Covering the sky: I have the body of the sky, and I have inherited the ten evil methods

Chapter 105 The Emperor's Trial Grounds!
Before everyone could even breathe a sigh of relief, the palace suddenly began to shake violently, stones fell from above, and cracks began to appear in the ground.

"What happened?" Jiang Huai-ren exclaimed.

"Oh no, this place is about to collapse!" Master Xuanfeng's expression changed drastically.

“No, it’s not a collapse,” the Holy Maiden of Yaochi’s voice trembled, “it’s some more powerful force awakening…”

An ominous premonition welled up in Xiao Chen's heart. He looked up into the depths of the palace, where a terrifying aura was awakening.

An aged yet majestic voice echoed: "I am the will of this ruin. You have trespassed into this forbidden area. You shall face my final test!"

This voice, devoid of any emotion, was filled with unquestionable authority, judging everything in the world.

"The final test?" Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint in them, but a fierce fighting spirit ignited in his heart.

They had no choice but to fight desperately to have a chance of survival.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi bit her lip lightly, a hint of worry appearing on her exquisite face.

The big black dog, however, had a nonchalant look on its face. It shook off the dust and grinned, "This king loves challenges! If I can get some treasures, I'll make a fortune!"

"Don't panic!" Xiao Chen said in a deep voice, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone. "We've overcome so many obstacles, are we afraid of this final test? If we work together, we'll definitely turn this danger into safety!"

He keenly sensed that there seemed to be some subtle connection between the will of the ruins and the guardian spirit of the palace.

Although the guardian spirit is powerful, its actions seem to be restricted in some way, and this restriction may very well come from the will of the ruins.

If we can find a breakthrough in this connection, we might be able to turn the tide.

“Gentlemen,” Xiao Chen’s gaze fell on the gray-robed man, Daoist Lingxu, and the others, “In my opinion, there must be a connection between the will of the ruins and the guardian spirit. We might as well split into two groups, one to restrain the guardian spirit and the other to attack the will of the ruins and find its weaknesses.”

The gray-robed man nodded slightly, and a hoarse voice came from under his hood: "This plan is feasible, and I am willing to lend a helping hand to young friend Xiao."

Master Lingxu stroked his beard and agreed, saying, "Excellent, excellent. I am also willing to do my part."

A battle plan was quickly formulated. Master Xuanfeng, Master Tanlang, and others were responsible for attracting the guardian spirit's attention. They each displayed their supernatural abilities and launched fierce attacks on the guardian spirit from different directions.

Sword energy crisscrossed, spells flew everywhere, and the guardian spirit's massive body struggled against the storm of attacks, letting out bursts of angry roars.

Xiao Chen, along with Yaochi Saintess, Zixiao Fairy, and others, focused their attack on the will of the ruins.

However, the will of the ruins is elusive and cannot be pinpointed, so their attacks are like hitting cotton, having no effect whatsoever.

"Damn it, this relic's will is completely formless and intangible, how can we attack it?" Fairy Zixiao frowned, her tone filled with anxiety.

Just when everyone was at a loss, Xiao Chen suddenly noticed that deep inside the palace, the ancient bookshelves were emitting faint energy fluctuations, which seemed to resonate with the energy fluctuations of the will of the ruins.

"Could it be..." A bold guess emerged in Xiao Chen's mind.

"Big Black Dog, Jiang Huai-ren!" Xiao Chen shouted, "Go and destroy those bookshelves!"

"What? Damage the bookshelf?" The big black dog was stunned for a moment, then reacted, "Alright! I'll go right now!"

Without hesitation, the big black dog and Jiang Huai-ren rushed towards the ancient bookshelves, brandishing their weapons and wreaking havoc.

The ancient books on the bookshelf were scattered all over the ground, turning into dust. Strange energy surged out from the bookshelf and merged into the will of the ruins.

As the bookshelves were continuously destroyed, the energy fluctuations of the ruins' will began to weaken, and the group's attacks gradually became effective.

"It works!" the Holy Maiden of Yaochi exclaimed in delight.

"Everyone, give it your all!" Xiao Chen's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and the long sword in his hand transformed into streaks of light, fiercely slashing at the energy fluctuations of the ruins' will.

The will of the ruins seemed to sense a threat. It let out an angry roar, and the palace shook more violently. The cracks in the ground grew wider and wider, as if it would collapse at any moment.

"Oh no, it's going to fight desperately!" Daoist Lingxu exclaimed in alarm.

