The dark realm was gloomy and heavy.
It was as if heaven and earth had suddenly condensed into a stone, and the molecules in the stone were getting tighter and tighter with the intention of wrapping the person within into a specimen.
The heavy footsteps of the giant came closer and closer, but it never reached them. Everyone held their breath and focused their attention, but the thrilling moment never arrived.
When they came back to their senses after holding their breaths for a long time, they felt a heavy pressure on their hearts, as if they had been tied up by a rope. Their heartbeats became slow and suffocating.
Could it be that the sound was just to make them nervous and attract their attention so that the heavy air could enter?
But Meng Fuyao soon realized that she had guessed wrong.
The sound lingered in the surroundings for a while before coming closer again, much closer this time.
The sound of the wind stopped, and it was so quiet that one could hear a strand of hair falling on the ground. In the extreme silence and darkness, one could hear the footsteps that sounded like a bell, feel the tremors of the ground approaching, and yet not see anyone or anything. That feeling of oppression and desolation could instinctively evoke fear in the hearts of humans.
Because they could not see, that was why it was terrifying.
Meng Fuyao listened attentively, thinking that the Evergreen Temple was known as the Illumination of Gods, but the first two realms of the four realms were as dark and gloomy as a ghost realm. They were even more sinister than the Fufeng Sorcery. How could they be gods?
Or were gods, devils, and sorcerers the same thing, just wearing different clothes?
She had already opened the last level of her 'Piercing the Nine Heavens', the 'Heavenly Link', and her senses were far more sensitive than anyone else's. But even so, she could not hear any other sounds in this dark realm besides the footsteps. Zhan Beiye and the others, who were just inches away from her a moment ago, seemed to have been swallowed by the vacuum, and there was no sound at all.
But Meng Fuyao did not believe that they would not make a sound. Even if Yun Hen did not speak, Zhan Beiye would.
The sound came closer and closer, as if it would strike at any time. Meng Fuyao tried to guess which angle it would attack from, but her palm suddenly felt cold. It was Zong Yue's hand holding hers. "It seems like it wants to take us down one by one. Let's not separate anymore."
Meng Fuyao hummed in acknowledgment and used her fingers to feel his pulse. "Why is your hand so cold?"
"I'm just wearing gloves," Zong Yue replied.
Meng Fuyao listened to his unstable breathing suspiciously, trying to guess his condition. She remembered that Zong Yue seemed to have a chronic illness. How was he now?
However, she could not see or touch him in the darkness, so she could only say, "Rest for a while …"
Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly heard a cracking sound above his head. There was clearly nothing there, but it sounded as if a pair of giant hands had suddenly torn the ceiling apart. The surrounding air suddenly tightened, and in the midst of the cracking sound, a huge force came crashing down from above!
In an instant, Zong Yue and Meng Fuyao flew up.
The giant hand waved around in the narrow space between the dark realm, desperately trying to grab the two of them and crush them to death with its palm.
The space was narrow, and the giant hand was huge. With a light swipe, it almost covered all four sides, leaving behind a pitifully small gap. Fortunately, Zong Yue was the number one assassin and had trained his body to be as smooth as flowing water. He was adept at making use of all the gaps in space and space to bring Meng Fuyao along. There were countless thrilling and ingenious ways to pass through the giant hand.
His body was as lithe as a feather, and his actions were bold and meticulous. Every time he successfully pulled Meng Fuyao away, he seemed to have calculated that she had expended a lot of energy in the first round, so he intentionally helped her conserve her true energy.
"Didn't Zhan Beiye say that his master had already passed two rounds?" Meng Fuyao asked Zong Yue after successfully evading once again. "How did he pass this round?"
"Light," Zong Yue replied. "There's only light in the Dark Realm."
Meng Fuyao immediately took out a fire starter, but Zong Yue said, "It's useless. If we could use fire, this would be easy."
She drew her knife again and poured her true energy into the blade, but the light from the true Qi was only attached to the knife itself, so it could not illuminate the chaotic darkness.
Meng Fuyao tried several methods to no avail. "Then where did Master Lei Dong get the light from?"
"Master Lei Dong brought a Fiery Firefly with him," Zong Yue replied. "This thing lives in the swamps of the Western Region's Moluo Marsh. It's extremely rare, huge, and never extinguishes. Master Lei Dong specially made a trip to Moluo Marsh and caught one with great difficulty. He wanted to ask my master to research it and see if it could be used to improve his skills, but in the Dark Realm, he had no choice but to release the Fiery Firefly to break the formation. We couldn't find it after that, so we had to think of another way."
