Xiao Rou reached out and touched her clothes. Whether from the senses or the touch, the dark armor had indeed disappeared, but the protective power emanating from the armor itself had not. Xiao Rou could still feel the warmth and pure energy, as if an invisible energy was protecting her at all times. It was truly a very strange feeling.
Through internal visualization of her mental field, Xiao Rou saw that within the ball of light in her mental field, there was a tiny black armor that radiated immense energy, almost perfectly integrated with her mental field. It was clearly the dark armor that had just transformed back into her body. After a familiar mental connection, Xiao Rou knew how to manifest and retract the dark armor. This meant that Xiao Rou now possessed a massive protective weapon.
"How are you feeling? Not bad, right?" Ling Yun asked with a smile. Seeing that Xiao Rou's safety was guaranteed once again, Ling Yun was genuinely happy. From an ignorant and naive boy to where he is today, Ling Yun had always felt a sense of disorientation. It wasn't that he didn't understand; the world changes so fast, and a boy can only learn to accept this reality. Fortunately, he met Gu Xiao Rou. The girl's sensitive heart and vicissitudes of life deeply shocked Ling Yun. The shocking, even legendary, experiences of the two of them together tightly connected their two lonely and adrift hearts, until they merged together and became inseparable.
“Husband, you should wear the armor. I have more experience than you, so you should be safe.” Xiaorou looked into Lingyun’s eyes with deep affection and couldn’t help but reach out to stroke his somewhat thin face. During this period, the two of them had been on edge, constantly encountering danger and experiencing new challenges, which even made the superhumans breathless. Although superhumans do not need to eat every day and can even maintain their strength by fasting for several months, Xiaorou still couldn’t help but feel sorry for Lingyun when she saw his slightly weathered face.
She now called Ling Yun "husband" quite naturally. Ever since that dreamlike married life in the first palace, the terms "husband" and "wife" had become more familiar and intimate. Although it was just a fabricated memory generated under hypnosis, that night felt incredibly real to Ling Yun and Xiao Rou. It was precisely because they couldn't experience it and longed for it that that night of happiness became eternal in their hearts. For Xiao He, it was just a reason arbitrarily fabricated by the dream magic, but for Ling Yun and Xiao Rou, it was extremely precious.
After that moment, their relationship made substantial progress again, becoming increasingly intimate. They were no longer just a shy young couple in the throes of new love, but had transformed into a loving and devoted husband and wife.
Ling Yun smiled and said, "I have special abilities to protect myself, as you know. Also, our fighting styles are different; you tend to be more offensive, so it would be better for you to have some protective armor."
He reached out and grasped Xiaorou's hand that was stroking her face, and said emotionally, "Wife, if we can get out of this predicament, let's forget everything else and come back to my home to live the life we've always wanted, okay?"
Chapter 337 Bronze Creature
"Hmm..." Xiaorou smiled and nodded, thinking that she would have gone home with him even if he hadn't said so. It was quite unexpected that he would say it so readily. In the girl's heart, even though Lingyun had become her husband in effect, he was still that shy and introverted boy, and that would never change.
"How's your strength recovering? Did you expend too much energy? Don't push yourself so hard next time." Ling Yun gently embraced his girlfriend and asked softly. Xiao Rou's attack, which was imbued with a destructive aura, probably consumed far more energy than the first time she used Destructive Thrust. Although Angel Wings could gather power, the energy consumption was also multiplied. Ling Yun was a little worried that the girl's slender frame couldn't withstand it, but it seemed that Xiao Rou still maintained considerable strength.
From being severely injured the first time she used the Ultimate Thrust because she couldn't withstand the immense power, to now being unharmed when using the more advanced and terrifying Destructive Thrust, the girl's power has grown at an astonishing speed, like a rocket. Ling Yun even found it somewhat unbelievable. Such a growth rate should have exceeded the common sense and normal range of how superhumans grow stronger. In a very short time, Xiao Rou has surpassed the bottlenecks that other superhumans cannot overcome in years, decades, or even a lifetime. There are no obstacles on her path of growth; she is advancing at an extremely fast pace. This should be abnormal, but through microscopic perception, apart from the bioelectric waves that bring abundant energy, Ling Yun could not find any problems.
"It's alright," Xiaorou said. "The Dark Armor replenished some of the energy, so we're in a balance now." While the Angel Wings had indeed consumed a lot of her powers, the Dark Armor replenished that energy in a purer way, even leaving a slight surplus. Furthermore, the Dark Armor's protective electric aura continuously supplied Xiaorou with energy at the microscopic level, stimulating the gene contract points and further amplifying the bioelectric wave stimulation.
