Half of the ancient hall had already been buried deep within the mountain's belly.
Above the remaining hall doors hung a plaque riddled with cracks, hanging at a slant.
Three ancient characters flickered in and out of view across its surface.
"Hall of Life Mandate?"
Su Shi'er narrowed his eyes and barely managed to make out the three characters.
Before he could think further, a pained groan suddenly came from within the hall. Immediately after, the two points of lamplight that had lit up earlier began to flicker violently at the same time.
Beneath the flames, two figures standing back-to-back also entered Su Shi'er's field of vision.
They were precisely the two leaders among the Rogue Cultivators who had entered the Immortal Mansion ahead of the others.
Inside the ruined ancient hall.
Zhang Zhixuan and Du Bingxin stood back-to-back, True Yuan circulating endlessly around them.
Around the two of them, nearly invisible threads stretched out from the ground, the walls, and the empty air above.
The threads seemed both illusory and tangible.
With every sway, the two bodies trembled in response.
The flying sword in Du Bingxin's hand swept out, and frigid cold spread through the hall.
Dozens of threads froze at once, yet before the ice could fully form, a bloody gash appeared out of thin air across Zhang Zhixuan's chest.
"Pfft!"
Zhang Zhixuan spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered forward.
"Zhixuan!"
Du Bingxin's expression tightened, and her attack came to an abrupt stop.
"I'm fine!"
Zhang Zhixuan steadied himself and hurriedly spoke.
Yet as his gaze swept over the flickering threads around them, his expression grew ever more grave.
"These threads were not formed by an outside force."
"They are the formation here, forcibly manifesting the Shared-Life Pact between you and me."
"When our attacks strike