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

Chapter 98 Powerful Stone Beast!
The man in black robes let out a scream, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the wall.

"Pfft..." He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning as pale as paper.

He struggled to stand up, but found himself powerless and unable to move.

Upon seeing this, everyone cheered with joy.

Xiao Chen did not lower his guard; he remained intently focused on the man in black.

Sure enough, just as everyone relaxed their guard, the man in black robes suddenly let out a roar, unleashing even greater power from his body.

He struggled to his feet, glaring fiercely at Xiao Chen and the others.

"You ants, how dare you hurt me! I will never let you get away with this!" he said through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and frantic.

However, before he could finish speaking, his figure suddenly blurred, turning into a black shadow and disappearing into the secret chamber.

"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Xiao Chen snorted coldly and was about to give chase.

However, at that moment, the walls of the secret room suddenly rumbled, cracks appeared on the walls, and then with a loud bang, the walls collapsed.

Everyone quickly retreated, dodging the flying pebbles.

When the smoke cleared, they discovered that a passage had appeared after the wall collapsed.

This passage was pitch black and bottomless, as if it led to hell.

"Where...where is this?" Li Heishui asked fearfully, his voice trembling.

"I don't know, but I'm afraid we have no other choice," Xiao Chen said in a deep voice.

The men in black robes have already escaped; if they remain here, they will likely face even greater danger.

"Let's go!" Xiao Chen made a decisive decision and led everyone into the passage.

The passageway was filled with a damp and chilly atmosphere, making people feel very uncomfortable.

The walls were covered with green moss and emitted a faint fishy smell.

The group walked carefully through the passage, not daring to make too much noise.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at the end of the passage.

However, what appeared before them was not the light they had imagined, but a darker and more oppressive place.

This is a huge maze.

The maze was filled with an eerie fog, making it difficult to see the path.

Within the fog, some unknown creatures seemed to be lurking, emitting low, mournful cries that sent chills down one's spine.

"What...what should we do? Where should we go?" Li Heishui panicked completely. Looking at the thick fog around him, he felt as if he were in a huge cage.

Master Xuanfeng tried to determine the direction using a compass, but after taking it out, he found that the compass needle was spinning wildly and could not indicate the direction at all.

"Strange, why is this compass malfunctioning? Could there be some special magnetic field here?" Master Xuanfeng said, frowning.

Just as everyone was at a loss, a deep roar suddenly came from the fog.

The sound was like a colossal beast awakening from the ancient wilderness, causing the labyrinth walls to tremble slightly.

A chill ran through everyone, and they instinctively gripped their weapons, staring intently at the approaching darkness.

Suddenly, a huge stone beast slowly emerged from the mist. Its body was as hard as iron, and its surface was covered with dense cracks, showing signs of erosion from countless years of wind and frost.

The stone beast's eyes flashed with a fierce light, like two burning flames, sending chills down one's spine.

Its every step shook the ground, and its every roar echoed like thunder through the labyrinth, sending shivers down one's spine.

The stone beast stopped in front of the crowd, opened its blood-red maw, and revealed its sharp fangs.

It took a deep breath, a low rumble emanating from its throat, and then a burst of scorching flames shot out from its mouth, sweeping towards everyone like lava.

The heat of the flames instantly distorted the air, and everyone felt a suffocating heat wave wash over them.

"Retreat!" Xiao Chen shouted.
Just as the flames were about to engulf everyone, Xiao Chen remained calm and quickly formed hand seals while chanting incantations.

A wall of azure water appeared out of thin air, blocking everyone's way.

"Crash-"

The water wall collided with the flames, producing a piercing sound, and steam filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision.

Xiao Chen's expression was solemn as he continuously poured divine power into the water wall to maintain its strength.

His face also turned somewhat pale, clearly indicating that maintaining this water wall was a considerable burden for him.

"Damn it, it's actually a powerful stone beast!" the big black dog cursed as it dodged the flying sparks.

"Stop cursing, think of a solution!" Jiang Huai-ren said anxiously, gripping his long sword tightly.