"Where can we find a Fiery Firefly now?" Meng Fuyao sighed. Zong Yue said, "There's no need to look for it. It's impossible to find it. When Brother Zhan came over, he ordered the entire country to search for it, but to no avail."
The two of them hid in a corner, so the giant hand could not grab them. Instead, they had the time to talk. Meng Fuyao asked, "Who's your master? He seems to have a good relationship with Master Lei Dong? "
"People call him the Celestial Doctor, and his name is Gu Yidi. Zong Yue replied, "It's not just good. It's said that if it weren't for Master Lei Dong's wife being too much of a lioness, it would have been my master who married Master Lei Dong."
Meng Fuyao could not help but laugh. Zong Yue said, "There are some grudges between the older generation. My master was originally from Qiong Cang and has been wandering the world for many years. I haven't seen her in a long time."
Meng Fuyao wondered what kind of woman could have taught someone like Zong Yue. She could not help but be fascinated. Suddenly, something tightened beside her, as if something had been lifted by a great force. Then, a huge gust of wind crashed into her.
Meng Fuyao turned around and threw a punch, colliding with the enormous force. The enemy was formless in this stage, so any weapon would be useless. She had to rely on her True Force to compete. Her punch was fierce, and pale white True Qi flashed. In an instant, it collided with the black wind, causing the surroundings to tremble.
However, just as she was about to finish her move, several strong gusts of wind came rushing at her. The giant hand seemed to have split its fingers in an instant and attacked her from all directions at the same time. The True Force coming from every direction was not any weaker than Yan Sha, one of the Top Ten Strongest.
In other words, Meng Fuyao had to fight five Yan Sha at the same time!
Five ferocious forces attacked her at the same time, and the wind was so fierce that it made it hard to breathe. It was as if they were going to crush her into meat paste no matter what. In that instant, Meng Fuyao had no time to think or evade. She simply did not give way. Instead, she twisted her waist and swung both her fists. Her left leg flew up, and even her head recklessly met the attack!
'You want to squeeze me to death? I'll knock you to death first. Since Gonggong knocked into Mount Buzhou, we'll do it again!'
However, even if she used her entire body as a weapon, she could not take care of her right leg. She poured her True Force into her right leg and prepared to take this attack head-on. Even if it meant breaking her leg, she would not be turned into meat paste!
Suddenly, there was the sound of clothes flapping in the wind.
Boom!
The sound of the head-on collision was like the beating of a drum. Meng Fuyao's head buzzed, and her neck felt like it was about to break. After the shock passed, the pain she was waiting for did not come. She immediately turned her head and asked, "Zong Yue?"
After a while, she heard Zong Yue's reply. "Yes."
He did not say anything else after that. Meng Fuyao said anxiously, "You have a chronic internal injury. You shouldn't use your inner force so easily. Get out of my way!"
She withdrew her fist, but she suddenly realized that her fist seemed to be stuck in a pile of clay. She could vaguely feel that the giant force was still dragging her in a certain direction.
There shouldn't be anything in that direction, but she knew that if she was dragged by it, a killer that could kill her would definitely appear.
There was no point in panicking. She took a deep breath and sunk herself into the ground with the Thousand Catty Fall.
The giant force seemed to be controlled by someone. It became heavier and heavier, slowly increasing in strength. The force that trapped her two fists was exerted from two different directions. Not only was it trying to drag her away, but it was also trying to tear her apart. She kept increasing her True Force to resist. Not only did she have to stabilize herself, but she also had to divert her attention to her arms. Beads of sweat gradually formed on her forehead.
Suddenly, she felt a light bump on her shoulder. The True Energy in her right fist was cleverly guided away, and the force that was originally on her body was drawn away. Her body relaxed. Although the pressure was still heavy, it was only on one side. She no longer had to worry about being torn apart alive.
She was startled. She turned around and shouted, "Zong Yue, let go!"
He seemed to be injured. He had already helped her withstand one of the giant forces and prevented her from breaking her leg. How could she withstand another one?
