Chapter 1098: Bone Race
After finding out more about this place, Xiang Shaoyun's eyes burned with excitement. This was a spacetime grotto with massive opportunities. Some could become Saints here, some could obtain cleansing and undergo rebirth, and others could obtain similar benefits. In short, so long as one could leave this place alive, one would have a bright future.
However, only a tenth of the people here would be able to leave alive. One could say that the grotto had a survival rate of 10 percent. However, the grotto was like a paradise. No danger could be seen, so Xiang Shaoyun couldn't understand how it could be so fatal.
"Can I leave now?" asked the runic meekly.
"Yes. But you need to come with me. I still lack a bodyguard," said Xiang Shaoyun with a nonchalant smile.
The runic's face fell. It was clear that Xiang Shaoyun was trying to make him a servant. However, he was given no choice. Xiang Shaoyun was too strong, probably one of the strongest here. Nobody would dare to provoke him. The source of Xiang Shaoyun's insane physical strength was naturally the Limit Stimulation Technique.
His flesh had been tempered thoroughly. His skin, flesh, meridians, organs, and bones had been reforged, becoming increasingly flawless and massively strong. Xiang Shaoyun was basically a beast among humans with unparalleled brute strength. Perhaps only some top-tier demonic beasts could match his physical strength.
This strength was why Xiang Shaoyun could easily defeat the runic and the ox-head. Instead of suppressing him, the grotto's environment was helping him display his advantage.
Xiang Shaoyun and the runic headed deeper into the grotto as they searched for whatever made this place so special.
The grotto was extremely expansive and felt the same as the outside world. The only difference was that it was much more serene and beautiful. Many small beasts were frolicking throughout the grotto, showing no fear for the intruders.
If some young girls were brought here, they would probably fall in love with this place. The grotto was the perfect location for one to cultivate in silence and shun the world. But the more flawless the paradise appeared, the more out of place everything seemed.
Xiang Shaoyun was in no rush to advance. He constantly spread his senses around, trying to get a clear picture of the grotto before deciding on what to do. Eventually, he discovered an odd place. Not far from him was a floating building. He brought the runic and moved swiftly toward the floating building.
When they arrived, they found that some other people had come before them.
The floating building was ancient and crude, built from ancient bricks. One could see everything in the house with a single glance. Inside the house was a stone bed. Seated on the stone bed was a skeleton. Apart from that, the house was completely empty.
Someone leaped into the air to get a better look at the house and the skeleton. But without astral energy, he couldn't fly or go beyond a height of 100 meters just by jumping. However, he had come well-prepared. A chain shot out from his hand and latched onto the stone house. Using the chain, he continued his ascent.
He was impressively nimble. It only took him a short time to reach the house. But when he arrived, something odd happened. A repelling force erupted from the house and flung him away.
He smashed into the ground and started madly coughing blood. Chest caved in, he seemed to have suffered a grievous wound.
The people present were given a fright. They had not imagined that the house would actually have such a seal around it.
"You mortals are here to disturb my master's slumber again. You deserve death!" the skeleton in the house spoke, giving everyone another fright.
The skeleton had no blood and flesh. How could it speak? And yet, not only was the skeleton speaking, it was flying out of the house. With a bone staff in hand, it landed on the ground. A sharp radiance shone from its empty eye sockets, scaring everyone from meeting its gaze.
Everyone stepped back, worried that the skeleton would give them trouble.
Someone exclaimed in alarm, "You're from the bone race?"
The bone race was an extremely peculiar race. Each member was born from the frame of a skeleton that had mutated after successfully lasting for many years without rotting away. Not all skeletons would become members of the bone race, but after the first of the race had come into existence, they had gathered corpses to give others a chance to be reborn.
After their birth, they would exist in the form of skeletons without any of their memories. Like members of other races, those of the bone race grew slowly before forming a unique type of consciousness and becoming a unique kind of expert.
The person who had spoken had recognized the skeleton as a member of the bone race due to the skeleton's unique bone runes.
"Good. Now that you know, return to where you came from. This is the bone race's territory. If you mortals retreat, you will be spared. Otherwise, all of you will die," said the skeleton.
At this time, someone pointed in a certain direction and said, "I think there are some lifebone flowers there. I saw a few other sovereign herbs as well."
Everyone looked over. Sure enough, several stalks of blooming herbs were growing on a certain slope. The sight instantly caused their eyes to light up.
"You greedy bastards. Last warning. Get lost or die," shouted the skeleton furiously.
However, everyone was blinded by greed. They ignored the skeleton and rushed to the herbs.
"You're courting death," the skeleton fumed. With its bone staff raised, it charged them.
The skeleton was unaffected by the grotto's energy suppression and could fly in the air. It could even use the energy unique to the bone clan. A silvery-white chain manifested and slammed into the group of people.
Everyone might have lost access to their energy, but they still had impressive reaction speeds and nimbly dodged the attack. Some failed to avoid the attack. They were struck and sent flying far away. If their armors weren't protecting them, they would have died.
In response, the group drew their weapons and attacked the skeleton. Since the weapons' energies weren't suppressed, they could still unleash an impressive might with their weapons. However, they still couldn't harm the skeleton, who was too fast for them.
"Die, mortals!" the skeleton roared, and its staff shone brightly as though summoning something.
While everyone else was fighting, Xiang Shaoyun had kept to himself with the runic. The two were standing to the side, observing everything. Soon, Xiang Shaoyun noticed something appearing from underground.
A dragon skeleton burst up and pounced on the group of people.