Ling Yun was about to say something more, but suddenly, as if sensing something, his heart skipped a beat. He turned to look in the direction of the bronze statue. Just now, the Eye of Illusion had detected a strange spiritual connection, almost exactly the same as when the Dark Knight appeared. Clearly, the bronze statue was summoning something again.
This time, however, the summoning of the bronze statue was different from the previous two times. The connection was no longer instantaneous, but lasted for nearly two seconds. Although the time was still very short, the summoning energy transmitted within those two seconds was enormous. If the previous summoning was just like turning a bottle upside down with the cap on, only letting out a tiny trickle, then the current summoning was like opening the bottle cap and letting it pour down vertically.
Ling Yun even sensed that all the informational energy within the bronze statue had been mobilized, forming a surging silver wave on its surface. This energy was manifesting outwards to support the transmission of the summoning. As the summoning concluded, the bronze statue seemed to tire, its informational energy rapidly weakening as if drained. The Eye of Illusion could no longer even detect the flow of information. All senses seemed to have exhausted their energy, suddenly shattering. This meant that the bronze statue's summoning was for the last time.
Ling Yun sighed softly and patted Xiao Rou's rounded shoulder: "Wife, cheer up, we have something to do. This time, it should be the final test."
"Hmm." Xiao Rou wasn't surprised at all, she just nodded gently. Although she was completely unaware, she had no doubt about Ling Yun's amazing perception. As for what the final test was, Xiao Rou never thought about such a question. Whatever it was, didn't it require a fight? For this challenge barrier, the two of them could only win and could not lose. Losing meant death.
On the other side where the summoning sensation ended, three identical, powerful auras slowly emerged. These must be the powerful beings summoned by the bronze statue. Ling Yun's expression suddenly changed. Although the powerful auras had appeared, he could not see anything in his field of vision. Even with the panoramic view and the Eye of Illusion activated, he still could not see any activity or signs of life.
This was almost impossible. The Eye of Illusion could see any change in energy, regardless of whether the opponent could be invisible. Even if the opponent concealed their presence, the Eye of Illusion could still outline the opponent's general outline based on the surrounding energy changes. But now, these three powerful auras were so arrogant, practically naked displays of energy, and there was no sign of them moving in its field of vision. How could Ling Yun not be shocked? Although the Eye of Illusion was suppressed to its lowest point by a mysterious force after entering the barrier, it couldn't be completely powerless.
"They're on the elevated steps!" Xiaorou suddenly pointed to the nearly one hundred long steps below the platform and said softly. The two had separated and were standing side by side looking at the bronze statue.
Ling Yun was taken aback: "You can see them? I can't see them."
"Hehe, honey, you didn't look carefully. Don't rely too much on your illusionary eyes and panoramic view." Xiaorou smiled faintly and pointed to her eyes. "Sometimes, looking at things more simply can make them clearer."
"..." Ling Yun blushed. He had indeed become accustomed to relying on the Eye of Illusion and the panoramic view. Although the naked eye itself also possessed various abnormalities beyond ordinary people, it was clearly not on the same level as the Eye of Illusion. Therefore, Ling Yun rarely used it. Hearing Xiao Rou say this, Ling Yun finally saw that, sure enough, in front of the first few steps of the platform, there were three faintly transparent figures standing motionless. This was not an invisibility state. No wonder the Eye of Illusion and the panoramic view could not see anything. The reason he hadn't seen them earlier was indeed because Ling Yun hadn't paid close attention.
The figure was almost completely transparent, but it didn't achieve complete invisibility. Although the steps were still clearly visible through the figure, they appeared unnaturally distorted, as if covered by something, or as if the air had become hazy and distorted by fire. When the eye passed through, what was seen was an unnatural and warped scene. In fact, with closer inspection, it was still easy to make out the general outline of the figure, but it didn't seem to be human-shaped. Instead, it had a huge body nearly three meters tall, and from the outline, it did resemble a bronze statue.
This was the first time Ling Yun had encountered such a strange creature, capable of achieving invisibility. Truly, the world is full of wonders. Within this ancient barrier, Ling Yun's eyes were opened wide. Many bizarre beings and extraordinary abilities were things he had never heard of or seen before. He never imagined that such a wondrous and dangerous world was hidden in the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean.
