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Chapter 438: The Great Demon Tribe Trial: The Inverted Path to the Afterlife
Chapter 438: The Great Demon Tribe Trial: The Inverted Path to the Afterlife
The Great Lover followed Hebe Lian up the steps, turning to confirm that her teammates were ready.
Receiving nods in response, the Great Lover continued forward.
"This time, I'll hold on tight to you."
Hebe Lian softly assured her companion.
Soon after, the two of them stepped into the mysterious deep purple mirror portal, the air at its edges rippling slightly from the undulations of void force, as if magic were dancing gently on the surface of a calm lake.
Their figures entered the portal and vanished one by one, finally merging completely into the void surrounded by deep purple light.
For a moment, the two of them felt as if they were plummeting from the sea of stars, once again experiencing the strange sensation of weightlessness. Interspersed lights and colors wove together, forming distorted landscapes.
Their descent began to slow, and dazzling light burst forth from the exit, instantly enveloping them.
"..."
As she stepped into the Minus Six Layer, Hebe Lian's pupils couldn't help but twitch slightly.
She found herself standing in the center of a spacious hall that resembled a theater, with a high dome ceiling adorned with intricate murals depicting ancient demon world mythological totems.
This was a grand hall even more massive than any of the previous transmission halls. On a raised platform stood another deep purple mirror-like void portal, similar to the ones they had encountered before.
Their group had not been separated or faced any dangers. The only difference was the extreme cold they felt in the Minus Six Layer, as if they were standing in a vast snowfield where not only their joints but even their thoughts seemed to slow down.
As the deepest layer, the Minus Six Layer did not have separate entrance and exit transmission halls due to structural considerations. The sole void portal was located here.
Soon, the students' rings lit up with a deep red light screen, displaying the following information:
[In the Minus Six Layer of Herlrom Prison, staying alive and on duty will earn you a large number of duty points.]
[Once you meet the return criteria to the Base Layer, you can unlock trading permissions for the current layer. Intern prison guards can choose to exchange their remaining duty points for wages or convert them into Protoss Royal Magic Academy credit points upon completing the assessment.]
[Current Location: Herlrom Prison Minus Six Layer, Warden's Office & Transmission Hall.]
[Job Content: Patrol and Inspection.]
[Note: After entering the unsafe area of the Minus Six Layer, you will be trapped in an illusionary barrier. The longer you stay, the more dangerous the illusionary barrier will become, eventually reaching the level of a Ninth-Rank illusion.]
[Note: When you are conscious and the more fearful you are in your heart, the higher the proportion of false damage from the illusion that will be converted into actual damage.]
[Note: On this layer, prison guards can drink specially prepared Snowfield Spirits to dispel the cold and boost their courage, but beware of drunkenness and unconsciousness. Please drink in moderation.]
[Return to Base Layer Criteria: Inspect the durability and endurance of all prison cells and obtain permission and final evaluation from the Minus Six Layer Warden.]
Hebe Lian lowered her head to read through the information about the Minus Six Layer.
They had finally reached the last layer of Herlrom Prison before their departure, and it seemed that there was one more Great Demon Tribe Trial ahead of them.
Her challenging mission had been unusually smooth today, and she felt that she hadn't really done much. They were just one step away from complete success.
According to the Ice and Snow Witch, the Great Demon Tribe Trial, known as the "Life and Death Gateway," was called [The Inverted Path to the Afterlife], and the more afraid of death one was, the easier it was to die.
It was both an illusion and capable of inflicting lethal substantive magic damage.
Upon entering the Illusory Realm barrier of the Inverted Path to the Afterlife, once a thread of fear starts to form, your mental defenses will crumble like a breached dam, plunging you into a rapid downward spiral of utter destruction. In essence, this Great Demon Tribe Trial could be even more perilous than a trial of brute force.
This Great Demon Tribe Trial was almost a fated calamity for Truth Pralane. With his sole desire to cling to life, Truth Pralane would suffer near-fatal damage in the Inverted Path to the Afterlife, and daring to escape the prison cells would be akin to suicide.
For the intern prison guards' assessment, they could choose to first consume a moderate amount of the specially prepared Snowfield Spirits according to their individual conditions, plan their routes, and repair a portion of the prison cells before the illusory danger level escalated. They could then return to the safety zone to recuperate while leaving one person behind to be ready to rescue their teammates at a moment's notice. This trial truly tested one's judgment and execution skills.
However, Hyberrian now felt that the strategies provided by the Ice and Snow Witch were useless.
No matter how challenging the Ice and Snow Witch had described it to be over the past two months, Hyberrian was certain that the actual experience would be a breeze.
"..."
Hyberrian stole a glance at the dazed Great Lover by her side.
Aside from the few duty points obtained from rushing through the Minus Four and Minus Five Layers, Lanchi now possessed a substantial amount of duty points. When asked about the source, Lanchi replied that they were sponsored by Miss Selena, the Minus Four Layer Warden.
However, at that time, Hyberrian had been immersed in the dream of a gentle descent and had no idea what had transpired in the Minus Four Layer.
Hyberrian also worried that Lanchi might have obtained them through coercion or robbery, but Lanchi insisted that Miss Selena, the Warden, had voluntarily given them to him. He hadn't even mentioned her, yet she had transferred the points to him.
Hyberrian could only temporarily set her worries aside.
As the group prepared to descend the steps, they heard the voice of the Warden coming from within the hall.
"It's a rare occasion to have intern prison guards make it here. What a pleasant surprise."
Hyberrian looked in the direction of the voice and noticed that the transmission hall of this layer was combined with the Warden's office, forming a single safety zone.
There, a Warden with the name "Daria" etched on her nameplate had her legs propped up on the desk. Her features were deep-set, and her gaze was intense and penetrating, as if she could see straight into one's heart. A thin-lipped smile curved on her mouth, seeming to be both playful and mocking.
Despite wearing the Warden's uniform, she had loosened her tie and draped her jacket casually over her shoulders, perhaps due to the tightness of the top.
"Here, there is no path to the afterlife, and no turning back from death. Might as well live a life of drunken dreams."
Warden Daria leaned casually against her chair, tilting her head as she murmured to the group.
She held a small wine cup in her hand, seemingly having just taken a sip.
It was evident that she was delighted to have intern prison guards around, as she wouldn't have to undertake the periodic routine inspections by herself without their help.
So far, Hyberrian felt that aside from Warden Corentin of the Minus One Layer, who was somewhat challenging to communicate with, the Wardens of the Minus Four and Minus Five Layers were amiable, and even the Warden of the Minus Six Layer seemed to have a decent attitude.
"We will begin our work now, please rest assured."
Hyberrian bowed to Warden Daria of the Minus Six Layer and spoke politely.
The task for this layer was crystal clear: with only two Great Demon Tribe members and the presence of Machinist Lanchi, the inspection and repairs would be a breeze.
"Wait, who said you could rush off to work?"
Daria quickly lowered one leg from the desk, halting the group in their tracks, and gestured for them to come closer.
Today's fourth update will be slightly delayed as I finish coding it. Stay tuned!
(End of Chapter)
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