THE RISE OF THE DRAGON.
17. THE AZURE PALACE EXAM
Two days later…
The group continued moving forward, they met more beasts on the road, only they were not as strong as the horned serpents they had faced before.
“See”
Mei Ling pointed towards their right with her mouth agape.
As the others stared in that direction, they could not help but hold a cold breath. An Azure Palace could be seen, floating in the air.
“How is that possible?”
Ui Yong Jiang asked in astonishment.
The others could not answer because they were as surprised as he was.
Taking a closer look, they saw that there were already about eight people gathered outside the palace.
They had never seen these people before so they knew most likely they were from another kingdom,
but that did not stop them from approaching the palace, they simply increased their guard against the new people.
As they got closer, they all saw the stairs that led to the palace's huge golden door.
The group that had gathered there all saw a new group that was walking towards the palace.
“What do you think is inside the palace?”
“Yeah, we won't know until we get in”
A young man gathered courage and took the first step on the stairs.
As he placed his feet on the rungs of the stairs, he suddenly stopped, his body trembling slightly before he took a second step.
When one person takes the first step, the other person also steps forward, and then the third.
But something strange happened when the fourth person put his foot on the stairs, he was suddenly sent flying.
“What happened?”
Someone suddenly asked in surprise. Nothing like this happens when the others all take the first step.
“Could it be some kind of test?”
Ui Yong Jiang looked at the steps trying to understand what had just happened.
Seeing that the young man was fine, the fifth person who gathered courage put his foot on the steps.
His body trembled slightly, but after that, he was fine. He heaved a sigh of relief before climbing the stairs like everyone else who also climbed the stairs.
Ui Yong Jiang was the first among the group to take the first step,
as he placed his feet on the rungs of the stairs, he felt an unknown energy sweep through his entire body which made him tremble from the pressure of the energy being emitted.
But he was able to withstand the pressure and take a second step.
Surprisingly, he only felt a strange energy at the first step, and the others felt like normal steps.
‘It looks like a test. If one cannot withstand the pressure, then he will be rejected’.
Seeing Ui Yong Jiang make it past the first step, the others all took their first steps, he said,
But now, they were faced with a new challenge, opening the door.
They all tried to push the door, but did not move, not even making a sound.
While the others were still thinking of a way to open the door, something on the side of the door caught Lin's attention.
He walked towards the side of the wall and saw some instructions on the wall. Presumably, it was an instruction used to open the door.
Three minutes later…
The explosion!
Ui Yong Jiang stared at the door deeply, he really wanted to check it out.
“Hei doll! Come”
Hearing the call, Ui Yong Jiang, Lan Lan, Yong We, and Mei ling all looked towards him.
He pointed to the wall. The three curiously walked over, they were not the only ones, the other six were also walking. Looking at his instructions, Ui Yong Jiang unwillingly asked,
“When did you see it?”
“Newly”
Lin answered with a faint smile.
Well, they're right, he's been looking at it for almost three minutes now.
The way to open the door is actually quite simple. The door had a mechanism built into it, there was a small hole on the side of the door where someone placed their hands and channeled their elemental essence.
Only after that will it open. There were ten holes which meant that ten people had to do it simultaneously.
“Yeah, it's easy”
Mei Ling walked towards one of the holes and placed her hand on it, the others immediately followed.
They all twisted the elemental essence in their bodies and channeled it into their palms, the essence flowing from their hands into the hole, and immediately, immediately,
Crunch!
The door slowly began to open on its own.
Moments later, the golden door opened wide and a cold ancient wind blew into everyone's faces as they stood before the door.
They looked at the dimly lit palace before staring at each other,
they all strengthened their minds and walked to the palace, as soon as the tenth person walked in,
Bam!
The door suddenly shut.
‘Well, there seems to be no way to return’
Ui Yong Jiang looked at the closed door at this moment. He looked around to see how the place looked,
he saw they were all inside what looked like a vast grand hall, he could not see the palace walls due to the dim light.
“Test Try: Metal Warrior, Purpose: Survival, Time: Four hours”
The voice suddenly disappeared after this.
“What was that?”
A boy spoke in a panicked tone.
“It looks like we are in some kind of trial palace”
“What are these metal warriors talking about?”
“I don't have idea”
The young man wasn't the only one panicking, some others also had panicked expressions.
Damnit damnit! Damnit damnit! Damnit damnit!
From the dimly lit side of the palace, a soul-shaking sound emerged. At the same time, a powerful aura spread out.
“What is it?”
Everyone turned their heads to the side of the palace, but could only see five blurry figures slowly walking out of the dark place.
They all looked puzzled, but the metal footsteps behind them became increasingly close.
The aura from it also suppressed most of them, with only Lin Lin, Yong Jiang and the other youths not feeling depressed in any way.
Damnit damnit! Damnit damnit!
In the darkness, five three-meter-tall metallic black warriors appeared, they all had a pair of green eyes opened. There was also a pair of dark green wings on the back of the black metal warrior who had a span of two meters.
“What is it?”
Everyone's hearts are shaking.
“Yes Gods!”
Mei Ling's mouth was gaping. He was not the only one, almost everyone stood stunned.
“All the auras of monsters seem to be at the peak of the Ninth” stage
Lin Lin or Jade Lin said after sensing the exact strength of the monsters.
Everyone's hearts are tight, though,
including Lan lan. Among the group that entered the palace,
only Lin Lin, Ui Yong Jiang and one other young man were at the Ninth stage,
the rest were all at the Sixth and Eighth stages with Mei Ling being the only one at the Sixth stage.
