Utilizing Extraction made it much easier for Michael and the others to remove the stones blocking the cavern tunnels.
Michael only opened two cavern tunnels that led deeper into the lizard cave, making sure that his combat force wouldn't get lost by straying too far from the entrance. He sent Sun Demos, and the Monkey Troupe down the second path while picking the first cavern tunnel with the Elemental Empress and Tiara.
Meanwhile, the rest of his military force was busy training a wide variety of techniques that Michael had inserted into Memory Crystals using the knowledge he had extracted from the Laxarta Library. Other than that, the Immortal Knight decided to train everyone equally on the training ground until he found some good seedlings to start teaching techniques that allowed the Starless Summons to amass Holy Power. After generating some Holy Power within their bodies, the Starless Summons would learn combat techniques that used Holy Power to reinforce their attack move, movement and whatnot.
Michael was interested in Holy Power. However, he didn't want to alter his origin energy permanently. Once he were to start practicing techniques that amassed Holy Power, his pillar of light would permanently be altered, turning into a Holy Sea. Thereafter, his future would be dependent on collecting martial arts techniques and Holy Power creation techniques. After all, the Immortal Knight's techniques were not perfect for someone like Michael. Michael was not even sure if he would still be able to use his Soultraits with Holy Power since not all Soultraits were compatible with Holy Power.
Thus, Michael decided not to test out techniques that involved the alteration of his Pillar of Light, and origin energy for the time being.
On his way deeper into the lizard cave, Michael had to listen to the Elemental Empress' constant chatter about her big dreams. It was interesting to listen to her, but the Elemental Empress was way too talkative. Her talkative nature turned even worse after the last Kitsun hiding inside the Untamed Jungle had been exterminated. After the death of the Kitsun all over the Untamed Jungle, the Elemental Empress felt liberated and freed from the shackles of the past.
Her true quirky personality was revealed and she seemed much brighter and optimistic than before. The Empress' attitude made Michael wonder if she was just a little child, but he had to acknowledge that it was quite calming to watch someone be mindless and overly happy about the smallest things in his little territory.
She didn't even seem to bother about the immense pressure that shrouded their entire being as they went deeper into the lizard cave's tunnels. The pressure continued to increase as they moved further down.
["We encountered some monsters. Large Lizards, Superior Existences, Mid rank of the 2nd Tier."] Sun Demos informed Michael at some point.
'It was a good thing that I destroyed the cavern tunnels when I was still weak. Superior Tier-2 Monsters would have been a hassle to deal with at that time,' Michael patted himself on the back mentally.
Defeating a bunch of Superior Tier-2 Monsters was hardly a problem for the current Michael. Because of that, he was fairly confident as they continued their journey deeper into the cave.
["Alright. Deal with them if you can. If they're too powerful, or have Unique Racial Traits you cannot counter with your numbers and physical strength, retreat. Retreating and re-organizing your formation and tactics is not shameful. Just make sure that you don't lose too many of your loyal subordinates!"] Michael advised Sun Demos.
Not long after, Michael obtained a few energy shares. That meant Sun Demos must have killed some of the Superior Tier-2 Lizards. However, before he could ask Sun Demos about the fight, he and his small team of three encountered a nest of Superior Tier-2 Lizards.
Michael had yet to attack the lizards when they released blazing blue flames in their direction. He was just about to manifest a wall of Glacicle in front of him when the Elemental Empress pushed herself forward. She released her own flames and shrouded the blazing blue flames that leapt toward Michael and Tiara. One moment the blazing blue flames had shot threateningly toward Michael and in the next moment, the Elemental Empress' flames devoured the flames entirely.
"That makes it a lot easier," Michael mused, using Enhancement on his lower body four times right before kicking the ground. The firm stone beneath his feet crackled as he launched himself forward. The Wyverntooth Spear manifested in his hands right as he arrived in front of the closest Superior Lizard. He was certain that the Elemental Empress would continue to devour the blazing blue flames of the Lizard, eliminating the lethal danger from around them.
Showing not the slightest sign of hesitation, Michael shrouded the Wyverntooth Spear in four layers of Enhancement as well. Then a silver hue coated the spear blade. It was Reinforced Sword Qi that Michael had used to further reinforce the power of the Wyverntooth Spear.
