Ancient Bat Cave

"Everyone, be careful. The miasma here is poisonous; do not inhale it."

Li Xiaoyu warned in a low voice, simultaneously circulating the Taiji Profound Clarity Path to cast a layer of protective spiritual energy around his body, sealing the miasma out.

Lu Xueqi, Faxiang, Li Xun, and the others followed suit, each deploying their own protective techniques.

Only Zhang Xiaofan appeared flustered; the conflict between the Buddhist and Daoist true arts within him hindered his spiritual circulation, leaving his protective barrier dim and flickering.

Seeing this, Li Xiaoyu moved closer and extended a portion of his own protective aura to envelop Zhang Xiaofan as well.

Zhang Xiaofan felt the pressure around him lighten as the miasma was blocked off. A warmth spread through his heart, and he cast a grateful glance at Li Xiaoyu.

This action was caught by Lu Xueqi not far away, a soft light flashing in her eyes.

Qi Hao, however, let out a cold snort and turned his head away.

The group landed in a mountain hollow on Kongsang Mountain.

According to intelligence, the trail of the Demon Sect's Blood Refining Hall had last vanished in this vicinity.

"Let's split up to search for clues and reconvene here in one hour," Li Xun proposed, eager to shake off Li Xiaoyu's leadership and act independently so he might have a chance to earn merit.

Li Xiaoyu glanced at him and said, "No."

"The situation here is unclear and fraught with danger. If we split up and encounter a powerful enemy, we will easily be picked off one by one."

"We should act together so we can look out for one another."

His words were reasonable and well-founded.

Li Xun's face darkened at being rebuffed in front of everyone, but unable to find a reason to argue, he could only sullenly drop the matter.

Faxiang pressed his palms together and smiled, "Brother Li is absolutely right. We shall follow Brother Li's arrangements."

Thus, under Li Xiaoyu's lead, the group cautiously explored deeper into the mountain forest.

Kongsang Mountain was indeed treacherous.

Along the way, they encountered many demonic beasts driven into a frenzy by the erosion of resentment.

There were massive black-furred apes and highly venomous serpents of incredible speed.

Yet, these beasts posed no threat to the elite disciples of the three righteous sects.

The Incense Burning Valley techniques used by Li Xun and Yan Hong were supreme in their yang and rigidity; once their flames were unleashed, they could reduce the beasts to ash.

Faxiang's Buddhist light from Heavenly Sound Temple shone everywhere, possessing a natural restraining effect on demons and evil spirits.

On the Green Cloud Sect side, the coordination between Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi was nothing short of perfect.

Li Xiaoyu's sword style was broad and sweeping, steady and heavy, taking charge of frontal containment.

Lu Xueqi's Tianya divine sword struck like blue lightning, providing support from the side with biting sword qi that killed with a single blow.

The two attacked and defended in perfect rhythm, their cooperation seamless.

Every strike was filled with unspoken understanding.

Qi Hao tried to intervene several times, wanting to showcase his strength at the eighth level of the Jade Purity Realm, only to find no opportunity to break into the fray.

He felt like an outsider, excluded from their world.

This left him feeling both jealous and stifled, his expression growing increasingly grim.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaofan followed at the back of the group, gripping his Fire Poker tightly as he kept a nervous watch on his surroundings.

Though he could not offer much help, he was determined not to be a burden.

After clearing the path, the group soon discovered a massive cave beneath a cliff.

The cave was pitch-black and bottomless, resembling the maw of a giant beast waiting to devour them.

A thick stench of blood and rot wafted from within.

"This is it!" excitement flashed in Li Xun's eyes. "The demons of the Blood Refining Hall must be hiding inside!"

"Everyone, be careful. The situation inside is unknown."

Li Xiaoyu's expression, however, turned grave.

He could sense a vast and violent aura hidden within the cave.

That aura was a hundred times more powerful than the rat tide he had encountered in the Nameless Cave.