The person beside her did not reply. His breath was cold, and the smell of medicine became stronger. She could vaguely hear something dripping. The pitter patter was soft but alarming. Meng Fuyao was burning with anxiety. She used her head to bump him. "Let go! I can handle it myself! "
Zong Yue swayed. There was a hint of anger in his voice. "What are you arguing about? Save your strength and you can live a little longer! "
"I don't want to live on your dead body!" Meng Fuyao refused to budge. She placed her finger on her finger to guide the True Force back.
Suddenly, the sound of the wind behind her was heard again.
It was no longer a powerful force. Instead, it was very similar to the sound of the wind when it first entered the formation. It was as if countless thin, transparent daggers were shooting from all directions. The speed was faster, and the sound of the wind was more urgent. In a split second, only the sound of the wind could be heard.
Meng Fuyao's heart thumped. She was in despair. She had just used the Thousand Kilogram Fall to stabilize herself and was using all her strength to resist the force that seemed to be coming from the sky. The moment she tried to escape, she would be dragged away by the force. She would either be knocked out or pierced by the strong wind. She had no choice!
Suddenly, he recalled that Zong Yue was also facing a hopeless situation where he could neither advance nor retreat!
Her blood rushed to her head. Without a second thought, she turned around to block Zong Yue.
Just as she turned, a gust of wind blew over. She felt her side go numb, and with a thud, she fell backward.
Zong Yue was faster than her. He was the first to fall.
He pounced on her and covered her tightly, his limbs intertwining to protect her. Then, he lowered his body and used the Thousand Catties Fall to resist the huge force that was still dragging her down.
The sound of the wind brushed past their heads. Meng Fuyao could feel the cold wind cutting through her skin. Her loose hair was cut off in an instant. The sharp force made her tremble in fear. The sound of the wind was so close and dense that she was almost poked. Zong Yue, Zong Yue …
"Move! Move! "Meng Fuyao could not move. She kept shouting," Move, move, move, move … "
"Don't move!" Zong Yue pressed down on her tightly. His whole body was trembling, but he refused to budge. She tried to use her inner energy to break through the acupoints, but everyone's acupoint sealing technique was different. Zong Yue's was especially strange. Although her inner energy was at its peak, she could not accurately grasp the flow of the acupoint and could not break through it.
She was surrounded by darkness and could only hear the sound of the wind. She couldn't see anything, but she could feel the smell of medicine and blood in the air getting thicker. Something kept splashing and landing on her body. The man's body temperature was unusually hot, but her heart was slightly cold. That strange body temperature made her heart sink, and tears uncontrollably gushed out of her eyes. "I beg you … Move, move …"
The man was immersed in the darkness, resisting silently and not moving a single step.
Amidst the clamor of the wind, the two people who had fallen to the ground were shockingly quiet. They were both silent, bursting forth with their greatest strength to endure. One endured the attack of his injuries and the pain of the sharp wind cutting his body, the other endured the silent sacrifice and the greatest fear towards the bleak fate.
The sound of the wind was as fast as light, and time seemed to slow down to a thousand years.
Zong Yue suddenly trembled, and a mouthful of warm blood sprayed on her hair.
Her tears rolled down silently, flowing along the corners of her eyes and slowly falling to her hair. They trembled for a while, then dripped down along with the warm blood.
"Fuyao … Why … This formation is obviously trying to kill you …" Zong Yue hugged her, and before he could finish his sentence, another mouthful of warm blood sprayed on her shoulder and neck, scalding her heart. "… I understand the Four Great Realms. Back then … I estimated that as long as you succeeded in breaking through the Nine Heavens, you would be able to pass. But now … starting from the Nine Nether Realm, things are no longer right …"
"Someone wants me to die here." Her tears wet her temples. She gritted her teeth, and with boundless hatred, she said, "Indeed … I deserve to die."
'If I have to step over your dead bodies to reach the altar of the Temple, I'd rather die early, when we first met.'
"No … I'm very happy." Zong Yue hugged her and sighed in satisfaction. "In this life … this might be … the closest we've ever been …"
He leaned against her cheek, smelling her deep fragrance amidst her tears and blood. That fragrance was like a flower blooming on the other side of the darkness, blooming cleanly under the reflection of the heavenly water. In a trance, he searched for the fragrance, stepped over the long river of blood, and resisted the boundless coldness and bone-piercing coldness. Finally, at the end of the world, he saw her smiling back at him.
