readytorunbook Chapter 253 Uncovering the Truth
Chapter 253 Uncovering the Truth
Zhuang Yu's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, piercing through layers of darkness and finally locking onto a shadowy corner of the old house.
The air there seemed to freeze, and a chilling aura emanated from it as if it were a tangible substance.
The Shadow Demon's figure slowly emerged like a ghost. His scarlet eyes were particularly glaring in the darkness, like two leaping flames, carrying endless malice and greed.
Inside the old house, the temperature plummeted, as if we were in an ice cellar, and everyone involuntarily shivered.
The clan leader and eldest son also noticed something amiss, their faces turning pale instantly. They could feel the powerful pressure emanating from the Shadow Demon, the kind of pressure that belonged to the late-stage Nascent Soul realm.
Although they were also Nascent Soul cultivators, they were no match for the Shadow Demon.
"Tsk tsk, what a lively scene." The Shadow Demon's lips curled into a sinister smile. His voice was hoarse and deep, like a demonic whisper from hell, carrying a chilling eeriness. "I didn't expect you to cooperate with outsiders. How disappointing." He turned his gaze to Zhuang Yu, his tone filled with a strong threat. "Kid, I advise you to be sensible and hand over the treasure. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what will happen to those you care about."
Shadow Demon's words were like a sharp knife, stabbing viciously into Zhuang Yu's weak spot.
Zhuang Yu's eyes instantly turned icy cold, and a strong anger burned in his chest.
He knew that the person the Shadow Demon was referring to was Wang Yao, his only attachment in this world.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost pierced his palms, and his knuckles cracked crisply.
"You dare!" Zhuang Yu's voice was deep and full of killing intent, each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, and the air was filled with a suffocating sense of oppression.
He stared intently at the Shadow Demon, the fury in his eyes almost bursting forth in a tangible burst.
He would never allow anyone to threaten those he cared about, not even Shadow Fiend.
The Shadow Demon seemed quite pleased with Zhuang Yu's reaction. He grinned smugly, revealing sharp teeth, like a wild beast ready to devour its prey.
"What, are you angry? This is just the beginning. If you don't cooperate, I'll make you watch as the people you care about die one by one in front of you." He spread his arms, and black demonic energy swirled around him, making him even more eerie and terrifying, like a demon from hell.
Zhuang Yu took a step forward, his aura rising steadily, his spiritual power surging like a raging river, emitting a deafening roar.
His gaze was piercing, fixed on the Shadow Demon as if trying to see right through him. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, and a great battle seemed imminent.
The Shadow Demon noticed the change in Zhuang Yu's aura, and the smile on his face gradually faded. He could feel the dangerous aura emanating from Zhuang Yu. This young man did not seem to be as easy to deal with as he had imagined.
But he still didn't take Zhuang Yu seriously; in his eyes, Zhuang Yu was nothing more than a clown.
"Looks like you're going to have to suffer the consequences instead of being polite." The Shadow Demon sneered, his demonic aura growing even stronger. His voice was like a summons from hell, carrying a chilling and sinister tone. "Since that's the case, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
Zhuang Yu's lips curled up slightly, forming a meaningful smile. He slowly raised his hand and made a provocative gesture.
Zhuang Yu smiled contemptuously, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. His "Threaten me? You dare to say that?" His voice was laced with mockery, each word like a sharp knife piercing the Shadow Demon's heart.
He wasn't swayed by Shadow Fiend's tactics at all. He was no longer the helpless, vulnerable youth he once was; he now possessed the power to protect himself.
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhuang Yu's aura erupted instantly, as unstoppable as a volcanic eruption.
The spiritual energy within him surged like a wild horse, distorting the surrounding air.
He moved swiftly, disappearing from his spot like a ghost, and the next moment, he appeared in front of the Shadow Demon.
He flipped his hand, and a golden light condensed in his palm, carrying earth-shattering power, and slammed it fiercely towards the Shadow Demon.
With a loud "bang!", like a thunderclap, the entire old house trembled, and rubble and debris flew everywhere.
The Shadow Demon had no time to react before being blasted away by the sudden attack, crashing heavily into the wall.
The wall immediately cracked, and spiderweb-like fissures spread rapidly, making a teeth-grinding cracking sound.
Shadow Demon spat out a mouthful of blood, his face ashen. He stared at Zhuang Yu in disbelief, never imagining that this seemingly frail young man possessed such terrifying power.
Shadow Demon struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He knew he was no match for Zhuang Yu and the thought of retreating arose in his mind.
He blurred into a wisp of black smoke and fled towards the back of the old house.
"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Zhuang Yu sneered, his feet barely touching the ground as he gave chase.
Even while fleeing, the Shadow Demon didn't forget to set traps. He quickly formed hand seals, and streams of black demonic energy flew out from his hands, condensing into countless shadow tentacles in mid-air.
These tentacles, as if alive, bared their fangs and claws, emanating a chilling aura, and attacked Zhuang Yu who was in pursuit.
Zhuang Yu's eyes narrowed, and his spiritual energy rapidly circulated within his body, forming a sturdy spiritual energy shield in front of him.
"Bang bang bang!" The shadow tentacles pounded on the shield like raindrops, making deafening impact sounds. Each collision was accompanied by a dazzling light.
