The Rampaging Source Fire

"Why is this city reviving?!" Lin Xu paused, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

If the dungeon lord is resurrected, not only will all the previous sacrifices have been in vain, but the legion that ventured deep into the dungeon will also be doomed—this is enemy territory!

Sensing the violent fluctuations in the Earth Vein, Lin Xu's mind raced, and he decisively ordered, "Speed up!"

By this time, the group had already ventured deep into the dungeon, and it would take a lot of time to retreat. The best course of action now was to destroy the Dungeon Heart before the city lord revived!

After navigating through labyrinthine tunnels and passing a magical building resembling the Roman Colosseum, the group finally arrived at the deepest part of the underground city.

The colossal gate, forged from magic metal, stood majestically, its surface engraved with intricate sealing runes, and a deep blue aura slowly rotated, as if it were breathing.

Lin Xu raised his hand and pressed it against the cold metal door. The runes suddenly lit up with a dazzling blue light, and an invisible force surged, causing him to take a half step back. A burning pain shot through his fingertips.

"A magical portal..." Lin Xu's heart sank. This portal was inscribed with powerful and complex magical runes. Whether he deciphered the runes or forcibly destroyed it, it would take a lot of time.

"Buzz"

An unusual tremor came from inside the door, as if a heart were beating.

He subconsciously activated his Spirit Eye Technique, only to see that the Source Fire enveloping the entire underground city was fluctuating and contracting abnormally.

"What is it doing?" Lin Xu's expression changed as he sensed the violent fluctuations in the Earth Vein.

As a strategic resource, the Source Fire is the foundation for the survival of a territory. Once the Source Fire is extinguished, it means that the entire force is directly exposed to the Soul-Devouring Mist of the Spirit Realm, and will be doomed in an instant.

Whatever happened, the dungeon lord must be interfering with this city!

"When a lord dies, it loses consciousness, or at least the ability to interfere with its territory. Why can it still mobilize the Source Fire?" Lin Xu wondered, but without hesitation, he ordered, "Hu Da, go!"

"Ha!" The Black Tiger Demon roared like thunder, his arm muscles bulging and bursting, and his nine-ringed broadsword crashed down, sending dust flying throughout the tunnel!

"Buzz"

The blade struck the door, and a layer of magical light rippled across the magical secret door, spreading rapidly outwards from the point of impact, like ripples spreading on the surface of water.

A powerful shock surged up the hilt of the knife, the hilt clanging. Hu Da staggered back two steps, his jaws split open and bleeding profusely.

Lin Xu frowned and raised his hand to stop the black tiger demon.

This magical barrier absorbed Hu Da's attack energy and combined it with magical counter-force; the stronger the attack, the stronger the rebound.

Unless this gate can be broken through in one go, but judging from the Black Tiger Demon's probing, it is almost impossible. This magical rune array that connects the entire city to the barrier is probably only forcibly torn apart by Master Tier or even Legendary Tier expert!

After thinking for a moment, he extended his spiritual sense to perceive the magic door in front of him.

Spiritual awareness seeped into the gaps between the runes like silk threads, and the complex magical runes intertwined and entwined like a spider web, forming an even more complex composite rune matrix.

As his Thought Overclocking, complex rune arrays appeared in his mind's eye.

Meanwhile, following Lin Xu's order, Yan Jingshu quietly disappeared underground, sneaking towards the core of the underground city.

Following the previously discovered loophole in the rune array, the Ghost Bride successfully passed through the magical barrier and re-entered the cave where the City Heart was located.

Through Yan Jingshu's vision, Lin Xu finally saw what was happening in the Dungeon Heart— the already dead giant city lord was being reshaped amidst the surge of Source Fire and magic, its illusory body gradually solidifying with the pulse of the City Heart.

Seemingly sensing something amiss, the sleeping giant opened his eyes and looked at the lurking Ghost Bride.

Its calm expression suddenly turned into fury, and it roared and struggled.

But like a silent pantomime, neither its growls nor its struggles could have any impact on reality. At this moment, it was like an invisible ghost, unable to touch reality.

"Thankfully, he hasn't fully recovered yet!" Lin Xu felt a sense of relief, but then a renewed tension.

The worst fears have been confirmed: the Giant City Lord truly has the ability to resurrect ahead of time!

"I can't let it come back to life!" His heart tightened, and he urged the Ghost Bride to rush towards the location of the magic gate.

At this Dungeon Heart was filled with powerful magical restrictions, each containing terrifying power.

Even just getting close could result in a magical counterattack, instantly reducing you to ashes.

The best course of action at this point is not to directly disrupt the giant city lord's resurrection ritual, but to open this door as soon as possible!

Having already been exposed, Yan Jingshu no longer hesitated and quickly crossed the sea of lava, arriving at the magic gate.

Lin Xu, standing outside the door, rapidly analyzed the rune array. With the Ghost Bride's perspective, he could observe the array's operational patterns and energy node distribution more comprehensively.

As time passed, the giant's illusory body gradually solidified, almost completely taking shape. It could even slightly interfere with reality; its arm swept through the air, leaving a barely perceptible ripple.

Almost there, at most three minutes!

Its angry, burning gaze was fixed on the silent Ghost Bride standing before the gate.

Lin Xu's analysis has reached a crucial moment.

The third level of reverse nesting has been found!

The spiritual sense, sharp as a knife, precisely cut into the most vulnerable reverse nested node of the rune matrix, causing a tiny crack to appear in the triple restriction.

The smooth flow of magic trembled slightly, and the entire rune array momentarily froze.

"Now, Jingshu, make your move!"

With a thought, the Ghost Bride lightly touched the door with her delicate hand, and a cold, eerie blue light emanated from the door as her fingertips touched it.

With a deep rumble, the previously closed magic door slowly slid open, and a wave of scorching heat surged out from within.

That's the scent of lava.

The magic gate opened, and Lin Xu flashed into the lava cave.

A wave of scalding heat rushed towards him, and the magma surged beneath his feet like crimson veins, casting a play of light and shadow on half of his face.

A stone bridge spans the scalding lava river, pointing towards a suspended stone platform in the center of the lava lake.

Looking up, beside the pulsating Dungeon Heart, the giant city lord's originally illusory body had solidified, and his gaze, filled with intense killing intent, was looking down at him.

"It's too late..." Lin Xu's heart sank.

Bad news: the giant lord has been resurrected; good news: due to the massive extraction of Source Fire and magic to accelerate the resurrection process, the dungeon's Earth Vein and rules are in a brief period of turbulence, and the giant will be unable to use his Lord Authority for the time being.

"We must kill it before the turbulence of the rules subsides!" Lin Xu's eyes sharpened, and the Glazed Spirit Lamp in his hand shone brightly.

The Daoist soldiers and priests behind them, along with the demon soldiers of the Tiger Sha Army and the Red-Robed Ghosts, surged into the cave and rushed up the scorching stone steps.

"Boom"

Beneath the stone bridge, lava suddenly exploded, and crimson waves surged into the sky, carrying scorching rubble like a torrential rain.