Chapter 27: The Divine Doctor Breaks Through the Fortress Battle Crisis

After the dazzling light faded, Niu Yichen and Zhan Qingxue were violently repelled by a powerful force, crashing heavily onto the ground.

“Damn!” Zhan Qingxue rubbed her sore backside, grimacing. “This barrier is way too harsh—it's like bouncing off a spring mattress!”

Niu Yichen brushed the dust off his clothes, his expression grave.

This barrier was far stronger than he had anticipated, imbued with a peculiar energy that seemed somehow connected to the path of immortality he understood.

“Let’s try again!” Niu Yichen’s stubborn spirit flared.

He refused to believe that this flimsy barrier could stop him.

Approaching the castle once more, he concentrated his vital energy in his palm, attempting to break through the barrier with sheer brute force.

Boom! Another thunderous sound echoed as Niu Yichen was launched backwards again.

This time was worse—he faceplanted into the dirt, swallowing a mouthful of soil.

“Ha!” Zhan Qingxue burst into laughter. “Brother Chen, that posture is way too ungraceful. Want me to snap a photo for remembrance?”

Niu Yichen spat out the dirt, rolling his eyes helplessly. “You’re joking at a bad time. This barrier is tricky; forcing our way through definitely won’t work.”

Zhan Qingxue’s laughter faded as she grew serious. “Then what do we do? Just stand here and stare?”

Niu Yichen circled the castle, carefully observing the patterns and the energy flowing within the barrier.

Though complex, the barrier followed hidden rules; every intricate line resembled a meridian, through which energy circulated endlessly.

“Brother Chen, have you figured it out?” Zhan Qingxue asked.

Niu Yichen remained silent, closing his eyes to sense the energy fluctuations around them.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a glint of insight flashing within them.

He had noticed that at the southeast corner of the barrier, the energy flow was slightly slower, like a small whirlpool.

“Found it,” Niu Yichen whispered.

He took Zhan Qingxue’s hand and headed toward the southeast corner.

“Wait!” Zhan Qingxue grabbed him. “Are you sure? This barrier is so fierce—what if—”

Niu Yichen gave her a confident smile. “Trust me.”

Holding her hand, he cautiously approached the energy vortex.

When their hands touched the barrier, a powerful suction force pulled them in…

“Ah—” Zhan Qingxue was about to scream, but suddenly found themselves inside the castle.

Darkness enveloped them, with only faint glimmers of light flickering in the distance.

Niu Yichen squeezed Zhan Qingxue’s hand and whispered, “Be careful.”

“What the hell is this place?” Zhan Qingxue’s voice trembled as she clung tightly to him in the darkness.

Niu Yichen calmly pulled out his phone and activated the flashlight, the beam piercing the darkness to reveal their surroundings.

They stood in a narrow corridor, the walls carved with bizarre, ancient runes that seemed like some archaic script.

The ground was uneven and pitted, ready to collapse at any moment.

“Brother Chen, that move was awesome!” Zhan Qingxue praised, giving a thumbs-up. “How did you find that flaw?”

“A secret,” Niu Yichen replied with a mysterious smile, continuing forward hand in hand.

“This barrier has ties to the path of immortality—I understand a bit about it.”

“A bit? Brother Chen, you’re too modest!” Zhan Qingxue said admiringly. “From now on, I’m sticking to you like glue!”

After a few steps, a faint “click” sounded beneath their feet.

Before Zhan Qingxue could react, Niu Yichen yanked her behind him and leapt backward just as several sharp spikes shot up from their previous standing spot.

“Whoosh!” The spikes emerged fiercely; a moment’s delay would have meant disaster.

“This is way too sneaky!” Zhan Qingxue gasped, patting her chest. “Good thing you’re quick, or I’d be a porcupine by now!”

Niu Yichen said nothing, his eyes scanning the surroundings with caution. He knew this was only the beginning.

Sure enough, after a few more steps, a thunderous rumble came from above.

A massive stone slab crashed down from the ceiling, aimed straight at them.

“Hit the deck!” Niu Yichen shouted, pulling Zhan Qingxue to the ground as they rolled just in time to evade the deadly blow.

The slab struck heavily, scattering debris and dust.

Coughing, Zhan Qingxue stood up, her face smudged with dirt. “The owner of this castle is really stingy—this is how they entertain guests?”

Niu Yichen ignored her complaint and focused on analyzing the environment.

He realized that the traps were not random but arranged according to a pattern.

“Follow me. Step where I step,” Niu Yichen ordered solemnly.

Zhan Qingxue followed carefully, matching his steps one by one.

Together, they navigated the darkness, evading various traps.

Suddenly, Niu Yichen halted.

He sensed a cold aura creeping closer.

“There’s movement…” he whispered, gripping Zhan Qingxue’s hand tightly.

From the shadows came the sharp sound of metal scraping, growing nearer and more piercing.

Under the faint phone light, they saw a group of mechanical puppets marching in unison from deep within the corridor.

These puppets, forged from some unknown metal, gleamed with a cold sheen and moved swiftly—clearly formidable foes.

