Chapter 178: White Lanterns Maze – Unique Advancement Method

Chapter 178: White Lanterns Maze – Unique Advancement Method

The corridor's end opened into a vast plaza.

When Xiao Chen arrived, the plaza had returned to an eerie calm.

Yet scattered across the ground were countless shattered Magic Artifact Fragments, chaotic spell scars etched into the stone, and the lingering metallic tang of blood in the air.

All of it whispered of dangers far deeper than the surface revealed.

"Strange", Xiao Chen murmured, studying the aftermath. "This doesn't look like a demonic cultivator's work."

He walked forward, scanning the traces. No telltale aura of Demon Cultivation Techniques lingered here. More likely, the Yellow Spring Palace itself had unleashed these traps.

As he reached the plaza's center, white lanterns suddenly flared to life around him.

They materialized from nothingness, each holding a white candle. Twelve in total – front, back, left, and right – each bearing a single crimson character: Sha (Kill).

Despite the still air, the lanterns drifted toward him with an unnatural sway.

"Yan Xia Mantian!"

Xiao Chen flicked his sleeve, releasing twenty-seven crimson clouds of Yan Xia that coiled protectively before him.

The moment the lanterns touched the mist, scarlet flames erupted, reducing them to ashes.

Yet new lanterns instantly emerged in the distance, continuing the relentless advance.

"Another regeneration technique?"

Xiao Chen ceased attacking, quickening his pace toward the grand hall across the plaza.

Logically, leaving the area should make the lanterns vanish like the earlier straw dummies.

The plaza spanned only 333 zhang (about 1,100 meters), and he'd already crossed half.

At Zongdi Jinguang's speed, it would take mere heartbeats.

But as he took a few steps forward, his instincts screamed.

He remained at the plaza's center, standing within his own Yan Xia mist.

What?

Testing a step forward revealed no obstruction.

Yet when he activated Zongdi Jinguang again, the golden light flared uselessly – he hadn't moved an inch.

"Flight blocked? Or speed?"

Frowning, he resumed walking normally.

Soon, he discovered the rule: normal strides advanced him, but any attempt to accelerate stretched the space infinitely beneath his feet.

Forward or backward, the law remained absolute.

For ordinary cultivators, this was a nightmare.

The lanterns regenerated endlessly, and weaker cultivators would exhaust themselves resisting.

Three days ago, at least half the cultivators entering this plaza had perished, their flesh absorbed into the ground, leaving only shattered Magic Artifact Fragments.

Survivors had relied on numbers – especially on the third day, when the plaza had turned into a hellish swamp of dissolving blood.

But Xiao Chen faced it differently.

With no witnesses, he summoned his long-unused Xuan Fire Raven.

Fed by limitless Blazing Light Spirit Sand, the spell had evolved through three stages: Break Limit, Add Flame, and Add Feathers.

Now, ten thousand ravens swarmed – each crowned with Luotian Holy Flame, each tail bristling with three razor-sharp feathers.

Surrounded by this infernal flock, the twelve lanterns never stood a chance.

They disintegrated upon birth, leaving the plaza bathed in Luotian Holy Flame's amber glow.

From afar, it resembled a crimson carpet welcoming his passage.

"Pity this spell has no further evolution", Xiao Chen mused. "After Golden Core Formation, it'll become obsolete."

Still, imagine parading with ten thousand Xuan Fire Ravens...

The thought vanished as quickly as it came.

Practicality mattered more than spectacle.

Once the lanterns ceased, the palace ahead stood silent.

Inside, tendrils of pitch-black demonic qi writhed, blocked by an invisible barrier at the entrance.

As Xiao Chen stepped in, the demonic qi surged like oil hitting water, rushing to corrupt his mana.

But a simple Golden Light Technique enveloped him, repelling the filth effortlessly.

Yet the dense demonic qi brought challenges – it dulled spiritual senses, obscured vision, and slowly drained his Golden Light Technique.

