Pa.s.sing the plaza, soon afterwards was the Mo Clan Ruins’ terminus, a spectacular hall.
Originally, Su Xing had thought the very end would definitely still have some even more extreme mechanism waiting for them. However, it seemed that his worry was unnecessary. Perhaps the Mo Clan really had too much confidence in the twin insurances of that “Great Corridor” and “Copper Man Puppet,” for the final hall had its door pushed open as easily as blowing off dust.
Inside was an immense room with not a single thing in sight. Surveying what they saw, it was clean except for dust.
However, this was not the first time Su Xing saw this kind of puzzle. His first reaction was that this empty and bankrupt hall had an oddity, and he spoke his opinion. The Thief Star Flea on a Drum’s face revealed a strange smile; she had also thought of this.
“You underlings just wait here for this Young Lady to triumphantly return with her arms filled with loot.” Shi Yuan was full of confidence.
An Suwen was puzzled and could not understand: “This place looks like it doesn’t have anything at all.”
“I’m afraid that some mechanism may be concealed here as well.” Wu Xinjie guessed. It was just that if that was true, this would make things more difficult. The room was excessively huge without a single decoration.
The Knowledge Star only just thought of stepping in and entering when Shi Yuan shouted: “Stay still!”
“What now?” Wu Xinjie’s leg was suspended in midair before she drew it back.
“This place has a trap. It will suffice for you to wait here for this Young Lady.” Shi Yuan wrinkled her nose; it did not seem she was joking.
Knowing the power of the Thief Star’s Stealing Arts, the Knowledge Star did not retort. “Only not meeting unexpected failure is good.”
“Hee, hee.”
Shi Yuan entered suddenly with a big stride forward, and it was just when she stepped into the hall that they heard a crashing din akin to a torrential downpour. The room’s floor unexpectedly and inconceivably fell downwards, as if the entire room was suspended above the Nine h.e.l.ls.
The falling slab dazzlingly rose then fell again and again such that it was difficult to discern whether this was reality or an illusion. If one was slightly careless, then possibly they could lose their footing and fall into the Nine h.e.l.ls, an end that perhaps was not any better.
“Falling Soul Pool Array!”1
Wu Xinjie was surprised, having not thought the final mechanism unexpectedly contained a powerful array; this array would make intruders stay above the Nine h.e.l.ls as the floor would move up and down like an illusion. After, within the blink of an eye, the final form was the “Falling Soul Pool.” In case an intruder was above the Falling Soul Pool, then that truly was tantamount to escaping from within a calamity.
The only way out was precisely to find the proper pedal.
Su Xing’s expression changed. This mechanism was terrifying, and he was unable to take his eyes off Shi Yuan. The girl withdrew her frivolous att.i.tude; at this moment, her expression was grave and stern. They did not dare to take a big breath.
“Why doesn’t Little Sister Shi Yuan hurry and rush past it?” An Suwen asked nervously.
“Since this sort of mixed array mechanism could be established in this place, then it definitely would not give intruders the time to get through.” Su Xing said.
Shi Yuan was evidently fully aware of this point. The room’s floor rapid disappearance arose, and it was at this time that the Thief Star’s figure flashed. In the blink of an eye, a pitch-black abyss then appeared in the room. Shi Yuan luckily stood atop a slab of rock.
Wu Xinjie could not help but cry out in surprise, for this was truly too dangerous.
Shi Yuan broke into a smiling expression and even very leisurely waved her hand.
After a brief moment, the Falling Soul Pool continued to move. Shi Yuan’s figure hid, and at that disappearing and reappearing floor, she used a perfect stance to push through. With eyes like swift lightning, steps like a shooting star, and another fleeting moment, the abyss once again took shape. Shi Yuan also found another safe rock
Su Xing could not help but admire her. Proving herself the Thief Star, her posture was nimble, her judgment of opportunities not fussy, and her timing did not stir up any traps. Su Xing took note that the room’s two sides had countless holes; perhaps these would shoot out thousands of arrows all at once.
Shi Yuan was inside the Falling Soul Pool Array, relying on every change to slowly move forward. Looking around, she had already crossed half the room.
An Suwen’s heart had risen to her throat. She could not help but grasp firmly Su Xing’s hand.2 Seeing her this nervous, Wu Xinjie comforted her: “Little Sister Suwen, there is no need to be this worried. The Falling Soul Pool Array is only an array to trap people. There won’t be any sort of injuries. If Shi Qian was truly trapped, we only need to fish her up.”
