Severing the Red Thread

The phantom in the sky filled Chen Lin with dread, fearing some unforeseen change.

But when he looked at Yu Yuehai, he saw that the man's expression was calm, as if he had expected this.

His heart finally settled.

It seemed Yu Yuehai had planned to make his move tonight.

Yu Yuehai continued to gaze silently at the sky, showing no reaction.

Ye Jingyun was the same.

The Xia Sisters showed nervousness, especially Zhao Zhengyuan, who seemed to be witnessing such a scene for the first time, his legs trembling.

But if Yu Yuehai didn't move, they naturally couldn't do anything. Chen Lin continued to focus his gaze on the shadow in the sky.

In that brief moment, the shadow seemed to become clearer, its shape vaguely discernible. It looked like a giant insect.

"The shape of the abnormality is not fixed, what you see may not be real. Get ready, it's about to begin!"

Yu Yuehai's voice rang out, causing them to withdraw their gazes.

Just then, Chen Lin felt the ground beneath his feet tremble violently, almost knocking him over. Cracks even appeared in the houses within the courtyard.

Before he could observe what was happening, he saw five beams of light shoot up into the sky from different directions!

These five beams were thick and large, each a different color, exactly like the five Spirit Stones on the Formation Disk before them.

However, the Formation Disk before them had not yet been activated, so it was clearly not Yu Yuehai's doing.

These beams carried terrifying energy fluctuations, intertwining in the air to form an enormous, exaggerated sword!

As the giant sword formed, the hazy shadow in the sky began to writhe.

With its movement, the countless red threads filling the sky suddenly brightened, turning the entire sky blood-red!

Chen Lin instantly felt something within his body rapidly draining away, his skin visibly decaying. In an instant, he looked as if he had aged several years.

It wasn't just him; everyone else was the same, even Yu Yuehai wasn't spared, though his condition was slightly less severe.

Meanwhile, the abnormal phantom grew more solid.

This change startled Chen Lin.

He worried he might be drained into a dried corpse before he could even cut the red threads and escape.

At the same time, he understood that his companions who had supposedly died from "possession" must have been trying to escape the abnormality's control and were thus accelerated in their demise.

"Don't panic, you won't die!"

Yu Yuehai saw their fear and immediately shouted.

Simultaneously, the giant sword in the sky let out a roar and slashed towards the abnormal giant phantom!

"Prepare!"

Yu Yuehai bellowed. In his hand, a black sphere the size of a fist had appeared. His entire being radiated a powerful aura, his eyes glowing crimson.

He forcefully threw the black sphere into a hole in the center of the disk. The patterns on the disk instantly emitted a dazzling light, and the five large Spirit Stones also lit up.

Chen Lin and the others heard Yu Yuehai's command and quickly placed their hands on the grooves, ready to channel their Magical Power.

In the sky.

The giant sword struck the giant shadow, causing ripples.

However, the giant shadow seemed unharmed. Only the red threads filling the sky grew brighter.

Chen Lin didn't know how others felt, but he felt his internal energy being siphoned away like a bursting dam. He was so weak he was swaying, his skin cracking like parched earth after years of drought.

At this rate, he estimated he would turn into a dried husk in just a dozen breaths.

Chen Lin looked at Yu Yuehai with a hint of panic. After all this planning, dying like this would be too ridiculous.

Yu Yuehai's face finally showed a grave expression, but he continued to stare intently at the sky, making no move.

Seeing this, Chen Lin could only grit his teeth and force himself to endure.

The red threads weren't draining Magical Power; Qi Replenishing Pills and other Pills would be useless.

Besides, Zhao Zhengyuan and the Xia Sisters weren't faring any better. They were all extremely nervous, clearly sensing the approach of death.

Just as they were in a state of panic, the ground shook again, even more violently than before.

The rooms in the courtyard collapsed with a roar, and surrounding buildings crumbled one after another. The screams of countless Cultivators rose in succession.

These Cultivators couldn't see the red threads in the sky, but they could see the five giant beams of light and the sword they formed, mistaking it for a battle between powerful Cultivators.

With the earthquake, the five beams of light simultaneously grew larger, forming an exaggerated, massive light sword that mercilessly struck the abnormal phantom once more!

"Rise!"

At the same time, veins bulged on Yu Yuehai's face as he roared. A large mouthful of Essence Blood transformed into a blood arrow and sprayed onto the black sphere in the center of the Formation Disk.

The black sphere flashed, and the Formation Disk emitted a humming sound. The five large Spirit Stones around it all shattered with a bang.

"Quick, channel your Magical Power!"

Yu Yuehai urged through gritted teeth.

With no need for his urging, everyone understood what was happening the moment the Spirit Stones shattered. They all poured their Magical Power out as if their lives depended on it.

However, Yu Yuehai didn't replace the Spirit Stones. Instead, he spat out another mouthful of Essence Blood.

All of this Essence Blood was sprayed onto the Formation Disk. The disk's light had already become substantial. Then, to Chen Lin and the others' shocked gazes, the runes on the Formation Disk broke free from its confines, levitated in mid-air, and transformed into a sword of light!

This sword of light was identical to the one in the sky, just infinitely smaller. Yet, the fluctuations it emitted were still terrifying, far more powerful than those emanating from Yu Yuehai himself.

"Slash!"

Yu Yuehai roared, and the sword of light surged. It spun above everyone's heads before collapsing into nothingness.

Chen Lin, who had already been at his limit, watched as the scarlet red line above his head was silently severed. As if a heavy burden had been lifted, his body felt lighter.

Except for Yu Yuehai and Ye Jingyun, the other four collapsed to the ground, but all of them showed the joy of having survived.

With the red line broken, they had escaped the Abnormality's control and could leave this place.

"Take your Pills to recover your bodies immediately!"

Yu Yuehai himself was also in a sorry state, but being a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he hadn't completely collapsed. He patted his Storage Bag, retrieved a pill bottle, opened the cap, and flicked a Pill to each of the four, including Chen Lin.

The Pills, made of unknown substances, revitalized them considerably after being swallowed.

By now, Yu Yuehai had shrunk and put away the Formation Disk. Seeing this, he beckoned and said, "Let's go!"

The others hurriedly followed.

"The Abnormality hasn't been eliminated, nor has it been injured. You are not allowed to use flying spells, lest we expose ourselves and be targeted. Do not engage in any fights!"

Ye Jingyun, walking at the very back, called out to remind them.

Chen Lin and the others nodded repeatedly.

The group of six, led by Yu Yuehai, sped towards the city's outskirts.

At this moment, the city was in chaos due to the earthquake and the appearance of the sword of light. Almost everyone in the city had rushed out to observe the situation.

Chen Lin looked at these people, his face a mixture of shock and horror.

He saw that whether they were standing by the roadside or floating at low altitudes, cultivators of all ages and genders appeared gaunt, their skin covered in wrinkles.

Some with lower cultivation or older age had been visibly drained into dried husks.

Strangely, these people themselves seemed completely unaware, their expressions vacant even as they faced death.