It was as beautiful as fleeting light and passing shadows …
His slightly cold cheek leaned in, his hot breath on her face. Even in such a desperate situation, the beautiful face that belonged to An Mei still did not show a hint of paleness. It was always as bright as fire, just like how in this life, no matter how many trials and tribulations he had gone through, he always wore a mask to live his life. That gorgeous, distant, beautiful yet illusory life … until he met her, until he met this woman who was as bright as fire beneath him.
Zong Yue gently leaned against her. He wanted to get closer to her, a little bit, a little bit more … This journey was too cold, and he wanted to indulge his selfishness and borrow her warmth to get through the eternal night of life.
He was already half-conscious, but he still remembered to gently search for the source of that fragrance, from her ears to her hair, to her tear-streaked cheeks, to … her cold and soft lips.
When their lips touched, he trembled first.
He had never thought of this moment, and never tried to possess her. He was part of the darkness, and after losing everything, he only lived for his obsession. That flower bloomed brightly, but it should only bloom in the clean soil, and not in a dark corner like him, never to see the sun all year round.
He had always wanted to be the one to protect the flower.
When he was young, he was a lonely wandering prince. Later, she sent him to the cold palace of the Jade Emperor, and then became his lonely emperor. His whole life was far above the throne, and when he looked down, he could only see the depths of the clouds, and she was on the other side.
The wind carried the scent of blood and tears, and the only hint of fragrance that did not dissipate came from between his lips and teeth. He smiled faintly. At this moment, the warmth between his lips and teeth … was stronger than all the coldness in this world.
His slightly cold lips moved gently, kissing away the surging tears on her red lips … Her life should always be bright and vigorous, and should not be tainted by tears … But why was there a vague trace of joy in his heart … After all, she had risked her life for him, and she had cried for him in the end?
A vague smile bloomed on Zong Yue's lips.
The sound of the wind gradually subsided, and the most pressing sure-kill attack was over.
Zong Yue's body also gradually softened.
Before he completely lost his strength, he unsealed her acupoint with a finger.
She immediately raised her arms to hug him, but when she felt the stickiness on her hands, she felt a chill in her heart, and her vision went black. She was almost dragged by the huge force that had not left.
Suddenly, a cry came from his arms. It was the Nine-Tailed Beast. It had been pressed so hard that it could not make a sound, and had almost lost its life. Now, it struggled out, desperately inhaling and exhaling its internal elixir to catch its breath.
The golden internal elixir floated in its body, shining brightly and dazzlingly.
Meng Fuyao's mind was shaken, and under the pain, she did not have the patience to care about it. She grabbed it and stuffed it back.
Just as she pulled her hand out, it suddenly froze in mid-air.
What did she just see?
Golden light … Golden light!
She saw light!
Fireflies … Fireflies … Animals that emit light on their own …
A thought flashed through her mind, and she raised her hand to touch the Nine-Tailed Beast. She pulled it out, and with a raise of her hand, she threw it into the air!
With a flash of golden light, the Nine-Tailed Fox was thrown into the air. Suddenly, a faint golden light appeared in mid-air. It was not very bright, but to Meng Fuyao and the others, who were highly skilled in martial arts and had sensitive five senses, it was barely enough for them to see what was happening above.
What was even more amazing was that the Nine-Tailed Beast flew through the air without any hindrance. It was obvious that the huge force was not from it.
Meng Fuyao's heart was filled with ecstasy!
There was light!
After the ecstasy was a wave of sadness. Why didn't I think of it earlier?
With a flash of golden light, the huge wind above them stopped, and a faint outline could be vaguely seen. It was actually in the shape of a hand. The hand seemed to be attracted by the light, pausing for a moment before moving to grab the Nine-Tailed Beast again.
This time, the attack was even fiercer and fiercer. Black gas flowed in all directions more frequently than before, and the black gas actually moved along with the Nine-Tailed Beast's body. Like a snake, it coiled around Meng Fuyao.
Meng Fuyao finally understood what Lei Dong meant when he said that keeping this thing alive could be beneficial or detrimental. Although the Nine-Tailed Beast's internal elixir was emitting golden light, it was born to be a wind-supporting evil creature. It was connected to the evil aura of the formation. Throwing it out would only produce a little light, but the power of the formation would also increase.
Meng Fuyao hesitated for a moment. Should she recall the Nine-Tailed Beast?
