94: Chapter 94 Crystal Desperation and the Crisis Beyond the Illustrated Guide

After gathering the necessary intelligence and spending a significant amount of [dream coins] to purchase the [Treasure Trove Bestiary (Hand-copied Manuscript)] and [Monster Bestiary (Incomplete Version)] compiled by pioneer adventurers—content of questionable authenticity but better than nothing—the "Guan Xing" team did not linger and resolutely stepped into the light gate of the [Numerology Maze].

They knew well the treachery and volatility of this maze; the so-called bestiaries could become obsolete in the next second. Their true reliance was their own strength and ability to adapt on the fly.

Stepping into the "Trial Corridor" (First Underground Floor), the dense E-grade energy environment and relatively simple structure posed almost no threat to their team, which was comprised entirely of C-grade members. The [Danger Prediction C-grade] Talent allowed "Guan Xing" to always avoid those crude traps in advance or perceive the location of ambushing monsters. "Zhufeng"'s arrows and "Iron Wall"'s fists easily cleared the path, while "Qing Xin"'s [Tranquility Barrier] ensured the team remained unaffected by any faint mental interference.

They did not waste time on the first floor, clearly targeting and quickly passing through the entrance to the "Element Heart" (Second Underground Floor).

The complexity of the environment and the strength of the monsters on the second floor increased significantly. Scorching passages, acid swamps, twisted force fields... various elemental anomaly zones followed one after another. D-grade monsters appeared in swarms, and occasionally they encountered sporadic C-grade elites. However, the team coordinated perfectly, their strength overwhelming. "Guan Xing"'s compass spirit provided precise warnings, "Zhufeng"'s goshawk spirit provided high-altitude vision and weak point marking, "Iron Wall" acted like a monolith to block most attacks, and "Qing Xin"'s barrier effectively resisted the mental pressure brought by the environment.

They marched forward triumphantly, harvesting quite a few D-grade [Treasure Trove] items and some common C-grade [Materials], which were of considerable value. Relying on their strength and the guidance of "Guan Xing"'s Talent, they successfully found a relatively stable path to the "Void Abyss" (Third Underground Floor).

Stepping into the third floor, that atmosphere of cold, dead silence, and unknown pressure instantly enveloped them. Even with C-grade strength, they felt obvious pressure here.

"Everyone be careful, the rules here... are very chaotic." "Guan Xing" whispered a warning. The multi-layered crystal compass on his shoulder spun significantly faster, its needle trembling slightly from time to time, indicating multiple, intertwined threats lurking nearby.

They explored cautiously, relying on the vague guidance of "Guan Xing"'s Talent and the purchased intelligence to avoid several obviously dangerous areas. After dodging a group of troublesome [Void Floaters C-grade], they accidentally stumbled into a strange passage.

This passage was entirely composed of some kind of translucent, huge crystals with soft energy flowing inside. The walls were smooth as mirrors, refracting hazy halos of light. It was unusually quiet inside the passage, with no signs of any monster activity; even the whispers originating from the abyss that had been present before had disappeared.

"A very peculiar place... My Talent points here, there seems to be... resonance?" "Guan Xing" looked at the compass on his shoulder somewhat uncertainly, the needle pointing steadily into the depths of the passage.

Opportunity often coexists with risk. They decided to investigate further. The passage wound downward, finally leading to an even more expansive crystal cavern. In the center of the cavern floated a strange crystal about the height of a person, with what looked like a starry sky [Seal]ed at its core.

Just as "Guan Xing" approached this crystal, feeling the moment his own [Danger Prediction] Talent resonated weakly with it—

"Click... click..." A teeth-grinding friction sound came from the passage entrance they had just come from! Dozens of [Crystal Giant Scorpions C-grade], entirely composed of hard amethyst with scorpion tails flashing with deadly cold light, surged in like a tide, blocking their retreat!

"We're surrounded! Prepare for battle!" "Iron Wall" roared, his arm shield spirit shining brightly as he stood in the front.

However, the number of scorpions was too great, and in this smooth crystal passage, they moved extremely fast, closing in from all directions.

"We can't fight them head-on! Find another way!" "Guan Xing" made a decisive choice. The compass needle spun wildly, finally pointing to an inconspicuous crack on the side of the cavern, hidden by hanging crystal curtains.

"Over there!"

The team fought while retreating. "Zhufeng"'s arrows precisely targeted the joints of the giant scorpions trying to get close, while "Qing Xin"'s barrier struggled to withstand the long-range spray of venom from the scorpion tails. They clumsily burst through the crystal curtains and rushed into that narrow crack.

The crack was initially very narrow, barely enough for a person to pass through. After walking a few dozen steps, the view suddenly opened up—but before they could rejoice, their hearts sank.

This was a huge, palace-like crystal cavern, far more magnificent than the previous passages and caverns. Countless huge crystal clusters hung from the dome, emitting a hazy radiance. On the floor of the cavern, various items emitting powerful energy fluctuations were scattered: scepters inlaid with huge gemstones, rune armor floating in mid-air, strange fruits encapsulated in transparent crystals, mountains of various energy crystals... It was a dazzling display, with the light of [Treasure Trove]s soaring to the sky!

"This... this is..." "Zhufeng"'s breath hitched. The scene before her eyes far exceeded the records in her simple [Treasure Trove Bestiary].

"Iron Wall" widened his eyes even further, looking at the [Immovable Monolith Breastplate C-grade] on the ground that seemed tailor-made for him, emitting the heavy aura of a mountain.

However, the compass on "Guan Xing"'s shoulder issued an unprecedented, almost shrill warning tremor! He jerked his head up and looked into the depths of the cavern—

There, on a throne-like structure naturally formed by countless huge crystals, a colossal giant, entirely carved from the purest white crystal, was slowly... standing up!

Its eyes burned with golden light as intense as magma, and its entire body exuded a terrifying pressure that made the whole cavern tremble!

[Crystal Giant C-grade] (According to the monster bestiary, but the pressure of the entity before them far exceeded the description in the bestiary!)

The giant let out a deafening roar, as if countless crystals were shattering! It simply lifted its giant foot, which was like a small hill, and then—stomped down heavily!

"BOOM!!" The entire cavern shook violently. The crack they had come through was completely sealed off by huge crystal blocks shaken loose by the giant's stomp! The only way out was gone.

Ahead was an enraged, unfathomably powerful C-grade lord monster, and behind them was no way out. They were trapped in this crystal palace, which was filled with [Treasure Trove]s but might also be their burial ground.