The guardian spirit of the old house seemed to sense the commotion. Its usually calm eyes narrowed slightly, as if it were silently observing the battle.
Zhuang Yu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a cold smile. The light on the shield intensified, blocking all the incoming shadow tentacles.
Immediately afterwards, he pushed his hands out forcefully, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted like a tsunami, instantly shattering all the shadow tentacles and turning them into nothingness.
He moved like an arrow, breaking through the trap and catching up with Shadow Fiend again.
However, Zhuang Yu did not continue to pursue the Shadow Demon. He stopped and looked into the depths of the old house, as if he was thinking about something.
Finally, he turned and walked in the direction where he had been exploring the danger, leaving everyone with a cryptic look in his eyes. He muttered to himself, "There are more important things..."
Zhuang Yu ignored the fleeing Shadow Demon. In his eyes, the Shadow Demon was nothing but a clown and not worth fearing.
He turned around and continued deeper into the old house along the route he had previously explored.
The Shadow Demon hid in the shadows, observing Zhuang Yu's actions. He had expected Zhuang Yu to pursue him relentlessly, but he was surprised and annoyed that the other party let him go so easily.
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh, his heart filled with resentment.
He secretly vowed to find an opportunity to take revenge on Zhuang Yu and wash away the humiliation of today.
Zhuang Yu walked along the deep corridor. The walls of the ancient house were carved with various strange patterns, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.
A faint smell of decay filled the air, making people feel somewhat oppressed.
With each step he took, he could hear the creaking of the wooden planks beneath his feet, which sounded particularly clear in the quiet old house.
As he walked, the image of Wang Yao appeared in Zhuang Yu's mind. That gentle and kind girl was his only attachment in this world.
He secretly vowed to resolve the crisis here as soon as possible and return to see her.
Thinking of Wang Yao, a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on his lips, and his heart was filled with warmth.
Suddenly, Zhuang Yu stopped in his tracks. He sensed a powerful energy fluctuation coming from ahead, a fluctuation that made his heart pound, as if something terrifying was awakening.
He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and carefully walked toward the direction from which the energy fluctuations were coming from.
At the end of the corridor was a huge stone door, carved with intricate runes, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.
Zhuang Yu could sense that the powerful energy fluctuation was coming from behind the stone door.
He reached out and gently stroked the runes on the stone door. A cold sensation made him shiver.
"What secrets lie hidden behind this door?" Zhuang Yu murmured to himself. He took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the stone door...
With a soft "click," the stone door opened a crack, and an even more powerful energy surged out from the crack, making Zhuang Yu feel suffocated.
He squinted and, through the crack, vaguely saw what appeared to be a massive array behind the stone door…
“Interesting…” Zhuang Yu murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He walked into the stone chamber step by step, and the surrounding air seemed to become even heavier, each breath feeling like a struggle against an invisible resistance.
At the center of the formation, a huge stone statue stood silently, holding a secret treasure that shimmered with light in its hand, which was Zhuang Yu's target for this trip.
However, this was not the whole secret of the stone chamber. The complexity of the formation far exceeded his imagination, with countless runes intertwined to form a vast energy network.
Zhuang Yu squatted down and carefully observed every detail of the formation.
The arrangement of the runes and the direction of energy flow—every detail reveals endless mysteries.
His fingers gently touched the ground, feeling the spiritual energy surging beneath the runes, and a familiar feeling gradually rose in his heart.
He closed his eyes, immersing his mind in the array, feeling the connection between the runes, as if he had merged with the entire space.
"Click!" Suddenly, a slight sound interrupted Zhuang Yu's thoughts.
He suddenly opened his eyes and saw the clan chief's figure appear at the entrance of the stone chamber, his cold eyes fixed on him.
The clan chief's face showed a hint of displeasure, and his voice was full of authority: "Zhuang Yu, what are you doing here?"
Zhuang Yu's heart skipped a beat. He didn't answer, but instead whispered, "I want to unravel all these mysteries, clan leader. Don't you want this crisis to be resolved completely?"
The clan chief frowned slightly, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes. He slowly took a step forward, his tone carrying an unquestionable command: "You'd better stop immediately, or I can't guarantee your safety."
Zhuang Yu: I will not let anyone get hurt.
Zhuang Yu stared directly at the clan leader, his eyes filled with unwavering determination, without a trace of fear.
The surrounding spiritual energy seemed to sense the tense atmosphere and began to fluctuate uneasily, emitting a faint buzzing sound, like a taut string ready to snap.
He said in a deep voice, "Clan leader, I understand your desire to protect the clan's secrets, but the current situation is not a trivial matter. This formation concerns the safety of the entire spirit realm, not the private property of one family or clan!"
The clan leader snorted coldly, and a powerful spiritual pressure instantly enveloped the entire stone chamber, making the air seem to freeze and suffocate people.
"How dare you! This formation is a forbidden area that our clan has guarded for generations. How dare you, an outsider, interfere!" The eldest son of the clan standing behind him echoed, "Boy, if you know what's good for you, leave now or you'll make a mess of things!" His tone was arrogant, and his eyes were full of disdain, as if Zhuang Yu was just an insignificant ant in his eyes.
Zhuang Yu felt the overwhelming spiritual pressure and his body trembled slightly, but he still straightened his back and did not back down in the slightest.