Under the nervous gazes of the crowd, the large entrances to the tunnels, containing the steel golems, gradually opened.
A pitch-black opening filled with killing intent, appeared in front of everyone, making everyone inhale a mouthful of cold air.
Seeing the pale expressions on these newbies’ faces, Huang Feiyang smirked and said in a clear voice, “Remember this well. You can only stay in there for half an hour. After that, if you haven’t come out, no matter how many steel hearts you get, they won’t be counted as you already won’t be able to come out!”
“After half an hour, we will lock the steel doors. At that time, no matter if you’re dead or alive, we’ll consider you dead. If you want to leave, you just have to wait for the next Lingwu Family’s selection!”
Huang Feiyang sneered coldly before indicating, “When the next selection comes around, you’ll become a decomposed skeleton.”
Long Chen was currently looking inside the tunnel. The interior, in fact, did not have any signs of life, but was filled with killing intent. There was also a barely audible clanging of metal. Just from the sound, Long Chen could hear how sturdy the steel golems were.
“Under normal circumstances, it is completely sufficient to cover the five hundred meters of the tunnel in half an hour’s time. However, with the hindrance of the steel golems, if you want to kill the greatest amount of golems within the time limit and obtain more of the steel hearts, it seems that it won’t be easy…….”
While Long Chen was considering, Huang Feiyang had already announced the start of the selection.
All fifty people, including Long Chen, strived to be first and feared to be last to prevent wasting their precious time.
“Xiao Xi, do you know anything about these steel golems?”
“Those steel golems were made by using seal arrays, bestowing them life by special martial craftsman. It uses deity jades as an energy source for its combative features. You don’t have to worry, these steel golems are at the lowest level. Thus, you’re in an extremely advantageous situation for this round of selection.”
Long Chen gaze expressed doubt as he asked, “Why is that the case?”
“Although these simple steel golem’s bodies are tough, they don’t know any martial techniques. However, the most troublesome part is that there is a large number of them. If you use your martial techniques to deal with them, sooner or later, you will use up all of your Qi. However, if you use your body’s strength, you would be able to conserve a greater amount of energy. You have previously trained in the [Celestial Core Technique] and after the tempering of one-thousandth Inherited Blood Essence, the [Dragon Soul Transformation] should be at the level of an advanced Huang grade core technique or even stronger!”
Long Chen’s gaze momentarily expressed his surprise. “Xiao Xi, you mean that if I can gather more of the Inherited Blood Essence, my body can continuously become stronger?”
“In theory, that should be that case. When you are able to utilize all of the Inherited Blood Essence according to your will, your physical abilities will increase. Of course, there are many other immeasurable benefits. They’ll be similar to [Blood Transmuted Qi] and the [Dragon Soul Transformation]!”
In Long Chen’s sea of consciousness, there was still 999/1000 of the Inherited Blood Essence, which was being suppressed by the Dragon Jade. Long Chen knew that in the process of getting stronger, he definitely would be able to uncover portions of the Inherited Blood Essence a step at a time.
“After obtaining the entire Inherited Blood Essence and training to the peak, I should be able to transform into an Immemorial Dragon God. Will I become one of the 10 Immemorial Ancestral Dragons, the Immemorial Blood Spirit Dragon?”
As his mind was contemplating the notion, Long Chen had already walked about thirty meters in.
At this point, his field of vision darkened. However, it improved as the tunnel’s diameter increased, making it suitable for battles.
Long Chen felt a faint killing intent that was approaching him.
“There are four steel golems about ten meters in front of you since you awakened them by nearing it. They are coming, now!”
With Lingxi’s warning, there were a few powerful movements in the dark tunnel that came rushing towards Long Chen.
Long Chen had already prepared for them. At this moment, he was in [Dragon Soul Transformation] state. The dense, yet precise crimson scales acted as protection while the spiked spikes protruded from his elbows, knees, shoulders, and back. Coupled with his razor sharp claws, they were used as his instruments of death
Right now, there were sharp claws ten centimeters in length on each of Long Chen’s fingers. Each and every one of them was practically blood red daggers. If used on ordinary people, it can pierce through their chests and gouge their hearts out!
“I will be entering the second round of selections immediately after this. Many people will be fighting the steel golems. In order to obtain extra steel hearts, they will use a majority of their energy. This will result in them being disadvantaged during the second round! However I have Lingxi, I will try my utmost to use only the energy of my physical body. I refuse to believe that, after having my body tempered by the Inherited Blood Essence I won’t be able to deal with a few lumps of steel!”
At that instant, Long Chen came into contact with one of the steel golems!
During the battle, Long Chen quickly understood the structure of the steel golem. It was a human shaped golem made from steel. Long Chen definitely didn’t know what kind of steel was used but it was exceptionally tough.
The steel golem was two meters in height, its arms and legs were extremely thick and powerful, containing tremendous strength. On its body, there were a few black runes. Whenever the golems moved the runes would flicker. Long Chen had discovered that their heart was at the center of these runes!
* Clang! *
An ear piercing sound of colliding metal echoed loudly in the tunnel. At that moment, Long Chen had already thrown a punch towards the steel golem’s fist, and was secretly astonished!