Dark Realm … Dark Realm … No matter what, light was still the most important … No matter what, even if it was a little troublesome, it would still be good to light up the others.
She didn't want to see anyone get hurt because of her!
Meng Fuyao was determined not to hesitate anymore. She raised her arm and threw the Nine-Tailed Beast up again. She could imagine that the trapped Zhan Beiye and the others would also be able to see the golden light. With that light, there would be hope of breaking the formation. Meng Fuyao hugged Zong Yue, channeling her vital energy without hesitation as she shouted, "Did you guys see that?"
As she spoke, the Nine-Tailed Beast fell again. She threw it up again, but the fox could only stay in the air for a limited amount of time. She had to constantly dodge the ferocious crushing force of the Nine-Tailed Beast and throw it. Although it wasn't too difficult, the fox couldn't take it.
"Yip, yip!" The Nine-Tailed Beast cried in the air like a rubber ball, dizzy and screaming for help.
The golden light flickered, and it was indeed hard to see clearly. Just as Meng Fuyao was in a dilemma, a colorful feather flashed in the air, and Vajra flew out.
The bird rushed out, scolding, "What are you doing? You're jumping up and down and making me dizzy! "It flew under the Nine-Tailed Beast and caught the fox.
Once it caught the Nine-Tailed Beast, the golden light stopped flickering and stabilized. Meng Fuyao raised her head and shouted, "Nine-Tailed! Put in more effort! If you do well, I'll reward you! "
The Nine-Tailed Beast circulated its energy in the air, and its inner core floated in the air. The golden light shone brightly, and its belly became transparent like a small golden lantern.
In an instant, Meng Fuyao saw Zhan Beiye and Yun Hen fighting like cornered beasts not far from her. However, they seemed to be in a better state than she was. This formation was indeed fully targeted at her.
The few of them turned their heads and looked in her direction at the same time. Their eyes met, and in an instant, they were filled with ecstasy!
The surrounding black gas became denser, but the giant palm above her head became thinner and thinner under the golden light. Suddenly, it shrank!
"Boom!"
Green, red, and white lights shone at the same time under the illumination of the golden light. In an instant, they intersected in mid-air. The combined strength of the three experts destroyed the hazy giant palm in an instant.
A faint black smoke spread between heaven and earth. Meng Fuyao unintentionally sniffed a few times, but nothing happened. Before she could figure out what was going on, the sky brightened. Zhan Beiye, Yun Hen, and the rest rushed over in a flash.
Zhan Beiye's expression changed when he saw Zong Yue in Meng Fuyao's arms. "What's wrong with him?"
Meng Fuyao's hand had been pressing on Zong Yue's back. She had not dared to test his breathing in the formation, for fear that she would lose focus and ruin the plan. She had only been trying her best to transfer vital energy to him. Only now, with a pale face and trembling hand, did she press on Zong Yue's pulse.
Before her hand could touch Zong Yue's wrist, she felt her legs go soft. It was as if the earth had been sucked away, and her body suddenly floated up.
The surrounding scenery changed again. White clouds appeared, and her limbs no longer obeyed her commands. Her hand went soft, and Zong Yue fell from her arms.
Meng Fuyao hurriedly tried to grab him, but her body floated up uncontrollably. She turned to look at the others in shock. Zong Yue tumbled from her hands and disappeared in an instant.
Meng Fuyao was shocked. "Zong Yue! Zong Yue! " He tried his best to move forward, but every time he moved, he would have to float for a long time. He couldn't do any of his movements as he wished. It was as if gravity didn't exist at all. It felt like he was suddenly floating in a weightless universe.
She struggled to adjust her limbs in an attempt to grab Zong Yue. Suddenly, someone pulled her arm. She turned to see Zhan Beiye. He frowned and said in a low voice, "Fuyao! He's already in the third realm. It's good that he fell. The second realm has been broken, and it won't hurt him anymore. "
"How can I let him fall alone!" Meng Fuyao shouted angrily. "I don't even know if he's dead or alive!"
Tears glistened in her eyes. She stared at Zhan Beiye with a threatening, murderous look. If he didn't let go, she would slash him with her knife.
Zhan Beiye did not move. "Fuyao, protect yourself! The stronger you are, the better the others won't have to die! "
Meng Fuyao trembled, and all the blood drained from her face. Zhan Beiye immediately realized that his words were too hurtful. However, Fuyao was a loyal person who would never abandon her companions in the face of danger. Now that Zong Yue was in such a state, how could she be willing to let go if his words were not harsh?