Xiao Rou suddenly made a gesture of pressing her palms together in front of her chest, then tossed them outwards. A silver light curtain shot out from her palms, unfolding above the three transparent figures like a curtain. With a soft "poof," the curtain suddenly scattered into countless seven-colored light points like stars, instantly covering the massive outlines of the three figures and making them stand out.
Upon seeing the three figures, both Ling Yun and Xiao Rou were startled. Ling Yun couldn't help but look up at the bronze statue again. His premonition had indeed been confirmed. These three powerful figures were indeed the same strange creatures as the bronze statue, only several times smaller. As the seven-colored light spots scattered by Xiao Rou flickered, they created a colorful and ferocious appearance, like a seven-colored rattlesnake in the desert.
“It seems to be the true form of this statue. You’re right, this really may be the final test,” Xiao Rou said. With a flick of her wrist, the telekinetic spear reappeared in her hand. After the enhanced Destructive Thrust, the telekinetic spear had changed again, but this change was more subtle than it was outwardly apparent.
A golden bolt of lightning pierced through the entire silver-white barrel, emitting a dazzling golden light like a sealed current, which also stained half of Xiaorou's body and the entire telekinetic spear with a golden hue. The threads on the spear shaft changed again, seemingly referencing the mysterious patterns on the dark armor, not only increasing the friction between the hand and the spear, but also significantly enhancing the power of the telekinetic spear itself.
When Xiao Rou first simulated the telekinetic spear, it was just a casual thought. A person with superpowers can use their weapons at will according to changes in their mental energy field, so they use all sorts of different weapons each time. They just use the shapes that are most comfortable for them. Xiao Rou never thought of using the telekinetic spear as a regular weapon. However, after using it a few times, she suddenly felt that the spear was very suitable for her, so she has been using it ever since. After the Ultimate Thrust was continuously strengthened, the telekinetic spear also began to be upgraded.
She raised her spear and slashed it from afar at the three bronze creatures. Golden arcs of electricity instantly condensed into a golden beam at the tip of the spear, hissing and accompanied by a chilling electric sound, as it curved and cleaved towards the strange creature in the middle.
The attack was unexpected, but the intensity of the electric current wasn't great. Xiao Rou was merely testing the reactions of the three strange creatures. Although their aura suggested they were no benevolent beings, probing was still necessary before the battle began. If they could dodge or block the electric arc, it meant these enormous creatures were at least on par with the two of them in speed.
With a hissing sound, the three bronze creatures vanished into thin air without warning. The golden arc of electricity struck empty air, hitting the steps behind the bronze creatures with a crack, leaving a deep dent in the bluestone steps.
"Such speed!" Ling Yun's pupils contracted slightly. The three bronze creatures appeared to teleport, but in reality, their speed was simply beyond the limits of naked-eye observation. The Eye of Illusion could capture the most minute trajectories of moving objects, and his gaze had never left the three bronze creatures.
Within the world of the Eye of Illusion, the three bronze creatures sensed something the instant Xiao Rou's electric arc was emitted. Without any apparent effort from their powerful lower limbs, their massive bodies were already airborne, as if powered by a giant engine. Surprisingly, such terrifying speed and such enormous size should have generated immense kinetic energy and a whistling sound, yet the bronze creatures moved silently, vanishing like ghosts, like a feather drifting in the wind, leaving no trace of the impact of their high speed. This was simply unimaginable.
Moreover, the bronze creature reacted swiftly the instant Xiao Rou attacked, with the two events occurring almost simultaneously. Such reaction speed cannot be simply described as agile; it can even be described as terrifying. Even Ling Yun and Xiao Rou could not have made such a rapid reaction and restraining move unless an illusion was set up in advance.
Suddenly, both of them felt a warning sign at the same time. A strong sense of crisis suddenly erupted in their senses. Startled, they immediately jumped to the sides without thinking. Almost the instant they retreated, a huge golden light rushed past the place where they had been standing.
It was as if a giant golden guillotine had been shoved through the air. The immense propulsive force even created countless visible vortexes in the air above the square, leaving a deep, unfathomable groove in the hard, blue-green ground. The groove was only the thickness of a finger, but its depth was unfathomable. The pale blue bricks on either side of the groove had instantly become fluid due to the heat and cutting force, but they immediately solidified into granular coke the moment they became fluid.
The golden light flashed for a moment before disappearing into the air again. With a hiss, two intersecting arcs of electricity struck the spot where the golden light had vanished, but they were still futile, striking the empty ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. This was Xiao Rou's counterattack. In the instant she dodged, she had already turned around and swung her telekinetic spear, unleashing a long arc of electricity. But even so, she was half a step too late. The speed of this bronze creature had almost exceeded the limits that the two of them could influence.
