Teleportation

The leader of the men in black grew increasingly alarmed as the fight dragged on. He could clearly sense that Lin Ye's sword energy contained a strange power—at once as vast as the stars and as sharp as a blade, all while carrying a chilling, corrosive cold that gnawed at his True Qi.

What unsettled him even more was that while the opponent's swordsmanship appeared simple, every strike targeted his vital points, leaving him feeling restricted and clumsy.

"Retreat!"

Seeing that the tide had turned, the leader made a split-second decision. He feinted with his sword and pulled back sharply, retreating at full speed.

The remaining men in black, seeing this, forced their opponents back and turned to flee, vanishing into the mist in the blink of an eye.

"Should we chase them?" Su Muxue looked toward Lin Ye.

"Do not pursue a desperate foe." Lin Ye sheathed his sword and looked at Chen Feng. "How are you?"

Chen Feng gave a bitter smile. "I won't be dying just yet. Many thanks, Brother Lin, Senior Sister Su."

"How did you get ambushed?" Lin Ye asked.

"After the three of us entered the secret realm, we met at the agreed location, intending to head toward some ruins to explore. But shortly after we set off, we were ambushed by this group." Chen Feng's expression was grim. "Their objective was clear: they wanted us dead. If you hadn't arrived in time, we would likely be dead by now."

"Did they have any distinguishing features?" Lin Ye asked.

Chen Feng pondered for a moment and said, "Their swordsmanship was ruthless and their coordination was seamless, as if they had undergone rigorous training. Also, on their left wrists, they all had a skull tattoo."

"A skull..." Su Muxue's expression shifted. "That's the Blood Killing Squad of the Blood Fiend Hall!"

"Blood Killing Squad?" Lin Ye looked at her.

"They are the most elite assassination unit within the Blood Fiend Hall. Every member is at the True Qi Realm third stage or higher, skilled in coordinated attacks, and they only take on the most dangerous missions." Su Muxue said in a low voice, "It seems that someone is playing for keeps this time, determined to clear away all of us who stand in their way."

A cold glint flashed in Lin Ye's eyes.

Blood Fiend Hall, Elder Wang, Zhao Mingxuan...

The waters were getting murkier by the second.

"This place is not safe for long. Let's leave first," Lin Ye said.

The group nodded, quickly tidying up the battlefield before continuing their rapid trek toward the southeast.

Although Chen Feng and his two companions were heavily injured, they could still walk. The six of them formed a temporary squad, moving through the mist under the lead of Lin Ye and Su Muxue.

An hour later, the fog ahead began to thin, revealing a patch of ruins.

Traces of architecture were vaguely visible among the debris. In the center of the ruins stood a dilapidated stone platform, its surface covered in carved runes.

"This is it!" Su Muxue pointed at the platform, a flicker of joy in her eyes.

The group hurried forward to the platform.

The structure was built from a greyish-white stone, its surface weathered by the passage of time. The runes on it were complex and profound, but most were fractured or worn down, their energy fluctuations faint.

"Can this teleportation array still be used?" Chen Feng frowned.

After stepping forward to inspect it carefully for a moment, Lin Ye shook his head. "The runes are severely damaged, and the energy core is depleted. To activate it, we need high-grade spirit stones and must repair some of the runes."

"High-grade spirit stones?" The group's faces fell.

High-grade spirit stones were cultivation resources that even inner sect elders treated as treasures. It was rare for inner sect disciples to even possess one or two mid-grade spirit stones; high-grade ones were completely out of reach.

"I have one here." Su Muxue gritted her teeth and pulled a high-grade spirit stone from her robes.

"This was given to me by my master for when I needed to break through a bottleneck." Su Muxue handed the stone to Lin Ye. "Can you repair the runes?"

Lin Ye took the stone, feeling the vast spiritual energy within it, and nodded. "I can try, but it will take time."

"How long?"

"At least a day."

The group fell silent. A day was far too long; the variables were too great.

