Chapter 135
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Chapter 135: The Escape of the Old Monster
The dark opening rippled with air currents, resembling ripples forming on still water.
Ye Yun and three others entered one after another, instantly swallowed by darkness.
Whoosh!
A streak of light descended before the spatial rift where the group had vanished.
“Sword Slashing Stars. Did I shatter this space? My Sword Path comprehension grows deeper. Next time I meet Ye Yun, I’ll finish him with One Sword.”
The green-robed man clutched a pristine, jade-like sword, radiating intense aura like an unsheathed blade. Had Ye Yun stayed, he’d have recognized Du Jianyin.
Du Jianyin gazed skyward where enormous webs blocked sunlight, save for the gaping hole above.
With sudden motion, he lunged upward. His sword flashed jade-white, stabbing toward the celestial webs.
Crack!
The sword pierced through the web-covered sky. Clanging metal echoed as light and shadow scattered from his blade.
Du Jianyin landed heavily, his shoulder blooming crimson.
“Starry sword intent remains unrefined. Requires further meditation.” Showing no pain, he eyed the pierced sky before leaping into the dark passage.
Within moments, soaked figures erupted from calm seas, stumbling ashore in disarray.
Ouyang Wentian, Du Jianming, Sun Yidao, and Elder Yin stood bedraggled and pale. Only seven disciples trailed them – the rest perished in Hualun Hall’s collapse. Sun Yidao’s lips bore bloodstains.
Ouyang Wentian glared at the shattered spatial crystal wall. “I depart first. Stay if you still seek treasures.”
He shot toward the largest sky-hole, shrinking to a speck before vanishing in sunlight. Two Heavenly Sword Sect disciples bowed and followed.
Du Jianming surveyed his lone surviving disciple. Hundreds had died in Hualun Secret Vault for scant rewards. The Du family’s losses would be hard to explain.
Elite deaths were tolerable. But Du Jianyin’s disappearance into the star river? Unforgivable disobedience.
Melancholy flickered across his proud face. Waving at Elder Yin, he fled the great tomb with two remaining followers.
“Elder Yin, this expedition’s cost proves too steep,” Sun Yidao rasped, watching them go.
Elder Yin stood cane-less, ancient eyes gleaming sharply. “Sect Master Sun, did nothing strike you as amiss here?”
“Amiss?” He shook his head blankly.
“I sensed watching eyes controlling everything. Yet found no trace.” Her voice turned icy.
Sun Yidao laughed bitterly. “If this trap’s architect eludes even you, confronting them would be futile.”
Elder Yin frowned silently.
“I take my leave.” Sun Yidao bowed stiffly before departing with his last disciple.
Elder Yin sighed at her two remaining followers. “We go.”
They vanished from the great tomb.
Jin Kingdom’s four major forces had mobilized over a thousand elites to open Hualun Secret Vault. Mere handfuls survived. The cruelest blow? The Golden Core expert’s vault yielded almost no worthy treasures.
As Ouyang Wentian and the others departed, the desolation on their faces betrayed profound disappointment, resentment, and resignation.
The spatial fissure expanded violently, lightning-like cracks tearing through the fabric of reality.
Amidst the fractured void, a figure abruptly materialized—a one-armed silhouette.
"Without so many deaths, how could the Life and Death Spirit Gathering Array activate? How else could I harvest soul power to regain my strength?"
Hualun stood motionless, casually gesturing in the air.
Thousands of luminous streaks converged from all directions, coalescing above her head before plunging into her crown like a raging torrent.
Her eyes closed serenely, Hualun basked in the influx of energy. Then came the miraculous sight—a new arm sprouted from her right shoulder, flesh and bone regenerating completely within half an incense stick’s time.
"The Array has served its purpose after millennia," Hualun murmured, flexing her restored limb. Her fingers danced through the air, conjuring an arcane Rune that pulsed with otherworldly light before dissolving into nothingness.
BOOM!
Deafening explosions rocked existence itself as spatial layers disintegrated. Cascading energy streams washed over Hualun’s form harmlessly, leaving her unscathed.
"After a thousand years… I return." The woman gazed at the apocalyptic spectacle with regal composure, her smile hinting at dominion reclaimed.
Four figures burst from the great tomb’s passageway—Ye Yun’s group.
Sunlight never felt so comforting as they blinked at the peaceful sky, trembling with relief.
"We’re out! We survived!" Yu Minghong’s face flushed crimson with exhilaration.
"Of hundreds who entered, only we remain." Duan Chenfeng exhaled shakily, the memory of near-spiritual annihilation still raw.
Ye Yun tilted his face upward, savoring the warmth. "Being alive… what bliss."
Su Ling stood quietly beside him, joy sparkling in her eyes.
A cold voice shattered their respite. "You… survived?"
Yang Qingfeng emerged before them, white robes immaculate, astonishment breaking through his stern demeanor.
"Brother Yang! Fancy meeting again." Ye Yun approached with forced cheerfulness.
The white-clad disciple eyed the trio incredulously. "A hundred from Tian Zhu Peak entered. Three return? Astounding."
Yang Qingfeng had remained outside with mid Qi refining stage disciples to guard against wandering cultivators drawn by rumors of Hualun Secret Vault.
"Few survive such perilous sect tasks," Ye Yun agreed solemnly.
"Without Brother Ye, we’d have perished!" Yu Minghong interjected, still shaken.
Yang Qingfeng’s gaze sharpened on Ye Yun. "Rewards await survivors. We depart when Uncle Ouyang returns."
Ye Yun’s brow twitched imperceptibly. He brushed Su Ling’s hand.
"Uncle Ouyang approaches. We must leave," he breathed.
Understanding flashed in Su Ling’s eyes. Stepping forward, she declared, "Activate the teleportation array. I return now."
"Preposterous! Outer disciples don’t command arrays—"
"My father is Su Hao of Shadowless Peak." She produced the jade tablet.
Yang Qingfeng paled inspecting the artifact. "Peak Master Su’s daughter! Forgive my earlier tone. The array will be prepared immediately."
As they followed, Ye Yun glanced back warily. Let Ouyang Wentian find only four survivors among hundreds? That would invite dangerous scrutiny.
The group hurried toward salvation, spirit stones glowing in the activation grooves.
