"Whoosh!"
While everyone was still watching, Xiao Yan drew a light breath, then pushed off with his foot and landed directly on the stone stairway.
As Xiao Yan's foot came down, the densely packed Gold-Devouring Rats around the stairway opened their eyes. Their fur stood on end, and powerful sound waves silently emerged, swiftly stirring the surrounding natural energy.
"Who... who is this man?"
Seeing Xiao Yan charge up so quickly, the latecomers were filled with bewilderment. After all, the aura he displayed was only that of a High-Rank Dou Wang.
Those who had followed Xiao Yan through the maze formation from the beginning wanted to see just what he was capable of.
Roar!
After mounting the stone stairway, Xiao Yan suddenly let out a low roar from his throat. As the roar faded, he stomped hard against the ground. With a whoosh, his body became a streak of light, hurtling toward the summit like lightning.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
Once Xiao Yan had covered nearly a hundred meters along the stone stairway in an instant, the piercing sound waves rapidly gathering around him finally crashed down from above like a storm, burrowing toward his body through every opening.
The piercing sound waves sent faint stabs of pain through Xiao Yan's soul, immediately slowing him down.
But Yao Lao's spiritual strength soon shielded Xiao Yan's mind. The Dou Qi within his body surged out without restraint, forming layer upon layer of defenses around him that desperately blocked the sonic attacks.
Along the long stone stairway, Xiao Yan darted forward with all his might. The all-enveloping sound waves seemed almost tangible, filling nearly every inch of space around the stairs. Every step forward cost him a considerable amount of Dou Qi.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
When Xiao Yan reached the halfway point,