Chapter 155 – Gentle Snow’s Strength?

Sealing Labyrinth, first underground floor:

As soon as Shi Feng’s party entered the dimly-lit labyrinth, they immediately felt a suppressive power causing their bodies to feel heavier. However, this power didn’t achieve this effect by strengthening the gravity acting on them. Instead, it influenced their minds into thinking that their bodies had grown heavier. Meanwhile, under this suppressive effect, they’d be fortunate if they could exhibit even half of their usual combat power.

No wonder the Tower Alliance didn’t dare to raid the labyrinth with just half of the key, Cleansed Rue thought to herself, frowning when she felt the mental oppression that came from all directions. Not only does this place make our bodies feel heavier, but it also inhibits our ability to manipulate Mana. It’d be impossible to release a Mana Domain in this environment.

Although none of their Basic Attributes had changed, their combat standards had plummeted the moment they entered the Sealing Labyrinth. Despite being at the Domain Realm, Cleansed Rue could, at most, exhibit combat standards at the Flowing Water Realm right now.

As for Rain Song and Still Moon, who were only at the Void Realm standard, they could, at most, exhibit combat standards at the Refinement Realm. Paired with their equipment standard, each of them could just barely cope with a Grand Lord of the same level by themselves right now.

It should be known that Rain Song and Still Moon were both capable of fighting against Tier 4 Mythic monsters of the same level to a standstill under normal circumstances. Moreover, they could hold their ground for a relatively long time.

However, unlike Hundred Flower Palace’s members, neither Shi Feng nor the Tower Alliance’s six representatives were surprised by this situation.

One could not interpret a Sealing Labyrinth using the standards of the average Dungeon. Sealing Labyrinths were incredibly mysterious, and it was rumored that Ancient Gods were responsible for creating them. In front of an Ancient God, even a Tier 6 God was no different than an infant. Meanwhile, when operating inside a construction built by Ancient Gods, unless one had already reached Tier 6, one would have no choice but to comply with the rules set inside the construction.

Meanwhile, a minute after Shi Feng’s party started traversing deeper into the labyrinth, they heard fighting coming from a passage a short distance ahead. When they moved closer to the source of the noise, they saw Blood Hammer’s party clashing against a hundred or so Level 110 Gargoyle Guards.

...

[Gargoyle Guard] (Grand Lord)

Level 110

HP 500,000,000

...

Upon seeing the stats of these Gargoyle Guards, Crimson Heart and the other Hundred Flower Palace members couldn’t help but frown.

These Gargoyles were equipped with weapons and possessed bodies made out of Demonized Rock, which was much tougher than steel. In addition to having three-meter-tall bodies, they also possessed four arms. So, their combat style was completely different from humans. They also possessed combat standards at the Trial Tower’s seventh-floor standard.

With their current circumstances, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that each one of these Gargoyle Guards was as strong as an expert like Rain Song. Just the thought of fighting over a hundred of these Gargoyle Guards with their party of six gave Hundred Flower Palace’s members goosebumps.

However, in front of the Tower Alliance’s party, these Gargoyle Guards were of no threat at all. It was especially so for Blood Hammer and the Demidragon woman, who were responsible for opening a path for the party.

Blood Hammer could easily knock the Gargoyles away with just one swing from his hammer. Some of the Gargoyles he sent flying would even hit other Gargoyles and send them flying as well, creating a domino effect. If speaking purely in terms of the Strength Attribute, Blood Hammer was already on par with Level 110 Mythic monsters.

The performance of the Demidragon woman was even more exaggerated. The two shields she wielded looked more like powerful blunt weapons than shields. With just a hit using her shield, she could easily send the Gargoyle Guards in her path flying several dozen meters away, every one of these Gargoyles losing a small chunk of their HPs. Some of the Gargoyles she struck were even sent smashing into the labyrinth walls, and these Gargoyles had to struggle for quite some time before they could free themselves from the walls.

Meanwhile, because of Blood Hammer and the Demidragon woman, the other four members of the Tower Alliance’s party could advance with relative ease. They didn’t have to waste any Stamina and Concentration on these Gargoyle Guards.

