The descent into the abyss was swift and disorienting, like plummeting through a vortex of chaos and unseen forces. Each disciple felt a strange tug at their bloodlines, a resonance echoing through the void as they fell deeper and deeper into the unknown.
Without warning, the fall ceased, and they found themselves standing on solid ground once again. However, the environment around them was nothing like the mountain they had been ascending moments ago.
They were in a colossal cavern, its ceiling lost in darkness, while its floor was littered with crystalline formations glowing with a subtle, enigmatic light. The cavern's atmosphere pulsated with ancient, boundless energy.
Aelina looked around, her eyes sweeping the cavern with a discernible alertness. "This is no ordinary space. It's as if we've entered the core of the mountain."
Mira squinted her eyes. "...But the question is, why are we here? Are we eliminated? Or is this just another trial?"
Before they could explore further, the cavern's silence was shattered by a low, reverberating growl. Shadows moved in the distant darkness, slowly revealing colossal beasts that seemed to be formed from the same crystalline substance as the formations on the ground.
Their eyes glowed with an intensity that mirrored the ancient, unfathomable power filling the cavern. As they moved closer, the air around them twisted and distorted, making the space itself seem unstable and dangerous.
Nova clenched her fists, feeling her bloodline surge. "I feel… weird. Something about these things makes me want to kill and absorb their essence."
Everyone agreed, including Mira and Aelina. The aura these beasts emanate was too enticing! Like they had been starved for years, only to be introduced to their favorite food!
"Well, might as well kill them to find out." Aelina shrugged with a smile before she flicked her finger, sending a wave of Qi at the crystalline beast, only for it to bounce off its tough outer shell.
She frowned, not expecting her attack to be so easily blocked. She was still a Divine Sea Realm expert, after all! One who had been strengthened by this Secret Realm!
'Maybe they just have an insane defense?' She thought, but her expression changed the moment one of the beasts opened its mouth.
A ball of energy converged in the back of its throat, taking aim at Aelina before a rainbow-colored beam of Qi shot out!
"What?!"
She tried to open up a hole in the void but found it to be blocked. With no other choice, she shot to the side, dodging the beam by a fraction of a second.
However, unlike what she expected, there was no explosion. Turning around, she saw a hole in the wall about the size of her head, at least a few hundred meters deep, if not more.
'Holy shit! That would've gone straight through me!'
By now, the disciples had just reacted, the beam of light shooting so fast that they couldn't even comprehend it!
"Everyone, be on your guard! Don't get hit by their attacks unless you want to see the afterlife!" Aelina's stern warning resounded through the cavern, tension threading her voice as she beheld the beast's might.
With swift, agile movements, the group dispersed.
Nova, with fire dancing in her eyes, lunged forward with unbridled ferocity, her Sunfire techniques unfurling like a fiery tempest. However, each blaze that licked against the creatures' crystalline hide simply dissipated, leaving no mark, no sign of damage.
"Damn it! Are they invincible or something?!" Nova cursed under her breath, leaping back as she predicted one of the beasts to swipe at her with its colossal claw, the air distorting with the speed and force of its attack.
Amidst the chaotic dance of power and crystalline fury, Rayna, with her eyes shadowed and inscrutable, observed the creatures quietly.
Something niggled at the back of her mind, a hunch that there was more to these beasts than met the eye.
She noticed their eyes gleaming and pulsating with that strange, alluring energy. The eyes were not made of the same impenetrable crystal as the rest of their bodies.
Perhaps to allow them to see? She wasn't sure.
It was a tiny discrepancy, but in battle, the tiniest weakness could be fatal.
"Go for the eyes!" she cried out, her voice slicing through the din of battle.
Her advice did not fall on deaf ears. Sera, with water swirling around her like a cloak of shimmering silk, aimed a concentrated jet at one beast's eyes. The stream was fine and sharp, a needle of pure aquatic force. It struck true, making the creature recoil and roar in pain.
Encouraged, Eden sent a volley of energy shaped like arrows, targeting the eyes of the beasts.
However, the other beasts weren't oblivious.