Bang out!
Ui Yong Jiang hit the ground hard. They had been fighting with the metal soldiers for over two hours now.
considering he was the weakest, while Ui Yong Jiang and Yong We worked together against one of the soldiers.
The others also cooperated, for the time being, they lowered their guard against the others because if one of them were to die, they would lose their guard,
it would be a disaster for others. They could only defend against metal warriors, if they attacked each other, they would all definitely die.
“These things seem indestructible”
Reynolds used his movement technique to evade the fist that the construct sent towards him.
“Not that they are indestructible, it's just that our attacks are not strong enough”
Ui Yong Jiang rolled to the side while still on the ground as the monster stomped on his head with his right foot.
He suddenly had the urge to try using elemental fusion, but given the current space, it might affect all of them.
If he could do so, his attacks would have to be powerful enough to destroy these objects. Only, they might as well die in the process.
For objects made of metal, it turns out to be very agile. Paired with wings on their backs, they were difficult to deal with.
Although the group was unable to cause any major damage, they were at least able to leave some dents on the metal warrior's body.
They were all getting tired as they had been expending energy since the battle began.
The metal warriors on the other hand, looked fine, except for the dents on their bodies.
While the fight was still going on, Mei Ling suddenly realized something, one of the warrior hands they were fighting against seemed slower than the other hand.
‘Why does that hand look slower?’
Mei Ling asked herself.
Of the ten people who fought, it was him who had a relatively easier time because Lin Lin was able to hold back that soldier.
Although it was only potluck, but it was enough for Mei Ling to think and move more freely.
As soon as he got the chance, he attacked the metal warrior. And every time he realized the pressure on Lin Lin became too much, he said,
he would distract the soldier to relieve that pressure.
Twenty minutes later…
“Dirt! We can't keep going like this”
Yong We said in frustration, they could barely hold on anymore.
He had already sustained some minor injuries, fortunately, the soldiers had only used their fists.
If they were equipped with weapons, they would definitely be in a more difficult situation.
“That's it!”
Mei Ling suddenly shouted after she sent an attack at the metal warrior.
“What?”
Lin Lin who was once again pushed back by the warrior asked.
If not for the speed that the lightning element provided, he would have already suffered many injuries.
Several others were already injured with one almost dead. The only other person in the Ninth stage of the Arcane Plane
must endure the pressure of fighting a fighter alone for the rest of the time, so that his partner can help the young man whose partner is seriously injured.
“Reason one of his hands is slower than the other”
Mei Ling chuckled.
With this discovery, they would be able to defeat the metal warriors before the time was up.
Well, given the path, they might not be able to last that long if they did not defeat them.
“I don't understand”
Lin lin said as he sent an attack towards the incoming warrior.
He could not be blamed for not realizing it, he was already having trouble keeping himself alive, he said,
there was no way he could see a slightly slower hand.
“One of... Sighs Forget it”.
Mei Ling wanted to explain, but that would take a lot of time. He decided to try his hypothesis.
While Lin Lin was involved with that soldier, he carefully aimed at the space that was on the soldier's shoulder.
Since it was a construction, there was no way it would be completely covered like a human.
He carefully manipulated the water he made and tried to put it in the space between his shoulders. But, unfortunately, the attempt failed.
That was to be expected, given the fact that the construction was moving.
“Try to keep silent”
Mei ling said to Lin Lin.
“It won't be easy”
Lin lin answered.
“I know, just try it. Although only two seconds”
Mei ling urged.
“OK”
Lin Lin continued to fight with his construction.
She could sometimes hold it in, but Mei ling could not hit her.
“Mei Ling whatever you want to do, do it quickly”
shouted Lin lin.
Now he faces more pressure as he has to face construction alone.
Two minutes later…
“Success”
Mei Ling said happily.
He was finally able to put water into the space between the shoulders of the construction. When water enters the chamber, it freezes it.
The right hand of the construction suddenly stopped moving. As one of his hands was helpless, his pressure was greatly reduced.
“So so”
Lin lin was quite impressed with Mei ling's quick thinking.
They are also able to knock out the second hand immediately.
“Ya”
The screams from them attracted the attention of others. Well, people who are able to be disturbed, namely.
“Good work buddy. Now try to finish that and bring your ass here ”
Ui Yong Jiang shouted in excitement when he saw the construction that Mei Ling and Lin Lin opponents could not move one of his hands.
Mei ling told the other two Water Elementalists in the group. Hearing the way to defeat the construction, they all quickly used it.
Thirty minutes later…
The explosion!
The last construction fell to the ground, motionless. All the groups breathed a sigh of relief.
Although they were unable to destroy the construction, they were able to cripple them.
At least now they can rest. They were still stuck in that place even though the time was not over yet.
They all took their remaining time to recover their essence.
An hour later…
A door suddenly opened on the other side of the hall.
They all looked at the open door. It was the only door they could pass through because the door they used to enter the place was still closed.
But they didn't go in right away. Only after an hour did they all stand up and walk towards the door.
The injured young man was carried by his friends because he could not be left in the hall.
After passing through the door, they entered a room.
Inside the room, three boxes lay on the floor beside him, there was a bed, and also a door that led to the outside of the room.
They all stared at each other with careful eyes. They knew the reward for passing through the hall was most likely in those boxes.
Ui Yong Jiang looked at the others before running towards one of the boxes. He wasn't the only one moving, the others were all moving as well.
Now the group that fought as a team a moment ago faced each other.