Before a minute had even gone by, the Tower Alliance’s party had already advanced a significant distance. Before entering deeper into the labyrinth, though, Blood Hammer had turned to look at Shi Feng’s party, a trace of gloating and disdain in his eyes. Then, after the Tower Alliance’s party progressed deeper into the labyrinth, some of the Gargoyle Guards that had fallen behind began returning to their original positions one after another...

“Dammit!” Rain Song cursed when she saw the Tower Alliance’s party disappearing from her vision, her eyes filled with resignation. She didn’t think that the Gargoyle Guards would stop chasing after the Tower Alliance’s members. With this, they couldn’t chase after the Tower Alliance’s party even if they wanted to.

Although Rain Song was a Guardian Knight, she wasn’t a Tier 4 Mythic monster. She might be able to hold her ground against four or five Gargoyle Guards simultaneously if she had healing support. Still, there was no way she could mimic the Demidragon woman and fend off several dozen Gargoyle Guards all by herself. She doubted she could do so even if she activated her Berserk Skill.

Meanwhile, Crimson Heart also grew silent when they saw Blood Hammer’s party disappearing.

The gap in strength between their parties was too massive.

With her current strength, she could cope against a dozen or so Gargoyle Guards by herself. However, if she had to take on so many of these Gargoyles by herself, she wouldn’t have any energy to spare on opening up a path. Not to mention, she still needed to reserve some energy to protect their party’s healer and mage.

“We don’t need to try and keep up with them. It’s fine if we just progress at our own pace,” Shi Feng suddenly said. “Sealing Labyrinths typically have five floors, and the suppression effect worsens with every floor you progress. The number of monsters you face will also increase. So, it’s impossible to clear the labyrinth within a short time. What we should do now is to familiarize ourselves with the combat style of these Gargoyle Guards. Otherwise, it’ll only get more and more difficult for us to progress later.”

Sealing Labyrinth were constructions built by Ancient Gods. While it was true that these Sealing Labyrinths functioned as seals for pathways leading to the Stratified Abyssal Realm, they also served as trials and Legacies.

However, few people would actually notice these functions. Everyone was so focused on getting to the Stratified Abyssal Realm that they failed to realize that the Sealing Labyrinth itself was also one big treasure trove.

“Guild Leader Black Flame, every one of these Gargoyle Guards has 500 million HP. Moreover, they’ll swarm us as soon as we approach them. Out of everyone in our party, I’m afraid you are the only one who can survive fighting against so many of them...” Rain Song said with a bitter smile.

Rain Song had personally witnessed Shi Feng in action, so she knew that he could exhibit strength at the Tier 4 standard. With such strength, the Gargoyle Guards would be no different than Common monsters to Shi Feng.

However, it was a different story for everyone else in the party. They didn’t possess Tier 4 strength, nor were they Tier 6 God-ranked experts.

If over a hundred Gargoyle Guards swarmed them, even if Shi Feng managed to show amazing performance and pin down several dozen Gargoyle Guards by himself, it would still be useless. After all, the rest of them would still need to cope with a dozen or so Gargoyle Guards each.

Even assuming they managed to stay alive, they would still have to figure out a way to kill the Gargoyle Guards. However, with the Gargoyle Guards having 500 million HP each, their party would probably die from exhaustion before they could kill even one Gargoyle Guard...

“If all you’re worried about is getting surrounded, that’s a simple problem,” Gentle Snow said as she looked at Hundred Flower Palace’s members. “I’ll restrain their movements for you. Combined with your skills, they’ll probably have a hard time forming a proper encirclement around you.”

“You’ll restrain them?” Cleansed Rue couldn’t help but look at Gentle Snow in confusion.

The Sealing Labyrinth prohibited the use of Magic Scrolls and tools. It was also this limitation that gave Hundred Flower Palace and the Tower Alliance a headache.

“My Mana Domain happens to be proficient at this aspect,” Gentle Snow frankly stated.

After saying so, Gentle Snow walked ahead of the party. Then, as she moved closer and closer to the Gargoyle Guards, everyone could feel the surrounding Mana growing cold and stagnating.

A Mana Domain?! How is this possible?! Cleansed Rue was filled with disbelief as she looked at Gentle Snow. How can she still form a Mana Domain while being subjected to the mental oppression here?