So, they simply closed their eyes, a veil of crystals covering them. The attacks merely bounced off, doing no damage whatsoever.
Afterward, they opened them along with their mouths as they prepared to shoot more beams of energy.
"Watch out!" Aelina shouted, forcing everyone to scatter, trying to make themselves as hard of a target to hit as possible.
Not even a second later, the cavern was filled with an array of light, slicing through the dense walls as if they were butter. However, while the beasts were busy attacking, Aelina got an idea.
She created a spark of purple lightning on the tip of her finger and flicked it inside one of their mouths.
As the lightning entered its body, it seemed to grow more and more powerful, consuming the beast's energy. On the outside, the crystals surrounding its body dimmed, and before long, they heard a splat. With that, the beast stopped shooting beams and fell to the ground, causing the earth to tremble from its weight.
Aelina's sudden attack caught everyone's attention. The disciples observed the fallen beast, its once radiant crystals now dulled and lifeless. The Sect Master's method provided them with a glimmer of understanding regarding the beasts' vulnerabilities.
Without wasting time, Aelina shouted over the escalating chaos, "Target their openings! Their outer shell is invulnerable, but their insides are not!"
Her words invigorated the group. With renewed focus and determination, they coordinated their assault, evading the deadly beams while seeking opportunities to counterstrike.
Nova, quick to adapt, unleashed a torrent of searing flames towards another beast. The fiery onslaught aimed directly into its open mouth as it prepared to unleash an energy beam, effectively silencing its attack.
The fire raged within, consuming its internal structure, and soon, the beast mirrored the fate of its fallen comrade.
However, these creatures were not without their cunning. Sensing their comrades' demise, they became noticeably more cautious, guarding their vulnerable points meticulously.
Mira noticed this change and knew they had to be unpredictable and innovative in their approach. She could do it herself, but to be honest, she wasn't all that interested in this fight.
Invulnerable on the outside by glass canons on the inside? Pass.
So, she gestured to Everly, whose Thunderfire Chimera Bloodline pulsated with explosive energy.
Everly nodded, understanding Mira's silent command. With a roar, thunder and fire mingled, creating a dazzling, volatile burst of energy that illuminated the cavern. The blinding light disoriented the beasts, causing them to recoil and expose their vulnerabilities.
Seizing the moment, Sera and Eden launched synchronized attacks. Jets of water, sharp and piercing, followed by arrows of pure energy, flew through the air, targeting the eyes and mouths of the confused creatures. Each hit diminished their energy, their radiant glow flickering and fading like dying stars.
Rayna, stealthy and silent, moved through the shadows, her Lesser Shadow Basilisk Bloodline allowing her to blend into the darkness seamlessly. She approached a beast, her movements quick and precise, and drove her weapon through its eye. The creature roared, crystals dimming as life escaped its gargantuan form.
As they felled one beast after another, the atmosphere within the cavern began to shift. The pulsating energy around them seemed to resonate with their bloodlines, but nothing happened yet.
Aelina could sense the change and grew excited. 'I wonder what we'll gain after we kill all these things?' She thought expectantly.
In the thick of battle, the group worked harmoniously, each woman using her unique strengths to exploit the vulnerabilities of the remaining beasts.
With precision and power, they dispatched each one, the cavern echoing with the sounds of their roars and the crumbling of the crystalline behemoths.
As the final beast fell, a profound silence enveloped the cavern.
The once pulsating energy within the cavern grew still, then intensified exponentially, bathing the space in a blinding light. This luminescence seemed to seep into the very souls of the women, vibrating and harmonizing with the essence of their bloodlines.
Feeling the energy course through their veins, each woman felt a surge of power course through them, forming a deeper connection with their respective bloodlines. For some, it refined their bloodline, making it purer. For others, it increased the quantity of theirs.
Aelina felt the Grade of her Void Worm bloodline increase, while Mira's was a bit different. She didn't feel anything specific except that she was becoming stronger. Though, there was a prick in her soul…
The light gradually dissipated, revealing the transformed cavern that was now sparkling with a serene, mesmerizing glow.