Maintaining the shield required minimal mana, trivial for a Foundation Building cultivator.

But the greater danger lay in how demonic qi suppressed spell potency.

Xiao Chen conjured a spirit flame, hurling it forward.

Under the qi's influence, the millstone-sized flame shrank to walnut-sized within ten zhang (33 meters), vanishing moments later.

The deeper he ventured, the thicker the demonic qi became.

His visibility dwindled from ten zhang to barely one (about 3.3 meters), forcing reliance on a winding corridor to avoid getting lost.

Most cultivators never realized they'd entered a labyrinth.

Except for Divine Flame Cult's demonic cultivators.

Their Demon Cultivation Techniques thrived here, manipulating the qi with ease.

Unlike orthodox cultivators who mistook this for a ruin, the Divine Flame Cult came prepared.

After entering from the Yellow Spring Palace's opposite side, they split into two groups:

One remained in the maze, hunting orthodox cultivators under demonic qi's cover.

The other elite force rushed toward the tomb's core to harvest the most potent demonic energy.

Over five days, more than 30% of treasure-seeking cultivators perished.

Less than 10% escaped.

The remaining 60% clustered together, trapped in the maze, constantly ambushed from all directions.

Realizing this, Divine Flame Cult cultivators adopted similar tactics – hunting smaller groups while harassing larger ones.

Du Mingjie now found himself trapped, clinging to Yang Huaian's group for survival.

As a Demon-Slaying Guard, Yang Huaian's combat prowess remained formidable even under demonic qi interference.

He'd rallied more cultivators, but protecting them anchored him in the maze.

And the darkness grew heavier.

Cultivators sensed the rising tide of lurking demonic cultivators.

After days of relentless assaults, exhaustion and despair gnawed at them.

Yang Huaian noticed their fraying nerves.

"Fellow cultivators!" he called. "We're close to the exit. Just hold on a little longer!"

"Once we leave this maze, the demonic qi will weaken. Those Divine Flame Cult bastards won't dare attack us openly!"

His words earned only feeble responses.

Five sleepless days, endless battles against Foundation-Building demonic cultivators – even with rotations, their stamina neared breaking.

Yang Huaian's own frustration simmered.

He couldn't find the exit.

The markers he'd left had been tampered with, replaced by countless forgeries.

Even when spotting a sloppy fake, the problem remained – when had the enemy started this deception?

With demonic qi blocking all reference points, distinguishing real from fake became impossible.

"Ahhh!"

A scream pierced the air.

Thud! A blade piercing flesh.

"Die with me, you bastard!"

A roar, followed by a shockwave of demonic qi – then silence.

Crash! Yang Huaian's fist slammed against the wall, fury mingling with helplessness.

The dying cultivator had been only three zhang (10 meters) away.

Yet a thick spirit-mine wall separated them.

Even at Foundation Building Peak, breaching the thinnest walls required two strikes.

Expanding the gap would take four.

And this wall? At least fifteen minutes of work.

Powerless to save him.

Boom! Another explosion echoed.

The wall in front of Yang Huaian shimmered.

"Hmm?"

"What's going on?"

He suddenly felt a jolt of alarm—someone was trying to destroy the wall!

Could it be that he hadn't been harmed by demonic cultivators after all? But that still didn't make sense. What was the point of breaking through walls at a time like this?

In that instant, several thoughts flashed through Yang Huaian's mind. But he had no time to dwell on them. Taking a step back, he prepared to assist whoever was on the other side in breaching the thick wall.

In this suffocating darkness, even finding one new ally could significantly boost their morale. The more people they had, the greater their collective confidence and courage.

However, before Yang Huaian could act, the wall before him collapsed with a thunderous roar.

Thankfully, he had stepped back just in time. Otherwise, he might have been buried under the flying debris.

"Wait, Cultivator Yang? How come you're still here?"

A familiar voice rang out.

A slender figure approached, gradually revealing Xiao Chen's face.

"Cultivator Xiao? How did you end up here?"