Ling Yun cautiously looked around. His Eye of Illusion had been magnified to its limit, and golden light kept flashing in his eyes. Just now, under the Eye of Illusion, Ling Yun had clearly seen that the golden light was actually the bronze creature in disguise. After its massive body was covered with a layer of golden light, it could unleash a destructive force as fast as a sharp blade simply by relying on its incredible speed. Most importantly, the bronze creature appeared silently. If it weren't for the panoramic view and the premonition from his senses, the two of them would have already been cut into several pieces by the golden light.
Chapter 338 A Brutal Test
Suddenly, Xiao Rou leaped into the air, then gently pointed her telekinetic spear downwards. The spearhead flashed brightly, condensing into a net-like pattern of electric rays. In the instant she jumped, the golden light formed by the bronze creature flashed past her feet at incredible speed. By the slightest difference, Xiao Rou would have perished.
However, the difference of a hair's breadth became eternity. By the time the warning signs rose in her mind, the girl had already calculated the range of her attack. The net-like electric sparks were precisely aimed at the direction the golden light was bound to pass through. If it were any kind of material interception, the golden light's immense cutting force would have been able to sever it. However, the electric net formed by the telekinetic spear was an invisible energy weapon. The powerful force of the golden light even stretched the electric net tens of meters long. But the electric net was stretched longer and longer by the golden light, yet it never broke. The electric net quickly turned back to form a light shield, enveloping the golden light formed by the bronze creature inside.
Xiao Rou stood in mid-air, already gripping the handle of the telekinetic spear with both hands. Her expression was focused, and the concentration of her mental energy field on her hands had condensed into a layer of almost tangible silver light. The spearhead was connected to the entire electric grid like spider silk, struggling against the powerful force of the bronze creature. Although she was prepared, the bronze creature's strength still exceeded Xiao Rou's estimated limits. If it weren't for her greatly increased strength and the secret assistance from the dark armor, the telekinetic spear would probably have already flown out of her hands.
The bronze creature darted left and right within the electric grid, like a large fish desperately struggling in a fishing net. Sharp golden light constantly emanated from its body, like invisible blades cutting through the finger-thick, flickering electrical currents on the grid. Countless currents were severed by the golden light, but with the support of Xiao Rou's mental energy field, they were restored in an instant. At the same time, the electric grid continued to release a strong suction force, so the more the bronze creature struggled, the tighter the grid bound it.
This is a new attack method that Xiao Rou learned from the protective electric light of the Dark Armor. The electric light not only has the effect of burning at high temperatures, but it can also be used to break the opponent's speed. More importantly, once the bronze creature is trapped, its speed advantage will be difficult to exert. Just two lightning-fast attacks have already made Xiao Rou extremely wary. If she relies entirely on her mental premonitions to dodge the opponent's attacks, then it will not only be a matter of being put on the defensive, but she may even be in danger of losing her life at any time due to carelessness.
The mental field was outputting steadily, but the effort required was getting smaller and smaller. The electric grid had bound the bronze creature into a giant dumpling. Under the high temperature and strong suction of the current, the bronze creature could not even emit golden light. Its struggle became more and more difficult, but with each struggle, the suction of the current became stronger, until it was completely immobilized.
A constant swishing sound came from afar. Xiao Rou glanced up distractedly and saw Ling Yun bouncing and refracting his movements hundreds of meters away. The remaining two bronze creatures continuously transformed into huge golden lights, slashing back and forth at the boy, giving Ling Yun no chance to breathe. The golden lights often cut in a diagonal or curved line. The biggest advantage of doing this was that it could maximize the chances of hiding the enemy in blind spots, creating a certain degree of evasion and obstruction.
What the bronze creatures didn't know was that Ling Yun possessed a panoramic view, offering a 360-degree field of vision with no blind spots. Moreover, his Eye of Illusion could analyze the bronze creatures' movement trajectories. Therefore, the boy's seemingly perilous dodges between the two bronze creatures were actually just safe maneuvers. He didn't use his copying ability. Since he could handle the bronze creatures' attacks at this stage, there was no need to distract himself with higher-level techniques. This wasn't because Ling Yun was deliberately beating around the bush; it was simply that, according to Ling Yun's fighting style, he always needed to have a general understanding of the attacks from unknown creatures before launching a counterattack. This was true when dealing with the Dark Knight, and it was also true when dealing with the bronze creatures.