Chapter 102 | Jormungandr in the Labyrinth River

Lush, green plants still grew in clusters around the temple, their intertwined stems flourishing as if nourished by the God's remains within. The ring of vegetation surrounding the structure was particularly vibrant, lending the site an air of solemnity and mystery.

While Mende and Sharon found the atmosphere eerie, Li Yue thought it was rather interesting. It had been a long time since she had encountered such exuberant vitality. However, she knew that if these things, influenced by the God's remains, were left unchecked, they would likely spawn monsters.

Li Yue led Mende and Sharon in a circle around the temple. The previously lush plants were instantly reduced to lifeless husks. They withered, their leaves turning yellow then gray, before gradually dissolving into nothingness and vanishing into the air, leaving only bare stalks behind.

“There, now the mystery and the creepy, eerie vibe are gone. The main entrance is perfectly obvious now,” Li Yue said with a smile, feeling quite proud of herself, as if she had just shown off in front of a couple of novices.

A vast expanse of grayish-white emptiness and dead silence had appeared in the middle of the lush jungle. No matter how one looked at it, this was even more terrifying than before. Just a casual glance was enough to make one’s skin crawl.

“Um... it definitely doesn't feel mysterious anymore,” Sharon muttered, swallowing hard.

But the eerie feeling was even stronger now. Oh no, why am I so scared? I can't do this. If I keep hesitating like this, I'll never graduate.

Mende took a breath. He didn't mind that much; he simply thought Li Yue's magic was very unique. If this lady were a great villain, she would likely drench the continent in a reign of terror.

They walked toward the temple’s main entrance. The doors were tightly shut, but upon sensing their presence, they slowly creaked open. Inside, torches along the walls flickered to life one by one, just like the descriptions in many eerie novels. Even with the light from the torches, the corridor remained filled with deep shadows. However, Li Yue had night vision; all blood demons did.

Sharon hid behind Mende's back. Mende thoughtfully cast a spell that enveloped the group, providing protection and concealment. Whether it was actually effective was something Mende doubted, but he felt the gesture would make everyone feel better psychologically.

They took a few steps inside when the door slammed shut with a heavy thud. Li Yue turned back and gave it a push, but it wouldn't budge; it was firmly sealed.

Sharon swallowed again. Oh no, this scene is just like that novel from the bookshelf, 《Curse of the Pharaoh》! Even if they get the treasure in the end, they'll be haunted by the curse for the rest of their lives and die a sudden death!

It's over, it's all over.

Li Yue caught the gist of Sharon's thoughts and felt a bit speechless. Those curses were all lies—nothing more than the result of hype by unscrupulous media...

She gave the door a kick, but it remained motionless. She frowned, feeling a surge of irritation. In terms of tier, her Death was far superior. To be trapped in a temple by a mere piece of flesh was simply preposterous.

A deep crimson flash flickered in her eyes. With a sudden, powerful kick, the two massive stone doors were sent flying. Afterward, she used her own blood crystals to create a new door to block the opening.

“There, don't you feel much better now?” Li Yue demonstrated her handiwork. “The door will open whenever I want it to. Besides, this color and style look much better than the temple's original ones.”

Mende nodded rapidly. Sharon felt that the blood-red crystalline substance was even more terrifying, but the color certainly clashed with the grayish-yellow and pale green of the temple's interior.

This sense of visual discord actually helped lessen her fear slightly.

Mende snapped his fingers, and a magic wand appeared at his fingertips, emitting a brilliant glow that instantly illuminated their surroundings. The subtle sense of unease in their hearts diminished significantly.

The path ahead appeared to be level ground. Li Yue reached out with her senses; the interior of the temple was filled with a disorganized jumble of corridors, much like a labyrinth. Li Yue couldn't help but be reminded of the maze she had experienced last time.

Young men and women flirting... oh right, there were also girls with girls... and maybe boys with boys, though she might not have run into them.

Forget it, no use dwelling on that. She looked at the road ahead, intending to rely on her natural instinct for danger to detect traps. She signaled Mende and Sharon to stay still and let her test the way first.

She took several casual steps forward, feeling nothing unusual. She used her perception to permeate the bricks, checking for any mechanisms. After all, it was a bit strange that she couldn't feel anything at all right now.

Suddenly, she felt her Death Abyss trigger something. Massive flames engulfed her, but scarlet blood crystals swirled around her body, slowly seeping out to block the vents where the fire originated.

Li Yue recalled the temperature just now. If she were in her divine essence state, probably not even her clothes would have been singed. As it was, only the hem of her dress was slightly scorched; otherwise, she was completely unharmed.

It's not dangerous at all for me... Doesn't that mean my ability to sense danger is completely useless now?

Her expression became a bit strange. She looked at Mende, and the latter seemed to immediately understand what she meant. He naturally had his own methods; when it came to disarming mechanisms, he was an expert.

And so, it went like this: Li Yue walked in the lead and triggered the traps. Flying swords, magic blades, poisonous mist, and her most hated—countless venomous insects—were all neutralized by her. Only the traps she didn't trigger by walking directly over them were left for Mende to guide Sharon around.

Did the master of this temple not set up any formidable traps? This level of boredom was ridiculous. Any mage could spend a little time, or simply wrap themselves in a shield, and walk through here without any issues at all.

She was starting to feel bored. Had she known, she wouldn't have rushed in to find the God's remains so quickly. She could have had dinner outside first. She hadn't even tasted the flavor of Terror Bird meat yet, and it was fresh meat, not the kind that had been frozen for ages.

She let out a yawn and stepped on another trap. She waited quietly for it to trigger, but suddenly, she realized that this entire area was covered in the same trap. Many were hidden extremely deep, as if they were intentionally designed for someone to trigger them.

Mende accidentally triggered the mechanism as well. Sharon immediately used a magic shield to protect the two of them, but it seemed nothing happened immediately.