The group lit torches and cautiously entered the cave.

This cave was the legendary Ancient Bat Cave.

The interior was vast, with stalactites hanging from above and jagged rocks everywhere, resembling an underground labyrinth.

The air was thick with a foul odor, and the ground beneath their feet was sticky, though they could not tell what they were stepping on.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak."

Just as the group had ventured several hundred feet into the cavern, a dense chorus of shrieks suddenly erupted from the darkness in every direction.

Then, patches of blood-red light points ignited in the dark.

It was eyes!

Thousands upon thousands of densely packed, blood-red eyes!

"It's blood-sucking bats!" Yan Hong exclaimed.

The next moment, a black tide swept toward the group from the cave walls and ceiling in every direction, blotting out the sky.

They were a swarm of massive, black bats with exposed fangs.

Their numbers were immeasurable, as if they intended to fill the entire cavern.

"Form up!" Li Xiaoyu made an instant decision and shouted.

The group reacted with lightning speed, immediately forming a circle back-to-back.

Faxiang let out a low shout, and the Samsara Bead in his hand flared with brilliant golden light. A series of Buddhist swastika seals flew out, forming a golden barrier around him that shielded everyone inside.

"Incense Burning Valley disciples, attack!"

Li Xun roared, striking out simultaneously with Yan Hong.

Two fire dragons whistled from their hands, charging into the swarm of bats with scorching waves of heat.

"Boom!"

The flames erupted, instantly incinerating hundreds of bats into charcoal.

But these bats were fearless; those behind trampled over the corpses of their companions to surge forward, attacking the golden barrier Faxiang had erected with their sharp claws and fangs.

"Crack, crack."

Cracks began to appear on the surface of the light barrier.

"This won't last; there are too many of them!"

Faxiang's face turned pale; it was clear that maintaining a defense of this scale was a massive drain on him.

"I'll handle it!"

Li Xiaoyu's eyes narrowed; he knew they couldn't wait any longer.

He nodded toward Lu Xueqi beside him.

Lu Xueqi understood, and the divine sword Tianya flared with brilliant blue light.

"Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique!"

She let out a sharp cry. Although she could not summon the divine lightning of the nine heavens, it was more than enough to draw upon ordinary lightning power within the cave.

Blue snakes of electricity could be seen dancing at the tip of the Tianya sword.

At the same time, Li Xiaoyu moved.

The Autumn Water Sword in Li Xiaoyu's hand lacked flashy radiance, yet it carried an unstoppable momentum.

"Slash!"

He let out a low shout, unleashing the Green Cloud Sect's lethal sword technique.

A plain, unadorned sword light that seemed capable of severing everything soared into the air.

"Merge!"

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi spoke almost simultaneously.

The light of the Tianya sword, imbued with the power of thunder, merged in mid-air with Li Xiaoyu's sword intent!

The thunder bolstered the sword's momentum, and the sword amplified the thunder's might!

A sword aura, interwoven with blue and cyan, carrying both the majesty of heaven and razor-sharp edge, roared into existence!

"Go!"

Li Xiaoyu pointed his finger.

The sword aura, which had fused the power of both, swept out in all directions like a crescent moon!

Sshhh.

A sound of cutting echoed through the air.

Every blood-sucking bat struck by the sword aura, whether in body or soul, was shredded and annihilated in an instant!

Within a single breath.

Centered on the group, all blood-sucking bats within a hundred-foot radius were wiped clean!

A vacuum zone appeared in the crowded cavern.

The surviving bats seemed to sense fear; they let out a series of shrill screams and fled into the depths of the cave, no longer daring to approach.

The entire Ancient Bat Cave fell into a brief, deathly silence.

Faxiang, Li Xun, Yan Hong, Qi Hao—everyone stared at the scene before them in stunned silence.

They looked at Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi, who stood side-by-side with seamless coordination, their hearts filled with nothing but shock.

The power of these two joining forces was truly terrifying!