The Red Dragon Team had completely sealed off the hall where the Canglu Pavilion was located, with over a hundred people.
Not to mention humans, even a sparrow couldn’t fly in.
Gauss led a few teammates to the front of the pavilion.
He had explained the general plan before coming, so the teammates were not surprised by what he intended to do.
He flipped his hand and took out the universal key.
This key was found by Gauss last year after defeating a Commander Level Petrified Bull, in a box from a pile of straw in the bull’s nest. Along with it, he found an Eagle Eye monocle and a Thief’s Glove.
A total of three magical artifacts.
Of them, he occasionally used the Blue Quality Eagle Eye monocle, and he had given the Blue Quality Thief’s Glove to Ying, but the Purple Quality universal key had never been used before.
[Universal Key]
Level: Excellent Magic Item (Purple Quality)
Description: Can open most locks and mechanisms, current uses: 3/3
Gauss glanced at the seemingly ordinary brass key in his hand.
If not for using [Identification Technique] to discern its effects, it would be hard to believe just from its appearance that it was an extremely valuable magic item.
Gauss held the brass key and slowly approached the Green Pavilion.
His teammates followed him.
Gauss stood in front of the Green Pavilion.
Though a year has passed and there was an environmental shift inside the maze, the Green Pavilion’s external structure remained unchanged, just as he remembered it.
Numerous dark green broad-leaved plants wove and spiraled to form the dome of the pavilion, covered by a green energy film gently undulating like a water wave.
He infused his magic power into it.
He wanted to test if his now stronger magic power could break this energy barrier. If successful, it could save one use of the key.
Powerful magic power surged from his fingertips into the pavilion before him.
"Buzz!!!"
A sharp screech instantly erupted in the air.
Soon, his magic power that had just made contact was ruthlessly pushed back by an even stronger force.
It seems he failed...
Facing that irresistible repulsion, Gauss did not feel too discouraged.
He had been mentally prepared. He attempted just to give it a try.
Then he raised his hand and aimed the brass key at the irregular indentation naturally formed by the vines.
Would it succeed? Gauss was a bit curious.
The moment the key neared the energy film, a sudden change occurred.
The always calm water-wave-like green energy suddenly trembled violently, emitting ripples.
Gauss didn’t hesitate. Taking advantage of the pavilion’s energy disturbance, he quickly inserted the key into the indentation.
The next moment, the entire Green Pavilion began to glow.
Light exploded from every vine and leaf’s veins, flowing along the intricately woven patterns, eventually converging at the pavilion’s top.
"Click—"
A long, ancient crisp sound, as if a mechanism dormant for a thousand years was finally awakened.
The green energy film enveloping the pavilion shattered and vanished.
Immediately after, the tightly intertwined vines loosened and retracted to the sides, revealing a door.
It was a door made of pure light, looking like an entrance to another world.
Behind the door, a staircase leading downward could faintly be seen.
"It’s open!" Aaliyah exclaimed in surprise.
"Shall we go inside and see what’s there?"
"I think we should be careful; there might be some danger inside."
Gauss listened to his teammates’ suggestions without rushing and instead casually summoned several Clay Spiders, letting them enter the door first.
After letting them linger in the pavilion for a moment, he then commanded the Clay Spiders to descend the staircase. After they explored for a few minutes without any danger, he took the first step and walked in.
"Cough cough..."
Perhaps it was too long sealed, and the air felt a bit stuffy.
"Light Spell!"
He casually summoned a glowing floating orb to accompany him.
He didn’t allow too many to follow, only a few teammates walking down the staircase alongside him.
According to the spiders’ previous exploration, there was a large space below the staircase.
The stairs were not long, but Gauss felt the tunnel surged with spatial magic, clearly indicating that his steps covered more distance than it seemed.
After a few dozen steps, he reached the lower space.
It was indeed vast beneath, with an ancient stone statue about ten meters tall standing not far away, and farther away, vegetation enveloped in lush greenery.
It’s more like they arrived in a new layer rather than merely a pavilion’s hidden passage.
But it was... too clean.
Scanning around, Gauss could tell that this space had no traces of human activity.
Unlike the upper layers, where signs of people, like footprints and various litter, were evident.
"Come here."
Gauss heard Aaliyah calling and walked towards the stone Insect Man statue.
Beneath the Insect Man statue’s pedestal were wild flowers in abundance, with two items quietly resting among them.
Aaliyah and the others didn’t rashly pick them up.
After Gauss arrived, he used the Mage’s Hand to lift the items, examining their appearance.
The first item was a transparent crystal ball.
When he focused his gaze on its surface, the once clear crystalline sphere soon changed.
Images flickered within it, with even scenes of adventurers and demons.