Eternal Tower: Atreia Era

Deep within the Trial of Ten Thousand Beasts Array, the light grew increasingly dim. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, with only scattered patches of light filtering through the leaves and illuminating the withered branches, fallen leaves, and the skeletons of magical beasts scattered on the ground. The air was thick with the stench of blood and the foul ether, sending chills down one's spine. Lynn and Lina walked side by side, their bodies constantly enveloped in the light of ether. Their eyes vigilantly scanned their surroundings, sensing every change in the etheric fluctuations, not daring to let their guard down for the slightest.

After days of trials, both of them have significantly improved their strength. Lynn's Judgment of Light is nearing the peak of the intermediate level, and his understanding of the power of judgment is more profound. He can flexibly use various combination moves in battle to deal with different types of enemies. At the same time, his Barrier of Light has also been cultivated to the minor level, which can withstand the full force of early intermediate-level combat skills and can even barely withstand the impact of mid-intermediate intermediate-level combat skills. Lina's strength has also improved to the late stage of the initial level. Her basic combat skills are becoming more and more proficient. Although her Barrier of Light has not yet reached the minor level, it can be steadily condensed. At the same time, her control over the ether has also made a qualitative leap. In battle, she can accurately assist Lynn, restrain the enemy's attacks, and look for opportunities to counterattack.

In the past few days, they encountered all sorts of magical beasts: the Shadow Leopard, known for its speed; the Rock Armor Bear, skilled in defense; the Wind Eagle, adept at ranged attacks; and the Thunder Python, a mid-to-mid-level beast. Every battle was exceptionally fierce, with the two repeatedly finding themselves in perilous situations, even sustaining serious injuries. However, they always supported each other, relying on their unwavering faith and skillful combat techniques to defeat their enemies time and again, turning danger into safety. In these battles, their combat abilities, adaptability, and mental fortitude were greatly honed, and their teamwork became increasingly seamless.

"Lynn, the etheric fluctuations ahead are getting stronger and stronger, and they're very strange. They don't seem to be the aura of ordinary magical beasts. We must be careful." Lina stopped and frowned slightly, her tone filled with worry. Although her perception wasn't as sharp as Lynn's, she could still clearly sense a powerful and strange aura coming from not far ahead. It was neither the murky ether of magical beasts nor the violent aura of dragons. Instead, it carried a familiar shadow power, somewhat similar to the demon boy Kairo whom she had met at the Fortress of Light that day, but it was more concentrated, stronger, and colder than Kairo's aura.

Lynn stopped, closed his eyes, and focused all his senses on probing the aura ahead. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, a grave look on them, and said in a low voice, "You're right. This aura is very strange. It's not from an ordinary magical beast, nor is it purely from a dragon. It's mixed with dense shadow power and corrupted ether. It's probably a product of collusion between the demons and dragons, or perhaps a shadow warrior trained by the dragons. Moreover, this aura is quite powerful, at least at the mid-stage of the mid-level, and possibly even approaching the late-stage. We must be careful."

He paused, then continued, "Remember the demon boy Kairo we met at the Fortress of Light that I told you about? This shadow power is somewhat similar to Kairo's aura, but it's colder and more violent. Clearly, his identity is not simple, and he's full of malice towards us."

Lina nodded, her eyes filled with vigilance. She gathered a basic light blade in her hand and activated her ethereal power, preparing for battle: "No matter who the opponent is, we cannot back down. As long as we cooperate with each other, we can definitely handle it."

Lynn nodded, a sharp glint in his eyes. He conjured the Judgment of Light in his hand, a golden lightsaber that shone brightly and dispelled the chilling aura around him. "Alright, let's continue forward, but be careful. If we encounter an enemy, don't linger in battle. First, assess their strength before devising a strategy."

Having said that, the two set off again, their steps light and careful, trying not to make a sound, slowly moving towards the direction from which the aura was coming. As they drew closer, the eerie aura grew stronger and stronger, a chilling feeling enveloping them like a biting wind, making their bodies shiver and causing the ether within them to become somewhat disordered.

Before long, the two arrived at the source of the aura—a vast, empty valley. In the center of the valley stood a massive black rock, its surface engraved with countless eerie runes, radiating a dense power of shadow and corrupted ether. Within the runes, faint black mist rose continuously, sending chills down their spines. Beside the black rock stood a tall, imposing figure clad in a long black robe embroidered with strange black patterns. He was surrounded by a dense aura of shadow and corrupted ether, his face obscured by a black hood. Only the coldness and killing intent emanating from his eyes could be sensed as he stared intently at Lynn and Lina, as if awaiting their arrival.

"You've finally arrived, Lynn, Lina." The black-clad figure spoke, his voice hoarse and dry, carrying a chilling aura, like a whisper from hell, sending shivers down one's spine. "I've been here for a long time, waiting for you."

