In the shadowy cave, two figures flashed past like lightning.
Su Yu gripped Xia Yun Huang by the wrist and pushed Thousand Illusory Shadows to its limit, leaving a string of blurred afterimages in the narrow passage.
His breathing had grown ragged, and fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, but the sword in his hand remained as steady as a rock.
Another Sword Light flashed past, and the Soul Devouring Ant blocking the way was cut in two.
Dark green fluid splattered across the rock wall, corroding it and raising wisps of white smoke.
Xia Yun Huang followed close behind. She could clearly feel the warmth of Su Yu's palm, along with the faint tremor in his muscles—the sign that his Spiritual Qi was nearly depleted.
The sounds behind them drew closer, like the whispers of death.
Su Yu gritted his teeth. The Sword Elder's voice in his Sea of Consciousness grew urgent as well. "Boy, if you keep this up..."
Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light caught his eye.
In a crevice in the rock wall to their right, a narrow cave entrance was just visible.
A sharp glint flashed in Su Yu's eyes. Without hesitation, he pulled Xia Yun Huang toward it.
"Hold tight!"
He suddenly accelerated and, before his last trace of Spiritual Qi ran dry, leaped into the cave with Xia Yun Huang.
BOOM—
As the final gap sealed shut, the heavy stone door cut off the Soul Devouring Ants' screeching completely.
The cave abruptly fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the two of them panting in the enclosed space.
Xia Yun Huang hit the cold ground hard, her luxurious dress covered in dust.
Still shaken, she stared at the tightly shut stone door. Her slender fingers unconsciously clenched Su Yu's sleeve.
"Those