“Wow! High tech!” Zhan Qingxue exclaimed. “Is the castle owner a steampunk fan?”

Niu Yichen ignored her quip, his expression serious.

These puppets were no mere decoration; they radiated a dangerous aura.

He quickly drew a handful of golden needles from his sleeve, preparing to fight.

“Whoosh!” Several needles shot through the air, aiming precisely at the puppets’ joints.

However, to Niu Yichen’s surprise, the needles merely clanged against their shells, leaving no mark.

“What are they made of? So tough?” Zhan Qingxue stared in disbelief. “Brother Chen, your needles aren’t working!”

Niu Yichen’s expression darkened. Their defense surpassed his expectations.

A head-on attack wouldn’t work; he needed another plan.

Just then, Zhan Qingxue pointed behind one puppet and shouted, “Brother Chen, look! There’s something there!”

Following her finger, Niu Yichen spotted a faintly glowing energy core on the puppet’s back.

That must be their weak point.

“Qingxue, cover me!” Niu Yichen commanded, dashing toward the nearest puppet.

Zhan Qingxue quickly picked up stones from the ground and hurled them at the other puppets, drawing their attention.

Risking attack, Niu Yichen closed in, focusing his energy at his fingertips and probing around the energy core.

He noticed the core wasn’t completely sealed—it connected to the puppet’s body through small conduits, continuously supplying power.

A bold idea took shape in his mind.

Holding his breath, he carefully guided his vital energy along the conduits, infiltrating the puppet’s energy transmission system to disrupt its flow.

The puppet’s movements slowed, becoming uncoordinated.

Seizing the moment, Niu Yichen struck the energy core with a powerful palm.

Boom! The core exploded instantly, and the puppet collapsed, motionless.

“Brother Chen, you’re amazing!” Zhan Qingxue jumped up excitedly. “I knew you’d find a way!”

Niu Yichen smiled faintly but said nothing.

With the puppet threat neutralized, they pressed deeper into the castle.

After a long corridor, they reached a massive stone door etched with ancient runes, emanating a mysterious aura.

“What do you think’s behind this door?” Zhan Qingxue asked curiously.

Niu Yichen shook his head, uncertain.

He reached out, gently touching the runes on the door, a familiar feeling swelling within him…

“Wait…” he suddenly said, his voice low and grave.

“What is it?”

Niu Yichen said nothing but locked his gaze on one particular rune, his face growing extremely grim.

“Damn, this rune… looks familiar…” He frowned, tracing the symbol gently, a chill shooting from his fingertips to his heart.

He had seen this rune in ancient texts before—it represented a perilous formation: the Nine Nether Deadly Killing Array.

Zhan Qingxue noticed his unease and asked with concern, “Brother Chen, what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the rune?”

Taking a deep breath, Niu Yichen said solemnly, “This rune signifies an extremely dangerous array. Once triggered, the consequences are unimaginable.”

“What? Then what do we do?” Zhan Qingxue tensed up. “We should leave immediately!”

Niu Yichen shook his head. “It’s probably too late to leave now.”

No sooner had he spoken than the runes on the door flared with blinding light, and a fierce suction force from within dragged them violently inside.

“Damn! Not again!” Zhan Qingxue barely had time to scream before losing consciousness.

When Niu Yichen awoke, he found himself lying on soft grass, with Zhan Qingxue nestled in his arms, pale and breathing faintly.

“Qingxue, are you alright?” he hurriedly helped her up, his voice full of concern.

She slowly opened her eyes, smiled weakly at his anxious face, and said, “I’m fine, just a little tired.”

Niu Yichen held her close, gently stroking her hair, speaking softly, “You’ve been through so much.”

Cuddling in his warm embrace, Zhan Qingxue felt a surge of sweetness and reassurance.

After enduring such danger, their bond had only deepened.

After a brief rest, Qingxue regained some strength and looked around curiously.

They were in a valley surrounded by green mountains, shaded by trees, birds singing, flowers blooming—a paradise hidden from the world.

“Brother Chen, where is this place? It’s so beautiful!” Qingxue marveled.

Niu Yichen shook his head. “I don’t know either, but this should be the interior of the Nine Nether Deadly Killing Array.”

“The Nine Nether Deadly Killing Array?” Qingxue was stunned. “Doesn’t that mean we’re in great danger?”

Niu Yichen smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. With me here, nothing will happen.”

He stood and took Qingxue’s hand, walking along a narrow path through the valley.

“Brother Chen, where are we going?”

“To find the core of the array,” Niu Yichen answered. “Only by locating the core can we dismantle this formation.”

After a short walk, they arrived at the entrance of a cave.

A giant stone tablet stood at the mouth, inscribed with three simple characters: “Nine Nether Cave.”

“Looks like this is where the core lies,” Niu Yichen said.

Taking Qingxue’s hand, they entered the cave.

Inside was pitch black, so dark they couldn’t see a thing.

Niu Yichen pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, illuminating the path ahead.

They moved cautiously forward until Niu Yichen suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Qingxue asked.

Niu Yichen said nothing, staring intently ahead, his face growing very dark.

“Qingxue…” his voice was low and heavy, “Look…”