After Dean eliminated the Canaanite group, he was not attacked again for the next half hour.

The downward slope of the road became more and more obvious, and the temperature dropped from the initial ten degrees to five or six degrees, and everyone in the team was shivering and snotty.

Seeing this, Dean had no choice but to use his telekinesis to transfer the heat around them and bake their bodies, which made the crowd feel better.

Further on, the monotony of the tunnel changes slightly, the smooth frosted stone walls on both sides are gradually replaced by blue bricks, and the low ceilings seem to rise infinitely, rising into invisible darkness.

At the end of the tunnel ahead, a swarthy stone chamber appeared.

"Wait here, turn off the flashlight, I'll go and see."

Dean lowered his voice as a reminder, and everyone obediently turned off the lights, and it became pitch black.

Then Dean soared half a meter above the ground, and quietly flew forward like an owl to the entrance of the stone chamber, and his keen eyes peeked inside.

Inside was a secret room with an area of no more than 100 square meters, and in the center stood an empty stone bed, the surface of which was crawling with brown dried blood.

In the corner of the wall on the left side of the chamber lay a group of snake demons, curled up like babies in amniotic fluid, with one head next to the tail vertebrae of the second, and so on, a total of twenty-five heads touched each other in a circle, like a huge Ouroboros crawling in the dark.

They squirmed with a slight heaving of their chests, and there was a disgusting stale atmosphere.

In appearance, it looks exactly like the Canaan he encountered before, with tattered strips of cloth and red and black tattoos, but it is thinner, almost skinny, and no different from a dried corpse.

"These Canaanites hibernating?" Dean pondered, "Because there is not enough food underneath and the temperature is low, so hibernation is used to slow down the consumption?" ”

As for what the scarce food was, Dean saw a pile of white hills of leg bones, skulls, and ribs nearby, which looked like graves at a glance.

It turns out that there is more than just bloodsucking.

He reached out and summoned a poisoned arrow from the fantasy space.

The ghost armor wrapped around the body to avoid the smell leaking, and quietly flew to the sleeping green-faced fanged snake demon on the left, and the mental power turned into a tough bandage around the snake demon's body, only revealing the seven inches of the soft scales on the back of the head.

Poof!

Poisoned arrows consistently entered.

The hibernating snake demon widened its pupils and spit out a snake letter roar, but the telekinetic bandage bound it tightly, and the crushing force made it unable to move a finger, and the desperate hiss and splattered blood in its throat were also blocked by telekinesis.

Half a second later, the tense body relaxed, and the pupils dilated.

Mastery +2, Combat lv4 (292→294/500).

During the whole process, the snake demons were completely unaware that their companions had gone to hell and were still sleeping.

Dean grinned toothily as he enjoyed the thrill of the assassination, and then turned his gaze to the basilisk to his left.

Telekinesis wrapped.

Poisoned arrows pierced seven inches.

Next, in the dead stone chamber, a ghostly black shadow wandered in the air, constantly waving the sharp blade in his hand, like the god of death wielding a scythe.

Proficiency +2

Mastery +2...

Half a minute later.

With a click, Dean's feet landed lightly on the ground, elegantly wiping the blood from the arrows and looking down at the ground.

The twenty-four-headed snake demon died silently in his sleep, and the fighting skyrocketed to lv4 (340/500)

Enjoying the sensation of soaring proficiency, he beckoned, and Shadow quickly and covertly removed the venom glands from their necks and pulled out the two fangs in their mouths.

A bag full of supernatural materials flew into Dean's hands and was stored in the fantasy space.

"Sure enough, this kind of large-scale gathering monster is the most suitable for my development and growth at this stage."

Dean looked at the last snake man he had left behind, drew his bow, and aimed a demon-breaking arrow at its back.

At the same time, "Perception Suppression" is turned on.

Whoosh –

The arrow pierced the basilisk's back, exploding in a cloud of blood.

The pain frightened it to get up impatiently, pulled out the arrow in the flesh, and glared at Dean with a hideous face, but strangely, it did not attack immediately, but blinked its slit-like vertical pupils, shrugged its nose, spit out snake letters to perceive the air, and stared at Dean suspiciously for a full ten seconds before he was sure that he was an enemy,

Screaming and pounced.