Yang Huaian was momentarily stunned. Then who was the person screaming earlier?

Could it be some unfortunate demonic cultivator who tried to ambush Xiao Chen?

"Cultivator Xiao!"

Du Mingjie rushed forward, his voice trembling with excitement. "It's really you! This is amazing!"

He had been standing at the back, only hearing the commotion without seeing who was causing it. But upon hearing Yang Huaian's respectful address, he immediately deduced the newcomer's identity.

After all, the surname Xiao was quite rare, and the only one Yang Huaian would address with such respect was Xiao Chen himself.

"Cultivator Du is here too? What a coincidence."

Xiao Chen was equally pleased to see familiar faces. His arrival here had two purposes: to learn about the situation inside the Yellow Spring Palace, and to find a companion for the lonely journey through the pitch-black labyrinth.

"Cultivator Xiao, I thought you'd already gone inside to seek treasures", Yang Huaian finally relaxed, a glimmer of hope igniting in his heart. "Please, lead us out of this maze."

The cultivators behind him quickly gathered around, their faces alight with excitement.

"It's truly Wind-Thunder Sword's Xiao Chen! We're saved!"

"Great! Now those damned demonic cultivators won't dare to harass us anymore!"

"Cultivator Xiao, we met on the flying vessel before. I never expected to meet you here. Please lead us out of this maze!"

"Quiet! Stop crowding!"

The group's excited shouts overlapped, creating a cacophony that drowned out individual voices.

Yang Huaian tried to shout for order, but his voice was swallowed by the chaos.

Xiao Chen stepped forward and raised his hand. "Fellow cultivators, please calm down first. Let me speak with Cultivator Yang for a moment."

The front row immediately fell silent. After repeating his request, the clamor from the back also faded.

Xiao Chen learned that thirty-five cultivators had gathered here, including many from the Spirit Origin Sect, Wan Hua Valley, and Qingxiao Sect. However, the maze had scattered them, and no one knew how many had survived.

"Boom!"

Another wall collapsed.

Xiao Chen led the way out, followed by Du Mingjie and the others in an orderly line.

Yang Huaian stayed at the rear to guard against any demonic cultivators that might attack.

Their earlier conversation had turned into a litany of complaints. Xiao Chen learned that many cultivators had perished in the earlier trials, though he hadn't gained much valuable intelligence. Still, he didn't mind acting as a guide—after all, he needed to escape the maze himself.

Smashing walls was his chosen method for leaving this place.

Since discovering the maze, Xiao Chen had chosen a random direction and charged forward relentlessly. No matter how thick the walls, his fists reduced them to rubble.

Using the Nine Strengths Mountain Shifting Method, his demolition efficiency was astonishing—three or four punches were enough to create a passage wide enough for people to pass through.

At first, Yang Huaian had tried to dissuade him. Wasting energy like this could be dangerous if enemies attacked midway.

But when he saw Xiao Chen punch through a wall effortlessly, he shut up and moved to the rear guard position.

Yang Huaian could tell at a glance that Xiao Chen was a body cultivator, and his cultivation realm was high—definitely at the late Foundation Building Stage.

A false core, mastery of escape techniques, and a body cultivator? What a monster.

Thankfully, this monster was on their side. Otherwise, the entire group combined wouldn't stand a chance against him.

With Xiao Chen's unique method of advancement, determining directions was no longer a problem.

Along the way, some demonic cultivators tried to stop them.

But when they saw Xiao Chen punch through walls with two fists, then looked at their own frail bodies, they quietly retreated.

What if they tried to interfere? They'd die instantly.

Of course, some bold demonic cultivators, especially those who had gone berserk after days of absorbing demonic qi, did try to harass them.

They thought they could handle Xiao Chen, only to experience firsthand the power of the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords.

Even at thirty zhang distance, the sword beams' power was halved. But the Seven Star Sword Technique was already formidable, and Xiao Chen had recently absorbed the purple crystal python scales and golden eagle crown feathers, gaining new insights into wind and thunder.

