Apotheosis

The forms of the Other Shore creatures who entered the Eternal Scroll Painting had undergone a great change. Thus, as the "fox" traveled through the maze looking very similar to the others, they had taken her without doubt as one of their own.

However, Zen's words raised everyone's suspicions.

"Are you a beast of the scroll painting?" Zen asked.

The fox stood nearby, and spoke in a disdainful tone. "That's the name given by you stupid creatures."

As an intelligent being, she was very dissatisfied about being named a beast.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter," said the fox, giving a short laugh. "You are no different from the thousands of idiots who came before you. Like them, you will surely die."

As she spoke, she beckoned with her hand.

The two Evil Orochis, which had been blocking the way out, slowly crawled in the passageway.

Obviously, they were under her control.

"Thousands... You've killed thousands of creatures?" Egan asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

The fox smiled faintly. "Probably more, but I've forgotten the exact number."

"Did you kill them with the help of the Evil Orochis? That's impossible. The Evil Orochi had only appeared a few times," said Kirk.

According to the records of the Grand Plain Stage, the Evil Orochi had only appeared five times in known history. At the first time, it had killed all the creatures; on the other four occasions, some Other Shore creatures had survived by directly choosing to quit.

The fox snorted. "You think I really need the Evil Orochi to kill you idiots?" she said sarcastically. "Use your head and search your memories. You must remember that your people had been all killed several times in the Eternal Scroll Painting."

The test in the Eternal Scroll Painting was notoriously difficult. Many people gave up when they realized they could not survive, but many others chose to keep going and attempt to pass the test.

When the Eternal Scroll Painting opened, it was not unusual for around thirty to fifty percent of those who entered to perish in the test. There were also rare occasions when not a single creature survived—all were killed for some unknown reason.

The Other Shore creatures in the Grand Plain Stage were all afraid of the Evil Orochi and several other powerful beasts in the painting. But at least these beasts were known, because those who survived their encounters with them recorded their appearance and nature once they had left the Eternal Scroll Painting alive.

his, which prevented them from finding a way out.

As they crossed another horizontal passageway, following the fox, Zen suddenly paused briefly, his eyes fixed on something in the distance.

Two hexagram arrays were placed symmetrically on the right corner.

"Egan," Zen whispered.

Egan immediately followed Zen's gaze. Kirk and some other creatures also caught sight of the two arrays.

In fact, there were a lot of hexagram arrays at the end of the maze. Two such arrays would appear after they passed through every three passages.

Zen was thinking hard. The problem was that even if they managed to reach the arrays and regained their original forms, they still wouldn't be a match for the Evil Orochis who guarded them. No one had bothered to use that strategy against the Evil Orochis because it was no different from courting death.

But the situation was getting desperate.

No one was willing to be torn apart by the dogs and eaten as food.

If the result was death either way, then it was better to die fighting than to wait passively to be killed.

Many of the Other Shore creatures had reached the same conclusion.

When they moved past the next passageway, two groups of creatures rushed out on both sides.

In the blink of an eye, several Other Shore creatures had stepped into the hexagram arrays. They finally returned to their original forms. Yet they wore grim expressions, for they knew that they were still outmatched by the formidable opponent.

Still, they were also determined to put up a good fight. Regardless of the outcome, as long as they were in the arrays, they could at least fight with their real strength.