Chapter 359

Chapter 359: Second Level Spirit Beast

Facing mazes, there existed many methods.

One could forcibly break through by overwhelming force, or utilize mental strength deduction calculations to uncover the best escape method. Alternatively, like Zhou Luo, employ esoteric skills to locate the optimal exit…

Earlier, the trio discovered these caverns were separate zones. With their Foundation Establishment mental strength, mapping the entire target proved impossible.

Forcing a path would only benefit future generations, offering them no advantage.

Thus currently, Zhou Luo’s divination appeared the best available choice.

Moreover, they didn’t require complex divination—only needing to identify which tunnel posed less danger for navigating the maze.

Zhou Luo inhaled deeply, grasping three turtle shells as spiritual light rippled across him. Mana flowed through his meridians into his palm.

Over the shells, a faint glow shimmered.

Within that radiance, profound mystical energies manifested upon the carapaces.

Eyes shut, Zhou Luo silently recited convoluted, cryptic incantations.

Spurred by his chant, the shells’ glow intensified, filling parched patterns until they gleamed intensely and radiated blazing heat.

In divination skill, incantations and techniques were paramount—turtle shells merely served as vessels. The true essence lay in capturing and channeling intangible karmic currents.

Therefore, divination inherently relied on fortune. Favorable luck yielded accurate results; misfortune brought grave miscalculations.

Both Qi Chuan and Long Yunshuang understood this deeply. They regarded it merely as a method, holding no grand expectations.

For ordinary divination masters, achieving perfection might prove unfeasible.

But Zhou Luo differed. Having gained this skill from the system, he perfected all tier-one divination techniques.

Hence, such a straightforward tunnel selection process remained effortless for him.

He tossed the glowing shells skyward. As if sensing some force, the carapaces snapped with a click, splitting cleanly before scattering across the ground.

Six fragments formed an arrow pointing toward one passageway.

Seeing this, Qi Chuan and Long Yunshuang’s eyes lit up.

"Can it really be this simple?" Qi Chuan couldn’t help asking.

The instruction seemed overly clear-cut, its entire process appearing far too facile to readily trust.

Zhou Luo nodded slightly, brimming with certainty. "It’s definitely correct."

Such elementary divination posed him no challenge. Besides, as a mere maze involved no entanglement with karma, perceiving that tunnel’s vibrant life force came effortlessly during ritual.

These ethereal energies eluded ordinary perception—only by synchronizing techniques with mastery could one glimpse such threads.

"We proceed."

Trusting her ally, Long Yunshuang wasted no hesitation over the expedited progress. She strode straight toward that passage.

…

As they divined their path, Song Zhan had already reconfigured the spell formation. He glimpsed the first cavern clearly.

"Junior Sister, cracking this formation wasn’t hard… but I cannot confirm what lies within the coffin."

As a Second Level Formation Master, he did not take this formation seriously.

However, this was after all the purpose of the Golden Core master, so he had to act extremely carefully.

If that coffin was a contingency left by the Golden Core master, even he had no confidence that he could resolve it.

"Since they did not touch it, let’s also go." Shangguan Qianxue made the decision.

She always believed that following Zhou Luo was definitely the right choice.

With his style of action, he only acted after making thorough preparations and confirming that everything was free of danger.

What they needed to do now was not to obtain such ordinary treasures but to keep up with him and find that spiritual artifact.

"Hmm, let’s go." Song Zhan did not refuse.

Although he was the Senior Brother, in daily life, he usually listened to this decisive and forceful Junior Sister.

They had trained together many times, so he had great trust in her judgment.

Soon after, they passed through the passage and faced the same dilemma of choosing between two paths.

Shangguan Qianxue frowned.

In this situation, Shangguan Qianxue took out a treasure.

It was a white-jade colored spherical magical artifact similar to a luminous pearl. Under her activation, various red lines resembling blood vessels appeared on the artifact, extending toward the two passages.

In just a moment, Shangguan Qianxue received feedback and walked toward the correct passage that Zhou Luo had divined.

After they entered the passage, they discovered the third cavern.

And here, there appeared three passages.

Shangguan Qianxue frowned again.

The power of the magical artifact in her hand was limited. Three passages were no big issue, but what if another four passages appeared later?

In that case, she could only search one by one.

With no other choice, she had to summon her courage and activate that magical artifact.

On the other side, relying on Zhou Luo’s divination, Qi Chuan and his group advanced very quickly and had already passed the fifth cavern.

Just as Shangguan Qianxue feared, the further they went, the more passages appeared in the caverns.

Zhou Luo’s divination also became affected.

For example, this time, they did not choose the correct passage and encountered an attack by a Spirit Beast.

It was a Second Level Spirit Ape.

Its entire body was covered in black fur, its stature resembled a small mountain, and it emitted an ear-shattering roar.

Notably, a huge collar encircled its neck, covered with patterns.

It seemed that the Golden Core master had left it there to block intruders.

Compared to humans, Spirit Beasts have longer lifespans.

Thus, this Spirit Ape was still maintaining vigorous vitality.

Seeing the intruders, it let out a roar and brandished a thick wooden club, like a tree trunk, smashing toward the three people.

Qi Chuan was the first to strike.

The head of Zhen Yuan Tower gripped a thorn whip, and as he swung it, it made a harsh whistling sound through the air.

Following the whooshing noise, a fiercely sharp power arose, crashing down onto the Spirit Ape with a violent impact.

Bang—

A loud boom followed, yet the Spirit Ape was unscratched.

It was famous for its hard flesh, and after becoming a Second Level Spirit Beast, ordinary attacks could not even harm its fur.

Qi Chuan’s eyes darkened, not expecting this beast to be so tough.

He focused his entire cultivation power and swung the whip again.

Whoosh—

This time, the thorn whip became engulfed in a crimson glow, with fierce flames flickering, creating a menacing and terrifying feeling.

Roar—

The Spirit Ape also attacked simultaneously, its heavy club swung with immense force; as it came down, the wind howled like a mountain crashing down.

The two collided abruptly, stirring up a huge surge of energy.

At the same time, an even more formidable power swept out, and the Spirit Ape’s strength flared anew as the surface of the club peeled off, revealing a lustrous white-jade sheen.

The three looked at the club in shock.

Foundation Establishment magical artifact.