At this critical moment, the gray-robed man suddenly let out a low shout: "Now!"

He suddenly tore open his gray robe, revealing a suit of armor shimmering with golden light. A vast, ocean-like aura erupted from him, instantly engulfing the entire palace.

"What...what kind of power is this..." Everyone stared in horror at the gray-robed man, their eyes filled with disbelief...

The moment the golden armor appeared, the entire space seemed to freeze for a moment.

The oppressive feeling erupted like a flash flood, striking everyone's heart.

Xiao Chen felt his breath catch in his throat, and the blood in his body slowed down as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat.

"This old guy has been hiding his true intentions well!" The big black dog bared its teeth and muttered in a low voice, its usual playful expression replaced by a rare seriousness in its eyes.

It could sense that this power far surpassed that of everyone present, and even had a faint illusion of facing an ancient deity.

Master Lingxu was so shocked that his beard stood on end. He stammered, "This...this could be...divine power?!"

The gray-robed man seemed like a completely different person at that moment.

He was clad in golden armor, like a war god descended to earth, and there was no trace of his previous hunched appearance.

His gaze was piercing as he swept over the crowd, exuding an undeniable air of authority.

"Everyone, the will of the ruins has been extinguished, and the guardian spirit has also collapsed. This final exit has been opened."

His voice was no longer hoarse, but instead filled with a metallic quality, powerful and resonant, like the beating of a war drum, "But..."

He paused, his gaze falling on the exit that emitted a soft light. "This exit is not a smooth road. What lies behind it may be an even greater crisis."

"An even greater crisis?" Jiang Huai-ren's eyes widened as he asked incredulously, "Could it be that there is an even more powerful being within these ruins?"

He still felt lingering fear when he recalled the earth-shattering battle just now. It was hard to imagine what could be more terrifying than the will of the ruins and the guardian spirit.

“Not a more powerful being.” The gray-robed man shook his head, his tone deep, “but rather… the unknown.”

"Unknown?" The Holy Maiden of Yaochi frowned slightly. She keenly sensed that the person's words had a hidden meaning, as if they knew something.

“Indeed, unknown.” The gray-robed man said slowly, “This ruin is far older than you can imagine. Its existence can even be traced back to the mythical era.”

"And this exit is not a simple exit passage; it connects to... a forgotten corner."

He reached out and pointed to the shimmering exit. "There, the truth about this world is hidden..."

As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Greed gleamed in the eyes of the Greedy Wolf Master. He licked his chapped lips and muttered under his breath, "These are the things I like best!"

Master Lingxu looked worried. He had a vague feeling that the so-called truth might not be so pleasant, and might even overturn their long-held beliefs.

Xiao Chen frowned, staring at the gray-robed man, trying to glean something from his expression.

But all he saw was profound depth.

"Senior, what exactly do you know?" Xiao Chen asked in a deep voice. "Please enlighten me."

The gray-robed man gave him a deep look. "I know... a lot."

"But now, all I can tell you is that the world beyond this exit is far more complex than you can imagine. If you choose to enter, you must be prepared to pay the ultimate price."

His tone became extremely serious, "Now, I'm giving you a choice. Leave immediately, or listen to me finish before making a decision?"

Everyone held their breath, quietly waiting for Xiao Chen's decision.

Xiao Chen looked around. He knew this was a difficult choice, one that would determine their fate. The gray-robed man suddenly raised his hand to stop him.

His gaze was like lightning, piercing through the void, and his voice was deep.

"This...this is the Emperor's trial ground?" Li Heishui's eyes widened as he stammered, his voice trembling slightly.

He was usually fearless, but at this moment he couldn't help but show a look of fear.

The Great Emperor! What a terrifying existence that must be!

Jiang Huai Ren couldn't help but swallow hard, gripped his long sword tightly, and looked around warily.

Although he had no concept of the emperor, the fact that the gray-robed man mentioned him so solemnly meant that he was definitely not a kind person.

A strange light flashed in the cold eyes of the Holy Maiden of Yaochi. She frowned slightly, seemingly surprised by the origin of the ruins.

The big black dog grinned, a cynical smile playing on its lips, but its eyes grew deep and intense.

"Heh heh, the Emperor's Trial Grounds? Interesting... This time we're really going to go big!"

Xiao Chen's heart also trembled. The word "Emperor" carried too much weight.

He suppressed his shock and asked in a deep voice, "Senior, how strong is this guardian beast?"

