Chapter Forty-Two: The Guardian of the Treasury

At this moment, on the other side, Wen Feng, Wang Junfeng, Fang Yige, Fang Yuan, and Yi Shisan had all gathered at the location of the treasure vault.

They hadn't intended to take action so soon, but the sudden appearance of the Undying Legion besieging the city changed everything. The dense ranks of the undead had turned Ailran Royal City into an isolated fortress. From the words exchanged between Nightshade and Boya, it was clear that the surrounding cities had become wastelands, their inhabitants transformed into the undead. Anyone killed or wounded by them would join their ranks.

It was precisely under the guidance of Nightshade and Boya that the Undying Legion arrived so swiftly near Ailran Royal City. Seeing this heaven-sent opportunity, the group decided to act while most of the Nightwalkers and Watchmen were preoccupied. This was the perfect moment—the Watchmen's saints were also drawn away, so they needn't worry about facing those formidable foes. If they missed this chance, such a stroke of luck might never come again.

Meanwhile, the four Paladin brothers were still valiantly fighting at the city gate, engaging in a lively battle with the undead. But since the Watchmen's interference was no longer a concern, their presence or absence mattered little now. With Yi Shisan and Fang Yige, both skilled Taoists, their magical prowess was more than sufficient; with Fang Yuan, Wang Tian, and Wang Junfeng forming the vanguard, their frontline was well fortified. The roles of Nightshade, Boya, and the Old Bug were unconsciously disregarded—not out of malice, but simply because these non-ranked individuals had never factored into their plans from the start.

Nightshade and his companions paid no mind to this, relieved not to have to take unnecessary risks.

"So, what's the plan? Should we just charge in?" Wang Tian was eager to act.

Initially, he’d worried that he'd wasted too much time and might not complete the mission, but unexpectedly, they’d arrived at the target location with such ease.

"If the guardian is at full strength, we might not be able to take it down," Wang Junfeng grumbled, hefting his massive war hammer. As he spoke, he placed the dish of 'Pristine Delight'—the dark cuisine he'd acquired from Mu Rongxun—by the door.

They retreated, keeping their distance. After all, just the scent of 'Pristine Delight' was enough to weaken one's spirit.

"Smells amazing!" Wang Tian inhaled deeply, his face blissful.

"Just wait until you see its stats—you'll change your mind," Wang Junfeng replied, glancing at Fang Yige.

Fang Yige swiftly used several talismans, masking their scent. Suddenly, from beneath the ground, a furry hand emerged, groping about as if sensing something. Finding nothing, a second hand appeared, followed by a large head. The creature revealed itself—a black-furred ape.

Everyone held their breath. With Fang Yige’s formation concealing them, they weren’t too worried about being discovered despite their proximity.

The ape scanned its surroundings warily, still alert even after finding no one. Only after a long pause, satisfied, did it excitedly scratch its ears and grab the bowl by the door, stuffing a handful of noodles into its mouth while emitting sharp, squeaking cries.

"This junior chef’s skills are unexpected, but the effect is truly remarkable," Wang Junfeng remarked.

"Absolutely. That stuff nearly made my hair stand on end," Fang Yuan shivered at the memory. The attributes of those noodles were truly terrifying.

"Now that Mu Rongxun has mastered alchemy, I suspect he’ll have a place among the artisan ranks in the magic tower," someone mused. Though Mu Rongxun never revealed what he was up to, everyone else kept a close eye and knew well enough.

After some time, the black ape finished the noodles and vanished back into the earth.

"All right!" Wang Junfeng declared, rising to his feet. "Big guys, go knock on the door!"

As planned, Fang Yuan and Wang Tian approached the vault’s massive gate. The treasure vault lay in a remote part of the city, usually guarded to prevent accidental intrusion. But with chaos reigning inside and out, all forces had been mobilized elsewhere. The guardians remained, so the authorities weren’t overly concerned.

Staring at the imposing iron gate, Wang Tian and Fang Yuan exchanged glances, nodded in unison, and hurled themselves against it.

A loud, resounding clang echoed.

"Chii-chii!" An enraged shriek rang out. In the next instant, the black ape abruptly burst forth from between the iron doors. Seeing them, it wasted no time and launched an attack.

"Roar—" Its form swelled with the wind—once just over a meter tall, it now transformed into a massive gorilla over three meters high. Its frame, once slender, became stocky and muscular, exuding an imposing presence.

But Wang Tian and Fang Yuan, both adept at close combat, were unafraid to engage. Each seized one of the ape’s thick arms and slammed it against the iron gate.

Boom-boom-boom—

With each impact, the previously immovable gate began to crack open.

They had little choice—the gate was sealed with magical wards requiring a secret incantation, which they lacked. Their only option was brute force.

"Roar—" The guardian bellowed, its body swelling even larger as it hurled Fang Yuan and Wang Tian aside with ease.

At that moment, Wang Junfeng leaped high, swinging the Thunderhammer at the beast. But unexpectedly, the black ape displayed agility that belied its size. It dodged deftly, grabbed Wang Junfeng, and threw him toward Wen Feng and the others, then swiftly climbed atop the vault.

The treasure vault was constructed from special materials, covered in magical inscriptions and arrays. Other than the main entrance, there was no way inside.

Seeing the guardian ascend, Yi Shisan summoned his flying swords and pursued it on sword-back. But as the twelve blades danced closer, the guardian swatted them away like flies, scattering their magic and divinity. Yi Shisan found himself rapidly depleted, unable to approach, let alone harm the creature.

Instead, the repeated strikes dispersed the energy and spirit attached to the swords, increasing Yi Shisan’s expenditure.

"This won’t work—the thing’s too strong. I can’t hold it!"

Within moments, he had lost a third of his magical power and a quarter of his mental strength—no one could withstand such losses! Even with potions, their effects took time, and there was always a cooldown after use.