Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

”He Meng, you know what I’m going to do. It’s very hot over there, but your current defense can withstand it.”

The situation is dire, Yang Yu stuffed a few burn medicine pills into his mouth, held them, then grabbed He Meng.

He Meng didn’t want to cooperate, but had to, transforming in Yang Yu’s hand into a spear.

The flames in the Green Fire Phoenix’s mouth gathered more and more, Yang Yu aimed at the Green Fire Phoenix’s chest and threw He Meng, transformed into a spear.

Even though the Green Fire Phoenix was brewing an attack, it remained highly alert. Seeing the spear coming, flames climbed up its body, forming a scorching shield.

Just before it could hit the Flame Shield, He Meng, transformed into a spear, turned into an umbrella, which suddenly opened in front of the Flame Shield, greatly slowing its speed, gently colliding with the Flame Shield.

Facing the high temperature of the Flame Shield, He Meng’s entire body seemed to be boiling, the umbrella suddenly shrank a few notches, some areas lost the texture of an umbrella, transforming into a semi-gelatinous Slime body.

He Meng fought hard, partially returning to a Slime form, then transformed back into an umbrella.

He pulled out an iron chain, swinging it continuously. In the next instant, Yang Yu used [Protective Assistance Charge] to appear on He Meng, stepping on He Meng turned into an umbrella and climbing onto the Green Fire Phoenix’s shield.

With Yang Yu’s footstep, He Meng instantly reverted to a Slime and fell downward.

Trying to extend his body as much as possible, He Meng used the rising air currents from the ground to slow his descent, and in that time turned into a glider. Underneath the glider, he created two fans for propulsion, slowly gliding towards the Ninth Floor entrance.

Even when fighting, He Meng needed to replenish some water.

Climbing along the Green Fire Phoenix’s giant Flame Shield, every step felt like stepping on a scorching iron plate, but Yang Yu didn’t stop.

If he got burned by the scorching shield, he’d chew and crush a burn medicine pill, forcedly continuing his quick run to the Green Fire Phoenix’s back.

Realizing Yang Yu’s intentions, the Green Fire Phoenix spat the flames brewing in its mouth directly into the Flame Shield, tearing it with vast fire, countless tongues of flame surged out, engulfing Yang Yu.

Yang Yu fearlessly launched his iron chain, but the Green Fire Phoenix spun rapidly in the opposite direction of the chain’s rotation, creating a fiery whirlwind that deflected the chain and hurled Yang Yu toward the flaming wall.

Perhaps Yang Yu should have called He Meng or Bai Jin, deceived the Green Fire Phoenix’s skill, and used this move.

But there is no ”if.”

Yang Yu had always kept He Meng, hoping that if unable to strategize, he could use He Meng to reposition quickly back to Bai Jin and the others, leaving himself more room to maneuver.

Additionally, Yang Yu was a little greedy, wanting to wait for the Green Fire Phoenix to burn a bit more of its blood, missing the initial opportunity.

Yang Yu being hurled toward the wall didn’t mean everything was over.

If this plan doesn’t work, try another one.

Summoning a [Rapidly Ascending Balloon] and turning it to maximum power, with the press of a button, a red balloon rapidly formed in front of Yang Yu, propelled him rocket-like upward, in the blink of an eye surpassing the Green Fire Phoenix’s height, heading straight for the ceiling.

Grabbing the line pulling the balloon, Yang Yu hunched his body as much as possible, trying to step onto the ceiling before the balloon burst upon hitting the fiery ceiling.

What Yang Yu didn’t expect was that even when the balloon hit the scorching ceiling, it didn’t immediately explode, only expanded a bit due to thermal expansion and contraction.

Yang Yu used [Climbing] to easily stand inverted on the burning ceiling.

Heat waves surged from beneath, the Green Fire Phoenix’s flames continued to scorch the ceiling, pieces of rock transformed into fiery rain, incessantly falling to the ground.

If Yang Yu stepped on a falling rock, he would be taken to the ground along with it.

Yang Yu’s response was simple, bringing out a Water Flow Propeller, spraying magic power, rushing toward an unburned wall.

As long as he used inertia, even if a rock was about to fall, Yang Yu could easily tread on the ceiling, moving quickly.

Nearing the wall, he used a longsword as a pivot to swivel, leaping to a wall untouched by fire.

While designed for water, the Water Flow Propeller provided enough thrust on land, raising Yang Yu’s speed a notch.

Sprinting uncontrollably along the side wall, Yang Yu dashed toward the supply area.

Searching for Yang Yu’s trail, the Green Fire Phoenix ignited bright blue flames all over its body, flapped its wings, and pursued Yang Yu relentlessly.

This Green Fire Phoenix didn’t have much time left.

Soon its transcendent form would vanish, though its power wouldn’t drop to its initial first-stage form, it would be greatly reduced, its strength falling between the second and third forms.

Recognizing Yang Yu and his companions’ strength, this Green Fire Phoenix initially deployed all its power, switching to the third form. Seeing the struggle even in third form, it hurriedly transformed into its transcendent form.

The ability between second and third forms clearly wasn’t enough to deal with Yang Yu and companions.

Though Yang Yu’s team was attempting strategy for the first time, within such a short period, they understood the trial’s content.

This contradicted the essence of the underground maze, meant to test repeatedly and select the most resolute individuals, so the Green Fire Phoenix intentionally didn’t ”err” into Bai Jin and the others’ attack zone, instead fully unleashing its power, not holding back in the trial against Yang Yu.

Yet Yang Yu didn’t flee in panic or waste time; he actively initiated an attack.

Recognizing Yang Yu’s potential sinister intentions, the Green Fire Phoenix unhesitatingly opened the Flame Shield when He Meng flew over, but Yang Yu once again turned danger into safety.

The Green Fire Phoenix was ultimately a step behind, with Yang Yu leveraging the Water Flow Propeller, returning to the supply area, slowly recovering with companions’ help.

Unable to do anything, taking some risks was inevitable but the strategy had to be attempted.

Flapping massive wings, the Green Fire Phoenix swept across the side wall Yang Yu traversed, columns of fire erupted, igniting the wall completely.

Except for the wall at the Ninth Floor’s entrance, all other walls were aflame.

Since Yang Yu cunningly maneuvered around narrow walls, if the walls could be blocked, there’d still be a chance before transcendent form ends to finish Yang Yu or push him back to the Eighth Floor.

To strategize the Tenth Floor, one must fight through the Ninth Floor again!

Low-flying, the Green Fire Phoenix steadily approached Yang Yu, enveloping him in a tough shell, shielding him from scorching air.

While blue Magic Arrays appeared near the Ninth Floor’s entrance, Bai Jin was quietly preparing.