The two of them stared at each other, their eyes filled with pain. After a while, Fuyao closed her eyes and turned her head away silently.
She had no right to be willful. She did not even have the right to look back!
Behind and in front of her, there were people whose lives she did not know!
She stopped in the middle, her heart torn into two. She wanted nothing more than to be torn into two and disappear into the world!
The moment she turned her head, a teardrop flew out and landed on Zhan Beiye's hand. It was like a heavy downpour, drenching Zhan Beiye's heart. After a while, he said in a low voice, "Don't worry … Zong Yue's identity is different from ours. Qiong Cang has also received help from him in the past. He won't make things difficult for him."
Fuyao grunted, her heart aching. 'What happened to Zong Yue? Where did he land? ' Just now, when the sky brightened, she only saw half of his body covered in blood. 'Was it a superficial wound or a serious internal injury?' 'Could his divine medical skills save himself?'
'Forgive me for having to abandon you …'
'But I won't forgive myself …'
Flowers floated around him like clouds. The sky was bright like snow, and he was in the middle of the clouds.
The third realm, floating clouds.
Fuyao was not in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. She was in a daze, completely different from the gloomy light of the previous two realms.
Fragmented clouds floated around her, swaying leisurely. The clouds were as soft as feathers, and the air was calm and serene. Ancient music could be faintly heard, soothing like the soup of a large river. It was pleasing to the ears and the heart, as if one was immersed in warm water. It was warm, peaceful, and relaxed. There was no murderous aura, no darkness, no ghosts, and no blade wind.
It was as if all the sacrifices and bloodshed, the white bones and the cries of ghosts, and the murderous intent to kill her had suddenly been erased.
After experiencing a blood-soaked and anxious journey, the peace at this moment seemed to be calling for rest and return to the exhausted. There was no need for words. It was an endless temptation.
Fuyao felt her eyelids become heavy, and she could not help but try to stick them together.
She was too tired, and she really needed a sleep to recover her vital energy.
She vaguely knew that she shouldn't be sleeping at this time, but the tiredness was like a tide, rushing towards her. She resisted one wave, but the next wave came closer. In the wave of resistance, her defense was washed away bit by bit, and she loosened up.
Yun Hen and the others around her had their eyes half-closed. Tie Cheng seemed to be trying his best to sit up, but he could not stop himself from falling backward. Yao Xun had long fallen asleep, and his snores were deafening.
Although they did not bear the brunt of the attacks like Fuyao and Zong Yue, they were still tired after dodging.
The most awake was Zhan Beiye.
He was born brave and energetic, unlike Fuyao, who was physically and mentally exhausted after breaking through two realms. That was why he could barely stay awake when everyone was drowsy. When he saw Fuyao's eyelids half-closed, he quickly reached out to pat her. "Don't sleep!"
Fuyao woke up abruptly. She knew that something was wrong, so she pulled herself together and patted the others. "Get up! Don't sleep, don't sleep! "
Yun Hen opened his eyes, Tie Cheng groaned but could not get up, and Yao Xun had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Even King Kong and Nine-Tailed were floating there, comfortably closing their eyes and sleeping soundly.
Meng Fuyao knew that she was in trouble. She pinched herself with all her might and tried to make herself sink down. Perhaps she would be a little more clear-headed if her feet were on solid ground. However, in this strange place, even the Thousand Ton Drop had lost its effect. Zhan Beiye grabbed her and gestured for her to hold onto Yun Hen. The few of them strung together and started to circulate their energy. With their strength, even a layer of granite would sink under their feet. Unexpectedly, their bodies only sank slightly before bouncing back up.
Fuyao's exhaustion became more and more obvious. She tilted her head back and fell asleep.
After her, Yun Hen loosened his grip on her hand and closed his eyes.
Zhan Beiye, who was struggling to stay awake, saw that the other two had also fallen for the Dao. He knew that he could not sleep no matter what, so he pulled out his sword and slashed at his arm.
Blood splattered three feet into the air!
Zhan Beiye was shocked by the intensity of the blood. He had only wanted to stab himself to keep awake through the pain, but in this godforsaken place, blood spurted out like a fountain.
Blood splattered between the clouds and shot into the sky. In an instant, Zhan Beiye's entire body was covered in blood, as if he had just killed hundreds of people.
