Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Breaking out of the illusionary cloud formation and stepping onto solid ground, the three of them felt as if they had been transported to another world.

Behind them was a vast, churning sea of ​​clouds that had swallowed countless cultivators, while in front of them stretched a long expanse of palace ruins, overgrown with weeds amidst the broken walls, exuding an ancient and desolate aura.

The thin spiritual energy carried a faint smell of decay, yet it also contained a purity far surpassing that of the outside world.

A few streaks of light emerged from different directions in the sea of ​​clouds, landing on the edge of the ruins. Each one was injured and looked terrified. They cautiously kept their distance from each other and quickly disappeared into the shadows of the broken palace walls.

"Damn it, I finally made it out alive!" Shi Tie plopped down on a broken stone tablet, grimacing and rubbing his chest. He had just endured the backlash from the formation, and his internal organs had been shaken, his blood and qi still churning.

He took out the healing pills that Li Xiaocao had prepared, and swallowed a few without even looking at them.

Wang Hu also sat down against the broken stone pillar, his face pale, panting heavily, and glancing back at the terrifying sea of ​​clouds with lingering fear.

If it weren't for Senior Sister Su's composure in the face of danger and her precise location of the escape route, the three of them would probably have perished inside.

Su Xiao was relatively calmer, but beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She first looked around warily to make sure it was safe for the time being before taking out a Mind-Clearing Pill to ease the consumption of her spiritual energy.

Her gaze swept over the endless ruins before her, her brows furrowing slightly. The area surrounding the Flowing Cloud Cave was so vast, and beneath the seemingly peaceful ruins, who knew how many deadly traps lay hidden?

The information in the jade slip in the Treasure Pavilion became blurred at this point, and the path ahead was up to them.

"Senior Brother Shi, how are your injuries?" Su Xiao walked to Shi Tie's side and asked softly.

"It's nothing! I'm tough, I'll be fine after a rest!" Shi Tie waved his hand dismissively, then added resentfully, "It's those bastards from the Heavenly Sword Sect, they're such scoundrels! They couldn't break the formation themselves, so they just kept causing trouble, almost getting everyone killed!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a muffled cough and panicked whispers came from behind a pile of collapsed palace walls not far away.

"Senior brother! This way is blocked! It's a dead end!"

"Damn it! How do we get out of this cursed formation?"

"My spiritual energy is almost depleted..."

The voice sounded vaguely familiar. Su Xiao's eyes narrowed, and he gestured for Shi Tie and Wang Hu to be quiet. The three of them quietly crept over and hid behind a huge rubble, cautiously peeking out.

Behind the wall, on a relatively open patch of gravel, five or six disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, dressed in moon-white sword robes, were gathered together in a disheveled state.

The leader was the same Qi Refining Level 8 disciple who had provoked them outside the valley earlier. At this moment, his robes were torn, his face was pale, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth. He had obviously suffered a serious injury from the backlash of the formation.

The others were in an even worse state; some were supporting each other, while others slumped on the ground, their eyes unfocused and filled with despair. They seemed trapped in a remnant illusionary array, going around in circles, unable to find a way out.

"Hey! Karma! It really is karma!" Shi Tie chuckled, lowering his voice to gloat, "Look at their pathetic state! They deserved it!"

Wang Hu also felt relieved, but he didn't dare to say anything.

Su Xiao's eyes flickered as she quickly weighed her options. The Heavenly Sword Sect was powerful, and it wouldn't be wise to forge a deadly feud here. But to stand by and watch them die seemed... She remembered her senior brother's words, "Always leave a way out," and also considered the dangers lurking in the cave. Having one more friend (even if temporary) was always better than having one more enemy.

"Senior Brother Shi, Wang Hu, wait here and don't show yourselves," Su Xiao whispered, then straightened his robes and calmly walked out from behind the ruins.

