[Silver Solum Mirror]
[Retaliation: 300/300]
[Soul Capacity: 220/300]
The Soul Capacity had been filled recently from almost zero. It spoke volumes about the number of golems in the valley.
As Bian stepped on the stone-filled path, a boulder began to vibrate.
Quite used to this already, Bian didn't give it a chance to form completely as he struck out with his blade.
The sword beam arrived in front of the boulder in an instant and left an inch-long mark across its surface.
Bian was taken aback, as each of those strikes contained his sword intent and even the Purple Mantis King had been unable to withstand a single exchange.
As if endangered by his attack, the boulder sank into the rocky floor and began taking shape there.
"I don't think so." Bian struck out with several sword beams, but a stony pincer rose up from the ground to block his attacks.
The normal rocks which should have been obliterated into dust were only left with some deep cuts instead. Immediately, small stones rolled off the ground and filled the cuts Bian had just made.
As the ground started to tremble, a large scorpion made entirely of rocks crawled out. It had three tails behind it which all traced Bian's movement.
Bian got off the Alabaster Tiger and knew this scorpion was on a different level compared to the earlier golems.
"Kree!"
A weird sound escaped the scorpion's mouth and it started shooting out rods as thick as arms from the three tails.
Bian feigned left then moved right, using the Dongxuan Movement to dodge the Scorpion Golem's attacks.
Rocks continuously climbed up the Scorpion Golem, replenishing the stingers faster than it was shooting them out.
Bian could see through the scorpion using the Dongxuan Aura, so he knew the boulder which was its core was at the creature's back, located at the base of the three tails.
He fired several sword beams of his own, and while their damage was good, the scorpion was constantly healing using the ground.
"Rock beats scissors, huh!"
It wasn't that Bian was weak; rather, he was using the wrong type of weapon to face this stone golem.
A hammer might be more effective here, but Bian had no such thing on him.
After evading a volley of stingers, Bian no longer retreated but summoned his sacred-blood wings and charged at the creature.
Because Bian did not see the special murals in the third sanctuary, only Han Yan could use the Phoenix technique to fly like a bird.
He still relied on the seven twists to make evasions when mid-air.
The air exploded as the pincers snapped shut, almost managing to touch Bian.
He arrived at its back and stabbed the Edge of Ruin into the core of the Scorpion Golem.
The three tails turned downwards to face him, but Bian did not run.
He endured the stinger's attacks and summoned the serrated saber beast soul of the Purple Mantis King.
A purple blade which resembled a mantis claw appeared in his hand and with one blade still in the core, he used the second blade to sever the back of the twenty-meter golem from its front.
The two halves of the boulder showed signs of reassembling, but how could Bian let it do so?
Using both hands simultaneously, he let out consecutive sword beams that shattered the boulders, finally allowing the Solum Mirror to fill up its counter.
[Soul Capacity: 225/300]
Bian looked at the counter and was quite displeased. These golems gave less than they were supposed to but were more troublesome than living creatures.
When Bian was flying just now, he felt a restriction up in the air that increased as he soared higher.
Just as he was about to inspect the aerial restriction, the entire valley started to shake.
Up ahead, a Three-Tailed Scorpion Golem formed from a boulder.
Then another and another until all the cores as far as Bian could see took on shape.
In the other direction where he had come from, the Scorpion Golems began climbing out of the ground by the dozens.
"They weren't there when I passed earlier. These guys' digging must be even better than their defense."
All the golems fixed their eyes on Bian and soon, the air was filled with one-meter-long rock pillars that were as thick as a man's fist.
The pillars had struck Bian earlier and although they were unable to harm him through the armor, the attacks still hurt.
Bian didn't look like someone who had been cornered in a pincer attack though.
He brandished both blades and began striking down the stone pillars as they rained out of the sky.
The Scorpion Golems didn't keep shooting but started charging towards Bian.
Killing one was already a hassle and a half, plus the Solum Mirror was almost at maximum capacity.
Bian looked deeper into the valley. He didn't know what these golems were protecting, but he would be back for it.
The Solum Mirror, which was by his side, suddenly flew to his front, facing the way he came.
Dozens of Scorpion Golems were soon illuminated by the bright light oozing from the surface of the mirror.
"Retaliation!"
Pure incandescent energy shot forward, wiping out the Scorpion Golems and turning the rocks on both sides of the valley to molten lava.
Bian spread his draconic wings and flew at low altitude out of the valley.
The scorpions were relentless in their chase, but they couldn't catch up to Bian who had sacred-blood wings.
When he left the valley, all the scorpions suddenly seemed to lose interest and returned to the valley.
Bian used the free chance to check the status of the Solum Mirror.
[Silver Solum Mirror]
[Retaliation: 0/300]
[Soul Capacity: 300/300]
[Advance / Transfer]
[Maximum Soul Capacity Achieved. Advance the Solum Mirror?]
Wiping out the dozens of Scorpion Golems which blocked his exit path completely filled the Solum Mirror, and the excess was even wasted.
Bian could advance the Solum Mirror to a gold geno core, but he refused to do so until it was strengthened. He could also transfer the soul energy to the Bronze Cauldron and Altering Brush to bring them up to silver, but still not without strengthening them first.
He summoned the Alabaster Tiger, rode it through the purple meadow, and arrived at the original hill where he had emerged from.
The Alabaster Tiger was a decent mount, but nothing could compare to the Golden Growler, which could change size.
The Bronze Cauldron had not finished refining the Purple Mantis King yet, so Bian temporarily left the sanctuary.
When he returned to the alliance, Han Yan wasn't around, so he stepped out for a bit to 'recharge' the Solum Mirror.
The Black Cruiser had amassed a massive amount of purple crystals which acted as fuel, but all technology wouldn't operate in the sanctuary.
What Bian could do, though, was to fire its laser at the Solum Mirror, keeping the Retaliation counter full.
When he returned, Han Yan was already back from the sanctuary. With a little chat, Bian found out she had managed to awaken one more of her geno cores.
She had also seen Man Tian's message, and with both of them around, they agreed to meet with Man Tian and his wife on the morrow.
"You don't think his wife could be an Executioner, right?" Bian asked Han Yan out of the blue.
She wanted to refute the claim, but no words came out. After all, it was entirely possible.
"If she has that token that can identify you, then that would be serious trouble. She would know where we live and our family members. Not to mention Man Tian would be forced to side with either his wife or his best friend." Han Yan shook her head dismissively, "It would be a cruel twist of fate."
Creases appeared on their foreheads, but how could they avoid this?
"Han Yan, you might have to call them back and postpone the meeting," Bian said with a smile which wasn't a smile.
"For how long?" She frowned.
Bian didn't answer her question. He could only look downwards and sigh.