Chapter 18: Survival in Death
"To get from here to Tianshu Tower, we must cross Suzaku Street." Mo Li gazed at her impromptu "allies," her tone regaining some of the arrogance that befell her master. She unfolded a map made of a special material, which she had pulled from her sleeve. "Suzaku Street is the only main road leading to the inner city. It's five hundred meters long, and both sides of the street are lined with various defensive mechanisms." She traced a straight line across the map: "Poison arrows, poisonous mist, automatically collapsing ground, and cutting knives protruding from the walls... In short, everything you can imagine, and everything I can't imagine, is there." The faces of the quacks paled even more at her description. "Then...how do we get through?" the young woman asked in a trembling voice. "I told you, follow me closely." Mo Li's face shone with the confidence of a talented craftsman. "Although these mechanisms are out of control, their triggering logic and energy circuits are still etched in my mind. As long as you can keep up with me, I have a 70% chance of getting you through safely." "What about the other 30%?" the bearded man couldn't help but ask. "There's still 30% left," Mo Li's eyes turned cold. "It all depends on how tough your lives are." No one spoke. Led by Mo Li, the group cautiously set foot on Suzaku Street, the road that led to death. As soon as he stepped onto the street, Chu Yun sensed something different. The "field of law" here was far more powerful than elsewhere, and the power within him was suppressed to the point of being nearly incapable of functioning. "Everyone, follow my footsteps. Don't miss a single step!" Mo Li's voice came from the front. Her steps were peculiar, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, sometimes forward, sometimes backward, like a strange dance. But everyone knew that each step she took was the only path to survival. Holding their breath, they cautiously followed her steps. After walking about a hundred meters, "Stop!" Mo Li suddenly stopped and raised her right hand high. Everyone stopped immediately, not daring to move. "There's a poisonous fog ahead," Mo Li said in a solemn voice. "A nerve gas called 'Seven Steps Down' will be ejected from the walls on both sides. It's colorless and odorless. Once inhaled, you'll suffer a cardiac arrest and die within seven steps." Everyone's faces changed instantly; even the bearded man's eyes showed a hint of fear. "Then...how do we get through?" "Hold your breath and charge forward." Mo Li's answer was simple and cruel.
"To get from here to Tianshu Tower, we must cross Suzaku Street." Mo Li gazed at these impromptu "allies" before her, her tone regaining some of the arrogance that befell her. She unfolded a map made of a special material from her sleeve. "Suzaku Street is the only main road leading to the inner city. It's 500 meters long, and both sides of the street are lined with various defensive devices."
She traced a straight line across the map. "Poison arrows, poison mist, automatically collapsing ground, and cutting knives sticking out of the walls... In short, everything you can think of, and everything I can't think of, is there."
After listening to her description, the faces of those martial artists turned even paler.
"Then...then how do we get through?" the young woman asked in a trembling voice.
"I told you, follow me closely." Mo Li's face revealed a hint of the confidence of a talented craftsman. "Although these mechanisms are out of control, their triggering logic and energy circuits are still engraved in my mind. As long as you can keep up with my pace, I am 70% sure that I can lead you through safely."
"What about the remaining 30%?" the bearded man couldn't help but ask.
"There's still 30% left," Mo Li's eyes turned cold, "it all depends on whether your life is tough enough."
No one spoke again. Led by Mo Li, the group cautiously set foot on Suzaku Street, the road that led to death. As soon as they stepped onto the street, Chu Yun felt something different. The "Law Field" here was much stronger than elsewhere, and the power in his body was suppressed to the point where it was almost impossible to function.
"Everyone, follow my steps. Don't miss a single step!" Mo Li's voice came from the front. Her steps were strange, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, sometimes forward, sometimes backward, like a strange dance. But everyone knew that every step she took was the only way to survive.
Everyone held their breath and cautiously followed her steps. After walking about a hundred meters, Mo Li suddenly stopped and raised her right hand high. Everyone stopped immediately, not daring to move.
"There's a poisonous fog area ahead." Mo Li's voice was extremely solemn. "A nerve gas called 'Seven Steps Down' will be ejected from the walls on both sides. It's colorless and odorless. Once inhaled, you will suffer a cardiac arrest and die within seven steps."
Everyone's expressions changed instantly, and even the bearded man showed a hint of fear in his eyes.
"Then...then how do we get there?"
"Hold your breath and rush forward." Mo Li's answer was simple and cruel.
"How long is this... this road?"
"Fifty meters."
It is not impossible for those who practice martial arts to run over a distance of fifty meters while holding their breath, but the problem is that the road under their feet is still winding and complicated, and they cannot sprint at full speed.
