Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1261 - 612
Previously on Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups...
"That's peculiar!"
Ma Donghe smacked his forehead with a loud thud, utterly perplexed.
"Where did the Buddha and the temple go? I was just about to pull out my lucky money to offer for incense, and now it's vanished in the blink of an eye?"
Hou Peng braced himself on his knees, panting heavily as he scanned his surroundings with residual fear.
"Was that... some kind of mental illusion just now?"
Just then, Grey Eagle's terrified screams abruptly ceased.
He scrambled backward, his eyes wide with sheer horror, and shrieked hysterically:
"We can't go any further! I sensed it just now, that wasn't the Buddha at all, it was a colossal mouth!"
"If we take even one more step, we'll all be swallowed whole!"
Fang Cheng paid no heed to Grey Eagle's frantic ravings.
He slowly expelled a breath of stale air, consolidating his surging, scorching Qi.
He then extricated his feet from the muddy mire, cautiously advancing through the fallen leaves for another dozen paces.
Then, he halted.
Fang Cheng extended his hand, palm pushing forward.
His fingertips encountered something solid, no longer the dank, cool air and ethereal white mist.
Less than half a foot ahead of him, a shimmering, translucent barrier resembling golden water rippled subtly at his touch.
Chchch—
A faint sizzling sound, akin to meat grilling, suddenly emanated.
A searing pain shot from his fingertips, coursing through his nerve endings and piercing deep into his brain.
The seemingly sacred golden aura concealed a devastatingly potent, high-dimensional radiant energy.
Even Fang Cheng's physique, far surpassing normal human limits and capable of withstanding machine-gun fire, found it challenging.
His outermost skin rapidly blackened and disintegrated, releasing a wisp of acrid white smoke.
For an ordinary person, a mere moment's contact would have dissolved their entire finger into a bloody mess.
This grim reality explained the terrifying fates of Mountain Cat and Bald Rat earlier.
Fang Cheng's gaze intensified, yet he did not hastily withdraw his hand.
In the ensuing moment, a pure golden flame ignited directly beneath the skin of his palm.
The formidable, blazing True Sun Fire erupted from his fingertips, directly confronting the invading foreign corrosive energy.
The two opposing forces clashed and consumed each other over a mere square inch of skin, producing a low, sizzling sound.
Ultimately, the Golden Flame emerged victorious, completely incinerating the encroaching radiation energy.
Shortly thereafter, charred black skin peeled away from the wound on his fingertip, revealing fresh red flesh that rapidly knitted itself together in a healing process.
Within mere seconds, the corroded skin regenerated flawlessly, leaving no trace of injury.
Not even the faintest scar remained.
Having discerned the nature of the Golden Light Barrier, Fang Cheng slowly retracted his hand.
He lifted his head, his gaze piercing through the lingering wisps of smoke from his fingertips to focus on what lay ahead.
Through the distorted, rippling halo, the dark, abyssal expanse beyond the barrier was faintly discernible.
"Could this be the gateway to the Otherworld?"
Fang Cheng mused aloud.
Tap, tap.
Footsteps echoed from behind him.
Ma Donghe and Hou Peng approached, steeling their resolve.
"Ah Cheng, what exactly is this thing? It's quite unnerving." Ma Donghe craned his neck, curiously inspecting the luminous barrier.
"This is likely the entrance to the ancient ruins," Fang Cheng replied, turning around. He clapped his hands together and stated in a hushed tone:
"I intend to enter and investigate."
"That sounds fantastic!"
Upon hearing Fang Cheng's declaration, Ma Donghe enthusiastically slapped his chest with his hands fanned out. "Now that we've found the place, let's venture inside together and uncover whatever treasures lie hidden within!"
Hou Peng also tightened his grip on his dagger, nodding in agreement, clearly unwilling to forfeit such a monumental opportunity.
Fang Cheng observed the eager pair, shook his head, and promptly doused their enthusiasm with a bucket of cold water.
"This barrier can corrode even my body. Given your current constitutions, attempting to force your way through would inevitably lead to your demise."
Before Ma Donghe could retort, Fang Cheng tilted his chin, gesturing for them to survey their surroundings.
"Take a look around; where have Mountain Cat and Bald Rat gone?"
At these words, the smiles on Ma Donghe and Hou Peng's faces faltered.
Caught up in the intense shock earlier, they had completely overlooked the shifting circumstances around them.
Prompted by Fang Cheng's inquiry, the two quickly turned to scan their environment.
Indeed, the silhouettes of the two assassins were nowhere to be seen.
Hearing Fang Cheng's words, the slumped Grey Eagle flinched.
He hastily scrambled from the mud, cupped his hands, and shouted towards the dense fog:
"Mountain Cat! Bald Rat!"
The grayish-white mist swirled slowly, like an encroaching tide.
An oppressive silence enveloped the surroundings; apart from the whisper of the wind, no response came.
"Stop calling out to them,"
Fang Cheng calmly advised, observing Grey Eagle's futile efforts.
"The illusion earlier deceived them. They stepped into this golden light, and in but a moment, they were entirely dissolved into blood, vanishing without a single trace."
As these words were spoken, the very air seemed to turn to ice.
Ma Donghe and Hou Peng’s surging excitement evaporated instantaneously.
Cold sweat began to form rapidly on their brows, then cascaded down their faces in rivulets.
Had Fang Cheng not erupted with a roar just now, shattering the illusion, those two would undeniably have met the same fate as the assassins, ceasing to exist.
"Damn it all!"
Ma Donghe choked out, staggering back a couple of paces, still consumed by a residual fear. He then cursed,
"This tonsured monk, disguised as a Buddha, is far too ruthless, consuming people until nothing remains!"
Hou Peng’s complexion grew even paler. He drew a deep breath, then solemnly bowed his head towards Fang Cheng: