Chapter 153: Crushing Defeat

“That was brutal!” Su Lun rubbed his shoulders.

“I can’t fight them head-on. With so many Stone Golems, each throwing a stone pellet would be enough to bury me alive.”

Watching the Stone Golems relentlessly chasing behind, Su Lun had a headache. Each of these troublesome things was harder than stone. The weapons provided inside this Dungeon were just regular ones, and even with his superb martial skills, it was difficult to breach their defenses. How was he supposed to fight these Stone Golems?

“Lightning Spear!”

A spear crackling with Lightning Glow was hurled. With his power reduced, the Lightning Spear’s might was also greatly diminished. Moreover, since these Construct Golems lacked flesh and blood bodies, the spear’s effectiveness dropped considerably.

“Turn Stone to Mud!”

A flash of inspiration struck, and the hard, solid ground under the Stone Golem’s feet turned into a pool of mud. The Golem’s heavy frame sank straight down. While this spell was often used for building houses, its application depended entirely on personal understanding.

Once stuck in the mire, getting out was no easy task for the Stone Golem. The mud was sticky and slippery. Su Lun didn’t waste time fretting over it. He swiftly swung his longsword, finishing off the wounded Stone Golem. Then he turned and ran again.

Using this method, Su Lun eliminated over a dozen Stone Golems, but in the end, he was crushed into dust by the remaining ones. His current mana only allowed him to cast Turn Stone to Mud a dozen times or so. Eventually, he ran out of energy and stamina. The outcome was predictable.

…

“Damn it!”

Su Lun returned to his physical body. He slammed his Purple Dragon Halberd down forcefully on the flat ground. The hard marble surface instantly cracked like a spiderweb.

“Challenge Failed!”

The cold voice of the Wind Djinn echoed.

Su Lun felt spirit weary. There was no physical discomfort, only a deep sense of being wronged inside. He, a Legendary Power possessing his own Domain, had been directly pummeled to defeat by a few dozen Stone Golems…

“Blast it! If only I could’ve taken the Purple Dragon Halberd inside! Even with my power suppressed, demolishing those Stone Golems would only have been a slightly more time-consuming task!” Su Lun wore a gloomy expression.

“Heatherway, Chris! You two come here. Let’s go in together this time!” Su Lun shouted to them.

“Challenge Failed? What did you meet inside?” Heatherway asked curiously, while Chris beside her perked up her ears.

“Don’t bring it up! The trial limits your power once you enter, and you can’t use your own gear – only the junk they provide. My power was suppressed to that of a Third-tier Professional inside. Then, the opponents were fifty Stone Golems.”

“Fifty Stone Golems?!” Heatherway exclaimed, her jaw dropping. She couldn’t help but grumble, “A Wizard Tower couldn’t even afford that many Stone Golems!”

Stone Golems weren’t cheap. To craft one took the skill of at least a Grand Mage. They used high-quality stone of Excellent grade. The craftsmanship for sculpting the body had to reach Level 17. Plus, diverse magical materials were needed. The cost price for one Stone Golem ranged between twenty to twenty-five thousand Gold Nar. If purchased from a Wizard, the set price was ninety thousand Gold Nar.

Fifty Stone Golems? A regular Wizard truly couldn’t produce anywhere that many.

“Those Construct Golems are probably virtual,” Su Lun considered, “just like how my body turned into an image when I entered.”

“Then let’s head in together this time!” Having grasped the concept of this Mirror Space, Heatherway was eager to test it. His curiosity about this Mirror Space was piqued, especially concerning the Golem Legion. Chris clearly shared the interest.

Su Lun led them both to the platform center, requesting that all three enter.

The Wind Djinn’s expression remained frosty. “Challenge Failed. Your spirit is already in a weakened state. Forcing entry now would inflict Soul harm. Are you certain you wish to proceed?”

“Never mind!” Hearing about potential Soul damage, Su Lun decisively shook his head. Healing soul damage was no easy feat.

“These two ladies, however, could attempt the challenge.”

Heatherway and Chris exchanged glances, both looking keen.

“How long does the weakness last?” Su Lun asked.

“Twenty-four hours.”

“You two go in first. Then we’ll all go together tomorrow,” Su Lun said.

Twinklighlight flitted as two teleportation flashes whisk Heatherway and Chris into the Mirror Space. The Mirror Space they entered was identical to Su Lun’s, though the number of Golems facing them was even greater – a full seventy Construct Golems. As a result, they held out for an even shorter time than Su Lun.

About fifteen minutes later, Heatherway and Chris reappeared on the magic circle. Their expressions were grim; no one enjoys being ganged up on by a troop of Golems.

“Challenge Failed!” The Wind Djinn stated impassively once more.

“The Mirror Space is now closing. The next challenge will be available twenty-four hours from now. You may take your leave.”

“The Dungeon Token grants three chances. If all three attempts fail, the Token vanishes. Succeeding once also consumes the Token. Seize your opportunities.” With that, the Wind Djinn gave a small wave. Three flashes of teleportation light enveloped them. Su Lun and the two women experienced a momentary blackout before finding themselves back in the library from which they’d started.

Back in the Prime Material World, Su Lun tucked the Dungeon Token away. Heatherway and Chris settled down beside him, one on either side.

“If we enter together for tomorrow’s challenge, the number of Golems will probably increase even more,” Su Lun rubbed his temples. The challenge was undeniably tough, but hope wasn’t lost. The Stone Golems, albeit numerous, lacked intelligence, leaving room for Su Lun and his companions to sneak a victory.

Should those Golems had been coordinated and commanded by someone, Su Lun’s party wouldn’t have stood a ghost of a chance.

“Alright, we’ll go again tomorrow,” Chris nodded in agreement.

“Since it’s decided, let’s get some relaxation right now,” Su Lun managed a faint smile. Grabbing both women’s hands without waiting, he steered them towards the baths for a soak in the hot springs. He’d heard Heatherway had mastered a few spells from the Drow Elves, like the Partial Transformation Spell. This spell could change parts of a human body into animal features—think cat girls or rabbit-ear maidens.

Based on information known to someone like Carina, they learned many such spells from a volume known as The Pink Book. It was said this grimoire chronicled hundreds of varieties and applications for all kinds of spells. From the Drow Elves’ collection – Shadow Tentacles ranging from Level 1 to Level 9 – all types were supposedly recorded within.

It also held entries for spells like Wizard’s Hand, among others. Allegedly, tucked away within was even a ninth-level spell modeled after the Wizard’s Hand. This spell’s model structure was exceptionally intricate, reputedly even more dexterous than a human palm. It could accomplish manipulations impossible for a real hand, all while packing a formidable offensive punch.