Before long, Liora and Elaouthr entered one of the countless corridors.
Unsurprisingly, it was almost identical to the one they had traversed before.
Chamber after chamber lined both sides, while the corridor’s end seemed like nothing more than a distant dream.
Liora did not know for how long they had walked.
It could have been minutes, hours, or even days. Yet just as she began wondering whether it would continue forever, her eyes suddenly narrowed.
Turning her head, she looked toward a chamber on her left side.
Same door. Same shape. It looked identical to all the others.
The only difference was that its door was slightly open.
Liora couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows, sensing that they had finally discovered something noteworthy.
She didn’t rush forward recklessly. Instead, she exchanged a quick glance with Elaouthr.
Seemingly understanding the meaning behind her gaze, the King demon didn’t hesitate.
Taking a step forward, he approached the chamber and placed a hand on the already half-open door.
Then, he pushed it open.
As the door swung inward, the chamber’s interior was unveiled.
A bed. A futon. Various cultivation appliances.
Besides these, the only other thing that attracted Liora’s attention was the traces of human activity left behind, proof that someone had once lived here.
However, just like the rest of the palace and the city fragment as a whole, it seemed the room’s owner had left in great haste.
"I wonder what could possibly have forced so many powerful beings to flee in such a hurry. If I’m not mistaken, this ancient cultivation civilization should have been extraordinarily prosperous during its height."
"To frighten them to such an extent, and for no one to step forward to calm the danger, I’m afraid whatever they faced possessed overwhelming power.", Elaouthr commented on the side.
His tone sounded slightly shaken, as though he could see the future of demon civilization reflected in the remnants left behind by the cultivators.
Liora understood his concerns but said nothing. After collecting everything inside the room, she turned to leave.
But just then, her movements halted abruptly. Her forward momentum ceased.
With a shove of her foot against the ground, Liora launched her lizard body backward, instantly crossing the entire chamber.
Her reaction seemed completely random.
At the very least, Elaouthr was baffled by her strange actions.
But a moment later, he understood why she had reacted that way.
Out of nowhere, a figure materialized where Liora had just stood.
Holding a massive silver sword, it swung it toward the spot she should have occupied.
A thunderous whistle echoed throughout the chamber.
The blade sliced straight through space itself as countless sword lights erupted from its edge, tearing through everything around it.
Liora and Elaouthr had already tested the palace’s sturdiness.
Every wall, every piece of furniture, and every appliance was crafted from precious materials and was capable of withstanding Venerable-level attacks with relative ease.
Yet when it came to the attack of the figure, everything melted under its power.
Rank 9 strength! Perhaps even more powerful!
That estimate instantly appeared in Elaouthr’s mind, shocking him to the core.
"Brother Liothar, be careful—", he tried to warn Liora, but before the words left his mouth, she had already moved.
She casually waved a hand forward.
Immediately, Cosmic Energy surged from her palm and wrapped around Elaouthr. With a sharp tug, she pulled him backward.
Elaouthr was startled, wondering whether she had gone mad.
But just a moment later, he realized why she had moved him.
Another, second figure had emerged.
This time, beside the place where he had just stood.
Without hesitation, it thrust a dragon-shaped spear toward his previous position.
The result was the same as before. The mere aftermath shattered the surrounding walls while space itself trembled.
The auras of the two figures erupted and resonated, only pausing for a brief second before they charged forward once more.
That brief moment, however, was enough for Liora to make out their true appearance.
They were knights.
Clad in thick metal armor and wielding cold weapons, they resembled the royal guards of a mighty empire.
But after sensing their aura, Liora quickly confirmed something.
These knights... were not living beings.
They were puppets, moving according to predetermined movements and commands.
"Liothar’s memories mentioned that the city fragments still contain certain ’living creatures’ that can act but lack any consciousness."
"Just like the formations we encountered before, puppets and similar creations have survived the passage of time, remaining relatively intact. They are one of the greatest dangers within these ruins."
Obviously, these puppets were meant to eliminate intruders.
Perhaps sensing that Liora and Elaouthr had entered the room without permission, they attacked without the slightest warning or hesitation.
Furthermore, their assault didn’t end there.
Only a split second later, Liora was forced to move yet again.
This time, she sidestepped as yet another puppet materialized and slashed toward her.
The same happened to Elaouthr.
One puppet after another emerged until more than a dozen surrounded them from all directions.
Each possessed Rank 9 strength—or perhaps even slightly beyond that stage.
Under their relentless assault, Elaouthr was forced into a difficult position. Even Liora appeared pressured under their coordinated attacks, having to constantly dodge to avoid getting hit.
For a brief moment, she considered whether to unleash her true strength and crush everything in her path.
Soon, however, she suppressed the idea.
She strongly suspected that the palace’s appearance was not a coincidence.
Most likely, there was someone, or something, that had caused it to emerge.
Perhaps it was the remnant soul of a cultivator like the one she had captured before, or perhaps it was a puppet or formation spirit carrying out their creator’s orders.
Whatever the case, Liora intended to conceal her true strength for as long as possible.
With that in mind, instead of overwhelming her enemies outright, she deliberately appeared to struggle.
Only after showing a trace of hesitation and heartache did she finally reveal her "trump card."
With a thought, a massive hammer appeared in her hand—Battle Fury Hammer.
Clutching its handle tightly, she swung it in a wide arc around her, targeting everything and everyone within its range.
Although the knight puppets possessed Venerable-level combat power, they were no match for the hammer’s overwhelming might.
Even if they suffered no visible damage, they were blasted away like children fighting an adult.
Liora did not celebrate.
With a calm expression, she performed the same set of movements a second time. This time, her strike targeted the puppets surrounding Elaouthr.
With another wave, these puppets were swept away.
Liora did not pursue them. Enveloping Elaouthr with her power, she pulled him away and dragged him toward the exit.
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