pushed to the limit in this environment. The foundation accumulated through countless days and nights of bitter cultivation began its final sprint toward a qualitative change, stimulated by this dense earth-element environment and the clear perception of the laws!

Ignoring the danger and everyone else, he sat cross-legged on the spot, circulating his battle qi manual with all his might. Simultaneously, he focused his mental energy, greedily capturing and comprehending the law rhythms radiating from the light orb and the Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform.

"What is he doing?" The female archer frowned.

"Breaking through in the middle of a battle? Is he crazy? Here?" The warrior leader also found it unbelievable. Attempting a breakthrough while surrounded by such powerful enemies and others with unknown allegiances was simply courting death.

Herbert, however, looked at Lin Qin thoughtfully. He could feel the dense earth elements in the surroundings gathering toward Lin Qin at an astonishing speed. "This boy... is extraordinary."

Just then, the Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform in the center of the lake seemed to fully awaken. Its massive body rose completely from the liquid earth elements. On its head, composed of pure rock and energy, two points of scarlet light ignited, scanning these tiny intruders on the shore. A tyrannical, destructive intent enveloped the entire cavern.

"Not good! It's awake! Retreat!" The warrior leader's expression changed in horror. Ignoring his injuries, he signaled his subordinates to pull back.

The black-robed figure spoke for the first time, their voice hoarse and cold: "Retreat? It's too late. It has already locked onto all our life auras."

As if to confirm their words, the Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform let out a silent roar. It raised its massive rock arm and pressed down into the void toward the direction of the people on the shore!

"BOOM!!!"

The entire cavern shook violently! The ground beneath everyone's feet instantly softened and collapsed, threatening to swallow them like quicksand! At the same time, countless giant stone spears, comparable to siege rams, erupted from the rock walls and ground in all directions, covering the entire area where everyone stood! This was a wide-range, terrifying attack imbued with a trace of the Earth Element profound mystery!

"Block it!" the warrior leader roared. The five warriors combined their battle qi to form a thick, heavy battle qi shield.

Herbert and his two companions also instantly erected their strongest magic barriers, with fire and earth magic lights intertwining.

Black mist surged around the black-robed figure, forming a distorted force field that deflected the stone spears aimed at them. The female archer moved like a phantom, dodging rapidly through the gaps in the stone spears. Her longbow fired in rapid succession, the arrows striking the sides of the stone spears with precision, attempting to alter their trajectories, though with little effect.

Yet, Lin Qin, who was at the critical moment of his breakthrough, seemed to have become the primary target! More than half of the giant stone spears, along with the surging quicksand beneath his feet, swept toward him!

At this critical juncture, Lin Qin's tightly closed eyes snapped open! A flash of earth-yellow law light flickered in his eyes! His comprehension of the "Earth Element" profound mystery had finally crossed the threshold under this life-and-death pressure and his insight into the core light orb!

"Solidify!"

He uttered a simple syllable. It was no longer a spell chant, but a command that drew upon the earth-type law power of the heaven and earth!

With him as the center, the ground within a ten-meter radius instantly solidified, becoming harder than refined steel, and the surging quicksand was forcibly frozen in place! At the same time, smaller, more solid shields with law runes flowing on their surfaces appeared out of thin air, precisely meeting the incoming giant stone spears!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!..."

A dense series of collisions rang out! Those small shields shattered under the impact of the giant stone spears, but they instantly reformed, wave after wave! Although they could not completely negate the power of the spears, they greatly weakened their force and speed!

Finally, the remaining stone spears struck the broadsword Lin Qin swung up just in time, which was infused with his newly gained battle qi. With a dull, thunderous boom, he managed to block them head-on!

He had successfully blocked the majority of the power from the Saint Realm entity's casual strike! Although his blood surged and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, he had held his ground! Moreover, the moment he blocked this strike, the solid barrier within his body shattered with a roar!

More surging, purer earth-yellow battle qi, carrying a faint aura of laws, erupted from his body like a volcano, scouring his meridians, bones, and muscles! His mental energy also skyrocketed, his perception range expanded, and his sensitivity to the elements of heaven and earth became even clearer and sharper!

Eighth-rank warrior! Peak fourth-rank mage! And, he had gained an initial understanding of the "Earth Element" profound mystery!

The comprehensive improvement in strength and his entry into the laws caused a earth-shaking change in Lin Qin's temperament. Standing there, he seemed to have become one with the earth beneath his feet, giving off an unshakable, unfathomable feeling.

This scene left the others, who were struggling to hold on, dumbfounded!

"Eighth... eighth rank? He broke through? And he... blocked it?" The warrior leader could hardly believe his eyes.

Herbert was even more shaken: "Laws... he touched the threshold of the laws! How is this possible?!" He had cultivated for hundreds of years and had yet to truly step into the threshold of the profound mysteries of laws, yet this young warrior had broken through and gained enlightenment in the middle of a battle?

The gaze beneath the black robe also revealed a look of gravity for the first time.

The Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform seemed to have sensed Lin Qin's change, especially the trace of the homologous earth-law aura on him. Its scarlet gaze locked onto Lin Qin more intensely, carrying a hint of confusion and even deeper hostility. It raised its arm again. This time, the gathered energy was even more terrifying; it was clearly intent on completely obliterating this "little bug" that posed the greatest threat.

Feeling the surging new power within his body and the ability to command the surrounding earth elements as if they were his own limbs, Lin Qin's eyes were as sharp as knives. Far from being afraid, his fighting spirit soared! Having just broken through, he desperately needed a hearty battle to consolidate his realm, and what better opponent was there than a Saint Realm entity?

Of course, he was not blindly confident. He knew there was still a massive gap between him and the Saint Realm. But he was not without a chance—the Earth Origin light orb in the center of the lake, constantly radiating alluring ripples!

He glanced at Herbert and the others, then at the menacing Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform, and a risky plan instantly formed in his mind.

He spoke loudly toward Herbert and the others, as well as the warrior leader and the black-robed figure: "Everyone! If you want to live and obtain that opportunity, work together to pin it down! I will go and retrieve that core object! We can discuss the distribution after we succeed! Otherwise, none of us will leave here alive today!"

Before the words had even faded, he did not wait for their response and stomped his foot hard! His eighth-rank battle qi, combined with his newly mastered "Earth Element" profound mystery, erupted to the fullest. He transformed into an earth-yellow streak of light that merged with the earth. Instead of charging in a straight line, he moved in a strange curve that matched the pulse of the earth, evading the second, more powerful wave of attacks from the Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform, and shot toward the pulsing light orb in the center of the lake!