Dean leaped to its side like an arrow, firing a second arrow into the midfield.

This time the basilisk lingered in place for a few moments drunkenly, his scaly face showing a panicked horror, and he stretched out his claws like a blind man to grope the wall in front of him, completely oblivious to Dean standing beside him.

Bang!

Dean unleashed his telekinesis to create a sonic boom, and the loud noise alarmed the bewildered basilis, which pounced frantically, but it flew over Dean's body and slammed into the side wall, aiming at the air for a while.

Dean watched its performance with a strange face, "Amblyopia, plus deafness? ”

Whoosh –

The third arrow struck the basilisk in the shoulder.

It shuddered and fell to the ground like a spine, its face, which had been distorted by pain and fear, completely relaxed, its expression calm, its pupils dilated, but it still breathed.

Dean tried to stab it in various parts of its body with poisoned arrows, making noise in its ears, creating bloody gas in front of its nose and dripping it with the blood it craved most.

It didn't react in the slightest.

"Perception suppression should be called perception deprivation, three arrows, three long-range attacks, the snake demon was completely deprived of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and even the sixth sense... It has become a more pathetic existence than a vegetative person, and it is left to my slaughter. ”

Dean nodded in satisfaction.

Thinking that it can have such an outstanding effect, it is also because the snake's senses are not sharp in the first place, and the perception attribute should be much worse than him.

It is difficult to achieve the same effect when dealing with creatures with strong perceptions.

However, it is also a huge help to use in combat, using long-range attacks to make the enemy half-deaf, half-blind, and lose the sixth sense, then the opponent is basically the same as a slow-moving target standing in place.

……

After the experiment, Dean looked at the quiet snake demon and thought to him, "Lift the suppression." ”

A black light flew out of its body.

The snake demon's pupils shrank, regained consciousness, and he sat up suddenly, and then an arrow pierced the back of his neck.

Mastery +2, Combat lv4 (342/500).

……

"Crisis solved, come in, everyone!" Dean whistled loudly outside the stone room, and Aiden led a group of mermaids in, and his wise little eyes swept away, and he immediately rubbed the stone bed in the center like a miser seeing a treasure, and the fanatical appearance was eager to gnaw off the stone bed one by one.

The Goko brothers looked at the bone grave on the ground with ugly faces, and spat several times at the corpse of the snake demon.

Jacob's family of three checked and touched the surrounding walls and floors, and the results were all closed, and there seemed to be no way out.

Katie said, "Are we going in the wrong direction and into a dead end? ”

"That's right, Dean's instincts are accurate, this is the 'gateway' to the depths of the temple." Aiden looked at the crowd and explained, "We should now find the key to open the door. ”

"Come and see here." Dean brushed away the thick dust on the wall in front of him, and the flashlight shone through, illuminating the scene on the wall: a naked man was lying on a stone bed in the center, and the basilisk with its fangs exposed next to him held up a dagger with pupil-like patterns and fell on his abdomen.

The back of the mural is engraved with tadpole-like twisted characters.

"The runes say it's a blood sacrifice ritual...", Aiden said, recognizing the mural, "If you want to go through the portal and continue deeper into the temple, you'll have to make a blood sacrifice to this stone bed..."

Dean realized something was wrong, "Blood sacrifice? ”

"It's literal," Aiden said in a subtle tone, "lie on it, stab your body with a sharp blade, and let the blood soak the stone bed. In the Phantasmal Serpent's system, blood can open hidden doors, so guys, have any of us volunteered to be sacrificed? ”

Aiden laughed at everyone, but the faces of those he swept away showed extreme absurdity, and then shook their heads.

To be sacrificed and slaughtered, it is impossible for anyone in their right mind to agree.