"We have no choice." Chen Feng took a deep breath. "If we stay here, the Blood Fiend Hall will find us sooner or later. Rather than waiting for death, we might as well take the gamble."

"Fine." Lin Ye said no more. He sat cross-legged before the teleportation array and began to study the runes.

He closed his eyes, focusing his mind on his sea of consciousness.

[Defective teleportation array detected. Consume 1 point to analyze?]

"Yes."

As the point was deducted, the broken runes of the teleportation array before him instantly became clear.

"So that's how it is..."

Lin Ye opened his eyes, a flash of realization crossing his gaze.

He drew the Star-Shattering Sword, using the tip as a brush and his True Qi as ink, and began to carve and mend the runes on the stone platform.

Every stroke was incredibly precise, connecting perfectly with the original runes.

Su Muxue, Chen Feng, and the others watched with bated breath, their eyes filled with shock.

Just who is this guy?

Time flowed slowly in the silence.

Lin Ye embedded the high-grade spirit stone into the core of the formation.

"Hum—"

The stone platform vibrated slightly, and the runes on its surface lit up one by one, emitting a soft white glow. The light grew increasingly intense, eventually forming a circle of light three zhang in diameter that enveloped the entire platform.

"It worked!" Su Muxue said, pleasantly surprised.

"Quick, get on!"

The six of them quickly stepped into the circle of light.

Lin Ye checked the runes one last time to ensure everything was correct, took a deep breath, and injected a wisp of true energy into the core of the formation.

"Activate!"

"Boom—!"

A white beam of light shot into the sky, completely swallowing the six of them.

The next moment, the light dissipated, and the stone platform was empty.

Lin Ye felt his body lighten, and everything around him began to twist and stretch. His vision was swallowed by blinding white light, and he could hear nothing at all.

Lin Ye gritted his teeth, his true energy circulating frantically within his body, forming a protective barrier on the surface of his skin to resist the tearing force of space.

"Hold steady..."

He did not know how much time had passed when a faint light appeared ahead, transforming into a swirling exit.

"We're almost there!"

Lin Ye felt a surge of spirit, steadied his posture, and charged toward the exit.

"Boom—"

It felt as if he had broken through a film of water, and the terrifying tearing force vanished instantly.

Lin Ye felt solid ground beneath his feet, his body stumbling forward a few steps due to momentum.

"Cough, cough..."

Lin Ye looked up and quickly scanned his surroundings.

They appeared to be in a massive cavern. The ceiling was covered in bioluminescent stalactites, illuminating the entire cave. The ground was covered in a layer of dust, clearly indicating that no one had been here for a long time.

The stone platform housing the teleportation array was located in the center of the cave.

Su Muxue, Chen Feng, and the two inner sect disciples were currently collapsed at the edge of the platform, their faces pale and blood at the corners of their mouths; it was evident they had suffered significant shock during the teleportation process.

"Where is this?"

"I'm not sure." Su Muxue managed to sit up, took the jade talisman from her bosom, and injected her true energy into it. The jade talisman emitted a soft glow, illuminating the area for several zhang around them.

Chen Feng was the most severely injured; he was currently propping himself up with his only remaining hand, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

"Heal your injuries first." Lin Ye didn't waste words; he sat cross-legged immediately and began to circulate his cultivation technique to recover his expenditure and calm the restless energy within his body.

The others realized their situation as well and sat down to regulate their breathing.

The cavern fell into a brief silence.

Half an hour later, Lin Ye was the first to open his eyes.

Thirty percent of the true energy in his body had been restored. The conflict between the various energies within him had been temporarily suppressed.

More importantly, he sensed an unsettling aura permeating the cavern.

"Something is wrong," he whispered.

The others opened their eyes one after another and looked at him.

"What is it?" Su Muxue asked.

"There is something else in this cave." Lin Ye stood up, his right hand gripping the Star-Shattering Sword tightly, his gaze fixed straight toward the depths of the cavern.