Shou Yue gazed ahead and said, "Bai Ye is quite formidable. For a moment, my vision couldn't track him."
Kai stroked his chin. "Does he also excel in demonic arts? That form is somewhat similar to my own demonic power."
Mulan shrugged. "Since he's already fled, let him be. Kai, you should head to the Glory Canyon first. Shuyue, Dun Shan, and I will follow shortly."
Kai nodded. "Alright!"
...
Meanwhile, Bai Ye was fleeing at full speed.
The speed of sound was 340 meters per second. The supersonic movement of Demonic Strike lasted for 18 seconds, covering over six thousand meters. Afterward, the boosters required a six-hour cooldown.
In reality, relying solely on this for travel wouldn't shave off too much time.
However, even without the Demonic Robe, Bai Ye was exceptionally fast. After all, his speed attribute had already surpassed 160, and then...
"First Gene Gate, unlocked!"
*Plop!*
A distinct heartbeat!
The next instant, Bai Ye felt his blood flow suddenly quicken, plunging him into a state of intense exhilaration.
Concurrently, with the unlocking of the first gene gate, Bai Ye's physical attributes began to rise. His speed increased, and he continued his advance along the ancient path.
After an unknown duration, a colossal canyon appeared before Bai Ye.
At the front of the canyon stood a massive bronze gateway. The mountain walls on either side were adorned with various kinds of flora.
Hundreds of meters of purple-green vines covered the cliff faces, even coiling around the bronze gateway.
The open space in front teemed with diverse plant life.
Flowers shaped like wind chimes produced a tinkling sound, like that of bells swaying, when touched.
Giant purple dandelions swayed in the wind, their white fluffy seeds scattering everywhere.
Further in the distance, large shrubs emitted a yellow glow resembling wisps of smoke. This radiance dissipated around the illuminated area, forming swirling patterns.
Sunlight streamed down from the sky, causing the surrounding grass to shift in color, sometimes turning verdant, then violet, then white.
The Glory Canyon exuded a magical aura, with wonders apparent everywhere. And...
There was a peculiar power!
Bai Ye couldn't quite identify the nature of this power, but he could sense an unseen force entangling him the moment he entered this region.
Pondering this, Bai Ye stepped onto the grass, heading towards the entrance.
"Once I enter the bronze gateway, the second part of the hidden quest should be considered complete, right?"
Just then...
Ahead of Bai Ye, the ground suddenly began to tremble, and a fissure split open, spreading towards him.
Bai Ye quickly leaped to the side. However, in the very next moment, a colossal hand emerged from the earth, descending towards Bai Ye.
*Boom!*
Bai Ye tapped his toes, creating distance once more.
The gigantic palm struck the ground with a deafening roar, shattering the earth and causing a section to cave inwards.
Soon, a second colossal hand rose from beneath the earth, supporting the other side of the fissure. Then...
A mechanical figure, approximately four to five meters tall, emerged from the crack.
"As expected," Bai Ye said. "After all, this is a hidden quest. It wouldn't be completed just by traveling. It's just..."
Bai Ye suddenly spread his arms, unfurling the featherless black wings on his back.
With the golden-quality Demonic Robe's mechanical armor on him, a mere automaton was something Bai Ye didn't take lightly!
Almost instantaneously, the twelve sword blades forming the wing bones shot forward, bombarding the automaton.
*Bang, bang, bang...*
Each sword blade possessed immense power, striking the automaton's body and forcing it to retreat continuously.
After a round of attacks, the sword blades flew back behind Bai Ye, reforming into wings.
The next moment, on Bai Ye's shoulder, metal plates shifted aside, and a black shoulder cannon, about the size of two palms, rose up.
Lightstream Energy Cannon!
Lightstream Energy Cannon (rapidly gathers solar energy to form a high-heat lightstream for bombardment)
The upper section of the shoulder cannon had dark pads, emitting a glow. Following this, the surrounding sunlight seemed to be drawn in, ensnaring the Lightstream Energy Cannon.
At the cannon's muzzle, abundant golden halos began to appear, gradually condensing.
Moments later, as the automaton advanced, Bai Ye gestured and commanded, "Fire!"
*Boom!*
A golden beam of light appeared, streaking towards the automaton and striking its shoulder with a thunderous roar.
Immediately after, at the point of impact, a massive fireball erupted.
The automaton's arm was directly shattered, breaking off at the shoulder and falling downwards, crashing onto the ground.
Bai Ye did not pause, striding forward. The Lightstream Energy Cannon was already absorbing sunlight again, its muzzle re-condensing a beam.
Soon...
*Boom!*
A second deafening roar echoed, and the golden beam shot out once more, its speed terrifyingly fast, almost a flash. It struck the automaton's chest.
The moment the beam hit, the explosion sounded again.
This time, a massive hole was blasted through the automaton's chest.
Looking inside the opening, one could vaguely discern array patterns etched within the automaton.
If nothing else, although different from previous automaton models, it likely had a power core as a weakness. But...
Bai Ye didn't care!
Just fight!
The automaton hadn't even regained its footing before a third shot arrived!
Bai Ye was like a small sun at this moment, enveloped in sunlight. The cannon was re-charging!
The power of the Lightstream Energy Cannon was not fixed, nor was its charging speed. It entirely depended on the intensity of sunlight.
The stronger the sunlight, the greater the power of the Lightstream Energy Cannon and the faster its charging speed. In fact, firing consecutively was not impossible.
And today...
Bai Ye looked up at the sky.
The weather was fine!
*Boom!*
The sound of bombardment rang out again, and a third beam was fired forward.
This time, the beam directly struck the automaton's head. The sound of an explosion erupted the moment the beam hit.
Almost instantly, the automaton's head was blasted into pieces. Its massive body then toppled, crashing heavily onto the ground. It vibrated for a moment before falling completely silent.
The automaton was not inherently weak. Compared to the standard automatons encountered before, it was clearly a significant upgrade.
However, it was no match for the Demonic Robe, an utterly one-sided annihilation.
Three shots took it down!
...