The carved figures on either side of the entrance held sharp-toothed steel sabers with their hands clasped in front of their chests.
"These are the elites of the Void Demon race!"
Wang Zhuo stepped forward, his gaze involuntarily flickered as he looked at the two figures carved on the palace gate. "Only the elites of the Void Demon race are qualified to wear this seamless black profound armor."
"The dense runes exclusive to the Void Demon race on the palace gate have not been shattered by the Immortal Lord, but instead remain perfectly intact here. It's truly peculiar," Xia Xin Yu mused, unable to comprehend the scene. A Void Demon palace preserved in such pristine condition was likely the only one of its kind in the world.
"Weng~~ Zha—Zha—Zha~~"
The palace gate creaked open ominously, unleashing an ancient aura that immediately intensified the somber atmosphere of the void. Chaotic energy surged, the heavens and earth warped, plunging into profound darkness. Deep within, a flickering, barely-there lamp guided Dian Wei and the others.
"Let's go in and take a look. We've come this far," Long Ju said softly. Yang You Ji quickly nudged his shoulder and shook his head.
Long Ju immediately took a step back, closed his eyes, and fell silent.
Xia Xin Yu and Wang Zhuo exchanged glances for a long moment, then gazed into the pitch-black depths at the wavering flame before mustering their courage and stepping into the palace. Wang Yun Xuan and Wang Le followed, and after a brief pause of two breaths, Dian Wei, Long Ju, and Yang You Ji stepped into the dark hall.
Upon entering the lightless palace, the only illumination was a distant, faint, and precarious flame ahead. They huddled together, their fear even greater than when they had entered the palace amidst the chaos.
"The gravity in this void is becoming heavier!"
Dian Wei said with a deep voice. He felt as though an immense weight was pressing down on him, each step requiring considerable effort. His divine power churned non-stop, being consumed at an alarming rate.
"This is, after all, the palace where the leader of the Void Demon race resided. Everyone, be careful and don't move rashly. Divine sense cannot permeate this place. If we get separated, I fear..."
"Stay close. As long as we walk straight towards that flame, there shouldn't be any problem," Wang Zhuo advised.
By now, the three from the Wang family had let down their guard. They harbored no ill will towards Xia Xin Yu, and their ties with Dian Wei, a being from the Great Han Divine Dynasty, were even more distant. In fact, they owed him a debt of gratitude.
"Rumble!"
Less than three breaths after his words, the distant flame flickered violently, almost extinguishing. Yet, in that brief tremor, from the unseen depths of the darkness, a chilling sound emerged. Tendrils of blood-red gas, like ropes, snaked out from the void, descending to ensnare them.
Boom!
Several bizarre red streamers struck them directly. In that instant, even the mighty Xia Xin Yu and Wang Zhuo knelt with a groan, their divine power utterly incapable of resisting the crimson impact. It shattered their defenses and burrowed into their flesh, leaving palm-sized wounds from which blood gushed forth.
Dian Wei, Long Ju, and Yang You Ji, protected by their divine beast armor, also found their defenses breached. Cracks appeared on their armors, and the red streamers struck their bodies.
"Pfft!"
They all spat out a mouthful of dark blood in unison. As the weak flame stabilized, the powerful, bizarre red streamers vanished.
"What exactly was that?"
Dian Wei touched the cracked armor, asking. Even his armor, imbued with the divine essence of the Vermilion Bird, was no match for the red streamers, which tore through it like paper.
"This is truly terrifying... Are you all alright?" Wang Zhuo asked softly, standing up. "There must be some grand formation sealing this place. Do you see that flame? That's likely the formation's core!"
"We can't go back!"
Suddenly, Wang Le, who was at the rear, cried out in terror, his voice trembling. "We can't go back! There's a wall behind us, and we can't break through it!"
The others quickly hurried over and extended their hands, feeling a thin, membrane-like substance. The divine power in their arms instantly dissipated upon contact, rendering them as ordinary mortals, unable to manipulate their spiritual energy. This horrifying realization sent a jolt of fear through them, causing some to nervously retreat.
"It seems we can only move forward. The path back is completely cut off. Esteemed sirs, I won't force you. I don't know what lies ahead, but I will continue on,"
Xia Xin Yu said calmly. "Generals, I would appreciate it if you escorted me this far. I will proceed alone from here."
"Miss Xia, with all due respect, we cannot obey,"
Dian Wei shook his head. They bore the Emperor's mandate; they could not retreat.
"Since that is the case, let us go!"
Xia Xin Yu smiled slightly. The Great Han's subjects were so obedient to Yang Hao's command, capable of shouldering the imperial mandate and never backing down, even in the face of insurmountable power. A Great Han Divine Dynasty with such loyal and courageous officials had no reason not to prosper!
With that, Xia Xin Yu led Dian Wei and the other two forward. Wang Zhuo followed without hesitation. Wang Yun Xuan paused for a few breaths before joining them. Only Wang Le remained hesitant, his face contorted with fear and uncertainty, before finally sitting down cross-legged.
Half an hour later, the flame ahead flickered weakly again, and several red streamers reappeared in the dark void.
"Boom!"
The red streamers descended, carrying a power that the group could barely resist. They struck their bodies with brutal force. This time, it was even more terrifying. Upon impact, they seeped into the depths of their souls, striking their primordial spirits. Cold sweat poured down their faces, and half of their divine power vanished.
"The power carried by these red beams this time is several times greater than before. It seems that the deeper we go down this dark path, the closer we get to that faint flame, and the more powerful these red streamers become," Long Ju said, rubbing his wounds.
At the core of the entrance to the sealed land, Wang Fu, the leading elder of the Wang family, watched the entrance with a grave expression. Suddenly, his hand vibrated violently. He quickly unfurled it to see that Wang Le's jade token had cracked with several fine fissures, showing signs of imminent collapse.
"Wang Le must be in trouble! Aren't the three of them together?"
Zhan Qian Shan of the Zhan family asked urgently. Of the beings who entered this sealed land from the four clans, only Wang Le, Wang Yun Xuan, and Wang Zhuo of the Wang family remained.
"It seems to be a great tribulation. Look at how violently this life tablet is vibrating, with fine cracks appearing. I fear his primordial spirit has suffered severe damage," Wang Fu said worriedly.
"Weng~~"
Abruptly, the jade tokens belonging to Wang Yun Xuan and Wang Zhuo also began to vibrate violently. In comparison, their tremors were more intense than Wang Le's. From the fine cracks that appeared, wisps of black and red gas seeped out.