The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect immediately became alert, gripping their sword hilts tightly as if facing a formidable enemy. The leading disciple, upon recognizing Su Xiao, was first taken aback, then his eyes flashed with surprise and a hint of embarrassment: "It's you? From the Azure Cloud Sect? What do you want?" His tone remained forceful, but his confidence was clearly lacking.

Su Xiao stopped a few feet away from them, his expression calm. He pointed to an inconspicuous, half-hidden, dilapidated archway behind them and said indifferently, "Fellow Daoists, if you wish to leave this place, you can try heading in that direction. The clouds and mist flow here, revealing a faint glimmer of life; it may be a way out. Believe it or not."

After saying that, she didn't say anything more, turned around and left without any hesitation.

The chief disciple of the Sword Sect was stunned. He stared at Su Xiao's departing figure, then at the direction she pointed, his expression shifting uncertainly. A disciple beside him whispered, "Senior Brother, can we trust this woman? Could it be a trap?"

Another person said, "Senior Brother, let's give it a try! It's better than being trapped here to die! That woman from the Qingyun Sect doesn't seem like a treacherous person..."

The chief disciple gritted his teeth. He really had no other choice but to try anything.

"Let's go! Let's take a look over there!"

He helped his injured fellow disciple to his feet and carefully moved towards the archway Su Xiao had pointed out. Sure enough, after passing through the archway, the illusions around them gradually dissipated, and a clear path appeared before them.

He glanced back at the direction where Su Xiao had disappeared, his eyes filled with a complex mix of surprise, gratitude, and confusion, which finally turned into a complicated sigh before he quickly left with his entourage.

"Junior Sister Su, why are you still helping them?" Shi Tie asked, puzzled, back at their hideout, still somewhat resentful.

Su Xiao shook his head slightly: "Senior Brother Shi, the cave is fraught with danger. Although the Heavenly Sword Sect is arrogant, it is not a mortal enemy. Doing this as a favor and making a good relationship may save us trouble in the future. Besides, I'm just pointing out a path; whether they can get out is up to them."

Shi Tie scratched his head, seemingly understanding but not quite, but out of trust in Su Xiao, he didn't say anything more. Wang Hu, on the other hand, seemed thoughtful, feeling that Senior Sister Su had indeed considered things from a long-term perspective.

After resting for a while, the three regained some of their strength and began to cautiously explore the ruins. The ruins were enormous, with palace remains, collapsed pavilions, and dried-up ponds scattered everywhere, allowing one to vaguely imagine its former grandeur.

A faint, restrictive aura permeated the air, clearly indicating that danger lurked everywhere.

Holding the jade slip, Su Xiao focused her divine sense, constantly sensing the flow of spiritual energy and subtle traces of array formations around her. She discovered that some areas appeared calm, but hidden beneath them were extremely subtle energy vortexes, which, if triggered, would likely endanger even Golden Core cultivators.

Some of the damaged statues or walls still bear the remnants of offensive restrictions. Although their power has diminished considerably over time, they are still not to be underestimated.

"Three steps to the left, there are remnants of a trap talisman; go around it."

"The headless stone lion ahead has an unusual look in its eyes. Do not look directly at it. Pass through the low wall on the right."

"Pay attention to the color of the blue bricks under your feet; darker ones may trigger ground fire."

Su Xiao kept issuing instructions, which Shi Tie and Wang Hu strictly followed. Along the way, they witnessed a group of seven or eight rogue cultivators who, attracted by the flickering spiritual light inside a side hall, ignored warnings and forced their way in. As a result, they triggered a restriction and were instantly engulfed by the surging Yin Sha fire from the ground. They didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to ashes.

Another group of Black Wind Stronghold members attempted to forcefully break the seal on a stone door, triggering a series of explosions that resulted in heavy casualties.

Thanks to Su Xiao's accurate insight and command, the three members of Qingyun Sect managed to avoid several deadly traps and steadily ventured deeper into the ruins.

Their "good fortune" gradually attracted the attention of some surviving forces, whose eyes were filled with suspicion and greed. However, due to the strength and tacit understanding shown by the three, no one dared to make a move for the time being.