The spear blade thrust forward rapidly and drew out blood as it sliced through the neck of the three-meter-large Superior Lizard. Michael aimed precisely, piercing right through one of the Lizard's soft spots. His attack was successful. The Superior Lizard roared out loudly in pain. It tried to claw and bite Michael before it was too late. However, Michael twisted the Wyverntooth Spear blade calmly. And just before pulling the blade out of the lizard, he released the coat of Sword Qi deep inside the wound he had inflicted.
The Superior Lizard's neck bulged suddenly, and a fountain of blood gushed out of its neck. Michael stepped aside quickly, expecting the large lizard to collapse on the ground and die miserably. However, that did not happen. The Superior Lizard was unwilling to die. Its movements grew weaker and slower than before, but it continued to attack Michael fiercely.
Michael had to resort to utilizing Eagle Eyes and Spirit Gaze to evade the Lizard's attack with ease and to inflict more injuries every time he evaded one of the monster's attacks. It drained some of his energy, but by coating his body in a layer of Extraction's golden light, Michael was able to refill most of his storage even before the battle ended.
Contrary to Michael's calm and composed fight that focused on testing the power of the Superior Lizard, Tiara, and the Elemental Empress fought together in an entirely different way. Tiara used her transformation Soultrait, Silvarean Tiger, to morph partially and obtain tremendous strength temporarily.
Her Inner Force and three intertwined Spirit Whips were also used and unleashed tirelessly to strike the Superior Lizard with heavy and powerful attacks. Simultaneously, the Elemental Empress released spears conjured from mythical fire in the direction of the Superior Lizard Tiara dealt with. The mythical fire spears were hot enough to burn through the Superior Lizard's scales. However, the spears' speed and force were too weak to pierce through the scales in one go. Therefore, Tiara struck the molten scales that had been struck by the mythical fire spears. She utilized the openings created by the Elemental Empress to kill the Superior Lizard as quickly as possible.
By working together, Tiara and the Elemental Empress defeated one of their enemies less than five seconds before Michael defeated his opponent.
Michael took note of the prideful expressions on Tiara and the Elemental Empress' faces when they noticed that they won against their Master.
'So…you guys want to challenge me?' He raised an eyebrow as he manifested six Glacicle Swords, which he coated in a layer of Reinforced Sword Qi. The next thing Michael did was to apply four layers of Enhancement on all Glacicle Swords.
Then the real struggle began…for Tiara and the Elemental Empress.
"Try to keep up with me!" Michael provoked the duo, his cheeky smile stirring Tiara and the Elemental Empress' emotions.
They did not want to lose against Michael. But just as Michael's last words resounded through the cavern, he'd already disappeared. He dashed ahead, his Glacicle Swords wreaking havoc with the dozens of Superior Lizards that ought to be stronger than the average…superior to other existences at the 2nd Tier.
But Michael didn't care. He blasted through the lizard cave, slaughtering one Superior Lizard after another.
The only time Michael slowed down was when he found a humongous cavern hall that was connected to several tunnels leading upward. He controlled the Glacicle Swords to revolve around him and slowed down to appraise the cavern hall.
It was not an underground ecosystem, but it was certainly as large – if not larger – as the Underground Ecosystem where the Temple of the Forgotten and the Underground Forging Hall were located.
"This place should be perfect for the Elementals Society," Michael mumbled to himself. He reached the other side of the cavern hall after walking for five minutes and found a single thirty-meter-high tunnel that led even deeper.
After he inspected the cavern tunnel and a few other tunnels that seemed to lead down as well, Michael took a step inside the largest cavern tunnel. A sense of curiosity filled his entire being, pulling him closer to the bottom of the lizard cave. He didn't really understand why he was so curious about the lizard cave, but the ever-increasing pressure weighing down on him certainly played a role.
But just as he took the second step into the large cavern tunnel the pressure intensified. His hair stood up on its end and a gust of hot air brushed past his face.
But the gust of hot air was not all that came from the bottom of the lizard cave. There was also something even more ominous. Whispering voices traveled through the cavern tunnel as well, making his skin prickle.
"Stop right there, Cursed Child!"
"You are not ready for this Trial. Not yet!"
"There is no need to rush anything, Cursed Child. Follow your destined path, otherwise, only death will await you!"
Michael listened to the whispers, his feet frozen to the ground.
'What the hell?!'