He smiled helplessly and wrapped his wound tightly, taking a long time to stop the bleeding.
Stabbing himself to keep awake was not going to work. Before he could wake up, his blood had already flowed out.
But was he supposed to just float like that? There was no killer there. Zhan Beiye looked around hesitantly while protecting Fuyao. Among the floating clouds, there seemed to be something. However, as they floated, their movements became slow, and they could not pass.
Zhan Beiye, who had just lost a lot of blood, gradually felt drowsy, and his eyes were about to close.
Suddenly, he felt a cold wind!
The wind seemed to be blowing from underground, cold and gloomy. It was completely different from the leisurely, warm, and hypnotic feeling of the Floating Clouds Realm. It was like a beast crouching behind the clouds, waiting for its prey to come knocking on its door.
Zhan Beiye suddenly opened his eyes.
At a glance, they saw that a fiery red hole had suddenly appeared in the direction they had been drifting towards!
The inside of the cave was dark red, and there was a vague flame-like thing churning and surging. The flames were scorching hot, and the scorching heat waves could be felt from far away.
The few of them were floating towards the fiery hole without noticing anything.
Zhan Beiye broke out in a cold sweat.
He finally knew why no one had ever successfully passed the Firmament Four Realms, and why no one had ever been able to find their corpses in the end.
The first two rounds were extremely difficult and consumed True Power. No matter how high one's martial arts was, they would be exhausted. Now that they were in such a comfortable environment, it was inevitable for them to relax. As long as they closed their eyes, they would be sucked into the fire hole and turned into ashes.
If he had fallen asleep just now, he would have ended up the same way!
Yao Xun, who was floating at the front, had already reached the edge of the hole!
Zhan Beiye suddenly darted over, using all his strength, but he only managed to move a few feet, barely blocking Yao Xun. He kicked Yao Xun away and turned his head, only to see Tie Cheng floating over again.
It took him ten times more strength than usual to push Tie Cheng away, but Yun Hen had arrived again.
Zhan Beiye swung his sword, using the hilt to block Yun Hen, then his hands and legs to block Yao Xun and Tie Cheng. He finally heaved a sigh of relief, but when he turned his head, he was scared out of his wits.
Meng Fuyao's head was already near the hole, and a flame swept out, burning off a chunk of her hair!
She trembled as if she was about to wake up, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't open her eyes. She was about to be sucked in.
Zhan Beiye could no longer stop her, let alone the four of them.
He suddenly let go of his hands and legs, abandoning his sword, and retreated!
The moment he let go, the four of them slowly floated over.
But in that instant, he had already thrown himself at the entrance of the cave, his back facing the flames in the cave, using his chest to block the entrance.
He blocked the hole.
He blocked Meng Fuyao, who was closest to the hole, as well as the ones behind her.
Behind him, there were thousands of layers of scorching waves, and tongues of fire rolled out like the long tongue of a giant fire snake. From time to time, they would reach out and burn the backs of the people blocking the hole.
The clothes on their backs were slowly burned away, and their skin gradually turned red and blistered. After a while, they would be burnt to a crisp.
Zhan Beiye's body trembled slightly, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, dripping onto his clothes, which were instantly dried by the heat waves. The pain on his back intensified, and the injuries on his skin worsened. Every time a new tongue of fire came, the original injuries would be further scorched, and the pain would increase.
The flames were not fierce, and they did not appear all the time. But because of that, it became the slowest and most unbearable torture in the world.
Zhan Beiye did not struggle, nor did he cry out. He only looked at Meng Fuyao, who seemed to be immersed in a sweet dream. Her sweaty face even revealed a joyful smile.
Meng Fuyao was still struggling in her dream, sinking into an inescapable slumber. She was completely unaware that she was sleeping at the mouth of the fire cave, where someone had used his own body to isolate her from the Blazing Heart Inferno.
It was not the Instant Fire of the God-Stunning Arrow, which could be avoided or extinguished with a single attack. It was the Yin Fire of the Abyss, which was carefully set up. The tongues of fire licked slowly, gradually drying up all the moisture in the body, and using endless pain to burn away one's soul and will bit by bit.
Until the person was burned to death at the slowest and cruelest speed.
= = =
In the Floating Clouds Realm, the tongues of fire were sinister, and the icy wind at the peak of the Nine Heavens trembled.