Lynn gripped the Judgment of Light tightly, his eyes cold, his tone indifferent yet firm: "Who are you? Why are you here? How do you know our names? What's the deal with the shadow power and corrupted ether on you?" He knew in his heart that the black figure before him was no good, and that the other party had obviously come prepared, waiting for them here. It seemed that this trial was not as simple as he had imagined, and that there might be a conspiracy between the dragons and demons behind it.

The black figure sneered, slowly raising his head and removing his hood to reveal a ferocious face—pale, with pitch-black eyes devoid of any luster, two sharp fangs protruding from the corners of his mouth, and his cheeks covered with black markings that exuded an eerie aura. He possessed characteristics of both demons and dragons, clearly indicating that he was indeed a product of collusion between demons and dragons, a shadow warrior trained by the dragons.

"Who I am is unimportant." The black-clad figure sneered, his tone laced with disdain and killing intent. "What matters is that today, I will take your lives. By order of Lord Molok and the Demon Lord, I will completely eliminate you two geniuses of the Celestial Race, preventing future troubles!"

"Moloc? Lord Demon?" Lynn's heart skipped a beat, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes. "So, you were sent by Molloc, and you even colluded with the Demon Clan! It seems the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan are indeed in cahoots. The civil war of the Heavenly Demon Clan back then was indeed a carefully planned conspiracy by the Dragon Clan!"

"Hmph, since you know, then I might as well tell you. The civil war among the Celestial Demons back then was indeed a conspiracy meticulously planned by the Dragon Lords. The purpose was to weaken both sides of the Celestial Demons so that our Dragon Clan could reap the benefits and completely control Atreia." The black figure sneered, a hint of smugness in his tone. "Now, the Celestial Demons remain at odds, and our Dragon Clan's power is growing stronger and stronger. Before long, Atreia will fall into our Dragon Clan's hands, and you Celestial geniuses are thorns in our side, something we must eliminate one by one!"

He paused, his gaze fixed on Lynn, the killing intent in his eyes intensifying: "Lynn, you are exceptionally talented and growing at an extremely rapid pace. You've been heavily cultivated by that old bastard Gavin, and you will undoubtedly become a great threat to my dragon race in the future. Therefore, Lord Morlock specifically sent me here to completely eliminate you in the trial array, preventing you from continuing to grow. As for you, Lina, as Lynn's companion, you must also die, to go to hell with him!"

Lina's eyes were filled with rage, and her voice was firm and resolute: "Wishful thinking! You dragons and demons, colluding to slaughter living beings and wreak havoc on Atreia, will never let your schemes succeed! Today, even if it costs us everything, we will defeat you, protect the Celestials, and protect Atreia!"

"Go all out? You two mere lowly beginner guardians dare to spout such nonsense?" The black figure sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. "Let me tell you the truth, my strength has reached the late mid-stage, far surpassing yours. Moreover, I possess the corrupt combat techniques of the Dragon Clan and the shadow combat techniques of the Demon Clan. You are no match for me. Today, you are doomed!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the shadow power and corrupted ether surrounding the black figure erupted instantly, his aura surging even stronger than before. A chilling aura instantly enveloped the entire valley, and black mist continued to rise, completely obscuring the light in the valley, leaving only pitch blackness. His figure flashed, moving with incredible speed, like a ghost, as he pounced towards Lynn and Lina. A black claw materialized in his hand, swirling with dense shadow power and corrupted ether, radiating a chilling light. Its powerful strike aimed straight at Lynn's chest, intending to kill him instantly.

"Watch out!" Lynn shouted, immediately shielding Lina behind him. The light ether around him erupted instantly, and the light of the Judgment in his hand shone brightly. At the same time, he activated the ether to condense a solid barrier of light, blocking the attack from the black figure.

Bang! With a deafening roar, the black claws and the golden barrier of light collided violently. The golden light and black mist erupted, forming a powerful shockwave that spread outwards. The rocks in the valley were shattered by the shockwave, and cracks appeared in the ground. Lynn and Lina were forced back several steps by the shockwave, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths, and their ethereal energy was in violent chaos.

"Such powerful strength!" Lynn was shocked, a look of seriousness appearing in his eyes. He hadn't expected the black figure to be so powerful. With just one strike, it had shattered his Light Barrier and injured him and Lina. It seemed that defeating the opponent would be extremely difficult.

The black figure sneered, then flashed forward, lunging at Lynn again. His black claws lashed out relentlessly, unleashing streaks of black claw wind, each imbued with dense shadow power and corrupted ether, attacking Lynn with immense force, enough to severely injure a low-level guardian. Simultaneously, he released shadow vines, attempting to entangle Lina, trying to restrain her and then defeat her one by one.

