Chapter 1169: 阵法

Xu Yang's team had been fighting for a long time, but they lacked top-tier opponents to challenge them. They desperately needed a living target to unleash their powerful combat desires, and this ninja assassin leader was undoubtedly the perfect candidate.

"Hahaha, you've really walked into a trap! I'd like to see how you escape this place alive today!" After Crab's successful move, Blood Blade immediately acted, using two void projections to completely block all escape routes for the assassin. Following closely, Arno and Awen, the brothers, approached with their massive battle axes, grinning menacingly at the assassin leader, who was now like meat on a chopping block.

To prevent the assassin from having any unknown last resorts that might inadvertently harm the team, Xu Yang took extra precautions. With a light tap of his foot, a five-meter radius around the assassin was instantly enveloped in the golden angelic light he emitted, offering protection.

The assassin had indeed thought of struggling, but upon sensing the powerful aura emanating from Xu Yang, he completely despaired and no longer dared to harbor such meaningless hopes.

"Alright, I admit defeat, having fallen into your hands today! Do with me what you will, but it's unrealistic for you to think you can simply escape the Dungeon of Lovers like this. More dangers await you ahead. You've underestimated this dungeon too much. When you discover its true secret, that will be the moment of your utter annihilation."

Before he could finish speaking, Iron Head, who usually had little presence in the team, suddenly stepped forward. He cast a cold glance at the assassin leader, then abruptly unfurled his massive, dark green palm and, in front of everyone, crushed the leader's head to dust.

"Alright, everyone, show what you've got! There shouldn't be any difficulty now. I want to see your most powerful side. Based on the power levels you display, I'll make a series of systematic plans for our continued journey, so make sure to perform well!"

The moment Xu Yang finished speaking, he noticed that every powerful member of the Eight Gates team around him had already moved from their positions.

Arno and Awen, the brothers, were the undisputed berserkers of the team, always at the forefront. Their formidable combat strength once again astonished both Xu Yang and Little Hua.

Almost every time these two launched an attack, swinging their weapons, they delivered a truly terrifying feast of slaughter. They seemed to have been born to kill, to exist for the glory of the battlefield!

However, what truly impressed Xu Yang and Little Hua the most was Blood Blade, the formidable female assassin. Initially, after she performed her specialized role at the stone gate, Xu Yang and Little Hua had believed that was her most powerful ability.

But when she entered the battle, Xu Yang and Little Hua finally understood just how terrifying her true capabilities were. Every throwing knife in her hand could mercilessly claim the lives of ten or even hundreds of people, and this process unfolded in an instant, making it impossible to guard against!

In that brief moment, this stunning reaper of the battlefield fulfilled her unique mission. With swift efficiency, the remaining hundred-plus black-clad guards were completely eliminated by the few remaining members of the team.

What was once an empty, silent, and smooth passage was now a battlefield piled high with corpses, a river of blood. Xu Yang looked at the scene before him, merely shaking his head helplessly and sighing.

"This time, I truly underestimated Fifth Elder. If I had seen through his identity earlier, perhaps such tragedies wouldn't have unfolded in the Dungeon of Lovers. If my judgment is correct, the reason Fifth Elder himself hasn't reacted is that he intends to gradually build up the entire dungeon using this human wave tactic. His true objective must be hidden in the next stage, which is also the critical core area determining whether we can break through this dungeon."

Hearing Xu Yang's words, the other teammates in the Eight Gates team showed puzzled expressions.

"Boss, what do you mean by that? The central area should be the closest to the exit. With our team's powerful combat strength, no matter how many people they send, they won't be able to stop us. What is there to worry about?"

Xu Yang calmly shook his head. "You absolutely must not think that way. This next stage requires extreme caution. Or rather, don't you find it a bit too deliberate how those who appeared here to stop us fell so easily? If you were the leader commanding these warriors, would you send so many people to their deaths, knowing full well that the prisoners are far more powerful? What would be the point? Lover's City was already fortified enough; the arrival of these people was clearly redundant because they never had the ability to change the outcome of the event from the start. Their entry into the battlefield was a superfluous move. Of course, these are just superficial appearances. The true, deeper purpose of the controller is still unknown to us right now, but the answer is certainly hidden within the battlefield of the next stage!"

Hearing Xu Yang's logical analysis, everyone in the team began to agree with him, and they all adopted the serious demeanor required for facing the final challenge.

The activation mechanism for this final stage, the formation connecting to the core area of the entire Dungeon of Lovers, had inscriptions that were incredibly ancient and mysterious. Even Xu Yang and Little Hua couldn't decipher them quickly, but they did discover a very important clue!

The magical seal within the dungeon actually contained an aura remarkably similar to that of the King's Edict! When Xu Yang approached within ten meters of the formation's perimeter, an inexplicable devouring force appeared out of nowhere.

This caused the two King's Edicts on Xu Yang's person to materialize out of thin air. They resonated with each other, emitting a faint golden light that transformed into fine, thread-like wisps of energy, slowly permeating the almost perfect magical formation before them.

"Oh my god, Boss, you actually have two King's Edicts in your possession! That's incredible! Where did you get them? Or do you yourself possess the royal bloodline of the Central Domain?"

Arno and the others were completely stunned. As citizens within the Central Domain's royal territory, they naturally understood what the King's Edict signified. Even a single token had the power to command one of the armies under the various great feudal lords and the authority to freely mobilize that lineage's foundational resources.