Core Secret Chamber

The stone stairs extended downward, reaching deeper than the previous two levels.

Akes walked in the middle of the group, his feet landing steadily on the ancient stone steps with every stride. A deathly silence surrounded them, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing through the narrow passage. The magic lamps lit up automatically, casting a dark red glow upon everyone's faces and revealing their solemn expressions.

Having lost two members in the previous battle, everyone remaining knew that the deeper they went, the more dangerous it would become.

After walking for about two quarters of an hour, a light finally appeared ahead.

It was a crimson glow, distinct from the magic lamps, accompanied by a scorching heat that rushed toward them. The group quickened their pace and stepped out of the stairwell—

Before them lay a massive underground space, several times larger than the hall on the first level.

The dome reached dozens of meters high, embedded with countless fist-sized fire-red crystals that emitted a soft radiance. The floor was paved with neat obsidian, polished as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the shadows of those who stood upon it. In the center stood a circular high platform, surrounded by twelve massive stone pillars, each carved with lifelike fire dragon reliefs.

Hovering above the platform were three clusters of light.

One gold, one crimson, and one deep blue.

"The core chamber." The Blue-Robed Array Breaker's voice trembled with excitement. "We found it; this is the true core chamber!"

The group felt a surge of spirit, yet no one acted rashly.

Kallen raised a hand to signal a halt, then stepped forward slowly, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings. The perception of a Saint-level powerhouse expanded fully, probing every inch of the space.

"There is a defensive array," he concluded quickly. "A strong one—Saint-level."

The two Array Breakers immediately stepped forward, pulling out various instruments to begin their inspection. This process lasted for an entire hour.

An hour later, the Grey-Robed Array Breaker wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked up to Kallen.

"My lord, the intensity of this array exceeds our expectations. To fully break it, we need at least three days, and success is not guaranteed."

Kallen frowned. "Not guaranteed?"

"Yes," the Grey-Robed one said with a bitter smile. "The person who set this array was extremely powerful, at least at the peak of the Saint level. With our skill, we have less than a fifty percent chance of success."

"What about a forced breakthrough?"

The Blue-Robed one took over. "A forced breakthrough is possible, but it requires someone to withstand the array's attacks head-on while we simultaneously dismantle the array eyes. The person holding the front must be at least at the Saint level."

Kallen was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Then we force it. I will take the front, and you two handle the dismantling."

"Understood."

Kallen turned to the group. "Once I make my move, the array will focus all its power on me. You must take the opportunity to retreat to the edges and stay back. The Array Breakers will locate the array eyes while I draw the fire, and the rest of you are responsible for protecting them and preventing any accidents."

Everyone nodded.

Kallen took a deep breath, drew his greatsword, and stepped toward the high platform.

The moment his first step landed, blinding light erupted around the platform. The fire dragon reliefs seemed to come alive, shooting crimson beams from their eyes directly at Kallen.

Kallen swung his greatsword, the blade light colliding with the beams in a deafening roar.

The entire space trembled.

Akes and the others retreated rapidly, pressing themselves against the walls. The two Array Breakers hid behind the group, their eyes locked onto the reliefs, searching for the traces of the array eyes.

Kallen was now locked in a direct confrontation with the array.

The beams grew more numerous and dense, firing at Kallen from all directions. Kallen's greatsword danced into a curtain of light, blocking every beam. Yet, with every strike he parried, his figure faltered slightly; it was clear the power of those beams was immense.

"Found it!" the Grey-Robed one suddenly shouted. "The third pillar to the southeast, at the base!"

The group looked in the direction he pointed. On the base of that pillar, there was a stone slab with a slightly different color than the surrounding ones—one that would be impossible to notice without careful inspection.

"That is one of the array eyes," the Blue-Robed one said urgently. "It must be destroyed, or the array will never stop."

Barton spoke up immediately. "I'll go."

"No," Kallen said while parrying the beams. "You won't be able to withstand those beams, and the distance is too great."

"Then what do we do?"

Akes suddenly spoke up. "I can do it."

The group was stunned, all eyes turning toward him.

Kallen thought quickly while continuing to fight. "How long can you hold out?"

"I have a survival method; I should be able to last for a few breaths."

"Then try it," Kallen decided instantly. "I will draw the majority of the firepower; you take the chance to get over there, destroy the array eye, and retreat immediately."

Akes nodded, took a deep breath, and began to prepare.

He channeled the Fallen Heart Flame to its limit within his body and activated his true essence protection, causing a golden light barrier to emerge around him. He also kept the magic for his Ice Block ready to activate at any moment—his final trump card for survival.

"I'm ready," he said.

"Move!"

With a low shout from Kallen, he swung his greatsword violently. A massive arc of blade light swept across the entire platform, instantly severing most of the beams. The beams dimmed for a split second before beginning to re-form.

It was that very instant.

Akes focused his mind and activated Teleportation.

