A huge demon beast towered over Yue Chen snarling ferociously, causing his hair to frolic briefly. As Yue Chen twisted his blade in the beast's throat the tiger like beast fell to the ground with a thud. Feng Huang stood next to Yue Chen, flames engulfing her body acting as an armor that incinerated anything that got too close..... including Yue Chen. Even though he'd taken precautions by projecting his ice attribute energy Yue Chen could feel the intensity of the heat on his skin. This method of fighting was inconvenient and hindered Yue Chen but there was nothing the duo could do. Feng Huang had tried taking on her beast form to ascend the stairs by flight but to no avail. Being of a divine race with an overbearing form Feng Huang had little combat skill and relied heavily on her transformed state which made her more of a burden to Yue Chen.
"Feng Huang can't you just charge all the way up like a bull or something?" Yue Chen complained from exhaustion while kicking a demon beast over the edge of the staircase.
Feng Huang was displeased with Yue Chen's comment but did not voice her opinion. She knew how much she was holding him back due to her own inefficiency. Feng Huang condensed a ball of fire and shot it up the staircase at the incoming wave of demon beasts with her eyes clamped shut. A few seconds later Feng Huang opened her eyes to meet the pale faced Yue Chen who gave her a death glare. "S-sorry" she said awkwardly.
Yue Chen did not have the energy to complain and continued fending off the demon beasts as they ascended the stairs. As if the endless wave of monsters were not taxing enough the gravity on the stairs had started to increase. Yue Chen looked up at the unclimbed portion of the staircase that easily amounted to a couple thousand and felt his heart grow heavy. They had only climbed a little over four hundred stairs and the pressure was already unbearable. Just as he was lamenting his misfortune another colossal tiger demon beast, unaffected by the staircase's gravity pounced on him. Yue Chen knew he would not be able to defend himself on time and his pupils instantly contracted.
"Shiu!" The sound of a blade cutting through the air halted Yue Chen's actions as the demon beast collapsed to the floor.
"Why'd you do that sis? that demon beast would've gobbled him up!" a little girl with neck length sky blue hair the bottom of the stairs whined to the older girl next to her. The older girl smiled, tilting her head playfully "hmm.....I wonder why?"
Yue Chen had managed to regain his momentum and continued to face the wave of demon beasts while moving forward. Even though he was not able to turn around Yue Chen was immediately able to identify the older girl by hearing her voice. The only person Yue Chen had met with such a playful tone of course it was Yuyan.
The little girl pouted, casting a piercing glare at Yue Chen. Her big sister Yuyan would never help a stranger even if that person was on the verge of death which meant there was definitely something between the two. Who is this bastard that big sister Yuyan has taken a liking to, I must find out for myself! The Loli furrowed her brows and marched up the staircase ignoring the countless demon beasts that were aiming at her. Feng Huang saw this and was about to warn the little girl but froze at the next scene. All the demon beasts that had come into close proximity to the little girl instantly became docile and obedient not daring to cause any trouble.
Yuyan who followed after the little girl tapped her on the shoulder "no keeping pets Biyu" Ning Biyu's frown became more intense at Yuyan's words and her control of the surrounding beasts were released causing them to become hostile again.
"poof!" before any of the demon beasts could come into contact they all turned into clouds of red smoke causing blood to rain down on everyone present.
"Yue Chen this is our third meeting we cannot be considered strangers anymore, correct?" Yuyan questioned, hugging onto the exhausted Yue Chen.
Yue Chen was too exhausted to reply and instead turned around intending to return to the bottom of the staircase but was stopped by Yuyan. "Are you giving up on the inheritance? The demon beasts are all near the Disaster realm, it shouldn't be an issue for you even with the gravity increased..... or is it because of her?" Yuyan said, pointing at Feng Huang.
Feng Huang was embarrassed and could only lower her head knowing she was indeed holding Yue Chen back. Yuyan's smile was replaced by a cold look "when we last met you were a unrestrained beast with an insatiable lust for power, you were lost yet determined. Seeing how you restrain yourself to play 'protect the damsel in distress' truly I am disappointed"
Yue Chen frowned at Yuyan's words. He could not understand why she had taken an interest in him after their second meeting nor what she expected from him. He did not feel the need to explain himself and simply passed her by and took Feng Huang's hand dragging her along.
"Are you afraid of losing yourself to that power? How cowardly" Yuyan sighed "come with me and I will give you a solution to your problem"
Yue Chen froze in place, without turning back he asked "haha what do you know, what solution could you possibly offer that I have not attempted?"
"Unlocking your-" Yuyan was interrupted by a sudden rumbling that shook the staircase. A collosal creature resembling a wingless dragon appeared on the stairway looking down at the group with contempt.
The Ning Biyu was the first to move, propelling herself upward she launched a kick at the dragon's head. The dragon shook it's head clumsily and it's contemptuous look soon became one of anger. Opening it's cave like mouth the beast spat a column of black fire at the group.
Yuyan looked at the dragon with a serious expression. No one else knew how powerful Ning Biyu was better than she did and being able to receive one of her attacks without an injury to show for it was not something one could take lightly. Yuyan retreated to a side of the stairway escaping the path of the flames. Yuyan flicked her wrists and azure blue throwing daggers appeared between her fingers , without pausing she threw the daggers at the dragon.
Klanggg! The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the closed space as the daggers fell to the floor. The daggers had barely managed to pierce it's thick skin and could not deal a substantial amount of damage.
Yue Chen was pale due to exhausting his true energy and could only stand at the side. As things were now there was no chance the dragon would let any of them leave the stairway alive.