"Let me be clear," Mo Li said coldly, "Once we start, we can't stop. Anyone who takes a breath or takes a wrong step will die, and it will also trigger a chain reaction that will put us all in danger."
Everyone was silent. This was a decision that tested both one's character and luck. At this moment, Li Ge, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up: "I have a plan."
Everyone's eyes were focused on her.
She pulled out a dozen small porcelain bottles from her bosom and distributed them to everyone. "This is the 'Turtle Breathing Pill,' a secret medicine from the Ghost Doctor school. After taking it, it can temporarily put a person's breathing and heartbeat into a state of suspended animation, lasting about an incense stick."
Everyone looked at the small pill in their hands that emitted a strange herbal smell and felt a little hesitant.
"Ghost doctor? Are you a ghost doctor?" The bearded man looked at Li Ge, his eyes full of vigilance and suspicion.
"If you believe it, eat it. If you don't, throw it away." Li Ge's tone was emotionless. She took the lead in opening the bottle and tossed a pill into her mouth.
Chu Yun looked at the porcelain bottle in his hand, then at Li Ge, and finally chose to believe it and swallowed the pill. The pill melted in his mouth, and a stream of icy air instantly rushed into his limbs. He could feel his heartbeat slowing rapidly, and his breathing became increasingly weak.
When the others saw that both of them had eaten, they also gritted their teeth and swallowed the pills.
"Let's go." Seeing that everyone was ready, Mo Li shouted softly and took the lead again to step into the poisonous fog area ahead.
The fifty-meter walk took them half a cup of tea. Everyone held their breath, their nerves tense to the extreme. When they finally emerged from the area and began to breathe again, they all felt like they had emerged from the depths of water, reborn.
"Thank you very much." The bearded man looked at Li Ge with gratitude for the first time.
Li Ge ignored him and walked silently to the corner, her face even paler than before. Chu Yun knew that although her previous words seemed lighthearted, both the Turtle Breathing Pill and her perception of the mechanism were constantly consuming her mental energy.
The team continued on, and the road ahead became even more dangerous. They encountered a section of ground that collapsed automatically. Mo Li, relying on her computer-like memory, led everyone through the gaps between countless traps.
Once, a young martial artist, overly nervous, slowed his pace by a fraction of a second, causing a floor tile beside him to silently sink. Just as he was about to fall, a golden light suddenly shot out from the side, transforming into a rope that wrapped around his waist and forcibly pulled him back—it was Chu Yun. While he couldn't use powerful offensive talismans in this "Law Field," he could still manage this most basic energy utilization, directly generated by his own strength.
“Thank you…thank you…” The young man’s face was pale and he was still in shock.
Chu Yun didn't say anything, just nodded at him. Mo Li glanced at Chu Yun, his eyes a little complicated, but he didn't say much. The team's atmosphere was subtly changing with each life-or-death test. The initial suspicion and hostility were being replaced by a tacit understanding of mutual dependence.
They finally reached the end of Suzaku Street without any danger. Before them was a huge gate made of cast bronze, with two ancient characters engraved on it: Tianshu.
"Go through this door and you'll reach the inner city." Mo Li's voice was filled with fatigue. "Tianshu Tower is right in the center of the inner city."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They looked back at the perilous Suzaku Street, feeling as if they were in another world.
"Finally... I'm here." The bearded man sat down on the ground and breathed a long sigh of relief.
However, just as he finished speaking, an extremely slight "click" sound, like the sound of gears turning, came from the huge bronze door behind them.
Everyone's nerves were instantly tense again, and they looked at the door vigilantly.
The door didn't open, but the two ancient characters "Tianshu" on the door suddenly lit up with a strange red light. Then, a cold, emotionless sound, as if made by the friction of metal, echoed in everyone's mind at the same time:
"Intruder, qualification assessment begins. Assessment mode: Inner Demon Illusion. Those who fail will be eliminated."
The sound faded away, and before Chu Yun could react, the scene before him suddenly changed. His teammates and the bronze gate vanished, replaced by a blazing sea of fire—the scene from the night the Evil Suppression Division was destroyed thirteen years ago.
He saw his father, mother, and fellow disciples struggling and wailing in pain in the sea of fire, looking at him with despair and resentment on their faces.
"Yun'er...why didn't you save us?"
"Junior brother... why did you... want to escape alone?"
"Chu Yun! You coward! Traitor!"
Countless voices stabbed into his heart like sharp knives. An immense, all-consuming guilt and pain instantly overwhelmed him.
"No... No... I didn't..." Chu Yun held his head and knelt down in pain. He knew it was an illusion, but he couldn't break free.
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