Chapter 93: First Battle, Two-Headed Monster

The morning sunlight filtered through the lattice windows into the main hall, landing on the bed.

Su Yun opened his eyes and felt warm, soft bodies pressed tightly against him on both his left and right sides.

He looked down to his left.

Elder Han Yue was curled up in the crook of his arm, her white Daoist robe draped loosely over her body, revealing a patch of pearly-white shoulder.

She slept very quietly, her breathing light and shallow, her eyelashes like two feathers resting on her eyelids.

He looked to his right again.

Liu Wugou was practically hanging all over him, one leg pressing across his waist, her face buried in the crook of his neck, her breathing warm and steady.

Her hand was still clutching his lapel, as if afraid he might run away.

The corner of Su Yun's mouth twitched.

After he returned last night, Elder Han Yue and Liu Wugou had guarded him on either side, saying they wanted to "accompany Master for a rest."

As it turned out, nothing happened.

Because he had to lead a team into the Trial Tower this morning, although the two women's eyes were filled with expectation, they were sensible enough not to bother him.

However, at this moment, although both of them had their eyes closed, Su Yun could feel that they were already awake.

Sure enough, upon sensing Su Yun's movement, both women opened their eyes at the same time.

Elder Han Yue opened her eyes, her gaze crossing over Su Yun's chest and landing on Liu Wugou's face.

Liu Wugou also opened her eyes and looked back without showing any weakness.

The two women's gazes met in mid-air, as if sparks of electricity were flashing between them.

Su Yun: "…"

He gave a dry cough.

"If you're awake, get up. There's serious business today."

The two women retracted their gazes simultaneously and obediently got up.

Elder Han Yue sat up and tidied her robes in a leisurely manner, her movements elegant.

Liu Wugou, on the other hand, pounced directly onto Su Yun, kissed him on the face, then jumped off the bed and shot a triumphant look at Elder Han Yue.

Elder Han Yue remained expressionless, but the movement of her tidying her robes visibly paused for a moment.

Su Yun rubbed his forehead.

Half an hour later.

In front of the Trial Tower, twenty figures stood in a neat row.

Su Yun stood at the very front, his gaze sweeping over the group.

Elder Han Yue, Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Liu Wugou, Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Blood Maiden, Peak Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Blood Lotus Saintess, Peak Foundation Establishment.

Ye Qinghan, Early Stage Foundation Establishment.

Protector Yin Hongling, Early Stage Foundation Establishment.

Jingyue, Early Stage Foundation Establishment.

The Sect Master of Shuiyue Nunnery had just arrived with her Disciples last night, and upon hearing that they were going to enter the Trial Tower today, she had volunteered to participate.

True Monarch Bingpo stood at the very edge, her small body standing straight as an arrow, her little face tilted up, her eyes filled with excitement.

Her current strength… was hard to say, but going in to play around shouldn't be a problem.

Besides these eight, there were twelve Disciples at the Half-step Foundation Establishment stage.

Ling Shuang was among them; she was already at the Half-step Foundation Establishment stage, only one step away from Foundation Establishment.

Yin Hongyao was there too, along with several elites selected from the Qinglan Sect and Blood Ghost Hall.

Twenty people, fully prepared to set off.

Su Yun looked at them and said in a deep voice:

"After we go in, stay close to me. The Trial Tower will adjust the difficulty based on our strength, so this trip won't be easy."

"Remember, death inside the tower isn't real death, but it will be very painful. So don't be careless."

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes, Master!"

Su Yun turned around and walked toward the tower gate.

The tower gate opened silently, revealing a pitch-black space.

He stepped inside.

Behind him, nineteen figures followed one after another.

Before them, it was pitch black at first, then suddenly lit up.

Su Yun looked around.

This was a huge stone hall.

The dome was so high it couldn't be seen, and the surroundings were filled with thick stone pillars, their shafts covered in ancient runes. The floor was paved with huge bluestone bricks, each one a square zhang in size.

The air was filled with an oppressive aura.

Behind him, the women appeared one after another, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

"Master, this place…" Elder Han Yue had just started to speak when her expression suddenly changed.

A hundred zhang ahead, a huge figure slowly emerged.

That was a… person?

To be precise, it was a humanoid monster.

It was fully three zhang tall, with its upper body bare, revealing well-defined, powerful muscles.

The most bizarre thing was that it had two heads!

The head on the left had ice-blue skin and ice-blue hair, with pupils like cold ice, and the breath exhaled from its mouth carried white mist.

The head on the right had fire-red skin, hair like burning flames, pupils like magma, and scorching heat waves swirling around its body.

Two heads, sharing one body.

The monster looked down at Su Yun and his group, its two heads flashing with cold killing intent simultaneously.

"Intruders… die…"

Two voices rang out at the same time, one cold and one hot, weaving together into an eerie harmony.

The next instant—it raised both hands.

In its left hand, ice-blue light surged!

In its right hand, fire-red light exploded!

Boom!!!

The two lights intertwined, transforming into a torrential flood of ice and fire that swept toward Su Yun and the others!

Wherever the flood passed, thick frost condensed on the ground, only to be instantly melted by the scorching flames; ice and fire intertwined, steam permeated the air, terrifying to the extreme!

"Scatter!" Su Yun shouted sharply, his figure retreating rapidly.

The women reacted extremely quickly, instantly scattering in all directions.

