Chapter 215: Grabbing the Key
’It’s a pity I didn’t figure this out sooner...but at least I was able to in the end,’ Yi Chen thought with a grin plastered on his face as he turned his head back.
Thousands of ghostly heads were chasing after him with piercing screeches and roars. However, none dared to pass through the firewall and attack him.
’Yeah, keep crying like that, you bastards,’ Yi Chen snorted in a dismissive manner before diverting his attention ahead.
"Hm?"
A few moments later, when the cliff’s edge was only a kilometre away, a frown formed on his face.
He had initially thought that the square key was hovering just above the cliff’s edge, but now that the distance had reduced, he was able to get a proper picture and realised that wasn’t so the case.
It was hovering much ahead of the cliff’s edge, above a dark chasm.
"That gap...it’s more than a hundred meters wide."
Yi Chen muttered with a frown as his gaze fell on the dark chasm separating the two landmasses.
Although he couldn’t exactly see its bottom from his current position, he knew that it would be anything but shallow.
"Just why did it have to fly all the way there..." Yi Chen thought in frustration.
He had no intention of falling into the chasm, but to complete the trial, he must get his hands on the key.
’The trial would most definitely finish the moment I have that key in my hands... probably.’
A frown formed on his face as he continued his thoughts, ’Even if it doesn’t...with my Bursting Fire Steps there’s still a chance for me to survive...’
He still remembered how he was able to somewhat lower and control his direction using it when he was falling from the sky, so he was willing to bet on it if need be.
As the cliff’s edge approached, Yi Chen increased the number of bursts emitting from his feet and accelerated to the highest possible speed as his figure bolted towards the cliff’s edge.
150 meters.
75 meters.
30 meters.
15 meters.
NOW!
The moment he was just a few inches away from the cliff’s edge, his entire body leapt forward in the air.
The winds howled, fluttering his robes, trying to slow down his momentum as his gaze fell on the deep chasm below
’...Wow!’
One mistake could cost him his life at the moment, yet he couldn’t look away.
The vast swirling sea of mist that hid the depths of the chasm mesmerised him completely.
Time seemed to have slowed down for him at that moment, as a few moments later, his admiring eyes locked onto the white square key hovering just about forty meters ahead.
At that instant, he suddenly felt his robes fluttering more intensely.
According to Yi Chen’s calculations, with his speed, he should have been easily able to cover half the distance of the gap and grab hold of the key using just his momentum.
However, he hadn’t accounted for the strong winds that howled in the chasm.
’This...’
Feeling his momentum dying down, he immediately performed several bursts to keep it alive.
It worked.
However, a concerned look immediately formed on Yi Chen’s face.
’The winds...they are too strong. Even with the incessant use of Bursting Fire Step, I’m afraid I will be unable to reach the other side...’
That was the backup plan he had in mind.
However, with it gone, his life entirely depended on one hope, the hope that the trial would end after he got hold of that square key.
’More...just a little more...,’
He stretched out his hand as far as possible in an attempt to reach it even a moment earlier, as the strong winds kept slowing down his momentum.
’Almost...’
The tips of his outstretched fingers finally touched the square key as it shone with blinding light the very next instant.
By the time he had tightly grabbed onto the square key, which kept getting brighter and brighter, his body had lost all its momentum.
The next instant, he started bolting down the chasm with great intensity.
Seeing the swirling blanket of mist getting closer and closer, Yi Chen tightly clenched his jaws and thought with gritted teeth.
’Don’t you disappoint me now...’
His figure soon penetrated the misty clouds as his vision turned entirely dark.
Out of reflex, he closed his eyes in fear as the wind bellowing against his ear grew stronger.
’Please...please...’
Tightly pressing his eyes, he kept hoping for the trial to end, but with every passing moment, that hope seemed to be waning.
However, before that hope could take the shape of regret, the white light from the key completely enveloped Yi Chen’s being and the next instant, his figure disappeared.
In the depths of that empty chasm, an eye suddenly opened up, glimmering with conviction.
"It’s decided then. He’s the one who’s going to be my successor!"
....
THUD!
Yi Chen’s body was flung away the next instant, and he landed flat on his butt before being dragged a few feet more.
"Brother Chen!"
"Young Master Chen!"
Worried exclamations from both Gao Zhen and the other two sounded the next instant as they rushed towards him with confusion and worry evident in their eyes.
The familiar voices brought him out of his stupor as he looked at the three of them.
Staring at their concerned faces, a wave of relief welled up in Yi Chen’s heart.
"It worked! I’m out...I’m out!" he wanted to raise his arms high up in the sky to exclaim in happiness, but suddenly realised that his right hand was holding onto something.
’Ah, yes. The key came with me.’ He nodded in realisation.
"What’s that?" Zhou Lan asked with a confused voice when she saw Yi Chen’s attention shift towards the strange white square in his hand.
A curious expression also formed on Gao Zhen’s and Xie Rou’s faces at this scene.
’Wait, could it be...’ Their eyes widened in realization and at the same time, the three of them glanced back at the black iron door.
Their eyes immediately fell on the square slot, which completely matched the dimensions of the white square Yi Chen was holding in his hand.
"Key! It’s the key!" Xie Rou exclaimed in exhilaration.
A similar expression also formed on Zhou Lan and Gao Zhen’s faces.
"Y-You succeeded?!" Gao Zhen’s eyes widened as they overflowed with both relief and amazement.
Earlier, it had only been five minutes since Yi Chen had placed his hand over the imprint when he was flung away by great force.
Witnessing that scene, her heart was immediately overwhelmed with worries, and the worst-case scenario had begun playing in her mind.
However, that took a complete one-eighty-degree turn when she saw the square key in Yi Chen’s hands.
Seeing their shocked expressions, especially Gao Zhen’s, Yi Chen chuckled softly and said with a nod, "Yes, I succeeded. The square in my hand is the key to the temple’s door."
"That’s great!" both Zhou Lan and Xie Rou exclaimed simultaneously at this news while exchanging gazes filled with relief.
If Yi Chen had failed to clear the trial, then they wouldn’t dare imagine how they would escape from this tomb.
With thousands of black skeletons surrounding them...just going downhill seemed impossible to the two of them, much less safely reaching the green gateway in the town’s centre.
As for Gao Zhen, her breathing increased as an expectant expression immediately took hold of her face.
Clearly seeing this, Yi Chen stretched his hand and said with a smirk, "Madam Gao, would you like to do the honours?"
"This..."
Before Gao Zhen could say anything, Yi Chen had already placed the key in her hand.
This only further increased her desire to open the temple’s door. Carefully grabbing onto the key, she accepted it with a nod and said with a serious expression, "T-Thank you."
"Just doing my job." Yi Chen answered with a smile while standing up.
"I’ll be opening it then..."
Gao Zhen muttered after taking a breath and, with the three of them, soon made their way towards the black iron door that had never been opened in tens of thousands of years.
SLLLIT!
The white square slid perfectly into the slot, and the next instant shone with its usual white brilliance.
Under the intense light, everyone narrowed their eyes but still forced themselves to observe what was going on.
Yi Chen soon noticed the white light seeping into the strange patterns engraved on the iron door, flowing like water through a channel.
Moments later, all the patterns shimmered in white light, and the temple’s door finally opened.
A mixture of excitement and anxiousness welled up in all their hearts at this scene, and the next instant, three pairs of eyes were immediately directed towards Gao Zhen.
Clearly sensing the gazes that were awaiting her instructions, the smile on Gao Zhen’s face widened as she said with an expectant tone.
"Let’s enter."
Her firm voice rang in their ears, and the next instant, the four of them stepped inside the darkness.