Don't mess with that necromancer; his summoned creatures level up on their own!

The surrounding trees became increasingly sparse.

Su Lin was the first to see it. She was complaining about the pain in her feet from the gravel when she looked up and saw the scene in the distance.

"Lu Zhixing, look over there! Isn't that the temple? It's huge!"

In the distance, a majestic complex of buildings stood faintly visible against the dim sky.

The temple's spire-shaped main hall pointed straight to the sky under the low pressure of thunderclouds.

Despite the erosion of time, one can still feel an overwhelming sense of antiquity and solemnity. The massive stone pillars pierce the sky.

Su Youran stopped and looked up slightly at the cluster of buildings, a hint of shock flashing in her eyes.

"The Temple of Wind and Thunder... its grandeur is truly well-deserved."

"I've seen related descriptions and reconstructions in books, but seeing it in person is a completely different experience."

Lu Zhixing was also quite shocked.

This orange-quality temple dungeon is definitely something special.

He glanced at his level panel, and the line of numbers appeared clearly before his eyes:

Current level: Lv.24 (20%)

I just cleared out a few more waves of monsters, and my level has reached 24.

At this rate, I should be able to reach level 25 by clearing this dungeon.

There are only five levels left until level 30, at which point I can unlock the fourth summon slot.

Having an extra slot means you can carry an extra skill set, giving you a much wider range of choices.

"Let's go, let's go, the main entrance should be just ahead."

Su Lin cheered, and her legs seemed to be injected with new energy as she hopped and skipped forward.

"Alright! Go for it!"

The group quickened their pace and soon arrived at the gate of the temple complex.

After crossing the high threshold, a huge temple square unfolded before everyone's eyes.

The square was much larger than I had imagined; the stone steps from the threshold to the main hall were at least a hundred steps long.

The ground is paved with thick bluestone slabs, each of which is polished smooth.

A bronze incense burner, three people tall, stands in the center of the square.

Some black charred residue can still be seen at the mouth of the incense burner.

On either side of the stone steps leading to the main hall stand two tall guardian statues:

A system notification popped up, and a pale blue screen lit up in front of everyone, with each character on it clearly defined:

Welcome to the front courtyard of the Wind and Thunder God Temple!

Only the bravest who pass the test of the temple guardians are qualified to enter the main hall and pay homage to the final deity.

[Start the challenge?]

[Note: There will be one minute of preparation time after starting the challenge.]

Lu Zhixing nodded without hesitation.

Su Youran, Song Xiaohe, and Su Lin also clicked to confirm.

Four confirmation lights simultaneously illuminated the panel.

The challenge has begun!

[Countdown: 00:59... 00:58...]

Su Lin gripped the staff tightly, looking around nervously and excitedly.

"I wonder what these gatekeepers look like, and how tough they are. Judging from the appearance of those two stone statues, they don't seem like easy targets."

Lu Zhixing stood at the front of the line, his hands in his pockets, looking calmly at the two stone statues, and said indifferently.

"Whatever it is, it's just a gatekeeper. You can kill it as soon as its health bar appears."

The three of them turned to look at him at the same time.

Although this statement is a bit melodramatic, it depends on the person; if it's Lu Zhixing...

They certainly have the right to act arrogantly.

Su Lin muttered to herself, "They really have the confidence."

Then grip the staff tightly and draw your attention back to the front.

A minute passes in the blink of an eye.

The moment the countdown reached "00:00", the atmosphere in the entire square changed abruptly.

[The challenge begins!]

Rumbling--

The entire square suddenly trembled violently.

The heavy bluestone slabs underfoot seemed to be lifted up from below by something, their edges curling up and falling back down, making a continuous clattering sound.

The two tall stone statues that originally stood on either side of the stone steps came to life.

The stone skin on their surfaces began to crack inch by inch.

Their stone eyes suddenly lit up with a scarlet light.

They slowly lifted the enormous, exaggerated stone vajra in their hands.

[Temple Guardian - Wind and Thunder Vajra (BOSS)] [Level: 25]

[Special Feature: Lightning and Wind type damage reduced by 80%] Lu Zhixing raised an eyebrow.

How could a mere gatekeeper be a BOSS-level character?

What level of power would the final boss be?

As expected of an orange-quality temple dungeon, it's truly high-quality.

His gaze swept quickly between the two approaching, enormous figures and the health bars above their heads.

He calmly issued the instructions, his voice short and clear.

"Attack! Su Lin, apply the buff; Xiao He, apply the shield; Su Youran, apply crowd control!"