"Lina, watch out for those shadow vines, don't get entangled by them!" Lynn shouted, using his Instant Step to move like a ghost and block Lina's path. He continuously swung the Light Judgment in his hand, slashing golden blades at the black claw winds and shadow vines, cutting them all in half.

Lina reacted immediately, circulating the ether within her body and condensing a basic light blade in her hand. At the same time, she created a thin barrier of light to block the remaining shadow vines. Simultaneously, she continuously released golden light blades, attacking the black figure and restraining its movements, creating an opportunity for Lynn to counterattack.

The battle erupted instantly. Golden light and black mist clashed and intertwined in the valley. The clanging of weapons, the booming of exploding ether, the cold laughter of the black figure, and the low shouts of Lynn and Lina echoed throughout the valley. The black figure's strength far surpassed that of Lynn and Lina. He was incredibly fast, his combat techniques were bizarre and powerful, and his shadow power and corrupted ether complemented each other. Every strike carried a deadly threat, and Lynn and Lina could only barely defend themselves, constantly dodging, and were forced into a passive position.

Lynn knew that if things continued this way, they would eventually be defeated, perhaps even losing their lives. They had to find the enemy's weakness and launch a counterattack together to have any chance of victory. While parrying the attacks of the black-clad figure, he carefully observed its movements, searching for its weakness.

Soon, Lynn discovered that although the black figure was powerful and had strange combat skills, there was a flaw in his ether circulation. Whenever he used the Shadow Combat Skill and the Filth Combat Skill in combination, the ether in his body would be briefly disordered. At this time, his defensive ability would be greatly reduced, which was his weakness.

"Lina, I've found his weakness!" Lynn shouted to Lina while parrying the opponent's attacks. "Whenever he connects Shadow Arts and Corruption Arts, the ether within his body will briefly become disordered, greatly reducing his defensive capabilities. At that time, let's attack his chest together. That's his vital point, and also the core area of ​​his etheric operation. If we hit there, we can severely injure him!"

Hearing Lynn's words, Lina immediately nodded, a determined glint in her eyes: "Okay! Lynn, I understand. I will cooperate with you, seize the opportunity, and fight back together!"

The two worked in perfect harmony. Lynn was responsible for holding off the black figure head-on, constantly wielding the Judgment of Light to release golden blades of light, attracting the opponent's attention. At the same time, he deliberately exposed openings to lure the black figure into using a combo attack. Lina, on the other hand, closely observed the black figure's movements from the side, waiting for the best opportunity to counterattack.

As expected, the black figure's eyes flashed with disdain upon seeing this, assuming Lynn was exhausted. He immediately increased the pace of his attack, continuously unleashing shadow and corrupted combat techniques, wanting to kill Lynn as quickly as possible. Just as he connected the shadow claw and corrupted impact, the ether within his body experienced a brief disturbance, his defensive capabilities decreased significantly, and his vital chest was exposed.

"Now!" Lynn shouted, a sharp glint in his eyes. He used Instant Step to rush to the black figure. He gathered all the ether in his hand with the Judgment of Light and thrust it fiercely towards the black figure's chest. The golden power of Judgment erupted instantly, carrying a divine power, aiming to severely injure the opponent in one fell swoop.

Lina seized the opportunity, using her Instant Step to rush to the side of the black figure. She gathered all the ether in her body into the Basic Light Blade in her hand and slashed fiercely at the black figure's chest. The golden light blade, carrying sharp power, formed a pincer attack with Lynn's attack.

The black-clad figure's expression changed drastically, his heart filled with alarm. He tried to dodge, but it was too late. He hadn't expected Lynn to discover his weakness and seize the perfect opportunity to counterattack. He could only hastily activate his ethereal power, conjuring a thin shadow barrier in an attempt to block Lynn and Lina's attacks.

Bang! Bang! Two loud sounds rang out as Lynn's Judgment of Light and Lina's Basic Light Blade struck the black figure's chest simultaneously. Golden light instantly pierced through the shadow barrier and penetrated the black figure's chest. The golden power of judgment and the light ether erupted instantly, destroying the ether core and meridians within the black figure's body.

The black figure let out a shrill roar, its massive body staggering back several steps, black blood spilling from its mouth. The shadow power and corrupted ether around it instantly became chaotic, its aura rapidly weakening, its eyes filled with pain and resentment. It stared intently at Lynn and Lina, its voice hoarse as it said, "No...it's impossible...how could I...lose to two mere lowly novice guardians...Lord Morlock...I'm so sorry..."

As the words fell, the black figure's body began to gradually dissipate, turning into wisps of black mist that merged into the surrounding air, leaving only a black crystal scattered on the ground. The crystal was surrounded by a faint shadow power and turbid ether. Clearly, this was his etheric core and the source of his power.

