In the side hall, Eddie found himself confronted with three riddles, each inscribed next to the three seemingly identical Silence Wands. The correct answer to these riddles would reveal the real wand; a wrong choice, however, would likely trigger a deadly trap. With the protective shield's time rapidly diminishing, Eddie had no choice but to quickly solve the puzzle.
The riddle on the left read: "I am a fly swatter, eager to crush any buzzing fly I encounter." Eddie pondered if such a tool could ever defeat the formidable three-headed Chimera. He doubted it, suspecting the Chimera would more likely squash him instead.
The middle riddle stated: "I am a dignified leader. Wherever I am, silence prevails in the hall. Only my voice is heard; no one dares to speak without my permission." Eddie couldn't help but smirk at the thought of encountering a 'leader' in such a place. Leadership indeed had its unique aura.
The right riddle offered a stark contrast, filled with lament and longing: "My heart, eyes, and entire being long to speak to you, yet you fail to understand." Eddie mused, "Even in the Heaven-Reaching Tower, there seem to be fans of the romantic novelist Qiong Yao!"
Faced with a choice between the fly swatter, the leader, and the sorrowful figure, Eddie was stumped. Each option seemed plausible, yet none felt entirely right. As time ticked away, he knew he couldn't afford to ponder much longer.
Without the real Silence Wand and the protective shield about to expire, his situation would become dire.
Eddie considered grabbing the fly swatter, which seemed the most ostentatious choice. Just as he was about to leap up and seize it, he paused, contemplating his decision.
In a flash of insight, Eddie noticed the directional levers on the walls of the side hall, each marked with a different element from the Wu Xing theory: East for 'Wood', South for 'Fire', West for 'Earth', and North for 'Water'. But the 'Metal' element was conspicuously absent. He raced around the room, searching for the missing lever but found nothing on the ceiling or the floor.
Feeling like he was missing something obvious, Eddie sprinted back to the entrance of the side hall. There, guarded by two massive sheep-headed statues, each wielding a long spear, he found his answer. The left spear was inscribed with 'I am a mute,' while the right bore the words 'I am gold!'
Without hesitation, Eddie grabbed the right spear, shouting, "It's you!" Just as the protective shield began to flicker, he darted towards the exit with the spear in hand.
Time was running out, and he faced a critical decision: leave the chamber and ensure his safety or confront the formidable Chimera.
Gritting his teeth, Eddie dashed towards the exit but then stopped abruptly. Leaving would mean admitting defeat, but staying posed a grave risk. However, armed with the Silence Wand, he felt compelled to try his luck against the Chimera.
Eddie could now empathize with the superhero Ultraman, who, despite appearing powerful and invincible, could only maintain his strength for a limited time. "If only this shield could last for hours instead of minutes," Eddie thought, "I could easily gather the necessary items, relax a bit, and then face the Chimera at my leisure."
But reality was harsh, with only a minute of protection left. Frustrated and desperate, Eddie felt like pulling his hair out. He knew he had to act fast to make the most of his fleeting advantage.
The power boost from the Giant's Shadow had expired, and the Shadow Bull, now fighting on its own strength, took a fierce bite from the dragon head of the Chimera.
Eddie had been waiting for this moment, when the dragon head shifted its focus. Little Wenli, in sync with his thoughts, emerged amidst a burst of light and fragrance, her rainbow form fluttering gracefully.
Holding icy blades in two of her tiny hands, she struck at the dragon's neck. The wound wasn't deep, but the frost from her blades rapidly spread, turning the entire arena into a frozen landscape.
The fearsome dragon head, engulfed by the cold, slowed down its biting attack. Before it could reach the Shadow Bull, it was completely encased in ice, transforming into a dragon-headed ice sculpture.
The chilling power of Little Wenli's frost blades was formidable. Even a being as powerful as the Hell Demon King would find his movements severely hindered by such an attack. Eddie was thrilled by Little Wenli's effectiveness.
She was indeed a diamond-grade little loli. Despite being only level one and still in her juvenile form, she had managed to freeze one of the heads of the six-level gold Chimera.
Eddie realized that if he had known Little Wenli's capabilities, he wouldn't have bothered searching for the Silence Wand. With her around, seeking the Blindness Stone on the right side might have been a better choice.
Glancing at the white ram head, which had shown no aggression, Eddie had a feeling that this seemingly harmless head was the truly formidable and terrifying part of the Chimera. Without the Blindness Stone to counter it, he wondered how the battle would ultimately turn out.