The scene before his eyes shifted instantly, and he appeared beside the pillar. No sooner had he steadied himself than several beams shot toward him.

True essence shielded his body to withstand the first strike, the golden light barrier trembling violently as fine cracks appeared. The second strike followed immediately, widening the fissures. The third—

Ice Block!

Akes was instantly encased in solid ice. The beams struck the ice, splashing countless shards, yet they could not penetrate.

Seizing this opportunity, he punched toward the differently colored stone slab.

Fallen Heart Flame condensed upon his fist. With a single blow, the slab shattered on impact.

The moment it fractured, the light of the formation throughout the entire space dimmed abruptly. The intensity of those beams weakened significantly, and their numbers dwindled.

"There's one more!" the Blue-Robed voice rang out. "The seventh pillar to the north!"

Akes did not hesitate. While his Ice Block still held for a few breaths, he activated Teleportation once more.

This jump covered a greater distance. By the time he materialized, the Ice Block had just shattered. Several beams shot toward him; he dodged frantically, barely avoiding two, but the third grazed his shoulder, leaving behind a charred patch.

It hurt, but he had no time to care.

He slammed his fist into the second formation eye.

The stone slab shattered.

The formation faded completely, the beams vanished, and the fire dragon reliefs reverted to ordinary stone.

Kallen sheathed his sword, his breathing slightly ragged but otherwise unharmed. He looked at Akes, his gaze carrying a hint of admiration. "Good courage, good methods."

Akes nodded without a word, glancing down at the wound on his shoulder. It was a burn—not deep, but stinging with heat.

Old Chen walked over and handed him a vial of ointment. "Apply this first; we'll deal with the rest later."

Akes took it, applied a little, and turned his gaze toward the three glows atop the high platform.

With the formation broken, those lights had lost their tether and began to drift slowly.

The group gathered around.

The three glows gradually receded, revealing their true forms—

Within the golden light lay a short sword, entirely golden in color, with a fist-sized golden gem embedded in the hilt, radiating a sharp, piercing aura.

Within the crimson light was a staff, dark red throughout, its body carved with complex magical runes. A fire-red magic core the size of a hen's egg was embedded at the tip, with flames faintly swirling within.

Within the deep blue light was a palm-sized crystal bottle. The glass was transparent, revealing a deep blue liquid inside, with specks of silver light floating within like a dream.

Everyone's breathing grew heavy.

These were treasures that would make even Saint-level powerhouses covet them. Each was worth a fortune, priceless and rare.

Kallen stepped forward and picked up the golden short sword. As he gripped the hilt, it emitted a faint hum. He nodded. "A fine sword."

He then looked at the others, his expression calm.

"By the rules, for relics found, the team leader has priority for one item, and the rest are distributed based on contribution. I will take this sword; you all discuss the remaining two."

Having said this, he sheathed the sword and stepped back.

Two treasures remained: a staff and a vial of unknown potion.

All eyes fell upon the staff.

It was a fire-element staff; among those present, only one person could use it.

Akes felt their gazes but remained silent.

"The staff is yours," Barton suddenly spoke up. "You are fire-element; only you can bring out its value."

Bally nodded in agreement. Old Chen and Zhou the Wind Mage also signaled they had no objections. Although the two formation breakers were envious, they had no use for the staff and naturally had nothing to say.

Akes looked at Kallen.

Kallen nodded. "This is everyone's wish. Take it."

Akes stepped forward and reached out to grasp the staff.

The moment he held it, the Fallen Heart Flame within him gave a slight leap. A warm power flowed from the staff, resonating with the exotic flame in his body.

"My thanks to you all." He turned and nodded to the group.

Old Chen waved his hand with a smile. "No need for such formalities. Everyone saw you risking your life to break the formation. Besides, we aren't losing out by splitting that potion."

Kallen took charge of the remaining deep blue potion, dividing it equally among the nine others. When poured out, it made exactly nine small vials, one for each person. Akes received one as well; it felt ice-cold in his hand, and knowing it was a good item, he tucked it into his robes.

With the treasures divided, the group began searching the other corners of the secret chamber.

The chamber was vast; beyond the central platform, there were stone tables and shelves scattered around. The tables held various artifacts, some decayed, others still intact. The shelves were piled with scrolls and books, all ancient relics from a bygone era.

Akes walked to a stone table where a palm-sized wooden box sat. The material of the box was unique, having survived a thousand years without rotting. He opened it gently—

Inside lay a pill, entirely crimson with faint golden patterns on its surface. A piece of paper was pressed beside the pill, inscribed with several lines of ancient text.

He could not read it, but Old Chen leaned in for a look, his eyes lighting up.

"Nine-Turn Fire Lotus Pill," Old Chen whispered. "This is an ancient pill that can significantly boost the magic power of fire-element cultivators and even has a certain chance to help break through bottlenecks. Good stuff, keep it."