Just then, the big black dog's eyes suddenly lit up. It circled the stone beast a few times, as if it had discovered something.

"Kid, I've found this thing's weakness!"

The big black dog barked excitedly, "See that lighter-colored stone on its belly? That's the weakest point in its defenses!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen immediately focused his gaze and indeed saw a slightly lighter-colored stone on the belly of the stone beast.

Compared to the surrounding stones, that stone appeared somewhat smooth, as if it had been subjected to frequent friction.

"Alright, let's attack its weakness together!" Xiao Chen shouted, while retracting the water wall.

With no resistance, the flames swept towards everyone in an instant.

Everyone was already prepared and began to use their spells to attack the stone beast's weak points.

Xiao Chen took the lead, concentrating all his spiritual power into his fist and slamming it into the stone beast's abdomen.

"boom--"

With a loud bang, Xiao Chen's fist slammed hard into the lighter-colored stone.

The stone beast's body shuddered violently, letting out a painful roar.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi followed closely behind, her long sword radiating a dazzling light as she fiercely stabbed at the stone beast's weak point.

"puff--"

The longsword pierced the stone beast's body with a dull thud.

The stone beast's body trembled again, and its roar became even more shrill.

Jiang Huai-ren and Li Hei-shui also joined the fray, unleashing a barrage of attacks on the stone beast's weak points.

Although the stone beast had amazing defensive capabilities, it gradually couldn't withstand the combined attack of everyone.

The cracks on its body increased, and its body began to sway.

Finally, after enduring countless attacks, the stone beast let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground.

"Phew... finally solved." Xiao Chen let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

After the stone beast fell, a stone slab appeared on the ground.

The stone slab is square, with strange symbols carved on its surface, making it look ancient and mysterious.

"What is this?" Li Heishui asked curiously.

“This should be a clue to the maze.” Fairy Zixiao stepped forward and carefully studied the symbols on the stone slab.

She stretched out her slender fingers and gently stroked the patterns on the stone slab, her eyes sparkling with wisdom. "These symbols are an ancient script that records the path through the maze," said Fairy Zixiao. "If we follow the instructions of these symbols, we can find our way out of the maze."

"Really? That's wonderful!" Everyone was immediately excited upon hearing this.

"However, the meanings of these symbols are very complex and require careful consideration."

Fairy Zixiao said, "We must be careful and not make a single wrong move, otherwise we may fall into an even more dangerous situation."

"Don't worry, we'll all listen to you," Xiao Chen said. "You give us directions, and we'll follow you."

After careful study, Fairy Zixiao finally grasped the meaning of the symbols on the stone slab.

She pointed to a symbol on the stone slab and said, "This symbol means turn left."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately followed Fairy Zixiao's instructions and turned to the left.

Led by Fairy Zixiao, the group carefully made their way through the maze.

The maze's paths are intricate and full of various traps and mechanisms.

But thanks to the wisdom of Fairy Zixiao and the efforts of everyone, they turned danger into safety time and time again.

After some twists and turns, the group finally emerged from the maze and arrived at a spacious hall.

The hall is decorated with many ancient artifacts, including bronze tripods, jade statues, and some unidentified metal objects.

These artifacts exude an ancient and mysterious aura, inspiring awe in all who behold them.

In the center of the hall, there was a stone table.

On the stone table lay an ancient book, its cover yellowed and covered with the marks of time.

"What is this?" Master Lingxu stepped forward, picked up the ancient book, and began to carefully peruse it.

"This contains some secrets of the ruins," said Master Lingxu. "It seems we've found a treasure."

Ancient books record the origins, structure, and hidden treasures of the ruins.

The group gathered together and carefully studied the contents of the ancient book.

Just as everyone was engrossed in watching, an old voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

"Welcome, everyone, to my ruins."

Upon hearing this, everyone was startled and looked up.

An elderly man dressed in a gray robe slowly emerged from the shadows of the hall.

The old man had a withered face, deep eyes, and an aura that sent chills down one's spine.

