The true peril lies in the Third Layer of the Blood Evil Cave, the domain of the Fiend Demon, along with his four formidable minions: the Headless General, the Palace Painting Demon, the Sheep Head Taoist, and Roshan!
The Headless General, a warrior summoned by the Fiend Demon from ancient battlefields, is rumored to be a military governor from times long past with martial prowess that reaches the heavens. He possesses the valor of a thousand men, making him a formidable foe.
The Palace Painting Demon, once a painter whose obsession with his craft led to his possession, wields bizarre and unpredictable magic. Those of lesser power risk being trapped within his paintings, suffering a fate worse than death.
The Sheep Head Taoist, originally a Taoist from the Jade True Temple, became a malevolent sorcerer using his flying head technique to terrorize the locals. I managed to break his spell, but after the world underwent great upheaval, he was enlisted by the Fiend Demon, who grafted a sheep's head onto him, enhancing his dark powers. Even I am no match for him now.
As for Roshan... this monstrous being was created by the Fiend Demon, stitching together the flesh of a thousand skilled warriors into a grotesque mountain of meat. His immense strength and formidable regenerative abilities make him nearly indestructible.
For years, my goal has been to vanquish the Fiend Demon, but even without facing him directly, his four powerful lackeys have repeatedly thwarted me. Young heroes, proceed with caution. While I may rise again after death, you will not have the same luxury.
City Lord Dugu's words carried a weight that left us all on edge.
Chen Guo responded with a light laugh, "They're nothing but a motley crew of weaklings. Just show us the way, and we'll cut down any deity or demon that dares to block our path!"
"Very well," City Lord Dugu replied, leading us onto the serpentine trail of the White Bone Path.
Before long, the blood pool churned, and white skeletons emerged one after another, launching an assault on our party.
"White Bone Demons, Level 10 Elite, with a fighting capacity of 4,000!"
Without Chen Guo's intervention, Zhou Tao and the rest of us were steadily pushed back. The White Bone Demons were not only powerful but also vastly outnumbered us.
An ordinary team would have been decimated by the onslaught of over a hundred White Bone Demons.
Zhou Tao mopped the sweat from his brow and turned to Chen Guo, "Boss Guangcheng, it's up to you now. Without your intervention, we're doomed in the First Layer!"
Chen Guo replied, "My involvement will reduce the number of slaughter points you all receive."
Zhou Tao gave a wry smile. "It's not about slaughter points anymore; it's about survival. Please, Boss, step in!"
"Alright, since you've put it that way, I can't stand by. But do your best to inflict damage on the monsters. If not, your slaughter points will be sadly meager after I step in," Chen Guo conceded.
With that, Chen Guo began to recite the incantations:
"By the decree of Primus, Divine Jade Thunder, strike swiftly!"
"By the decree of the Great Monad, Divine Fire, unleash!"
Faced with hundreds of White Bone Demons, Chen Guo had no choice but to deploy the most formidable techniques from the Mount Maoshan Dao Arts.
The Divine Jade Thunder, an enhanced version of the Five-Element Thunder Magic, symbolized the power of Primus. It boasted a vast range and immense force, the pinnacle of Mount Maoshan's mystical arts, unknown to most practitioners.
Summoned by Chen Guo, the Divine Jade Thunder crackled with purple energy, forming a net of electricity that ripped through the White Bone Demons with the force of an apocalypse.
Those struck by the Divine Jade Thunder were torn asunder, reduced to charred fragments.
The Divine Fire, the mightiest flame of the Great Monad, once used to temper Sun Wukong, was not exclusive to Mount Maoshan but a shared Taoist art, also counted among Mount Maoshan's ultimate techniques.
Chen Guo exhaled a vast orb of cyan flames. The White Bone Demons, despite their attempts to evade, were overtaken. In an instant, those caught in the blaze were reduced to ashes, offering no resistance.
After Chen Guo unleashed just two of his abilities, the horde of White Bone Demons besieging them—numbering in the hundreds—was decimated, with more than half succumbing to his attacks.
The crowd was struck dumb with awe.
They were aware of the vast gulf between their abilities and Chen Guo's, but they hadn't realized it was quite so colossal. To them, Chen Guo's prowess seemed indistinguishable from that of a deity.
"Boss Guangcheng is insanely strong. I mean, I can cast lightning spells too, but next to Boss Guangcheng's, mine might as well be the static from a toy microphone."
"I'm in tears, I'm falling apart here. I can cast the Flame Curse from Mao Mountain, but compared to the Divine Fire, my curse is like comparing a lighter to a volcano—it's just pathetic..."
"Boss Guangcheng is just too cool, utterly dominating, incredible!"
The trial challengers couldn't help but voice their amazement.
Even City Lord Dugu was left speechless, marveling, "The young hero's magic is truly the genuine article of the Xuanmen tradition. You must be a distinguished disciple of Mao Mountain!"
Chen Guo replied, "Enough talk. Seize this chance to slay the White Bone Demons! I'm about to go on a rampage!"
With those words, Chen Guo activated the Flying Thunder God Art, transforming into a streak of light that darted amidst the White Bone Demons. Wherever he went, he cut through them like a fierce wind through wheat, leaving a swath of destruction in his wake. The White Bone Demons toppled en masse.
That's when the trial challengers snapped out of their stupor. Each showcasing their divine abilities, they seized the moment to harvest the lives of the White Bone Demons.
Within five minutes, the White Bone Demons of the first layer of the Blood Sea Cave had been entirely vanquished.
Chen Guo had racked up the lion's share of kills, catapulting his to level 16.
The others, although they only gleaned the scraps of slaughter points, still benefited from the sheer volume of the battle, and each found themselves leveling up.
"Is leveling up always this easy?"
"It's not that leveling up is easy; it's that with Boss Guangcheng leading the charge, it becomes a breeze!"
"I've never experienced such a thrilling battle. Boss Guangcheng single-handedly overpowered the hundreds of White Bone Demons, giving us an easy fight. It feels amazing!"
The excitement among the group was palpable.
The White Bone Demons, once a formidable threat, were effortlessly subdued by Chen Guo alone. They took advantage of the situation, bullying the enemy by simply unleashing their skills.
Their spirits soared in the heat of battle.
City Lord Dugu exclaimed, "The young hero's prowess truly stands out. It appears the Fiend Demon is certain to be vanquished this time!"
Chen Guo continued, "Let's keep moving. The First Layer of the Blood Sea Cave poses no threat now..." Mid-sentence, he pivoted towards Zhou Tao, "For this battle's spoils, I'm claiming 90%. The rest of you can share the remaining 10%. This split is based on contribution. Any objections?"
Despite being common foes, these White Bone Demons were creatures of legend, and their loot was far from mediocre.
Zhou Tao shook his head vigorously, "No objections here. It's a fair split. Without you, Boss Guangcheng, we'd have been done for!" He affirmed, "It's only right, all in order!"
The rest of the group concurred. Greed may have been in their hearts, but none dared to entertain it in Chen Guo's presence.
Navigating the serpentine White Bone Path of the Blood Sea Cave's First Layer was like threading through a labyrinth.
But City Lord Dugu knew the way well, swiftly guiding the party to the Second Layer of the Jade Crystal Cave.