Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

「The Present.」

The second basement level.

Lu Chen stared straight ahead, counting down in his mind, ’Five, four, three, two, one!’

BANG!

A commotion erupted from within the golden coffin.

The evil creature inside slammed against the lid, producing a series of muffled thuds.

The frigid, sinister aura in the hall intensified in an instant. The Golden Core cultivators were fine, but the faces of the Crystallization Realm cultivators turned pale. Unable to bear it, they began to retreat from the square.

Of course, this outburst didn’t break the coffin.

Under the dual suppression of the Crimson Gold Flame and the Yin Yang Fish Formation, the turmoil inside the coffin lasted for a minute or two before reluctantly ceasing.

"That should do it."

Lu Chen let out a small sigh of relief, but his expression immediately grew solemn again.

"Let’s begin."

After that outburst, the thing in the coffin would stay quiet for at least two hours.

This period of calm was the perfect opportunity for them to adjust the restrictions here without interruption and make the final arrangements!

In a flash.

Array flags were set in place, rising like a forest.

Lu Chen took the central command position, with Zheng Yunzhe and Wu Yiling assisting him, while the other cultivators coordinated their efforts.

Soon, the final arrangements for the large-scale Array surrounding the golden coffin were nearly complete.

"Hooo..."

"A fifth-tier evil creature..."

Wu Yiling took a deep breath, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

The petite Wu Yiling pulled Wu Guanyuan in front of her, looking just like a timid little girl hiding behind her father.

"My dear grandson, you have to protect me."

"Grandmother?"

Wu Guanyuan’s face twitched.

’Who’s protecting who? I’m only at the Mid-stage Golden Core... Even with my body tempering techniques, I’m no match for a fifth-tier evil creature.’

Just then, Lu Chen’s voice boomed across the square. "Prepare for battle."

At this, the Crystallization Realm cultivators who had finished their tasks tacitly exited the area.

For the coming battle, the Golden Core Realm was merely the entry ticket. As for them... they would be completely useless.

The gap in realms was too vast for an advantage in numbers to matter.

Meanwhile, the seven Golden Core Masters readied themselves for combat.

They took out their Spiritual Treasures, their expressions turning serious. Talismans, pills, and other combat items were moved to the most accessible spots within their Storage Rings.

Even Wu Yiling’s expression returned to normal at this moment.

She was channeling a technique, applying a layer of buffs to herself and her teammates.

The pre-battle preparations were complete.

"Hooo..."

Lu Chen nodded and looked at the Array Plate before him.

CLICK.

The last Spirit Stone was embedded into the Array Plate.

HUM!

All around the circular plaza, nearly a thousand array flags suddenly lit up, their spiritual light boiling!

The spiritual light converged and intertwined. The fluorescent white radiance flowed like a hundred rivers to the sea, pouring into the coffin on the high platform at the center of the square!

"It’s starting."

At this moment, everyone was watching with bated breath.

The next moment!

The flames swirling around the golden coffin suddenly surged!

Almost simultaneously, a ferocious roar came from within the golden coffin, like the bellow of a demon from the depths of hell!

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

An unprecedentedly violent struggle erupted!

The evil creature within the golden coffin seemed to be in immense pain as it thrashed wildly!

The coffin lid banged and rattled, the sound growing louder and louder!

"Get ready..." Lu Chen’s eyes grew cold. He was relying on his mastery of arrays to unleash the full power of the location’s runic restrictions all at once!

His goal was to inflict the maximum possible damage on the creature in the shortest amount of time!

Judging by the horrific screams, this method was clearly effective; the evil creature in the coffin was severely injured.

However, Lu Chen narrowed his eyes.

He knew full well that it was nearly impossible to kill this evil creature with the seal here alone.

’If it were that simple, if it could be killed just by relying on an Array, why didn’t the cultivator who set up the seal do it back then?’

’So...’

’It still comes down to... a fight to the death!’

Even for someone like Lu Chen, this was only the first or second time he had faced a fifth-tier evil creature.

The Yaoguang Islands were vast, and it was all too common for sinister and bizarre things to breed and spread. There were even experimental subjects left over from the era of the Blood Moon Demon Palace!

These ruins of the demon palace were incredibly treacherous.

It wasn’t unheard of for a fifth-tier evil creature to emerge and bring calamity to a region.

One of the duties of the Nine Inner Sea Sects was to guard the sea regions, exterminate the evil creatures within their territories, and heal the wounds and hidden dangers the Blood Moon Demon Palace had inflicted upon the great sea.

’It’s just that... the last two times I hunted an evil creature, a Nascent Soul elder from my sect was leading the team. This time, I can only rely on myself...’

Lu Chen focused his mind.

The four Spirit Swords on his back flew from their scabbards, their four-colored spiritual lights shining brilliantly.

At the same time, BOOM!

A violent explosion rocked the golden coffin on the high platform!

Its golden lid was blasted high into the air!

In an instant, crimson red flames blossomed, engulfing the high platform. One could vaguely see the outer shell of the golden coffin starting to melt!

Even at the edge of the square, the Golden Core cultivators could feel the intense heat.

But despite such scorching flames, the being within the coffin endured the inferno and stretched out a withered, emaciated hand, shaped like dry bone, to grip the edge of the sarcophagus.

WHOOSH!

A majestic aura surged forth, and the crimson flames representing the sealing restriction flared up, dancing wildly!

The master of the coffin rose. Its flesh was so withered its face barely looked human. A pair of turbid eyes stared coldly at the Golden Core cultivators!

Compared to the armored Corpse Refinement, the state of this coffin master was relatively normal.

Aside from its withered flesh, which made it look almost skeletal, it had no other obvious inhuman features. Its height was also contained to just under one zhang, about 2.4 meters.

It was worth noting that its facial features were extremely similar to the face of the divine statue the Golden Core cultivators had seen when they first entered the temple.

"ROAR!"

The coffin master brandished a long-handled dagger-axe and swept it across!

A cold, deathly aura instantly spread out, and the crimson flames burning it were extinguished!

However, this display made Lu Chen’s eyes light up!

The aura of this coffin master was on par with the fifth-tier evil creatures he had seen before—it was indeed a fifth-tier being—but its strength was far inferior!

’At most... it’s only three or four times stronger than someone at Golden Core Perfection!’

’It’s strong, but not unbeatable!’

’We can kill it!’

At this thought, Lu Chen let out a furious roar!

"Kill!"

He led the charge. With a flick of his fingers, the four Spirit Swords spun out and formed the Four Extremes Life-Destruction Sword Array!

Inspired by Lu Chen and having seen through the creature’s true state, the other Golden Core cultivators also attacked with their full strength!

...

「The Dreamscape.」

The first basement level, before the bronze door.

Su Ye waited there, not entering the bronze doorway.

A hint of hesitation was on his face.

’The opening technique isn’t the problem...’

"But..." Su Ye murmured.

He had activated the opening technique.

But after the bronze door swung open, there was no path, only a thick, hazy layer of gray mist.

’This feeling is a bit like a domain... A lord’s sleeping place, revered by the spirit of a Demigod. Could this so-called ’lord’ be a deity?’

’A lesser god?’ Su Ye pursed his lips, a thoughtful expression on his face.

And at that moment, a sudden explosion rang out from behind the gate of mist!

"Hm?!"

’They’ve made their move?’

Su Ye immediately realized what was happening.