Gravel was still tumbling down, and the light at the end of the passage had grown brighter than before.
Chen Wuya supported Bai Zhi as they walked forward for a while. His steps never slowed, but his gaze had already changed. That light was no longer some hazy hope—it truly shone upon the rock wall ahead, revealing a narrow crack—an exit, less than twenty paces away.
Yet within those twenty paces stood a crowd of figures.
Mo Feng led the way. The bronze ruler in his hand suddenly gave a faint tremor, as though something had muffled its sound. He raised a hand to halt them and said in a low voice, "Something's wrong ahead."
Chen Wuya narrowed his eyes. Beyond the dust and mist, dozens of people stood in an arcing formation, their hands folded before their chests as they murmured incantations. A complicated ring of patterns was carved into the ground beneath their feet, glowing blue-gold in time with their chanting. A translucent curtain of light rose from underground, stretching across the entire passage and sealing the exit completely.
"The Nine Extremes Spirit-Locking Array." Mo Feng gritted his teeth. "They activated an ancient formation through bloodline resonance. This isn't a trap they set up on the spot—they prepared this long ago."
Bai Zhi drew a breath, bracing herself on her sword with her right hand while Chen Wuya still held her left arm. She stared at the wall of light, her voice heavy. "We broke through one trap, only to find another waiting for us."
"It's more than a trap." Chen Wuya released her arm and slowly stepped forward two paces. "It's their rule. The rule they believe in—the Heavenly Machine Scroll can only be taken away by them. Outsiders aren't even allowed to touch it."
He raised