"There's no other way?" Katie asked through gritted teeth, her sweet face full of tangles,

Aiden shook his head, "There's no other way around right now. ”

"No one should be sacrificed." The muscular man in the shirt said loudly, "Forget about this damn blood sacrifice, let's go back the same way we came, I think the bar entrance on the ground has been unsealed." ”

"Didn't you feel the strange vibration just now? That was a sign that the entrance to the temple was closed. Aiden said solemnly, "The temple tour is a one-way ticket, once you enter it, you will either reach the end of the labyrinth, the heart of the temple, or die in the mouth of Canaan..."

Everyone clenched their fists and lowered their eyes and did not speak.

"Blood sacrifices must be dead?" Dean looked at the corpse of the snake demon behind him, "Can the twelve of us divide the amount of blood equally to meet the blood sacrifice requirements, or use the blood of the dead snake demon?" ”

Aiden stared at the mural for a long time and shook his head, "The description of the characters is that blood is the carrier of the soul and life force, and the more single and pure it is, the more likely it is to fill the hunger and thirst of the stone bed and open the way to the future. Therefore, a single human is needed, voluntarily becoming a sacrifice, providing close to an adult's amount of blood. ”

After these words, there was a sudden unbearable silence in the secret room, and everyone lowered their heads and turned their faces.

And Dean suddenly glanced sharply, seeing that everyone's scalps were numb, desperately avoiding his gaze,

Seth hurriedly asked, "Man, we are all companions who were born and died together, so you won't force us to make sacrifices, will you?" ”

Dean had a noncommittal look on his face.

"What are you hesitating about? The Goko brothers are the best sacrifice! Gonzalez looked at the crowd for approval, "They murdered and robbed and should be sentenced to death under Texas law." Instead of going to prison and dying, it is better to take the initiative to become a sacrifice now and exert your residual heat. ”

As soon as this suggestion came out, the eyes of the five fitness men and women turned to the Goko brothers.

"Which tendon is wrong with you, always against us!" Ricky's eyes shone as sharp as a knife, "You should have killed Ling and Earl together in the first place, so as not to be so disgusting all the time!" ”

The partner's name was brought up again, and Gonzalez's eyes flashed with fire.

"This is Mexico, not America, obey fart Texas law!" Seth continued sarcastically, "Why don't you, noble Texas Patrolman, lie down and give yourself? I swear I'll give you a ride! ”

Dean watched quietly beside him, with a kind of anticipation in his heart, but also a little unbearable.

"Stop, stop arguing, we're on the same front, don't have civil strife!" Jacob opened his hands to block the sight of the two pairs, and the expression on his old cheeks changed, "If no one really wants to, then I will come, I have been a priest, I have an obligation to guide the lost lamb, and I am willing to return to the arms of God." ”

The pastor's statement was shocked, is there really such a fool?

Seth hurriedly persuaded, "Jacob, there is no regret medicine for this kind of decision, it's not a joke, don't be impulsive,"

"You're not allowed to do that!" Scott nervously grabbed the old man's left hand and yelled at his face, "You're going to leave before we reach the finish line, leaving me and Katie behind?" ”

"Don't leave us, mom is no longer here, we can't lose you anymore!" The girl grabbed her father's right hand, pleading, her eyes red and about to cry, "Help me, Dean, don't let Jacob die!" ”

Dean rubbed his temples and was about to speak, when Aiden suddenly smiled with his hands around his chest,

"Well, folks, based on my previous experience, maybe there is another way, not to die people, just to get a little wounded, to become a little weaker."

"Falk squid! If you have something to say, you can't finish it all at once! Seth walked over and grabbed the professor's shirt, looked up at his slender horse face and spat, "Delay any longer, I will pull the revolver from your crotch and blow your light!" ”

Aiden's face stiffened and he clamped his legs and raised his hands in surrender,

"Many gods and demons have the same hobby, and love pure souls and blood."

"If there is a pure one among us, then let her give a small part of her blood to fill the hunger and thirst of the stone bed."

"Purity?" Dean looked at Aiden,

"That is, without personnel."

Brush Brush –

In an instant, all ten pairs of eyes in the room looked at the youngest Katie siblings in the center of the group.

"I—I wasn't a virgin last year." Scott smiled bitterly and shrunk his neck, "I tried it with another little transparent in the class who was always bullied, but unfortunately the result was not very good, and I only got a bad afternoon." ”

Jacob opened his mouth and looked at his son in disbelief, a premarital attempt against their faith.