Even at half power, this force was more than enough to overwhelm ordinary cultivators.

The twin swords struck—Thunder Sword pierced armor, Wind Sword severed heads.

One attempt meant certain death.

After eliminating a few arrogant demonic cultivators, the rest quietly fled under the cover of demonic qi.

After all, the maze was vast. They could always claim they never encountered Xiao Chen.

Why throw away their lives?

When it came to bullying the weak and fearing the strong, most demonic cultivators were experts.

The ones left here for ambushes were just ordinary disciples. The true elite demonic cultivators had already gone deeper into the tomb to collect demonic energy.

Thus, for the rest of their journey, the group encountered no attacks.

They even rescued another group of cultivators along the way.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Xiao Chen threw three punches, finally creating an opening in the last wall.

"Crash!"

The wall collapsed, sending a shower of debris flying.

Lan Nianqin, who had been resting nearby, jumped in fright.

Xiao Chen stepped through the hole and looked around. They had reached another palace interior.

No wonder the wall was one zhang thick—it took thirty punches to break through.

He had taken the wrong path. The maze exit wasn't here.

But it didn't matter. Now the maze had an additional exit.

"Xiao... Cultivator Xiao?"

Lan Nianqin rubbed her eyes in disbelief, confirming she wasn't hallucinating. "How did you end up here?"

Then she realized how silly her question was. "Wait, what I meant was—how did you come out of the wall?"

Xiao Chen blinked and countered, "Fellow Cultivator Lan, how did you end up here?"

Lan Nianqin stared at the stream of cultivators emerging from behind Xiao Chen, stunned into silence.

After a long pause, she finally spoke. She had encountered Zhu Hui the Nine-Foot Staff three days ago and already exited the maze.

But knowing her own weakness, she avoided the main path leading to the central tomb and instead explored the side halls for treasures.

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. "Fellow Cultivator Lan, could you tell me where the main tomb is?"

"Would you mind guiding me to the maze exit?"

Lan Nianqin shook her head and pointed. "Cultivator Xiao, please wait a moment. I'll unlock this Emerald Sealing Formation shortly."

"Once I obtain this magic artifact, I'll guide you."

Xiao Chen followed her finger to see an emerald light barrier covering a stone platform. Beneath it lay an exquisite silk ribbon, seemingly a ritual object.

Beside the barrier, a furry Treasure-Seeking Rat was painstakingly dismantling the formation on the platform.

Xiao Chen glanced at Lan Nianqin in surprise.

He hadn't expected her to have a spirit beast, and judging by its aura, it was at the Foundation Building Sixth Layer.

Considering her cultivation manual was incomplete, raising a powerful spirit beast was indeed a way to enhance her combat strength.

Beasts like the Treasure-Seeking Rat could also serve additional purposes.

However, its efficiency was low—it would take at least half a unit for the prodigy to unlock the formation.

"Bang!"

Xiao Chen strode forward and punched the platform.

The formation shattered like ceramic, and the stone platform collapsed into two halves.

"Squeak!"

The Treasure-Seeking Rat screamed, leaping from the ground and scrambling up Lan Nianqin's arm before burrowing into her chest.

Well, it seemed even spirit beasts couldn't guarantee combat strength—especially one this timid.

Xiao Chen picked up the silk ribbon and handed it to her. "Fellow Cultivator Lan, here you go."

"Now that the formation is broken, could you guide me out?"

Lan Nianqin stared at the shattered formation, then at the collapsed wall.

Her face paled, and she hesitated to take the silk ribbon. "Cultivator Xiao, please follow me."

Xiao Chen called out, "Fellow Cultivator Lan, take the silk ribbon first."

"I just want to save time. Don't misunderstand me."

After repeating himself twice, Lan Nianqin reluctantly accepted the silk ribbon.

Under her guidance, the group reached the true maze exit in half a watch.

A wide path stretched before them, leading to the main tomb at the rear.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end