341: Chapter 341 Since you don't dare, then I will.

Ye Tian's heart stirred.

When he looked at the lightning and patterns earlier, he'd had a vague feeling.

Perhaps he could try the "Thunder Gang Dream Walk" movement technique, which could resonate with the surrounding lightning environment?

Just then, Bai Shaoyi, who had been observing quietly, suddenly pointed to a spot on the left side of the passage ahead and whispered, "Senior Brother Ye, Senior Sister Bai, look over there..."

“About eighty zhang away, on the left wall from the thirty-seventh to the forty-second horizontal pattern, and those diamond-shaped floor tiles facing them—their brightness changes. There seems to be a very fixed time difference between them and the patterns on the right that spray lightning.

Moreover, when the left side lights up, the energy fluctuations in the corresponding spot on the right weaken just a tiny bit.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Ling and Ye Tian immediately looked over carefully.

Sure enough, in the area Bai Shaoyi pointed out, the patterns on the left wall and floor were brightening and dimming with a slow rhythm. When they were bright, the energy fluctuations of several dangerous patterns on the right did indeed show an almost imperceptible weakening.

“Shaoyi, you're that sensitive to energy fluctuations?” Ye Tian glanced at Bai Shaoyi with some surprise.

This girl had been quite heavily injured before and her face was still pale, yet her observation skills were so meticulous.

Bai Shaoyi's face flushed slightly as she whispered, “I... the Mind-Cultivation Technique I practice is quite sensitive to surrounding energy changes. Especially since the Thunder Malevolence here conflicts with my power, the feeling is actually more obvious.”

“The time difference is about a few breaths, and the energy weakens by about fifteen percent,” Bai Ling quickly estimated. “While safety isn't guaranteed, it's worth a try!”

Ye Tian did some quick mental calculations.

A few breaths was enough for him to cross that dangerous zone of about fifteen zhang at his speed.

With the energy weakened by fifteen percent, combined with the defense of the black tortoise spirit armor shield and the Thunder Gang Dream Walk's ability to partially guide and dissipate lightning... it was worth the gamble!

This was better than forcing their way through or just waiting.

“I'll take the lead, Senior Sister Bai Ling will be in the middle to provide support, and Junior Sister Shaoyi will bring up the rear to watch the path and give reminders. We'll stick to the left and follow the pattern Shaoyi discovered.”

Ye Tian made up his mind immediately and simultaneously sent a voice transmission to Feng Xuan nearby.

Upon hearing it, Feng Xuan immediately used a Jade Slip to calculate and verify. A moment later, he nodded to Ye Tian, indicating it was feasible. He also immediately gathered the Liuli Xuan Sect Disciples, preparing to follow this method.

“Go!”

Spotting the moment the left-side pattern lit up, Ye Tian gave a low shout and was the first to execute Thunder Gang Dream Walk, darting out. At the same time, the black tortoise spirit armor shield on his left arm transformed into an arm shield.

Bai Ling and Bai Shaoyi followed closely behind, the three of them forming a triangular Formation.

Bai Ling's long sword pointed diagonally, its blade wrapped in cold Qi, ready to deal with any accidents at any time. Bai Shaoyi was fully concentrated, her senses tightly locked onto the pattern changes on both walls and the floor.

As they charged into that dangerous area, those patterns on the right wall emitting a dangerous aura indeed flared up!

But just an instant before the lightning was about to spray out, the patterns on the left and the floor that Bai Shaoyi had pointed out lit up on time, and the energy fluctuations of the right-side patterns experienced that slight decay.

“Now!” Ye Tian's body seemed to turn into a wisp of lightning as his speed suddenly increased, drilling through the gap between two bolts of lightning at his limit.

A friction sensation came from the black tortoise spirit armor shield, vibrating slightly, but it held steady.

Bai Ling's movement was light and agile; her sword light flashed, shattering a small stray bolt of lightning.

Fifteen zhang, a few breaths—the three of them passed through safely without any mishaps!

Behind them, seeing their success, Feng Xuan no longer hesitated. He immediately led the Liuli Xuan Sect Disciples and followed their example, successfully crossing as well.

Among the other Cultivators who saw their actions, some tried to copy them but failed due to poor timing or inadequate movement techniques, adding a few more charred corpses to the path.

Others gritted their teeth and chose other paths that looked safer, though their outcomes were hard to say.

After passing this dangerous zone, the passage ahead seemed to widen a bit, and the lightning pressure lessened.

But the three did not dare relax, still moving forward carefully according to the pattern Bai Shaoyi had discovered.

Although this speed couldn't match the reckless methods of the Nangong Family or Tianhu Gate, it was steady, and they gradually moved deeper inside.

After walking for about half an hour and repelling several waves of Vicious Beasts formed from lightning (roughly at the third-rank Middle Stage) that jumped out of holes in the walls,

the passage came to an end. Ahead was a vast space shaped like half an eggshell inverted on the ground.

The "ceiling" overhead was so high its top was invisible, covered in highly condensed lightning crystals.