Katie met everyone's gaze, took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and walked straight to the stone bed, where she lay down, and took off her thin shirt, revealing her smooth and delicate arms and bulging gray waistcoat.

She closed her eyes and opened her arms,

"Come on, just come and bleed, I will pay of my will!"

"Katie, you're too young to take on this kind of responsibility." Jacob and Scott walked over and grabbed her hand, trying to pull her up,

"I'm up to the last word this time!" Katie had a rebellious look in her eyes.

Dean looked at the arguing family, then turned to Aiden, "Does pure blood really work?" ”

The professor said, "Not sure, but it's better to give it a try than to sacrifice a person?" ”

……

"Jacob, let Katie come, and if the blood loss starts to endanger her life, I'll stop the bleeding for her immediately." Dean persuaded him, and after a long hesitation, the priest reluctantly agreed, out of trust in God's messenger and his daughter's firm attitude.

Dean sat on the stone bed and took out the sharp slab and grabbed Katie's wrist,

"Close your eyes and endure a little, it hurts a little."

"Uh-huh."

The board cut a bloody hole, and blood flowed down the slender white wrist, staining the mottled stone bed red.

The blood stains spread like ink stains soaked through the paper, and a red earthworm rose from the stone bed, crawling down the edge to the ground and crawling to the wall with the mural carved in front of it.

Dean took her other arm and slowly infused her with life energy, slightly replenishing her damaged nutrients and qi and blood.

Katie closed her eyes and felt half of her body cold and half warm, and her cheeks trembled and smiled at the guilty everyone, "It's okay, I'm happy to help everyone!" By the way, Professor Aiden, what's the place behind the door? ”

"Behind the door, I'm sorry, I can't lie to you with my conscience." Aiden looked at the strange characters and murals on the stone walls, "It says that the temple of the Phantasmagory Serpent is a spiral staircase, and behind the door is the lowest level of the staircase, and once inside, everyone will experience the ultimate pain and horror, connecting with the past and the future." Behind the door, external objects and outsiders can no longer protect us, and only a firm will and a peaceful heart can let us pass safely. ”

Firm will and heart?

When Aiden said this, people couldn't help but stare at it, as if a gust of wind was blowing in the secret room, and the banshee came to blow on everyone's necks.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You can't understand until you go in."

At this time, Dean noticed that the blood on the ground was flying against the stone wall in front of him, "The door is open, everyone!" ”

Boom –

The stone wall hummed, sprinkling a large cloud of gray dust, slowly parting to the sides, revealing a dark corridor, and wisps of eerie red light radiated around the square door frame of the entrance.

It's like a mysterious mirror, full of texture.

Dean looked down the door, and even with his superior eyesight, he could only see the darkness of the void of the universe inside, and his own vague reflection.

At the same time, after seeing this door, the progress of the event jumped to fifty percent.

You have to go in.

Dean turned to Katie, his fingers wiped his fingers on the wound on her wrist, and the life energy poured in, and the wound immediately stopped bleeding, leaving only a faint red mark, "Thank you for your hard work, Katie, do you feel anything uncomfortable?" ”

"No, I'm fine." Katie shook her shawl's hair, a smile on her pale cheeks, and then swayed to her feet with Jacob and Scott in her arms.

Dean said aloud to everyone,

"Alright guys, old rules, I'll take the lead, pastor, you're following me."

Dean summoned Shadow back into his body and walked to the dark door.

A hand reached in to make sure it was correct.

Stepping in, it was dark in front of him, and Dean seemed to have passed through a dark film of water, and by the time he regained his vision, he was already in another rudimentary tunnel.

The temperature dropped further to near freezing.

The air is filled with countless tiny particles.

The ceiling, floor, and side walls are all made up of blocks of weathered sandstone, which can be shattered with a slight pinch.

At the end of the front stood a vague figure.

As soon as Dean turned his head, the entrance behind him disappeared and turned into a cold and hard wall.

The whereabouts of his companions are also unknown.

(End of chapter)