Akes nodded, closed the box, and tucked it away.

Elsewhere, Barton found a greatsword; while it didn't compare to Kallen's holy weapon, it was still a rare, sharp blade. Bally found a set of light armor that fit her perfectly. Old Chen unearthed several water-element magic scrolls, treating them like precious finds. Zhou the Wind Mage discovered a wind-element magic core—a ninth-rank one—which was also a significant gain.

The two array-breakers were beaming with joy; they had found several ancient texts recording archaic formations, along with a complete set of array-breaking tools that were far superior to what they currently used.

Everyone was fully satisfied with their haul.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred.

The thief, who had remained silent and withdrawn the entire time, suddenly erupted into action. His figure flickered, appearing behind Bally, his dagger thrusting directly toward her heart.

Bally was looking down at the light armor she had claimed, completely caught off guard.

"Watch out!"

Barton roared, but he was too far away to intervene in time.

Akes was the closest. Without a second thought, he lunged forward, slamming into Bally.

The two tumbled to the ground together, the dagger grazing Akes's back and drawing a spray of blood.

"You—"

Failing his first strike, the thief immediately shifted his target, lunging for the golden short sword Kallen had just selected. His speed was astonishing; it was clear he had been concealing his true strength all along.

"Seeking death."

Kallen let out a cold snort and struck out with his palm.

The thief twisted his body sharply, miraculously dodging the blow, and simultaneously flicked his wrist, releasing a cloud of toxic mist.

"Hold your breath!" Old Chen shouted.

The group retreated in haste, while Akes shielded Bally behind a stone pillar. As the toxic mist swirled and blurred their vision, only the clashing of weapons could be heard.

A few breaths later, the mist dissipated.

The thief lay in a pool of blood, his chest pierced through by a sword. He was still clutching the golden short sword, but the tip was a mere foot away from Kallen. He had been so close.

Kallen retracted his blade, his expression calm, though his eyes held a chilling frost.

"Search his body."

Barton stepped forward and pulled a pile of items from the thief—several magic cores, a few vials of potion, and a jade tablet. Engraved on the tablet was a skull, with the number seventeen beneath it.

"It's from the Assassination Guild." Old Chen's face darkened. "He was an assassin from the Assassination Guild, lurking in our ranks, waiting for the final moment to snatch the treasures."

The group exchanged glances, a lingering fear gripping their hearts.

The Assassination Guild was one of the most mysterious organizations on the Yulan Continent, specializing in contract killings and treasure plundering. This assassin had hidden himself so deeply that he hadn't shown a single flaw; if not for Akes's quick reaction, Bally would already be dead.

Bally stood up, her face pale. She looked at Akes and said earnestly, "Thank you."

Akes waved his hand, though the wound on his back throbbed painfully. The dagger had been poisoned; he could feel a wave of numbness spreading from the injury.

"Don't move." Old Chen walked over and inspected the wound. "The poison isn't deep, but it needs immediate treatment."

He took out some medicinal powder, sprinkled it onto the wound, and fed Akes a detox pill. A cooling sensation washed over him, and the numbness gradually began to fade.

Kallen put away the golden short sword and swept his gaze over the group.

"Pack up your things and prepare to leave. We cannot stay here any longer."

Everyone nodded, quickly gathering their spoils before heading back the way they came.

As they reached the entrance of the secret chamber, Akes suddenly stopped and looked back.

The spot where the three orbs of light had hovered was now empty. Yet, he felt a faint intuition that something else remained deep within this chamber.

"What is it?" Old Chen asked.

Akes shook his head. "Nothing."

He turned and followed the team.

The stone stairs stretched upward, and the path back was much easier to traverse than the descent. An hour later, the group returned to the first-floor hall. The carcasses of the magical beasts were still there, already beginning to rot and emitting a foul stench.

Passing through the hall and stepping out of the stone gate, the familiar volcanic landscape greeted them.

It was dusk outside, the setting sun painting the horizon in shades of fiery red.

Akes took a deep breath, savoring the air—though it still carried the scent of sulfur, it was far fresher than the air deep underground.

Kallen stood at the front of the group and turned to face them.

"The team disbands here. We had a good haul today; thank you all for your cooperation. If there is an opportunity in the future, we shall work together again."

Everyone nodded and bid their farewells.

Barton and Bally, the siblings, walked over and cupped their hands toward Akes. "Brother, we won't forget what you did today. If you ever need anything, come find us in the O'Brien Empire."

Old Chen patted Akes on the shoulder. "Rest up and heal well. I'll treat you to a drink when we get back."

Zhou the Wind Mage rarely spoke, offering only two words: "Take care."

The two array-breakers also came over to express their gratitude, noting that if not for Akes breaking the formations, they never would have obtained those ancient texts.

The group dispersed one by one, each embarking on their own journey home.

Akes stood where he was, watching the sunset slowly sink below the horizon.