“But we have to pa.s.s through this mechanism all the same, right?”
“Hee hee, our Young Master doesn’t fear this at all.”
Su Xing nodded and answered. Actually, his heart did not have much confidence. The Mo Clan’s sophisticated minds designed the three mechanisms “Great Corridor,” “Copper Man Puppet,” and the Falling Soul Pool. If it was not for his happening to know a bit about the Möbius Strip, or the Thief Star’s incomparable Stealing Arts, the result perhaps was indeed hard to say.
“Looks like Shi Yuan going to steal the Blooming Water Divine Thunder True Technique definitely would not have problems.” Wu Xinjie smiled.
Needless to say, in a moment, the Thief Star soon afterwards hopped onto that platform. The Falling Mixing Pool Array3 then immediately disappeared. Shi Yuan searched for a moment atop that several square meter platform, and it was not long that she used her hand to press a slate. Hearing the sound of rocks loosening, it seemed she found a secret compartment. Shi Yuan then took from inside the secret compartment a dark gold box, carefully scrutinizing it some. Showing a perfectly satisfied expression, it seemed she had already found the item she was seeking.
Then, throwing it towards her Astral Gem, Shi Yuan also saw two black banners in the vicinity. These ought to be the flags manipulating the array. Shi Yuan snorted, and releasing her Hoodwinking Flying Claws, she broke apart the Array Banners.
The Falling Soul Pool stopped.
Boom.
The inside of the room suddenly released a trembling noise. Su Xing looked, and d.a.m.n, from that room’s densely packed holes resounded “cong.” “Let’s hurry and leave!” He immediately said.
Wu Xinjie and An Suwen very quickly withdrew from the room.
Tens of thousands of sharp swords shot over like a torrential rain.
Shi Yuan leapt and spun, her Hoodwinking Flying Claws cut out an arc that deflected the attacking swords. Su Xing struck a hand seal, releasing the Shark Scale Shield to help protect her body. Lin Yingmei also had her cold spear in hand, chopping forth a spear light that swept apart the attacking swords. Those ten thousand sharp swords seemed vicious, but a Star Maiden would not see it as posing a threat. Very quickly, Shi Yuan returned to Su Xing’s side, and the three people individually retreated.
Sitting atop the plaza, Shi Yuan wiped her fragrant perspiration and laughed mightily.
“Just what did you come to the Mo Clan to find? Why is there this powerful array mechanism?” Wu Xinjie frowned. She was thinking the same as Su Xing; these three mechanisms basically could not be crossed if other people were subst.i.tuted.
“Of course it was this.”
The dark gold box appeared upon Shi Yuan’s hand. Five old characters, “Mo Attack Mechanism Records,”4 were bold and powerful. The box also had a small mechanism, but Shi Yuan very effortlessly solved and opened it. Inside was a black colored strip of jade.
“Mo Attack Mechanism Records?”
Shi Yuan nodded: “It recorded many of the Mo Clan’s powerful mechanisms.”
Wu Xinjie exposed a “As expected, you want to manufacture Mechanical Beasts” expression. Thinking about it made it obvious; for the average fighting strength Thief Star that wanted to protect herself in a Star Duel, the best way was to expand her own strength. Controlling Mechanical Beasts was a wise choice, but the Knowledge Star only felt that this was merely a cup of water on a burning cart,5 nothing more. When in the future, a few Star Generals increased their cultivation alongside their contractor’s, when Star Energy increasingly strengthened, a few more Mechanical Beasts would be meaningless. Of course, using these Mechanical Beasts to bully Star Cultivators was still quite satisfying.
“Since you found it, let’s leave this place first, then.” Seeing Shi Yuan having obtained what she sought, Su Xing very much looked forward to the Blooming Water Divine Thunder True Technique.
“The Young Master’s matter, you won’t regret this?” Lin Yingmei said.
Shi Yuan patted her chest: “This Young Lady remarks, a team of four horses is hard to chase!”
Author’s Note:
It came late…what I said truly is coincidental. As I was writing this book, I saw an ill.u.s.tration of a woman turning into seash.o.r.e. The Lin Chong inside was really handsome, just like the Lin Yingmei I imagined. I’ll change the cover and see.
- 墜魂淵法陣 ↩
- Aww ↩
- Don’t know why this was here in the raw. ↩
- 墨攻機關錄 ↩
- 杯水車薪 ↩