God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 552: The Powerful Presence

The pressure building up before Sophie’s party felt far too consistent to belong to a mere wandering monster, especially since it seemed unmoving from its position. Though his desire to reach the deepest sections of the Buried God’s Tomb was urgent, he couldn't afford to squander precious subordinates by taking a single wrong turn. The name Broken Dawn wasn't just a guild title to him; every capable member was a future asset, and losing them within a tomb would be an act of sheer foolishness.

IceQueen regarded him with a slight frown. "What is it that you find amiss?"

Gabriel didn't offer an immediate response, instead angling his head subtly towards the left side of the corridor. A narrow fissure, partially concealed by fractured wall sections, lay there. The guide's shifting expression confirmed it was not part of the designated path.

The guide, noticing Gabriel's attention, stepped forward promptly. "That way is not correct."

Disregarding the guide, Gabriel moved towards the side passage. The instant his foot crossed that threshold, the ambient qi pressing against him intensified. The air within the passage grew noticeably colder, and the floor stones were of a darker hue, suggesting infrequent passage over a considerable duration.

ChaosCleric shifted his gaze between Gabriel and IceQueen. "Is he truly leaving us?"

"Continue without me. I will catch up," Gabriel stated, not bothering to look back.

IceQueen's eyes narrowed. For a fleeting moment, it seemed she considered intervening. However, the impulse vanished as quickly as it arose, recognizing that White Phantom was no ordinary guild member subject to her commands.

Her fingers clenched briefly at her side before she spoke, "We press on."

A number of the ChaosKnight members appeared taken aback, yet no one voiced dissent. IceQueen cast a final glance in the direction Gabriel had taken. While her outward demeanor remained composed, a subtle tension between her brows betrayed her unease at losing sight of him in this place.

Gabriel continued deeper, without another backward glance.

He didn't blindly follow the same routes others traversed. His perception had already extended into the surrounding structure, and his senses indicated the side path, though narrower, rougher, and more perilous, offered the advantage of cutting across several interconnected chambers. This could potentially lead him to Sophie’s location significantly faster.

The tomb itself seemed to actively resist his choice of path.

Lingering dead qi clung to him like heavy, viscous fluid, impeding his mana flow and pressing against his skin with a chilling, clammy sensation. His steps remained steady, but each inhalation brought a dry, rasping taste. The dim luminescence emanating from ancient wall inscriptions offered little more than a faint visibility of the path ahead.

He navigated the initial dense pocket of yin energy in under a minute.

His mana flickered momentarily within his body. It wasn't potent enough to cause harm, but it was sufficient to make him narrow his eyes.

The concentrated energy present was ancient and oppressive. Should an individual with less disciplined control venture in carelessly, their internal Qi flow could potentially shatter before they even encountered an adversary.

"Troublesome."

A second passage soon presented itself, lower and more constricted than the first. In certain sections, the ceiling grazed the top of his head, and the walls were so close that deploying a larger weapon would have been utterly impractical.

The yin energy within this section was even more potent.

Gabriel's mana shimmered again, this time for a slightly extended duration, yet his body quickly adapted. He suppressed his aura, maintained an even rhythm of breathing, and traversed the stretch with minimal deceleration.

Ahead, several distinct presences registered within his sensory range.

A group from Tianlan was approaching, moving in the opposite direction. Their footfalls were light, and their qi formed a loosely organized defensive formation. However, when contrasted with Gabriel's current pace, their progress seemed sluggish.

Gabriel bypassed them without pause.

To their perception, he was naught but a fleeting blur.

One cultivator flinched so violently that his sword nearly slipped from its scabbard. Another turned his head towards the side passage, but by the time his eyes managed to focus, Gabriel was already several meters beyond them.

"What was that?" one of them voiced in a hushed tone.

The group immediately reduced their speed.

Gao Ren, positioned at the forefront, turned his head, his expression etched with tension. While the pride he had felt earlier hadn't entirely dissipated, the aura of the figure that had just swept past them caused a slight constriction in his throat.

He hadn't caught a clear glimpse of the individual.

He had merely sensed their presence.

The aura had moved past them without initiating an attack, yet every primal instinct screamed that had it intended to slay them, not a single one among them would have had sufficient time to even draw their weapons. This stark realization plunged the group into silence for several prolonged seconds.

A younger cultivator swallowed audibly. "Senior Gao, should we investigate?"

Gao Ren's gaze lingered on the dark passageway for another moment before he finally looked away.

"No," he responded in a low voice. "Continue forward."

---

By then, Gabriel was already leagues ahead.

Navigating another tight corner, he carefully stepped over a crumbled section of the floor. His perception allowed him to detect a subtly hidden formation line, buried beneath layers of dust. Had he stepped on it directly, the ceiling could have caved in, or worse, the tomb might have unleashed another wave of undead creatures.

'So close... I can feel it,' he thought, accelerating his pace.

Meanwhile, on the side of the 'Broken Dawn' group, they had come to a halt before an expansive chamber-like passage. Unlike the confined route they had traversed earlier, this area offered more space, yet the very air within it felt heavy with peril.

Sophie took the lead, her veil obscuring much of her face. One hand stayed close to her weapon, her stance outwardly composed.

Though her posture was serene, a keen observer would have noted the subtle tension gripping her fingers.

Ragnarok99 voiced his impatience, grumbling, 'Why have we stopped?'

The guide raised a hand, signaling for them to hold their advance. 'There is something before us,' he stated.

Cassie peered ahead, her eyes narrowing as she strained to pierce the gloom. 'A horde?' she inquired.

'No,' the guide responded briefly.

This curt reply instantly heightened the group's apprehension.

Bunny edged closer to the wall, her grip tightening on her weapon. 'If it's not a horde, why does the feeling it gives off seem more dreadful?' she questioned.

The guide remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed ahead.

All eyes followed his.

Deep within the chamber, partially obscured by shadows, stood a solitary figure. It possessed the imposing silhouette of a knight, tall and motionless, clad in ancient armor with a long weapon resting at its side.