The ground was a circular platform over a thousand zhang in diameter. The platform surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the "starlight" from above.

By now, quite a few people had already gathered on this circular platform.

Nangong Chi, Bei Minghong, Li Xuanxiao, Ghost Girl, and Zhao Mao were all there, each occupying different positions at the edge of the platform, far apart from each other in a tense atmosphere.

The latecomers, including Ye Tian's group of three, the Liuli Xuan Sect Disciples led by Feng Xuan, and a few Loose Cultivators who were lucky enough to cross the passage, also appeared one after another at the edge of the platform.

Everyone's gaze, without exception, turned toward the very center of the circular platform.

There lay a thunder pool a hundred zhang in diameter, filled with churning, purple-black, paste-like lightning!

From time to time, thunder flowers as large as houses exploded on the pool's surface with a booming sound. The energy was so violent that everyone on the platform who hadn't reached the Sea Transformation Realm felt their scalps go numb and found it difficult even to breathe.

And directly above the thunder pool, floating in mid-air about ten zhang high, were three items:

On the left was a fist-sized, silver-purple light cluster that constantly changed shape, appearing to contain countless lightning bolts being born and extinguished. That was Thunder Source Essence, a supreme treasure for those practicing lightning arts and capable of forging top-tier lightning-attribute Magic Treasures.

On the right was a piece of Thunder-Patterned Dao Gold covered in fine lightning sword patterns. It was a top-tier Material for sword forging, especially suited for carrying lightning Sword Intent.

In the very center, and most eye-catching of all, was a Jade Slip slowly rotating within a small Formation.

The Jade Slip was purple and had not a single word on it, yet it naturally radiated an ancient sword Dao intent, as if it contained the primordial power of lightning that could split the heavens and earth!

Even from over a hundred zhang away, the slivers of Sword Intent emanating from that Jade Slip made one's heart and soul tremble, making it hard to remain calm.

This was very likely the ultimate Legacy of the Chixiao Thunder Hall—the Thunder Emperor Sword Canon (or a related) Legacy Jade Slip!

The three treasures floated quietly above the thunder pool, hooking the souls of everyone on the platform.

However, no one dared to move recklessly.

Because, at the edge of the circular platform near the thunder pool, nine three-zhang-tall purple pillars of solidified lightning stood evenly spaced.

Inside each pillar, a blurry figure composed of lightning sat cross-legged, emitting a powerful aura. They were the Thunder Spirit Guards stationed here.

Furthermore, the hundred-plus zhang of open ground from the platform edge to the thunder pool was not easy to traverse.

Countless hard-to-see spatial cracks floated in the air, and Formation patterns were faintly visible on the ground, filled with deadly Restrictions.

To take the treasures, one had to pass this final trial first!

“Nine Thunder Spirit Guards, their auras... are between True Martial Tenth Level Great Perfection and Sea Transformation First Layer Early Stage.” Feng Xuan's expression was grave as he spoke in a low voice to Ye Tian and the others. “Coupled with the cracks in the air and the Restrictions on the ground, forcing a way through is no different from seeking death.”

Bei Minghong's silver-gray eyes swept over the nine guards and the spatial cracks, his icy face showing no fluctuations.

The long sword Li Xuanxiao held in his arms emitted a faint hum, but he also remained motionless.

Ghost Girl's veil fluttered slightly as her deep eyes darted between the treasures and the guards.

Nangong Chi's gaze was fervent yet filled with wariness. Zhao Mao's eyes rolled around, clearly plotting some scheme.

After a brief silence, a harsh laugh broke the stillness.

“Heh heh, the treasures are right before our eyes, yet no one dares to step up? It's enough to make me laugh my head off.” Zhao Mao stepped out from the crowd, his gaze scanning the area before fixing on Ye Tian with pure malice.

“Genius Ye, weren't you quite formidable outside? You even blocked Young Master Bei Ming's ‘Eternal Silence Frost Soul Finger’.

How about you set an example for this first hurdle and let us see just how much weight a Prodigy on the ‘bronze thread rank’ actually carries?”

He was pushing Ye Tian into a fire pit! Knowing full well the danger here, he was putting Ye Tian on the spot.

If Ye Tian backed down, all his previous prestige would vanish.

If Ye Tian went, he would have to face the unknown depth of the Thunder Spirit Guards and Restrictions. Regardless of whether he succeeded, Zhao Mao could pick up the pieces from behind or even find an opportunity to strike from the shadows.

On the platform, everyone's gaze suddenly converged on Ye Tian.

Bai Ling and Bai Shaoyi's expressions changed, and Feng Xuan also frowned.

Ye Tian slowly raised his head to meet Zhao Mao's gaze. Not only did he not look angry, but he even revealed a trace of mockery.

“Are you afraid?”

He also only said three words, yet they were more effective than any long-winded speech.

Immediately after, under Zhao Mao's instantly ashen face and the astonished gazes of the crowd, Ye Tian took a step forward and actually started walking toward the nearest Thunder Spirit pillar at an unhurried pace.

“Since you don't dare, then I will.”