Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Palace of the Mighty

No one could have predicted the simultaneous appearance of two gatekeepers. When that deep, thunderous voice echoed from the passage, all hope drained from their hearts. The monsters here did not act on instinct alone—they possessed awareness and intelligence, not unlike humans.

With a thunderous crash, the Flame Mouse smashed through an earthen wall, flames leaping ten meters high from its body, dwarfing its own size many times over. Torrents of scorching fire surged forth, flooding the air and transforming the once dim underground lair into a realm of dazzling brilliance.

Ye Ran and the others retreated several more steps, keeping their distance from the searing heat.

The flames roared fiercely as the Flame Mouse spun twice in midair, its fiery coat flashing before it lunged again at the students, whose strength was far inferior to its own.

On the left, the man in the cloak dared not be careless any longer. Channeling his strength through both hands, he summoned walls of earth to shield the students. At the same time, he shifted his inner essence and a jet of water burst from the ground. With a sweep of his palm, the water shot skyward, transforming into a surging wave that crashed down, drenching the Flame Mouse and extinguishing its fire with a hiss.

At last, its assault was halted. The creature leaped onto a nearby stone wall, its flames rekindling, though now less fierce and domineering.

The man on the left also evaded the Green Giant Lizard’s attack. The massive reptile withdrew its tongue, stomped the ground, and lumbered out from the left passage.

Towering five meters tall, its body moved like a shifting mountain. Its eyes, as large as bronze bells, glimmered with a blood-red light, radiating a powerful malevolence.

The man in the cloak removed his hood, revealing his true face.

He appeared to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with golden hair and striking features. His expression was languid and carefree, yet the aura he exuded was overwhelmingly strong.

The man on the right was far more robust, his square, solemn face set with unwavering precision. Muscles knotted along his arms, and his broad, powerful hands radiated an unshakable, indomitable presence.

"Qianlong, you are Qianlong!"

A girl from the Temple, who had retreated to the rear, suddenly cried out in astonishment, covering her mouth as she stared at the golden-haired man on the left.

He turned and smiled, his lazy expression as warm as the morning sun.

Clearly, he did not deny his identity.

Ye Ran and the others were all stunned.

This man was actually Qianlong, the foremost expert in Torrent City, the pride of Redleaf Academy, and the one who had once surpassed the "Black Demon Sword" of the Desolate Wall.

Their surprise was mingled with relief. Since the appearance of the two gatekeepers, anxiety had gripped everyone, but now, with Qianlong present, handling the first and second level gatekeepers would pose no problem.

Though he had once been forced to retreat from the fifth level, he should have no trouble with the gatekeepers of the first two.

Yet the Flame Mouse and Green Giant Lizard showed no respect for his reputation. The Flame Mouse fixed its red eyes on Qianlong, a sinister smile twisting its face.

Yes, the face of that mouse had contorted into a wicked grin.

"Qianlong, the defeated of my second brother’s hand," it sneered.

The Green Giant Lizard had already lumbered out of the passage. Its bell-like eyes locked onto the man beside Qianlong, sneering coldly, "And a whelp from the Warrior Palace."

The Warrior Palace.

The mention of that name sent another shock through the group.

The Warrior Palace held a special place among the great Temples.

When the divine race selected their chosen, possessing innate essence was a key criterion. Yet among humanity, there were those born without essence, but with extraordinary strength, surpassing ordinary mortals.

If such a person possessed talent of the highest order and caught the eye of a powerful second-generation divine, they would be sent to the Warrior Palace to train.

Thus, though those of the Warrior Palace were innately flawed, lacking essence, their bodies and talents were exceptional. They underwent training harsher than death itself, and upon graduation, their strength rivaled the finest chosen of any Temple.

"Warrior Palace, Zhang Mu," the man replied.

His words were blunt, carried with the meticulousness unique to the Warrior Palace.

Qianlong paid no heed to the Flame Mouse’s provocation, stepping forward as streams of water gathered in his hands.

"Young ones, fall back. Leave these two to Zhang and me."

With a flick of his wrists, the water formed into two crystalline, radiant swords.

Zhang Mu strode forward as well, drawing his saber and standing before the Green Giant Lizard. Though dwarfed by its size, his presence seemed to press down on the giant creature’s spirit.

The Green Giant Lizard chuckled darkly, its bell-like eyes sweeping over the crowd with a strange, unreadable glint. In a guttural voice, it said, "Sixth brother, let’s join up with Fifth and the others."

With that, two beams of red light shot from its eyes, and its massive body sprang toward the right passage with astonishing speed despite its bulk.

The Flame Mouse bared its teeth and streaked after it like a flash of fire, vanishing into the right-hand tunnel.

With a crash, the watery shield before Qianlong exploded. The sharp red beam cut into the curtain of water, but only caused a ripple before dissipating.

Zhang Mu’s saber cleaved through the red light as well.

"After them!"

Qianlong darted into the right passage, Zhang Mu close behind. Both figures vanished in a flash, followed by the sounds of fierce combat—the thunderous roars of a giant lizard and the shrieks of flame echoing from within.

"Brother Yu, let’s go!" Sarmobhiku and Yu Bo hurried in after.

"We should go too."

"Come on, let’s get to the second level. There must be even more mutated monsters there."

"And who knows, maybe Qianlong won’t be able to finish off those two gatekeepers. They might be carrying genuine ancient divine weapons!"

"Hahaha, ancient divine weapons? I’d like to see them for myself!"

The Redleaf Academy contingent quickly cleared the nearby monsters and poured into the right-hand passage.

Sinclair and Meng Qi readied themselves as well.

Two gatekeepers had appeared at once, and now Qianlong and a Warrior Palace elite had joined the fray. The third level promised even more mutated monsters and ancient weaponry—opportunities like this were rare. This time, they were determined to snatch fortune from the jaws of danger.

"Xiao Meng, Brother Sin, let’s not go in yet. We’ll observe for a while first," Ye Ran said.

Sinclair and Meng Qi were taken aback.

"Why? Everyone else went in. Are we just going to wait here?"

Yunmeng interjected, "Xiao Meng, Sinclair, Ye Ran is right. The gatekeepers are clearly luring them in. Qianlong and Zhang Mu are acting strangely as well. We should be cautious here."

Her reasoning was sound, but Sinclair felt a surge of jealousy nonetheless. He swallowed and said, "Sister Yun, I know what you’re saying makes sense, but I—Xiao Meng and I are different from you. No matter what, we’re going in. Xiao Meng, will you go with Sister Yun or with me?"

In that instant, the emotions swelling within him faded, leaving only a brother’s simple question.

Meng Qi replied, "Brother Sin, of course I’ll go with you."

"Good brother. Let’s go."

...