Serpent Ancestor

Chapter 174: Improved Formation, Unlucky Bai Luo

Bai Luo had done his homework thoroughly before entering the ruins, going through the sect's history and ancient texts to learn everything about the third-generation ancestor.

Despite many details being lost—such as why the third-generation ancestor left the sect, why he came to Wu Mountain, and what he left behind—these remain mysteries.

However, there are relatively detailed records about this tower.

"Heaven is helping me; I will definitely conquer this tower!"

Without hesitation, Bai Luo stood up and entered the tower.

Zhou Wendie, however, was stopped by a single glance from Lei He.

She said nothing, simply sitting cross-legged at the entrance.

Upon entering the tunnel, Bai Luo immediately saw a stone tablet and the inscription on it.

"Heh, just as the ancient texts described."

The inscription on the stone tablet seemed strange, as if it had been newly carved!

He quickly went out and called Lei He to observe it together. Lei He shared the same opinion: the inscription was newly inscribed.

"How could this be?" Bai Luo's face darkened.

There was only one explanation: someone had entered the pyramid before them.

The inscription might be fake, altered by later generations to deceive people!

He was certain that the stone tablet was left by the third-generation ancestor, but if a few words were altered, the meaning would be completely different.

Bai Luo's face turned ashen as he stared at the stone tablet, his eyes bloodshot, studying it carefully.

In fact, Xu Hei hadn't changed a single word of the inscription; he had merely copied it.

This directly led to Bai Luo not daring to proceed until he restored the true inscription!

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...

At this moment, Xu Hei was already standing on the fifth square.

He spent three days analyzing the first formation, only two days on the second.

The next two took just one day each.

In the six arts of cultivation, Xu Hei learned rapidly, often succeeding on his first attempt, showcasing his terrifying comprehension.

Similarly, after passing each formation, Xu Hei would "improve" it, integrating his knowledge.

If the previous formations were fraught with danger, now they were filled with lethal traps.

"This formation is a water-based vortex formation, capable of trapping a person and draining their Spiritual Qi until it's completely depleted."

Xu Hei sat motionless on the ground.

He didn't break the formation but pondered its principles, trying to understand it from the designer's perspective.

Xu Hei discovered that the mechanisms within the pyramid, though seemingly complex and ever-changing, were essentially formations.

For example, the walls that blocked Divine Sense and the coffin in the first challenge were all due to formations.

In other words, if his formation skills were strong enough, he wouldn't need to go through the challenges. He could take the pyramid directly and retrieve the butcher as well.

This time, Xu Hei took only half a day to comprehend it.

"I understand now. This formation tests the depth of one's True Qi. As long as you keep taking pills and let your True Qi be drained ten times, you can pass," Xu Hei thought.

But he didn't plan to do that; he wanted to break the rules here.

Why should everything be according to the opponent's design?

Xu Hei took out a large number of Spirit Stones, casting formation patterns across the ground, forming an inverse spiral formation in an instant.

As Xu Hei deployed his formation, the speed of Spiritual Qi extraction gradually slowed.

An hour later, it vanished completely.

"Phew!" Xu Hei exhaled deeply.

This was the first time he had broken a formation using his own formation skills instead of following the opponent's rules!

Although it cost him ten thousand Spirit Stones, it was worth it.

Similarly, Xu Hei improved the water-based vortex formation, adding a layer of Heavenly Thunder formation on top, which not only drained True Qi but also infused it with thunder.

Xu Hei pressed on without stopping.

...

Meanwhile, at the entrance to the first challenge.

Bai Luo and Lei He meticulously reviewed every detail, comparing it with ancient texts, and after a day and night of study, they finally restored the inscription.

It was identical to the original!

"What a brilliant trick; I can't even tell what was altered!" Bai Luo's face was stiff.

If it were just alterations, it would be fine, but he seriously suspected that the opponent had erased crucial information.

Without finding that information, rushing in would lead to a dead end.

In desperation, Lei He took out a mirror of historical reflection.

This mirror could replay historical projections, a sophisticated technique of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, inherited from ancient times, and one of their trump cards for this journey.

Under the mirror's reflection, the events on the stone tablet played out in reverse, replaying before their eyes.

They saw a scale scraping across the stone tablet, copying all the inscriptions.

After watching the replay, Lei He fell into silence.

"Just... this?"

Bai Luo was stunned for a few seconds, then his gentle face twisted rapidly, his chest heaving, almost exploding with rage.

"Ah!! Despicable scoundrel!"

Bai Luo roared to the sky, his handsome face turning maniacal, "I don't care who you are, this time, I will tear you to pieces!"

He had been played, and it was the first time he had been played like this.

The opponent hadn't changed anything, relying solely on his own imagination.

If there had been changes, it would have been easier to find flaws by reasoning through inconsistencies, but the opponent hadn't changed a thing, which was the cruelest.

For the first time, Bai Luo felt how troublesome this predecessor was.

"Since the content is correct, I need not worry. Based on my cultivation, I alone am enough to pass."

Before long, Bai Luo regained his confidence, returning to his calm and composed demeanor.

Lei He didn't enter, standing guard at the entrance to prevent any disturbances.

Bai Luo walked into the stone chamber of the first challenge.

Upon entering, he saw a coffin, the place where Xu Hei had once been.

However, the Cat King corpse puppet had become the butcher corpse puppet.

Of course, Bai Luo knew nothing of this.

"The first challenge should be a corpse puppet, though I'm not sure what kind of corpse puppet it is. As long as its cultivation hasn't reached Qi Condensation, it won't be my match..."

Bai Luo saw the coffin and, after a brief analysis, understood the general process.

However, just as the thought crossed his mind, he found all his protective Magical Treasures shattering.

"Whoosh!"

Bai Luo immediately retreated to the farthest point, taking out a handful of revealing dust and scattering it into the air, turning the area into a hazy dust field.

Within the dust, a vague humanoid silhouette could be seen approaching him.

"Invisibility? That's a first."

Bai Luo's expression remained unchanged as he took out an ancient mirror, flicking his finger to send a wave of chaos spreading out. This move was naturally effective against puppets, especially corpse puppets that had developed intelligence.

"Ugh..."

The silhouette began to tremble, and after being hit by the wave of chaos, it sprouted numerous arms and legs, then started to split, with countless smaller silhouettes emerging from its body.

It was as if this wasn't a single corpse puppet but a conglomeration of many.

"This..." Bai Luo was dumbfounded.