A moment of dead silence, then the crowd erupted.
Screams of jubilant celebration rang out, everyone laughing and shouting madly. The Grim Reaper hanging over their heads had finally departed!
They had finally found the correct path, and they wouldn't have to die!
Youmeng Moshi and Baimu Tianjun, following the order Su Luo had traversed, also safely reached the other side of the cliff. The moment their feet touched solid ground, a sense of security flooded their hearts, making them almost cry out.
It was solved!
The Afterlife Divine Bridge, which had troubled the Demon Lord for half a year, was finally broken!
Baimu Tianjun desperately wanted to report this good news to the Demon Lord immediately, but since they had already entered the ancient ruins, he would have to wait until they left. A flush spread across his face, and his confidence was boosted.
If the occasion hadn't been so inappropriate, Chu Tianshu and the others would have cheered for Su Luo. She had indeed found the path through the Afterlife Divine Bridge.
Their junior sister was too formidable; there was nothing she didn't understand.
It was a pity they still had to act like puppets.
They could only blend in with the other demonic disciples, remaining silent, but their hearts were filled with excitement.
Just then, something peculiar happened.
The surrounding mist seemed to come alive, surging madly towards Su Luo and engulfing her entire being. The crowd's cheers instantly ceased. Everyone stared at Su Luo in shock, keeping their distance, fearing they might be affected and fall into danger.
In moments, all the mist merged into Su Luo's body, completely absorbed by her. She reappeared before their eyes.
What was happening?
When Baimu Tianjun got a clear look at Su Luo, his pupils contracted in shock. "She... she actually broke through?"
Her face was filled with the radiance of a recent breakthrough, a faint glow shimmering on it. This made her already beautiful features even more captivating, like a celestial being. Su Luo had successfully crossed the Afterlife Divine Bridge and received a mysterious reward, leading to another breakthrough. She had now reached the sixth stage of the Venerable realm.
The change was too obvious; Baimu Tianjun saw it clearly.
He almost couldn't believe it.
"She actually..."
Youmeng Moshi was also deeply shaken, exclaiming in astonishment, "Could this be the reward for passing the Afterlife Divine Bridge? It actually allows one to break through automatically? Damn it, if I had known at the last step..."
Even a puppet could break through. What kind of miraculous power was this!
If he had been the first to pass, would these benefits have fallen to him?
"This puppet is truly a lucky general. What a shame. If she still had her consciousness, she would undoubtedly be a rare talent." Baimu Tianjun looked at Su Luo with a mixture of satisfaction and regret, then cast a reproachful glance at Sima Kun with a snort.
"Y-Your Excellency, your subordinate also doesn't know..." Sima Kun trembled.
Baimu Tianjun berated him, his expression grim. He took a few steps forward to test the barrier and found that the invisible barrier was indeed gone. On the cliff face ahead, a grand, white ornate gate appeared, as if leading to an immortal's abode, exuding an even greater sense of mystery.
"It seems the barrier truly disappears only when the Afterlife Divine Bridge is crossed correctly," Baimu Tianjun became excited. He had succeeded in something even the Demon Lord hadn't managed.
The small snakes on Youmeng Moshi's head writhed, clearly displaying his inner excitement.
The two strode towards the white jade gate ahead. Was this the second trial?
Su Luo stood quietly to the side, saying nothing.
Lu Jixing and the others soon walked over and stood beside her, paying no mind to the demonic disciples who had successfully crossed and were now laughing and celebrating their escape like a festival. They secretly transmitted their voices to Su Luo.
"Junior Sister, you are amazing! You actually crossed the Afterlife Divine Bridge! By the way, did you really break through?"
"Yes, this Afterlife Divine Bridge is too miraculous; I didn't expect it either," Su Luo transmitted back.
"It can be like this. Sister Su, this is your good fortune! But it is also what you deserve. Otherwise, we would definitely be fighting these people now, with an uncertain fate," Wen Daier also transmitted to Su Luo, then added with concern, "But we cannot be careless now. Look at this jade gate; we don't know what lies beyond it."
This was the second trial set by the Great Emperor Honghuang.
Su Luo looked at the four characters on the thick, ornate jade gate: Jiunan Guizhen.
Youmeng Moshi and Baimu Tianjun stood before the jade gate, also examining the four characters. Baimu Tianjun mused, "Jiunan Guizhen, what does it mean? It's truly strange. How did these ancient ruins form, and who built this gate?"
"Whatever it is, we'll find out by going in," Youmeng Moshi had no patience for speculation and immediately ordered one of his subordinates to open the door.
A bearded man holding a golden disc stepped forward.
He pushed the door with force, but it remained unmoved.
He then channeled his spiritual power to try again, but the door still did not budge; it was extremely heavy.
The bearded man put away his weapon. He exerted all his strength, but still, the great gate would not open. Youmeng Moshi's pupils darkened, and he said angrily, "If you can't open it, break it! If you can't break it, you die!"
The bearded man's eyes flickered in fear. He had to step back a few paces and unleashed a full-power punch at the gate.
Rumble, rumble! Crash!
The exquisite jade gate was smashed, creating a large hole. Jade fragments rolled everywhere, and dust filled the air. A large cloud of mist emanated from the breach. The crowd cautiously stepped back, fearing something might pounce out.
But after waiting for a while, there was no movement.
The bearded man stood at the front. He saw that beyond the gate was a spacious hall. The hall was empty; nothing was within. Clouds and mist swirled, maintaining the serene, immortal-like atmosphere. However, several statues of exotic beasts stood inside.
"Let's go in and see!" Youmeng Moshi ordered.
"Yes, Your Excellency."
The bearded man dared not disobey and cautiously entered the hall. The others followed behind, looking around the vast hall as they walked in.
This great hall appeared magnificent but was exceptionally spacious, lacking even a single pillar. Apart from the entrance, no windows or corridors were visible. The crowd began to guess, slowly walking towards the statues of exotic beasts, wanting to see exactly what kind of demonic beasts they were.
But as the bearded man approached one of the statues, the fur on the exotic beast began to change.
His eyes sharpened; he thought he was mistaken.
The bearded man rubbed his eyes and looked again. He then realized that the exotic beast's fur had not only changed color but was also moving—it had actually come to life!
"Roar—" A earth-shattering beast roar shocked everyone.
The bearded man quickly retreated, pointing at the exotic beast with a stammer, "Y-Your Excellency, it's alive!"
The revived exotic beast had a head like a lion, but its body was covered in soft, blue long fur. It was about ten feet long, with a horse's tail and eagle's claws. A blue horn protruded from its head, making it look extremely unique. No one had ever seen anything like it before.
Baimu Tianjun's expression changed. "It's actually alive. What is this thing?"
Youmeng Moshi's brow furrowed. "Jiunan Guizhen, nine statues! Now one has revived. Later, the others will surely revive too. It seems they want us to defeat these abominations one by one!"
As he spoke, the exotic beast lunged towards the nearest bearded man, opening its mouth and spitting out a stream of blue light.
The cold was bone-chilling, freezing the land for a thousand miles.
In an instant, the ground of the hall was covered in a layer of white frost. The bearded man, unable to dodge, was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture.