Next day .
They also moved with "beetle shell force "
They had observed
Beetle shell force had total of 60 people. Each day 30 people will take turn exploring the ruins .
Rest will stay in the camp .
There was big gap in numbers .But also in battle experience.people from "Beetle shell force "had more battle experience.In a direct confrontation they will never win against them .but they had rhino with them .Their ace .
So disciples were assured of their winning.
On his way lin tian left to meet Hua bo .
"Greetings senior .I wonder if you got any clue."
"If it's about that matter i have .but I don't think you should know "Hua bo .
"Why .do you want to protect the burglar "
"Quite the opposite I want to protect you ."Hua bo
"The people that ransacked your camp have special background ".
"Ohhh .who are they "
"They are a mercenary group named "Iron hands " some of their members are with special skill .They used to be thiefs .once in a while they get the itch to practice their skill. Or maybe it's a hobby.But they stealthily enters others camp and steal their most valuable thing ."
"But I guess your beast discovered them and stopped them from stealing .so they injured him and escaped "
"How much closer are they to the ruins .How can I recognise them "lin tian
"You must have seen this symbol while going up to the ruins .A symbol with shield and two spears embed into corner .as for their distance .Around 1200 meters ."
"1200 meters .Than somewhere between number 12 -18 "lin tian
"Infact it's not only your camp which was ransacked .other camps were ransacked too .you should just forget the matter .They are not something you can contend with "Hua bo
"I will take your advice "lin tian nodded.
*******
This time they entered through .Entrance with crocodile pattern .After walking for while .They entered a big hall . It had light source embed in the ceiling .
Their view was clear .
on one side of the hall was pool full of water it was at 4ft height from floor level .some pillars were standing within the hall.But they were not connected to the ceiling.
In the center of the hall was some birds nest .
"Check that nest "lin tian said to lin fang .
Lin fang cautious went near the nest .There were no traps .
"There are some kind of ore in this nest
should I pick them "
"Wait for while "
Lin fang waited but seeing nothing happening he grabbed the stone .But just as he grabbed .Doors shut completely.pool water stirred .
Water splashed in all directions.A huge figure came out of pool .
It attacked lin fang.
Lin fang hurriedly rolled to the side .
Others got a good look at the figure .
It was huge crocodile 20 feet long .
With its tail it attacked behind .Many disciples dodged it's tail. lin tian hide behind pillar .
Crocodile chased and attacked lin fang while shaking it's tail .lin fang while circling around pillars .Attacked the beast with his sword .Even after using qi to strengthen his attack .Attack had no effect on beast.
its scales were as hard as steel, and its strength unmatched by any creature he had faced before .
lin fang felt it was a challenge.He surged forward, his qi pulsating with raw power as he faced off against the monstrous creature.
Leading the charge linfang raised his sword gleaming in fading light.Lin fang attacked its mouth with his strongest attacks .
For a moment crocodile retreated.But than it started splashing water .water started filling in the hall "
"It's trying to fill the water in the hall " lin fang shouted .
"The doors aren't opening.we can't retreat."
"We have to defeat it .Only than gate might open "
"We have to coordinate and attack it together . Don't cower and attack " lin fang roared.and entered pool to attack crocodile.
With lin fangs charge others also realised the danger they were in .Seeing lin fang fighting valiantly their blood boiled some of them also entered within water .
But crocodile within the water was fast and agile .If there weren't many disciples to attack and attract it's attention.some of them may have already died .
Lin fang realised.Their attacks were useless in the water .it slowed their attacks and weakened the impact.He also had divide their attention to swim .He came out of water and shouted .
"climb those pillars and attack from above ."lin shouted .
The disciples outside were quick to climb the pillar .standing above pillar They started shooting it with arrows .
Lin tian was slowest to climb the pillar.He had just climb half the pillar .when he fell down Because of splashing water .Lin suya noticed his plight .
Grabbing him she jumped .and with little effort she along with lin tian was standing on pillar .
Disciples came out of water and quickly climbed the pillars .Noticing he was no longer attacked.crocodile beast lunged from the depths to the running disciples its jaws opening wide ready to snap shut at the disciple running in front of him .
Lin fang noticed the disciple was about to die .He immediately snatched a spear from nearby disciple and attacked crocodile beast's mouth .spear lodged into crocodile's mouth .
Which gave the disciple time to climb the pillar .
"Thanks lin fang "
"Later " He looked at the swimming crocodile while thinking .
'If the door weren't close .I would have already escaped.'
'But now I have coordinate with them .but can we defeat it '
'more disciples increases the chance though'
The water in the hall was increasing .it had reached pool's level.
Lin tian wondered from where the water was coming from .Can he use it normally.
But he remembered Hua bo's warning and dismissed his thoughts.
Lin tian couldn't keep up his vision with the fight .The figures were moving too fast .For him to notice . If the crocodile wasn't big .He wouldn't have noticed it either .
But he realised the attacks from disciples had no effect on him .It's scales were too hard for any weapon to have effect .
Crocodile beast after struggling for a some seconds easily broke the spear and now it was attacking lin fang on pillar .other Disciples were attacking it and stopping it from jumping above pillars .
Disciples would attack and retreat.Crocodile after going deep in water lunged at the lin fang .
Lin fang evaded the attack with lightning speed, his sword slashing through the air with a precision honed through years of practice .
Lin tian realised the battle couldn't go on .He had to think of something.Before disciples get tired .
Infact during whole fight lin tian was the most useless.He had done nothing but standing and hiding .
I have to think of idea.
As the battle raged on, other Disciples joined the fray, their weapons flashing in the dim light as they launched a coordinated assault against the formidable foe. Arrows flew, spears thrust, and spells arced through the air, each strike aimed at weakening the creature's defenses and exposing its vulnerabilities.
