Chapter 972: Chapter 972

Lin Chen and Zhao Xiaohua carried the other three out of the snow mountain for about four hundred meters before setting them down.

"Master, the magnetic field in that area easily causes hallucinations and puts people into a lethargic state. Luckily, the magnetic field is now very weak," Xiao Shuai explained.

Sure enough, after a few minutes, under Lin Chen's calls, Wang Zixuan and the others finally woke up.

The three of them, upon hearing what had happened, were filled with lingering fear.

If it hadn't been for Lin Chen and Zhao Xiaohua, the three of them might have ended up frozen to death like the others.

"Ai Xiaoying, didn't you say you've been here before? Why didn't you warn us?" Lan Xingling asked discontentedly.

"I—I've only been to the crevice. I never went further ahead," Ai Xiaoying replied, feeling slightly wronged.

"Alright, let's continue moving forward," Lin Chen said plainly.

Just as they were about to set off, Lin Chen's expression suddenly changed. "Damn it, we've walked into an ambush!"

Before his words even finished, a sudden rumbling was heard, and a massive crevasse abruptly cracked open beneath the feet of the five.

Before they could react, all five of them fell into the crevice.

From a nearby slope, Burton looked at the group plummeting into the icy abyss, a sinister smile creeping across his face.

"Haha, so what if you crossed the Death Lock Line? In the end, you'll still perish at my hands!"

"Big brother, the young lord has already arrived at the Starry Lake Realm. He's said to summon us there immediately," a young man beside him said.

"Alright, I'll head there now," Burton nodded and replied.

Lin Chen's body plummeted rapidly, but fortunately, the ice claw in his hand latched onto a protruding piece of ice.

Just then, Ai Xiaoying suddenly fell past him, and with a swift motion, Lin Chen grabbed her.

Looking at the others, Lin Chen saw they had all anchored themselves to the ice wall with grappling hooks.

The five slid cautiously along the ice wall until they reached the bottom, where they discovered an astounding sight: an incredibly beautiful hidden world beneath the snow mountain.

What amazed them even more was the sight of a path winding forward in the icy underworld, rugged and unbroken.

The five of them stepped onto the path. Lan Xingling glanced at the inscriptions on the stone walls lining the path, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"I can't believe this—what a blessing in disguise! The end of this path leads directly to the Starry Lake Realm," Lan Xingling exclaimed in delight.

The others, upon hearing her words, had their previously dampened spirits lifted instantly.

The group of five continued on along the winding ice road.

Along the way, they were all stunned by the wondrous scene surrounding them.

The path appeared to be chiseled directly from the glacier. Although it twisted and turned, its width remained eerily consistent. None of them could imagine who—or what—might have been capable of carving such a road beneath the glacier.

After walking for about half a day, they finally saw a massive door at the end of the road.

Above the door, two large characters were inscribed: "Starry Palace."

The group arrived at the door, but found it firmly shut. Lin Chen attempted to push it open, but it wouldn't budge.

Lan Xingling stood before the door and suddenly clutched her head, as if recalling something.

"What's wrong with you?" Lin Chen asked.

Lan Xingling's face contorted in pain. After a while, she said, "I feel like I've remembered something, but it's just fragmented images. I can't piece it together."

"There's an indentation here. Try placing the jade tablet into it," Zhao Xiaohua suggested.

Lin Chen nodded and inserted the jade tablet into the indentation.

As soon as it was placed, the rusted, weathered door creaked, gradually opening.

They stepped into the Starry Palace and were immediately met with the sight of a statue at the center of the grand hall—a three-headed, six-armed figure with an iron-forehead bronze head, supported by eight legs.

"This is a statue of our ancestor, Chi You," Lan Xingling declared. Kneeling before it, she reverently kowtowed three times.

The grand hall was in ruins, with various statues of Golden Armor Guards scattered across the floor in a state of disrepair.

Lin Chen and the others examined the hall for a while but couldn't find any clues.

The five of them ventured deeper via a passageway, which led to a narrow corridor.

As soon as they stepped into the corridor, the metal gate behind them slammed shut with a loud clang.

All their faces darkened—

The closing of the gate marked the triggering of a trap. What concerned them even more was that there was no turning back, leaving forward as their only option.

"Everyone, be careful," Lin Chen warned as he took the lead. He had barely advanced a few steps when sudden flashes of cold steel shot out from either side of the corridor wall.

Lin Chen instinctively leaned back; the cold arrows barely grazed past him.

But this was only the beginning—every step he took triggered bolts firing from various angles.

Fortunately for Lin Chen, his agility allowed him to evade them all, or else he'd have been struck down under a Thousand Arrows Piercing Heart.

By watching Lin Chen risk himself, the others began to discern a pattern.

Zhao Xiaohua was the next to cross. Her lithe figure darted through the danger zones like a phantom, reaching the safe area in mere moments.

Wang Zixuan and Lan Xingling also managed to pass unscathed, each with a few close calls.

It was finally Ai Xiaoying's turn.

Faced with the dense array of arrow slits on both walls, her heart raced with dread.

But gritting her teeth, she charged forward.

Midway through, her clothes were already pierced in several places by the bolts.

At that moment, a bolt flew straight toward Ai Xiaoying's face. She ducked her head, narrowly avoiding it.

Yet almost simultaneously, two bolts shot toward her legs.

When she attempted to lift her foot, her footing suddenly slipped, causing her to fall.

As she pitched forward, four or five crossbow bolts rushed toward her.

Ai Xiaoying watched as the bolts closed in on her, realizing she had lost her balance and was powerless to evade.

"It's over. This is the end!" Ai Xiaoying thought hopelessly, closing her eyes in despair.

With a series of muffled sounds, Ai Xiaoying suddenly felt her body become light as a feather.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself being cradled in Lin Chen's arms.

Despite dodging and weaving, Lin Chen had taken four or five hits while shielding her.

Incredibly, the arrows weakened on impact with Lin Chen's body before clattering uselessly to the ground.

Lin Chen finally reached the safe area with Ai Xiaoying in his arms, though his body now bore seven visible arrow wounds.

In his effort to protect Ai Xiaoying, Lin Chen had blocked nearly all the bolts directed at her.

Looking at Lin Chen's injuries, Ai Xiaoying was overwhelmed with gratitude.

However, unbeknownst to her, Lin Chen internally rejoiced that he had been wearing spirit armor. Without it, being struck by those seven arrows would have left him seriously injured, if not dead.

"Lin Chen, thank you. You saved me again," Ai Xiaoying said, still shaken.

Had Lin Chen not acted, she knew she'd already have been skewered like a porcupine.

Lin Chen chuckled. "I'm still waiting for you to show off your Dragon Talon once we're out. How could I let you die here?"

Ai Xiaoying's cheeks turned red. "Don't worry. Once we're back, I'll make sure you get to enjoy it properly."

As the two exchanged playful banter, another stone gate dropped behind them. To their shock, the gate ahead of them also began to fall slowly.