Chapter 283: Climbing the Floating Island
Lin Ye pulled Xia La along as he ran at the front of the group.
Due to the gravitational issues in the environment, the people behind them would fall to the ground every few steps, and even those two seventh-tier spiritual energy users were no exception.
Only Lin Ye could rely on manipulating the surrounding spiritual energy to maintain his body's balance. While running, he wasn't particularly stable, but he maintained a delicate dynamic equilibrium.
Xia La was completely dragged along by Lin Ye as they ran forward, only needing to touch the ground once every dozen meters or so.
When they reached the edge of the land, Lin Ye used the reactive force from multiple spiritual energy bursts to jump onto another floating island eight meters above. While in mid-air, Lin Ye borrowed force through repeated spiritual energy bursts to avoid being pulled away by the gravity.
But only someone like Lin Ye, who had long studied runes, could perform such delicate operations. Even Ethan nearly got pulled away by the gravity when he jumped upward.
"You don't expect me to keep pulling all of you up here, do you?"
Lin Ye had no intention of wasting time here - he had his own matters to attend to.
"Pull me up. Although this is my first time here too, I purchased a lot of intelligence about the Falling Space. Plus, I can give you some specialties exclusive to the Heterodox God Cult."
Priest Ethan knew about the chaotic gravity here, but he hadn't expected it to be this troublesome - troublesome enough that even a seventh-tier spiritual energy user like him couldn't stand steadily. "I can scout for you! Don't leave me behind!"
Richard hurriedly said.
"I can give you a mid-tier spiritual energy item!"
"I can scout too!"
"Big brother, take me with you! I don't want to die here!"
"My family is very wealthy - I can give you massive resources after we get out!"
...
The other spiritual energy users quickly stated their conditions as well.
Lin Ye casually flicked out his fishhook and pulled Ethan up onto the floating island. He needed Ethan's intelligence. As for the others, they would have to rely on their own abilities.
However, before leaving, Lin Ye still threw down a silk strand tied to the floating island - spiritual energy material he had obtained previously.
The silk strand continuously changed shape under the influence of the gravity, but basically everyone present was a mid-level spiritual energy user, so those with decent luck should be able to climb up.
"I'll throw down silk strands on every floating island. Do your best."
Lin Ye pulled Xia La and ran diagonally forward, toward another floating island about a dozen meters above and to the side of the current floating island's edge.
Ethan hurriedly scrambled after Lin Ye, not wanting to fall too far behind, since he wasn't sure if Lin Ye would keep waiting for him.
Soon Lin Ye reached the edge of the floating island, but he suddenly discovered that the floating island above had a building, along with some humanoid creatures with lizard-like heads moving around near the structure.
Some of the lizard people spotted Lin Ye below and threw their spears in his direction.
Those spears moved extremely fast, reaching Lin Ye in the blink of an eye.
Before Lin Ye could even act, Ethan controlled spiritual energy to sweep away the spears, then closed his eyes before suddenly opening them wide to stare at the lizard people.
Several lizard people who met Ethan's gaze let out bizarre screams, after which some fleshy monsters covered in tendrils tore open the lizard people's skin and crawled out from inside their bodies.
Those fleshy monsters pounced on nearby lizard people, tangling with them.
Lin Ye seized the opportunity to pull Xia La along and used spiritual energy bursts to jump onto the floating island, then hooked Ethan up as well.
Ethan cooperated with the fleshy monsters to kill all the lizard people, and Lin Ye once again threw down a silk strand below.
"Brother, take me with you! I can scout!"
By this time, Richard had also reached the edge of the floating island.
"I don't need anyone to scout for me. Wouldn't it be better for you to follow behind?"
This was the first time Lin Ye had encountered someone so fond of scouting.
"Don't say that! I'm very useful!"
Richard certainly didn't actually enjoy scouting - following behind was indeed better - but he feared that circumstances might change above, causing Lin Ye to abandon them.
Lin Ye ran toward the luxurious castle at the center of the floating island, planning to use the castle's highest point to jump onto another floating island.
"Young man, we could look around inside the castle. Although the Falling Space is an extremely dangerous Abyssal Relic, it produces some rare special items within its space, such as materials with falling attributes and so on."
Before entering the Falling Space, Ethan had already made preparations in advance. The only thing he hadn't anticipated was that the gravity here would be strong enough to affect his normal movement.
"Forget it, I'm worried we might run out of time. Let's head directly to the castle top. If we sense anything useful along the way, we'll grab it."
Lin Ye understood clearly how to prioritize - he had no intention of getting trapped here.
"You're the boss."
The materials here were quite attractive to Abyssal cultists, and Ethan really wanted to collect some to bring back.
"I can probably locate the castle treasury. My family has a similar castle."
Xia La suddenly spoke up.
"Then let's make a trip. Can you use the treasury's assets to issue bounty tasks for me?"
Lin Ye suddenly thought of a method to reasonably utilize the system's mechanisms.
"I can, but if I keep issuing simple tasks, the system fees will get progressively higher."
Even Xia La would find that kind of increase painful.
"No problem, it's not like we can take it with us anyway."
Lin Ye's loot space wasn't full, but he had no intention of bringing back a pile of junk to the Shelter.
"Alright, that should be the hidden treasury inside."
Xia La pointed at a wall.
Lin Ye didn't sense anything within the wall, but when he cut through the wall surface, he discovered it indeed contained a treasury storing various spiritual energy items.
"To enhance concealment, this kind of treasury has almost zero protective capability."
Xia La quickly used the system to issue bounty tasks for Lin Ye. After just four tasks, the items in the treasury were exhausted.
Lin Ye quickly completed these simple bounty tasks and successfully obtained four bounties.
"This is the first time I've spent money like this."
Xia La watched as massive resources evaporated from her hands, suddenly experiencing a peculiar sense of pleasure.
"There's more above. Too bad we can't use the castle itself to issue tasks."
Lin Ye didn't know what the bounties were useful for either, but since they were already here, it would be best to accumulate as much as possible.
"Are you a system Survivor?"
Ethan asked curiously.
"Yes. During system events, I've encountered quite a few cultists. You're lucky - in a different event, I might have already taken you out."
Lin Ye felt there was something off about Ethan, but unless the other party showed malicious intent, he wouldn't strike preemptively.
As for matters of faith, that wasn't something Lin Ye could interfere with, unless the other person did something extremely excessive in front of him.
"My luck has always been pretty good."
Ethan didn't refute Lin Ye - he truly had no confidence in defeating him.
Lin Ye pulled Xia La up to the castle's summit. About twenty meters above and to the side of the castle grew a giant plant over a hundred meters tall, with numerous pitch-black root tendrils growing beneath it that occasionally twitched slightly.
"This time, wait for me below."
Lin Ye said to Xia La.