But the crocodile beast was no ordinary foe; With each blow, it shrugged off the attacks of the Disciples, retaliating with savage fury that threatened to overwhelm them.
Lin tian looked at the spears and arrows that were holding on against crocodile beast .Arrows were decreasing .They had brought these weapons only as backup .No one was skilled enough with weapons of long range .Swords were the major weapons the disciples were skilled with .Soon These weapons will be useless .water continued increasing in the hall .just 6 ft away from reaching the top of pillar .
Anymore and there will be loss of lives .He had to thought of something.he couldn't let others die .He noticed that crocodile would go deep in water and lunged at the lin fang with open mouth .if something could stop it's mouth from moving it will be less dangerous.
Idea !
"Use the freezing talisman on its mouth.
Attack its mouth when it's opens"lin tian shouted .
"Talisman .oh yes we have talisman "
"Listen to young master use talisman and than attack "lin fang
Other Disciples who weren't the target of crocodile .Brought out talisman to attack .
Waiting for the beast to open its mouth .
Beast lunged at lin fang with open mouth .
"Attack now "
Disciples channeled their qi into talisman .Blue light shot out of talisman and entered crocodile's mouth .
Firstly the water in its mouth was frozen into lump of ice and as it followed the frozen qi .crocodile's mouth from inside was frozen completely.
The crocodile struggled to open its mouth .It went deep into water .
"Quickly some of you go into the water to attack .make it come out of water "
"Others continue to use talisman . don't let it's mouth be freed .I will attack with all my might and injured its mouth from the gap ."lin fang already knew their attacks were useless against its tough scales .he had to attack its mouth .when its mouth was frozen from inside .
"Yes " In others eyes lin fang was leader . Those who had already used freezing talisman followed his orders .Jumping down they attacked crocodile making it come out .Half of the ice lump in its mouth had already melt .
But its mouth was frozen fully again .Taking the chance .lin fang with one spear and sword in other hand .started attacking its mouth from inside.
Blood started flowing out from the crocodile 's mouth .But it wasn't red but black .beast entered water again and when it came out its mouth was frozen again.
They followed this pattern 4 times .By now the water inside the hall had turned black .making all disciples uncomfortable.
Lin fang knew beast was on its last struggle .making even pillars sway .A last strong attack was needed to deal with it .
"Freeze its mouth again .I will grab its body and continue to attack "lin fang
"Freeze but we don't have talisman anymore ."
"We have already used it "
"We have fire and water talisman.but not freeze"
Lin fang had started to get worried.
"I...I have freezing talisman .sister suya please use it " All disciples looked at Lin tian and than suya .they gained hope .sister suya grabbed talisman from lin tian .And used it on beast .
Crocodile beast's mouth was frozen again.
"Continue to attack its mouth .it's already weak on that area "lin fang
With a mighty roar Lin fang jumped on the body of crocodile .It entered deep in black water . Lin fang plunged his sword into the creature's hide, channeling his qi into a devastating strike that pierced its defenses and struck true. The crocodile beast thrashed and roared in agony, its monstrous form writhing in a frenzy of pain and fury.
For some time disciples didn't knew what was happening beneath bloody black water .
But there were strong movements happening inside water .causing water to shake and splash in a wave .
When the beast came out it would be attacked by spears from disciples .it had already bled most of its blood and was struggling weakly .
As the creature finally succumbed to its wounds, Collapsing into the bloody waters, a collective sigh of relief swept through the Disciples .
"We won " linfang shouted from Crocodile beast's body .
"We won " all disciples cheered and relaxed .
They had emerged victorious, but the battle had taken its toll, leaving them battered and weary yet triumphant in their victory against the fearsome crocodile beast.
They rested for a time .and saw water Decreasing within the hall .
Soon there were only puddle of waters .
All disciples came down from pillars .
Lin suya wanted to help lin tian come down .
But lin tian denied .coming up he had no choice .But he could come down carefully without lin suya's help .
He couldn't let a girl help him .He felt shame but also indignant.He was not useful throughout whole fight and was just a burden .But here he was mulling over .he couldn't let a woman help him .
Was it because of male pride ?he thought.
"Young master .look at these ores "lin fang called .
"Coming closer he looked at the nest .There were 3 ores of different sizes within the nest with a layer covered in rock .
He had no idea what were they and it was same with others .
"Lin fang collect these ores .we will ask Hua bo what they are "lin tian
"Young master you are not collecting them "lin suya asked .Afterall lin tian was leader of them .Even if they didn't agree in their hearts .
"No"
"If young master says so "lin fang covered it in cloth bag and carried it .
The hall doors opened easily and they came out .
Unexpectedly there were 6 people waiting outside .They looked at the lin disciples strangely .Lin tian out of politeness nodded at them .But they didn't return their greeting .
Lin disciples exited the ruins .
Group of 6 continued to look at them .after they saw them going to the entrance.
They entered within the hall and looked at the dead corpses of crocodile beast .Shocked
They looked at the empty nest and got angry .
"Senior brother ores has been collected by them ."
"What should we do now "
"Meet them first let's confirm whether they have got the same thing we want "
Senior brother frowned.
Yesterday they had also come to this hall with 12 person group.Seeing the ores within nest their eyes lit up .it was rare metal hard to find .
Just when they were about to collect ores .A huge crocodile beast came out of pool and attacked them .
Although they injured the beast they couldn't deal with it completely.They thought they would die . Unexpectedly when the water rose to pillars'surface .Escape passage opened within hall .They had no choice but to escape.6 of them died while escaping .Today they had come with better preprations to deal with beast and collect ores .He didn't cared about slightest of 6 people's death .What mattered was ore .
Lin tian and his group was waiting for exit to appear .when they saw group of 6 coming to them .
All the disciples turned to them .