“The strength of this steel golem seems to be around the seventh or eighth level of Dragon Pulse Realm. Furthermore, in this tunnel, there are hundreds of these steel golems. No wonder they said that there would be casualties!”
Long Chen roared and then launched punches at the steel golem without restraint. After it was pushed back, he used his speed, which far exceeded the steel golem, to take advantage of the situation. He collided loudly with the golem, momentarily forcing it to topple over on the ground
“It is within my expectations. These steel golems have impeccable defenses and are powerful. However their speed and agility are still lacking!”
After training his body, his agility had greatly improved. When his shoulder hit the steel golem, Long Chen found out that the spikes on his shoulder had pierced his golem’s body leaving many large holes. However, it didn’t give the slightest pause to the steel golem’s motion!
However, that wasn’t Long Chen’s goal. When the steel golem was knocked down by the collision, his claws pierced through the center of the runes. At this moment, he used all of his power to pierce deeply into the steel golem’s heart!
“That’s right! Grab the object that is radiating heat and pull it out!”
Following Xiao Xi’s instructions, Long Chen pierced the heart of the steel golem with his claws. Very quickly, he felt a hot stone before he unhesitantly pulled it out!
During the extraction, the previously fiendish steel golem momentarily let out a human-like wail and pleaded.
Long Chen hit its weak spot, against something that originally didn’t live, he was merciless. He directly extracted it and retreated. At this moment, the steel golem suddenly collapsed on the ground helplessly, without any further movements!
“I have gotten my first steel heart!”
Long Chen glanced at the steel heart in his hand and discovered that it was similar to a warm deity jade like of stone, containing nature’s spiritual energy.
However, other than the natural spiritual energy of the steel heart, there were still other auras!
Long Chen immediately placed the steel of heart into his cosmos pouch. The three remaining steel golems already started clanging as they charged towards Long Chen!
“With such a formidable power, but terribly rigid movements, how will you be a match for your father, I?”
With the experience of killing one of the steel golems, Long Chen moved towards the others
“If it is three against one, it will indeed be a little troublesome. I won’t be able to use my full strength, but……”
Long Chen had moved behind one of the steel golems in a flash. The golem suddenly turned around and threw a punch but Long Chen moved like a lizard that was stuck to its back. Long Chen used his claws to pierce the heart of the steel golem from behind. After he retrieved the steel heart, the other two steel golems had just started to turn around!
“What Xiaoxi said was right. I have overwhelming agility and sharp claws that have granted me an extremely great advantage in this round of selection. If it were others who haven’t trained their body, they wouldn’t dare to fight the steel golem head on and only use martial techniques to attack them. However, it would also be extremely difficult to hit the weak spot of the steel golems! Thus, their speed won’t be able to match mine!”
Thinking about Huang Xiang, Long Chen gaze turned icy.
“Huang Xiang trained in the Huang grade core technique. If he has a sharp knife, it will be extremely easy for him to kill the steel golems. No wonder he had spent time to train in core techniques. The reason being that he had associates in the Lingwu family, so he had some advantages!”
The other two steel golems followed the same pattern collapsing under Long Chen’s feet. At this moment, the battle had already alarmed the other steel golems.
“Be careful, the steel golems in the area are charging towards you!”
Long Chen nodded. “I need to run across to the other side of the tunnel in half an hour’s time. It seems that it will be suitable for me to slaughter them over there. By then, the time limit will be almost up and it’s also convenient for me to leave!”
Saying which, Long Chen rapidly moved towards the depths of the tunnel. After killing a couple of the steel golems, Long Chen had gradually found a method to deal with the steel golems quickly. First, he collided with the steel golem and clawed them and then, in his second move, he went behind the steel golem and clawed them. These were extremely successful moves to deal with the steel golems!
Under the continuous barrage of attacks from the ever increasing steel golems, Long Chen was able to deal with them at ease, just by using those two moves!
Walking into a vast hemispherical area, Long Chen already saw the same big iron door. However, it was densely packed with steel golems!
At a glance, Long Chen had discovered that there were, at least, hundred of them!
“The Lingwu Family has really spent a lot in this. They used this many steel golems to test only one person. There’s a total of 50 of us. I wonder just how large the total number of steel puppets are.”
“28”
“I have already gathered 28 steel hearts along the way. There are still three minutes before the thirty minutes time limit. There’s enough time, so I will destroy these steel golems and also practice my close combat skills!”
During the battle with the steel golems, Long Chen found out that his close combat skills were still somewhat lacking.
During the process of training, it could be said that he had switched to something he wasn’t used to. When he was young, he trained daily. However, he had put that aside for quite sometime, so he had forgotten some basic moves. There were currently many steel golems, so they could be used as perfect training targets!
Long Chen became like a wolf that entered a flock of sheep. He was like a red phantom who frantically killed the steel golems!
Long Chen was so engrossed in the killing that he didn’t pay attention to the time. It was only until Xiao Xi suddenly said, “Hey! There isn’t much time to the half an hour limit. Don’t you want to head out already?”
Only then, did Long Chen stop and check his cosmos pouch. He smiled bitterly and said, “With a total of 105 steel hearts, I wonder if it is possible to reach the top ten with that.”