The three worked together seamlessly.

With a wave of his staff, Su Lin sent a golden halo precisely landing on Lu Zhixing's head;

Song Xiaohe slammed the shield into the ground, and a golden light shield rose up to protect the four of them.

Su Youran's figure blurred into a blur as she rushed out, her spear radiating a chilling aura, heading straight for the leg of the Vajra statue on the left.

A thick, white mist of icy vapor condensed at the tip of Su Youran's spear.

With a flick of her wrist, she flung the wisp of mist forward.

"Extreme Cold Region!"

Boom—A burst of cold air erupted instantly, spreading outwards in all directions from the point where her spear tip landed.

They had barely taken their second step when their movements suddenly froze. Thick, solid ice spread wildly down their calves, knees, and thighs, instantly solidifying into a thick layer of ice.

Their movements were severely restricted.

The two Vajra statues struggled to take a step.

But the ice was so thick that their knees could barely bend.

Lu Zhixing seized the window and raised one hand.

"Come on, let's give it a family triple thrashing!"

The little vampire was extremely excited.

"Watch me! This time it's your second sister's turn to lead the way!"

This is the first time since the little vampire's birth that he has truly fought alongside his older and younger brothers as the main attacker.

She was no longer the support responsible for scouting and breaking through walls, but instead stood at the center of the damage output.

The little zombie snorted.

"Look at you, thinking you're so capable. Don't get too cocky; if you don't play well, I'll still laugh at you."

*Sizzle*—A violent net of lightning surged from the little ghost's hand, instantly covering the ice sculpture.

Hang it in the inductive state.

The electric current flickered and danced on the icy surface of the two Vajra statues.

Immediately afterwards, a column of wind roared up from the ground.

At the feet of those two Thunder and Fire Vajras.

Several thick, blood-red spikes, with unparalleled penetrating power, shot wildly out from the ground.

It pierced through the ice beneath their feet, through their legs, and emerged from their abdomens, lifting the two enormous creatures off the ground.

With the added benefits of being electrocuted and Su Lin's damage-boosting buff, Thousand Blood Thorn's damage output has been elevated to a new level.

The enormous body froze as it was pierced by the spikes, and then began to crack from the inside out.

The two Vajra statues completely fell apart.

Gravel and debris rained down on the square, making a crackling sound as they hit the ground.

[Congratulations, you have defeated the Lv.25 Temple Guardian]

The little vampire watched the stones flying everywhere and the dark red light spots fading away.

"Waaaaah... He's so handsome... I, your second sister, am so handsome..."

She turned to look at her other two family members, clasped her hands to her chest, and spoke with unprecedented sincerity.

The little zombie was crouching on a piece of broken rock nearby.

"Alright, you're somewhat useful. That last move was indeed quite cool, but don't get cocky. My damage output is still a cut above yours. Your Thousand Blood Strike was just a lucky break from me and Xiao You."

The little ghost stood a little distance away, her voice soft and gentle.

"Yes, that's great."

The little vampire felt that his entire summon had been elevated.

I'm so happy I could burst!

After the smoke cleared, the once flat and magnificent temple square had been completely reduced to ruins.

The bluestone slabs were all shattered and overturned, and most of the side halls on both sides collapsed.

"Uh... this... the quality of this dungeon is terrible! We only fought the gatekeeper, and the whole plaza has been turned into this mess."

"With this temple completely collapsed, how can the final boss possibly appear? What if the building collapses on its own before we even see the boss?"

Song Xiaohe lifted the Floating Light Shield from the ground, patted off the gravel and dust on its surface, and patiently explained.

"Su Lin, I don't think it's the dungeon's quality that's bad, it's just that the older brother is too overpowered..."

"The person who designed this dungeon probably never imagined that someone would use a blood-based ultimate skill like Thousand Blood Spike within the level cap of 20 to 25..."

"Moreover, the scale of this Thousand Blood Thorns is already approaching the level of the Ten Thousand Blood Cones."

"To be able to use skills of this scale at level 25 is an extremely rare occurrence in the history of professionals."

Su Lin nodded thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her finger as if processing the information.

"That seems...to make a lot of sense."

Lu Zhixing calmly patted the dust off his hands.

Looking at the ruins and the still-standing main gate in the distance, he spoke calmly.

"Don't worry, as long as you haven't cleared the dungeon, the boss will always appear. The dungeon design won't stop you from continuing just because you destroyed the forecourt."

He pointed to the ruins of the main hall in the distance.

"Let's go take a look."