Realizing this fact, Angie instinctively moved closer to Aiven's side. It was the natural instinct of a normal human, regardless of how powerful one might be.
Within just a minute, four of the five Iroquois had already been struck down by daggers, and after collapsing to the ground, their bones were stripped away, becoming part of this temple.
The last hunter, the strongest among the indigenous people, had already passed through the square portal and appeared before the two of them.
Driven by a desire for survival, he hesitated not for a moment and led a large group of "Bone-Scraping Priests" to charge at them.
"Ah!"
But after just two steps, he was struck in the lower back by a dagger, and fell awkwardly into the filthy stagnant water.
The next moment, a part of the stone on the platform under Aiven and Angie's feet disappeared, replaced by a hip bone that looked very fresh.
"No one... can escape alive from this Temple of the Evil Spirit!"
Raising his head with effort to look at the two Nimansite people under the light ball, this last Iroquois hunter let out a laugh of despair, a sound unclear whether it was a statement or a curse.
He was then swarmed by the "Bone-Scraping Priests," dismantling his entire skeletal structure, filling his skin envelope with stones shaped like a skeleton.
Underneath their feet, following that hip bone, pieces of bones quickly assembled into a complete human figure.
Then a dozen "Bone-Scraping Priests" lifted the obsidian daggers in their hands and turned their faceless heads towards Aiven and Angie.
Whizz... Whizz... Whizz...
With far greater speed than they had chased the five indigenous hunters, they surged towards them.
"Hmm, these creatures should have no other abilities."
Aiven muttered to himself.
The next moment.
Crackle... Crackle...
Blue-white electric light already filled the entire hall.
[High-Voltage High-Frequency Pulse]
In the blink of an eye, most of the charging "Bone-Scraping Priests" turned to nothing but char.
"Although their abilities are strange, their overall strength isn't so impressive."
Aiven was about to pull Angie away from here and personally explore if there was indeed a way out.
Embedded in the moss-covered walls of the hall, skeletons lifted their heads. Black sludge continuously flowed from their eye sockets and mouths, transformed into new "Bone-Scraping Priests" upon hitting the ground.
They raised the obsidian daggers in their hands and surged like a tide once again.
He wouldn't dare gamble whether the suppression of Extraordinary Status could immunize them against this "bone-scraping" attack, hence he employed [Divine Power] while constantly maneuvering with Angie.
With a wave of his hand, he released a swarm of modified "Demonized Piranhas," an alternative solution proposed by Aiven himself after the initial "Strong Assault Demon Shark" proposal was rejected.
In the so-called "ominous ground," rushing around recklessly is definitely more dangerous than dealing with these "Bone-Scraping Priests."
"Angie, you guide the way!"
Holding the young girl in one arm, he simultaneously handed her the "Flesh Sacrifice."
With a flourish of his cloak, Aiven unsheathed [Thunder Fang], wielding the sharp Sword Qi infused with lightning to sweep away these fearless monsters!
Hundreds of piranhas cut through the water like white lines, quickly spreading throughout all the waters.
As the fundamental book of the School, "Flesh Sacrifice," likely once held by several Tier 4 Crowned Wizards, had abilities even more potent than the "Alchemy Workshop."
Angie's delicate fingers tapped on the magic book.
"Activate the altar effect!"
Within the Spiritual World, red threads connected to the core of the "Flesh Sacrifice," linking every piranha. Although these demonized creatures quickly succumbed to bone-scraping, their flesh paved a way for Angie to discern the structure of this White Bone Temple.
The total number of halls exceeded twenty, seemingly twisting a normal rectangular temple into a loop, forming an infinitely cyclical space. In other words, following the normal portals arranged by others would never allow them to leave here.
"Teacher, to the right."
Yet Angie vaguely perceived a flaw in this White Bone Temple.
Although the space might be twisted, completely constructing an independent world separate from the outside proves challenging. A human body has seven orifices and nine apertures; why should a building be an exception?
Under the enhancement from "Flesh Sacrifice," her [Animal Affinity] talent had already detected the place connected to the outside world.
Whoosh—
Following Angie's guidance, Aiven transformed into a formidable Thunder Dragon, the rolling thunder light swiftly breaking through four portals, eliminating hundreds of "Bone-Scraping Priests," arriving before a bare, seemingly flawless stone wall.
Behind united halls, "Bone-Scraping Priests" had turned into a black tide; even a Great Knight would feel tingles along their scalp at such a sight, leaving no time to carefully seek a way out.
"No way through? Then forge a new path! Angie, Kaka, cover me."
"Okay, Teacher."
"Kaka."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...
Holy light from the Celestial Realm and shadowy tentacles from the Shadow Realm together swept through, firmly blocking the mud-like creatures five steps away.
Aiven raised the [Extraordinary Longsword: Thunder Fang] high overhead, standing majestically on the water like a temple.
His towering figure became the bridge connecting heaven and earth.
With closed eyes, covering the increasingly intense white glow within, he adjusted his breathing technique, exhaling as a storm, inhaling as thunder, gradually developing a mysterious sensory connection with the world.
After several breaths, he inexplicably grasped the rhythm of the world itself, and the oddities within his breaths vanished.
After listening to the world's pulse through the sensory connection, thunder seemed to ring in Aiven's ears, yet the great sound was silence.
The next moment.
The soul, seated in the sea of consciousness, assumed the stature of a deity wielding thunder; the sight above seemed to step outside Aiven's own body.
[Secret Technique: Thunder Breath]
Bright green engravings illuminated sequentially on his wrist, ankle, and heart.
Spark... Spark...
The fragmented blue electric light on Aiven's body unified instantly, forming a bright and sharp blue electric glow around his surroundings.
He shouted:
"Slash—!"
The blazing sword whisper abruptly bloomed, and a bolt of lightning exploded within the hall.
Before Aiven, a smooth sword mark more than a person wide appeared on the stone wall, spanning from floor to ceiling. Through this mark, a vast valley was revealed outside, even the distant glittering glaciers could be seen.
That's the real Secret Realm; this White Bone Temple was merely a preliminary "game participants" before they arrived.
Just then.
"Screech! Screech!..."
All skeletons embedded within the walls simultaneously emitted a piercing scream like nails scratching glass, protruding from the embedded walls, undulating like waves.
Towards the direction of the two.
"Stay... behind...!"
Aiven waved his hand, opening the Shadow Secret Vault, unleashing countless dolphins composed of water each carrying an alchemy bomb, rapidly spreading throughout every corner of the White Bone Temple along the pooled water.
"Let the gifts remain."
Pulled Angie into a flash of electricity and darted out.
Behind them.
Boom!!!
A gigantic mushroom cloud rose into the sky.