"Who are you?" Xiao Chen asked warily.

"I am the guardian of this ruin," the old man said calmly. "Your ability to come here means you are all destined to be here. However, you have also triggered the ruin's alarm, and soon even more powerful enemies will arrive."

"What? An even more powerful enemy?" Upon hearing this, everyone felt a sense of unease.

"If you want to leave here, you must pass my test," the old man continued. "If you can pass my test, I will not only let you leave, but I will also give you the treasures in the ruins."

"A test?" Xiao Chen frowned. "What kind of test?"

The old man smiled slightly and said, "The test is very simple. You just need to be able to defeat me."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of men in black suddenly emerged from all around the hall.

These men in black were exceptionally strong, each exuding a powerful aura.

Before he finished speaking, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

The once spacious hall was instantly filled with a group of men in black.

They emerged from the darkness like ghosts, moving swiftly and silently, and in the blink of an eye, they surrounded Xiao Chen and the others, filling the air with a chilling atmosphere.

These men in black were all agile and exuded a strong smell of blood; they were clearly ruthless characters who had experienced countless life-or-death battles.

They wielded gleaming blades, the edges reflecting a blinding light in the firelight, sending chills down one's spine.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back to one side, a cold smile curving his lips.

His deep eyes were as calm as a still pool.

"Young man, obtaining treasures is not so easy." Greedy Wolf Master licked his lips, revealing a bloodthirsty smile. He had long coveted the treasures in the ruins.

"Hmph, a bunch of rabble, daring to block my way!"

The big black dog curled its lip in disdain, shook its head, and thought to itself, "What a nuisance. Looks like I need to stretch my muscles again."

"Be careful, these guys are tough to deal with."

Xiao Chen whispered a reminder. He could sense the powerful aura emanating from these men in black, each of them possessing at least the cultivation level of the first level of the Immortal Platform Realm.

"Hmph, old man, you're playing with fire!"

Li Heishui roared and charged forward, brandishing his greatsword and slashing fiercely at the man in black before him, trying to carve a bloody path through the crowd.

"Kill!" The leader of the men in black waved his hand and issued a cold command.

In an instant, countless dark figures surged toward Xiao Chen and the others like a tidal wave.

Facing the attack from the leader of the men in black, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi frowned, her jade flute held horizontally in front of her chest, a chilling aura slowly emanating from her...

She and Xiao Chen exchanged a glance. No words were needed; their long-standing tacit understanding had allowed them to communicate perfectly.

"Combined attack technique, activate!"

Xiao Chen let out a low shout, and his spiritual power surged wildly, gathering in his palm.

He shifted his feet, his figure flashing like a ghost, and stood side by side with the Holy Maiden of Yaochi.

The two spiritual energies merged, and an even more powerful aura suddenly erupted, forming a dazzling light screen that firmly protected everyone within it.

The leader of the men in black was burly, his face hidden behind a black mask, revealing only a pair of cold eyes.

He held a long, black sword in his hand, the blade of which faintly glowed with blood, clearly a weapon that had drunk countless lives.

"clang!"

The clash of swords produced a deafening metallic clang.

Xiao Chen and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi changed positions rapidly, their movements perfectly coordinated.

Xiao Chen's fist techniques are fierce and domineering, with each strike containing the power to split mountains and shatter rocks.

The sound of the Jade Pool Saintess's flute was clear and melodious, yet it concealed a deadly intent. Waves of sound transformed into invisible blades, cutting through the air and aiming directly at the leader of the men in black.

The big black dog moved nimbly through the crowd, occasionally setting up hidden magic arrays.

It bared its teeth and muttered, "Damn it, do you really think I'm a pushover? Dare to come near, and I'll show you what's what!"

Jiang Huai-ren brandished his spear, standing guard beside the group and repelling the black-clad men who attempted to ambush them.

His body was stained with blood, some of his own and some of his enemies', but he didn't care at all; his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, observing the chaotic battle with a cold eye.

His gaze would occasionally fall on the sacred artifact in Xiao Chen's hand.

(End of this chapter)