The gray-robed man's gaze was solemn as he slowly said, "This guardian beast was personally raised by the Great Emperor, and its strength is unfathomable. It guards the exit, allowing only those who have truly passed the trial to leave. Anyone who tries to force their way through will inevitably be devoured by it mercilessly."

Devour!

These two words sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

They had no doubt about the truth of the gray-robed man's words.

It's important to understand that the cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog world, where powerful demonic beasts devouring cultivators is commonplace.

"Then...then aren't we trapped here to die?" Li Heishui wailed, feeling that his life had turned completely bleak.

They thought they had found a treasure, but it turned out to be a tomb.

"Not necessarily." The gray-robed man shook his head. "There is a treasure trove hidden within these ruins. It contains treasures left behind by the Great Emperor, enough to greatly enhance your strength in a short period of time."

Treasure! These two words ignited hope in everyone's hearts.

"However..." the gray-robed man's tone shifted, his expression becoming even more grave, "Opening the treasure vault will come at a price. Moreover, unknown dangers lurk within."

Everyone fell silent again.

Will you venture into the treasure vault or choose to directly challenge the levels?

This is a tough choice.

"We definitely can't just try to break through the barrier; that guardian beast is far beyond our capabilities."

The big black dog shook its head, rejecting the suggestion. "In my opinion, we should explore the treasure vault first and improve our strength. Even if we still can't pass the trial in the end, at least we'll have a better chance of winning than we do now."

“But the dangers inside the treasure vault…” The Holy Maiden of Yaochi hesitated.

She was not afraid of danger, but she was more worried that her choices would put everyone in danger.

Xiao Chen's eyes flickered as he quickly weighed the pros and cons.

He believed that the grey-robed man wouldn't have told them this information for no reason.

Since this treasure trove exists, it must have some significance.

Perhaps this is their only hope of leaving the ruins.

"I agree with the big black dog's suggestion," Xiao Chen said in a deep voice. "Let's explore the treasure vault!"

“Okay! I’ll do as you say!” Jiang Huai-ren was the first to respond.

Although Li Heishui hesitated for a moment, he finally nodded.

"Alright... since you've all made up your minds, I'll go all in too! Fortune favors the bold, who knows, maybe we can even obtain some kind of imperial inheritance!"

Even the usually composed Holy Maiden of Yaochi nodded slightly, "I have no objection."

"Alright!" Xiao Chen's gaze sharpened. "In that case, let's set off immediately! To the treasure vault!"

However, just as they were about to set off, a powerful aura suddenly emanated from the direction of the exit.

"Not good!" The gray-robed man's expression changed drastically as he exclaimed, "It's the guardian beast! It's here!"

Everyone immediately stopped in their tracks, their faces turning pale instantly.

They could clearly feel a terrifying force rapidly approaching them.

This force was so powerful that it made them feel desperate.

Li Heishui, who had been clinging to a sliver of hope, collapsed to the ground in utter despair.

"It's over... I'm definitely going to die..."

Jiang Huai Ren gritted his teeth, drew his long sword, and stood in front of Xiao Chen.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi gritted her teeth, and a chilling aura began to emanate from her body.

She was ready for battle.

Xiao Chen's expression also became extremely solemn.

The owner of this aura was far more powerful than any opponent he had ever encountered before.

Immediately afterwards, the ground began to tremble violently.

"Rumble..."

As if a thousand horses were galloping past, or as if the sky were collapsing and the earth were splitting, the entire ruins began to shake.

“It’s here…” the gray-robed man muttered to himself, his voice filled with despair.

At the exit, a golden light tore through the darkness and illuminated the entire space.

A colossal creature stepped out slowly from the golden light, its feet treading on the shattered earth.

That was a Qilin, majestic and awe-inspiring!

Four enormous hooves pounded the ground, producing a deafening roar.

The Qilin opened its blood-red maw and let out a furious roar that resounded through the heavens and earth, carrying a pressure that made even the soul tremble.

"This is too big!" Li Heishui was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he sat down on the ground with a thud, his face pale.

His usual arrogance had vanished, replaced by a deep-seated fear.

Although Jiang Huai-ren was also afraid, he gritted his teeth, drew his long sword, and stood in front of Xiao Chen with a firm look in his eyes, showing no intention of backing down.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi had a solemn expression, her slender hands clenched into fists, and a chilling aura emanated from her. Her robes fluttered, making her appear like a celestial maiden descending to earth.

(End of this chapter)