Chapter 280 - 203: Clash of the Snipe and Clam

Chapter 280: Chapter 203: Clash of the Snipe and Clam

The Western Regions experts were dumbfounded as they watched the training dummies charge at them like an army.

’These things aren’t supposed to move on their own, are they?’

They had already passed the 2nd Layer. As long as they kept a safe distance and didn’t foolishly touch them, these dummies wouldn’t charge out on their own to intercept them.

But they had only just arrived at the 3rd Layer. They were still just outside the stairwell, a world away from the training dummies in the center of the room. How had these things suddenly charged at them so ferociously?

’Could it be that the dummies on the 3rd Layer are stronger than those on the first two, with a much wider alert radius?’

’Damn it, Lu the Third has screwed us over again!’

Many of the Western Regions experts thought so, their expressions growing tense as they watched the horde of dummies bear down on them.

The 3rd Layer was for those at the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm. These dummies might have looked like simple wooden posts, but their auras were overwhelming. The weakest among them was at the Qi Blood First Transformation, and there were a considerable number of dummies at the Qi and Blood Second Transformation Realm and Third Transformation Realm. Their numbers far surpassed those of the Western Regions experts. After all, even if there wasn’t one dummy per person, there had to be enough to meet the training needs for disciples across such a vast area.

As such a massive force from the Metamorphosis Realm charged forward, even though they were only silent dummies, their combined aura surged and filled the entire space.

The hair on the Western Regions experts’ arms stood on end. Even Roto and Lu Tianyong frowned deeply, becoming extremely cautious as they eyed the dark-wooded Third Transformation Realm dummies in the crowd.

Qin Zhenyang’s expression was also grim. It looked like the Western Regions experts had their hands full and could no longer surround him. However, with this tide of training dummies surging forward, his situation was hardly any better.

’After all, in the eyes of these dummies, I’m an intruder, just like the experts from the Western Regions. They’ll probably treat us all the same—’

With this in mind, Qin Zhenyang cautiously thrust his sword at an approaching dummy to test its strength.

But the dummy was completely unfazed. It let his sharp Sword Edge pierce its wooden body and simply continued forward, showing no intention of striking back.

Hmm?

Confusion flickered in Qin Zhenyang’s eyes. He felt that something wasn’t right.

’Are these dummies all for show?’

’Judging by its aura, that can’t be right.’

These dummies were heading in his direction with ferocious auras. Many at the front had already raised their wooden hands, poised to strike.

’But... it seems none of them are coming for me?’

Qin Zhenyang’s eyes widened. He finally sensed that the dummies seemed to be heading for the people behind him; their auras weren’t locked onto him at all!

He cautiously sidestepped, brushing past the foremost dummy. As he suspected, the dummies completely ignored him. They left him standing there, hair ruffled by the wind of their passage, and clashed with the experts from the Western Regions.

This...

Qin Zhenyang’s gaze hardened. He could hardly believe his eyes.

’Could the master of this tower really be from the Great Li?’

The distant men from the Western Regions noticed this as well. Cries of alarm and furious curses immediately rang out:

"Qin Zhenyang, what did you do this time?!"

"You cunning people of the Central Plains! Did you have intelligence on this place all along?"

"Lu Tianyong, are you and your father hiding something from us?"

"Damn it, the Lu family was originally from the Central Plains! They only put down roots after fleeing to the West Desert to become bandits. At their core, they’re still dogs of the Great Li! I say we should just kill him first!"

Lu Tianyong’s face darkened as he heard the accusations from those around him. Even Roto shot him a few suspicious glances.

It couldn’t be helped. As the only person known to have entered this place before, Lu the Third should have been the only one who knew it like the back of his hand.

Yet after entering, the Great Li experts, with Xie Yuan’s help, seemed to understand this place just as well as, if not better than, the group from the Western Regions. They had even received mysterious assistance on multiple occasions, almost as if they had earned the favor of the Slaughter Tower’s spirit!

This was a Buddhist pagoda, after all. Many actually suspected that it housed the heroic spirits of fallen Great Li experts, who were now helping the experts from the Central Plains from beyond the grave!

Even those who didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits suspected that the people from Great Li had mastered some kind of mechanism here. But since Lu the Third was the only one known to have been inside, it was no surprise that they began to question the allegiances of the Lu family father and son.

Seeing the others stirring with hostile intent, Lu Tianyong shouted angrily:

"You idiots! If I really wanted to defect, I’d just join forces with them right now! Not even Roto himself could stop me. Why would I stick around here with you lot, getting besieged by these dummies!"

Hearing his reasoning, the crowd’s suspicions lessened, but they still looked at him with displeasure.

’You’re supposed to have the damn strategy guide, but you’ve been a useless waste of space, getting us stuck at every turn!’

Roto sent a dummy flying with a single punch and snorted.

"Even if you did betray us, you would be no match for me."

Lu Tianyong couldn’t be bothered to argue with the arrogant Roto and simply focused on dealing with the endless waves of dummies.

The dummies were powerful, fearless, and felt no pain, making them incredibly difficult to handle. However, they were still just dummies. Beyond punches, kicks, blades, and spears, they had few other techniques.

It was unclear whether the dummies were crafted with some ancient, secret art or empowered by a mysterious force, but they were as agile and nimble as living people. Still, their fundamental nature as wooden posts remained unchanged. By joining forces, the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm experts from the Western Regions were able to hold their ground, led by the two powerhouses of the Third Transformation Realm, Roto and Lu Tianyong, though not without sustaining some injuries.

After all, experts at the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm possessed a wealth of Cultivation Techniques, abilities, experience, and adaptability. This gave them a significant, albeit unseen, advantage over dummies of the same realm.

Martial Artists who focused on External Training would likely have struggled to fend off such an assault under the same circumstances.

By that same logic, a group of Grandmaster Level experts facing an onslaught of dummies—which were nothing but hollow shells possessing raw power and cultivation—could likely fend them off with ease, even if their numbers were halved.