Lynn and Lina collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. Their ether was almost completely depleted, their foreheads were covered in sweat, their wounds reopened, and blood gushed out. Their faces were ashen. The battle had been incredibly intense; they had fought with all their might to barely defeat the black figure. Had they not exploited its weakness, they would likely have been defeated and killed long ago.

"Phew... Finally... we defeated him..." Lina breathed slightly, her voice tinged with exhaustion but also overflowing with joy. "Lynn, we... we did it..."

Lynn, slightly out of breath, nodded, a relieved smile in his eyes: "Yes...we succeeded...Lina, you did a great job...If it weren't for your cooperation, it would have been very...very difficult for us to defeat him..."

After resting for a while, the two consumed high-level healing pills and ether-restoring pills. Their injuries gradually subsided, and their depleted ether slowly recovered. Lynn stood up, walked to the spot where the black figure had vanished, bent down, picked up the black crystal from the ground, and examined it carefully. This black crystal contained a rich concentration of shadow power and impure ether. Although strange, it had considerable use; perhaps it could help them better understand the collusion between the dragons and demons, and the characteristics of shadow combat techniques.

"Lynn, what is this black crystal?" Lina stood up, walked over to Lynn, and asked curiously.

"This should be the etheric core of that black figure, the source of his power," Lynn said slowly, his tone grave. "It contains dense shadow power and corrupted ether. Although strange, it can help us better understand the collusion between the dragons and demons, and their combat techniques. It might be helpful in our future battles against the dragons and demons. Let's keep it safe for now and give it to Instructor Gavin after the trial so he can study it."

Lina nodded and said, "Okay! But Lynn, now that we've defeated this black figure, could there be other enemies? Since Morlock sent him, he might have sent others to wait for us in the trial array."

Lynn's eyes showed a hint of seriousness, and he nodded: "You're right, we can't let our guard down. Morlock is narrow-minded and ruthless. Since he sent this black figure to assassinate us, it's very likely that he also sent other people to lie in wait in the trial array, wanting to completely wipe us out. Moreover, this black figure is a product of collusion between the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan. This means that the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan have begun to join forces to deal with the Celestial Clan. Our future situation will be even more dangerous."

He paused, then continued, "Our strength and ether haven't fully recovered yet, so it's not advisable for us to venture deeper into the trial array to avoid encountering other enemies and getting into danger. Let's rest here for a while and continue until our strength and ether are fully restored. At the same time, we must be more careful and vigilant about our surroundings to prevent being ambushed by the enemy."

Lina nodded, her eyes filled with determination: "Okay! We'll listen to you, rest first, and then continue. No matter how many enemies we encounter, no matter how dangerous it is, we will fight side by side and never back down!"

Having said that, the two sat cross-legged on the ground again, closed their eyes, and began circulating the ether within their bodies to quickly recover their strength and injuries. The valley returned to silence, save for their steady breathing and the occasional roar of a magical beast in the distance. But they knew this peace was only temporary; a greater crisis was brewing. Morlock would not let it go and would surely send assassins to kill them again. Furthermore, the collusion between the dragons and demons would pose an even greater threat to the Celestials and to Atreia.

Meanwhile, outside the trial array, Chief Instructor Gavin stood there with a solemn expression. He sensed the intense etheric fluctuations that had just erupted within the trial array, as well as the aura of shadow power and corrupted ether, and his heart was filled with worry. "This is bad, it's shadow power and corrupted ether. It seems that Moloch not only sent dragon spies, but also colluded with the demons, sending shadow warriors to infiltrate the trial array and assassinate Lynn and Lina!" Gavin thought to himself, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes.

He wanted to enter the trial array immediately to rescue Lynn and Lina, but he knew that the Trial Array of Ten Thousand Beasts had strict rules. Once a cultivator entered the trial array, unless the cultivator actively activated the emergency evacuation device or the cultivator's life force disappeared, no one outside could enter the trial array. Forcibly entering would not only damage the trial array but also cause great harm to the cultivators inside.

"Lynn, Lina, you must hold on, you must return safely!" Gavin prayed silently, his eyes fixed on the trial array, sensing the etheric fluctuations within. If he sensed that Lynn and Lina's life force was in danger, he would immediately force his way into the trial array to rescue them.

Meanwhile, in the Dragon Realm, in Black Dragon City, Moloch sat in his palace, listening to his spies' reports, his eyes filled with murderous intent and rage. "Useless! More useless trash! Even a mid-to-late stage Shadow Warrior couldn't eliminate two mere lowly beginner-level Guardians, and was even killed by them! He's utterly disgraced my dragon race!" Moloch slammed his hand on the stone table, the immense force causing the palace floor to tremble slightly. The tainted ether around him erupted instantly, his aura sharp and menacing. "It seems I must personally take action to eliminate that brat named Lynn!"