Zhangsun Wuji was focused, listening carefully for any movement in the wind.
The sound in the ice cave was so soft that even the disciples guarding 300 meters away could not hear it. Yet, the murderous aura was as thick as the clouds, silently approaching.
A meticulously planned assassination against Zhangsun Wuji was about to begin.
Zhangsun Wuji's expression was calm, but his pupils constricted like needles.
The conflict between the two factions of the Evergreen Temple had been going on for many years. Even with his position as Temple Master, he had no choice but to be dragged into the vortex. Now that he had betrayed his sect for Fuyao, it could be said that he had given up his position as Temple Master. Yet, those people were still worried and unwilling to let him go.
The other party wouldn't publicly execute him to prevent others from gossiping and being investigated by the Palace Master. They also couldn't kill their way up to Receiving Sky Peak and alert the disciples guarding it. The only thing they could do was to assassinate him, to make him die without leaving any traces, and to make it look like he died of natural causes.
Zhangsun Wuji slowly put away the silk and pushed it into his sleeves.
He stared ahead. Amidst the wind and snow, a greyish-black shadow flew up from the foot of the mountain like a ghost, flapping its wings and diving into the cave.
The thing landed on the rack and tilted its head, looking at Zhangsun Wuji coldly with its golden eyes. Its green feathers were glossy, and its body was huge, but its movements were nimble.
It was a green falcon, a vicious bird unique to the Evergreen Divine Mountain. In the temple, the one who had trained falcons the best was the fourth elder, the one who had personally tied Zhangsun Wuji to the rack that day.
The falcon stared coldly at Zhangsun Wuji. Just as Zhangsun Wuji was guessing whether it was going to peck at his eyes or touch his wounds, the thing suddenly flapped its wings and flew up again.
At the same time, the rack suddenly toppled over.
Without a sound or break, it slowly fell down, bringing Zhangsun Wuji's body to the ground.
At the end of the wind and snow, there was the sound of a finger snapping. A gust of wind shot out and sealed Zhangsun Wuji's mute acupoint.
Then, with a flash of green, the well-trained vicious bird landed on Zhangsun Wuji's body.
It landed precisely on his chest, pressing down on his heavy body.
The icy wind whistled, and the ice cave was silent. The fallen rack and the person on it were the vicious bird that didn't harm anyone, but the heart.
The bright white ice reflected the bird's green feathers. It was motionless, like a nightmare that had suddenly descended.
High up in the sky, it was empty and quiet. No one knew that a murder had occurred in that instant.
It was a meticulously concocted murder. Once it happened, even if someone suspected it, it was impossible to find any evidence of it.
A weak body with martial arts suppressed, a heavy object pressed tightly on the chest, and a heart that couldn't be resisted for a long period of time … it was equivalent to a silent death.
= = =
At the foot of the mountain, King Garuda looked up at the direction where the eagle flew, his eyes flashing.
A man with fluttering sleeves came down from the top of the mountain. He took a few steps towards King Garuda and said with a low smile, "I can do this. It's not worth troubling you."
"With your skills, I'm afraid it's not enough to push down the rack without stopping, right?" King Garuda looked back in that direction, "When the person is dead tomorrow morning, remember to push the rack back to its original position."
King Garuda nodded, then turned to the person beside him and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Fourth Elder, for lending you the well-trained falcon in the hall. I didn't expect you to come in person."
"I can't be at ease if I don't see that kid executed with my own eyes." The Fourth Elder's face was ferocious, "He should have died long ago, but he refused to die. I can only send him on his way!"
"You don't have to do it yourself." King Garuda smiled, "With the falcon squatting on his chest for a whole night, with his current physical strength, he will definitely not be able to withstand it. He will naturally die silently tomorrow morning. There are no wounds, no poison, no signs of death, nothing will be seen."
"Don't let your guard down." King Garuda said, "This person is deep, intelligent, and good at scheming. You stay here and make sure he's dead before you leave."
King Garuda bowed in response. The Fourth Elder suddenly said, "I will also stay here."
King Garuda was startled. The Fourth Elder smiled and said, "The falcon is mine, of course I have to watch it. Don't let it fall into the hands of others."
"Then please go ahead." King Garuda smiled and looked up with his hands behind his back.
In the darkness, their eyes were burning, waiting for a silent death.
= = =
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