But the coverage of the ice-fire flood was too large, almost enveloping the entire stone hall!

A few people were unable to dodge in time and were swallowed by the flood.

"Ahhh—!" Screams rang out.

Those few Half-step Foundation Establishment Disciples had their bodies instantly frozen, then shattered by the flames, dissolving into fragments of ice crystals that filled the air.

Su Yun's expression darkened.

That monster's strength was at least Early Stage Golden Core!

And it was dual ice and fire element, with a massive attack range and ridiculously strong power.

"Is it because of me…" he muttered.

The Trial Tower adjusts difficulty based on the challenger's strength.

With him, a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, leading the team, the guardian he encountered would naturally also be at the Golden Core level.

Behind him, Elder Han Yue and the others also launched their attacks.

Sword light, blood light, ice blades, Talismans… various attacks bombarded the monster.

But the monster merely raised its left hand, and an ice wall condensed out of thin air, blocking all the attacks.

Then, with a wave of its right hand, fireballs filled the sky like meteors and smashed down!

Everyone scattered to dodge again, and two more were hit by fireballs, "dying" on the spot.

Su Yun narrowed his eyes.

This won't do.

This monster is dual ice and fire, combining offense and defense; long-range attacks are almost ineffective against it.

Must get close.

He took a deep breath, and the spiritual power within his body surged frantically.

Five Elements Spiritual Power, Thunder Spirit Power, Blood Fiend Origin, and Ice Soul Power… the four powers intertwined and fused, forming a faint halo around his body.

He stomped his foot, his figure moving like lightning, rushing toward the monster!

The monster's ice-blue head on the left let out a cold snort and waved its hand.

An ice wall descended from the sky, blocking Su Yun's path!

Su Yun didn't dodge or evade; his black iron short staff, wrapped in thunder, smashed down with a single strike!

Boom!!! The ice wall shattered!

But the next second, the fire-red head on the right opened its mouth, and a pillar of fire erupted, shooting straight at Su Yun's face!

Su Yun flashed his figure, narrowly avoiding it.

The pillar of fire grazed past him, the scorching heat waves burning his skin painfully.

He had just steadied himself when the monster's left hand swiped at him again.

This time it wasn't an ice wall, but countless ice spikes, shooting over in an overwhelming barrage!

Su Yun swung his short staff, thunder light exploding, shattering the ice spikes one by one.

But the monster seemed tireless, alternating between ice and fire, its attacks continuous and unending.

Su Yun was actually suppressed and unable to get close for a moment.

"Master!" Blood Maiden's exclamation came from behind.

Su Yun looked back and saw that several more Disciples had been hit by fireballs, dissolving into points of light.

No, can't drag this out any longer.

A thought flashed through his mind.

The Blood Fiend Power within his body surged frantically, transforming into a thick blood mist that spread out from his body!

The blood mist permeated the air, instantly enveloping the entire stone hall!

The monster paused in its movements.

Its two heads looked around, but could see nothing.

The blood mist not only obscured vision but could also interfere with Divine Sense detection.

Su Yun moved silently through the blood mist, closing in on the monster.

Once he got close!

He suddenly rushed out of the blood mist, his black iron short staff wrapped in blinding thunder light, smashing a blow toward the monster's back!

The monster reacted extremely quickly; the ice-blue head on the left whipped around, and an ice wall instantly condensed!

But this strike of Su Yun's was fully charged with Thunder Spirit Power.

The ice wall, not yet fully condensed, was as fragile as a sheet of paper in the face of the thunder light.

Boom!!!

The ice wall shattered!

The force of the staff did not diminish, smashing fiercely into the monster's back!

"Roar—!" The monster let out a painful roar.

But it was two-headed; even though its body was severely injured, the two heads could still counterattack.

The fire-red head on the right turned suddenly, a pillar of fire shooting straight at Su Yun's face!

The distance was too close; there was no way to dodge.

Su Yun gritted his teeth, raised his left hand, and condensed Five Elements Spiritual Power into a shield in his palm.

Boom!!!

The pillar of fire crashed into the spiritual shield, exploding into sparks that filled the air.

Su Yun was knocked back several zhang, his left hand charred black, a piercing pain shooting through his heart.

But he didn't stop.

His figure flickered, and he rushed up again!

The monster had been severely injured by his staff, and its movements were already a beat slower.

Su Yun took advantage of its injury to finish it off; with his short staff wrapped in thunder, he smashed down blow after blow!

The first blow smashed onto the ice-blue head on the left!

The second blow smashed onto the fire-red head on the right!

The third blow struck straight at its chest!

The monster finally couldn't hold on, its massive body crashing to the ground.

Ice-blue and fire-red light overflowed from its body, and it began to disintegrate.

Finally, it turned into countless points of light, dissipating in the air.

The stone hall returned to silence.

Su Yun knelt on one knee, gasping for breath.

Although the battle just now didn't last long, every strike had been with all his might.

Given his current strength, he rarely had an equal among Golden Core Stage Cultivators, but he hadn't expected the monster in the tower to be so difficult to deal with.

Behind him, the blood mist gradually dissipated.

Elder Han Yue and the others gathered around.

"Master!"

"Husband!"

"Is Master alright?"

Su Yun waved his hand and stood up.

He looked around.

Of the twenty people who had entered, only… twelve remained.